Picture 2 At Moh Chit Bus Station, Bangkok, Thailand during the peak of traveling season. Usually, the bus terminal is busy, but do not look this heavy.
Picture 2 A bus at the Muang Surin Bus Station, Surin Province
The following is a letter from a father in Bangkok, Thailand, writing in a casual manner, to his son in New York City, USA
Date: Fri 12/11/2009 9:16 PM
Subject: Traveling to Surin Province, Thailand
Dear son,
Again I celebrate using my e-mailing via
Don't feel any surprise, for I am perfectly fine, not sick or anything. After dinner usually I will watch news or TV show from my bed, turning the air conditioner on at the set temperature of 25 c. I am a twofler, like to do two or more things at the same time, like watching TV, while reading, or writing an e-mail from my bed, not turning the lamp light on.
Tomorrow (Saturday), I will spend the morning working on some serious writing, and plan to have early lunch at home. At 11:30 hrs I will go to the Moh Chit Bus Station Bangkok, to take the bus to Surin. The first class air-conditioned bus of Kijkarn Tour Service will leave the Moh Chit Bus Station, Bangkok around 12:30 hrs. Some times I take the 13:00hrs bus.
At around 15:30 hrs, The bus will stop at the Pak Chong Bus Station, (next to Phyphaya Hotel, Pak Chong, Nakhonratchasima Province), for having an early dinner, get to the restroom, utilizing the men urinal, wash my face, all together for the stop of 20 minutes, then the bus will leave to Surin Province.
The distance from Bangkok to Pak Chong is about 176 km., 2 hours 30 minutes. Pak Chong (Thai: ปากช่อง) is the westernmost district (amphoe) of Nakhon Ratchasima Province, northeastern Thailand.
The distance from Pak Chong to Muang Surin (Surin City) is 311 km, via Highway route 24, takes 4 hours and 39 minutes. So the total distance from Bangkok to Surin is 430-450 km. The one-way trip bus fare is 320 baht. It will take about 7 hours for the trip.
If I drive a car for the distance of 450 km, it will take about the same 6 to 7 hours. And the cost of gasoline at 3.00 baht per 1 km, (for a Toyota Camry, 2.4 Liters, mid-sized car, consuming about 10.5-12.0 km/litre) the round trip (1000 km) will cost around 3000 baht. The cost of bus fare, round trip will be 640 baht, the taxi from home to the Bus Station is at 60 baht, or 120 baht for the transportation between home and the bus station. So using the bus can save the budget of 2,200 baht. The main cost to me is physical fatigue.
Traveling by bus is not bad. Except I have to do it around 20-22 round trips between Bangkok and Surin Province each year. I dream that one day, in my life time, I will travel this 430 km distance in less than 2 hours and 30 minutes, via the modern high-speed train.
By the time you get this letter, may be about 9:20 am, New York Time (NYC, USA), you may be busy with your job, have fun in working.
Have a good day, son.
Dad at Home
Aree Samphan
Phaholyothin Rd
Bangkok, Thailand
I am looking forward to reading the next letter which is supposed to be about the trip to chiangmai,isn't it?
ตอบลบHi SU at Chula
ตอบลบI will definitely writing about our trip to Chiangmai in 3 days. Nice to know that you have dome to join and sharing information and ideas with us.
Dad at Home
Hi SU at Chula
ตอบลบSorry for not checking grammar and spelling. Again, may I correct my previous writing with the following messages:
I will definitely be writing about our trip from a group of six - Pracob, Dr. Natti, you and classmates at Chulalongkorn University, the trip to Chiangmai in 3 days. The trip transportation of a microbus – Toyota Commuter, with 4 rolls of seat is great, roomy, and can fit 8-10 persons comfortably. I am collecting information and will publish it online with some pictures I took from the trip.
It is nice to know that you have come to join and share information and ideas with us.
Dad at Home
Aree Samphan, Bangkok