Vans @ Victory Monument

The number of public vans commuting between Bangkok and upcountry has grown significantly in recent years and they provide tourists with a convenient option of travel around Thailand.

These vans, available up the road at Victory Monument, now connect not just neighbouring Ayuthaya and Rachaburi but provinces further afar – Trat, Phitsanulok and Uthai Thai – all in all some 25 destinations nationwide and, with their timely departure and arrival, have won the hearts of a wide cross-section of the commuting public and weekend travellers. You can literally travel anywhere.

One advantage with public vans is that they save you the trouble of having to travel to the outskirts of the city, where the inter-provincial bus terminals are located (e.g. Ekkamai), before you can catch a bus or air-con coaches to take you wherever you are going. Best of all, the vans listed below are only a 10 minute walk from the Siam City Hotel, Bangkok!

                                    

DESTINATION                         SERVICE HOURS                     TIMETABLE                 PRICE (BHT)

Fashion Mall

Angthong                                 5:00am-8:00pm                      every 30 min               80

Ratchaburi                              5:00am-8:00pm (Mon-Thu)    every 60 min               100

                                                5:30am-9:00pm (Fri/Sat)        every 20 min               100

Ratchawithi

Kanchanaburi & Lat Ya           7:00am-7:30pm                      every 60 min               140

Lopburi                                    5:00am-8:00pm                      every 20 min               110

Nakhon Nayok                         5:30am-8:00pm                      every 60 min               100

Nakhon Ratchasima                6:00am-8:00pm                      every 60 min               190

Pak Thong Chai                       6:00am-8:00pm                      every 60 min               190

Petchaburi                               4:30am-8:00pm                      every 30 min               120

Cha Am                                   4:30am-8:00pm                      every 30 min               160

Hua Hin                                   4:30am-8:00pm                      every 30 min               180

Century Plaza

Chachoengsao                         5:30am-8:00pm                      every 60 min               100

Phanom Sarakham                  5:30am-8:00pm                      every 60 min               100

Chonburi & Phanat Nikhom    5:30am-8:00pm                      every 40 min               100

Lopburi                                    5:30am-8:00pm                      every 60 min               120     

Kanchanaburi                          5:30am-8:00pm                      every 30 min               110

Petchaburi                               5:30am-8:00pm                      every 20 min               100

Prachinburi                             5:30am-8:00pm                      every 60 min               100

Ratchaburi                              5:30am-8:00pm                      every 40 min               100

Suphanburi                              5:30am-8:00pm                      every 30 min               120

Underneath Expressway (East Side)

Chonburi & Pattaya                6:00am-8:00pm                      every 40 min               150

Nakhon Ratchasima                8:00am-6:30pm                      every 1.30 hrs             300

Bua Yai                                    8:00am-6:30pm                      every 1.30 hrs             300

Nakhon Sawan                        5:00am-8:00pm                      every 60 min               170

Phichit                                     8:00am-6:30pm                      every 1.30 hrs             300

Phitsanulok                              7:30am-5:00pm                      every 2 hrs                  280

Damnoen Saduak                    8:00am-7:30pm                      every 60 min               90

Sa Kaeo & Aranyaprathet       6:00am-6:30pm                      every 50 min               220

Uthai Thani                             3:00am-8:00pm                      every 30 min               180                 

Underneath Expressway (West Side)

Nakhon Nayok                         6:15am-6:30pm                      every 15 min               110

Khun Dan Dam                        6:15am-6:30pm                      every 15 min               110

Nakhon Sawan                        5:00am-7:00pm                      every 60 min               170

Sam Roi Yot                             5:00am-8:00pm                      every 60 min               300

Kuiburi                                     5:00am-7:00pm                      every 60 min               240

Aranyaprathet                         6:00am-6:00pm                      every 60 min               230

Samut Songkhram                   6:00am-8:00pm                      every 30 min               70

Suphanburi & U Thong            6:00am-8:00pm                      every 45 min               130

Trat                                         5:00am-7:00pm                      every 60 min               320

Victory Point

Kanchanaburi                          5:30am-8:00pm                      every 30 min               110

Ratchaburi                              5:30am-8:00pm                      every 30 min               100

Pattaya                                    6:00am-8:30pm                      every 15 min               100

Ban Phae                                 7:00am-7:00pm                      every 60 min               160

WHAT’S WHAT

Angthong = Municipal Market

Aranyaprathet = Rong Klue Market

Ban Phae = Samet Island

Damnoen Saduak  = Floating Market

Kanchababuri = River Kwai

Lopburi = Train Station

Nakhon Nayok = Nakhon Nayok Hospital

Nakhon Sawan = Tha Thong Market & City Hall

Pattaya = Siam Bayshore Resort & Siam Bayview Hotel

Ratchaburi = Big C & Floating Market

Trat = Chang Island & Ao Thammachat Ferry

Plearn Wan

According to its website, Plearn Wan is ... “Center of joy and happiness ... stop the past in order to tell the various tales of Hua Hin in the past ... toward present”. In truth, it’s a giant wooden box stuffed full of people and shops. The design is said to reflect the not-so-distant past; looking and feeling decidedly retro. The slogan of almost everything at Plearn Wan is “as in the past”. Meaning you can eat, dress, shop and hang-out, as if it was fifty years ago.

You can browse an old skool pharmacy, record shop, general store, toy emporium, photography studio and more. Many souvenirs of the edible and collectable variety are available. There are also a couple of cafes where you can sit and relax with a coffee whilst reflecting on days gone by...

Highly popular with the local tourists due to the cutesy shops and numerous photo opportunities, it really is quite fun walking around the shops, snapping away and deciding which yummy desserts to try. There is also a mini theme park (with Ferris wheel) and even a hotel for those who want to brave the noise and stay the night.

I am told that in the day, the look and feel of Plearn Wan is quite different from the night and that it is excruciatingly packed. My Thai friends and I certainly had a pleasant time roaming the "streets" of Plearn Wan, experiencing a little bit of "old" Thailand and stuffing our bellies along the way. If you come to Hua Hin this slice of the past is well worth a visit for an hour.

 Getting there: it’s located on the main highway running into Hua Hin, about 5km before you hit the city proper. The drive from Bangkok is about 2-2.5 hours depending on traffic.

Times: open daily 11am – 12am.

Price: free entry, snacks around Bht 20-100