Intercity Buses
Motorcoach travel is one area where Thailand actually beats many western countries in terms of value and comfort. The only thing you have to do is make sure you book the right bus. In Thailand buses boil down to two basic groups, hot buses, and cold buses.
The hot buses are “cooled” by fans and have just enough legroom for a five foot tall person to sit with only minor spinal disfigurement. The cold buses range from the first class aircon buses which are on par with a 1980s era Greyhound, to the VIP aircon buses that boast reclining seats and legroom on par with flying business class on an airliner, and an air conditioner that is on maximum at all times. Bring a sweater. Most cold buses serve snacks, drinks, and a sit down meal at intermediate stops. Movies are also shown on most first class and all VIP buses.
Some VIP buses also have large private lounges and sleeping berths on their lower decks that are great for overnight trips. One curiosity about the overnight trips is you may be woken at the halfway point to have “dinner” even if it is three in the morning.
A VIP bus journey passes through the Surat Thani region.