Originally Posted by MrAOK
the nwa kid knows of what he speaks.
fly, air asia
www.airasia.com offers cheap flights. there may be others too. try
www.bangkokair.com
if i remember right, the trip from bangkok by bus to phuket is like 12 hours or more (it by the way was part of an episode of "the amazing race"). The airfare is $40 or less and it may be much less if booked a little in advance.
For the average Thai person needing to get from Bangkok to Phuket the bus still represents the best value. By the time you tack on taxes and fees (623 baht), these 499 baht one-way fares, become more expensive than the bus. Then add on taxis to BKK and from HKT (airports) and you're way over budget. Hence the reason for running so many VIP buses daily. For the average western tourist, who is short on time, able to plan, and pre-purchase, flying is the only way to go on this route.
I've taken long-distance VIP buses here, my usual trip is 8 1/2 hours one-way, and they are equivalent in experience to a SFO-BOS red-eye in F on UA (flight time 5 hours, with time difference 8 hours). In several trips I've found the buses to be quiet, except for the occasional amusing mobile phone ring-tone, comfortable and anything but a "ride from he11". Bus transportation here is much less safe than domestic air-travel, so that is something to consider also. Hundreds of these buses depart Pinklao, Mo Chit, Ekkamai every night transporting thousands of people all over the country. Coming in to Mo Chit at 5 AM your bus is one of a long line of ~ 50. It is certainly an experience I've found to be interesting, exciting and one which I will repeat.
I personally would not take the bus to Phuket or Chiang Mai because it is so easy to fly, but for some destinations the bus is best for me.