What's On This Page?

• Overview [more]
• Status [more]
• Public or Private? [more]
• Getting Around Bangkok [more]
• Getting Around Town Outside Of Bangkok [more]
• Getting Around The Country [more]
• Hiring Cars and Motorbikes [more]
• Road Rage [more]

Thailand - Transport

Overview

The availability of cheap and convenient transport allows visitors to get around the country very easily. In Internet travel forums I see lots of questions about getting from x to y location: "Is it possible and will it be expensive?"

Wherever I have been in Thailand I have never found it a problem getting from one place to any other place and travelling has never been expensive. Compared to the Western world, Thailand is a relatively poor country. Many people do not own cars but they still need to get around.

There is an extensive transport system that is cheap to cater for local needs. Unlike countries such as Cuba where tourists cannot use cheap local, transport anyone can use the local transport in Thailand. Dual pricing occurs almost everywhere else in Thailand, but not for public transport such as buses and trains. Tuk-tuks and taxis will more often than not attempt to charge foreigners more though.

Status

Thais are extremely image and status conscious. In Thailand the ultimate status symbol is a car, and owning a car is the number one goal in life for many Thais. Most Thais who don't own a car have a motorbike, and there is similar status attached to certain kinds of motorbike.

When you see some of the advertising, it is easy to figure out what psychology the motorbike manufacturers are trying to use.

Western societies have been through this phase already. In the West a lot of people have given up (or reduced) their car usage to return to more environmentally-friendly forms of transport. They walk, use bicycles or public transport.

Thai society has a very long way to go yet before it reaches this stage. The most important thing for Thais is that their perceived status is seen as being high, and this means driving a car - or at least riding a motorbike.

If a journey is short, parking is a problem, and it makes lots of sense just to hop on a bus to go somewhere, a Thai will not consider this option if he/she has a car. The Thai value system overrides common sense.

These attitudes have a negative impact on those people who do decide to take public transport, even if they can afford to have a private vehicle.

In the Thai mind, a person using public transport does so because he/she cannot afford their own vehicle. This means their status is low, and thus they aren't deserving of any respect.

I speak from seven year's experience of regularly taking tuk-tuks, sawng-thaews, buses, and minivans. As a passenger you are often treated like cattle.

Tuk-tuk drivers will try to rip you off; upon boarding a sawng-thaew the driver will keep you waiting for ages until he gets more people on board; minivan drivers seriously overload their vans and drive way too fast; and on some buses you will be ordered where to sit as if you have no rights of your own.

There are lots of poor people in Thailand who can't afford their own vehicles and rely on public transport. For this reason, there is an abundance of public transport options in Thailand.

Most Thai users of public transport tend to be poor and thus have a low social status. If, as a foreigner, you join them then your perceived status is the same.

When using public transport, don't expect any respect or much in the way of service. This starts with your first contact. Even when I've gone to buy a bus ticket, there is an air of surliness and disrespect, along with the impolite language.

The bottom line is that in Thailand anyone deserving of respect will own a car, and therefore those people won't ever use public transport.

Public or Private?

Many types of transport are public in that anyone can use them, but they are privately run. This applies to many minivan routes, some buses, and the various kinds of taxi services operate like self-employed businesses.

The drivers aren't simply doing a job, like they would if they were driving a bus in London. They are private businesses and each driver is trying to make the most profit.

With taxis, this means inflating fares. With other types of transport where prices are fixed, this means maximising profits by making sure vehicles are always fully laden.

The result is that you will be ripped off, you will often need to wait for long periods for other passengers to arrive before the vehicle leaves, and sometimes you will be subjected to overcrowding.

On buses and minivans where there are two seats, you will sometimes be told to squeeze up so that three people can sit down. You will be sold tickets for buses that are already full. You either have to stand, or sit on a plastic seat with no back support in the aisle.

Transport in Thailand has its good points, but there are also some negative ones.

Getting Around Bangkok

Taxis These are cheap (especially compared to somewhere like London) and comfortable as they are air-conditioned. Make sure you get a metered taxi and that the driver uses the meter. If he refuses to, or says his meter isn't working, get another taxi.

By not using the meter he is trying to charge you more than the fare should be. The only disadvantage with taxis is getting caught in the notorious Bangkok traffic jams. If the driver can get to your destination using one of the toll ways he will normally ask for your permission first. The toll ways will be a lot quicker but you will have to pay the toll fees.

Be suspicious about certain things the driver may tell you. The last time I was in Bangkok I asked a taxi driver to take me to Patpong. He asked me if I wanted to eat and I said no, just take me to Patpong. He said something about not being able to get food in Patpong (absolute rubbish) and if I wanted to eat he knew a good restaurant.

I wasn't paying much attention to any of this. He then started driving away from where I wanted to go but I didn't say anything as I thought he might know of some roadworks or a one-way system or something. Five minutes later he pulled up outside a restaurant where the restaurant owner opened the taxi door and greeted me.

This type of thing is common in Thailand. In addition to his fare, the driver will always be thinking about somewhere else he can take you in order to collect his commission.

Tuk-tuks No trip to Thailand would be complete without a ride in a tuk-tuk. However, tuk-tuk rides come with some major warnings.

Tuk-tuks (so called because the noise their small engines make) provide an invaluable service to the local community elsewhere in Thailand but in Bangkok most of the tuk-tuk drivers are scoundrels.

The first thing you must do is agree a price. You shouldn't really pay more than Bt50 for a ride. If the fare is genuinely more than this the ride is too long to be comfortable taken in a tuk-tuk and you should consider alternative transport.

If you don't agree a price beforehand expect the driver to charge you a ridiculous amount when you reach your destination, such as Bt300. This may not seem a lot if you've just flown in from London but when you consider tuk-tuk rides elsewhere cost Bt10 or Bt20 that should tell you something isn't right. A tuk-tuk should never exceed Bt200.

When riding in a tuk-tuk you are totally exposed to the elements, the searing heat and humidity of Bangkok and the air heavy with exhaust fumes. The driver will probably drive at a hair-raising pace and, like Reliant Robins, some of these vehicles only have 3 wheels so they can tip over. My suggestion would be for first time visitors to take a short Bt50 ride for the experience but not to regard tuk-tuks as a regular transport option. The taxis are far more comfortable and cheaper.

The other warning about tuk-tuk drivers is that they will nearly always try to involve you in scams. They may attempt to do this by offering you a ride for Bt10. Of course, this offer comes with a catch. He will take you to various shops where you will be pressured to buy things, maybe gems.

The shop owners may use high-pressure sales techniques that make you feel very uncomfortable not buying anything. If you buy something you will be grossly overcharged and the tuk-tuk driver will receive a commission which is why he conned you in the first place. Be very careful of tuk-tuk drivers in Bangkok.

The BTS Sky Train This is a welcome addition to Bangkok's transport infrastructure. It is fast as it isn't impeded by the traffic, and the air-conditioned carriages are comfortable. The platforms are quite high above the streets and some stations do not have escalators so it can be a bit of a climb up the steps.

There are just two lines so it is not possible to get to certain areas of Bangkok but the network is gradually being extended. If you are in town for a few days it works out cheaper to buy a one or three day pass if you plan on travelling around quite a lot.

Bangkok Subway System The new Bangkok subway system only opened in April 2004. Despite having visited Bangkok since it opened, I still haven't used it so can't talk from personal experience.

According to newspaper reports at the time it opened, it was beneficial to a lot of commuters in cutting down their journey times. Any alternative to travelling on Bangkok's heavily congested roads has to be a good thing.

When it opened there were 18 stations on the line and fares ranged from Bt12 to Bt31 after an initial promotion period where all fares cost only Bt10. I'm not sure now (six years later) whether any new stations have been added, or whether fares have increased.

The photo is of the entranceway at Sukhumvit station.

Buses Popular with the locals as they are very cheap - typically only Bt4 or Bt5. When you arrive in a strange town though, working out bus routes can be confusing. I believe a bus map is available but I'm not sure where from and I haven't used it. From what I have observed, the buses get crowded and they are not air-conditioned. If you are on a tight budget, or just seeking something more adventurous, the local bus could be the option for you.

I have used buses but it helps if you can speak and read Thai. In the world of bus transport nothing is in English. The written destinations on the buses are all in Thai and it is very unlikely that the person collecting the fares will speak or understand any English.

Airport bus Since I first wrote this, the new Bangkok airport has opened. When you arrive in Bangkok at the airport, you need to get to your hotel. The easiest option is to take a taxi, but buses are cheaper.

There used to be buses just behind the taxi stand at Don Meuang going to different destination in Bangkok. At the new airport, the buses are located a little further outside the airport. They are cheaper but if you are new to Thailand and don't have any language skills it may be better to take a taxi.

Boat Bangkok has an extensive canal system running off the Chao Phraya river. The canals are known as klongs in Thai. It can be a very cheap way of seeing some interesting parts of the city. Cruising along watching locals bathing, washing clothes and plates in the murky water gives you another perspective of life in Bangkok.

This method of transport is good for general sightseeing, but for certain routes it is also a viable transport option. The fares generally should be very cheap, just a few Baht, but my first ever experience of being ripped off in Thailand involved a boat ride on the canals. Make sure that you get on public boats and that you know the exact fare.

Some of the rides are not gentle affairs on Bangkok's waterways, the drivers hare along at a frightening rate of knots. This results in large amounts of water being directed into the boat. To keep passengers dry nylon curtains are raised on either side of the boat but occasionally the water still finds a way through.

Getting Around Town Outside Of Bangkok

Local transport options vary slightly depending on where you are but you will soon find out what is available. The provincial towns are all significantly smaller than Bangkok therefore there are not major bus and train routes within town.

Motorcycle Taxis Motorcycle taxis are popular and abundant in most places. A typical fare is about Bt20. This mode of transport is quick and cheap but there are risks attached. An advantage over other types of transport is that you are the only passenger, therefore, you will be taken directly to where you want to go to.

They are quick but Thai driving techniques can be unsettling and motorcycle accidents are part of everyday life in Thailand. It is the intention of most drivers not to stop once they get going. They pull straight out at junctions, never giving way. They turn left at red traffic lights as if the traffic light didn't exist.

If constipation is ever a problem in Thailand a quick motorcycle taxi ride will normally do the trick. To distinguish motorcycle taxis from the millions of other motorcycles on the road the drivers always wear a coloured vest.

Tuk-tuks Whereas in Bangkok these are mainly just an overpriced means of ripping off tourists, in the provinces they provide an essential service getting people around on routes where alternative transport doesn't exist.

Nonetheless, in the provinces you still get frequent problems with greedy drivers. The appearance of a farang signals to most Thai tuk-tuk drivers that the fare can be increased by two, three, four or five times.

I tend to use them only when I really need to. Before you travel, ask local Thais what the fare should be and compare this with what the driver tells you. If he's trying to rip you off, tell him no and ask another driver.

Avoid catching tuk-tuks in busy tourist areas, and especially those waiting outside hotels. They are simply waiting for foreigners because they know they can charge a higher rate.

Walk a short distance to somewhere that isn't crawling with tourists and hail a tuk-tuk that is passing by.

In places like Phuket there are so many foreigners that it is impossible to follow this advice. The tuk-tuk drivers in places like this operate a cartel and it is impossible to avoid being ripped off. If you can, take a public bus or sawng-thaew.

Sawng-Thaews Sawng-thaew means 'two rows'. These are the pickup truck things with a couple of bench seats in the back (two rows) - some also have a third bench that runs down the middle. In most cases they ply fixed routes. They are very cheap, typically Bt10, and the price is fixed. On some long routes there may be tiered pricing for varying distances travelled.

Normally a little local knowledge is required to use sawng-thaews in order to know where they are going. It also helps to speak some Thai as generally the drivers don't speak any English. It also helps to be able to read Thai because the destinations are written in Thai.

Unlike tuk-tuks it isn't necessary to speak with the driver before you set off. Because it's a fixed route it doesn't matter and they can be treated the same as buses. There is a bell push in the back used to alert the driver to stop when you want to get off.

They operate at two speeds. Drivers always want a full quota of passengers to increase their profits, and they will kerb-crawl and wait at certain places for ages trying to get more passengers. It can be infuriating if you are already on board to be kept waiting like this.

Once he has enough passengers, he will drive like a maniac. There is a roof on the back but it is only to give some protection from the elements. It's not a roll cage. If a driver manages to flip his truck, the passengers in the back won't stand a chance.

Getting Around The Country

No matter where you are there will be some means of transport, sometimes a variety of options, to get to where you want to go.

Plane Thai Airways has always had an extensive flight network and, beginning in 2004, a lot of budget airlines have arrived in Thailand.

The budget operators are typical of budget operators elsewhere. If you can book in advance, you get better deals than by booking at short notice. Prices are low but service is basic.

Since the advent of budget airlines (and some competition), Thai Airlines also have good deals now so don't forget about them. Their service is still very good.

When travelling by plane within Thailand, most flights go through Bangkok and you need to change. This isn't the case on some very popular routes where you can fly direct, thus bypassing Bangkok.

Since the new airport opened, most (maybe all?) international flights arrive there, and the old airport just deals with domestic flights.

Train If time is not a problem train travel may appeal to you. It can be a good way of seeing the country or you may decide to take an overnight trip and get some sleep on the way. It is generally the slowest way to travel. My experience of train travel in Thailand is minimal - just a few journeys in third class compartments in the south of the country.

The train is slow, but very cheap.

Public Bus Most towns of any size have a bus station - Bor Kor Sor (Borisut Kon Song which translates to Transport Company). Basic buses are normally coloured orange and have no air-conditioning but they have fans and when travelling along they aren't too hot. Some have huge sound systems on board and turn into disco buses blaring out Thai pop tunes. It can be a fun, almost surreal experience. On certain routes the buses get packed especially at times when local kids are going to or leaving school. They are cheap.

The blue buses are a step up in quality and normally air-conditioned. For long journeys at night, blankets and food are sometimes provided. Thais seem to like travelling at night. They also seem to have an amazing ability to be able to sleep anywhere, in any position. I've done a few long overnight bus trips but I never sleep well and feel rough the following day.

Private Bus On popular routes, for example between Bangkok and Phuket, a number of private companies operate bus routes. The large, modern coaches can be quite luxurious and make getting a decent night's sleep a real possibility. Some have as few as 24 seats so the seats are large with lots of legroom. Of course, they are more expensive than public buses but you pays your money and you takes your choice.

Minivans I hate these things, but sometimes they are the only transport option. They're run by private companies so everything is based on maximising profit.

The drivers won't leave until every seat is taken, and on some routes (for example, between Hat Yai and Songkhla) they regularly take on more passengers than there are seats. In addition to transporting passengers, many will act as couriers. I've been on minivans where the driver suddenly takes off on a long excursion to deliver a package.

The drivers drive at ridiculous speeds with no concern for their passengers on board. Not only have I experienced this as a minivan passenger, but when I've hired cars I've found minivans to be among the most obnoxious of Thai road users.

I avoid them whenever I can but sometimes I am forced to use them.

Hiring Cars and Motorbikes

All I will say is that because driving standards are so appalling in Thailand, try to familiarise yourself with Thai driving 'techniques' first before you start driving yourself. At least then you will know the kind of things to expect from crazy Thai drivers.

If hiring a vehicle check the contract very carefully before you drive off. I've hired cars and the person who has hired me the car hasn't even bothered asking to see any kind of proof that I have a license or even that I can drive a car. They've just given me the keys straight away. However, in the event of an accident, if you haven't got the right kind of license or if there is another paperwork problem you are then in big trouble.

The contract may say that they can charge you for all accidental damage (regardless of whose fault the accident was), and also that they can make you liable for lost business for each day the vehicle is off the road while it is being repaired. The big international car rental companies are a lot better in this respect even if their rates are a bit higher.