Thailand - Transport
Overview
The easy availability of cheap and convenient transport around the country is one of the joys for visitors to the country. In Internet travel forums I see lots of questions about getting from x to y location, is it possible and will it be expensive, etc. 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 therefore an excellent 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 does occur in Thailand but not for public transport such as buses and trains. tuk-tuks and taxis may attempt to charge foreigners more though.
There is also a wonderful degree of cooperation in Thailand when using public transport. The culture here is one of interdependence. No-one can live as an island but everyone relies to some extent on other people. This is especially the case when people are poor and rely 100% on public transport to get around. In London I have seen bus drivers blatantly fail to stop for passengers because they couldn't be bothered.
It couldn't be any more different in Thailand. Bus drivers will stop to pick up or drop off passengers anywhere along the route. Also on the buses are normally a couple of young lads who, apart from collecting fares, will help people with their luggage. Many poor Thais in rural areas can't just hop in their car and go to the supermarket. They go into town on the bus to get their weekly shopping and some of the older people need assistance.
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. I was furious with the driver and slammed the door shut shouting at him to take me to Patpong. He obviously had a deal with the restaurant where he got a commission for taking tourists there.
Tuk-tuks Some people hate these things but no trip to Thailand would be complete without a ride in one. tuk-tuk rides come with some major warnings though. 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.
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 some will 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 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 of course it is not 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 I believe that extensions to the network are planned. 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. I'm afraid that despite having visited Bangkok since it opened I still haven't used it. According to some newspaper reports though it has been 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.
There are currently 18 stations on the line and fares range from Bt12 to Bt31 after an initial promotion period where all fares cost only Bt10.
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 packed and 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 only when I have been told, or have asked someone, which one I should take. It helps to speak a little 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 When arriving in Bangkok at Don Muang airport the most convenient option to get to your destination in the city is probably to take a taxi which shouldn't cost more than Bt300. Another alternative is the airport bus which departs just outside the arrivals hall very close to the taxi rank and only costs Bt100. There are four set routes so really you need to be familiar with Bangkok. I probably wouldn't recommend this for first time visitors but if you know where you are going it is just as good as a taxi and cheaper.
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 probably more suitable to general sightseeing than as a method of getting from one location to another. 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.
Segway These are the funky, wheeled platforms you stand on which are electrically driven and the balance mechanism is controlled with gyroscopes. Ever since I heard about them a few years ago I have fancied trying one out. There is a company in Bangkok offering short tours of the city on Segways - Thailand Segway Tours. I haven't experienced this myself yet but I may well try to get on a tour next time I'm in Bangkok. It sounds like a lot of fun.
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. I have observed motorcycle riders and noticed that they only look at the road ahead of them. If they want to change lane they just go, without looking over their shoulder or in their mirror. Most of the time the vehicle behind allows for this but sometimes not. Whereas in the West we are taught to anticipate what might happen while we are driving, Thais don't. If there is an open stretch of road they just go flat out not making any allowances for a pedestrian or another vehicle appearing in their path. If constipation is ever a problem in Thailand a quick motorcycle taxi ride will normally sort you out. To distinguish motorcycle taxis from the millions of other motorcycles on the road the drivers 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. There will always exist the drivers who think they can squeeze a few more Baht out of tourists but that is life. Most of the drivers are quite honest and I sympathise with them for what they have to put up with. They work 12 hours a day or more in a very cramped, uncomfortable and hot working environment. They have to maintain their vehicles and pay for fuel. The standard fare is about Bt10 for a ride so they can't make a lot of money. When Thais take tuk-tuk rides you notice that all the haggling about a fare before the ride takes place is non-existent. The Thai hails the tuk-tuk, tells the driver the destination, gets out at the end of the ride and hands over the standard fare. My suggestion to tourists is to ask some locals what the standard fare is and then do the same as they do. The disadvantage with tuk-tuks is that you are not the only passenger. If you get on board first the driver may cruise around for a while looking for other fares, or may just wait for more passengers, before starting the journey. If he picks up other people it is likely they will want to go somewhere different to you and if he decides to drop them off first you may end up going on a long ride around the houses before getting to where you want to go.
Sawng-Thaews These are the pickup truck things with a couple of bench seats in the back - some also have a third bench that runs down the middle. They tend to stay on fixed routes but can be chartered like a tuk-tuk in some places. They are very cheap, typically less than Bt10 on the fixed routes but obviously more expensive for a private charter.
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 I've found that the drivers don't speak any English. 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.
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 an extensive flight network and there are now a few budget airlines operating that offer cheap fares on popular routes. Flying is obviously the quickest way to get around the country and it is not that expensive, especially if you are a Western tourist. If time is an issue but money isn't it is the best way to travel. Some routes can get quite booked up, particularly on public holidays so it may be as well to book in advance.
Thai Air Asia Just a word on one of the recently created budget airlines, Thai Air Asia. This is a joint venture between Air Asia, a Malaysian company, and Shin Corporation, Prime Minister Thaksin's family business. Despite my misgivings about conflicts of interest and senior politicians having business interests you can't knock their prices. I booked a ticket recently and the price was about a quarter that of Thai Airways.
Booking the ticket wasn't easy though. The obvious way is to do it on-line but I really didn't want to use my credit card number in an on-line transaction because whenever I use my credit card in Thailand a fraudulent transaction always seems to appear on my statement along with the legitimate one. I spoke to half a dozen or more travel agents to see if they could book me a Thai Air Asia flight but they said it was impossible. Either it is or they don't get enough commission to make it worth their while so insist on trying to sell you flights with other carriers.
There are actually two ways to get a flight on Thai Air Asia without using a credit card. It is possible to call their office in Bangkok (02 515 9999) and book the flight over the phone. After doing this the fare can be paid for in cash by going into any branch of the Siam Commercial or Thai Farmers bank within 24 hours of making the booking.
Alternatively flights can be booked and paid for in cash at AIS centres located around the country. AIS is Shin Corporation's mobile telephone network and therefore a sister company to Thai Air Asia. I was actually very impressed with the service. They seem professionally organised and while you are waiting to be served you can watch iTV (also owned by Shin Corp) which is piped out to keep customers amused.
(Isn't the baddie in the James Bond movies always the head honcho of a massive corporation that controls everything? I have visions of Thaksin sitting somewhere in his presidential palace in Bangkok with a big Persian cat on his lap waiting for Mr Bond to arrive.)
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 generally the sloWest way to travel. My experience of train travel in Thailand is minimal, just one journey in a third class compartment from Hat Yai to Nakhon Si Thammarat. It was interesting but the wooden seat was uncomfortable and the lack of air-conditioning meant it was very hot. The journey took four hours whereas by road it can be done in under three.
Public Bus Most towns of any size have a bus station and smaller towns will have bus stops at least. Basic buses are normally coloured orange and have no air-conditioning but flying along with the windows open they stay quite cool. Some have huge sound systems on board and turn into disco buses blaring out Thai pop tunes or Europop trash. 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. Remember that the fare system is designed for Thais who don't have a lot of money.
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. Maybe it's because they get so little time off work? 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.
Minibuses In many towns and cities there will be frequent minibuses to other towns and cities. In Hat Yai, for instance, there are minibuses to Songkhla, Trang and Nakhon Si Thammarat. They work out quite cheap and are fairly fast. You have to know where they leave from but this can be found out by speaking with the locals or contacting the local TAT office (if there is one). Because the fares are cheap they need a full quota of passengers to make the journey worthwhile. This means that sometimes you may have to wait around until the minibus is full and it can get quite cramped.
Hiring Cars and Motorbikes
Of course, the details above are all for different kinds of public transport. It is quite possible to rent a car or motorcycle but this is something you should give careful consideration to. I have seen enough of Thai driving to know it isn't for me in most cases but I have driven cars a couple of times in quiet areas and it has been fun.
If you can imagine going out in your car (or on your motorbike) tomorrow and doing whatever you want, that is what driving in Thailand is like. If you don't want to stop at a red light, that's fine. If you want to go down a one-way street the wrong way, that is fine. If you want to drive on the wrong side of the street, pass other vehicles on either side and overtake on blind curves, that is fine. If you want to ignore a give way sign and drive straight over a junction where you should have stopped, that is also fine. You can do all this at whatever speed you like. Anything goes and don't worry about being stopped by a traffic policeman as there aren't any in the vast majority of places.
Most of the time people get away with this stupidity but when you have everyone doing exactly what they want it is only a matter of time before an accident occurs. It is not a question of if, but when. It is sheer lunacy and throughout these pages I make several references to danger on the roads in Thailand.
Some of the overtaking manoeuvres I have witnessed have almost given me a heart attack. They have normally occurred while travelling on a bus or coach. In Thailand the larger vehicle has right of way so buses and coaches tend to do what they want and everything else on the road which is smaller is expected to give way.
In addition to crazy Thai driving techniques there are other hazards to watch out for. In rural areas you will come across herds of cows and buffalos walking along the road, very poorly maintained roads, all manner of weird farm vehicles, bullock carts, etc. Many rural roads will have no street lighting.
The decision is yours. For more details about driving in Thailand take a look at my Random Thoughts page.
If hiring a vehicle check the contract very carefully before you drive off. When I have hired cars the person who has hired me the car hasn't been bothered about seeing 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 they can charge you for all accidental damage 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 should be better in this respect even if their rates are a bit higher.
|
Road Rage
This phenomenon that exists all over the Western world doesn't seem to occur in Thailand. As a pedestrian and a passenger I have seen outrageously bad driving that makes my blood boil but the Thais don't even react. No hand gestures or bad words. Nothing.
As drivers in the West we have a strong sense of right or wrong. People still do stupid things but they know when they are in the wrong. When we get annoyed at other drivers it is generally because they have done something that we know to be wrong. But in Thailand nobody seems to knows what is right or wrong. Remember, people just do what they want. So if an idiot goes straight through a red light no-one raises an eyebrow, let alone a finger (apart from me).
That's one theory but a certain aspect of Thai culture known as krieng jai is probably more responsible for this apparent lack of concern when someone else breaks the law. Thais are aware of laws but krieng jai is a part of Thai etiquette for minding your own business and not interfering in other people's.
In other countries if someone were to throw rubbish on to the street it is likely that another person witnessing this might say something. It is the same with traffic laws in the West. When we see someone else blatantly doing something wrong we like to point it out to them. Not so in Thailand though where krieng jai exists.
Someone has just dumped the contents of their car ashtray on to the road. Don't say anything. Someone has parked their motorcycle across the pavement so nobody can pass. Don't say anything. Someone has just gone through a red light or the wrong way down a one-way street. Don't say anything. Someone is smoking in a no-smoking area. Don't say anything. This is krieng jai in operation.
But where does it stop? In developed countries the police have realised they cannot be everywhere at all times so 'Neighbourhood Watch' schemes have been set up. This has created an effective system where citizens help to police their own communities. How do you think this would work in Thailand though with krieng jai? Remember, everyone minds their own business and doesn't interfere.
And does it apply just to civilians? Of course not. The police also respect krieng jai which is why you see policemen not doing anything when they observe someone breaking the law.
Is there any hope for Thailand? I'm not sure. The culture is so deeply ingrained that change won't come about quickly, if at all. There are some very positive aspects of Thai culture, and even krieng jai has its place at times, but many aspects of the culture are creating major barriers to the country's development.
|
Transport Annoyances
The public transport infrastructure in Thailand is one of the country's strengths but at times certain things really annoy me. Here are a few which I'd like to get off my chest.
- Minivans: Without doubt, my most hated form of transport in Thailand. For me, nothing is worse than wanting to go somewhere and being told the only option is by minivan. Different things annoy me on different routes.
Take the Hat Yai to Songkhla route for instance. Overcrowding is a big problem. The vans have 14 seats for passengers but often I have been in one with 19 or 20 people. As the driver stops to pick up more people, when the van is already full, people are just expected to shift over to allow four people to sit of three seats or three to sit on two seats.
Not only is it uncomfortable but the air conditioning, brakes and suspension weren't designed for so many passengers. It is dangerous. The reason of course is extra profit. Safety and comfort go out of the window.
Minivans will not leave until all seats have been filled. Sometimes this isn't a problem on popular routes at busy times but sometimes the bloody things drive round for ages trying to find people. This is very annoying.
Some minivans I've travelled on have moonlighted as couriers. Part way through the journey the driver goes miles off the route to deliver parcels and packages.
Seating is another annoyance. On some routes you can sit anywhere (even though this doesn't stop a Thai telling you where to sit). On others, the guy selling the tickets has a seating plan and he allocates your seat when he gives you a ticket but you have no say in the matter.
I am normally given the crap seat next to the sliding door so I have to keep jumping up and down whenever someones gets on or off. After a while I got wise to this and started telling them where I wanted to sit.
Travelling from Trang to Hat Yai one day I did this and got a seat up front, next to the driver. About 10 minutes later, while I was waiting for the van to arrive, the guy asked for my ticket back and gave me another.
On the new ticket that he wanted to give me I had been relegated to another seat because two Thais had turned up and asked for the seat I had already been allocated. He probably thought that as an ignorant farang I would just accept the change.
I didn't. I went apeshit. Losing ones cool in Thailand is not generally a good thing but sometimes it works because it stops the Thais thinking they can treat using you as a doormat. I retained my original seat.
It goes without saying, being Thailand, that some of the drivers drive much faster than they ought to considering they have a van full of passengers in the back they are supposedly responsible for.
- Buses: Different buses have different annoyances. The local buses at busy times are overcrowded to the extreme. The seats may be in pairs but they are expected to accommodate three people and if you don't budge over to let a third person sit down you won't make yourself very popular. In fact, the lad collecting fares will tell you to shove over.
I've been on buses with 40 something seats that have been carrying well over 100 people. The folks standing up are packed so tight they can't move. Needless to say, the driver stills drives as if he is go-karting on a Sunday afternoon and it can be quite hairraising.
On longer distance air-con buses there is one thing that really pisses me off and it has to do with seat allocation. Seat allocation is completely arbitrary unless you buy a ticket at the bus station in which case they write a seat number which is then strictly enforced. Here's an example.
You board a bus at the bus station and there are eight people on board. You find a seat with some leg room and a decent view out the window so you can enjoy your long journey. The conductor comes round and wants to see your ticket. After looking at your ticket he tells you to sit in another seat which is much less appealing.
You remonstrate and ask why but asking why in Thailand never gets an answer. The other seven passengers start to look at you as if you are a troublemaker and eventually - to keep the peace - you move to where you are told.
The bus sets off and starts to pick up people on the way. After 15 minutes it stops and a woman gets on. She sits in the seat you had wanted to sit in earlier and it is perfectly OK. Seating is now arbitrary because the bus has started its journey.
You sit there cursing the stupidity of what has happened, trying to understand why but realising there is nothing logical about what happened. It happened because this is Thailand.
- Sawng-thaews: These are the converted pickup trucks with two rows of bench seats in the back. Like many other forms of Thai transport, the primary objective of the driver is to have a full quota of passengers in the back at all times to maximise profit margins. But boy, does this get annoying at times.
There is enough seating for 12 people but, with 11 passengers on board already, they will sit there with the engine running waiting for one more to arrive before setting off. The driver sits in an air conditioned cab whereas his unfortunate passengers sit in the back, and sitting in a stationary vehicle in the Thai hot season isn't much fun.
If, once they are going, they have empty seats they will stop where they think there might be a chance of collecting a fare or two even if it means stopping for five minutes without anyone getting on before departing again. This can be infuriating if you are onboard and in a hurry to get somewhere.
They will stop if they see a couple of people just walking along the road and Thais walk at a snail's pace. The guy sees a couple of girls walking along and stops. The girls amble towards the sawng-thaew and he sits there hopeful that they will get on.
Three minutes later, they reach where he is waiting and just continue walking past because they don't want a ride. He sets off again making the stop a complete waste of time.
Sawng-thaews operating around a busy town stop and start all the time which keeps their speed down but the ones operating on open roads further out of town travel at ridiculous speeds. One ride in particular, coming back from Ko Yo over the Tinonsulonda bridge in Songkhla, was terrifying.
- Tuk-tuks: The single biggest annoyance about tuk-tuks is how they try to rip me off all the time. It has become a necessity to negotiate fares before setting off but this only applies to me. The Thais don't get ripped off the same way as farangs.
A minor annoyance is that tuk-tuks are not generally considered as private charters. At times, when travelling with other people, you find yourselves going on a free, but unwanted tour before getting dropped off where you want to be dropped off.
| 
