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Local
Transportation in Thailand
Intercity Transportation
Urban Mass Transit
Thailand has a well-developed transportation system. Its main components are
described briefly below, but anyone going to Thailand would be well advised to
take a good guidebook along. Without one, getting from place to place can be
very expensive and frustrating.
To get around in urban areas, most people ride boats, buses, taxis,
three-wheeled vehicles (samlors or tuk tuks), or motor scooters. All of these
options are described below.
Boats
Some Thai cities have canals (klongs), and many people use long-tailed motorized
boats for transportation. The Chao Praya Express company, for example, plies the
Chao Praya River, and takes commuters and tourists to destinations all along the
river. Now that traffic is so terrible in Bangkok, it is often faster to take
the express boat through town. Ferries take passengers across the water at
various points.
Buses
In Bangkok, traveling by bus is one of the fastest methods of getting around
because of an intricate system of one-way streets and bus lanes. Bus maps are a
good investment, and are available at any of the major hotels and book stores.
There are air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned buses. All are crowded, cheap,
and a pickpocket's dream, so be sure to protect your money and valuables. The
air-conditioned bus has closed windows and curtains to protect passengers from
the sun. The microbus is smaller, has TV and magazines, and costs 29B (US$1.14),
which is expensive by Thai standards. If you can figure out the routes they
take, microbuses are the best option for comfort, but English-language guides to
the buses are not readily available.
Almost every main city in Thailand is connected by direct public bus with
Bangkok and other cities. There are several types of buses. Rot tamadaa are
ordinary buses that stop in every town, have no air conditioning, and are
typically orange. Rot ae are air conditioned, colored blue, and don't usually
stop so often. For long distance travel, people take overnight, air conditioned
buses, the most comfortable of which are called VIP or Super VIP (rot VIP), and
have more leg and reclining room than normal air conditioned buses.
Tickets may be purchased at one of the three public bus stations in Bangkok: for
northern destinations, go to moh chit station; for destinations east, go to
sataanii ek-amai; to go south, buy your ticket at the station at the
intersection of Nakhon Chaisi Road and Phra Pinklao Road in Thonburi. In cities
outside of Bangkok, tickets are often sold at store-front locations as well as
in the bus station. Private bus companies offer service to some tourist
destinations.
Samlors (Tuk Tuks)
These vehicles are open-air three-wheelers that can be hired like taxis.
Motorized (tuk tuk) and pedal-driven (samlor) versions are both common.
Negotiate your fare ahead of time, as they can be expensive. In Bangkok, long,
motorized tuk tuk rides can be quite unpleasant due to the extreme air pollution
and noise, but tuk tuks can get around some traffic snarls in which taxis get
stuck. In general, these are good for short trips and distances less than what
the 38B taxi fare will get you.
Taxis
Metered and unmetered taxis are available in Bangkok and in most other Thai
cities. Fares for unmetered taxis are negotiable, and should be agreed upon in
advance. Metered taxis are generally less expensive than unmetered taxis, and by
bargaining, fares start at around 44B (US$1.73); however, during rush hour taxi
drivers often simply turn off their meters (a generally accepted practice) and
increase the fare to compensate for traffic slowdowns. Taxis are more
comfortable than buses, but buses are often quicker because taxis aren't allowed
in the bus lanes. Traveling by taxi can require miles-long detours, which result
in a longer and more expensive trip. Try to get an idea of a typical fare from a
third party so that you may negotiate an appropriate fare with the taxi driver.
Although there's a train to the Bangkok Airport, taxis are the quickest way, and
are reasonably priced—especially if you can find someone to split the fare.
Long-distance transportation within Thailand is primarily by rail, airplane, and
bus. Some people have cars, but most ride some form of public transportation.
Air Travel
By far the easiest and fastest way to get from city to city is by air. Thai
Airways has almost a total monopoly on domestic flights in Thailand, and they
have offices in North America and in many Thai cities. Bangkok Airways also
flies between some cities, and their fares are comparable to those of Thai
Airways.
Thai Airways
The national flag carrier flies to almost all major tourist destinations.
Their web site allows you to view schedules and seat availability. You can now
even book and pay online for paperless travel.
Note: Effective 25 March 2007, Thai returned some of its domestic flights in and
out of Bangkok to the old Don Muang Airport (code: DMK). Be sure to get to the
right airport if using this airline.
Bangkok Airways
The nation's second carrier is almost solely responsible for developing
special destinations such as Samui and Sukhothai. Their now extensive network
covers several countries and many of the major world heritage destinations of
Southeast Asia. You can purchase e-tickets on-line at their web site using Visa
or Mastercard (but not American Express. If considering a vacation that includes
several Bangkok Airways destinations, the you should have a look at their
"Discovery Pass", which may save you some money.
PB Air
Probably the most interesting (and likely to succeed) of the newer carriers,
PB Air flies small 'executive' style jets to an increasing number of
destinations. Their flying time is often less than the bigger jets and
turbo-props flown by other carriers. Destinations include Krabi and Lampang.
Budget Airlines
Note: As of 25 March 2007, Nok Air and 1-2-Go airlines have moved all of
their Bangkok flights back to the old Don Muang Airport. If using one of these
airlines for your domestic flights, be sure you get to the right airport. If
transferring from an international flight, be sure you leave enough time to get
from one airport to the other. There is no shuttle bus between the two airports.
The most direct route is to take a taxi.
One-Two-Go
The budget arm of charter carrier Orient Thai, One-Two-Go distinguishes
itself by using larger planes than other low cost lines. Serves mostly the
standard destinations - Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Phuket.
Note: Effective 25 March 2007, One-Two-Go returned all flights in and out of
Bangkok to the old Don Muang Airport (code: DMK). Be sure to get to the right
airport if using this airline.
Nok Air
Budget carrier with Thai Airways as one of its major investors. Like most
other budget lines, serves mostly the major tourist destinations such as Chiang
Mai, Mae Hong Son and Phuket. See our own detailed review of Nok Air. Note:
Effective 25 March 2007, Nok Air returned all flights in and out of Bangkok to
the old Don Muang Airport (code: DMK). Be sure to get to the right airport if
using this airline.
Air Asia
Air Asia was the first budget airline to go regional. Based in Malaysia, Air
Asia started flying in Thailand in 2002, and has a reputation for offering some
of the lowest fares around. Thai destinations include Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai,
Hat Yai and Phuket. The airline also flies from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur and from
there on to Bali, Singapore and other destinations. If considering Air Asia,
it's important to keep in mind that the fares go up the closer you get to your
departure date. To get the cheapest fares you need to book at least three months
in advance.
Songtaews
Songtaew means "two rows," and is literally a covered bed truck with two rows of
benches that run down the sides. If you are going to a remote place, or between
two smaller cities, you may need to take a songtaew. These are the final link in
the public transportation system, and are quite fun to take if you don't mind
having young uniformed students sitting on the roof and baskets of farmer
produce at your feet.
Trains
Traveling by train in Thailand is an experience you should not miss. There are
limits on where the train can take you, but if you can get close to your
destination, you will appreciate the comfort, safety, and scenery viewing
opportunities that trains offer. When traveling long distances, most budget
travelers take the second class sleeper, which has wide padded seats that face
each other and that can be made up into roomy bunks by the steward. The lower
bunk is larger than the upper, but there is plenty of luggage storage space in
racks on the aisles. Air-conditioned and fan sleepers are available on express
trains only. There are also first class sleepers, which have private,
air-conditioned cabins. For shorter trips, or if you want to travel during the
day, you can reserve second- or third-class seats, which are similar to bus
seats.
To travel to another city by train, you must reserve a ticket ahead of time at
the train station or from a travel agent in Thailand. Tickets for trains are not
sold from abroad. Tickets from the same day will usually be third class seats,
so it is best to reserve sleepers at least a week in advance. Be sure to buy
your ticket early if you plan to travel during a Thai holiday. Train passes
similar to the Eurail pass are available for Thailand, but it's doubtful that
they'll save you much money. For more information, contact a travel agent at the
State Railroad of Thailand (SRT) in Bangkok.
Automobiles
Driving yourself around
Thailand isn't something we'd recommend, although traveling by car
definitely has its advantages. The roads in Thailand, mainly due to
the poor driving habits of a large proportion of Thais, are not very
safe for those unfamiliar with the unwritten and haphazard rules of
the road. However, the good news is that you can generally rent a
car with a driver for the same price or less than you would
pay for a car rental in North America or Europe. This makes a good
option for a day trip to out of the way places. Due no doubt to the
low demand, the major international car rental companies don't have
much presence in Thailand. However, most first class hotels will
have cars for hire and most major tourist destinations such as
Chiang Mai have rental agencies. Be sure to check out the car on
offer before agreeing to rent it.
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