TRANSPORTTOURSElsewhere, public
transport is provided by
sŏrng·tăa·ou (a small pick-
up truck outfi tted with two
facing rows of benches for
passengers). They some-
times operate on fi xed
routes, just like buses, but
they may also run a share-
taxi service where they pick
up passengers going in the
same general direction. In
tourist centres, sŏrng·tăa·ou
can be chartered just like a
regular taxi, but you’ll need
to negotiate the fare before-
hand. You can usually hail a
sŏrng·tăa·ou anywhere along
its route and pay the fare
when you disembark.
Depending on the region,
sŏrng·tăa·ou might also run
a fi xed route from the centre
of town to outlying areas or
even points within the prov-
inces. Sometimes these ve-
hicles are larger six-wheeled
vehicles (sometimes called
‘rót hòk lór’).
Mass Transit
Bangkok is the only city in
Thailand to have an above-
ground and underground
light-rail public transport sys-
tem. Known as the Skytrain
and the Metro, respectively,
both systems have helped to
alleviate the capital’s notori-
ous traffi c jams.
Motorcycle Taxi
Many cities in Thailand have
mor·đeu·sai ráp jâhng (100cc
to 125cc motorcycles) that
can be hired, with a driver,
for short distances. If you’re
empty-handed or travelling
with a small bag, they can’t
be beaten for transport in a
pinch.
In most cities, you’ll fi nd
motorcycle taxis clustered
near street intersections,
rather than cruising the
streets looking for fares.
Usually they wear numbered
jerseys. Fares tend to run
from 10B to 50B, depend-
ing on distance and you’ll
need to establish the price
beforehand. The exception
is in Bangkok where the soi
motorcycle taxis are a stand-
ard 10B.
Ta xi
Bangkok has the most formal
system of metered taxis. In
other cities, a taxi can be a
private vehicle with negotiable
rates. You can also travel be-
tween cities by taxi but you’ll
need to negotiate a price
as few taxi drivers will run a
meter for intercity travel.Tours
Many operators around the
world can arrange guided
tours of Thailand. Most of
them simply serve as brokers
for tour companies based
in Thailand. The better tour
companies build their own
Thailand itineraries from
scratch and choose their local
suppliers based on which best
serve these itineraries. Many
are now off ering ‘voluntour-
ism’ programs, which means
that you might buy lunch for
an orphanage, visit a hospital
or teach an English class in
addition to sightseeing. Also
see Volunteering (p 766 ) if
you’re looking for alternative
travelling experiences.
Asian Trails (www.asiantrails.
info) Tour operator that runs
programs for overseas bro-
kers; trips include a mix ofon- and off-the-beaten-path
destinations.
Hands Up Holidays (www.
handsupholidays.com) Vol-
unteer tourism and village
sightseeing programs.
Intrepid Travel (www.intre
pidtravel.com) Specialises in
small-group travel geared
towards young people.
Isan Explorer (www.isan
explorer.com) Custom tours
to the northeast.
I-to-I (www.i-to-i.com) Volun-
teer tourism and gap-year
programs.
Mekong Cruises (www.
cruisemekong.com) Float
down the mighty river
aboard an elegant vessel.
Orient Express (www.
orient-express.com) High-end
luxury tours of common
and uncommon places in
Thailand.
Spice Roads (www.
spiceroads.com) Variety of
regional cycling programs.
Tiger Trails (www.tigertrail
thailand.com) Nature, culture
and strenuous trekking tours
around Chiang Mai and
northern Thailand.
Tour de Thailand (www.
tourdethailand.com) Charity
bike ride organiser covering
touring routes throughout
the country.SĂHM·LÓR & TÚK-TÚKSăhm·lór are three-wheeled pedicabs that are typically
found in small towns where traffi c is light and old-
fashioned ways persist.
The modern era’s version of the human-powered
săhm·lór is the motorised túk-túk. They’re small utility
vehicles, powered by screaming engines (usually LPG-
powered) and a lot of fl ash and sparkle.
With either form of transport the fare must be es-
tablished by bargaining before departure. In tourist
centres, túk-túk drivers often grossly overcharge for-
eigners so have a sense of how much the fare should be
before soliciting a ride. Hotel staff are helpful in provid-
ing reasonable fare suggestions.
Readers interested in pedicab lore and design may
want to have a look at Lonely Planet’s hardcover pic-
torial book, Chasing Rickshaws, by Lonely Planet
founder Tony Wheeler.