TRANSPORT
AIR
MALAYSIA
Malaysia, especially the west
coast, is easy to reach via
bus, train and even boat.
Hat Yai to Butterworth
(p 595 ) The western spur
of the train line originating
in Bangkok terminates at
Butterworth, the mainland
transfer point to Penang.
Less popular these days
due to unrest in the Deep
South.
Hat Yai to Padang Besar
Buses originate out of the
southern transit town of Hat
Yai en route to a variety of
Malaysian destinations. Bor-
der formalities are handled
at Padang Besar. Due to con-
tinued violence in the Deep
South we do not recommend
taking this route.
Sungai Kolok to Kota
Bahru (p 600 ) While this
border crossing is a possibil-
ity, the continued violence
in Thailand’s Deep South
means that we do not rec-
ommend this overland route.
Ko Lipe to Langkawi
(p 691 ) Boats provide a
convenient high-season link
between these two Anda-
man islands.
Satun-Langkawi/Kuala
Perlis (p 692 ) Boats shuttle
from this mainland port to
the island of Langkawi and
the mainland town of Kuala
Perlis.MYANMAR
Most of the land crossings
into Myanmar have restric-
tions that don’t allow full
access to the country. Border
points are also subject to un-
announced closures, which
can last anywhere from a day
to years.
Mae Sai to Tachileik
(p 322 ) This is the only
crossing through which
foreigners can travel beyond
the border town, although
travel is limited and subject
to extensive regulations.
Interestingly, the bridge
that spans the two border
towns is Lo Hsing-han’s
former ‘Golden Triangle’ pas-
sageway for the opium and
heroin trade. Many travellersuse this border as a way to
renew their Thai visas as it
is convenient to Chiang Mai
and Chiang Rai.
Ranong to Kawthoung
(p 603 ) This is a popular
visa-renewal point in the
southern part of Thailand.
Mae Sot to Myawadi
(p 375 ) At the time of re-
search this border was
closed. In the event it
reopens, this border is only
open as a day trip into the
Myawadi market.
Three Pagodas Pass
(p 190 ) This crossing has
been closed to foreigners
since 2006. Prior to its clo-
sure, the border was open
for day trips to the Burmese
border market only and no
visa extensions/renewals
were issued.GETTING
AROUNDAir
Hopping around the country
by air continues to be aff ord-
able. Most routes originate
from Bangkok, but Chiang
Mai, Ko Samui and Phuket
all have a few routes to other
Thai towns. See the Thai
Air-fares map for routes and
estimated costs; for airline
contact information, see the
respective city sections.
THAI operates many
domestic air routes from
Bangkok to provincial capi-
tals. Bangkok Air is another
established domestic carrier.
Orient Thai and Nok Air are
the domestic budget carriers.Boat
The true Thai river transport
is the reu·a hăhng yow (long-
tail boat), so-called because
the propeller is mounted at
the end of a long drive shaft
extending from the engine.
The long-tail boats are a
staple of transport on rivers
and canals in Bangkok and
neighbouring provinces.Between the mainland and
islands in the Gulf of Thailand
or the Andaman Sea, the
standard craft is a wooden
boat, 8m to 10m long, with
an inboard engine, a wheel-
house and a simple roof
to shelter passengers and
cargo. Faster, more expen-
sive hovercraft or jetfoils are
available in tourist areas.Bus & Minivan
The bus network in Thailand
is prolifi c and reliable, and is
a great way to see the coun-
tryside and sit among the
locals. The Thai government
subsidises the Transport
Company (bò·rí·sàt kŏn
sòng), usually abbreviated to
Baw Khaw Saw (BKS). Every
city and town in Thailand
linked by bus has a BKS sta-
tion, even if it’s just a patch of
dirt by the side of the road.
By far the most reliable
bus companies in Thailand
are the ones that operate out
of the government-run BKS
stations. In some cases the
companies are entirely state
owned, in others they are
private concessions.
We do not recommend
using bus companies that
operate directly out of tourist
centres, like Bangkok’s Th
Khao San, because of re-
peated instances of theft and
commission-seeking stops.
Be sure to read the Dangers
& Annoyances sections in the
relevant destination chapters
to be aware of bus scams
and problems.
Increasingly though,
minivans are the middle-
class option. Minivans are
run by private companies
and because their vehicles
are smaller they can depart
from the market (instead
of the out-of-town bus sta-
tions) and will deliver guests
directly to their hotel. Just
don’t sit in the front so you
don’t see the driver’s dare-
devil techniques!Bus Classes
The cheapest and slow-
est buses are the rót