Transportation
Getting There
Assuming that you, like the majority of people,
arrive in Thailand by air, at Bangkok's Don Muang International Airport, the
first thing you'll probably want to do is get from the airport into town. There
are several options open to you.
Taxi
Airport Taxi (approx. 800 THB): the lazy way
to do it, and highly to be recommended. Just go to "Airport Taxi" in
the Arrivals Hall or at the luggage carousels and tell them where you want to go. You'll get immediate
service and a plush car, though it can't be guaranteed that the driver
will be wearing white gloves.
Regular Taxi (approx. 300 THB): outside
the Arrivals Hall you'll find the regular taxis (with large "Taxicab" signs). Take one of them
with confidence. You may need to pay something like a 50 THB surcharge. On the way into town
the driver may [try to] ask you if you want to take the expressway—that's
an extra Bt30 or so, and well worth it.
Bus
Airport Bus: this is a frequent,
airconditioned service that stops outside the Arrivals Hall. English-speaking.
Inexpensive.
Regular Bus: if you're already penny-pinching
you can always try getting a normal bus, air-conditioned or, even cheaper,
non-air-conditioned. You'll have to walk a bit, cursing the heat and your
luggage, and try to communicate with a non-English-speaking conductor. Not
recommended. Very cheap.
Getting Around
If you haven't already done so, arm yourself with a
good quality Bangkok streetmap. The better ones show bus and Skytrain routes.
Probably the most practical one, though not the most aesthetic, is the large
"Bangkok Thailand" map (with a red and mauve frame on the cover), which you can
find in many shops or hotels.
It's not difficult to understand Bangkok when you
realise that it is essentially composed of major roads ("thanon"), with
numbered sidestreets ("soi"). Generally the sois do not have a name but are
numbered sequentially, with odd numbers—ie, starting at Soi 1—on the
left (as you walk up a major road) and even numbers on the right. Using this
sytem, if you tell a taxi-driver that you want "Sukhumvit 22", he will take you
to Soi 22 on Sukhumvit Road (either to the entrance to the soi or down the soi
itself).
Here (excluding elephant back, which is difficult
these days as elephants are illegal in Bangkok—though you do see them) are
the options for travelling around Bangkok:
Foot
You can always try walking. It won't necessarily
take any longer than motorized transport thanks to the traffic, but you may
need a shower when you get to your destination. But if you're suitably dressed,
aren't going too far and don't need to hurry, walking can be an instructive way
to get around Bangkok.
Bus
Bangkok has an efficient, inexpensive bus
network.
City Bus
There are two basic types of City Bus:
- Regular (red): the regular buses cover
virtually all districts. You can find the routes from most city maps. These
buses are cheap (Bt3.50 per trip) but can be hot and crowded.
- Air-conditioned (blue, orange, white):
These buses have similar routes to the regular buses but are much more
comfortable. The fare depends on the distance but is not more than Bt20 per
trip.
Micro Bus:
These are privately run air-conditioned buses. They
are smaller than the city buses but more comfortable with wider seats and
television. The fare is a flat rate Bt25 per trip.
Tip: if you are on a crowded bus and a monk gets on,
don't be surprised to see Thai women shrinking into non-existence. Thai monks
are not allowed to have any physical contact with women.
Tuk-tuk
The famous tuk-tuk is an open-air three-wheeler
"taxi". It will take you almost anywhere within Bangkok. The price is
negotiable and must be agreed before you enter. Reasonable fares range from
Bt20 for a very short trip to a maximum of Bt100 for a longer one. When you
mention your destination, the driver will go into a trance for a few seconds
while he computes the distance, time of day, current traffic conditions,
chances of a return passenger and your financial status. After that, he will
throw his fingers up into the air. Each finger represents Bt10. So if he throws
up eight fingers, he wants eighty baht. You would immediately counter with four
fingers (or fewer), until you reach a happy medium. To find a tuk-tuk, just
stand at the side of the road and one will magically appear.
Taxi
Gone are the days when you had to haggle with the
taxi driver. Today, all taxis have meters. The meter starts at Bt35 and counts
around Bt3 per kilometer thereafter (though in traffic jams it works on a time
basis). Taxi-drivers do not require a tip, though the gesture is appreciated.
Drivers will sometimes claim that their meter is not working and try to haggle
a price. In that case, just find another taxi. It won't be difficult, except
sometimes at rush hour. To find a taxi, just stand at the side of the road and
raise your hand a little. It really isn't done to wave your arm
violently and shout "Taxi!" as you might do in London or New York. (Raising
your hand a little means that it stays below belt level. Blind taxi drivers are
not allowed to operate in Bangkok.)
Kapor
The kapor is a very small, open-air van which
operates up and down most of the larger sois. Fares range from Bt5 to Bt15 per
trip. Normally, it fits 4 people.
Motorcycle Taxi
You can find motorcycles operating as taxis all over
Bangkok. They usually hang around the openings of sois. Motorcycles are
convenient because they can cut right through the densest Bangkok traffic. But
beware, they can be dangerous. Make sure you wear the crash helmet that the
driver should provide you with. Hold on to the grips around/behind the seat, or
clasp the driver. Fares have to be negotiated but don't expect them to be
cheaper than for a taxi. Also, don't be offended if you are relatively tall
and/or heavy and the driver declines to take you. The motorcycles are small and
low-powered, designed for smaller Asian builds.
Skytrain
The skytrain is the closest thing Bangkok has to a
metro or subway. If it's going your way, it's ideal for rapid transport. There
are terminals in most commercial areas such Siam Square, Silom, Ekamai and
Chatujak. The limitation is that the network is not very extensive, though
there are plans afoot. Prices start from around Bt15 for one or two stops.
Boat
Less common than in the past, you can still take the
long-tailed boats along the Chao Phraya River and some canals. Fares depend on
distance.
Car Rental
Provided you have a valid (preferably international)
driver's licence, you can rent a wide variety of air-conditioned vehicles to
drive yourself. Prices are generally modest.
- Avis (Central Reservations)—2/12
Wireless Rd. Tel: +66 (0)2 255 5300 Fax: +66 (0)2 253 3773
- Budget—19/23 Bdg A, Royal City Av.,
New Petchburi Rd. Tel: +66 (0)2 203 0250 Fax: +66 (0)2 203 0249
- United Travel— 16/1 Soi Paokjid, Rama
4. Tel: +66 (0)2 255 7889 Fax: +66 (0)2 254 4342
- VNT—near Wanchart Bridge,
Prachapittatai Road. Tel: +66 (0)2 621 5641 Fax: +66 (0)2 280 7029
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