Getting around Bangkok

Sunday, 7 Jan 2007 | Life in Asia

Bangkok is a large city, some people say it is actually hard to tell where the city ends exactly due to the lack of distinctive features around the cities edges, and has a large number of people living in it and commuting into it. And so a lot of people are trying to get from A to B every day.

Some of you might recall my stories about cheap taxis and perhaps expect this is the preferred mode of transportation, but with the notorious traffic jams Bangkok still has every second of the day it is not always the smartest way to get somewhere.

TAXI A taxi is by far the most comfortable way of travelling this city. All taxis have air conditioning, they are all over the city and so it’s easy to flag one down pretty much anywhere you are and they make for a comfortable door-to-door delivery at a reasonable price.¹ The problem is the aforementioned traffic jams, ironically enough (at least in part) caused by the unreal number of taxis on the street. And so a taxi is not always the smartest decision. Experience is required in deciding if or not to take a taxi, taking into account the time of day and the (most logical, which is not always the actual² ) route to be taken from A to B. If your destination or route does not hit any of the traffic jams that occur in certain spots at certan hours, go ahead and take that taxi. If not, take a pillow … I have indeed slept in a taxi for over an hour once getting stuck somewhere.

CAR Ofcourse taking your own car would be an option, presuming (a) you have one; (b) you’re ok with driving on the wrong err. left side of the road and (c) are mad enough to try and wrestle your way³ through Bangkok traffic. I’ve spoken to people who have cars here and I’ve read stories on the web, all of it and the omnipresence of readily available alternatives makes me wonder why people bother to have a car here. Unless perhaps you have a Thai driver to go with it. Then again, perhaps I’m not the right person to ask.

SKYTRAIN/MRT The third most comfortable way of getting somewhere is by using mass rapid transit systems, such as the oft mentioned skytrain⁴ (an elevated metro system which currently has two lines) and the underground metro line. It is by far the preferred⁵ method of getting somewhere if departure and arrival points are near a station. The trains quietly moves its passengers in air conditioned comfort through the city. It runs from 6AM till midnight and gets positively packed during rush hours. Proximity to a skytrain station was certainly an item on my checklist when looking for an apartment, I currently live a 5-10 minute walk from Saphan Khwai station.

TUK-TUK The noisy tricycles found at just about every street corner of Bangkok are an alternative to a taxi for some. They are a tourist attraction for sure, many tourists take a tuk-tuk if for nothing else but the novelty of it. Locals also use them, although I mostly see them use it as motorized shopping cards (I’ve actually seen tuk-tuks with ripped out seats as to convert them to mini delivery vans) - packing it full of stuff and people and “hi-yo Silver, away!” … it will then speed its way through traffic, being the daredevils that they are. Prices are negotiated upfront with the driver and generally are a around the same price point as a short taxi ride. The advantage of a tuk-tuk is that it is quicker and more maneuverable than a taxi. I personally use them when I’ve got a lot of shopping bags, for a short ride from the Big C supermarket near the skytrain station to my home. Lazy? Just a 5 minute walk? You try walking with a dozen bags full of groceries in the burning sun and 38C/100F, I’ve done it and I’ll have you know it is far from a pleasure.

MOTORCYCLE While tuk-tuk drivers are ‘daredevils’, motorcycle drivers are positively insane. These guys, to be recognized by their orange vests, gather on certain street corners and are a rowdy bunch. If you’re in a rush to get to a meeting you absolutely need to be on time for and all of the above will not work for you, these guys are a last resort. And they will indeed get the job done, or so I’m told. Funnily enough, they are also used by locals as an alternative to having to walk for a few minutes which I guess is why there are so many of them. They zigzag their way through traffic, seemingly oblivious to the dangers involved. And yeah, accidents with these things are fairly common. I have never taken one and probably never will either.

BUS Perhaps not the least comfortable mode of transportation, but at the bottom of this list because I’m writing from the perspective of a farang. And so why is this uncomfortable for a farang? Because the bus system in Bangkok is, like so many other things, complete mayhem of which absolutely no sense can be made. There are green, red, blue, white and mini busses. Some just drive up and down a long street, others have more intricate routes. But they all have just a number on the front, drivers who don’t speak English and run whenever the hell they feel like it. So why is this uncomfortable for a farang? Because getting on a bus means you’re basically going to get somewhere at some point, but you have no idea when or where. It’s dirt cheap though, with fares being 2 baht (EUR 0.04).

Getting somewhere in Bangkok means you look at your option, look at the circumstances and puzzle your trip together. Or just give in to whatever happens to you and take a taxi.