Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [144]
Taxi
Táak·see mee·êu (metered taxis) were introduced in Bangkok in 1993 and the current flag fare of 35B is only a slight increase from that time, making us wonder how these guys (and there are a lot of them) earn any money. Although many first-time visitors are hesitant to use them, in general Bangkok’s taxis are new and spacious, and the drivers are courteous and helpful, making them an excellent way to get around. Fares to most places within central Bangkok cost 60B to 80B, and freeway tolls – 20B to 45B depending where you start – must be paid by the passenger.
Taxi Radio (1681; www.taxiradio.co.th) and other 24-hour ‘phone-a-cab’ services are available for 20B above the metered fare. Taxis are usually plentiful except during peak commute hours, when bars are closing (1am to 2am), or when it is raining and your destination requires sitting in too much traffic.
Taxis that hang around tourist centres typically refuse to use the meter and will quote an exorbitantly high rate. You are more likely to find an honest driver if you walk out to a main thoroughfare.
Túk-Túk
A ride on Thailand’s most emblematic three-wheeled vehicle is an experience particularly sought after by new arrivals, but it only takes a few seconds to realise that most foreigners are too tall to see anything beyond the low-slung roof.
Túk-túk drivers also have a knack for smelling crisp bills and can potentially take you and your wallet far beyond your desired destination. In particular, beware of drivers who offer to take you on a sightseeing tour for 10B or 20B – it’s a touting scheme designed to pressure you into purchasing overpriced goods. A short trip on a túk-túk should cost at least 40B.
Although it seems unlikely, túk-túk do serve a very useful purpose besides hassling tourists. Locals use the three-wheelers when their destination is closer and cheaper than a metered-taxi flag fall or when gridlock requires a more nimble vehicle. Unfortunately, the recent rise in petrol prices means that túk-túk quotes often start at 100B, sometimes even 200B, making it difficult to negotiate a fair price.
AROUND BANGKOK
If you’re itching to get out of the capital city, but don’t have a lot of time, consider a day trip to some of the neighbouring towns and provinces. On Bangkok’s doorstep are all of Thailand’s provincial charms – you don’t have to go far to find ancient religious monuments, floating markets, architectural treasures and laid-back fishing villages.
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FLOATING MARKETS
The photographs of Thailand’s floating markets – wooden canoes laden with multicoloured fruits and vegetables, paddled by women wearing indigo-hued clothes and wide-brimmed straw hats – have become an iconic and alluring image for the kingdom. It is also a sentimental piece of history. In the past 20 years, Thailand has modernised, replacing canals with roads, and boats with motorcycles and cars. The floating markets, which were once lively trading posts for produce farmers and local housewives, have crawled ashore.
The most heavily promoted floating market is Damnoen Saduak (7am-4pm Sat & Sun), 104km southwest of Bangkok between Nakhon Pathom and Samut Songkhram. Though little more than a souvenir market catering to tourists, it is one of the most accessible markets from Bangkok and is ideal for those who haven’t yet filled their suitcases with touristy gifts. Air-con buses 78 and 996 go direct from the Southern bus terminal in Thonburi to Damnoen Saduak (80B, two hours, every 20 minutes from 6am to 9pm). Most buses will drop tourists off directly at the piers that line Th Sukhaphiban 1, which is the land route to the floating market area. The going rate for boat hire is about 300B per person per hour. A yellow sŏrng·ta·ou (also spelt sǎwngth