Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [648]
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BICYCLE
For travelling just about anywhere outside Bangkok, bicycles are an ideal form of local transport – cheap, nonpolluting and slow moving enough to allow travellers to see everything.
Bicycle touring is also a popular way to see the country, and most roads are sealed and have roomy shoulders. Grades in most parts of the country are moderate; exceptions include the far north, especially Mae Hong Son and Nan Provinces.
You can take bicycles on the train for a little less than the equivalent of one 3rd-class fare. On ordinary buses they’ll place your bike on the roof, and on air-con buses it will be put in the cargo hold. Biking Southeast Asia with Mr Pumpy (www.mrpumpy.net) contains route suggestions, tips and other details from ‘spoke folks’. The Thailand Cycling Club (08 1555 2901; www.thaicycling.com), established in 1959, serves as an information clearing house on biking tours and cycle clubs.
Click here for more information on bringing a bike into Thailand.
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Hire & Purchase
Bicycles can be hired in many locations, especially guesthouses, for as little as 50B per day. A security deposit isn’t usually required.
Because duties are high on imported bikes, in most cases you’ll do better to bring your own bike to Thailand rather than purchase one here. One of the best shops for cycling gear in Thailand is Bangkok’s Probike (Map; 0 2253 3384; www.probike.co.th; 237/1 Soi Sarasin).
BOAT
The true Thai river transport is the reu·a hhng 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. Click here for details.
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 wheelhouse and a simple roof to shelter passengers and cargo. Faster, more expensive hovercraft or jetfoils are sometimes available in tourist areas.
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BUS
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Bus Companies
The bus network in Thailand is prolific and reliable, and is a great way to see the countryside and sit among the locals. The Thai government subsidises the Transport Company (bò·rí·sàt kn sòng; 0 2936 2841; www.transport.co.th), usually abbreviated to Baw Khaw Saw (BKS). Every city and town in Thailand linked by bus has a BKS station, 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 repeated instances of theft. Be sure to read the Dangers & Annoyances section in the relevant destination chapter to be aware of bus scams and problems.
Classes
The cheapest and slowest are the rót tam·má·dah (ordinary non air-con buses) that stop in every little town and for every waving hand along the highway. Only a few of these ordinary buses, in rural locations or for local destinations, still exist since most have been replaced by air-con buses.
The bulk of the bus service is faster, more comfortable air-con buses, called rót aa (air bus), rót ràp ah·gàht (air-con bus) or rót too·a (tour bus). Longer routes offer at least two classes of air-con buses: 2nd class and 1st class; the latter have toilets. ‘VIP’ and ‘Super VIP’ buses have fewer seats so that each seat reclines further. Sometimes these are called rót norn (sleeper bus).
It is handy to bring along a jacket, especially for long-distance trips, as the air-con can turn the cabin into a deep freeze.
The service on these buses is usually quite good and on certain routes