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seats down both sides of the truck bed. They sometimes operate on fixed routes, just like buses, but they may also run a share-taxi service where they pick-up passengers going in the same general direction. In tourist centres, srng·ta·ou can be chartered individually just like a regular taxi, but you’ll need to negotiate the fare beforehand. Occasionally in tourist centres, drivers operating a srng·ta·ou intended for shared use will try to convince foreigners to ‘charter’ the vehicle by quoting a large fare before boarding.

Depending on the region, srng·ta·ou might also run a fixed route from the centre of town to outlying areas or even points within the provinces. Sometimes these vehicles are converted pick-up trucks, while in other cases they are larger six-wheeled vehicles (sometimes called ‘rót hòk lór’).

Mass Transit

Bangkok is the only city in Thailand to have either an above-ground or underground light-rail public transport system. Known as the Skytrain and the Metro, respectively, both systems have helped to alleviate the capital city’s notorious traffic jams.

Motorcycle Taxi

Many cities in Thailand also have mor·eu·sai ráp jâhng (100cc to 125cc motorcycles) that can be hired, with a driver, for short distances. They’re not very suitable if you’re carrying more than a backpack or small suitcase, but if you’re empty-handed they can’t be beaten for quick transport over short distances. In addition to the lack of space for luggage, motorcycle taxis also suffer from lack of shelter from rain and sun. Although most drivers around the country operate at safe, sane speeds, the kamikaze drivers of Bangkok are a major exception.

In most cities, you’ll find motorcycle taxis clustered near street intersections, rather than cruising the streets looking for fares. Usually they wear numbered jerseys. Fares tend to run from 10B to 50B, depending on distance.

Shm·lór & Túk-túk

Shm·lór means ‘three wheels’ and that’s just what they are – three-wheeled vehicles. There are two types of shm·lór – motorised and nonmotorised.

You’ll find motorised shm·lór (better known as túk-túk) throughout the country. They’re small utility vehicles, powered by horrendously noisy engines (usually LPG-powered); if the noise and vibration don’t get you, the fumes will.

The nonmotorised shm·lór, ie the bicycle rickshaw or pedicab, is similar to what you may see in other parts of Asia. There are no bicycle shm·lór in Bangkok, but you will find them elsewhere in the country. With either form of shm·lór the fare must be established by bargaining before departure.

Readers interested in pedicab lore and design may want to have a look at Lonely Planet’s hardcover pictorial book, Chasing Rickshaws, by Lonely Planet founder Tony Wheeler.

Taxi

Bangkok has the most formal system of metered taxis. In other cities, a taxi can be a private vehicle with negotiable rates. You can also travel between cities by taxi but you’ll need to negotiate a price as few taxi drivers will run a meter for intercity travel.

TOURS

Many operators around the world can arrange guided tours of Thailand. Most of them simply serve as brokers for tour companies based in Thailand; they buy their trips from a wholesaler and resell them under various names in travel markets overseas. Long-running, reliable tour wholesalers in Thailand include the following.

Asian Trails (Map; 0 2626 2000; www.asiantrails.net; 9th fl, SG Tower, 161/1 Soi Mahatlek Leung 3, Th Ratchadamri, Bangkok)

Diethelm Travel (Map; 0 2660 7000; www.diethelmtravel.com; 12th fl, Kian Gwan Bldg II, 140/1 Th Withayu, Bangkok)

World Travel Service (Map; 0 2233 5900; www.wts-thailand.com; 1053 Th Charoen Krung, Bangkok)

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Overseas Companies

The better overseas tour companies build their own Thailand itineraries from scratch and choose their local suppliers based on which best serve these itineraries. Of these, several specialise in adventure and/or ecological tours.

Asia Transpacific Journeys (800 642 2742; www.southeastasia.com; 2995 Center Green Dr, Boulder, CO 80301, USA) Small