Getting Around
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"Not a Thai-girl" by Chao Praya river
Ronnie Carlsson
In Bangkok additional means of public transport are the Express Boat Servive (cheap and a good way to do some sight-seeing, the Skytrain and the Metro (both very comfortable, but relatively expensive).
The best and also the cheapest way to travel (if possible) is
by water. Many types of boat, and fresh air makes travel marvelous,
especially in the hot day.
Either way, you will have to use a combination of any or maybe even
all of the above ways of getting around, but it does pay off to learn a
bit about every possibility, because Bangkok is a massive city spread
out on a large area.
Renting a car is not recommended.
Between places: For long distances take the plane. THAI Airways International has reasonable fare prices and is very good. Other ways for long distances: the train (almost free, so you can afford "first class") or buses. Buses are not really comfortable. Air conditioned buses are good and also cheap, however.
Around the Islands:
Kho Samui, Kho Pangnan and Kho Tao.
Taxi- meters which can bundle in up to 8 people and you can haggle the price depending on the length of the journey. Its always a good idea to check what other people are paying in the taxi.
Jeeps/Land Rovers. These are a lot of fun as you sit on the open bit on the back and hang on for dear life, as the roads are very uneven. Watch out for falling out. Again these can cater for up to about 8 people and you can haggle the price.
Mopeds/Bikes to hire are a lot of fun and very cheap to rent,
however it is one of the most notorious things in Thailand for
accidents.More people die every year in motorcycle accidents than they
did in the Tsunami last year. You may come away with a Kho Pangnan
tatoo, either an exhaust pipe burn or a scrape from falling off.
However you could come off a lot worse and no one wants to spend
time in a Thai hostpital. So be careful on the roads and with the
alcohol in take!
It helps knowing your way around after about 7:30pm when it gets
completely dark too, there is no lighting along the roads and it is a
lot harder to find your way around or find a place to get some gas
after dark. The dogs that are running around free day or night are a
bit of a danger as well. They don't seem to bite, but they have no fear
of people or traffic, stupid!
By Plane
Edit ThisBangkok Domestic airport terminal is 25 km north of the city. Airport departure tax is required at domestic departures. Domestic passengers have to pay 60 baht/person. Thai Airways maintains an extensive network to any place of importance in the kingdom. Alternatively you can check with Bangkok Airways Bangkok, Samui, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Hua Hin and Ranong.
Taking a plane to or from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Phuket and Ko Samui is highly recommended. Prices are very cheap and they are a number of daily flights allowing the traveller a lot of flexibility. The best bargin is more..
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Thailand Airlines
Edit ThisThailand now has several budget airlines. Flights are cheap. Discounts are also offered by other Thai airlines.
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By Car
Edit ThisThailand has a good up-to-date network of well-maintained roads and highways between all main centres. Much of the north-south route is dual carriageway. Road signage follows international convention and usually are in Thai and English. Often the smaller roads, known as Sois, are in Thai only.
Night driving is not recommended on the open road due to heavy truck traffic, which tends to have little respect for cars. Motor bikes can also be a hazard, particularly as they are often ridden into oncoming traffic. Driving on the most of the major routes outside Bangkok and around more..
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By bus
Edit ThisModern and comfortable air-conditioned buses provide reliable service to every province and all the major towns. Regular and local buses, while usually slower and less comfortable, are extremely reasonably priced. You can buy ticket at every bus terminal (Please note: in Bangkok there are different bus terminals!) or contact any local travel agent to help with purchasing a ticket. Besides that there are mini-buses leaving from Khao San Road to nearly any spot of tourist interest. There are very cheap, direct, but very often very uncomfortable. Besides that you will not meet any more..
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By Train
Edit ThisTrains are a great way of travelling and the country takes pride in a well-maintained rail system that reaches almost every corner of the country. Several different classes of train travel are available, from coach to private sleeper, and from regular to express service. Most people tend to buy a sleeper train. The route from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and to the South are the most popular with the foreign visitor. For the train in Thailand, no advance reservation is available, however if you are traveling during weekends on popular routes it is recommended to buy your ticket a few more..
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Scooter
Edit ThisThough not reccomened in citties or other high-traffic areas, Scooters,
or Mopeds, are a cheap, fast, and easy way to get around small villages
and beach towns in Thailand. At a low cost of about 200-500 Baht a day,
you can tour around beach towns, highways, and backroads; which can
lead to much more interesting adventures than if you simply took a
standard tour.
Some smaller islands aloung the Andaman coast have only Scooters, no
cars or busses are available, so you eeither have to rent a scooter to
get around, or ride a motor-bike taxi for a mere 10-80 Baht more..
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