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Outside Bangkok, there are fewer transport options
and in many places you need to have your own transport.
However, motorbikes and bicycles can be found in most
places and are cheap to hire.
Motorcycle taxis are usually available in
most parts of Thailand, even in small towns. Look
out for clusters of young men wearing orange jackets
with numbers printed on the back in Thai. Remember
to agree the price before you get on the back of the
motorbike.
Meter taxis are usually only available in
large cities such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya
and Phuket. In the rest of the country many interesting
alternatives are available.
Buses are available throughout Thailand. However,
outside Bangkok the destinations are rarely printed
in English and you cannot expect the conductor to
speak English. The best way to make sure that you
arrive at you destination is to ask someone (preferably
at a travel agency or tourist cafe) to write the address
in Thai and teach you how to pronounce it correctly.
Also, most buses fill up quickly and are crammed to
bursting point. In order to guarantee a seat, get
on at a bus station.
Intercity Coaches are a fine, cheap way to
travel around Thailand. The good road system means
that they are quite comfortable and travel between
most cities, large towns and tourist destinations.
Much cheaper than the train (a journey of 220 kilometres
costs around 90 Baht) as with local buses it is best
to embark at the bus station to guarantee a seat.
Songthaew means 'two rows' in Thai, referring
to the two rows of wooden benches that line the walls
of these small, open-backed mini vans. Very common
in small towns and villages, songthaews follow a designated
route which is not always obvious. It is best to flag
down the driver, state where you want to go and add
the word 'mai?' to the end. Fares typically cost between
6 and 20 baht.
Saburus are a more modern and comfortable
version of the songthaew, with padded seats. Expect
to pay about double the price of a songthaew, although
many people say the comfort is worth the extra few
baht.
Known as Samlaews, these are the same as the
bicycle rickshaw, which can be found all over India.
Not exactly the fastest or most comfortable form of
transport and only recommended for short journeys,
although they can be a nice way to get to know a place
or enjoy a romantic sunset ride.
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