:: Bus

:: Car rental

There are three types of public buses in Bangkok.
1) the ordinary red-stripe or blue-stripe buses
2) the air-con buses -- the normal blue buses and the Euro buses
3) the red microbuses

The fares of the ordinary buses are 3.50 (for the red-stripe) or 5 baht (for the blue-stripe) for the whole route. For the air-con blue buses, the fares range from 8 baht to 18 baht depending on distance. The Euro buses have three types -- the light blue colour, the orange colour, and the white colours -- with the fares ranging from 12 to 20 baht.
The microbus, charging a flat rate of 20 baht, is the most favoured as it ceases taking up passengers once every seat is filled. During rush hours, however, it is rather difficult to get on a microbus unless you take it at or near its terminals.
Although travelling by bus is the cheapest, you should be careful with your belongings while riding, especially on a crowded ordinary bus.

Plenty of car rental companies are available in Thailand, including international rental companies such as Hertz, Budget and Avis. The road system is good and well sign-posted. An international driving license is required. Please keep in mind that you drive on the left in Thailand. . See lists of car rental.

:: Tuk Tuk

:: Taxi-metre

Taxis in Bangkok are fixed with a metre and have a sign "TAXI-METER" on the roof. The minimum fare is 35 baht for a distance of no more than 2 km. Then the rates are 4.50 baht per km. for the next 10 km., 5 baht per km for 13 to 20 km. and 5.50 baht per km. for any distance over 20 km. There is a surcharge of 1.25 baht per minute for traffic congestion when the taxi moves no faster than 6 km/ hour. The rates only apply to trips within the limits of Bangkok, which include Don Muang Airport. A toll of 40 - 60 baht for expressway or toll way must be paid by the passengers.

We cannot deny that the number of cars in Bangkok is continuously increasing everyday. As from the survey in 2001, it showed that about 500 cars were launched each day and the number of cars in Bangkok was about 1.8 million at that time. Because the transport system and, city plan do not work well, people have pushed themselves by having own cars for their convenience.

C ars are expensive in Thailand - in spite of the fact that the Thai government has considerably lowered import taxes for most categories of cars in mid-1991. Japanese models dominate the market.

Most available cars (and motorcycles) are made in Thailand - or rather assembled, as most parts are still imported. Typically, the Thai assembled cars turn out to be more expensive than those made in the home countries of the mother companies of the Thai assembly firms. As labour is cheap in Thailand, those who can afford a car usually also have the money to employ a driver.

In Bangkok, cars are registered at the Police Registration Division, Phahonyothin Road (Tel 02 513-0051 - 5) Mon-Fri 8:00-16:30. The clerks there don't speak English and the registration is quite some work. Car dealers usually offer registration as a service, for which most of the time a separate fee is charged. Registration costs depend on engine size.

Third party liability insurance is not obligatory in Thailand. Traffic laws are pretty much the same as in the West though damages awarded to injured parties are ridiculously low by Western standards. Escaping the scene of an accident is construed as admitting that one was at fault.

Gasoline prices are fairly low in Thailand, less than half a US Dollar per liter (around 2 US Dollars per gallon). Caltex, Esso and Shell have wide networks of gasoline stations covering the whole country. Gasoline stations along main roads in Bangkok as well as cross-country highways operate 24 hours a day. Gasoline stations only seldom have full repair shops but are equipped to vulcanise tyres or change oil. Most car assemblers also operate their own large servicing workshops.