Thailand
covers an area of 514,000 square kilometres, roughly the same size as France.
Bangkok is a sprawling city of more than eight million inhabitants. Large
though the nation and its capital are, you will not have any problem getting
around. Transport for travelling across town or across country is equally
convenient and inexpensive.
In Bangkok, airconditioned taxis with meters are plentiful and can be easily hailed wherever you happen to be in the city. An alternative type of taxi is the samlor or tuk tuk, a three-wheeled vehicle taking two passengers (three or four at a squeeze). They are rather noisy and are open to traffic fumes, though they are extremely popular with visitors who find them quaint. The fare should be negotiated in advance.
With regards to public transport, Bangkok has a comprehensive bus service with routes serving every area of the city. There are both airconditioned and non-airconditioned vehicles and although they get crowded during rush hours, they do provide an extremely cheap way of getting around town. At the other end of the transport scale, hotel limousines and car hire are readily available. For upcountry travel, THAI operates a domestic air service connecting Bangkok with more than 20 provincial cities and towns. On trunk routes, such as to Chiang Mai or Phuket, there are several flights daily.
The most comprehensive domestic transportation network is the Government-operated long distance bus service. There is scarcely a town in the entire country which is not served either on a direct Bangkok route or a feeder service from a provincial centre. If you want to go your own way, there are many car hire firms in Thailand, including international rental companies such as Hertz and Avis. The road system is good and well sign-posted. please E-mail to : prbs@email.egat.or.th |