How to go around Bangkok

Private cars & vans

You can rent a car or van from a car rental company – an option that is both safe and comfortable. International car rental companies can be found in Bangkok and other major cities.

Taxi

Taxis in Bangkok are fixed with meters and display a ‘Taxi Meter’ sign on their roofss.   The minimum fare is 35 Baht for a distance of no more than 2 km. The fare will increase according to the distance covered.

No tip is expected by the drivers.

 

Tip :

* Don’t get in a taxi before informing the driver of your destination and the driver agreeing to take you.  Some taxi drivers do not understand English and may be reluctant to take tourists, and sometimes drivers cannot take passengers as they need to return their taxis to the rental company.  You might find sometimes that the driver is unfamiliar with your destination, in which case you’d be wasting your time traveling with him. 

* If the fare comes to a number that is not a multiple of 5 or 10, round it up.  For instance, if the fare comes to 37 Baht, give 40, or if the fare comes to 42 Baht, give 45 Baht. 

 

 

Airport taxi  

There are counters at the entrance to the Exit Lounge where you can hire a taxi at a fixed rate either according to your destination or according to the meter.

 

 

Airport Bus

Four bus routes between city and airport:

No. A1 Airport-Silom Rd.

No. A2 Airport-Sanam Luang

No. A3 Airport-Sukhumwit 55 (Soi Thong Lor)

No. A4 Airport-Hua Lamphong railway station

There is a bus leaving from and for each terminal per 20 minutes, from 5 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Fare: 100 Baht per person.

 

Tuk-Tuk (Motorized rickshaw)

Tuk-tuk is pronounced in Thai as ‘Took-Took’ not ‘Tak-Tak’!!!!

Tuk-tuks are three-wheeled motorized rickshaw taxis, and as they do not have meters, fares must be negotiated beforehand. They’re normally a bit cheaper than ordinary taxi but are suitable for short trips only.

 

 Tip :

* Tuk-tuks can be unpleasant in really hot weather and in heavy traffic, so consider regular taxis in such conditions

* Tuk-tuks are really only suitable for VERY short journeys, as it’s not good for your health to be breathing in traffic fumes for a long time. 

* Try to bargain before you get on the tuk-tuk and make sure that agreed price is for whole the tuk-tuk, not per person!!!!

* The minimum price is 40 Baht.  If the driver tries to charge you less than that, be suspicious of his motives. 

 

 

Samlor  (Bicycle rickshaw)

Like tuk-tuks, these operate as three-wheeled taxis without meters.  You won’t find them on main roads, but they do sometimes operate along small streets for short journeys.  Remember that samlors don’t go particularly fast.  They are more often seen in the countryside than in Bangkok. 

 

 

Motorcycle taxi

Thailand is awash with motorcycles, including motorcycle taxis.  They are useful for journeys in the rush hour, as the motorcycles can weave in and out of the traffic, and for short journeys.  The price depends on negotiation.  Don’t forget that you are putting your life in the hands of the motorcycle taxi driver!

 

Tip :

* If you get on the bike, you can hold steel behind the bike which it’s the end of the seat.

* Be flexible with the movement of the bike is more safe than be to straight back.

* Put on the hammock for safety and traffic rule.

* Pray for your life

 

Subway (MRTA)

The Bangkok subway has been in operation since August 2004. The route runs from Hua Lamphong (train station) to Bang Sue with 16 stations along the way. A train leaves the terminal every 3-5 minutes from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. and the fares range from 12 Baht to 31 Baht.

 

Sky train (BTS) (Monorail)

There are two Sky train routes: the Northeastern Bus terminal- On-nut Route which passes Sukhumwit Rd., and the National Stadium – Taksin Bridge (Saphan Taksin) route which passes Silom Rd.

 

A sky train leaves the terminal every 5 minutes from 6 a.m. to 12 a.m. but at shorter intervals during rush hours (7:30 – 9:30 a.m. & 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.) The fares range from 10 Baht to 40 Baht. 

Air-conditioned city bus (White & Blue)

See Bangkok map for the routes. The fares range from 8 Baht to 18 Baht, depending on distance. There are also micro buses, which charge a uniform fare of 20 Baht. Another option is the Euro bus (orange), with fares ranging from 12 Baht to 20 Baht.

 

Ordinary city bus

BM for BMTA buses (red) cost a flat rate of 4 Baht, while non-BMTA buses (blue) cost 5 Baht.

 

Boat

There are express, fast and ordinary motorboat services on the Chao Phraya River between Nonthaburi province and Wat Ratcha Singkhon (Bangkok) at various charges.

 

Train

The State Railway of Thailand runs express, fast, and ordinary train services throughout the country at very reasonable rates. There is also a train service between the city center and Don Muang airport.

 

Airplane

Domestic flight services are operated by Thai Airways (TG), Bangkok Airways, P.B. Air, Phuket Air, Air Asia, Orient Thai Airlines and Nok Air.

 

Useful facts about Thailand

Local time            

GMT +7 hours. Thailand observes the Western 12-month calendar. Religious and seasonal ceremonies follow lunar time.

 

Language             

Thai is the national language while English is widely understood in Bangkok and other major cities.

 

Business hours    

Private sector offices open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday, except on public holidays. Government service office opens 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

 

Money exchange

Exchange counters are everywhere at main street corners, shopping plazas and hotels. Open throughout the week.

 

Bank                       

Open Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Closed on weekend, but some banks are opened on Saturday. Sub-branches in department stores are opened daily from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

 

Making an International call

Operator-assisted call: dial 100

Direct dialing: dial 001; follow by country area codes (66) and telephone number.

Domestic call: use 9 digit numbers (city code + telephone number)

 

Electricity            

The electric system is 220 Volt AC (50cycles)