Tuk-Tuk, a prominent means of transport in Thailand
The Tuk-Tuk (ตุ๊กตุ๊ก) is a small and typical three-wheeled means of transport. A kind of motorized rickshaw. The name Tuk-Tuk is taken from the popping sound of the engine.
The Tuk-Tuk drivers are mostly from Isaan, they don't have enough money to buy or rent a normal taxi. Although a ride in a Tuk-Tuk is an experience in itself, it is not very comfortable. Especially in Bangkok it is quite unhealthy given the enormous heat, the traffic jams and the exhaust fumes you breathe. A Tuk-Tuk also offers little protection in the event of a collision.
Notorious and bad image
Tuk-Tuk drivers generally have a less good image. Some are pushy and use their bag of tricks to fool tourists. Most Tuk-Tuk drivers are unskilled, do not have a driver's license, hardly speak English and in many cases cannot find your destination. They sometimes drive like crazy through the busy traffic and don't care about the comfort of the passengers.
Of course it's not all doom and gloom, there are plenty of tourists who enjoy it and find it a great means of transport. There are certainly reliable Tuk-Tuk drivers who do their best to transport you in a decent way. But it is good to know that there are also 'bad apples'.
The bag of tricks of a Tuk-Tuk driver
A well-known trick that is common is that they tell you that the attraction you want to visit is closed and won't open for a few hours. The Tuk-Tuk driver will then offer you an alternative or a ride to other sights. In practice, that means a long drive past clothing stores, jewelry stores, tailors and more jewelry stores.
They earned money if a tourist buys something in the shop. These shops are often more expensive precisely because the shopkeeper also has to pay the Tuk-Tuk driver a commission. If you don't buy anything, the Tuk-Tuk driver will receive petrol coupons with which he can refuel for free. Sometimes they are also in a plot where you are offered cheap gems. These are worthless and it is a known scam.
Always agree on a price in advance
Always make an appointment about the fare in advance. A Tuk-Tuk driver assumes that you haggle and therefore asks more than he wants. So haggling is quite normal. If he brings you neatly and correctly to your destination, a small tip is customary. If you do not make an agreement about the price in advance, you can expect problems. They ask for an extremely high amount and despite the fact that you can haggle, you always pay too much.
Even more tips:
- A Tuk-Tuk is usually no faster or cheaper than a normal taxi.
- If a ride is offered at an extremely low price (20 baht for example), then something is wrong. You will then be taken to all kinds of shops without being asked.
- The same goes for an offer to 'shop' or a 'sightseeing tour'.
- Don't assume that the driver will spot you hotels knows how to find.
- A long ride in a Tuk-Tuk is not comfortable and certainly not for the average tall Dutch people, so it is wise to take a taxi.
- If you still want a Tuk-Tuk experience, wait until the shops are closed.
Tuk tuks used to be with a two-stroke engine, but that was 20 years ago.
In the meantime, almost all of them are equipped with a four-stroke engine and many are driving
with an LPG tank.
I was recently in Si Racha and there the Tuk-Tuks, or Samloars, had a large sign on the back of the driver with fixed prices per kilometer travelled, very nice.
In Bangkok I sometimes use them in an emergency. Basically, nine out of ten are trying to screw you. Usually that is asking an absurdly high amount. Yet I also got out after 100 m after a normal price, because he more or less forced me to go past “jewelers or eateries”, to which I always indicated that I did not want that. Every once in a while you have some nice ones. They are usually also older, but it is absolutely no guarantee.
TukTuks are different in construction in every place.
There are also places where they are small vans that have been cut open.
Do you perhaps mean the Songtheaw? These are small vans or converted pickups with -as the name says- two benches (song thaew) behind the cabin.
https://www.thailandblog.nl/eilanden/koh-samui/vervoer-koh-samui-auto-motor-taxi-en-songthaews-video/
You can get a songthaew like that, which functions as a local bus, I would only use tuktuks in an emergency. Uncomfortable, expensive and more of that kind of crap.
No, Song-Thaews drive here too. I'm talking about TukTuks. Here those are small Daihatsu vans. Just four-wheeled vehicles. But also with two benches. Song-Thaews are much larger and drive a fixed route, but not at fixed times. The TukTuks just drive where you want to go.
http://www.firstmonkeyschool.com/PDF%20files/transport.pdf
Here you can see a picture of what they call a TukTuk and a Song-Thaew here. Can't find a better way to show photos unfortunately.
Especially on Phuket you see these small Daihatsu vans (Tuk Tuk) for the only reason because they are much safer in the mostly hilly area than the 2 wheelers in the rest of Thailand. Incidentally, outrageous prices are also demanded for the services of these 4-wheeled Tuk tuks on Phuket. Prices that, in most cases, are agreed upon from a Tuk tuk mafia.
Sorry correction, the comparison must of course be 3 wheelers who usually drive in the rest of Thailand, and because of the hilly landscape of Phuket are not safe there.
Those things are called รถกะป๊อ. Rot ka-poh. It's between
ตุ๊ก ๆ (tóek tóek) and สองแถว (sǒhng-thěaw) in. There is about the same amount of space as in a tuktuk, but in appearance it looks like a mini songthaew. Benches all around the cargo box with a small opening on the side to get into. In Bangkok they drive circles around some BTS stations to pick up people on a fixed route.
You can see an example halfway here: http://nanajung-writing.blogspot.com/2015/11/only-thailand.html?m=1
He means the Pok-Pok is a tiny truck smaller than a Pick Up, it makes a pok pok sound hence their name. Ride a lot in Bangkok metropolis in the small moobans
In Cambodia, the carriages are pulled by a motorbike, very comfortable.
Greetings
My advice is to reserve a certain amount for a taxi, air conditioner and comforter
Bargain the price a bit and have a good trip.
According to.
The taxi is usually cheaper than the tuk-tuk, so you don't have to worry about money. On shorter journeys, ALWAYS make sure the meter is turned on and get out if they refuse. Fixed rates apply for longer journeys, for example to Pattaya or Koh Chang from Bangkok. Most taxis have/had these hanging on the back of the front seats.
It is recommended to first check the internet what a long journey normally costs.
Indeed, they are all too often involved in scam activities. Grand palace is closed today eg. Tuk tuk driver then works together with neatly dressed scammer and off it goes to the gem store! Once I was also offered a 20 baht ride. I had to go somewhere and asked the price Me: 20 baht?: Definitely including shopping tour? I'm not falling for that. And you catch commission or petrol coupons! Tuktuk driver: Let's make a deal! 20 baht, and 1 Chinese with fake jewelry. You stay in for 10 minutes, buy nothing, and I get my receipts!
Seemed like fun, so no sooner said than done.
The Chinese, however, seemed to have it figured out. Became more and more irritable. First it was: AAAH, a Dutchman! Just like Chinese. Traders! I have something here for you that will interest you. When I left: Look Look Don't buy!
If we are driven from Subharnibhumi to Hua Hin by taxi for 1800 bath, I do not understand that you have to pay 250-300 bath for a tuk-tuk ride in Hua Hin.
2 such trips in one day and you can rent your own car.
Perhaps this image is correct in Bangkok, my experiences in Chiang Mai are very different. The only similarity with the examples is that you agree on the price in advance. In all the years I've been coming to Chiang Mai I can't remember ever being cheated. There is a regular group of TukTuk drivers at the hotel where I always stay. They are nice, drive neatly by Thai standards; I didn't feel unsafe in it.
However, it does happen that in the evening when you want to return to the hotel from the Night Bazar, you suddenly pay more than the outward journey, but if demand is high, the price will automatically increase. There are bound to be bad drivers in Chiang Mai; I haven't come across them since 2009.
Prices of the tuktuk depend on the whims of the driver.
I use a tuk tuk every day. If you know the distances and the prices, it is easy.
If they are too high then just the next one.
From MBK to China town they just ask for 150 baht. I can take the bus but sometimes I don't feel like waiting.
A price of 60 baht is normal.
If I can't find a tuktuk, I'll take a taxi. An average of 60 baht for the same ride.
From the bigC to pakkret is just standard 50 baht.
I don't have to explain where I want to go. Don't have to negotiate a price. They help with loading and unloading.
In Bangkok I myself have a few fixed tuk-tuks that I can call and charge a decent price.
But the scammers are legion. Advice delve into the price/distance and try to negotiate the prices in Thai.
They know comments like Traffic jam, far away very well.
But for a tourist it is more difficult.
And they abuse that.
It is actually strange that there are no Tuk-Tuks in Pattaya.
I do know that you have Song-Thaews there, but in principle they are more for the hop-on hop-off principle on fixed routes, and you also have motorbikes, but you also have them in Bangkok.
So I am left with the question: Why not in Pattaya?
Dear Frans, I don't think that, if you have a well-functioning Baht bus, people drive almost all over Pattaya for 10Baht, that it is still interesting for a tuk tuk to offer parole here.
The distances you usually have to walk after leaving the Bahtbus are so minimal that every healthy person no longer needs a tuk tuk.
Why not Pattaya? Because it is forbidden by the Pattaya Municipality and so there are no tuk tuks in Pattaya. Has been very long.
And this is also called tuktuk : https://www.triposo.com/loc/Nong_Khai/intro/background
A moped with a cup on it. It fits 4 Western people or 8 Thai people. You can't lose your legs if you are of western height but they are fast and cheap.
Don't search, this link has since been removed.
I know a hotel where the tuk-tuk drivers even offer you a ride for free on the condition that they can make stops at 2 clothing stores, because that then yields more in commission money from both retailers than the fare of the Tuk-tuk.
Nice that there is written about the tuk-tuk. I have been coming to Bangkok for many years and a lot has changed, especially the price of the tuk-tuk. Indeed, always negotiate the price first, otherwise you will pay the main price. Good to know is that a taxi ride is often cheaper than a tuk-tuk. In the old days it was the other way around. But the same also applies to a taxi. Always ask if they turn on the meter otherwise you pay way too much. ohhh also nice to know is that when it rains the prices can rise considerably with both a taxi and a tuk-tuk. Keep enjoying Bangkok. You can also see this as a game. See who wins.
Regards, Stephen
Tuk tuk
A lot of noise
Duration
You don't see anything because you look at the sides
To get in and out especially for older people is a disaster
They drive like crazy
They had to get rid of those things immediately
Same as those big motorbikes that make so much noise at night all young boys of 22 or 25 years old
After 24.00 they start racing
I am 82 and depend on tuk tuks. There are no taxis here and I can hardly walk anymore. Do you have or do you know another way of transport? Maybe you can drive me around every day?
TukTuk is fun to do once (or 2). But Grab, Bolt, and (new?) inDriver are faster and often cheaper (do Uber/Pop still exist in TH?), and easier to book via an app.
I've been to Bangkok for 4 days this week and I don't have a good word for it as far as the tuktuk is concerned.
As already written the price before Covid ranged around 80 and 100 bht for a ride but that is over.
I have tried several times to use a tuk-tuk for a reasonable amount both in the city and from my hotel.
The amount was always 400 or 500 bht for a normal ride from, for example, Bobea Tower to Nana or from MBK to Hua Lamphong.
There was no haggling on the fare, I have been coming to Bangkok for many years, but I have never experienced this before.
What struck me was that many tuktuks were waiting for customers in front of my hotel as well as various places in the center, I suspect that they have had no customers for 2 years due to Covid and now want to catch up with crazy prices.
Moved me further with water taxi, BTS and Metro.