Follow Up: The Free Air Asia Voucher is now in Malacca. Received a SMS from Qua Chee's mum informing me about that, when I was driving on the Federal Highway today. She was not aware that I actually didn't know her son's real name. I hope she will enjoy the BKK trip!
Pronounced as “song tiau (松跳)”, this is a combination of a taxi and a bus, which is more popular among the locals than the tourists. It can be considered as a modern urban transport but we don’t see it in the rest of the world.
Taxi + bus? Why so?
Taxi, because you can hail them anywhere you want and get them to take you where you like. Bus, because they pick up others going in the same direction on the way.
Song Thaews are convenient and cheap. Apart from this reason, I always hope to get around the way the locals do. There is no point drawing a clear borderline to distinguish residents from visitors.
Song Thaews are pick-up trucks, with a roof built over the flat bed at the back and two (barely) padded benches built into each side. You can get 8-10 people into them, but sometimes you might see them full and one or two people are standing on a running board out the back of the truck.
In Chiang Mai, there are Song Thaews in red, yellow and blue. The red ones cater for travel within the city, whilst the yellow and blue connect the city to various spots in the region around Chiang Mai.
The red ones are everywhere. You just have to wave one down, and tell the driver where you want to go. If there's no one else at the back, he'll usually take you anywhere you want to go. If there is already someone inside, he'll only take you if you happen to be going in the same direction.
However, please take note that you should NEVER EVER agree to a price before/after getting into a Song Thaew (when the Song Thaew is/becomes empty). That would be a chance for the driver to hire out the whole truck to a wealthy foreign tourist. Then it becomes purely a taxi, and you’ve gotta pay way above the odds.
Just jump in the back and off you'll go. Others will wave down the song thaew and jump in the back with you, and that's a great way to meet the locals - who are usually keen to chat (as long as you understand Thai, or they understand English).
To get down, hit the buzzer on the ceiling, jump out and pay the driver. Since the truck was not chartered, only the flat price is charged, regardless of how many people was picked up along the way. The fare is about 20 baht within the city centre and 30 baht beyond that.
At the airport, if you are lucky, you can get red Song Thaew dropping passengers. It costs around 20-40 to get to the city. Remember, don’t tarry, move on quick, else you would need to take a taxi, which costs 120 baht.
FYI, I paid 30 baht to get from city to airport by Song Thaew. The cost to the Arcade Bus Station (local price) is 20 baht. For tourists, you are not eligible for Song Thaew even 50 baht is paid. You get only a motorcycle service.
Related Reading: How to Use a Song Thaew
Pronounced as “song tiau (松跳)”, this is a combination of a taxi and a bus, which is more popular among the locals than the tourists. It can be considered as a modern urban transport but we don’t see it in the rest of the world.
A red Song Thaew.
Taxi + bus? Why so?
Taxi, because you can hail them anywhere you want and get them to take you where you like. Bus, because they pick up others going in the same direction on the way.
Song Thaews are convenient and cheap. Apart from this reason, I always hope to get around the way the locals do. There is no point drawing a clear borderline to distinguish residents from visitors.
Song Thaews are pick-up trucks, with a roof built over the flat bed at the back and two (barely) padded benches built into each side. You can get 8-10 people into them, but sometimes you might see them full and one or two people are standing on a running board out the back of the truck.
Sitting inside.
In Chiang Mai, there are Song Thaews in red, yellow and blue. The red ones cater for travel within the city, whilst the yellow and blue connect the city to various spots in the region around Chiang Mai.
The red ones are everywhere. You just have to wave one down, and tell the driver where you want to go. If there's no one else at the back, he'll usually take you anywhere you want to go. If there is already someone inside, he'll only take you if you happen to be going in the same direction.
I took my first Song Thaew trip to Doi Suthep. There are always a lot around Doi Suthep. The worry about not being able to get down, is unnecessary.
However, please take note that you should NEVER EVER agree to a price before/after getting into a Song Thaew (when the Song Thaew is/becomes empty). That would be a chance for the driver to hire out the whole truck to a wealthy foreign tourist. Then it becomes purely a taxi, and you’ve gotta pay way above the odds.
Just jump in the back and off you'll go. Others will wave down the song thaew and jump in the back with you, and that's a great way to meet the locals - who are usually keen to chat (as long as you understand Thai, or they understand English).
These are especially for students, I guess?
To get down, hit the buzzer on the ceiling, jump out and pay the driver. Since the truck was not chartered, only the flat price is charged, regardless of how many people was picked up along the way. The fare is about 20 baht within the city centre and 30 baht beyond that.
At the airport, if you are lucky, you can get red Song Thaew dropping passengers. It costs around 20-40 to get to the city. Remember, don’t tarry, move on quick, else you would need to take a taxi, which costs 120 baht.
FYI, I paid 30 baht to get from city to airport by Song Thaew. The cost to the Arcade Bus Station (local price) is 20 baht. For tourists, you are not eligible for Song Thaew even 50 baht is paid. You get only a motorcycle service.
Related Reading: How to Use a Song Thaew
Next - Encounter with Song Thaew Driver
6 comments:
hi haan
many thanks fr the voucher - quite unexpected actually haha.
but many many thanks - now my mum can go for a holiday! :)
enough la... too many "thanks" to digest after the facebook messages... no worries... by the way, what is unexpected?
ok, ill take back the thanks haha.
unexpected becos at first, i was thinking of maybe asking others to go, or just see who takes up yr offer there. so i really didnt expect to get it.
then a day later, i thot for a bit... thinking hey, i could get my mum to go. and then i asked her, she not sure of air asia and we located in mlcca etc etc.. finally she said ok.
so another drama rama settled haha.
so from kl to malacca and then back to kl before the ticket flies to bangkok! :)
life is full of surprises, isn't it? so this time we are part of the actors lor.. and who is the main cast???
the movie is just about to unfold... :)
Taxi here also do like that wor sometime. Pick up other passenger that is going the same direction.
Getting a few payment rather than one.
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