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Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Christmas Elephants in Ayutthaya
Friday, December 4, 2009
A Backpacker’s Guide to Thailand; A Bog Blog
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An insight into Thai toilets without pictures or photos. You’re safe to continue eating your breakfast!
For those backpackers who are well travelled, toilets in Thailand will come as no surprise, indeed this type of toilet is still bog standard in France.
For the uninitiated, however, some information helps to prevent Thai toilets from frightening the shit out of you. Basically, and believe me basic is the word, a Thai toilet is a hole in the floor of a wet room. Toilet and bathroom are translated into Thai with one word: hongnaam, which literally means “room water”. The hole has a ceramic surround with places to put your feet. The idea, then, is to squat and perform! Now if you’re a natural squatter all is achieved in one simple movement, but if you’re an inexperienced squatter you might be well advised to find a night class at your local adult education centre. Look for: “How to Squat. A 6 Week All Out Course”
Where to find Thai toilets.
Thailand, of course!! No, seriously though, please don’t go looking for them, they will find you. Not all is lost, however, as all the hotels, hostels and guest houses I’ve been to have fully operational farang toilets.
Public toilets, for which there is usually a nominal charge of 2 or 3 Baht, and toilets in some of the bars and restaurants outside the tourist zones have “the hole”. They are usually quite small and certainly not big enough for you and your backpack.
Next to the hole is a trough of water and a ladle with which to sluice away your achievements. Warning: don’t drink the water!!
.How to ask, “Where is the toilet?”
In Thai: “hongnaam tee nai?” Got it?
Backpackers dashing around asking, “Where can I have a crap?” will arouse some amusement. Khrap in Thai is as an appendage indicating respect, as we might use the word please in English.
Neither will “I need a poo” help you much because phu in Thai means grandfather, nor pee, as this means sister.
Certainly the dirtiest toilets are those in bus stations, so discretion should be used when contemplating a long bus ride with a touch of the Delhi Belly!! You have been duly warned.
For your convenience, good, clean, Farang toilets can be found in supermarkets, shopping malls, department stores and air-conditioned restaurants.
A tip; Always carry some tissues with you, as they are not usually provided.
The word toilet is dumped into this diatribe with sincere apologies to Americans, who euphemistically refer to toilets as restrooms. Should you come across a Thai toilet in which you are comfortable taking a rest, please comment accordingly.
Good backpacking.
For those backpackers who are well travelled, toilets in Thailand will come as no surprise, indeed this type of toilet is still bog standard in France.
For the uninitiated, however, some information helps to prevent Thai toilets from frightening the shit out of you. Basically, and believe me basic is the word, a Thai toilet is a hole in the floor of a wet room. Toilet and bathroom are translated into Thai with one word: hongnaam, which literally means “room water”. The hole has a ceramic surround with places to put your feet. The idea, then, is to squat and perform! Now if you’re a natural squatter all is achieved in one simple movement, but if you’re an inexperienced squatter you might be well advised to find a night class at your local adult education centre. Look for: “How to Squat. A 6 Week All Out Course”
Where to find Thai toilets.
Thailand, of course!! No, seriously though, please don’t go looking for them, they will find you. Not all is lost, however, as all the hotels, hostels and guest houses I’ve been to have fully operational farang toilets.
Public toilets, for which there is usually a nominal charge of 2 or 3 Baht, and toilets in some of the bars and restaurants outside the tourist zones have “the hole”. They are usually quite small and certainly not big enough for you and your backpack.
Next to the hole is a trough of water and a ladle with which to sluice away your achievements. Warning: don’t drink the water!!
.How to ask, “Where is the toilet?”
In Thai: “hongnaam tee nai?” Got it?
Backpackers dashing around asking, “Where can I have a crap?” will arouse some amusement. Khrap in Thai is as an appendage indicating respect, as we might use the word please in English.
Neither will “I need a poo” help you much because phu in Thai means grandfather, nor pee, as this means sister.
Certainly the dirtiest toilets are those in bus stations, so discretion should be used when contemplating a long bus ride with a touch of the Delhi Belly!! You have been duly warned.
For your convenience, good, clean, Farang toilets can be found in supermarkets, shopping malls, department stores and air-conditioned restaurants.
A tip; Always carry some tissues with you, as they are not usually provided.
The word toilet is dumped into this diatribe with sincere apologies to Americans, who euphemistically refer to toilets as restrooms. Should you come across a Thai toilet in which you are comfortable taking a rest, please comment accordingly.
Good backpacking.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Backpackers in Thailand; Wai. When and How
In most of the Western world people shake hands on meeting, except, of course the delightful multi-kissing of cheeks by the French! In Thailand we wai. This article attempts to give a broad outline about when and how to wai.
Before we get into the whys and wherefores of waiing we need to understand the meaning of the word “farang”. In this and other diatribes with which I hope to inform and amuse you about the delights of Thailand, you will come across farang frequently.
If you’re Caucasian and not Oriental, then, in Thailand you’re farang. Thais, as with other natives in this part of the world, juxtapose the l and r when speaking, so farang becomes falang, lobster becomes robster and they have an awful problem saying library!
Its derivative is the Thai word for the French; farangset, and goes all the way back to the 17th century.
How to wai.
Place the palms of your hands together with fingertips touching as you might adopt in prayer. Now lift your hands so that the tips of your fingers touch the bridge of your nose.
Simple, you might agree. Then why do so many backpackers get it so wrong? I saw one young backpacker here in Ayutthaya with his hands compressed in the region of his navel with a grin on his face suggesting that he had reached nirvana. Not that the Thais mind at all. They laughed along with the rest of us, which is something important to remember about the Thais; they laugh with you, not at you.
Another mistake made by farang is to wai and bow at the same time. There’s no need to bow, although one sees Thais bowing occasionally it’s usually done to someone they consider to be greatly superior to themselves.
When to wai.
The when is considerably more complex than the why. I’ve seen farang waiing at every man and his dog! Complex it may be, but there are some rules.
Rule no.1: The younger always wais before the elder. In other words when you feel that it’s a proper time to wai consider, is this person younger than, or older than me? If he/she is younger you must wait for them to wai first. At the age of 64 I very rarely wai first and most Thais I meet for the first time feel that it’s not necessary to wai a farang.
Rule no.2: It’s not necessary to wai Thais who are offering a service. At the restaurant you will be welcomed with a wai. Don’t return it. If, however, at the end of your meal you consider the service to have been outstanding then you can return the wai as a mark of respect.
Rule no.3: With the exception of rule 2 above, you should always return a wai. Why? Imagine meeting someone in your own country, he proffers his hand to shake, and you ignore it. It would be considered an affront, as not returning a wai would be.
One can regularly see Thais waiing at Buddha images. It’s fundamental to Buddhism but it really is up to you whether you wish to wai or not. Should you choose to, then do it respectfully and try to remember that, where possible, you should not have your head above the Buddha. That’s one of the few things the Thais can get rather cross about.
Essentially just go with the flow. Thais are very laid back and they don’t expect farang to know Thai customs, but at those moments when you wai in the correct manner and at the right time the famous Thai smile will be witness to his or her delight.
Good backpacking
Before we get into the whys and wherefores of waiing we need to understand the meaning of the word “farang”. In this and other diatribes with which I hope to inform and amuse you about the delights of Thailand, you will come across farang frequently.
If you’re Caucasian and not Oriental, then, in Thailand you’re farang. Thais, as with other natives in this part of the world, juxtapose the l and r when speaking, so farang becomes falang, lobster becomes robster and they have an awful problem saying library!
Its derivative is the Thai word for the French; farangset, and goes all the way back to the 17th century.
How to wai.
Place the palms of your hands together with fingertips touching as you might adopt in prayer. Now lift your hands so that the tips of your fingers touch the bridge of your nose.
Simple, you might agree. Then why do so many backpackers get it so wrong? I saw one young backpacker here in Ayutthaya with his hands compressed in the region of his navel with a grin on his face suggesting that he had reached nirvana. Not that the Thais mind at all. They laughed along with the rest of us, which is something important to remember about the Thais; they laugh with you, not at you.
Another mistake made by farang is to wai and bow at the same time. There’s no need to bow, although one sees Thais bowing occasionally it’s usually done to someone they consider to be greatly superior to themselves.
When to wai.
The when is considerably more complex than the why. I’ve seen farang waiing at every man and his dog! Complex it may be, but there are some rules.
Rule no.1: The younger always wais before the elder. In other words when you feel that it’s a proper time to wai consider, is this person younger than, or older than me? If he/she is younger you must wait for them to wai first. At the age of 64 I very rarely wai first and most Thais I meet for the first time feel that it’s not necessary to wai a farang.
Rule no.2: It’s not necessary to wai Thais who are offering a service. At the restaurant you will be welcomed with a wai. Don’t return it. If, however, at the end of your meal you consider the service to have been outstanding then you can return the wai as a mark of respect.
Rule no.3: With the exception of rule 2 above, you should always return a wai. Why? Imagine meeting someone in your own country, he proffers his hand to shake, and you ignore it. It would be considered an affront, as not returning a wai would be.
One can regularly see Thais waiing at Buddha images. It’s fundamental to Buddhism but it really is up to you whether you wish to wai or not. Should you choose to, then do it respectfully and try to remember that, where possible, you should not have your head above the Buddha. That’s one of the few things the Thais can get rather cross about.
Essentially just go with the flow. Thais are very laid back and they don’t expect farang to know Thai customs, but at those moments when you wai in the correct manner and at the right time the famous Thai smile will be witness to his or her delight.
Good backpacking
A Backpacker’s Guide to Thailand; Health Care
There are, out there, some poor people, not well travelled, who believe the extent of Thai health care consists of a few wandering apothecaries riding bareback on elephants!
Nothing could be further from the truth; Thailand has some excellent health care facilities and hospitals that would put some 5 star hotels in the shade. In fact, Thailand is renowned as a top world medical destination, with a number of, what are known as International Hospitals. Although most of them are centred in Bangkok all the major cities in have at least one.
By western standards they are also very good value. I read somewhere, before the Pound plummeted, that one could fly 1st class London- Bangkok, have a replacement hip operation and convalesce in a 5 star hotel cheaper than having the operation done privately in the UK.
There is also a requirement that doctors, nurses and hospital reception staff should have some knowledge of the English language, which helps!
Here’s an example of procedure based on an experience I had a few years ago. While having lunch, the girlfriend of an English acquaintance called me asking me to go to his hotel room because “he isn’t good”. What an understatement! He was lying on the bed, his face as white as a sheet and his left arm as blue as the Anderman Sea. I asked hotel reception to call an ambulance, which arrived after about 15 minutes. Two paramedics quickly loaded him, and off we sped to the Bangkok Hospital in Patthaya, where he was whisked away for examination. It didn’t take them long to diagnose a blood clot, but that there would be a period of hospitalization and medication before they could remove it. Total cost; nearly 200,000 Baht, (about 4000 pdsg), for a 13 day stay.
But here’s the crunch! It was my responsibility to register him at the hospital. Name, nationality, address in Thailand, passport and health insurance policy. Gaining access to health care in Thailand is similar to checking into a hotel; they want to be sure that you can meet the bill. No guarantee of payment, no treatment!
It matters not whether you go to an International Hospital or a normal Thai hospital, the same procedure prevails. Thai hospitals offer excellent treatment, but unless you can speak Thai it’s going to be an uphill struggle from the start. It’s bad enough having to seek health care without having communication problems to complicate matters.
My advice is:
a) arrange medical assurance which guarantees medical charges
b) a policy which offers assistance for liaising with doctors and hospital staff
c) includes arrangement of emergency repatriation with escort if necessary
d) is willing to give help and advice to those travelling with you.
Doctors, dentists and pharmacies.
I can’t say that I have a great deal of faith in Thai GPs. Non of those I’ve consulted spoke English and I would leave the surgery thinking that he was more interested in selling me something, anything, rather than making me feel better. Maybe I’ve just been unlucky.
Pharmacists, on the other hand try to be helpful and, in my experience, have been excellent. Most of them have some English. Many medications for which you would require a doctor’s prescription in the UK are available over the counter in Thai pharmacies.
Dentists are two a penny in Thailand, but there are vastly different levels of hygiene. The only advice I can give is to take a look through the window and sum up whether the place and the staff look spick and span. If not, walk round the corner and take a look at another one.
Here’s hoping you have a trouble-free and carefree backpacking experience in The Land of Smiles.
Good backpacking.
Nothing could be further from the truth; Thailand has some excellent health care facilities and hospitals that would put some 5 star hotels in the shade. In fact, Thailand is renowned as a top world medical destination, with a number of, what are known as International Hospitals. Although most of them are centred in Bangkok all the major cities in have at least one.
By western standards they are also very good value. I read somewhere, before the Pound plummeted, that one could fly 1st class London- Bangkok, have a replacement hip operation and convalesce in a 5 star hotel cheaper than having the operation done privately in the UK.
There is also a requirement that doctors, nurses and hospital reception staff should have some knowledge of the English language, which helps!
Here’s an example of procedure based on an experience I had a few years ago. While having lunch, the girlfriend of an English acquaintance called me asking me to go to his hotel room because “he isn’t good”. What an understatement! He was lying on the bed, his face as white as a sheet and his left arm as blue as the Anderman Sea. I asked hotel reception to call an ambulance, which arrived after about 15 minutes. Two paramedics quickly loaded him, and off we sped to the Bangkok Hospital in Patthaya, where he was whisked away for examination. It didn’t take them long to diagnose a blood clot, but that there would be a period of hospitalization and medication before they could remove it. Total cost; nearly 200,000 Baht, (about 4000 pdsg), for a 13 day stay.
But here’s the crunch! It was my responsibility to register him at the hospital. Name, nationality, address in Thailand, passport and health insurance policy. Gaining access to health care in Thailand is similar to checking into a hotel; they want to be sure that you can meet the bill. No guarantee of payment, no treatment!
It matters not whether you go to an International Hospital or a normal Thai hospital, the same procedure prevails. Thai hospitals offer excellent treatment, but unless you can speak Thai it’s going to be an uphill struggle from the start. It’s bad enough having to seek health care without having communication problems to complicate matters.
My advice is:
a) arrange medical assurance which guarantees medical charges
b) a policy which offers assistance for liaising with doctors and hospital staff
c) includes arrangement of emergency repatriation with escort if necessary
d) is willing to give help and advice to those travelling with you.
Doctors, dentists and pharmacies.
I can’t say that I have a great deal of faith in Thai GPs. Non of those I’ve consulted spoke English and I would leave the surgery thinking that he was more interested in selling me something, anything, rather than making me feel better. Maybe I’ve just been unlucky.
Pharmacists, on the other hand try to be helpful and, in my experience, have been excellent. Most of them have some English. Many medications for which you would require a doctor’s prescription in the UK are available over the counter in Thai pharmacies.
Dentists are two a penny in Thailand, but there are vastly different levels of hygiene. The only advice I can give is to take a look through the window and sum up whether the place and the staff look spick and span. If not, walk round the corner and take a look at another one.
Here’s hoping you have a trouble-free and carefree backpacking experience in The Land of Smiles.
Good backpacking.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Backpackers in Thailand; Beer Lao here next year.
The Association of South East Asia Nations (ASEAN) has informed Thailand that it must allow imports of beers brewed in its member countries. The Thai Government has had no choice but to accept.
As a result we expect Laos’s favourite beer, Beer Lao, to have a significant impact on the Thai beer market. The Lao Brewery has previously made several applications to the Thai Government requesting that it allow imports of its product. These have all been rejected, mainly due to powerful lobbying by the 2 major players in the Thai beer market; Thai Bev Corp. and Singha Corp., who between them control around 80% of beer sales in Thailand.
Singha market the top selling brand, Beer Leo (alc. by vol. 5.3). They also have a premium beer, Beer Singha (5.0)
Thai Bev brew Beer Chang (6.4) and a Light version (5.0). Within the last 3 years they have also introduced Beer Archa into the market to try to combat the increasingly popular Leo, but with no significant effect, although it is a nice drink.
Beer in Thailand is still relatively inexpensive. Beer Archa is the cheapest at 32 Baht for a 640 cl bottle, followed by Chang at 40 Baht, Leo at 45 Baht and Singha at 55 Baht.
Heineken brew their premium brand here in Thailand and is popular with those Thais who wish to flaunt their wealth, although I say so with tongue in cheek! But at 75 Baht it’s certainly beyond the pocket of most Thais.
With the Thai beer market opening up next year the two existing combatants will be hard pressed to maintain market share. Certainly the Lao Brewery produces an excellent light lager, which will enter the market at nearer 30 Baht than 40 Baht. It sells in Laos for about 6000 Kip, which translates to 24 Baht. The Singha Corp’s main hope must be the Leo drinkers remain faithful. Thai beer drinkers really would not be successful in a taste test as they fill the glass with ice, over which they pour chilled beer which is so cold when drunk that it numbs lips, mouth, tongue and gums; it’s just too cold to have any flavour.
Meanwhile we beer connoisseurs await the arrival in Thailand of the delightful Beer Lao.
Good backpacking.
As a result we expect Laos’s favourite beer, Beer Lao, to have a significant impact on the Thai beer market. The Lao Brewery has previously made several applications to the Thai Government requesting that it allow imports of its product. These have all been rejected, mainly due to powerful lobbying by the 2 major players in the Thai beer market; Thai Bev Corp. and Singha Corp., who between them control around 80% of beer sales in Thailand.
Singha market the top selling brand, Beer Leo (alc. by vol. 5.3). They also have a premium beer, Beer Singha (5.0)
Thai Bev brew Beer Chang (6.4) and a Light version (5.0). Within the last 3 years they have also introduced Beer Archa into the market to try to combat the increasingly popular Leo, but with no significant effect, although it is a nice drink.
Beer in Thailand is still relatively inexpensive. Beer Archa is the cheapest at 32 Baht for a 640 cl bottle, followed by Chang at 40 Baht, Leo at 45 Baht and Singha at 55 Baht.
Heineken brew their premium brand here in Thailand and is popular with those Thais who wish to flaunt their wealth, although I say so with tongue in cheek! But at 75 Baht it’s certainly beyond the pocket of most Thais.
With the Thai beer market opening up next year the two existing combatants will be hard pressed to maintain market share. Certainly the Lao Brewery produces an excellent light lager, which will enter the market at nearer 30 Baht than 40 Baht. It sells in Laos for about 6000 Kip, which translates to 24 Baht. The Singha Corp’s main hope must be the Leo drinkers remain faithful. Thai beer drinkers really would not be successful in a taste test as they fill the glass with ice, over which they pour chilled beer which is so cold when drunk that it numbs lips, mouth, tongue and gums; it’s just too cold to have any flavour.
Meanwhile we beer connoisseurs await the arrival in Thailand of the delightful Beer Lao.
Good backpacking.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
A Backpacker’s Guide to Thailand; Public Transport
Here I discuss the different inter-city public transport options, with a view to backpackers, that are available here in Thailand.
Backpacking is all about sightseeing, getting a feel of the local culture, meeting new people and making new friends. In Thailand you will begin to appreciate that Thais have a different aspect to life than those of most Westerners. Traveling by public transport adds to our understanding of some of these differences.
2nd Class Bus Services.
These services are regular, comfortable and inexpensive.
Buses depart the Bangkok terminals to all the major Thai destinations every 20 or 30 minutes, from about 6am until early evening. For long haul destinations departures are usually early morning and between 8pm and 9pm.
Ask the conductor, who, by the way, is usually a youth without a uniform, to stow your backpack. It will still be there at your destination.
I’ve traveled thousands of kilometers on buses and trains here in Thailand and love the experience, although that love is somewhat muted when things don’t quite go to plan.
For example, a few months ago I went to visit some friends in the Roi Et province in N.E. Thailand. I bought my 2nd class bus ticket at Saraburi bus station and awaited the late arrival of the bus (quite normal!). On boarding the bus it was easy to see that all the seats were taken, but a smiling conductor ushered me, together with more than a dozen Thais downstairs into the luggage hold. There were no seats as such but a wide bench was cleared of bags so we could sit down. No windows, no air conditioning! Such events would bring howls of anguish from most Westerners, but we spent five and a half hours laughing and joking together. When traveling by 2nd class bus you must accept the occasional hitch. Complaining is definitely taboo and won’t get you anywhere anyway.
2nd Class 99 Services.
A better option is to travel using The Transport Co.’s 99 services. All long haul journeys require the prior purchase of a ticket. When all the seat tickets have been sold the bus is considered full; in other words it guarantees a seat. Pricing is similar to the normal 2nd class buses. They are easy to spot because they have 99 emblazoned on the windscreen. They have a web site but it’s useless, even for Thais!
Nearly all inter-city buses have the route shown prominently on the side of the bus in English.
Cost of 2nd class bus tickets: expect to pay about 70 Satang/km (100St=1Baht).
How long does it take to get from A to B?
As a rule of thumb think in terms of about 50km/hour, although it’s very rarely quicker it’s not unusual for it to be slower!
Tip no. 1: Sit on the opposite side of the bus to the sun. Try to anticipate the direction of the sun during your journey; it can be uncomfortable when the sun is burning through the window. There are curtains to close, but that makes it feel as if you’re traveling in a tent!
Tip no. 2: Write your destination on a piece of paper prior to buying your ticket. With the best will in the world Thais are incapable of comprehending anything but perfectly enunciated Thai.
As a backpacker on a budget those are your options. It can be frustrating but after a while you may come to realize that there is sod all you do about it so you might as well make the best of it or, hopefully, even enjoy it.
1st Class & VIP Bus Services.
These are two options that are more expensive and are rarely used by backpackers. Most of these operate on the long haul routes leaving Bangkok in the evening, arriving at their destination between 5am and 6am, and visa versa.
I dislike traveling overnight. I don’t sleep, and I miss seeing all the wonderful landscape along the way. Traveling overnight by bus is especially daunting, however, due to the air conditioning blasting cold air throughout the journey. It can get pretty cool outside in the early hours and the inside temperature of the bus drops to 14 or 15 degrees C, not conducive to a good night‘s sleep. They provide you with a blanket; cold comfort!
There are 3 inter-city bus stations in Bangkok;
Ekamai, which is on the Sky Train Sukhumvit Line, is the Eastern Terminal going to Patthaya, Rayong, Trat and Ko Chang.
Mae Sai is the Southern Terminal going to Hua Hin, Prachuap Kiri Khan and on down to Phuket and Hat Yai.
Morchit is the North Eastern Terminal going everywhere else. There are also sevices to Patthaya and Hat Yai from here. Morchit is also on the Sky Train Sukhumvit Line, but it is a ten minute taxi ride to the bus station of the same name!
Train Services.
A much better way to make a long overnight journey is by train, which is very popular with backpackers. Although a 2nd class sleeper from Bangkok to Chiang Mai will set you back more than 1000 Baht at least you can get a good sleep and you’re saving the cost of one night’s lodging. Train timetables are available online to download and print at www.railway.co.th Bare in mind, though, that trains often run late, sometimes by two or three hours on a scheduled 12 hour journey.
Short haul train journeys in Thailand are very good value when you travel 3rd class. It’s not very comfortable but the two hour trip from Bangkok to Ayutthaya, for example, costs a mere 20 Baht. Take your baggage on board with you.
Mini Van Services.
There is one more option that can really only be used if you’re happy traveling with your baggage on your knee. Mini van services leave regularly from Victory Monument in Bangkok to most destinations up to about 300 km away, but they have very little, or no room for luggage let alone the giant backpacks some backpackers prefer. (See my blog “What to Pack”). They are air-conditioned and journey times are roughly twice as quick as the 2nd class buses.
If all this sounds as if it’s going to be too difficult to bare, it isn’t if you are prepared to adopt the Thai maxim of mai pen rai which, in this context, means “never mind!”.
Good backpacking!
Backpacking is all about sightseeing, getting a feel of the local culture, meeting new people and making new friends. In Thailand you will begin to appreciate that Thais have a different aspect to life than those of most Westerners. Traveling by public transport adds to our understanding of some of these differences.
2nd Class Bus Services.
These services are regular, comfortable and inexpensive.
Buses depart the Bangkok terminals to all the major Thai destinations every 20 or 30 minutes, from about 6am until early evening. For long haul destinations departures are usually early morning and between 8pm and 9pm.
Ask the conductor, who, by the way, is usually a youth without a uniform, to stow your backpack. It will still be there at your destination.
I’ve traveled thousands of kilometers on buses and trains here in Thailand and love the experience, although that love is somewhat muted when things don’t quite go to plan.
For example, a few months ago I went to visit some friends in the Roi Et province in N.E. Thailand. I bought my 2nd class bus ticket at Saraburi bus station and awaited the late arrival of the bus (quite normal!). On boarding the bus it was easy to see that all the seats were taken, but a smiling conductor ushered me, together with more than a dozen Thais downstairs into the luggage hold. There were no seats as such but a wide bench was cleared of bags so we could sit down. No windows, no air conditioning! Such events would bring howls of anguish from most Westerners, but we spent five and a half hours laughing and joking together. When traveling by 2nd class bus you must accept the occasional hitch. Complaining is definitely taboo and won’t get you anywhere anyway.
2nd Class 99 Services.
A better option is to travel using The Transport Co.’s 99 services. All long haul journeys require the prior purchase of a ticket. When all the seat tickets have been sold the bus is considered full; in other words it guarantees a seat. Pricing is similar to the normal 2nd class buses. They are easy to spot because they have 99 emblazoned on the windscreen. They have a web site but it’s useless, even for Thais!
Nearly all inter-city buses have the route shown prominently on the side of the bus in English.
Cost of 2nd class bus tickets: expect to pay about 70 Satang/km (100St=1Baht).
How long does it take to get from A to B?
As a rule of thumb think in terms of about 50km/hour, although it’s very rarely quicker it’s not unusual for it to be slower!
Tip no. 1: Sit on the opposite side of the bus to the sun. Try to anticipate the direction of the sun during your journey; it can be uncomfortable when the sun is burning through the window. There are curtains to close, but that makes it feel as if you’re traveling in a tent!
Tip no. 2: Write your destination on a piece of paper prior to buying your ticket. With the best will in the world Thais are incapable of comprehending anything but perfectly enunciated Thai.
As a backpacker on a budget those are your options. It can be frustrating but after a while you may come to realize that there is sod all you do about it so you might as well make the best of it or, hopefully, even enjoy it.
1st Class & VIP Bus Services.
These are two options that are more expensive and are rarely used by backpackers. Most of these operate on the long haul routes leaving Bangkok in the evening, arriving at their destination between 5am and 6am, and visa versa.
I dislike traveling overnight. I don’t sleep, and I miss seeing all the wonderful landscape along the way. Traveling overnight by bus is especially daunting, however, due to the air conditioning blasting cold air throughout the journey. It can get pretty cool outside in the early hours and the inside temperature of the bus drops to 14 or 15 degrees C, not conducive to a good night‘s sleep. They provide you with a blanket; cold comfort!
There are 3 inter-city bus stations in Bangkok;
Ekamai, which is on the Sky Train Sukhumvit Line, is the Eastern Terminal going to Patthaya, Rayong, Trat and Ko Chang.
Mae Sai is the Southern Terminal going to Hua Hin, Prachuap Kiri Khan and on down to Phuket and Hat Yai.
Morchit is the North Eastern Terminal going everywhere else. There are also sevices to Patthaya and Hat Yai from here. Morchit is also on the Sky Train Sukhumvit Line, but it is a ten minute taxi ride to the bus station of the same name!
Train Services.
A much better way to make a long overnight journey is by train, which is very popular with backpackers. Although a 2nd class sleeper from Bangkok to Chiang Mai will set you back more than 1000 Baht at least you can get a good sleep and you’re saving the cost of one night’s lodging. Train timetables are available online to download and print at www.railway.co.th Bare in mind, though, that trains often run late, sometimes by two or three hours on a scheduled 12 hour journey.
Short haul train journeys in Thailand are very good value when you travel 3rd class. It’s not very comfortable but the two hour trip from Bangkok to Ayutthaya, for example, costs a mere 20 Baht. Take your baggage on board with you.
Mini Van Services.
There is one more option that can really only be used if you’re happy traveling with your baggage on your knee. Mini van services leave regularly from Victory Monument in Bangkok to most destinations up to about 300 km away, but they have very little, or no room for luggage let alone the giant backpacks some backpackers prefer. (See my blog “What to Pack”). They are air-conditioned and journey times are roughly twice as quick as the 2nd class buses.
If all this sounds as if it’s going to be too difficult to bare, it isn’t if you are prepared to adopt the Thai maxim of mai pen rai which, in this context, means “never mind!”.
Good backpacking!
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Backpacker's Guide to Thailand; Heavy rain hits the South
Torrential rain has hit the Southern provinces of Thailand. Flooded roads and landslides are reported in southern provinces on the east coast, particularly Songkhla and Narathiwat.
This the monsoon period in Southern Thailand,whereas the rest of the Kingdom enjoys dry , sunny weather.
This the monsoon period in Southern Thailand,whereas the rest of the Kingdom enjoys dry , sunny weather.
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