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By Air
Thai Airways, Orient Thai Airlines, Orient Express Air, and
Bangkok Airways operate combined forty-odd domestic routes, with
the main hubs located in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Fares are
generally quite low, and service and safety concerns are
stressed at a level well above those of domestic airlines in
some other Asian nations.
By Rail
The State Railway of Thailand operates an extensive passenger
service. On long routes, three classes of cars are offered.
First class is the most comfortable, with private cabins, and
third class the least, with hard seats and no sleeping berths.
On shorter trips, only second- and third-class cars are offered.
Express trains are also offered on longer routes, and these cost
slightly more. All trains offer a dining car, although meals can
be somewhat expensive.
As is true of many rail services,
reservations can be difficult
to obtain and should be made well in advance. Advance tickets
for any line in the country can be purchased at Bangkok's
central Hualamphong station or through a local travel agent. In
other cities, tickets can be purchased at the train station but
only for trips out of those cities.
By Road
Buses are a cheap, but not necessarily efficient, form of travel
in Thailand. Privately run air-conditioned buses are fast, and
are as comfortable as buses get. Plus, they often offer free
refreshments and even meals. They run only between major cities
and tourist destinations, and are more expensive than the
government-run buses.
Government buses range from fast air-conditioned models, which
run on the major routes to rural route Junkers with crowbars for
stick shifts. These rural buses are often the most interesting
form of travel in Thailand, transporting a cross-section of
society unseen on the class-divided trains. They are also very
cheap, if not fast. Be aware, however, that these private buses
can be in varying states of disrepair.
Car or motorcycle rental is another travel option, and fairly
inexpensive. Driving in Thailand is a harrowing experience,
however, and recommended only for the most hardened of drivers.
An international driver's permit is required to rent and drive a
vehicle in the kingdom.
Within all cities and towns,
small light vehicles like
songthaews (tiny trucks with benches in the back), and tuk-tuks
(motorized three-wheelers) are an excellent and even enjoyable
way to get around cheaply. These vehicles can be hired to get to
a certain destination, or by the day, at a fare determined at
the outset of the journey. Outside of Bangkok, bicycle rickshaws
are also available for hire.
Being stuck in a Bangkok traffic jam in 35-degree weather with
exhaust fumes pouring in an open window can be painful, so
air-conditioned taxis can be a welcome change, even if a little
more expensive. Hotel taxis are slightly more expensive but
often worth the added comfort.
Local bus service is widely available in all major cities, and
in Bangkok, commuter rail is operated by the State Railway. The
best way to get around in Bangkok, though only in areas near the
riverbank, is by the river buses that ply the Chao Phrya.
These are extremely fast, very regular and very cheap.
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