Thursday, May 25, 2006

Hatyai, Thailand : Tuk-Tuk

Tuk-tuk is a modified pick-up truck in Hatyai, Thailand. Tuk-tuk in Hatyai is different from the one available in Bangkok. The one in Bangkok is different from the one in Hatyai - the motorised rickshaw or cabin cycle with 3 wheels.


This Tuk-tuk has water proof removable sides for rainy days.

Tuk-tuk provides convenient way of getting around in Hatyai. Tuk-tuks are widely available in Hatyai, and they were found everywhere. Tuk-tuks is a cheap public transport for short distance around the city, each trip costs 15 baht (prevously the price was 10 baht per ride).

These mode of transportation are an essential part of Thai lifestyle - one can go anywhere with the tuk-tuk - to the market, to the shopping complex, to the city centre and to whatever places in town...

Picture of another Tuk-tuk taken from inside the Tuk-tuk.

33 comments:

L B said...

Wanna go to Phi Phi Beach, prease... How much?... OK!

Chen said...

lb,
how much ah?
"special" discount for u...
FOC... how about that? ;)

L B said...

Ok!!! In that case, come pick me up at 8:oopm sharp tonight, ya? Thanks for such a great offer... I'm packing my luggage as we speak already.. Wheee!!!! Hope customs won't stop us...

Chen said...

lb,
heheh... I hope I can find your place. Not familiar with the area u stay though :) ~ I'm not a qualified tuk-tuk driver :P

Anonymous said...

these tuk-tuk's are fast and zippy for going anywhere! the only thing I didn't like about them was the fare, darn expensive and sometimes inconsistent. oh well, for a joy ride or two...

Chen said...

may,
In Hatyai, the price is consistent.. 15 baht per ride. In Bangkok different story loh.. need to bargain or ask the price before hand :)

Anonymous said...

Use Google Earth!! Don't worry... here, very quiet wan, no traffic..

Chen said...

lb,
aiyak.. I'm late already.. Still searching hi & lo for your place using google earth.

Woh.. I can even see the cars on the street in Italy :) Wondering where is your house ??

Anonymous said...

I thought tuktuk was motorbike last time, now they turned into mini van oleidi lor?

Anonymous said...

oops! this is actually called SONGTHAEW (Collective Taxi). The tuk-tuks are motorized tricycles :)

Anonymous said...

You mean Dr Chen bluffed us all? Not Tuk Tuks?!! @#$%^!

Robin Wong said...

ahh would be interesting to have tuk tuk in kuching, no?

Chen said...

jee,
the tuk-tuk in Bangkok were the three-wheeled motorbike like thingy :)

slurp,
these is also called tuk-tuk lah. All the local Hatyai call it as tuk-tuk as well :) I just follow them. Tuk-tuk has different appearance in different places :)

lb,
cool down, albie :D
pass u a glass of icey cold iced lemon tea :)

robin,
in Kuching? mmmm.... It's good to have it in KL as well :D

Anonymous said...

haven't been to bangkok, wouldn't know. in phuket, no matter how short or long the ride is on those few streets, it was 10baht. that's about 3 years ago. probably naik harga oredi by now too...

S said...

how i wish i can go to Thai again! :P but Thai reminds me of Foods usually.the last time i went to Thai i got 8kgs fatter =_= goodness!

izso said...

Hmm.. nothing beats a lamboghini mucielago no matter HOW pretty a tut-tut car is.... XD

L B said...

waaaaa.... it's now 10:oopm... still no sign of your tuk tuk... two hours late already.. maybe you took a wrong turning and ended up at the colloseum instead? hmmm... ok, will wait.. the Doctor will turn up.. wait, wait... wait...

Alicia said...

hehe the tuk tuk in bangkok is power wan.. can travel very fast xD

Chen said...

may,
In Hatyai also the same. Fixed price 15 baht per ride.. (if I'm not mistaken, the price per ride is 10 baht as well in Hatyai in the past

laziness,
wah.. 8 kg? that's a lot :) How long u stay in Thailand previously ;)

izso,
Hahha.. comparing lamborghini murcielago with tuk-tuk :P
Cannot lah :D

Chen said...

lb,
Oops.. I lost my way initially.. very difficult to search for your place cos I’m not familiar with the roads there.. And i fell asleep at the end ;) sorry for the long wait :P  --> unreliable Tuk-tuk driver, huh? hahaha…

alicia,
the thrill & excitement of riding tuk-tuk in Bangkok :D

Robin CHAN said...

i remember from Penang to Hatyai can travel by bus.. how long did it take?

Robin CHAN said...

Robin Wong..

That's a great idea.. in Kuching.. no decent public transport.. TukTuk is definitely an alternative!

Shall we JV? Robin n Robin Tuk Tuk

c a r c a r said...

aiyah, the tuk tuk that i took was so slow, hahaha... that's why i am late here :P

i took it before when i was in haadyai! is pretty fun, but quite dangerous too. i think this is something unique about haadyai, the food, culture, tuk tuk, and the people..

Pink Cotton said...

wow...the tuk2 is certainly different from the one i saw in bangkok! HAHAAH!..urs look more STABLE...ours felt as if it was gonna turn turtle when we turn a corner...tsk tsk ..certainly the experience of a lifetime... :D

Chen said...

robin,
I take van instead. RM 50 for to & fro trip. Took less than 4 hours to reach Hatyai from Penang.

Robin & Robin Tuk Tuk ?
R&R TT or RRTT?

carcar,
your tuk-tuk driver holding the L license I presume? ;) That's why u are late :D

Comparing with tuk-tuk in Bangkok, tuk-tuk in Hatyai is much more safer :D

pink cotton,
Yeah. Bangkok one is more "classic", and more thrilling too ;)
Syiok or not riding the tuk-tuk in Bangkok?

S said...

chen :: i was there around 8 or 10 days.couldnt really remember.but i remember well it's 8kg cos when i came back from Thai and reached KLIA...i weigh myself using the airport weighing machine (which usually they use to weigh the luggage)...and then it's XX.Xkg hahaha.8kgs more then before.and the worker in the airport was shock when he saw it cos he couldnt believe i was that heavy =_= hahaha mom scolded me too when i reached Kuching -_-

Chen said...

laziness,
u must be enjoying yourself very much in Thailand during those few days.. And one word to describe the food there - Delicious :)

Hehhee, might be the weighing machine in KLIA rosak liao? that's why giving out inaccurate result? ;)

Anonymous said...

ahhhh ... i remember now. koh samui also call this tuk tuk. so you are right afterall! :D pls forgive for my lapse in memory :)

Chen said...

slurp,
don't worry :D
You are forgiven...

(provided u belanja me makan when I go to Singapore in the near future) Kekeke...
just kidding only lah :D

Anonymous said...

aiyoh belanja no problem lah :)

Chuang Shyue Chou said...

Unusual! I love it when you have unusual photos of the traffic. I don't know, but these variations fascinate me. Hahahaha.

Chen said...

slurp,
Haha, I'm kidding with you only lah. But if u want to belanja me, sure :)
Thanks in advance ;)

chuang,
It's nice to see something different from norm to us. I have seen once the "three-wheeled" car in China previously - like the one in Mr Bean's tv show (while I was inside the bus). Too bad I don't have the opportunity to snap the photo cos I didn't get ready the camera at that moment & the bus was moving fast.

Chuang Shyue Chou said...

Mr. Bean's car.

Yeah, the car is known as the Robin Reliant if I recall.

You can see it in the UK sometimes.

In France, you may have seen the 2CV... It's another funny old one.