The Ubiquitous Tuk-Tuk of Thailand

Just like in any other place in the world, Thailand has developed unique modes of transportation suited to their culture and terrain. One of these transports is the tuk-tuk. This is a small shared taxi with an open frame and sheet-metal body resting on three small wheels-one in the front and two in the back. The interior of the unit consists of a small cabin for the driver at the front and a larger cabin for the passengers sitting behind him. A canvas roof with drop-down sides protects the occupants from the sun and rain.

Tuk-tuks are usually fitted with a small air-cooled, two-stroke scooter engine. Also, even if the driver-s cabin is big enough for a steering wheel, handlebars similar to that of a motorcycle are used to manoeuvre the vehicle around. Unlike traditional taxis in the West, tuk-tuks do not have a metre even if many have those ubiquitous lighted taxi signs on top of them. Instead, you have to settle the fare in advance before riding a tuk-tuk. There are standard fares set by the government, but out-of-the-way or special trips may cost you twice or even thrice the price.

Tuk-tuks are very common in cities with massive traffic such as Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima. In fact, they are one of the major causes of congestion because there are so many of them sharing the roads with automobiles and other vehicles. In addition, they are quite slow with a cruising speed of around 22 miles per hour. Thus, faster vehicles end up trudging behind them, severely slowing down traffic. But, despite this disadvantage, tuk-tuks are here to stay for a long time because they have become icons of Thailand's transportation.