Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Suvarnabhumi International Airport to Chiang Mai, Sukhothai, Trat and Udon Thani; and
Thai Airways International, flying from Suvarnabhumi to Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Ubon
Ratchathani and Udon Thani. Also flying are:
Kan Air
( 0 2551 6111;
www.kanairlines.com
)
Chiang Mai International Airport to Pai.
Nok Air
( 1318;
www.nokair.co.th
)
Bangkok's Don Muang International Airport to Chiang
Mai, Chiang Rai, Loei, Mukdahan, Nakhon Phanom, Nan, Ubon Ratchathani and Udon
Thani; Chiang Mai International Airport to Udon Thani.
BICYCLE
Single-geared bicycles are available for rent in most tourist towns from around 30B per
day. Higher-quality mountain bikes are sometimes available for around 150B per day.
Touring the country is also a doable activity as the roads are well sealed and lodging is
available along the way.
BOAT
The true Thai river transport is the long-tail boat
(reu·a ha
̆
hng yow),
so-called because the
propeller is mounted at the end of a long driveshaft extending from the engine. Boats are a
common (and highly recommended) means of travel in Bangkok and, to a lesser degree,
along the Mekong River in the far north.
BUS & MINIVAN
The bus network in Thailand is prolific and reliable. The Thai government subsidises the
Transport Company
(bo
̀
·ri
́
·sa
̀
t ko
̆
n so
̀
ng),
usually abbreviated to Baw Khaw Saw (BKS).
Every city and town in Thailand linked by bus has a BKS station, even if it's just a patch
of dirt by the side of the road. We do not recommend using bus companies that operate
directly out of tourist centres, like Bangkok's Th Khao San, because of repeated instances
of theft and commission-seeking stops.
The cheapest buses are the fan-cooled
ro
́
t tam·ma
́
·dah
that stop in every town and for
every waving hand along the way, but this class of bus is a dying breed. Most services are
in faster air-con buses, called
rót aa
. Longer routes offer 2nd-class and 1st-class air-con
services; the latter have toilets and better air-con. VIP and Super VIP buses have fewer
seats, and hostesses serve snacks.
Minivans are increasingly becoming the middle-class option. Minivans are run by
private companies and because their vehicles are smaller, they can depart from in-town
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