Songthaew

Songtheaws are often rod-daeng, as the majority are red in color.

Songthaew

Songtheaws parked at a Chiang Mai temple.

Songthaew are converted pick-up trucks used to transport people. They are often called rod daeng, meaning "red color" because most of the songthaews on the road are painted red. In Chiang Mai, the red songthaew ply the main streets of the city. Then there are songthaews painted in other colors. The white songthaews travel the eastern route to Sankampaeng, the yellow songthaews go north, to Mae Rim; the blue ones go to Sarapee and Lamphun to the south; while the green songthaews travel northeast to Mae Jo. There's a flat charge of 15 baht, and unlike the tuk tuk / samlor, you don't usually hire songthaew to be your own private transport. You can, and it will be more costly than tuk tuk.

To board a songthaew, first ask the driver if he can take you to a specific place. His level of English will probably allow him to nod for yes and shake his head for no. If the answer is in the negative, no worries, there are plenty more songthaews on the road, so try the next one. Inside the songthaew are two rows of benches, one on each side. Some times, there's an additional row in the middle. Sit down and wait. The songtheaw usually wait to collect more customers and will go only once it is full.

To get down from the songthaew, press the buzzer located at the roof - pay attention to how the locals do it.

Compare Hotel Room Rates

Find the lowest price of hotel rooms from different Hotel Booking websites. Our free Hotel Search Engine lets you compare room rates from different booking sites. Just key in your visiting City. You'd be glad to do your homework!

Find a hotel

New York City
Bangkok
Amsterdam

Guests:

Rooms:

Find Local Tours in Thailand

When you travel to a distant, exotic destination such as Thailand, it is important to use a reputable tour operator. It will save you time, money, and headaches. Here are some local tours of Thailand which you may want to consider. As an independent traveler, you have the freedom to create your own vacation according to your own schedule. The tours are arranged by Viator, a big and reputable tour organisation, so you can peace of mind when placing your booking.

Follow me on Twitter

Please link to me!

If you enjoy exploring Asia and getting to know its places of interest, place a link from your website or blog to AsiaExplorers. Let AsiaExplorers be your window to all the fascinating sights in Asia! It is as easy as copying the source code below and pasting it on your site:

Return to AsiaExplorers homepage

View Updates from my other sites: Earth Documentary, Flowering Garden, Penang Travel Tips and World Greatest Sites

This AsiaExplorers page is written by the Happy Jobless Guy

AsiaExplorers is researched and written by Timothy Tye. Reasonable care is taken to check and verify the accuracy of the content. AsiaExplorers disclaims responsibility for any inconvenience, mishap, injury or death resulting from following the tips and advice provided directly or indirectly by this website. All pages may be printed out for your own personal, non-commercial use. Photographs not credited to a third party belong to Timothy Tye and may not be reused in any form unless you are first given permission. Write in to inquire if interested. Third party photographs are governed by their respective licenses. The author is a Christian. Click here if you are interested to know more about his Christian beliefs. To contact AsiaExplorers, use the following email address: