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Transportation in Thailand

Buses in Bangkok

The "Cream"

(or orange) colored air conditioned buses are the newest and most spacious. The fare starts at 10 baht for the first several kilometers, and goes up slowly from there, to a maximum of 20 baht. These buses have started putting English destination signs on the side.
The "Blue"

air conditioned buses cost 8 baht for the first 8 kilometers, and the rate goes up slowly from there. A very long ride across town may cost around 20 Baht.
The "Red"

open-aired (non-air-conditioned) red buses cost 3.5 baht during the day and 5 baht after midnight, flat rate regardless of distance.
The "White"

open-aired white buses cost 5 baht, sometimes a little more after midnight. Flat rate regardless of distance.
The "Small Green Bus"
should be avoided, but cost 2.5 baht. These have been called "the unloved buses" because they belch choking black pollution, the drivers are aggressive, and their routes are confusing and change often. Forget the bus maps. If you aren't Thai and familiar with where the particular bus is going (e.g., yelled out the window by the fare attendant), then don't take a chance.
"Micro Bus"

The purple MicroBus charges a flat rate of 25 baht regardless of distance, but stops only if there is an available seat, i.e., does not have standing people. No problem except during rush hour when they sometimes fill up and won't stop for more passengers. Air conditioned. Need exact fare, as no change is given back.
Tips: When you want to exit the bus, you press the red button next to the door (or on the ceiling of the MicroBus) which makes a beep and/or turns on a red light for the driver to notice

Domestic Bus Service (From Bangkok to another province)

domestic buses travel throughout Thailand linking all provincial capitals. Non air-conditioned and air-conditioned coaches are available.

BANGKOK’S NORTHERN BUS TERMINAL is on Kamphaeng phet 2 Road, Tel : 537-8054-5, 537-5056
BANGKOK’S NORTHEASTERN BUS TERMINAL is on Phahonyothin Road, Tel : 272-5299 (air-conditioned) and Tel : 272-0295 (non air-conditioned)
BANGKOK’S SOUTHERN BUS TERMINAL is on Boromrat Chonnani Road, Tel : 435-1199, 434-7192 (air-conditioned) and Tel : 434-5557-8 (non air-conditioned).
BANGKOK’S EASTERN BUS TERMINAL is on Sukhumvit Road, Tel : 391-9829, 392-9277 (air-conditioned), and Tel : 391-2504, 392-2521 (non air-conditioned).

A bus route map is available at most hotels, bookshops, and the TAT head office for 35 Baht.

Taxi

Most taxis in Thailand are metered, so you don't need to negotiate a fare. Just get into a taxi that says "TAXI-METER" on the top. These come in quite a few different colours though the green-yellow and red-blue ones are the most common. The two tone green and yellow taxis are generally reckoned to be the best ones. These are driven by the owner, while all others are rented out by the day. Bangkok has thousands of taxis, and finding one at any time is never a problem The fare starts at 35 baht (approx. $1) and stays there for the first two kilometers and it's 5Baht/km after that. A surcharge is applied in traffic jams (1.25Baht/min. when moving under 6km/h), meaning at night when there's not much traffic they're definitely the best way of getting around.

Tuk Tuk

These three-wheeled open-aired Made in Thailand vehicles are unique to Thailand. Tuk Tuk is doing a similar job to the taxi but no metered. They are occasionally faster than taxis in heavy traffic as weaving in and out is easier, but generally about the same or slower. Without any luggage, 3 people can fit into one fairly comfortably - it's possible to fit more in but it gets a bit cramped. The fare is negotiated and it is sometimes possible to bargain tuk-tuk drivers down to less than the taxi flagfall of 35B when they make good value. Most times, they offer no savings over a taxi, except perhaps if you're good at bargaining and can speak good Thai. Tuk-tuk drivers are generally from very poor backgrounds and their English is worse than that of taxi drivers, so don't be surprised if they sometimes have no idea where your destination is

Tips for Taxi and Tuk Tuk:

A difficulty with foreigners is that most taxi drivers do not speak nor read English, So this is suggestions

If possible, have the name and location of your destination written in Thai on a slip of paper
Have a map with both Thai and English, and point to the place on the map.
If one taxi seems to have difficulties, then say never mind and try the next taxi.
Learn some Thai dialogs and Thai numbers for negotiation before come to Thailand.

Sky Train

Bangkok's Skytrain started operating in December,5 1999 and, for the areas it goes to at least, is an extremely useful way of getting about. There's a central station located at Siam square, and two lines: the 17km Sukhumvit line, which stretches from Sukhumvit Soi 81, all the way up to Mo Chit. The 6.5km Silom line from the National Stadium down south to Saphan Taksin along Silom and Sathorn roads. While the Siam station is undoubtedly the hub of the skytrain, the stations at Asoke and Sala Daeng are also main stations due to being interchange stations with the subway. The trains run daily between 6:00 am and 12:00 midnight with frequent service throughout the day, increased during rush hours. The fares range from 10 to 40 baht base on the distance traveled. After exiting the skytrain, you can take a BTS Shuttle Bus along some loops, after getting a free ticket at the Automatic Ticket Machine (for single journey pass buyers) or at the Station Ticket Office (for 30-day pass buyers). For more information, see the BTS Shuttle Bus page. Of course, the Shuttle Buses often get jammed in traffic.The skytrain is the relatively limited areas it goes to at present - there's only two lines, and no station anywhere near the airport. As the newer subway system covers much of the central Bangkok area that the skytrain doesn't. However, although the skytrain intersects with the subway at it's Asoke and Sala Daeng stations, there is no shared ticket system available.

For more information visit : www.BTS.co.th