How a Songthaew is Constructed

If you are visiting Thailand, you should not confine yourself to major cities such as Bangkok or Chiang Mai. Indeed, a huge part of your adventure is waiting for you outside these cities and in faraway towns and villages where you can see and experience the true ways of Thais. In addition, you will discover other natural and cultural wonders that are not mentioned in your guidebook.

But how do you get to these places? You can take a train or a ferry. But what if those modes of transport cannot reach them? Then what you should do is to ride a songthaew.

A songthaew is a kind of shared taxi, so expect to rub elbows with total strangers. This mode of transportation can be best described as a converted pick-up or large truck. Using Thai ingenuity, the enterprising owner installs two benches on either side of the pick-up-s rear section. In larger vehicles, there is even another bench in the middle of the rear bed.

To protect the passengers from the sun and rain, a frame is welded on the deck over the seats where a canvas or steel roof is placed on top. In bigger songthaews, the roof may be tall enough to accommodate standing passengers. The frame also provides places where plastic sheets or curtains can be tied to keep the rain out. Finally, the vehicle may have a platform on the rear where passengers can step on to board it.

Songthaews are used to travel within towns and between these towns and villages. Usually, the fares are fixed, and all you have to do after paying is to sit down and relax. The ride may be bumpy, dusty, and noisy, but that is the fun part of it!