Thailand
ThailandGetting around
Two rail systems, two operators — and a card that only works on one of them.
Do I need to buy a ticket for every ride?
On the BTS, a Rabbit card ends the queueing. But Bangkok's rail is two separate systems, and the underground MRT is not covered by it.
How do you get a taxi, and what about tuk-tuks?
Insist on the meter — switching it off for a fixed price is illegal, and 1584 is the government hotline for reporting it. Tuk-tuks have no meter, so that price is negotiated before you get in.
Can I rent a scooter with the licence I already have?
Not on its own. Thailand recognises an International Driving Permit issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention, or a licence from another ASEAN country, and you carry it together with your passport and your home licence. A shop handing over the keys is not the body that decides this.
Which river boat do I get on?
Look at the flag, not the boat. Four flag colours run the Chao Phraya on different sets of stops, each with its own flat fare, and the piers are numbered N1 upriver — so the flag tells you the route and the number tells you where you are.