Merry Christmas

& Happy New Year

from Bangkok!

May all your tuk tuk rides be merry and bright!

Tuk Tuk on the Fly

Last night when I hopped in a tuk tuk, this fine feathered friend turned and greeted me. The driver told me he always takes his pet parrot with him on his excursions around town. This little guy seems to especially love turning sharp corners and clipping along at high speeds. This is one cool bird! 

Paradise in a Tuk Tuk

       Photo courtesy of Coconuts Bangkok

Many foreigners who come to Thailand refer to this place as paradise. Apparently, the Spanish pop band, Dvicio, who were in Bangkok to give a concert yesterday, think so, too. This morning on their way to Chatuchak Weekend Market in a three-wheeler, they sang their hit song Paraiso (Paradise). According to today's version of the tune, Paradise is in a tuk tuk. I might just have to agree with them on that.  

Here Comes the Spiderman

If Spiderman drove a tuk tuk, it would look like this. Lately, I've noticed more and more of these handmade spiderwebs made out of rope appearing on the sides of many three-wheelers in Bangkok. In practical terms, they are useful in holding cargo in when passengers are transporting large boxes and other goods around, and they are also helpful in preventing thieves from reaching into tuk tuks and snatching people's bags. But my favorite part about them is that they remind me of something you would see in super hero comics. As the lyrics from Spiderman's theme song go:    

Spiderman, Spiderman,

Does whatever a spider can

Spins a web, any size,

Catches thieves just like flies

Look out!

Here comes the Spiderman!

So...it's been a really long time since I've posted anything on 'Art of the Tuk Tuk'. But one of my New Year's resolutions for 2016 is to regularly update this blog. Hopefully, this is one resolution I can keep. Anyway, this story is too good not to mention on this blog as it involves an outrageous tuk tuk costume worn at the Miss Universe contest in Las Vegas last month. Despite initial skepticism among many Thais about the outfit complete with headlights, Miss Thailand, Aniporn Chalermburanawong, ended up winning Best National Costume at the pageant. Just goes to show you that tuk tuks are recognized the world over as one of Thailand's iconic symbols. Thais should feel extremely proud of their unique mode of transportation and we should all be grateful to Miss Thailand for pulling off such a distinctive, albeit uncomfortable, look.