Bad Boy

There are many reputable tuk tuk drivers in Bangkok, but occasionally you come across one that you can't trust. Some offer rides for an unbelievably low price to drive you around the city, but then they stop at tailors and gem shops along the way to collect gas coupons from the proprietors. On the opposite end of the spectrum, some try to overcharge foreigners. And if you're headed to a famous Buddhist temple, some tuk tuk drivers may tell you that it's closed due to a national holiday and then try to take you to another destination desperate for your business. Sometimes it's difficult to spot an unscrupulous driver, but the owner of this three-wheeler is clearly warning potential customers that he's up to no good.

Children's Day

Today, kids all over Thailand are celebrating their youth. It's National Children's Day known in Thai as Wan Dek. It's a chance for Thai kids to do everything they love: eating ice cream, playing with balloons, going to the zoo, riding bikes, and taking tuk tuk rides with no parents on board. 

Taking Wing

 

When I spotted the image of this colorful butterfly on the back of a tuk tuk today, I assumed that the driver has an appreciation for this creature. After all, Thailand has over one thousand species and there are some incredible butterfly farms in this country where one can view them. As it turns out, however, the symbol has little to do with either of those facts. The driver considers himself to be a "butterfly" and he uses the English word to describe himself as such. He is single and free and apparently flies from one mate to another.   

Tuk Tuk Holidays

Happy Holidays from Art of the Tuk Tuk.

May all your auto rickshaw rides be merry and bright!

Father Figure

Today is the 85th birthday of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand. As the King is considered to be the patriarch of the country, father's day is celebrated today and December 5th has also become a national holiday. Many Thais spend the day with their fathers and it is traditional to give a canna flower, or dok Buddha ruksa as it is called in Thai, to dads and granddads on this day to show respect. Happy Father's Day and Long Live the King!

Thai Eclecticism

This has to be the only music video in the world that includes the combination of a Rastafarian on rollerblades, random guys breakdancing and kickboxing, jazz musicians dressed in black and white, an unruly backpacker, and tuk tuks. The song, Tuk Tuk Breakdown, is pretty eclectic itself as it blends a variety of music genres together and as the lyrics focus on everything from auto rickshaw drivers taking farang, or foreigners, to famous sites around Bangkok to eating nam tok, a spicy Thai meat dish. Written by Kai-Jo Brothers six years ago, it still perfectly encapsulates the fun and quirky nature of Thailand.  

Khao San Tuk Tuk

In Bangkok, most tuk tuk drivers have a routine area for parking their vehicles while waiting for customers. The operator of this auto rickshaw is a regular on Khao San Road, the street that British author Alex Garland called "the centre of the backpacking universe" in his 1996 novel, The Beach. Khao San is where budget travelers can find everything they need before and after heading off to the various islands in Thailand (and other locations around Southeast Asia), including internet cafes, ATMs, cheap food, Singha beer, travel agents, fake IDs, and fisherman pants. Oh, and for those who leave the street, there are tuk tuks like this one available for hire.      

Night Rider

There's nothing quite like riding in a tuk tuk at night. Unlike the experience of traveling in an enclosed car, driving along in an open vehicle is not so removed from the blinking city lights, urban sounds, and action on the streets. Even after nine years of living in this city, I still get a rush every time I take a three-wheeler after dark.  

Thai Dingleballs

For Bangkok tuk tuk drivers trying to give their vehicles an 80s lowrider look, dingleballs are an essential accessory. They fit right in with the customized paint jobs made up of colorful stripes and other graphics. The only thing missing is fuzzy dice and girls in bikinis.        

Handmade Souvenir

If you're visiting Thailand and need a fun and unique souvenir or gift for someone back home, I suggest buying a hand-crafted toy tuk tuk made out of beer and soda cans. My favorite ones sport Thai brands of beer, such as Chang, Singha, or Leo, but the ones that have Thai writing that spell Coke or Pepsi are pretty cool, too. You might want to pick up a few considering the low cost of 159 baht each, or roughly five US dollars, and if you purchase more than one, do as the native Thais do and barter for a lower price.   

Thailand's Top 10

Top 10 Things That Foreign Travelers Like To Do When Visiting Thailand
1.  Visit a Buddhist temple
2.  Attend a Thai boxing match
3.  Shop at Jatujak Weekend Market (Bangkok)
4.  Eat Thai food  
5.  Ride an elephant 
6.  Have clothing custom-made at a tailor shop
7.  Get a Thai massage
8.  Take a ferry ride down the Chao Phraya River
9.  Go to the beach
10. Ride in a tuk tuk 

King Rama V Day

Today is Chulalongkorn Day, or Wan Piyamaharaj, a Thai national holiday observed every October 23rd that commemorates the life of King Rama V, one of the most beloved monarchs in Thai history. King Chulalongkorn (reign 1868 - 1910) is remembered for his major reforms and for helping to modernize Siam. You can find his image throughout Bangkok, including this portrait of him in his military regalia adhered to the windshield of a tuk tuk. 

Tuk Tuk Rain Gear

During the Thai rainy season, the tuk tuk business is not as lucrative as the rest of the year. Some people avoid riding in the open air vehicles in wet weather. It's a good thing that some drivers have plastic or cloth shields that roll down on the sides of their three-wheelers for those of us that like taking tuk tuks all year long. 

Conspicuous Camouflage

I don't want to be the one to break the news to this tuk tuk driver, but his custom-painted red, white, and blue camouflage design on the inside of his vehicle isn't helping to disguise his tuk tuk. It's ironically creating the opposite effect of drawing more attention to his three-wheeler. I guess it's not a bad idea for someone who is constantly on the look out for more paying passengers.   

Cool Character

The face on this windshield reminds me of the animated films, Cars and Cars 2. Perhaps for the third movie in the series, Pixar could have a tuk tuk with cool shades as one of the characters. Just a thought.   

Lucky Number Nine

In Thailand, the number nine is considered to be auspicious. In Thai, nine is "gaao" which also means moving forward, hence it is believed to be lucky. Those who get caught up in the lottery here look for tickets with the number nine, and if you open a business or get married, you should do so on the ninth day of the ninth month at nine o'clock with nine monks present. If you're a tuk tuk driver, you should place stickers with the number nine all over your vehicle.    

Yabba Dabba Tuk Tuk

Who does the driver of this tuk tuk with an orange animal-print seat think he is? Fred Flintstone? These cushions would fit perfectly in Fred's stone age car. 

Floral Delivery

In Bangkok, flowers are everywhere. Shrines are decorated with garlands of bright yellow marigolds, temples are bursting with phuang malai offerings made from jasmine and roses, businesses display fresh blooms for good luck and prosperity, and individuals hang blossoms in their homes and in their vehicles. It's no wonder then that Bangkok's huge flower market, or Pak Klong Talad, is open 24 hours every day throughout the year. And what better way to deliver the blooms from the market than in a colorful tuk tuk. 

Monika Moniker

If you saw these letters on the back of a Bangkok auto rickshaw and didn't know who or what it references, you would probably think it was the moniker of the driver's girlfriend or wife. But it turns out that it's the name of one of the Thai tuk tuk manufacturers, Monika Motors Ltd. Well, at least the drivers don't get that name tattooed on their forearms.  

Travel Guide

Thais, in general, aren't into maps, and that includes local tuk tuk drivers. So, what is that map doing in the three-wheeler then? It's for foreigners. Notice that it's in English and that the various tourist landmarks are highlighted. The only time I've ever seen maps like this appear from the ceilings of tuk tuks is when drivers are showing travelers places where they want to take them. Just beware of those drivers who want to take you around the city for twenty baht. You'll end up at touristy gem and tailor shops rather than the places on the map that you intended to visit.