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.        

Tuk Tuk of Pooh

Winnie the Pooh is one of the more popular fictional characters in Thailand. He regularly appears in the form of stuffed toys, on T-shirts, cushions, and bed linens, and even in tuk tuks. Seeing this character in an Asian context reminds me of the Tao of Pooh, the stimulating book by Benjamin Hoff that attempts to explain Taoist philosophy through the various Pooh characters. There are many inspirational passages in the book that make you stop and think about ways to conduct your life, including, “Do you really want to be happy? You can begin by being appreciative of who you are and what you've got.”        

Pop Icons

Today, I told my tuk tuk driver that I thought it was cool that he had a sticker with the image of the Argentine revolutionary, Che Guevara. His response was, "Oh, I didn't know who that was, but did you see my Mickey Mouse keychain?".  

Customized Vehicles

Bangkok tuk tuk drivers love to personalize their vehicles with custom paint jobs and decorative elements, such as Thai-style motifs on the roof. Considering that most of the models of auto rickshaws in Bangkok look similar when they roll out of the factory, it makes sense. It's also a way for drivers to show their creativity and individuality. And above all, the decorations are supposed to help attract more customers. Well, at least draw in those patrons that have a penchant for bright colors and showy embellishments.  

Lofty Charms

There's a reason why Thai tuk tuk drivers place their sacred decorations, including amulets, on the ceilings of their vehicles. Traditional precepts dictate proper methods of handling and displaying these sacred talismans, including the stipulation of placing them in a relatively high position to show respect. Either that or it has something to do with the fact that these three-wheelers have small dashboards. 

Queen of Thais

Happy Birthday, HM Queen Sirikit. 

Long Live the Queen!

Opposites Attract

Despite the fact that the driver of this tuk tuk proudly displays a little statue of the happy Buddha on his dashboard, he isn't very happy. Come to think of it, he's nothing like this Chinese folkloric deity. The driver is super skinny with long black hair.     

Gitty Up!

In Thailand, there's a certain group that's into American Wild West culture. I have to admit that it's kind of strange seeing Thais wearing cowboy hats, big silver belt buckles, bootcut jeans, and turquoise jewelry. Tuk tuk drivers who are enthusiasts of this lifestyle, however, typically don't feel the need to dress the part. Most of them simply put a sticker on their vehicle depicting a cowboy or the defiant Native American Chief, Geronimo. 

Alluring Lady

When Bangkok tuk tuk drivers need to bring in more cash, they call on Nang Gwak, the Thai goddess who lures in customers and their fat wallets with her waving hand. Dressed in traditional garb and holding a big money bag, she's usually depicted as being full-figured to denote her abundance of resources. As I snapped this picture inside a tuk tuk, the driver jokingly told me that this sticker represents his wife.             

Back to the Country

Driving a tuk tuk in Bangkok must be stressful, especially when you consider the horrendous traffic and the annoying passengers that the drivers encounter on a day-to-day basis. According to this Thai TV commercial from five years ago, all it takes is a sip of an energy drink to escape the urban nightmare and be transported back to the tranquil countryside. The name of the beverage, by the way, is Look Thung, referring to the style of Thai country music that tuk tuk drivers here generally love.      

Sticky Finances

In the Northeast region of Thailand where many Bangkok tuk tuk drivers hail from originally, sticky rice, a staple in the local diet, is eaten out of containers like this one. Known as katip, these woven bamboo baskets are occasionally hung in tuk tuks to represent earning an honest living and "bringing home the bacon". I wonder if there's an expression in Thai about bringing home the sticky rice.

Three-wheeled Bakery

It looks like the food truck craze has made it to Sri Lanka. But rather than retrofitting Econoline vans with kitchen implements, tuk tuks are being employed. The driver of this particular three-wheeler is offering freshly baked breads for sale. Had I not just eaten curry and rice purchased out of the back of another tuk tuk, I would have bought a loaf or two.