40 Various Tuk-Tuks from All Thailand: the Unofficial Emblem of Country

Thais have King and Buddhism, and officially they are symbols of Thailand. But, anybody, who been in Thailand, agrees the real symbol is small, noisy vehicle riding in smelling clouds of exhaust pollutions. That vehicles produced locally by small producers. That’s why vehicles look so home-made. In most of modifications producers use parts of factory produced motorcycles and pickups. Some of them really are modified motorcycles and pickups. They are technically imperfect, they heat environment, they are uncomfortable. But – they are amazing and authentic, and we excuse and enjoy them.

Mainstream Tuk-Tuk (Bangkok and central Thailand, Chiang Mai and Northern Thailand)

You can see it even on t-shirt

Ayuthaya Style: the most authentic Tuk-Tuk

Phuket Style: the most expensive and unfriendly Tuk-Tuk

Krabi Style: the most uncomfortable Tuk-Tuk

Nong Khai Style: the slowest Tuk-Tuk (you can outrun it by fast walk)

Sukhotai Style

Pattaya Style

Thais call it songteow, but tourists who don’t know Tuk-Tuks must be small and 3-wheeled, noising and smelling, call it Tuk-Tuk.

Modern and Luxury Variations

Just Married… and in Tuk-Tuk now!

Police Tuk-Tuk Modification

Tuk-Tuk with political advertising

Tuk-Tuk for stupid tourists

Check out other interesting posts

• 7 Symbols on Thai Vehicles: What They Mean?
  
• Stupid tunings #1: cut number plates to make their shapes attractive
  
• Rattan & Bamboo Tuk-Tuk From the Philippines
  
• Monster from China Town (OMG! They Killed Vespa! You Bastards!)
  
• How to repair a scratched motorbike body (an Asian cheap way)
  



5 Responses to “40 Various Tuk-Tuks from All Thailand: the Unofficial Emblem of Country”

1. 泰国街头taxi欣赏 | caoor says:

   July 9, 2009 at 10:46 am

   [...] [更多图片]   [...]

   Reply
2. Catherine says:

   July 13, 2009 at 10:15 am

   What an excellent post on Tuk Tuks! Loving it.

   Reply
3. wisekwai says:

   July 14, 2009 at 5:22 pm

   Koh Si Chang, the island off Chonburi province not far from Bangkok (different from Koh Chang), has what I believe are unique tuktuks. They are called “skylabs” for reasons unknown to me. They have a motorcycle front end and the back end of a small pickup, and generally a four-speed shifter-type transmission.

   Reply
4. Catherine says:

   July 18, 2009 at 3:11 am

   Ah yes… I stayed at Koh Si Chang just this year and have a few photos of their tuk tuks somewhere…

   Reply
   • samlowry says:

     July 21, 2009 at 12:29 pm

     Catherine, wisekwai, can you share photos of Koh Si Chang tuk-tuks?

     Gosh, when I see new kind of Thai homemade vehicle I dream about museum of vehicles of Southeast Asia!

     Reply