Is this the type of bus you have seen David? Sorry, not the best of pictures.

That is like the second version I saw, but I also saw the standard pick-up version as you yould find in Pattaya etc. with that 'luggage rack' on top in which people will sit.

David

In Thailand I don't think there are any laws that prohibit people riding in the back of open pick-ups or on the top of roof racks etc. If there are such laws they certainly seem to be ignored.

Before when I've visited friends in Isan, I've taken one of these trucks from the main town into the village where my friends stay. Usually there's two trucks that run the route each day, sometimes only one, so you have to make sure you don't miss the truck otherwise your going to be stuck. Someday's the trucks can be chock-a-block, so if there isn't any room downstairs, people will sit on the luggage rack, as you've seen.

I've heard the trucks referred to as ºÑÊ and the smaller modified pick-ups as Êͧá¶Ç, whether they are carrying people on the luggage rack or not. http://www.thailandqa.com/forum/imag...lies/smile.png

No, if you imagine the normal song thaew pick-up with the hard cover over the back, then put a luggage rack on the back that is only a rail about 6 inches high, like the one in the photo of the truck that 5tash posted, then you have what I was originally posting about.

In my opinion even stopping at traffic lights the people on top are in danger of falling off, if they stop suddenly at the speed they passed our house?????

David

Its sounds extremely dangerous.

if you do a google image search with Êͧá¶Ç, there are so many different kinds of songthaews. maybe yours is there too. the more you explain, the less I get it and now I am really curious.http://www.thailandqa.com/forum/imag...lies/smile.png

I never did get a photo of them with people on top, unless one appears somewhere in a photo of something else I was taking.

David

The best I could come up with is this photo. If you imagine at least half a dozen people packed in to that metal rack on the canopy above the word 'Welcome'.

David

The only time I ever saw anyone on the roof of a similar song taew was heading for the boat to Samui from Surat thani. The coach left us at a small petrol station not too far from the dock where we waited for the song taews. Around 25 people crammed into 2 of these. A few Thai men climbed on top and a couple held onto the sides. I was holding was standing on the back step. 2 girls refused to get on and were left behind.
We were only going a short distance. I could only imagine what would happen if one had to stop suddenly in a town or city.

oh I see! many songthaews have a rack on the top. they usually carry bags of rice or tourists' baggage but sometimes I see people too. not in the city http://www.thailandqa.com/forum/imag...lies/blush.gif but if you go up to Samoeng, you may find yourself on top. or when everyone climbs up Doi Suthep (at Wisakha Bucha) and then comes down by songthaew. I tried once, it is cool http://www.thailandqa.com/forum/imag...lies/smile.png

There really is the law prohibiting people from sitting on the roof(?) of a vehicle. But if such law was fully enforced in this country, a quarter of Thailand's population would surely be in already overly inhabited prisons.

This is not unique to Thailand. I have seen the same practice in other Asian countries, like Pakistan, Philippines and Indonesia. They have their own versions of "song taews", though.

Song Taews
 

We know that a sŏng tăew gets its name from the two rows of seats. So if it is a double decker is it still a sŏng tăew? Here where I am in Buri Ram most of them are double decked. http://www.thailandqa.com/forum/imag...s/confused.png And not all of them are pick-up trucks, some are big trucks.

David

David, In all the times I've been to Buriram I can't say I've seen one of those! Do you mean they have 2 sets of two rows of seats one above the other?

If so I suppose it would be called a "song taew song chan" Êͧá¶ÇÊͧªÑé¹

Any chance of seeing a photograph of one of them?

They are a pickup truck with the hard cover on the top and at the back there is a ladder on either side to what appears to be a luggage rack on top. But as they pass our place on one of the main roads out of town you often see this 'luggage rack' packed with half a dozen or more people... I have photo's of the actual vehicles, but not yet with people on top. I have a very narrow view of the main road outside our place and things come in to view and vanish in under two seconds.

The ones with people on top usually pass late afternoon so I'll try get a photograph whilst I'm out today.

(I'm using slide films so it will be a while after my return that any photo's are posted.)

David

They also have those with two sets of two rows, two along the side and two in the middle, in Ubon Ratchathani -- if that's what you mean.

My wife called it a songteaw, tho maybe its a sitaew. http://www.thailandqa.com/forum/imag...lies/smile.png

ask them about the local name http://www.thailandqa.com/forum/imag...lies/smile.png maybe it's something special and unique to Buriram.
for example, in Chiang Mai, people often refer to normal songthaews as "rot daeng" because they are red.

Yes-I hope it is not all "Manyana" out there-we expect lots of posts/blogs and photos when you return! http://www.thailandqa.com/forum/imag.../laughlong.gif