Songthaew

A Songthaew ( Thai สอง แถว, literally " two rows "; different spelling: songthaew ) is a motor vehicle that is used in Thailand as a special form of taxis in public transport.

Songthaew are converted commercial vehicles. These are mostly flatbed minibuses, more rarely, to large trucks for more than 40 passengers. Common to all is the roof and a side usually semi-open structure. The passengers sit on benches along the sides opposite, no seat belts and usually without armrests. If no free seats are no longer present, passengers are often taken on the rear platforms where they can cling to rods.

Songthaew follow no fixed timetables, which is why there is no timetable posters and fixed stops. Most is the route, ie starting and ending point of the ride, firm, departure time and stops depend on the utilization and the objectives of the passengers. A sole use by individual passengers is uncommon, but can be agreed upon ( for example, transport, excursions, urgent trips).

Songthaew be operated in cooperative form or private. Passengers pay independently from the driver or the passenger. In tourist areas, sometimes fixed rates in English are reported in the passenger compartment.