Long Distance Taxis in Isaan + beyond?

[henrik2000]

Hello, I want to travel to Isarn and maybe beyond with

• a car
• my own imported bicycle

for 70 days. Start and finish would be Pattaya. I did that before and always had a rental car big enough to swallow the bicycle. Once at the destination, I rarely used the rental car, but only my bicycle or any kind of taxi transport (taxi much more relaxing than self-driving and affordable to boot). Only for moving to the next destination, the rental car would be used again.

So instead of the rental car – are there private taxis to take bicycle + me from one accommodation to the next? The distance would be 50 – 200 kilometers per trip. Then 5-7 days without car. There may be trips of 700+ kilometres perhaps occasionally. A Honda Jazz is big enough (I know from experience).

Please note: bus or train are NOT an option. I know some busses and trains carry bicycles. But I need transport door to door, not station to station, and with my own timing (mostly daylight hours). Of course a taxi service is less individual than a rental car, but I'd love to have the rental car and the self-driving off my hands.

I reckon one could ask around, and a pickup owner might agree to carry me for a fee occasionally. I do speak basic Thai. But I want a more reliable service that can be counted upon.

If you know about some such, ideally nationwide, please tell me.

Thanks!

[CharlieH]

Yes! There are larger SUV type vehicles available on both Bolt and Grab apps.

 

For others...You can also consider the train, and sending the bike via the Post Office to your destination.

[In Full Agreement]

 

 

I don't think you could do better than Nam's taxi service and Yuri, the third from the left in the front row is unsurpassed in terms of customer service.

 

https://www.namstaxiladydrivers.com/

[Hummin]

The problem is getting a taxi when you need it in the more rural districts in Isaan. Your best option will still be a rental car in my opinion. 

 

I also used grab from BKK to my hometown a few times, and we never ends on the suggested price and the deal is done private, not through grab. One thing is getting a local grab for shorter trips, but for longer trips, you realize they driving skills is not what to expect from a professional driver 😄

 

All of them I had to tell to leave the phone alone, drive slower and more be more careful. It is a pain in the ass when you do not trust your driver. 

[henrik2000]

Hi all, thanks for your input!

 

38 minutes ago, Hummin said:

The problem is getting a taxi when you need it in the more rural districts in Isaan.

Yes, i feared this. Maybe i didn't make it clear enough in the first post: There will be trips like "from Nakhon Phanom to Bueng Khan", and Nams Taxi won't go there. Agreed that out of Pattaya or into Pattaya perhaps i could ask them (even though they even refuse to service Don Meuang).

 

I know there are "limousine services" for tourists around Krabi, Khao Lak, Phuket, but i guess they are costly and not available in the dusty northeastern plains. And i don't want to hunt around locally for a driver at each destination.

[Hummin]

4 minutes ago, henrik2000 said:

Hi all, thanks for your input!

 

Yes, i feared this. Maybe i didn't make it clear enough in the first post: There will be trips like "from Nakhon Phanom to Bueng Khan", and Nams Taxi won't go there. Agreed that out of Pattaya or into Pattaya perhaps i could ask them (even though they even refuse to service Don Meuang).

 

I know there are "limousine services" for tourists around Krabi, Khao Lak, Phuket, but i guess they are costly and not available in the dusty northeastern plains. And i don't want to hunt around locally for a driver at each destination.

i have experienced when we had minor incidents while riding motorbikes, the locals with pick ups was never far away, and always willing to help out. Most of the time denied to take any payments even. But rely on it I wouldnt do 😄 even ther is always someone who knows someone, things doesnt always happens when you want it. 

[patman30]

16 hours ago, henrik2000 said:

I need transport door to door, not station to station, and with my own timing

This is where you will struggle.

[henrik2000]

1 hour ago, Hummin said:

the locals with pick ups was never far away, and always willing to help out.

This also happened to me when i pushed a flattened bicycle on remote gravel roads. Company trucks or families in SUVs stopped, loaded up my bike and took me to the next workshop - and it was hard to give them even an orange for thankyou (they gave me a bottle of water though). (Even some bicycle workshops insisted on working for free...)

 

But that's different from requesting a 100 km taxi-like trip when you have no accident or emergency.

[henrik2000]

37 minutes ago, patman30 said:

This is where you will struggle.

Then it may be a rental car again. I just wanted to ask anyway.