cdnvic Posted November 3, 2007 Share Posted November 3, 2007 Laos Considers Tuk-Tuk Ban By Jamie Lee VIENTIANE (Reuters Life!) - Tuk tuks are to Southeast Asia what horse-drawn carriages were to Europe centuries ago, but the iconic and ubiquitous three-wheeled auto-rickshaw could soon disappear from Laos. Vientiane is home to about 3,800 vividly painted tuk tuks that ferry both tourists and locals around the bustling city. Similar to the tuk tuks of Bangkok, these motorized rickshaws are cheap and convenient, but now some city officials want them off the road by 2010 to curb traffic congestion and accidents, as well as modernize the city's transport system. The tuk tuk ban has yet to be approved by the government, but more than 30 new public buses are due to start operating in Vientiane soon, a sign many tuk tuk enthusiasts said could point to the end of an era. "The tourists like tuk tuks. They are cheap and are the traditional vehicles of Laos," said Bouaxeng Phetsalath, manager of Vientiane's Tuk Tuk Association. "Maybe they think they're not beautiful any more." "The tuk tuks are everywhere in Laos," added city resident Thongamala Sayavong. "Without them, I feel like I'm not in Laos." Handicap International Belgium, a non-governmental organization that tracks the number of road accident victims in Laos, fears the ban could actually worsen traffic in Vientiane as more people would rely on their own mode of transport. "If the ban takes place, it will lead to even more motorcycles and cars on the road," coordinator Christa Weichert said. Of the hundreds of road accidents in Vientiane each month, only a few involve tuk tuks. http://www.topix.net/world/laos/2007/11/tu...-auto-rickshaws Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyLeung Posted November 3, 2007 Share Posted November 3, 2007 we always hire a private driver. you see the backpackers in the tuk tuks and its like they want to kill mother earth. very sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutnyod Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 Good news. Good news indeed. Up to now this government has managed to drive everything it banned to new bloom. Just remember: slash-and-burn is banned; opium is banned, corruption is forbidden, burning rubbish is forbidden .... etc. I also like the beautiful logic: just because Vientiane is hopeful to get some more public buses eventually and probably, tuc-tucs are banned everywhere? modernize the city's transport system What transport SYSTEM???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
technocracy Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 It's only taken nearly 4 weeks for reuters to catch on this story! See http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=147490 . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kruang Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 Traffic congestion in Vientiane? Vientiane a "bustling city"? It must be the sleepiest capital city in the world .... It's possible there are 3,800 tuk-tuks in Vientiane, but at any given time 3,000 of them have a driver fast asleep in the back seat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdnvic Posted November 4, 2007 Author Share Posted November 4, 2007 What's their general condition like compared to Thai tuk-tuks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutnyod Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 What's their general condition like compared to Thai tuk-tuks? They certainly DO like they might be falling apart the next minute, but they don't. Careful when smoking on one, though, because often they have this ingenious fuel-injection system where there is a water bottle with fuel somewhere and a little hose... While in Vientiane you have only two types of tuk-tuk (one the 'real' tuk-tuk' and then the one called 'jumbo') in other, aerrr, cities you still have the motorcycle with the canopy on its side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdnvic Posted November 4, 2007 Author Share Posted November 4, 2007 Don't exactly inspire confidence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plachon Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 What's their general condition like compared to Thai tuk-tuks? Strictly speaking they're not "tuk-tuks" at all. They are more like Isaan jumbos or "sakai laebs" (sky labs) i.e. with a petrol tank up front (not gas at back) and seats as a songtaew. Their condition varies from brand new to falling to bits and all the wood on the floor rotten, while metal parts rusted through and a IV drip of petrol keeping the machine running cos the petrol tanks packed-in. They are slow, really slow, which is no bad thing as the drivers are often lethal and any faster and they'd put you on the street sideways. Also, since about 2 years ago, they're really over-priced, with drivers charging 2 - 5 times the Thai price for the same distance. They operate a cartel and are pretty good at getting their over-inflated price, as they'll forbid other drivers from stopping on their turf. So you either have to cough up or walk. It didn't used to be like this, but the dumb tourists and consultants at MRC and other places screwed it up for everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabaijai Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 What's their general condition like compared to Thai tuk-tuks? Strictly speaking they're not "tuk-tuks" at all. They are more like Isaan jumbos or "sakai laebs" (sky labs) i.e. with a petrol tank up front (not gas at back) and seats as a songtaew. Their condition varies from brand new to falling to bits and all the wood on the floor rotten, while metal parts rusted through and a IV drip of petrol keeping the machine running cos the petrol tanks packed-in. They are slow, really slow, which is no bad thing as the drivers are often lethal and any faster and they'd put you on the street sideways. Also, since about 2 years ago, they're really over-priced, with drivers charging 2 - 5 times the Thai price for the same distance. They operate a cartel and are pretty good at getting their over-inflated price, as they'll forbid other drivers from stopping on their turf. So you either have to cough up or walk. It didn't used to be like this, but the dumb tourists and consultants at MRC and other places screwed it up for everyone. Yes in most of Laos they call them 'jumbo', 'skylab' being more of an Isan term. Of course in Luang Prabang or Vientiane, when the drivers see foreigners they know they've come from Thailand so they call out 'tuk'tuk?' In fact 'tuk-tuk' is a term almost exclusively reserved for use with foreigners even in Thailand. Thais call them saam-law khreuang, motorised three-wheelers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimsKnight Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 I remember there was talk seven or eight years ago about banning tuk-tuks here in LOS, it never happened.. Doubt it's gonna happen in Laos either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seonai Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 Check this out guys and gals http://www.tuktotheroad.co.uk/ brilliant account of two women travelling to Britain from thailand via Tuk Tuk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
technocracy Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 Just for the perfectionists Tuk Tuk is the nickname they were given due to there 2-stroke engine sounds. Saam-law (which is often spoken here saam-lo) is there correct name as they just have 3 wheels. In Lao there is 3 varieties which are as follows (name as the locals call them): "Jumbo" - The 2 stroke half motorbike with seats on the back version "Tuk-Tuk" - 4 stroke 600cc engine version - which have the manufacturers name Angkham on the back, whether this are Thai or actually Lao made I do not know. "SkyLab" - Similar to the Jumbo in looks but with a 1500cc car engine. "Skylab" is used in Lao speech. My wifes uncle used to drive one and two or 3 of family friends still do. I had a quick go in her uncles Jumbo before it was sold . .. . certainly interesting to drive/ride! Although I've always thought it would be amusing to get hold of a 750cc/900cc or similar motorbike engine and put it in one! Now that would be an interesting ride!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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