Using The Boats To Get Around Bangkok

[phuturatica]

I have to get to Wat Thepleela Pier tomorrow from Samsen Soi 4. I have absolutely no idea when it comes to using the boats. Where would I get the boat from which is nearest to Samsen Soi 4 and roughly how long does it take to Wat Thepleela Pier and how much?

Any help or useful links explaining more about the boats on the canal would be muchly appreciated, thanks!

[rgs2001uk]

Where is Samsen soi 4, what area?

Assuming its at the furthest point, a boat from Pratunam will take about 30 minutes and cost about 20 baht.

[DP25]

From Samsen you walk to Panfah pier, or take a tuk tuk. Maybe 30 baht or 15-20 minute walk. If you wanted to walk, from Samsen soi 4 walk down all the way to the big main road just past Khao San. Then turn left (east), walk past Democracy Monument until you get to a junction where Ratdamneroen goes to the left. You will see the Golden Mount temple off to the right and a small bridge, you go there and get the boat. It's easiest just to tell a taxi to go to 'pan fah' and pay 35 baht.

Then you get on the canal boat and you'll tell them your destination. You do this once the boat starts, dudes walking on the side of the boat will come around and collect money and you tell them your stop. Your stop is almost at the very end of the line, so its a long trip. You will have to change boats once, at Pratunam, as the boat you start on turns around and heads back from where you came from at that point, with the boat you need to get on doing the same thing in the other direction. Not sure of the price for that stop but it is very cheap, and a LOT faster than a taxi during heavy traffic

There are some maps and links about it on its wiki page

http://en.wikipedia....ep_Express_Boat

[Carib]

Link to the river boatservices:

http://www.chaophray...at.com/en/home/

Oops, just noticed you asked about canal boats.. Oh well look upon the riverboat link as a gift...

Edited February 1, 2012 by Carib

[impulse]

...take a tuk tuk. Maybe 30 baht or 15-20 minute walk.

Thanks for the rest of the post anyway. It was good info and very welcome. Thanks also to Carib. I love taking the boats to get around.

One question, though. How do you get a tuktuk for 30 baht to anywhere? I can't seem to get one to take me from here to the next corner for less than 100. If it's more than a block, the minimum seems to be 300+. Or do I have that "sucker" tattoo written across my forehead?

[DP25]

Well, with tuk tuks it can be hard to not get ripped off. A meter taxi from Samsen to Panfah for example is only 35 baht so you SHOULD be able to get a tuk tuk for 30, although they might not want to do it. What I do is wave one down, say my destination and the price I want to pay in Thai, and see if they agree. Don't ask how much, act like you know what the price is already because you do it every day. Easier to just take a taxi most of the time, but I do use tuk tuks for short 20-30 baht trips sometimes. If you're not Thai some just basically refuse to take you if you don't pay more though, especially ones in a tourist area.

Edited February 2, 2012 by DP25

[phuturatica]

...take a tuk tuk. Maybe 30 baht or 15-20 minute walk.

Thanks for the rest of the post anyway. It was good info and very welcome. Thanks also to Carib. I love taking the boats to get around.

One question, though. How do you get a tuktuk for 30 baht to anywhere? I can't seem to get one to take me from here to the next corner for less than 100. If it's more than a block, the minimum seems to be 300+. Or do I have that "sucker" tattoo written across my forehead?

Well, with tuk tuks it can be hard to not get ripped off. A meter taxi from Samsen to Panfah for example is only 35 baht so you SHOULD be able to get a tuk tuk for 30, although they might not want to do it. What I do is wave one down, say my destination and the price I want to pay in Thai, and see if they agree. Don't ask how much, act like you know what the price is already because you do it every day. Easier to just take a taxi most of the time, but I do use tuk tuks for short 20-30 baht trips sometimes. If you're not Thai some just basically refuse to take you if you don't pay more though, especially ones in a tourist area.

Cheers for the info guys. As for tuk tuks. I act like I get them all the time and when they give me a ridiculous price, I laugh and say "woah peng mak mak!" and walk off! It means "very expensive!" Sometimes they will say "ok how much pay?" and then I'll give them a price and they either take it or leave it. I only get tuk tuks for short journeys or motorbike taxis for short journeys.

I tend to find that it's hard to get taxi drivers to put the meter on. Instead they try and quote a price to me and I refuse. Sometimes I have to let about 8 taxis pass because none of the will put the meter on! Very frustrating!