Share Taxis of Thailand

Thailand is considered as a newly industrialised country, a socio-political classification stating that the nation has outpaced its developing counterparts in a macroeconomic sense. One of Thailand's indicators of this status is the increasing number of private vehicles in streets. Still, because it is not yet a first world country, share taxis still reign supreme and are used by most of the population.

Share taxis are a type of transportation that is somewhat like a conventional bus transport and a private vehicle. These often have semi-fixed or fixed routes. However, they can stop anywhere along their way to pick up or drop off passengers. Unlike buses and trains in developed countries, share taxis do not have fixed time schedules. As their name implies, total strangers may have to share a ride.

There are several types of unique share taxis in Thailand. There is the three-wheeled tuk-tuk, a small motorised version of the human-powered rickshaw. It has a cabin that can seat a driver and around two to three passengers. Vanpools are also common in the country. The vehicle used is a normal high-occupancy, air-conditioned van that can accommodate a driver and as many passengers the van can carry, usually around 10 to 12. These usually operate on a fixed schedule. Finally, there are the songthaews, sometimes known as baht busses. These share taxis start out as a pick-up or truck. Two benches are then installed on either side on the back of the vehicle, and a frame for a roof over the benches is created. Songathaews are used for transportation between towns and villages. They can carry around 20 to 40 passengers.