Song Taew

Song Taew is another form of transportation that can give you the sense of feeling that you’ve been to Bangkok, or Thailand for that matter. But the problem is you must happen to be on a street where it operates.

Literally, “Song Taew” means “Two Rows.” As you can see, there are two rows of seats facing each other.

Looking more closely, you will see the vehicle is just a pickup truck w/ a tall roof added on, the tailgate taken away to pave way for a hanging step, and of course a bell for passengers to ring when their stop comes which is arbitrary.

People who get to benefit from Song Taews are those living further from a main road, or those having a business to do there, the latter of which could be you. Most of the times, the two-row pickup trucks operate within secondary streets, ancillary lanes or sub roads, however you’d like to call them.

In Bangkok, when you see the word Soi, you know that it is a street, lane or road dependant on a main one. One major road, like Sukhumvit or Silom, can have a lot of Sois. You could probably use the word “block” loosely to define an area between one Soi and another. But, remember Sois can be a lot smaller than roads that cut a block boundary.

So it is the Song Taew that serves as a vein for commoners in a Soi. For most of the Sois, no public bus would bother to go in as it is not worth it. Then, forget about mass transit systems like the skytrain or subway.

Now, you as a tourist might be wondering if you’ll ever get to experience this Thai mode of transit. Don’t worry. There can be a few possibilities where hopping on one is the way to go:

- going to apply for visa extension at the Immigration Office
- on your way to a magazine-recommended restaurant
- visiting an expat friend at her quiet condo
- getting back to your hotel/guesthouse/vacation rental

etc.

It is more often than not that the above places are far far away from a main road. Take Sathorn Road, and the one in the photo will get you right in front of the Immigration Office in Soi Suanplu, Sathorn Road.

Joe

P.S. It is not advisable to stand at the back like the guy on the right....but who am I to say? You're here for a fun-filled time, aren't you? Thank you very much for checking this out. This blog is, however, no longer where I am in life now. So, if you’re interested, please visit my new abode: http://happyjoeintheworld.blogspot.com/ This one expands beyond Bangkok, Thailand, in a pursuit of contentment. Hopefully, it will be something everyone can relate to. Thanks a lot! Joe

Why 28 Barbary Lane?

A few years ago I was introduced to Armistead Maupin’s ‘Tales of the City’ series. I happened to be visiting a friend in Seattle when the PBS series was broadcast. Shortly after that I was in Chiang Mai, Thailand and discovered the entire collection in a second hand bookstore. I became hooked on 28 Barbary Lane, that fictitious address in San Francisco that boasted such a sense of community. There was Anna Madrigal, Mary Ann Singleton, and Michael Tolliver, along with a host of other characters popping in and out of 28 Barbary Lane. I reflected on my own sense of community in Vancouver and had to admit that I found it lacking. Was it me? Was it Vancouver? Probably a bit of both. But I do remember that upon moving to Bangkok I made the conscious decision to do my part to have community. We are fortunate to live in one of the safest cities in the world (yes, even with the current protests). It’s also very quiet and green where we are so I have adopted an open door policy. First thing in the morning, I open the front door onto the planted terrace. It stays that way until bedtime unless I pop out to the market or to run an errand. Unannounced, everyday, neighbors and friends drop in to say hi, have a coffee, inquire about cooking dinner together, ask for a hammer, drop off some cookies, share their successes and their disappointments with me. I can honestly boast of having more sense of community now than I have ever had in the countless cities I have lived in.

And how appropriate this is. One of the things that will impress you about Bangkok is how connected the people are. They know their neighbors, they chat with them, eat noodles with them, work side by side with them on the street. You only have to walk down our soi, Suanplu Soi 8 to know that this is so.

So very often you’ll see Joe promoting BangkokSong as Bangkok’s own 28 Barbary Lane. A real destination peopled with characters that rival anything Maupin invented. My character? Need you ask? It has to be Anna Madrigal. But the secret I hide is nowhere as sensational as Anna’s was.

Looking for a vacation with community. Come to BangkokSong, Bangkok’s own 28 Barbary Lane.

Randall