Tuk-tuks, Bangkok

Avoid TukTuks at all costs.99% of them are crooks.They will always overcharge you.Best thing to do especially if you are with a family is to take the metered taxis.They will charge you as much as the crooked Tuk Tuk guys quote.Also they will try to take you to shops where something will be thrust down on you to buy.The Tuk Tuk guy gets a petrol coupon for bringing the tourist to the shop. They will also tell you that most of the sightseeing places are closed either for some ceremony or for weekly off etc.Avoid guys who want to take to to buy Gems .

Unique Suggestions: Carry a road map with you.When you leave the hotel ,get the reception staff to write down in Thai language,the names of the places you want to visit.Show the slip to the taxi driver and also show him the place on the map,you are less likely to be taken for a wrong ride!
Bluntly say you dont want any Gems or Shopping ,stick to your stand and sound firm,you should be safe.

You could try a Tuk-Tuk once or twice, just for fun, but the polluted air makes travelling in one more or less unbearable.

Also, please bear in mind that in 99% of the situations they would be SIGNIFICANTLY more expensive than a Taxi with a taximetre! Don't be fooled!

Fun Alternatives: Take a taxi! The green ones are the most confortable ones (they all cost the same) and DEFINATELY ask for the taximetre!!!

i was on the way to the Wat Pho and when i was just having 100m walk, there were some tuk tuk drivers and they came to us and saying the Palace and the Wat Pho are closed for the ceremony at that time till 5pm, then opened again till 7pm after teh ceremony. they suggested to take the tuk tuk and show other temples before getting back. however, the tourist information mentioned the Wat Pho opened till 5pm. i did not buy their tricks and they turned their face to an annoying one when i said no to them. afterwards, i went on my journey and just round the corner, i found Wat Pho. well, you might think that won't cost you a lot if they drove you to other temples by their tuk tuks, but you will regret after you take their offer because you gonna miss the best thing in Old Bangkok.

Unique Suggestions: Say No to the Tuk tuk driver and go on your own way if you dun want to have tuk tuk at all.

Incomprensiblemente cuando preguntas por algun sitio turistico , hay gente que te puede decir que esta cerrado para llevarte o que vayas a otro sitio
Esto pasa principalmente cuando preguntas a los conductores de tuc tucs o a algunas personas cerca del Palacio Real

It is not easy to understand that when you ask for some touristic place, somepeople may say to you that is closed in order to take you or that you go to a different place
This happens mainly when you ask the Tuc Tuc drivers or to somepeople near the Royal Palace

Unique Suggestions: Procura ver la informacion en alguna guia o pregunta en un hotel

Try to see the info in a travel guide or ask in a Hotel

El tuc tuc parece que puede ser un buen medio de transporte , pero al final es dificil llegar a un acuerdo con ellos , ya que dicen que te te pueden hacer una carrera a buen precio , PERO , primero te tienen que parar en una tienda para ver si compras algo

Ademas se te acerca gente bien vestida para recomendarte que utilices el tuc-tuc porque hay siempre alguna cosa especial que ver y claro te dicen que trabajan en la Thai o en algun Ministerio

Tuc-tuc seems a good transport, but at the end is difficult to reach an agreement with them , because they say that they may give you a ride at good price , BUT , you must stop first in a shop to buy something

Besides Somebody very smart aproaches you to recomend you to use the tuc-tuc because always there is some spetial thing to see and of course they say you that they are working for Thai or for a Goverment Depatrment

Unique Suggestions: No subas en un tuc-tuc si no has acordado claramente lo que quieres hacer y el precio

Don?t get on a tuc-tuc if you don?t have a clear agreement of where to go and the price

Quite often you will try to hitch a ride in a tuk tuk and after saying your destination the fellow will refuse, not even politely to take you there. Why? Still to find out but just get a taxi, they are not expensiveand you won't have to put up with a fellow who will try to kill you in a rotten bicycle with an engine attached to it after making you pay double you should.

Not keen on tuk tuks myself, as you can see..

Unique Suggestions: Always settle the price in advance and don't allow the drivers to haggle or negotiate too much.
Half of the times, you destination is not on their planned route and they will try to dump you somewhere nearby or take you somewhere else.

You are the customer and they cannot even bother to be polite to you so, what the heck!

Fun Alternatives: Take a taxi.

My mom and I were outside of the Royal grand palace, when a Tuk-tuk offered to take us to see the standing buddha, sitting buddha, lying down buddha for just 10 baht, which is about 25 US cents (http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/time-zone/asia/thailand/currency.htm good way to convert baht to US.)

I knew it was sketchy, but whatever. What's the worst that could happen besides death. So we hop in. We start driving, and it is so far. My mom expresses her concern about why he is doing us this favor. We go see the standing up buddha (oh, joy!) and then on the way to the sitting buddha he says we will make a pit stop. We stop by two somewhat interesting shops and are asked to browse for 10 minutes so that he can get free gas from the shop-owners. At least he is honest. He then takes us to the sitting buddha, which is already closed (Yes, they close at around 4. Figure out what time everything closes before you decide to go.) We go to one more duty-free shop, before going to the lying down buddha where he abandons us. We are then stranded and have to find a bus station (nobody speaks english, and we definitely don't speak any Thai. we were very unprepared.) The bus is 10 cents and will take you anywhere. Very run down, but a great third-worldy experience. I liked it. That was our one day in bangkok.

The shop owners and the tuk-tuks have a deal. If they bring in customers, the shop owners will pay for their gas.

Unique Suggestions: Don't speak with the people who work at the store too much. They may sell interesting things, but if you're not intersted in buying, no point in leading them on. Once they talk with you, they think they have you and won't let go.

Fun Alternatives: Take the bus. It's just 10 cents, and it's fun. I enjoy doing things the local way, because that's the only way you can get the full experience.

The tuk tuk scam is not going to get you killed - but just be aware of it.
If you are at a hotel, and asking a concierge (outside) how much a taxi is to a shopping centre or wherever - watch out for the tuk tuk man who is listening. Then as you walk off, he will say 'do you want to go to ____ wherever' and says it will cost you 1/2 or 1/3rd the price you were quoted by the concierge. Then after you get it, he stops at the side of the road, gets his map out and explains that his sponsor has a shop close by where you are going, if you go in and have a look, he will get a petrol stamp. You do not have to buy anything.
This one is more of a pain in the bum than a scary scam - you just detour to the jewellery shop or whereever, you go in and pretent to be interested, you go out 10 mins later, the bloke has his stamp and you get to where you are going no worries. And it costs you a heap less. Up to you. We did it and are no worse of becuase of it!!