Yesterday was a boring Sunday and I had not done anyhing all weekend except recover from a hangover. So i jumped into the car drive for about an hour to Bang Prakong river for a spot of jet skiing. This weekend the Mrs wants to go to hua Hin so I will knock of work on Friday lunchtime and we will be kite surfing on the beach by 4pm.

The reason to own a car (that u drive yourself) is to get out of bangkok, not drive in it.

I respectfully disagree about owning a car in Thailand.

Besides the issue of getting around the cheapest most convenient way there is the more important issue of the actual driving experience.

In The World, the roads are safe and uniform and there are tons of police enforcing a raft of laws that take all the fun out of actually driving.

In Thailand, there roads are dangerous and ever changing and there is no enforcement of the traffic laws.

The only constraint on your driving is your judgement, your tolerance for risk, and the capabilities of your machine of the moment.

Driving in Thailand actually requires some skill.

In The World, a 4WD vehicle is a waste of money. Everywhere that is interesting that requires 4WD is fenced off or covered by a phonebook of dos and don’ts that are enforced by an army of police and through the use of draconian penalties.

In Thailand, you pull off the road and drive where you want. Nobody stops you.

Don’t sell the Thailand driving experience short.

Just like the Thailand Girl Scene it is something that is special to Thailand and no longer available in The World—-unless you are rich and have the money to own and maintain a race car and pay the fees to take it onto an actual race track.

Blogger X

WHen we reached Ubon and the traffic, I stopped the car and switched with Kenny; it had been too long for me to drive the car in the traffic, at night, in a driving rain.

As for driving in BKK, I really ain’t interested in doing that. I’ve been here long enough that I can see what the drivers here are doing, but I have no desire to drive like a local.

I have to continue to agree to disagree with you about owning a car in BKK. There is a decent train system that’s about to expand. Taxis are the cheapest in the world. It’s trains, taxis and walking for me inside of Bangkok.

I can go to any town in Thailand in comfort on an air conditioned bus by just showing up and putting down a few hundred baht.

If I want to make a driving tour anywhere I can rent a vehicle (in fact, Kenny’s truck is a rental) or, more likely, just hire a driver and car to take me while I relax in the back.

Given the cost and convenience of public transport options in BKK I wouldn’t go through the expense and aggravation of owning a car here.

I do think it would be handy to have a motorbike. A year after I first considered the idea I’m still toying with it.

Maybe soon….

Driving up country is so different than in Bangkok.