Samlors...!

[Irish Alan]

Okay it is early on Monday, I am hormonal, it is gripe time and I need to get this off my chest. If you have your own transport this will be a distant memory for you but as I am not permanent in this country just yet I rely on public transport notably the trusty old samlor.

These guys baffle me.
1. They never have change, which of course is a ploy (Sorry mentioned this before). A 40 Baht fare and hand them a 50 Baht note and they do not have 10 Baht. Say ok I’ll go into this 7/11 and get change and they mysteriously find 10 Baht in of all places their pocket!
2. They only seem to know the airport and the complek (Robinson’s) and that is it.

One time I was checking out apartments and I had a business card and I handed it to the driver. In Thai I asked him if he knew it and he said yes. I knew it was near Rajabhat so the direction he was going in baffled me but I said nothing. He left me to the Irish Clock. (Well at least he knew where it was.) Another time I asked to go to the Full Moon. The driver agreed on 40 Baht… He drove around and around and obviously didn’t know where it was. After an eternity being bounced around Udon he stopped and asked a colleague and we arrived just in time for last drinks. I handed him 40 Baht but he wanted more for the tour of Udon… Not a chance son, learn your bars!

Mojo’s? Nope… Try it in different tones and drop the ‘S.’ to make something like Mojo Bah!

Irish Clock? Nope! Sunday morning I told a samlor driver in Thai, “Restaurant Irish Clock, Soi Sampan.” Blank look! He called over his colleague and he translated Soi Sampan to Soi Sampan. Ah I see I said the pan bit in mid tone and it should have been falling… Oh silly me, lucky your shop steward can understand Thai in an Irish accent.

If you walk out of the Complek they assume you are going to the airport even if you are just dressed in a t-shirt, shorts and flip-flops. I need to learn to be sarcastic in Thai and ask something like, “Where exactly on the planet do you think I’m going dressed like this?” A few days ago I walked out of Robinson’s carrying 2 Tops bags with bread rolls, orange juice and other groceries and once again an individual of wishful thinking asked me, “Airport?” I held up the bags to him and asked, “With these? Do you think I’m going somewhere to do a food drop?” Obviously this was met with the same look that a cow gives a passing train. *

Rant over… For now!

* From the song “If dirt were dollars.” Reproduced with the kind permission of Don Henley.

No animals were harmed in the making of this post.

[BobHelm]

A few days ago I walked out of Robinson’s carrying 2 Tops bags with bread rolls, orange juice and other groceries and once again an individual of wishful thinking asked me, “Airport?” I held up the bags to him and asked, “With these? Do you think I’m going somewhere to do a food drop?” Obviously this was met with the same look that a cow gives a passing train. *

Agree with most of what you say Alan....but you must have been on the Udon/BKK plane. Shopping, bicycles, stereo, TV...all good stuff for the flight....

[beer monkey]

If you walk out of the Complek they assume you are going to the airport even if you are just dressed in a t-shirt, shorts and flip-flops.

and same goes(expept with-out the flippy-flops) for the 'Taxi' Touts at bangers airport as soon as you walk out the arrivals door and you are a male its..." Taxi sir.."where you go Pattayaaaaa". Noooooo i am going to 'Wat Mahathat Temple of the Great Relic' in Bangkok, thanks velly mut khrap

get yourself a small pedal bike Alan, then you can go where you wish with-out all the confusion of a simple samlor ride.

[JimboPSM]

So, I wonder if it would be correct to assume that there is not a requirement in Udon for Samlor drivers to pass an equivalent of

[beer monkey]

"The Knowledge".... remember that Film it was brilliant another good one from the british film industry, never forget the 'Manor House to Gibson Square' line in it, will stick with me for ever.
(i bet many people don't know what i am talking about and i reckon jimbo will though)

[JimboPSM]

"The Knowledge".... remember that Film it was brilliant another good one from the british film industry, never forget the 'Manor House to Gibson Square' line in it, will stick with me for ever.
(i bet many people don't know what i am talking about and i reckon jimbo will though)

To be honest I didn't, but after consulting Mr Google I have come up with two films called "The Knowledge" - synopses for them:

• 1. A humorous 1979 film about this learning experience, called The Knowledge, was written by Jack Rosenthal for ITV, and was in 2000 voted number 83 in a list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes compiled by the British Film Institute.
  
  2. Carrie and David plan the perfect fling. She suggests they tell each other their sexual preferences, but when it

[beer monkey]

yes the first one, great film if you ever get the chance to see it, and the second one is probably not my cup of num-char.

[lee]

The drivers of London's black cabs learn their trade the hard way. In order to get their famous green badge, the drivers have to complete "The Knowledge". Getting this qualification involves getting on a moped and memorizing every street within six miles of Charing Cross. Taxi drivers are regulated by the Metropolitan Police, and discipline is very important. Exams are conducted with military formality and "cabbies" are often extremely nervous beforehand. Nevertheless, it's worth it. Although the minimum fare is only £1.50, the driver's weekly wage can be up to £800, making London's cabbies possibly the best paid in the world.

Maybe the Thai goverment should introduce a simliar system "Saamlaw Green Badge".

[Aardvark]

Excuse my ignorance, but is a Samlaw a rickshaw,pushbike or Tuktuk motorbike. I asked my wife but because I did'nt pronounce it properly she could'nt give me an exact answer. By the way Alan, I asked my wife why when she pronounces something wrong in English I can still understand what she means, but when I pronounce it wrong in Thai she has no idea what I'm saying?? Her answer was "Dont Know"

[Mainer]

Sam-law simply means 3-wheels. It can mean a tuk-tuk or 3-wheel pedal taxis or a similar contraption, as sometimes seen in other places, other than Udon. Such as 2 wheels in the front and driver on a motorbike in the back, where passengers sit in the front.

I am glad to see the thread back on track.

[TJ]

So. Are the Udon Thani Thai numbered pickup trucks that service the established routes about the city "only" called baht buses?

[BKKSTAN]

So. Are the Udon Thani Thai numbered pickup trucks that service the established routes about the city "only" called baht buses?

These are called songtaews!

[polehawk]

So. Are the Udon Thani Thai numbered pickup trucks that service the established routes about the city "only" called baht buses?

Called songtaew (two benches for passengers).

[Irish Alan]

Excuse my ignorance, but is a Samlaw a rickshaw,pushbike or Tuktuk motorbike.

Salor/samlor as Mainer said just means 3 wheels so I think it applies to both peddled and the motorised type. I think tuk-tuk is technically the type you see in Bangkok (and Khon Kaen) as they got their name from the sound of the engine.

[fredro1uk]

=D> Hi all
The knowledge,,, done it, Jack Rosenthal's film was very true to life, Alan even just riding in a samlor deserves a medal, I imagine it is the nearest thing to Lord Bhudda without actually meeting him.
I must say that London Cabbies have a very high standard of knowledge and very professional, I would say that would'nt I, the famous words of the Infamous Mandy Rice Davies. I worked a London cab more than 30 years, now residing in KK. fredro.

[Irish Alan]

=D> Hi all The knowledge,,, done it, Jack Rosenthal's film was very true to life,

Here it is on IMDB.com
http://imdb.com/title/tt0082624/

Alan even just riding in a samlor deserves a medal, I imagine it is the nearest thing to Lord Bhudda without actually meeting him.
I must say that London Cabbies have a very high standard of knowledge and very professional, I would say that would'nt I, the famous words of the Infamous Mandy Rice Davies. I worked a London cab more than 30 years, now residing in KK. fredro.

I cannot understand why they do not familiarise themselves with at least all the hotels AND the usual haunts where the fahlang usually go. After all they extract most money from fahlang. Seems to make business sense to me... My patience is limited and I only try about 3 times and if you they do not know after that they are out and I move on and try the next guy.

[Aardvark]

Alan, not only dont they familiarise them selves with the local haunts, they also lack discretion. About 4 years ago myself and a couple of friends went down to soi 2 for a look at the young Lao girls that are brought in to work. We took in a bit of eye candy had a couple of Beers and went home to our wives like good boys. The next night I turned up at the Bar and the Driver stopped my wife on the way in and informed her of where he'd taken us the night before. Mine and another Guys wife immediately jumped on the bike and raced down to talk with the Mamasan who confirmed that we were perfect gentlemen. I bet a London Cabbie would know better than to do that

[polehawk]

Whatever you do, don't pull out a map for the driver. I wanted to go to BB Resort about 18 months ago when we first hit town after a long absence but a couple of tuk tuk drivers never heard of the place so I pulled out my handy copy of UdonMap. Driver took the map and held a parley meet with all of the local drivers. They turned that map sideways and upside down even though I pointed at the spot on the map where I wanted to go. No one could figure it out. Finally, after long discussion I got lucky because one of the drivers lived in Nongsamrong and said, "Ohhh, BB !" and rattled off directions in Issan tongue. They did give me back my now wrinkled up map, though, and we bounced happily down the road.

[thalenoi]

So. Are the Udon Thani Thai numbered pickup trucks that service the established routes about the city "only" called baht buses?

Called songtaew (two benches for passengers).

The strange thing about songteaws is that they have 3 benches

[beer monkey]

The strange thing about songteaws is that they have 3 benches

Must be called a Sahmteaw.