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INTERNAL FLIGHTS
There are more and more routes connecting the four corners of Thailand. Most flights originate from Bangkok but Chiang Mai and Ko Samui are increasingly used departure airports. The national airline is Thai Airways. At the time this text was created, the most active companies were the Nok Air, to Air Asia a Orient Thai, the SGA Airline, Bangkok Airways, jet asia and Thai Smile. If you don't leave your ticket purchase until the last minute, it is possible to travel to almost every corner of the country for less than €45 each way.
TRAIN
The national railway network Railway of Thailand it is usually well managed by the Thai state and allows you to buy tickets online.
It is based on 4 main lines based at Bangkok's Hualamphong station from where most long-distance travel originates. Despite the increasingly lower prices charged by the various competing airlines, the train remains a good solution especially for traveling from Bangkok to Chiang Mai (north), Surat Thani (south) both long journeys. Also in shorter stretches such as Kachanamburi, Lopburi and Ayuthaya.
There are basically three classes.
1st Class – works in a compartment with two bunk beds with air conditioning, sometimes individually adjustable. Prices are on par with those of low-cost airlines' flights.
2st Class – it is substantially cheaper, in the order of 1st class buses and the same type of comfort, in some trains with air conditioning, in others without. The food is much more basic than first class and so are the bathrooms.
3st Class – It has little to do with either first or second class. Almost only the most humble Thais use it because it has the most affordable prices. Some carriages have wooden seats, others have old and worn upholstery if not broken.
TRUCK
The state bus company is BKS and has terminals in virtually every province in the country. In general, the best BKS buses are considered the most modern and comfortable. The company has, however, several distinct classes: Local, Express, Second class, First Class (40 seats), VIP (32 to 34 seats) and Super VIP (20 to 24 seats, used almost always in night trips) .
Many other companies promote their own trips and all too often deceive foreign passengers who buy tickets attracted by the lower price and images of modern and semi-luxury buses that have nothing to do with the ones they end up traveling on.
CAR RENTAL
It can be arranged at almost all airports and many counters in Thai cities, or in the case of multinational companies, booked online at lower prices, especially if the rental is arranged well in advance. Thai companies offer more affordable rentals but have older, less-maintained cars.
Expect to pay from €25 per rental day for smaller utilities, €125 to €140 per week. Most companies require an International Driving License and a credit card to rent.
SHIP
Modern, comfortable and air-conditioned ferries depart regularly from Surat Thani to the most popular southern islands such as Ko Samui and Ko Pha Ngan. From Krabi, the Phi-Phi Islands are one of the most popular destinations for foreigners.
For some time now, it has been possible to travel in stages from Phuket to Padang, Indonesia, practically without having to stop on the Thai mainland. The islands that are part of this long itinerary are Ko Phi Phi, Ko Lanta, Ko Ngai, Ko Mook, Kobulon, Ko Lipe-Ko (Thailand-Malaysia border), Langkawi (Malaysia) and Penang (Indonesia).
For shorter distances, motorboats and long-tail boat (reua hang yao) they are the quintessential water taxis of southern Thailand. They reach considerable speeds and navigate in shallow waters but are very noisy, polluting and unmanageable and vulnerable in slightly choppy waters. Avoid them – like all shallow-bottom boats – if the sea is rough or it's monsoon season and you can expect it to get rough at any moment. Expect to pay €5 to €10 for a maximum of 4 or 5 hours of use, around €25 to €30 for a full day.
OTHER
songthaews
Apart from conventional buses, Thailand is also covered by countless songthaews, vans to which a covered rear cabin is adapted but open on the sides or with windows and only two lateral rows of seats lined up facing each other. They are the most economical way to travel medium distances.
Tuk-tuks
Thai rickshaws are motorcycles with three wheels, some still with the characteristic engine noise that gave rise to the name. There are countless in Bangkok but they also appear in several other cities. If you take one of these tuk-tuks, remember to agree the price in advance. If you don't, chances are you'll have to pay a lot more than you expected. It is considered that when you pay more than 80 baht (€1,90) for a trip from tuk-tuk, this trip could have been made by a more comfortable means of transport, possibly by taxi. Please note that traveling from Tuk tuk is one of the Thai experiences not to be missed.
Taxis
They are more and more common in Bangkok where they even appear in pink. Lately, they have been equipped with taximeters, which makes their use much easier. Avoid illegal taxis. These will probably not have the seal that authenticates the service or taximeter.