Travelogue Khlong and Canal Boat: Cheap and Fast Transportation in Bangkok
 

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Khlong and Canal Boat: Cheap and Fast Transportation in Bangkok
Written by Shirley T   
Thursday, 10 July 2008 06:10
Canal BoatBangkok - 'Venice of the East' definitely has lived up to its name as there are plenty of watery canals in the city. Historically, these canals were dug surrounding the city as protection from foreign invasion or enemy. But today, it serves as the most efficient or fastest and cost effective mode of transportation in Bangkok especially during the peak hours if you do not mind the smell of the canal. If you are planning for a trip to Bangkok on limited budget and still want to see everything in this City of Angels, stay near the canal (locally known as khlong) and leverage on the canal boat or some of them called it 'water taxi'. Usually these canal boats operate from 7 am until 7 pm.

During our recent trip to Bangkok, we stayed in a guest house along Khlong Saen Saeb on the lane next to top tourist attraction; Jim Thompson House. It was never in our plan to go around by canal boat as the National Stadium sky train station is only 300 m away from the guest house. On the first morning, we decided to board canal boat after asking the reception lady on direction to the nearest pier - Saphan Hua Chang. Knowing a little bit of Thai, at least made us comfortable enough to ask one of the ladies waiting at the same pier where should we get off for our destination to Wat Saket or Golden Mount.

If there is no resource to refer, upon arrival at the pier, identify the boat direction for your destination whether it should be along upstream or downstream of the canal. Some maps are also equipped with pier's name and exact side of its location. Each pier normally does have a sign board in Roman and Thai stated the present pier's name and the next upstream or downstream piers' names which are guided with arrows direction as shown below.
Signboard at Saphan Hua Chang Pier

If you wish to ask a Thai folk, the following simple Thai may help to seek advice for the correct pier of your destination:

Pai Wat Saket, tha arai ?
Go Wat Saket, which pier ? (Pai means Go, Tha means Pier)

Wat Saket (Golden Mount)
While I was sitting in the moving boat, I noticed that Thai are very innovative to use blue colored ground sheets as side curtain to prevent the canal water from splashing onto the boat passengers. This curtain will be rolled down during boarding or disembarking. I believe the canal was not deep, as there was no life jacket on the boat. Furthermore, plenty of water was churned and spilled out indicating its shallowness in accordance to Archimedes Principle. Anyway, this is only my theory, please do not experiment unless you are prepared to get dirty!
On canal boat
The cost for the canal boat ride is between 4 Baht to 15 Baht depending on the distance of the journey.
Canal Boat Ticket

Some guide for the boat charges along Khlong Saen Saeb as below:
From Tha Pratunam to Tha Saphan Hua Chang = 4 Baht
From Tha Saphan Hua Chang to Tha Phanfa = 12 Baht

Bo Bae MarketFor the canal boat run along Khlong Saen Saeb, it starts from Tha Phanfa (last stop of downstream) to Tha Ramkhamhaeng (last stop of upstream). Below is the destination guide of some attractions nearby the pier stop:
* Tha Pratunam (Interchange) - Walk to Pratunam Market, Platinum Fashion Mall, Panthip IT Mall, Central World Plaza, Gaysorn, Erawan Shrine
* Tha Phanfa - Walk to Golden Mount (Wat Saket), KhaoSan Road, Giant Swing, Democracy Monument, Grand Palace
* Tha Bo Bae - To shop at Bo Bae clothing wholesalers market
* Tha Saphan Hua Chang - To shop at Siam Square, Siam Paragon, Siam Discovery, MBK, dine at Hard Rock Cafe or visit Jim Thompson House (walk about 200 m towards right from pier)

Check out the details here.

Personally, it was a great experience! I feel it is safe, cheap, fast and less touristy. The minus are smelly and dirty. I do not mind to take canal boat again on my next trip to Bangkok!


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