When you ask people to name the motor vehicle they most associate with Thailand, most will name the tuk-tuk, the (t)rusty three-wheeler that death-defyingly (and not always defyingly) careens through the congested streets of Krungthep. But the tuk-tuk isn’t the most Thai of motor vehicles: the pickup truck is.
Why are pickup trucks so popular here? First of all, imported vehicles carry a tariff of about 100% or more, depending on weight and price tag. Many brands of pickup trucks, particularly Toyotas, are built here in Thailand, making them much more affordable. In fact, Thailand produces more Toyota pickups than any other country.
The other reason pickups are so popular is the sheer utility of them. Why buy a sedan that only seats six or seven or eight when you can get fifteen or more into a pickup? Yes, even the advertisements for Toyota pickups shown in the cinema have images of a truck transporting an entire team of child footballers, cheering their victory. No mention, of course, that driving with people in the back of the truck is tremendously dangerous especially when those people are children.
Driving down the roads and highways of Thailand, we see no shortage of pickups filled to the brim with all sorts of cargo, all manner of people, and even some buffaloes. Even on the hottest days people are huddled in the back, jackets draped over them to keep the sun off their bodies.
So as Tawn and I start thinking about replacing his nearly 12 year old Nissan sedan, maybe we should start thinking in practical terms and consider a pickup!
christao408 
I think in India, it would bea) An autorickshaw (tuk-tuk)b) A truck/lorry with really colourful and funky art work .c) A two wheeler (motorbike or scooter mostly) with 3+ passengers!
You’re kidding – right? Think green – get a hybrid tuk-tuk and make extra money anytime you tool to the grocery. Yeah, that’s the ticket….
OMG hilarious! U guys could start a bus service.. How about giving tours to Xanga folks like us when we come visit u in Thailand?
Too funny. If people are used to sitting and driving in those conditions, then the thought of safety doesn’t come into play because that “what we always do.” Only through the eyes of someone not from that country/area do we think, “That’s not safe!” But funny, nonetheless, at least to THIS foreigner.
@snowjunky8 – Huh? Bus service? How about adding a make-shift “camper” to the back of the pick-up as a mobile hotel? LOL
A pickup is the only way to go; you can save alot of money using the “you haul it” theory. I wouldn’t be w/o one. Here in the States it is not legal to transport ppl in the pickup bed; that’ll get u a ticket faster than speeding.
Well…maybe then you guys should be thinking of adopting like Angelina Jolie
my family has a pickup too but we have the canopy thing for the bed. i usually end up sitting in the back so that the rest of the family can get the a/c in the cabin. there are cushions that fold out to become seats too. pretty nifty. haha.
tuk tuk are the autorickshaws of India… three wheeled motor bikes that sometimes carry five to six people in it when it has a seat only for two passengers. Every time I saw one on the road, which was all the time, my heart was in my mouth. They seem to be the most dangerous things on the road, and yet they never have any wrecks.
You will find a pickup handy when you move house.
I’m not riding in the back of a pick-up, although for the two of you it might be just the right choice.
how do you fit 8 in a sedan?
@icebladz – You would be amazed how many people Thais fit into a car. Kind of like the little circus car from which a dozen clowns emerge. Not comparing Thais to clowns, of course. Just a comment on how they manage to fit so many people inside.
@jandsschultz – Yeah, but it never seems to be just the two of us.
@choyshinglin – Gosh, I hope we don’t have to move house again for many years!
@ZSA_MD – Unfortunately, the tuk tuks here do have accidents and sometimes quite bad ones.
@piyapong – There you go – first hand confirmation of the story! 555. Actually, those tent-like canopies in the back are pretty cool.
@Wangium – Thinking of adopting but don’t think there is really any feasible way to make it work here in Thailand.
@ezzduzit – @swcheng15 – Yeah, funny how some things that are illegal in the US aren’t even blinked at here.
@curry69curry – Funny, Curry. Funny.
@snowjunky8 – I’d be happy to give you a tour but it isn’t going to be from the back of a pickup truck!
@murisopsis – Oh, yeah… right. Ha ha ha…
@Dezinerdreams – Actually, after I wrote this entry I considered that B and C exist here, too, and would be in strong contention for the most popular motor vehicle. I’ve noticed that Vietnam has even more motorscooters, though.
it’s like a makeshift suv since i rarely saw any suvs over there anyhow. =) just make sure if you get one of those and visitors decide to sit back there that they know it gets really hot and the “breeze” isn’t going to make it any better. 555~ <- yay!
Oh my goodness! I always wondered what those were called. Tuk-tuks huh? I never have a shortage of people telling me that my name means truck in Britain. Sigh.
@piyapong – Funny. Good way to discourage visitors, huh? =)
@socaltransplant – But spelled differently, I assume? “Lorry” doesn’t seem very common as a proper name.
Yes, you’re right. I spell it strange anyway. Lorrie. If I look up my entire maiden name on facebook, I find the majority of exact matched names spelled that way are men!