Bangkok taxi drivers like to pimp out their cars. Anywhere the drivers gather, you are sure to find a sticker stall – a bicycle-driven shop that has thousands of different stickers and decals with which you can customize your car. “We Love The King” is a popular one, of course, but sometimes you see some pretty odd ones.
The other day I hopped into this taxi and saw what looked like a very typical, professional sticker indicating what behavior/items were appropriate in the car.
From left to right (as viewed by someone getting into the car):
- DVD Karaoke available
- No smoking allowed
- No drinks allowed
- No knives or guns allowed
- No sex allowed
- No durian allowed
- No dogs allowed
- No water buffalos allowed
Please, if you have a water buffalo with you, hail another taxi.
That’s freakin hysterical, even gives the Indians a challenge because the weirdest bumper stickers in the world are there. Plus 99 percent of the vehicles in India have a bumper sticker on the rear bumper that screams HONK! And trust me (or if you have been there you know) everyone obeys!
@Loonsounds – One wonders whether they really need the prompting of a bumper sticker. I’ve always assumed that they would go ahead and honk, sticker or not.
@christao408 – LOL so you’ve definitely been there. Of course they would honk! Indians love stuff like that and they seem to love stuff that makes a lot of loud noise. Everything was culture shock there but those ubiquitous and extranious bumper stickers saying honk! were somewhere near the top of the list!
They do get points for creativity … in Mexico City you’d usually have a CD and a rosary hanging from the rear view mirror and perhaps a Virgin of Guadalupe image on the gear stick for extra protection. Do BKK taxis have “special unofficial fees” as in NYC, say the $50 in NYC for “drunk passenger pukes on my cab”?
That’s awesome!That makes me want to buy/make some stickers haha…
water buffalo in taxi? LMAO
I love seeing weird signs like these across the world
Maybe it means no water buffalo meat??? But really thorough sticker display….so funnny!
Well – this just takes the fun out of riding a taxi in BKK. I’m looking for clarification on the no sex sticker. Do they mean just that position? So if someone wanted to try something in another position then it’s ok?
@ElusiveWords – hah!
So no water buffaloes. I guess elephants are OK then?
Do they think their turning Japanese? Do you think they’re turning Japanese? Do you really think so? (hah, you have that song stuck in my head now)!
@TheLatinObserver – They have a habit of trying to not use the meter, but other than that, no unofficial fees.@yang1815 – I’m waiting to see how you’ve pimped out your car when we arrive.@zozoyork – Well, they certainly don’t take the bus. =)@Wangium – The world is full of random signs, huh?@XXKimPossibleXX – Eeew. Yuck. Water buffalo burger doesn’t sound right.@ElusiveWords – @onmovement – The windows aren’t large enough to cover all of the positions you might try, Matt. No taxi karma sutra.@ToyPetFishes – Hey, if you can persuade the elephant to get into the taxi, then it’s fine.@TheCheshireGrins – iTunes pays me ten cents for each download of that track.
only in Asia. 😀
Guess when a passenger tries something and you don’t want to have it happen again – slap a sticker on the window! Funny stuff.
so funny! You are very observant! thanks for sharing, I will watch out for those next time.
haha they need those in places like NYC
haha… so cute
@B1ANCACACA – You have a problem with people bringing water buffalos into taxis there? =)@stevew918 – There must be a name for my disoder. Acute blog attention disorder or something.@murisopsis – As the number of stickers keep mounting…@verified_but_still_denied – I’m kind of curious if these type of things happen elsewhere. Perhaps they do?
haha they have dvd karaoke sets in the backseats?? SUCH an asian thing to do. lol
As I thought “anything” could be possible in the Land of A Thousand Smiles!! *disappointed*
@ElusiveWords – Naughty you! *rolling my eyes*
Do you still bargain for how much you are going to pay to get from point A to point B or do they actually turn on the meter and charge you by the mile??? I am wondering why they don’t want Durian in the cabs…maybe the seeds and peel make too big a mess…lol. Do the taxi drivers still sit up against the door…it always amused me…they sat as if there were half a dozen other people crowding them into a corner in the front seat!!! My theory was that they were making room for their guardian spirit to sit behind the wheel and help them out in the crazy Bangkok traffic!!! One of your commentors mentioned honking horns…I had ANOTHER theory….they all believe that “my horn operates your brakes”…that goes a LONG way towards explaining things…dont you think???Ruth Ann
@christao408 – Haha… Mine?! It’s not pimped at all. I like to roll sleeper style. hehe.
No wine, no sex, no women??? Omar Khyyam would lament.
hahaha! That sticker is awesome!
@ZSA_MD – “Enjoy wine and women and don’t be afraid, God has compassion.” @minhaners – I want one for my car, too.
@Redlegsix – Interestingly, the horn honking here isn’t so bad. At most it is just a gentle tap on the horn, sort of a “hi there – you see me, right?” As for the meters, they are generaly used although if you’re a farang and they are picking you up in a touristy area they may refuse to use the meter, although that is illegal.
@Rm2046 – It is up front, actually, but the mic cable reaches the back seat.@curry69curry – It is possible, just not in the back seat of a taxi.
This is so hilarious!!!
haha no durian
@mOoShimAnGo – Just like all the hotels here… very anti-durian society.
@christao408 – ha anti-durian … do u like durians? haaa i know andrew zimmerman doesn’t haaa
@mOoShimAnGo – Fresh durians are a bit… overpowering, shall we say? Durian ice cream and frozen durian is nice. Durian chips are lovely… like banana chips combined with potato chips.