One of the best (if not the safest) ways to get around the narrow alleys of Krungthep are the motorcycle taxis. I shot this video a few months ago but didn’t put it together until this afternoon. I hope you enjoy it.
christao408
The adventures of an expat American who moved to Bangkok for his husband.
christao408 
whoa, that’s kind of scary… made worse because you all drive on the other side of the road!
Wow, what a ride. I like your choice of music. Man, it is better and even exciting than 007 and MI films. It was funny that the driver put on his helmet almost at the end, and I was wondering, did you have a helmet on at all? By the way, it is one of these motorcycles that ran over my foot last time I was in Bangkok, ouch. Great video, kudos.
I feel… woozy. I think I’ll pass on that kind of ride. I’m still not over the virtual ride and the real deal would certainly put me into a full fledged panic. How did you film and not get thrown off?
Nice background music! Sounds like you’re in the “Amazing Race” too. I did this motorbike stint in Phuket, but haven’t in BKK yet, I guess too much excitment for me to take on. Are you in a hurry to go somewhere? This is for sure the quickest way to get around the city. A few of the sois looked familiar, is it near the Emporium area or Sukumvit?
Yikes!!! Thanks for this tour of Krungthep! Interesting in the first half that all the streets seem to be lined with one-story high walls where there are not buildings right to the street.
Wow, very well done video. The soundtrack choice was perfect. I know it was basically just a routine stroll around town, but it felt very exciting (and this is even coming from someone who rides a motorcycle). I have to say, your road conditions look hazardous. I don’t know if I’d want to ride a motorcycle there; I’d be afraid of getting run over by a bus or something.
I usually only use those when there’s severe traffic where I’m going. Pricing isn’t too bad.
Geez, are there many accidents there?
@Roadlesstaken – Fewer than you would expect and mostly fender-benders because speeds aren’t that high. But, yes, there are.@LostSock21 – I usually only take these going from my condo to the mouth of the soi. This was an extremely long ride and I did it because it was the middle of the morning, pretty light traffic, perfect video shooting conditions, and the available driver is someone whom I trust.@arenadi – Interestingly, my insurance provides only half coverage if I’m injured while riding on a motorcycle. They have made the same observations you did.@slmret – Good observations! The neighborhood I live in is mostly residential and those walls are around the private homes and family compounds. It wasn’t until the second half that I made it over to one of the more commercial areas.@CurryPuffy – You’re right. The opening shot was turning from soi Thong Lor 9 and Thong Lor 13, then the final shots were on Sukhumvit Soi 39 (Phrom Pong) turning onto Petchaburi Road.@murisopsis – Well, we were going much slower in real life, my camera is very small and easy to hold, and my other hand was on the handle behind my lower back.@stevew918 – Nope, no passenger helmet although they are technically supposed to have one for you upon request. He put the helmet on near the end because we had entered the main street, which is not only very busy but also often has a police checkpoint.@kunhuo42 – Well, in this video they seem to drive on all sides of the road!
HAHAHA. Oh my, that is one of the funniest things I have ever seen. Fantastic! The music adds so much too. Two thumbs up! (Even though the fact that you have it on double- or triple-speed makes it seem a lot more dangerous than it is. But in any case, I hope my mother doesn’t see this video! ;)Thanks for sharing, Chris!
Put this on IMAX and people will be screaming. The music matches the pace and danger of the ride. I did notice him w/o the helmet *shakes head*. Even when he puts it on, he doesn’t strap it on. Seriously – have you gotten used to this already? And where does he hang the amulets?
Nice bug at around 1:3X!Lots of Corollas too.
@yang1815 – Have watched that section several times and I don’t see the bug…@ElusiveWords – Have I gotten used to it? Yes. Normally, though, I wouldn’t ride the motorcycle so far. Normally, about a one-minute ride to the mouth of the alley. Amulets are around his neck.@sgtowns – Glad you liked it so much. I’ll be sure to forward it to your mom’s attention!
Ah… I think Andy meant the VW Bug at 1:33 to 1:35 (dark blue, on your left as you folks were passing it). I kept looking for some insect. *slaps head*
Good grief! I sure hope your mother does not read your blog.I’ve been on a motorcyle taxi in BKK once. I was asking directions and a Thai lady walked me over to a motorcyle taxi, talked to the guy (I thought she was getting directions) and then pushed me on the back and away we went.No thanks.
@christao408 – @ElusiveWords – Ooops yeah the Volkswagen Bug haha.
@ElusiveWords – @yang1815 – Ha ha ha! Yeah, that’s not the type of bug I was looking for.@Catherine – Oh, my whole family reads it. It is a good means to get around very nearby areas, although I certainly don’t recommend it for major streets or long-distance travel. Interesting site you have. Are you familiar with http://www.its4thai.com?
Your mother must be soooooooooooo nervous Thanks. And yes, I know Stuart of its4thai.com, as the Thai learning community is very small. You can find most of the bloggers/sites in my resources (select ‘Learn Thai for FREE’ and scroll all the way down).
@Catherine – Very good. Stuart and I have been friends for a few years now. Proof that the world (or at least Thailand) is a small place.
Phew…watching your short video had me gripping the edge of my seat. Traffic seems crazy there but I suspect there is some organized craziness to it all.
@bejewel07 – Yes, order in the midst of chaos. Kind of. Well, we tell ourselves that just to feel better about the whole mess.