The Bangkok Taxi Project

Since moving into my condo here in Bangkok, I no longer have easy access to public transportation. This therefore means that I spend an exhorbitant amount of time in taxis. Using a taxi as a primary means of transportation most definitely has some negative aspects to it: taxis pollute significantly more than, say, the SkyTrain; taxis are significantly more expensive than, say, the SkyTrain (but SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper than taxis in the U.S.! You can spend an hour in a taxi in Bangkok and spend less than five bucks); and traffic in Bangkok is just about the most horrific thing you can imagine. Not only are the streets crammed with cars, but they are also crammed with tuk tuks and daredevil motorcycles that threaten to snap off car mirrors and food vendor carts trying to cross at a busy intersection and elephants and chauffeur-driven SUVs with no regard for traffic signals.

BUT....when life hands you lemons, y'know?? I am currently choosing to dwell on the positive side of the street. To be perfectly honest, some of the most fascinating, surprising, and yes, frustrating interactions that I've had in Thailand have occurred while riding in a taxi. Taxi drivers have taught me phrases in Thai (in fact, I learned to count to ten during a ride from the airport!), been concerned for my well-being, tried (and succeeded) to screw me out of extra cab fare, and put me tremendously at ease with sweet attempts at conversation in broken English. Most of them also call me "sir."

Being a passenger in taxis has given me a unique glimpse into Thailand and the beautiful, friendly souls that dwell here. The interactions with cab drivers--set against a backdrop of Bangkok as it bustles past my window--have engendered a deep affection for this place and its people within me. These interactions also serve as very powerful, very human reminders that I am incredibly far from home. That I am the stranger here. That I still have much to learn about the way things are done here. That unexpected beauty and kindness are more abundant than I had ever expected.

I have therefore decided to document my most memorable experiences as a passenger in Bangkok's taxi cabs. It is important to note here that, while encounters with taxi drivers have served as fertile ground for cultivating awareness about Thai culture, I do not intend to document them as a means of making blanket statements, or drawing incomplete conclusions about the Thai people and Thai culture. Culture, after all, is a complex, intricate, and hearty thing. It is also important to note that , while some of my interactions with taxi drivers are amusing and/or frustrating, it is not my intention to criticize or make fun of taxi drivers. I actually regard them with utmost respect, and I hope the affectionate lens through which I view them is apparent in my writing. They have, after all, been tremendous teachers (and, at times, saviors!) to a sometimes-clueless farang who is navigating her way through this big, bright city all wide-eyed and tongue tied.

Please stay tuned! You will be able to access all of the taxi posts by clicking on "The Bangkok Taxi Project" in my sidebar. I hope you enjoy this little journey. If nothing else, I hope it makes you want to visit this incredible place and take a ride in some taxis! Just make sure you ask them to use the meter first....

***I would like to dedicate this project to Peter: Boyfriend Extraordinaire and occasional guest writer . Peter has been known to strike up many a conversation with a taxi driver--sometimes in French or Spanish!--and I basically got this idea during a (slightly drunken) conversation with him last night. Thanks for the inspiration, baby!!!