Thai tuk-tuks phut-phutting across the world

Published Oct 30, 2006

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Bangkok, Thailand - London has its black cabs, Venice its gondolas, South Africa its minibus taxis and Bangkok its tuk-tuks but Thailand's iconic three-wheelers are going global as foreigners scramble to pick up a piece of Thai culture.

The smoke-belching motorised rickshaws can now be seen plying the promenades Britain's seaside towns, Canada's golf courses and Tokyo's neon-lit streets and manufacturers have seen a surge in global sales and recognition.

Tuk-tuk manufacturer Expertise exports 95 percent of its vehicles; owner Anuwat Yuteeraprapa said: "Japan they have Toyota, they have Nissan, so Thailand have a car also - a tuk-tuk."

Anuwat said it was clear why foreign dealers and nostalgic tourists were seeking their own tuk-tuks, known for their white-knuckle rides through Bangkok's congested streets.

The 32-year-old entrepreneur, who exports to the US, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Britain and mainland Europe, explained: "They are really cute and unique.

"Tourists come to Thailand and they know the beaches, temples and tuk-tuks. It has become a big symbol of Thailand."

But Thais are turning away from the traditional transport as foreigners snap up the tiny taxis, favouring the slick modernity of air-conditioned cabs or imported Japanese cars.

Philip Cornwel-Smith, author of Very Thai: Everyday Popular Culture, commented: "Thais want to be modern and there is a cultural phenomenon that happens in most developing countries of rejecting the old and embracing the new."

He said there was good reason for snubbing tuk-tuks: they're overpriced, noisy and expose city dwellers to blasts of exhaust fumes.

"Fundamentally there are some problems with tuk-tuks," he said. "They're too big to nip through the traffic like a motorcycle but they don't perform all the same functions of a taxi."

The tuk-tuk got its name from the noise it makes when starting; it originated in Japan but has been adopted as a Thai symbol.

The motorised version reached Thailand in 1959 and, after a few technical and aesthetic modifications, became the colourful, open-air vehicle seen careering across Thailand today.

Tourist curios

But tuk-tuk operators worry that unless they modernise and start matching the cheaper prices of the cooler, safer taxis, they may become little more than tourist curios.

Anuwat said: "I don't think Thai people appreciate my work; they feel tuk-tuks are noisy and polluting, but they never really look into how they can be improved."

He says his products have a four-stroke car engine, which he says makes them smoother, quieter and less polluting than the traditional two-stroke tuk-tuks.

Tuk Tuk Thailand exports 80 percent of its tuk-tuks; managing director Chett Taikratoke has taken it a step further and makes tuk-tuks with billboards, garbage disposal units and even refrigerators on the back.

Tuk-tuk exports are booming; Tuk Tuk Thailand's sales have more than doubled in the last three years.

'Iron Tiger'

Anuwat's family has been in the tuk-tuk business for decades and, since he launched Expertise three years ago, sales have rocketed from five in the first year to more than 100 in 2006.

His tuk-tuks start at 130 000 baht (about R25 000) each and range from a plain blue utility tuk-tuk to the customized metallic pink "Iron Tiger" flying a Jolly Roger and emblazoned with images of pouting women.

Unlike Thailand's traditional version, his tuk-tuks come with seat belts and laminated safety glass so they meet all the health and safety specifications of the Western world.

Cornwel-Smith thinks that as modern products become uglier, foreigners will continue to succumb to the charm of the Thai tuk-tuk.

"It appeals to the Orientalist thing, it's so romantic," he said. - Sapa-AFP

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