Chiang Mai’s rickshaws last of a dying breed

Sanook reported that the three wheeled pedal rickshaws of Chiang Mai will soon be history.

There used to be 1,000 pedaling about town but now only 40 are left and most of those are old men.

They said that particularly European visitors lamented the passing of a bygone age.

One man still working his rickshaw – also known as trishaws in other parts of Asia – is 63 year old Inkaew.

He said that the younger generation are not interested in taking up the profession and it is thus dying out.

He said that one of the drivers still working was aged 83.

They could charge 30-50 baht for short trips for locals from the market but the real money was in the tourist season when they could get 200 to 300 baht for a 30 minute tour of the city.

He said that he usually gets two of these a day that will give him up to 600 baht with tips.

He said that a rickshaw used to cost only 5-6,000 baht years ago – but nowadays one could set you back 40,000 baht.

Thaivisa notes that pedal rickshaws were banned in Bangkok as long ago as the 1960s when they were largely replaced with motorized tuk-tuks.

But they have lingered on in some country towns and municipalities in the provinces.

Sanook

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