Bangkok Driver
 

Hi - Does anyone have any recommendations for a Bangkok driver for a few days? Or even a tour company that provides reliable and yet relatively inexpensive drivers. This would be for 2 people to get around to the typical tourist attractions.

Thanks!

You will get a number of recommendations for drivers, but I would suggest you would be better off without a driver. Bangkok is well-known for bad traffic, and the best way to avoid it is to use public transportation: the water taxis and the skytrain.

Rather than a driver in Bangkok, hire a guide (optional) and use public transportation as Kathie notes. May be a time and traffic aggravation saver for about the same price.

We agree that to visit some of the most popular sites, public transportation, taxis, and tuk tuks are the easiest way to get around. We have used drivers in the past to get us to lesser-known or further away sites (like Wat Suwannaram, which has excellent Thai paintings) or for a trip to Ayutthaya. These trips we booked through our hotel, which offered very competitive rates. Have a great trip!

BTW, taxis are cheap and can fill in where there isn't good public transport or for out of town trips, but I do not recommend tuk-tuks. You are in dense traffic breathing all that exhaust. And tuk tuks are more likely than taxis to insist on taking you to "special jewelry sales" or tailors. Tuk -tuks require that you negotiate a price in advance, and that price will be higher than the air-conditioned taxi you could have used. When you take a taxi, insist that they use the meter. If they do not turn the meter on, get out and get another taxi.

I take a different tack: I prefer the driver solution for various reasons---comfort, like instant a/c as you leave the door of the attraction, which allows for a quick cool down on the way to the next venue... cold water on board... cool cloth towelettes..
No time is wasted walking to the public transportation, also no wrong turns are made
No fighting with tuk tuks or taxi drivers over fare situations and/or visiting "uncle's jewelry shop".

I also do not find the traffic to be that bad in tourist areas except sathorn/silom, sukhumvit/plenochit rds.