My Crazy Canal Ride in Bangkok with the Khlong Saen Saep Ferry Boat Service.

[@simonkenny3497]

Well, that was different. Really enjoyed this journey.

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Cheers Simon, appreciate the watch. Don’t worry everyone, I’m back on the UK coach network next week! 😂

[@NonstopEurotrip]

I love all the boats in Bangkok. By far the best way to travel around the city and great value 😊

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Cheers mate, I did quite a few and agree, such a cheap and easy way for a bargain price too (as with most things in Bangkok!) 👍

[@JohnnyHooverTravels]

Absolute surprise video and i loved it. Hats off to the dude taking the fares and doing everything else. Looks a great service to avoid the city traffic. Probably more efficient than diesel buses of equivalent size and they are keeping a lot of people off the roads. Great aspect of Bangkok i knew nothing about. Thanks for sharing it 👍

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Cheers mate, thanks for watching! A bit random this but I thought I’d put it out seeing as I was over there and decided to film it.

[@TravelSignal]

Absolutely fascinating mate! Those boats sure went at a lick, no 6mph speed limit like around our way! (And the wash eroding the banks would certainly need plenty of works to keep repaired!)

[@stogieguy7]

An entire transport system that I never knew about! Great stuff - thanks!

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Cheers mate, same here until I went to Bangkok. Couldn’t resist a go but I spent more time on the river tbh and that was great fun too 👍

[@MC-emmcee]

One of the things I will always remember from my visist to Bangkok was those schools of huge fish in the river.

[@thomaslindbergMarielund]

Nice end informative, thanks ! Have done the trip but not the whole. First 1997. Will do the full tour in Mars.

[@DaveSeville-sf1ku]

Wow 🤯 Looks amazing. Thanks for the vid, much appreciated 👍

[@walterfillingham]

What a fantastic way to see the city, fun and a much more intimate way to experience and explore the city..

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Cheers mate, something a bit different I thought I’d put out. Back to the coach this weekend!

[@seancoleman8528]

Brilliant video, as usual mark you do get around as was watching you in Poole in Dorset the other day

[@melglobus]

Phenomenal. I went to Bangkok with my then girlfriend (now wife!) about 15 years ago and happened upon the ferries by chance. Such an interesting way to travel

[@fiveYqueue]

These vessels certainly go at a fair old lick! Although your lungs wouldn't have appreciated the experience it makes for a great video.

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Cheers, yep I really enjoyed them and I think speed was one of the reasons tbh!

[@Andypanda19733]

Great video mark thanks for the journey's you take us on, hope you had a few beverage s after the trip

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Thanks for watching Andy. Yes beers every night tbh (and cocktails!) 👍

[@southdevonboy2009]

Great video Mark really look forward to your videos😊

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Thanks mate, a bit different this but I filmed it so thought it worth releasing.😊👍

[@Timstravels01]

What a cracking adventure. Loved it!

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Thanks Tim, something a bit different from me anyway!

[@good7saint]

Now this is a video I definitely love. I lived on a narrow boat for three years. Have you thought of doing one on those small water taxis in Birmingham

[@danmccauley80]

Great video, do you stay on the same side to connect to the golden line as I'm going to use this when I arrive in Bangkok next week

[@hassanalihusseini1717]

Nice video. I often use that service eveen in the morning and evening it can get crowded a lot. Yes, there are electric boats (also on Khlong Saen Saep from Wat Sribuenrong to Minburi) but they are soooooo slooooow and not so practic to use. Have a nice time!

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Thanks mate, good to hear from someone who uses the boats. Hope my pronunciation wasn’t too bad!!

[@SomchaiSpeaks]

I hope you tried the Chao Praya Express Boats on the river or any water taxi. They are an absolute blast and travel up and down the river to all kinds of places. The dexterity of the crew on tying & untying the ropes is marvelous.

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

I absolutely did - they were great fun! Can’t wait to go back tbh 👍

[@paulgibsonphotography]

Great Video Mark

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Cheers Paul, from my Bangkok trip back in May 👍

[@davidbirch9108]

Fascinating video! I went to Bangkok in 2011 but I never rode on those boats, time to return there I think...

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Cheers David. I loved it! This is from May and I can’t wait to go back!

[@enricomonti156]

This ferry service is indeed something to try and to get a different perspective of the city. It somehow reminds me of a boat trip I did in Leeds in 2022 on the Leeds Dock Taxi, a small yellow boat which travels from Leeds Railway station to Clarence Dock for just £1. Great views also there, yet, not as exotic

[@thomosevans]

@enricomonti156 I did that now is £2 each way but still worth it

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Haven’t heard of that one Enrico. Something I feel I must have a look at now. Cheers 😊👍

[@sandiandgregh]

Those boats don’t hang about! Very interesting. As Canadians who dealt with record temperatures abc humidity this year, we feel your pain.

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Thanks guys. Yep I kind of half got used to the humidity after a few days. Having a swimming pool at the hotel to look forward to each day helped!

[@garyanderson9644]

Great video Mark, that looks like a excellent way to travel around, Im going to Bangkok in march 25, And i quite fancy doing a few water taxis, can i ask did have any vaccines for this trip ? Keep up the good work buddy 👍

[@SomchaiSpeaks]

Essentially you do not need anything. Malaria is not an issue in major urban areas but thanks to global warming dengue is increasing. Mosquitoes are a 24 hr issue everywhere with different variants operating in daytime & nighttime with a dawn and dusk overlap. So always apply an anti mosquito spray that you can buy in any 7/11, pharmacy or supermarket. After bite creams are also readily available in pharmacies and help with the itching.

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Cheers Gary, I was already vaccinated from an earlier trip so didn’t bother but I would listen to what Somchai says here as he sounds much more of an expert than me. Enjoy your trip 😊👍

[@Swaggerlot]

Rode that both ways a few years ago. Fun, quick and dirt cheap.

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

It is great fun I agree. Proper bargain too 😊👍

[@Biggestisland]

Great!. When was this filmed?

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Cheers, May 24.

[@smogontheline]

Going to Dublin for a Guinness is one thing, but that's a bit far for a takeaway 😂 Great video, Mark. Those boats were going some speed. I wonder how many times the fare collector fell in over the years.

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Cheers mate, I wondered that as well! Talking about takeaways, wow, I had some great food there during my stay!

[@kevinellis8869]

Great trip report, obviously the 4 mph limit on UK canals doesn't apply. I do wonder about the impact of the wash on adjacent properties though.

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Cheers Kevin, I’m not sure there is a speed limit tbh!! Great fun though 👍

[@baseballfan99]

The speed reminds me of The Thames Clipper though they only go this fast outside of Central London on the wide bridge less sections. Looks a very good way to move about the city as long as you don;t hit anything. 😃

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Haha, yep it was definitely an experience and I have no idea whether there’s a speed limit on the canal or not tbh.

[@SomchaiSpeaks]

The " sluice gates " are flood control protection. During the rainy season the main river, the Chao Praya, often rises many metres and flooding of parts of the city is common. The gates limit the areas affected.

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Brilliant, thanks for the info Somchai 😊👍

[@stevewareing8525]

Wow what an amazing trip, those boats don't hang around but I would love to know what engines they use. Probably a MAN or Volvo but (It sounded like an old Leyland 2200 marine diesel?) 👍.

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Yep, not sure Steve tbh but the best bit for me was going full pelt down the canal with another coming the other way at similar speed. That certainly got the boat rocking a bit! Great fun 👍

[@harrisonfensome5821]

great video

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Thanks mate 😊👍

[@sheilam4525]

Wow health and safety is non existent!😂 Well done, Mark, it is not a ride for me😂

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Yep, we’ll the crew did wear helmets! Great fun Sheila you’d love it I reckon!

[@kenpassey9270]

Like the stream... would you say Bangkok is a safe place for a single traveller.. or pattaya if you've been there.

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Cheers, I haven’t been to Pattaya tbh. I found it safe as a solo traveller though I did stay a little out of the centre where prices were better too. Like any big city, there are some rough spots I think. Overall though, I can’t wait to go back.

[@Fan652w]

Thank you Mark for an extremely interesting and entertaining video. When a passenger wanted to get OFF at request stop, (or should it be 'request pier') how did they signal that they wanted the boat to stop. Did they simply shout out the Thai equivalent of 'Next Stop Please?'

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

I reckon the ‘ticket collector’ either knew when he gave out the ticket or they told him at some point and he told the skipper. Just my guess though.

[@derisleybrittain]

Excellent ❤❤❤❤🛳🛳🛳🛳🛳🛳

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Thanks Derisley, cheers for watching 😊👍👍👍

[@calebmumby5803]

good stuff mark

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Thanks Caleb, something a bit different 😊👍

[@ludwig327]

Ever thought about a china trip? Those high speed east coast trains are impressive.

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

I have but tbh I have reservations wrt filming videos away from Europe because the viewing figures are really terrible! I put them out occasionally for my own personal enjoyment and to show people where I’ve been, some unusual trips I’ve taken and how they can do it themselves. But my audience is predominantly UK-based and people just aren’t that interested really. A bit of a shame but I kind of know what kind of videos help to grow the channel these days and canal boats in Bangkok (unfortunately) isn’t one of them.

[@kenpassey9270]

Thanks 👍

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Cheers Ken 😊👍

[@Letsgobyland]

nice trips here!👍

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Yes, I enjoyed them!

[@richardbutler4488]

So much for health and safety 🫠

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Haha, yep and much more fun!

[@ohheyitskevinc]

That’s not Shrewsbury! 😉 Great video!

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Haha, yep a bit warmer than my home town! Cheers Kev 😊👍

[@jrfsp320]

The plastic covers are for the rain- they have them up sometimes

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Nice one, thanks for the info 👍

[@dennisboosey6272]

Thats one fast boat, lol.😮

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

It certainly was 👍

[@rogerandroid2186]

Sluice gates? No, I don't think that those items were. I want to say `stop locks, but that is the wrong terminology too. In England, you will see wooden planks on canals, stored next to slots in the canal wall. If there is a breach in the canal and water levels drop alarmingly, somebody will come and shove the boards in place to save the water levels on the rest of the canal. I think that this is what we are seeing in Bangkok, (only posher), but I could be totally wrong !!

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Thanks for the info Roger. I’m open to suggestions as I’ve no idea what they were and this seems plausible to me. Cheers for watching.

[@MartinBrez]

I tried to do a boat journey like this in Bangkok in 2011. Bloke was asking for 10x the actual price. Even showing my calculator, he was insistent on paying the 'Farang' price. I ended up getting a taxi as that was easier, cheaper, and air conditioned 😂

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Yes that’s a bit of a farang rip-off by the sounds of it. I just made my way down to one of the piers, not a clue what I was doing but just jumped on the next one up to Wat Sriboonreung.

[@desdonaldson5728]

@@MartinBrez used the water bus a couple of times in BKK, never noticed dual pricing, it was cheap and quicker than the bus or taxi. Just need to know where you are getting off.

[@johnnierainey01]

Did I miss the flight? A bit random - but welcome.

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

One of the legs down there was on the Etihad A380 I uploaded the vid a few weeks back. This was just one of the things I did whilst over there. 👍

[@johnnierainey01]

@@LetsMakeaTrip Thanks for that, I will go looking for the previous upload. Great stuff, I'm looking forward to your next blog.

[@yendys]

Rode this today. Great fun. Health and safety inspectors in western countries would be apoplectic. Take ear plugs if you go: No, seriously

[@markmcniven2625]

Ĺast week you were on the tyne & wear metro, now your on a boat in Thailand.

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

I am Mark but have to say, this was filmed earlier in the year (May) and I just hadn’t gotten round to releasing it. I’m back on the National Express next week!

[@thomas-o8d3o]

Lets hope stagecoach dont take the services over !😦

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Haha, yes - prices will go up for sure!

[@Fat_Cat_747]

watch out for sneks

[@strongbow310]

Im confused are you Steve marsh

[@steveparkinson8887]

Bloody hell, ur Newcastle to Asia, cmon, give us in between

[@AndreiTupolev]

Rather more like the water buses in Amsterdam than the Thames Clippers. Not very environmentally friendly? .. I'm not so sure, it seems to be a pretty quick and efficient way of transporting a large number of people, certainly compared with the swarms of tiny little motorcycles and tuk-tuks 🛺. They probably operate with minimal overheads, so they probably wouldn't be able afford fancy electric boats. They seem to tear along at a considerable speed; there don't seem to be any speed limits on the canals. Hurtling under bridges with inches to spare from concrete pillars was quite an experience.

[@LetsMakeaTrip]

Cheers mate, I’m over in Amsterdam next month, I might give them a try. Good point about the road traffic it was certainly a bit manic at street level and this was a welcome respite!