Phuket Patong bar girls & things to do and fun: Thai Long Tail Boats

For short water transportation.

It is called a long tail boat because the shaft of the engine extends for about 2 to 3 meters to the back and also functions as a rudder it is directly fixed to the propeller there is no gear and muffler. Passenger wont sit far away from the engine means it will be a very noisy experience anyway better take earplugs with when traveling in south Thailand.

This is a good idea in any case because there is hardly any other country on the globe which is so extremly noisy like this one. Never tell a Thai to keep quiet also it is needed often because if you do he or she will be your enemy forever (no yoke).

The long and narrow gondola.

It is in use anywhere in the region including when travel in Myanmar. Although the energy efficiency is not a good one since this are very rough, heavy and crude machines mounted on a heavy wooden body.

the boats come in various sizes for sightseeing

with the longtail boat at a Phi Phi Island beach

In Cambodia they already use more light plastic units with a small outboard engine which are faster and much more efficient. But the costs of this very primitive engines and the fact that almost everyone can repair them has it's positive sides indeed.

The dinghy below is at Cambodia at Koh Kong it is more stable much faster and needs less petrol. Sometimes Thais are out of touch with current times an example the other day I was traveling in the Tarutao Archipelago at the border to Malaysia and wanted to hire a boat.

The guy told me as usual a astronomical figure since I wont take it he told me his boat has a petrol engine and uses much more fuel than a diesel I told him he should drink the petrol and not try to cheat the "farang".

One of the most important to take into consideration is never use a boat for a ride without top cover somehow like pictured above. The reason is when more than about 20 minutes without a cover on the water everyone will have a sunburn for the rest of the holiday. The burn is so bad here even when there are clouds the reflection is very strong.