eTN Asia, 1-11-2006
Tuk-tuk, considered to be a symbol of Thai ingenuity, continues to be in the news at home and abroad.
The three-wheeled motorized vehicle, a popular mode of transport, is traversing borders as it sustains in demand in some of the developed countries.
“London has its black cabs, Venice its gondolas and Bangkok its tuk-tuks, but Thailand’s iconic three-wheeled taxis are going global as foreigners scramble to pick up a piece of Thai culture. The smoke-belching motorized rickshaws can now be seen plying 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,” AFP reported.
The report refers to comments from Anuwat Yuteeraprapa, owner of Expertise, a tuk-tuk manufacturer which exports 95 percent of its vehicles abroad. “They are really cute and unique,” says Yuteeraprapa, whose company exports the vehicle to the United States, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Britain and elsewhere in Europe. “Tourists come to Thailand and they know the beaches, temples and tuk-tuks. It has become a big symbol of Thailand.”
The vehicle is a modification of a Japanese delivery vehicle popular in the country during the 1960s. Tuk-tuks are adorned and painted in the many different ways and colors. The colorful tuk-tuk has in fact become a tourist attraction in itself because of its novelty.
