If things continue as they are going, Chiang Mai’s old-fashioned pedal rickshaws will become a thing of the past.
While some older residents and tourists love the old-fashioned pedicabs — also sometimes called trishaws — they are not engaged as often as they used to be, and today there are only 40 of them left. In years past, as many as 1,000 drivers pedaled around the city, ready to take residents to the market or on other business.
The drivers of the remaining pedicabs are older men and, as they retire, the younger men of Chiang Mai have not expressed interest in taking over the driving of the rickshaws. The oldest known rickshaw driver in Chiang Mai is a whopping 83 years old.
Whether that is because they are too lazy to pedal the city or can’t make much money driving a pedicab is unknown.
Sanook caught up with one rickshaw driver, Inkaew, 63, to ask him. He noted that younger men are not interested in the rickshaws since they can make more money renting a taxi or taking on other work.
He said that he makes just THB30-50 for short trips by locals in the off-season but, during high season, he can make THB200-300 each for 30 minute tours of the city to tourists. During that time of year, he might get two of those per day with tips as well as shorter trips.
However, another reason that young men are not taking on pedicabs may be price. Inkaew said that, years ago, you could buy your own pedicab for THB5,000 and start your own business that day. Today, the same equipment will cost about THB40,000 — a sum that many working class Thais don’t have readily available.
Pedicabs were banned in Bangkok decades ago in favor of tuk-tuks.
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