by LTO » Thu Oct 06, 2016 11:14 pm
Lucky Lucan wrote:It's gradually going to change. Moto-dops were the only way to get around town for a long time, then tuk-tuks turned up. They can be annoying when they tout too much, but it's something you can get over. Taxis are actually cheaper, and much more comfortable/ safe etc but are harder to come by on a casual basis. I live really close to one of the main taxi firm's big depots, but I'm too lazy to call them and get a pick-up most of the time. I'd rather just wander out on the street and hail a tuk-tuk or moto. I might just get that app though, that sounds like the least hassle.
Good summary. I understand tuktuks can tout too much, and how this can be very annoying to tourists, but it surprises me a bit when people who have actually lived here a while are unable to figure out a strategy for dealing with them.
As I remember, tuk tuks first arrived in early 2003. In the late 90s/early 00s there were a couple of companies that were trying to introduce them, but the governor of Phnom Penh at the time - Chea Sophara (1998-2003) - swore there would never be tuk tuks in Phnom Penh so long he was governor. And there were no tuk tuks in Phnom Penh. (He also tried to paint the entire city colonial yellow.) Then the the anti-Thai riots happened in Jan or Feb 2003. Ultimately Chea Sophara took fall for for the riots and was fired by The Man. Within months of his dismissal, (maybe weeks,) tuk tuks started showing ups in the city, and were well entrenched within a year.
[quote="Lucky Lucan"]It's gradually going to change. Moto-dops were the only way to get around town for a long time, then tuk-tuks turned up. They can be annoying when they tout too much, but it's something you can get over. Taxis are actually cheaper, and much more comfortable/ safe etc but are harder to come by on a casual basis. I live really close to one of the main taxi firm's big depots, but I'm too lazy to call them and get a pick-up most of the time. I'd rather just wander out on the street and hail a tuk-tuk or moto. I might just get that app though, that sounds like the least hassle.[/quote]
Good summary. I understand tuktuks can tout too much, and how this can be very annoying to tourists, but it surprises me a bit when people who have actually lived here a while are unable to figure out a strategy for dealing with them.
As I remember, tuk tuks first arrived in early 2003. In the late 90s/early 00s there were a couple of companies that were trying to introduce them, but the governor of Phnom Penh at the time - Chea Sophara (1998-2003) - swore there would never be tuk tuks in Phnom Penh so long he was governor. And there were no tuk tuks in Phnom Penh. (He also tried to paint the entire city colonial yellow.) Then the the anti-Thai riots happened in Jan or Feb 2003. Ultimately Chea Sophara took fall for for the riots and was fired by The Man. Within months of his dismissal, (maybe weeks,) tuk tuks started showing ups in the city, and were well entrenched within a year.