Sawngthaews
In rural areas, particularly in the north, the bus network is often replaced by sawngthaews - converted pick-up trucks - into which drivers stuff as many passengers as they can onto two facing benches in the back. Pick-up trucks also ply routes between larger towns and their satellite villages, charging roughly the same as buses. They usually depart from the regular bus station, but will only leave when there are enough passengers to make the trip worthwhile. Some drivers try to sweat a few extra kip out of passengers by delaying departure - your fellow passengers may cave in to this extortion, but most often they grudgingly wait. In some situations, you may be forced to flat-out hire the driver to take you where you want to go. To catch a pick-up truck in between stops simply flag it down from the side of the road and tell the driver where you're headed. The fare is usually paid at the end of the ride.
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