From India to Southeast Asia, Africa to South America, the humble tuk-tuk has shown that three wheels are plenty as its conquered vast swathes of the globe in recent decades By Clive Graham-Ranger
Mr Thai is a true gentleman,which is not the usual view people have of the average tuk-tuk driver.Its age to one side,though,it is indisputably the Rolls-Royce of tuk-tuks,a smooth-as-silk ride during which gear changes are seldom felt and the fillings stay in your teeth however rough the road surface. Humble origins Autos,as tuk-tuks are often known in the country,quickly established themselves as the most common form of cheap,reliable public transport in the capital New Delhi and were prized for their practicality and economy,making them an instant success and a symbol of the nation. EDITOR’S NOTE As of 2020, Indian company Bajaj Auto is the largest producer of tuk-tuks globally. As of January 2019, there were 22 Bajaj dealers in Cambodia, selling some 2,000 tuk-tuks monthly at an average price of $3,600 to $4,000. So now, as Mr Thai sets off to the mechanic to get that drive shaft fixed, he is hoping to get the Rolls-Royce of tuk-tuks purring again in no time.
1351.578 SRY