All the handbooks tell you that Bangkok used to be the venice of the East – in many respect that’s still ture as a singnificant amount of travel is done by canal. In Bangkok the main canal route service is driver will pull a canopy over the sides of the boat and this keeps most of the water off you. However ,the biggest Problem for a foreigner is where to put your legs! these boats are just not designed for people with long legs and most westerners have to sit with there legs sideways. If you can put up with these provided on Khong saen, but there really are a myriad of other routes to explore and canals are a favoured from of travel in both rural and urban areas elsewhere in the country. Travel by cannal is fast; especially at rush hour times - there's nothing faster. It's also cheap. When another boat goes past, there is a spray. It doesn't soak you but you do get wet. Another problem is of course the rain. when the rain hard the inconveniences,the canal boats are great way to see bits of the city you'd never see any other way!