Pattaya cabbies demand higher minimum charge

[Colabamumbai]

Three companies 500 taxis, says it all.

[AlexCanada]

Why discuss a higher base fare when no one is ever going to implement it?  I have NEVER seen a Pattaya taxi driver use a meter.  Never had a taxi driver ask less than 200 baht even to go half a km.  

 

I tip taxi drivers very well in Bangkok and other countries like Jakarta where taxi drivers are efficient and use the meter.  

 

On the positive side, I do a lot more walking because I don't believe in paying 200 baht for a taxi to drive 5 minutes.  At that rate he is making 2400 baht per hour!

[AlexCanada]

5 minutes ago, johnc925 said:

Is Grab in use down there?  I pay a bit of a premium for the service but quite satisfied with it in Bangkok and Chiang Mai

Yes but at highly inflated rates.  

[lapamita]

the last monkey blackmailed in fron of me.

 

they drive 1.6km , after they gave 200 thb, he makes bad face they gave him a 100 more,,,, and than even arguee , another 100

 

total 400 and he was still not happy

 

i hate them all the way down

 

and even a 100 start price would not change their behaviour

 

i told my firends install Grab.......and it was for them as well the last time using a taxi meter  urggggg meter joke

 

last time on royal garden , 6 people cant speek english asked many songatus to go to friendship 1,5km all the  same..all asked 300thb. i know i pay 10thb eachpers..but i familar here and not ask ever the driver if i get in and out

[mikebell]

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

the starting price - Bt40 for the first 2km

That's after the meter is switched on.....oh.

[AlexCanada]

I'd even gladly pay 60 baht as a base rate.  At least it gives me an option to take a taxi in Pattaya once in a while.  

[lvr181]

12 hours ago, tropo said:

How come we all know this, but the regulatory authorities seem unaware?

Same old same old - we will talk about it (thus patting ourselves on the back because that is the way we go forward), it impresses the "big cheese" because he will think we are doing something, the citizens and tourists are, once again, being hoodwinked and the smart citizens from overseas are the only ones to see through all this BS!  The local taxi mafia will continue to never obey the rules. And the "keystone cops" will never enforce them. All hot air!! 

 

High order critical thinking is not a commonplace feature of Thai authorities.

[smedly]

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Bt40 for the first 2km

too funny, minimum is more like 200baht and then some

 

They really are having a laugh

 

The sooner GRAB is operating here the better, then no argument about price - the customer knows exactly what it is before even booking it.

[garzhe]

Just a Joke while the police do nothing to enforce. Never found or heard of a Pattaya taxi using his meter in 4 years here. Also, have the Taxi mafia got at Grab. Taxis quote 800 baht to Utapao airport where I go frequently. Grab fare quoted from Pattaya is 850 baht.

[manhood]

BEFORE these cabbie drivers demand anything they should follow the law and use their meters!!!!!!

Otherwise not any bath fixed more and THE POLICE IN PATTAYA should follow up all complains right away!

So there are 2 parties to blame to do their jobs properly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

[BEVUP]

SO the Cabbies have been called to a meeting concerning the overcharging of tourists & explain it by demanding an increase, in which the Gov was trying to ask for an explanation as to why they're so expensive in the first place 

Go figure ! 

[garzhe]

1 hour ago, AlexCanada said:

Yes but at highly inflated rates.  

I think controlled by Taxi mafia. Long run always cost more than local taxis.

[Weasel100]

Just another example of Thai people ignoring the law in order to make more money for themselves.
I agree entirely with a comment above. Comply with the law, use your <deleted>' meter and don't rip people off. If you're not making enough money from being a cab driver (3,000 baht a day?), try another non skilled job and make 300 baht a day.
The relative costs of living in Bangkok or Pattaya or Samui is quite irrelevant. The law is the law and can drivers have to comply. But, hey, this is Thailand where the law is the law only if you agree with it and choose to follow it.
I hate taxi drivers in Bangkok. Often they refuse fares which they are NOT allowed by law to do and often they give foreign passengers a Cook's tour of the Capital.
Thankfully, we don't have cabs in Hua Hin area.

[Na Fan]

Just use grab taxi in Pattaya. Less than half of what the "normal" taxis charge. 

 

Interestingly the authorities only seem to care about tourists, but the local Thais are paying the same crazy prices.

[Bangkok Barry]

15 hours ago, petedk said:

The rate should be the same all over the country and therefore they should follow the same rates as Bangkok taxis. The cost of living in Pattaya is not four times higher than Bangkok.

 

Having said that, I believe the rate in Bangkok should be set up.

 

You can't really compare. In Bangkok, the driver is likely to pick up another fare on his return from wherever, while outside of a large city that is probably not going to happen. And yes, the starting fare in Bangkok should be higher.

[mike324]

I wish I could get a taxi that could even use the meter in Pattaya! Heck even my Thai friends have trouble doing it without them asking for ridiculous amounts. Hence folks resort to using the song thaew, they are more reasonable with their pricing even if you hire them privately for a short trip.

[Jack P]

Cabbies ought to be able to charge whatever they like for their services, but the price needs to be transparent to the customer.

[Weasel100]

Just now, Jack P said:

Cabbies ought to be able to charge whatever they like for their services, but the price needs to be transparent to the customer.

No. They are subject to cab laws and must comply. End of story

[Chris Lawrence]

Should just give them the ATM password; that's what they really want.

[JHolmesJr]

Ive only met one honest cabbie in pattaya he picked me up outside foodland on pattaya klang and bought me to beach road soi 13. I still remember the meter read 38 baht at the end. I was so stunned I gave him a 50 and asked him to keep the change.

[Weasel100]

9 minutes ago, Chris Lawrence said:

Should just give them the ATM password; that's what they really want.

You're right Chris. I said in another thread here earlier today that 80 per cent of Thais are interested in only three things in life - money, money and money

[Sir Swagman]

Pretty sure the rate in BKK for starting is 35baht, but a minor point. A cabbie there was, not so much complaining as, telling me the rates have not gone up in a very long time. I think he mentioned 10 years. It is time the rates were increased,  none of the costs to cab owners and/or drivers have remained static. 

That being said, of course no meters are used in Pattaya, however the argument  that they are at a disadvantage compared to BKK cabs I find odd. Less traffic means more Km, more quickly = more money per hour. Return, with or without fare is also faster to get to a higher probability pick up area.

the start fare may go up, it may not. It won’t make the slightest bit of difference without enforcement of meter usage.

[Shiver]

Grab taxi is gearing up to use LoyalCoin in Philippines (which will be coming to Thailand also as they roll out the service).  If some enterprising group combined that with their existing GPS then the meter wouldn't be needed.  Both Cab and Customers phone would show the same start and end coordinates.  Prices can be agreed at time of accepting the job so all parties know there's no funny business.

 

The 'others' behind the scenes can negotiate their own terms for protection money, and leave the customers out of it.

 

[darren84310]

10 hours ago, petedk said:

The rate should be the same all over the country and therefore they should follow the same rates as Bangkok taxis. The cost of living in Pattaya is not four times higher than Bangkok.

 

Having said that, I believe the rate in Bangkok should be set up.

The problem being that in Bangkok there are so many more fares to be had by the taxi drivers.... they pick-up new passengers while dropping-off the last ones...... not so easy in Pattaya. Part of the reason being because people don't want to argue about fares so a compromise would benefit everyone if the taxi drivers comply to it.

[thesetat2013]

14 hours ago, tropo said:

I disagree. An inner BKK taxi can travel in any direction for many kilometers and still be in densely populated areas... but as we already agreed, no one flags them down as we all believe they are rip off merchants... I'm yet to hear one report from someone that got in a taxi here and the meter was used... so it's a mystery why anyone has been discussing rates that are never applied. How come we all know this, but the regulatory authorities seem unaware?

so have learned to use grab. by far have shown me more reliable and cheaper in almost every ride taken while in pattaya to be cheaper by almost half.... 

[Lemonltr]

41 minutes ago, JHolmesJr said:

Ive only met one honest cabbie in pattaya he picked me up outside foodland on pattaya klang and bought me to beach road soi 13. I still remember the meter read 38 baht at the end. I was so stunned I gave him a 50 and asked him to keep the change.

Pattaya cabbie uses the meter so you tip him 12 baht as a mark of appreciation. What would you have given him if you weren't "stunned"?

If everybody was as sublimely generous as you they'd all be desperate to use the meters.

[TheMacMan]

Every time I am in Bangkok I am amazed how reasonable the taxi fairs are (although that's only when they can be bothered to take you and use the meter - usually its a higher price quoted and no meter used and if you say they must use the meter they don't want to know and just drive off!!)
HOWEVER - I would like to see the government take action on Phuket where a 5 min  journey will be 500 bht+  
Complete rip-off (BLATANTLY) of all and any tourists on the island, no meters, 90%+ of "taxis" are just registered private cars with green plates, not a single meter installed and a quite aggressive attitude and sky-high prices.... 

Come on government ! Crack done on these cowboys!!

[Media1]

Criminals no schooling easy taxi licence here. WANT to earn like doctors. 

Anybody refuses meter should be stripped of licence. No warnings given. They are extorting people and have no business being employed. In regards to samui go live there goose.

[Media1]

2 minutes ago, TheMacMan said:

Every time I am in Bangkok I am amazed how reasonable the taxi fairs are (although that's only when they can be bothered to take you and use the meter - usually its a higher price quoted and no meter used and if you say they must use the meter they don't want to know and just drive off!!)
HOWEVER - I would like to see the government take action on Phuket where a 5 min  journey will be 500 bht+  
Complete rip-off (BLATANTLY) of all and any tourists on the island, no meters, 90%+ of "taxis" are just registered private cars with green plates, not a single meter installed and a quite aggressive attitude and sky-high prices.... 

Come on government ! Crack done on these cowboys!!

Criminals all

[Weasel100]

1 minute ago, Media1 said:

Criminals no schooling easy taxi licence here. WANT to earn like doctors. 

Anybody refuses meter should be stripped of licence. No warnings given. They are extorting people and have no business being employed. In regards to samui go live there goose.

Agree totally Media1