Bakseedaa Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 that's a good move , taxi drivers need to make a bit more money .... Reducing the amount of taxis in Bangkok will help also as on my opinion they are too many taxis , But , then again.....not enough when you are waiting...! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unkomoncents Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 If they increase the up-front fare then the motorcycle taxis will definitely be chearing. Taxis are so cheap that I often choose them, even if they're a bit more costly, because of comfort and safety. If they only up the per-kilometer/mile fare then they likely won't lose much of their business because it won't feel like it's more expensive until you already have to pay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arrowsdawdle Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Totally agree with the consensus. The taxis are a real bargain here and - comparing the price with the quality of the cars - it probably represents the best value in pretty much any city I have ever been in. Manila fares are cheaper, but the cars are truly awful. Hong Kong cars are fine and cheap for the fact it's a first world city, but the starting meter price of HKD 20 translates to around 80 baht. I was in Beijing at the weekend, and the starting price there is RMB10 or around 48 baht, but again the quality of the cars is nothing like Bkk. I'd ber very happy to see the starting fare hiked to 45 baht. Nobody's stopping you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arrowsdawdle Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Totally agree with the consensus. The taxis are a real bargain here and - comparing the price with the quality of the cars - it probably represents the best value in pretty much any city I have ever been in. Manila fares are cheaper, but the cars are truly awful. Hong Kong cars are fine and cheap for the fact it's a first world city, but the starting meter price of HKD 20 translates to around 80 baht. I was in Beijing at the weekend, and the starting price there is RMB10 or around 48 baht, but again the quality of the cars is nothing like Bkk. I'd ber very happy to see the starting fare hiked to 45 baht. Lots of comments from farang about how cheap taxis are in Bangkok (which is true compared to many cities), but missing the point that 99% of passengers are Thai and for most Thais taxis are not cheap at all. +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arrowsdawdle Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 that's a good move , taxi drivers need to make a bit more money .... Reducing the amount of taxis in Bangkok will help also as on my opinion they are too many taxis , But , then again.....not enough when you are waiting...! Raise the rates and you'll be waiting more. Same amount of taxis but working less for the same money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arrowsdawdle Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Taxi driver one night from east side out near Suvarnabhumi to Sun Vichai Road missed a turn off from Outrer Ring Road, so put the phone to his ear while a Thai friend queried him as to the missed turn. The friend explained that there was heavy equipment on the surface street so the driver was taking a detour. Got to the destination address and the driver apologized and handed back 100 baht of the 200+ fare even though the added distance couldn't have been that much or even close to it. Tried to give the 100 as a tip but all he did was apologize and refuse it. Other side of the coin in Khonkaen one afternoon from town out to the airport, which is always 70 baht max, the guy would not put on the meter and said it was 200 baht. Got his company dispatch on the phone, explained the situation to the dispatcher, handed the phone to the driver, got to the airport, fare was 60 baht on the late-dropped meter, driver only wanted 40 baht, tipped him another 40. Hope it never gets worse than this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geekfreaklover Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Bangkok taxis have meters? Most of my journeys seem to start with "no meter". Not sure where you are using taxis but in 5 or 6 years, i have never once had a taxi who tried to scam me or tried to not use the meter. Sometimes it works in our favour. I took a taxi from Khao San road the other night back to Bang Na. He said two hundred baht. I agreed. It would of cost twice that on the meter!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geekfreaklover Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Bangkok taxis have meters? Most of my journeys seem to start with "no meter". Not sure where you are using taxis but in 5 or 6 years, i have never once had a taxi who tried to scam me or tried to not use the meter. Sometimes it works in our favour. I took a taxi from Khao San road the other night back to Bang Na. He said two hundred baht. I agreed. It would of cost twice that on the meter!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PoodMaiDai Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 The incredible thing is, there are 100,000 taxis and it's dam_n near impossible to catch one sometimes. Thailand is the only country in the world I've been to where you can go through 10 taxis in a row who simply don't want to take you where you want to go, even if they are going in that direction. They would rather sit in traffic without a fare and not making money, than sit in traffic with a fare and make money. This is just one more reason added to the long list of reasons, why most of them live hour to hour. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PoodMaiDai Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 BTW, I have no problem with a fare hike. I just want to be able to catch one with ease. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nocturn Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 (edited) as i have seen only the most negligible increases on taxi fare in the last 16+ years, I think it is high time taxi fares are increase. they will still be a bargain either way. And please humour me, how will an increased flag fall result in greater refusals? Edited March 12, 2012 by nocturn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KKvampire Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 ah good mid april , just as I am about to leave the country, no more cheating taxi drivers to deal with. i guess with the price hike will be they will increase the "no meter" prices they will ask from any potential customers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
w11guy Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Bangkok taxis have meters? Most of my journeys seem to start with "no meter". You need to flag down a taxi, not get in one hanging around hotels and other tourist attractions. Only once in two years has the driver not used the meter with me, and that was when I jumped into one that was parked. He wanted to take me to a suit shop. Since then I just flag them down and the out the meter on. I never have to ask. So not sure what you're doing wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
w11guy Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 No problems with the fare increase in any way but get the feeling that raising the start fare to around 50 baht will only increase the number of refusals. Better put it on the mileage to make it more attractive to the driver for long journeys. I was thinking the exact same thing. I think if the starting price goes up the refusal rate will go up dramaticly. This is obvious. I don't know why you lot get refused so often. Maybe they just don't want you in their cabs. Most of my journeys are around 40 baht and I never get refused. They either get 40 baht for a short journey or nothing, so why would they turn me down. You must hang around very tourist areas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirchai Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 As of now, four forms of fare hikes have been proposed. Firstly, the startling price of a cab will be maintained at 35 baht, while meter rates per mile will increase. Thought Thailand would have the metric system??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macmundi Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Does it mean taxi rape will decrease..? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macmundi Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 As of now, four forms of fare hikes have been proposed. Firstly, the startling price of a cab will be maintained at 35 baht, while meter rates per mile will increase. Thought Thailand would have the metric system??? That was figure of speech..... duh... its always been per click. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shunima Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Bangkok taxis have meters? Most of my journeys seem to start with "no meter". Not sure where you are using taxis but in 5 or 6 years, i have never once had a taxi who tried to scam me or tried to not use the meter. Sometimes it works in our favour. I took a taxi from Khao San road the other night back to Bang Na. He said two hundred baht. I agreed. It would of cost twice that on the meter!! Ok Bang Na is big but... I never pay more than 160 to get there from Khao San. On the meter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arrowsdawdle Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Bangkok taxis have meters? Most of my journeys seem to start with "no meter". Not sure where you are using taxis but in 5 or 6 years, i have never once had a taxi who tried to scam me or tried to not use the meter. Sometimes it works in our favour. I took a taxi from Khao San road the other night back to Bang Na. He said two hundred baht. I agreed. It would of cost twice that on the meter!! Those previous drivers must have been taking you via Nonthaburi. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anon999 Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 that's a good move , taxi drivers need to make a bit more money .... Reducing the amount of taxis in Bangkok will help also as on my opinion they are too many taxis , I think there would be many who would disagree, as the availability of cheap taxi transport is one of the attractive elements of a mostly unattractive city. The number will be determined by supply and demand. If they weren't being used, and were not making money, they would not exist in such large numbers. Well, we could debate if BKK is "unattractive' since 14 million people can't all be wrong....Personally. I love it in BKK. To each their own, yes?Anyway, I really like your point about supply and demand. Yes, of course there must be enough work / profit for the vast numbers of cabs...or, as you have pointed out...they would go to the next best option for making money. This may be a boon for tuk tuk and motorcycle drivers who move many people and take up less road space. Of course, they will bump up rates a little...but we will still have the power to negotiate price. Often, on a short trip from BTS, a tuk tuk will say 35 baht, and I say...for 40 baht, i can sit in an air conditioned car. Now, it will will be a bit harder to sell that idea. at the end of the day, we are talking about (literally) ... pennies of difference. Mai pen rai. The last time I was going to hire a tuk tuk to go to a BTS station the driver said 50 baht and would not negotiate even when I told him taxi meter 40 baht. Have never seen a taxi without a meter and have always refused to go anywhere without the meter on. Dumped a taxi at DM once 50 yards from the pick up point as he refused to use the meter. There's no way I'm paying double for a journey and in 15 years have always managed to find one happy to use the meter. However, they all switch their meters off around MBK in the evenings so a short walk is in order. Anyway a small increase on the km rate is needed as the cost of NGV has increase as has the cost of running a taxi or any car for that matter. They're excellent value for money. Not like black cabs in England. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackthorn2005 Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 I wish they had considered regulating the rental price of the taxi to the driver. While the yellow/green taxis are operated as a company, the solid-colour ones are rented to the driver at a daily rate. If you just increase the per km or flagfall, the owners will just get out their calculator again and raise the rental price. This is what happened last time. Cheers That would explain why some taxis refuse to pick up and drop off in certain locations and lots of them will not switch the meter on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spidermike007 Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Bangkok taxis have meters? Most of my journeys seem to start with "no meter". An absolutely preposterous statement if I have ever heard one. It is so easy in Bangkok to get a metered taxi. A few areas are harder than others, but when I get one who quotes me a stupid fare, I shine him on, and look for another, and it is rare that I cannot find another willing to use his meter. Samui on the other hand is a taxi disaster zone. There is not one taxi on the island what will use the meter, and not a single person in a position of authority does anything about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAWP Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 It's a good idea to raise the prices for Farangs only because their currency has value. Normal Thai people can continue to pay an old rate since it will impact them more. So if I travel with my gf and she pays, we would get the Thai rate, no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAWP Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 It is about time that Taxi tariffs went up. They are fixed on 35 baht for 20 years. All people complaining about the increase need to be cut 50% on their salary and that is only for inflation. Taxi drivers have seen their car rent go up, petrol prices rise dramatically and their cost of living. Without a decent fee, taxi rides will stay dangerous and attract the wrong kind of drivers, who have to work far too long hours to avoid accidents. The drivers would have deserved at the very least a doubling of their tariffs. The last taxi fare increase in BKK was in July 2008. The rise was 12% from the previous fare which had been in effect since 1992. http://www.nationmul...al_30075874.php As far as I recall it took more than 6 months to adjust all the meters. There you go again, destroying emotional arguments with facts. Most that lived here before 2008 should remember the raise. And the ones preceding that one. One would think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAWP Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 just a 10-20baht extra on an average ride will not change any of our lives(even for the poor english teachers) but will give a massive incentive for underpaid taxis to not steal from you. They are getting a 1980's salary right now.. those 10-20baht extras per ride will give them enough money to be happy. What do you mean, they are getting a 1980's salary? Does that mean that the maid here or the cleaning women at work are getting 1940's salaries? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaiIand Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 the maids and cleaning ladies are burmese. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seminomadic Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Well, we could debate if BKK is "unattractive' since 14 million people can't all be wrong....Personally. I love it in BKK. To each their own, yes? The 14 million people residing in BKK, or even a fraction of them, are not here because BKK is an attractive city. The fourteen million ARE here because it's a place to make a living. Ask any Thai "Grungthep suay mai?' and you'll be hard-pressed to get a 'yes'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seminomadic Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Totally agree with the consensus. The taxis are a real bargain here and - comparing the price with the quality of the cars - it probably represents the best value in pretty much any city I have ever been in. Hong Kong cars are fine and cheap for the fact it's a first world city, but the starting meter price of HKD 20 translates to around 80 baht. I'd ber very happy to see the starting fare hiked to 45 baht. You're goofy saying HK taxi drivers charge c.80THB so the rate's justified in going up here. HK taxi drivers are are not allowed to refuse service by law, know where they're going and aren't so stupid that they are unable to read a map even if it's in their native language. Ridiculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeO Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 (edited) the startling price of a cab will be maintained at 35 baht Obviously some people are more easily startled than others. You have a good eye...!! Should have been a proofreader...! Edited March 12, 2012 by GeorgeO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SabaiBKK Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 "The Ministry will set a limit on the number of cabs so that taxis do not outnumber passengers." Well, this is the same authority setting the new pricing - good luck to all of us. Bangkok's taxis are anyhow among the cheapest on the planet which explains smaller wheels and faster meters for the last 20 years. In the old days you bargained the fare and, if you were lucky and grabbed an old Toyopet with a Nippon Denso airconditioner which got fitted later you topped another 20 Baht for the air. spmaller wheels don't make any difference as the axle is similar on most cars, the meter is not fixed on the wheels ...lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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