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Changing Song Tiaw fares


masuk

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I've just ventured downtown to Thae Pae gate, paid my 20baht, and the driver asked for a further 20baht, which did he did not get.

Finished what I had to do, then attempted to get a Song Tiaw back to Kad Suan Keo.

The first two vans weren't going my way so waved me off; the next guy asked for 40baht. I waved him off. I hadn't asked him how much, I never do.

The next van, totally empty, stopped and told me the fare was 50baht!

One more try, and he just indicated to get in the back. He was paid 20baht at destination.

What's wrong with these guys? Are there now too many vans on the road, or is just that tourists are arriving and they try and hit every farang for the maximum?

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They should be forced to put a price on the side of the truck. A simple sign indicating how much you pay depending on your destination. Inside the moat could be zone A, zone B could extend a bit further, etc. Couldn't this work?

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They aren't forced to do the sign.They don't make big money.I know how life is in Thailand so I don't mind paying 50 baht when

The average Thai pays 20 baht.They don't have the income I do so it don't bother me.

If your A farang and your income is low I understand it.

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There was a news item here recently that song taew basic rates would be reduced to 10 baht, by order of the Junta. Did I read that correctly, or was I hallucinating again? I don't see how these guys stay on the road at the 20 baht rate. And it seems ludicrous to even use the word "profit" when discussing this hand to mouth business. I have started relying on them more lately, finding them generally preferable to the ancient, noisy, hard riding tuk tuk fleet. Cheaper, too. The new big red tuks are a much needed improvement, but a song taew is better, especially if you have it all to yourself. You just need to be clear beforehand what it will cost. Naturally it's much better and cheaper when I have my Thai wife along.

Come on, it's totally reasonable to pay 50 - 60 baht for a solo ride clear across town, in relative comfort, and being able to see out of the vehicle. This topic always incites controversy. Now somebody will sign in and say guys like me and mr. thrilled (see above) are the reason for rampant corruption by the song taew and tuk tuk "mafias". Could be, I guess. Sorry.

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Logic is not held in high regard around these parts. .. and they like to increase their profit by any means. Or so it seems.

Did you not try to make as much money as you could when you were working?

There was a news item here recently that song taew basic rates would be reduced to 10 baht, by order of the Junta. Did I read that correctly, or was I hallucinating again? I don't see how these guys stay on the road at the 20 baht rate. And it seems ludicrous to even use the word "profit" when discussing this hand to mouth business. I have started relying on them more lately, finding them generally preferable to the ancient, noisy, hard riding tuk tuk fleet. Cheaper, too. The new big red tuks are a much needed improvement, but a song taew is better, especially if you have it all to yourself. You just need to be clear beforehand what it will cost. Naturally it's much better and cheaper when I have my Thai wife along.

Come on, it's totally reasonable to pay 50 - 60 baht for a solo ride clear across town, in relative comfort, and being able to see out of the vehicle. This topic always incites controversy. Now somebody will sign in and say guys like me and mr. thrilled (see above) are the reason for rampant corruption by the song taew and tuk tuk "mafias". Could be, I guess. Sorry.

Don't be sorry you speak the truth. It is a 20 baht fare and that is what I pay on a short trip if they ask for more and it is reasonable no problem. If the trip is a little long and they don't ask for more I make it a point to give them 30 baht. The rate has been 20 baht for 4 years with the cost of living going up drastically I believe it is only fair to pay them more. When I was working I got as much as I could out of the company. When I was in a union they did it for me. Never was it a 4 year wait.wai.gif

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I agree with the above. Today several songthaews turned down my request to go from Thapae Gate to Kad Suan Kaew (alone), in the middle of the day. Nobody asked for anything beyond the normal fare -- maybe it was my flawless Thai. They just turned me down outright. Anyway, when one finally accepted me, he had two Chinese tourists in the back who got out soon afterward at Three Kings Monument(typical routine of vehicle stopping, them looking clueless, driver getting out pounding on vehicle, them looking at me, me pointing to monument, them coming to life and leaving)

Anyway, after that little drama, the songthaew driver encountered no other customers on his way to Kad Suan Kaew. I felt kind of guilty just giving him 20 baht to go all the way from Three Kings to Kad Suan Kaew with just me in the vehicle.

Edited by NancyL
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There was a news item here recently that song taew basic rates would be reduced to 10 baht, by order of the Junta. Did I read that correctly, or was I hallucinating again? I don't see how these guys stay on the road at the 20 baht rate.

That change only applied to some fixed routes such as between the bus stations and it didn't apply to baht bus rides in general (and, for those fixed routes, to offset the lower price, the government was paying those drivers so much per kilometer travelled). And I understand that some baht bus drivers say that the change didn't apply to falang anyway.

Unless a baht bus driver tells me ahead of time of a different fare and I agree to it, he or she only gets 20 baht from me. What I feel slightly guilty about is when, for example, I would take one of blue baht busses to Lampang or Lamphun for 20 baht! (Even though I understand some of those routes are subsidized, I typically - and voluntarily - give them a bit more). Like Nancy, sometimes I feel a little funny having somebody take me half way across town and I'm the only rider....and I do sometimes voluntarily pay an extra 10 baht or so.

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NancyL wrote: "Anyway, after that little drama, the songthaew driver encountered no other customers on his way to Kad Suan Kaew. I felt kind of guilty just giving him 20 baht to go all the way from Three Kings to Kad Suan Kaew with just me in the vehicle."

I know so many people who would love to earn 20 baht for 15 minutes work. Due to fuel cost it is not all profit, but it is a fair income.

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Although public transport fares may seem very cheap in comparison to those of our home countries, these are Thailand fares and really have no relevance those in other countries.

Sure I have paid extra where I thought the service was worth it or better than expected, however like others I do take offense (Not the correct term that I want) when some drivers seem to be taking the mickey. Its easily sorted, again as other posts have stated. Just wait for another form of transport.

I suppose the gut feeling is that it appears the drivers only try this on with foreigners, Ive yet to see it occur to a Thai national. Hence my discomfort when this occurs.

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Until CM gets a properly organised transport network with set bus,van or songteaw routes to supplement the off the route destinations its always going to be this way ie at drivers discretion to charge you what he wants, or to refuse your patronage.The 10 b max proposed fare was just another "feel good" PR stunt.

In Bangkok when you catch a bus,long tail klong boat, BTS or underground rail you know exactly what the price is,same for all, be you Thai or foreigner.

Remember too that the CM songteaw owner has to have a seperate stash set aside so he can bypass the toxic emission levels of his exhaust when its due for annual registration

As the second biggest city in Thailand CM hasn't caught up yet with any other modern city, or maybe it just doesnt want to

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Although public transport fares may seem very cheap in comparison to those of our home countries, these are Thailand fares and really have no relevance those in other countries.

Sure I have paid extra where I thought the service was worth it or better than expected, however like others I do take offense (Not the correct term that I want) when some drivers seem to be taking the mickey. Its easily sorted, again as other posts have stated. Just wait for another form of transport.

I suppose the gut feeling is that it appears the drivers only try this on with foreigners, Ive yet to see it occur to a Thai national. Hence my discomfort when this occurs.

They certainly try it on with Chinese tourists. I've seen them pay heaps when they get out. The fares here work out more expensive than a far longer ride costs on a large air con bus in the major Chinese cities.

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The songtau drivers some years ago agreed to work for set fares so that a bus route was not set up on those routes. Of course the could allways stop driving if it is not profitable and find something else to do with the hour or so a day they work as too many of them find it profitible enough to have to work a full day.

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The fares here work out more expensive than a far longer ride costs on a large air con bus in the major Chinese cities.

The same thing goes for long distance buses here. I hate paying 50 baht just to go to the bus station, where is costs another 50 baht to go to another city far away. Of course, the bus will (hopefully) have a lot more customers, which adds up.

Edited by Ulysses G.
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Well lots of justification here for not paying more. How ever people seem to think that there has been no rise in the cost of living here in the last 4 years since the 20 baht was instigated. Wrong. If you are on pensions do you send pack any increases in them? Yet you think the Songthaew driver should not get more money.

Sorry I feel it is only fair. Just as I got raises when I was working and the cost of living was going up.

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Well lots of justification here for not paying more. How ever people seem to think that there has been no rise in the cost of living here in the last 4 years since the 20 baht was instigated. Wrong. If you are on pensions do you send pack any increases in them? Yet you think the Songthaew driver should not get more money.

Sorry I feel it is only fair. Just as I got raises when I was working and the cost of living was going up.

Absolutely he should, when the Thai authority deems it so.

Songtheaw fare structure is nothing at all to do with me.

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There was an article in the August 10 edition of the Chiang Mai Mail (online) stating that the Army was requiring fixed routes for the red songthaews, and trying to register the drivers for specific routes. Apparently those "talks" broke down for the moment, but changes could be coming. Maybe that has something to do with the attitude some are experiencing here.

Personally I would be happy to pay more than 20 baht if I did not need to have a discussion with the driver everytime I got on, and I knew exactly where the songthaew was going.

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Well lots of justification here for not paying more. How ever people seem to think that there has been no rise in the cost of living here in the last 4 years since the 20 baht was instigated. Wrong. If you are on pensions do you send pack any increases in them? Yet you think the Songthaew driver should not get more money.

Sorry I feel it is only fair. Just as I got raises when I was working and the cost of living was going up.

Absolutely he should, when the Thai authority deems it so.

Songtheaw fare structure is nothing at all to do with me.

I am not talking about the structure and who sets it. I am talking about my own personal values and sense of fairness.

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Well lots of justification here for not paying more. How ever people seem to think that there has been no rise in the cost of living here in the last 4 years since the 20 baht was instigated. Wrong. If you are on pensions do you send pack any increases in them? Yet you think the Songthaew driver should not get more money.

Sorry I feel it is only fair. Just as I got raises when I was working and the cost of living was going up.

Absolutely he should, when the Thai authority deems it so.

Songtheaw fare structure is nothing at all to do with me.

I am not talking about the structure and who sets it. I am talking about my own personal values and sense of fairness.

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Well lots of justification here for not paying more. How ever people seem to think that there has been no rise in the cost of living here in the last 4 years since the 20 baht was instigated. Wrong. If you are on pensions do you send pack any increases in them? Yet you think the Songthaew driver should not get more money.

Sorry I feel it is only fair. Just as I got raises when I was working and the cost of living was going up.

Absolutely he should, when the Thai authority deems it so.

Songtheaw fare structure is nothing at all to do with me.

I am not talking about the structure and who sets it. I am talking about my own personal values and sense of fairness.

A song taew is not a taxi, there is no guarantee that you will have exclusive use or go directly to your destination. A fixed fare is the best way of compensating for this. I have paid more for a ride several times when the driver had already agreed to 20 baht. I have also wished I had never got into the vehicle when one or more customers got in after me and were taken to their destinations first while my travel time was extended by 30 minutes. If you feel that you should pay more, do so, but do it when you have been inconvenienced as well as when everything goes as you like, and do it when there are 10 customers going to the same place as you, don't compromise your "personal values".

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Logic is not held in high regard around these parts. .. and they like to increase their profit by any means. Or so it seems.

Did you not try to make as much money as you could when you were working?

There was a news item here recently that song taew basic rates would be reduced to 10 baht, by order of the Junta. Did I read that correctly, or was I hallucinating again? I don't see how these guys stay on the road at the 20 baht rate. And it seems ludicrous to even use the word "profit" when discussing this hand to mouth business. I have started relying on them more lately, finding them generally preferable to the ancient, noisy, hard riding tuk tuk fleet. Cheaper, too. The new big red tuks are a much needed improvement, but a song taew is better, especially if you have it all to yourself. You just need to be clear beforehand what it will cost. Naturally it's much better and cheaper when I have my Thai wife along.

Come on, it's totally reasonable to pay 50 - 60 baht for a solo ride clear across town, in relative comfort, and being able to see out of the vehicle. This topic always incites controversy. Now somebody will sign in and say guys like me and mr. thrilled (see above) are the reason for rampant corruption by the song taew and tuk tuk "mafias". Could be, I guess. Sorry.

Don't be sorry you speak the truth. It is a 20 baht fare and that is what I pay on a short trip if they ask for more and it is reasonable no problem. If the trip is a little long and they don't ask for more I make it a point to give them 30 baht. The rate has been 20 baht for 4 years with the cost of living going up drastically I believe it is only fair to pay them more. When I was working I got as much as I could out of the company. When I was in a union they did it for me. Never was it a 4 year wait.wai.gif

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