Should Bangkok-style Taxi Meters Be Allowed In The Pattaya Metro Area?

[Jingthing]

This is just a generic, simple poll. Not getting into the complexities about whether taxis should roam the streets or be available by phone only. Just whether people want to see taxi meters or not in the Pattaya area.

[leisurely]

I know it is just a poll to vote in, but it is a bit of a no brainer really

[midas]

if there is a problem with metered taxis, why in the first instance

don't they at least allow tuk tuk's -at least it allows two or three people

travel together to somewhere that isn't serviced by a baht bus

without having to catch three separate motorbikes?

[ashacat]

I can see this poll being a bit of a "one horse race". So to speak.

[buriramboy]

for those of us who live the other side of sukhumvit road and don't like motorbike taxis, the baht bus system is a joke, it is nearly impossible to get one from siam country club or soi nern plhap waan into town and if you want to get home they all want ridiculous amounts of money. for the short distances involved i think tuk-tuks would probably be a better idea and probably more profitable for the owners than bkk meter taxis. but apparantly the baht buses are run by a powerful mafia, so we are not likely so see any competition or changes to the current situation. i remember when some free buses were introduced and allegedly they were geting constantly vandalized by baht bus drivers.

BB

[bazmlb]

if there is a problem with metered taxis, why in the first instance

don't they at least allow tuk tuk's -at least it allows two or three people

travel together to somewhere that isn't serviced by a baht bus

without having to catch three separate motorbikes?

But you can hire a baht bus to go anywhere privately, we even get them to take us to satthaheep when we go diving.

[Jingthing]

I hope we continue to get many people voting in this poll. I am advocating for taxi meters to be allowed in Pattaya; so far it sounds like most people do support this idea. But of course you can vote as you please. We all realize how hard it would be to overcome the powerful dark forces repressing this, but at the very least, I would like to get the results of this poll to the English language "press", such as the Pattaya Mail.

Edited January 19, 2007 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

if there is a problem with metered taxis, why in the first instance

don't they at least allow tuk tuk's -at least it allows two or three people

travel together to somewhere that isn't serviced by a baht bus

without having to catch three separate motorbikes?

But you can hire a baht bus to go anywhere privately, we even get them to take us to satthaheep when we go diving.

And I bet you have to negotiate very hard for such a ride, and even if you get a good price it would be way more than a Bangkok style taxi meter. Also, do you pay them to wait for you? If not, how do you get back?

I have used the baht buses as "taxis" too, generally at least 100 baht for a short ride that would be 35 in a taxi meter, in a TRUCK. Especially fun during rainstorms!

Personally, there are alot of places that I would go much more often if there were taxi meters. I don't want to deal with the hard core thug baht bus drivers where anything goes as far as price. Places that without a vehicle become difficult to get to, such as the Cabbages and Condom resort, restaurants and clubs on Third Road, deep into Naklua, etc., etc. I will say it again, taxi meters would be a bonanza for businesses that are now remote to tourists and residents without vehicles. It would be a win win for the economy of the entire city. Only a tiny percentage of thugs would be hurt. You know, the ones who swing baseball bats at you when you pay them 10 baht for a 5 baht ride because they want 20.

Edited January 19, 2007 by Jingthing

[dgoz]

No matter how obvious it is that Pattaya needs Taxis or tuktuks, and no matter what we think it aint gonna happen buddy.

The people who make these decisions also have a stake in the Baht-bus monopoly. Now why in hele do you think they would make a decision to hurt their own business?

Welcome to Thailand.

[Robski]

I think the better question would be; do you think Pattaya will ever get meter taxis'? Yes or no.

[bazmlb]

if there is a problem with metered taxis, why in the first instance

don't they at least allow tuk tuk's -at least it allows two or three people

travel together to somewhere that isn't serviced by a baht bus

without having to catch three separate motorbikes?

But you can hire a baht bus to go anywhere privately, we even get them to take us to satthaheep when we go diving.

And I bet you have to negotiate very hard for such a ride, and even if you get a good price it would be way more than a Bangkok style taxi meter. Also, do you pay them to wait for you? If not, how do you get back?

I have used the baht buses as "taxis" too, generally at least 100 baht for a short ride that would be 35 in a taxi meter, in a TRUCK. Especially fun during rainstorms!

Personally, there are alot of places that I would go much more often if there were taxi meters. I don't want to deal with the hard core thug baht bus drivers where anything goes as far as price. Places that without a vehicle become difficult to get to, such as the Cabbages and Condom resort, restaurants and clubs on Third Road, deep into Naklua, etc., etc. I will say it again, taxi meters would be a bonanza for businesses that are now remote to tourists and residents without vehicles. It would be a win win for the economy of the entire city. Only a tiny percentage of thugs would be hurt. You know, the ones who swing baseball bats at you when you pay them 10 baht for a 5 baht ride because they want 20.

Yes we do make them wait, but we have regular ones we use so as no need to negotiate, the price is very reasonable and a 2 way trip can cost a lot less than what a taxi meter would charge to go to sahtaheep and back and wait.

Shorter trips yes are expensive, but you should be able to hire a baht bus for 800baht for the whole day, some try for more but thats the going rate. Hire a taxi to take you around all day for a tour will cost at least that much.

[britmaveric]

Too Much Traffic - don't need 1000 empty taxi(s) wandering with the 1000(s) of baht buses.

[Jingthing]

I think the better question would be; do you think Pattaya will ever get meter taxis'? Yes or no.

Why is that a better question? The answer is totally predictable. By ever, I take it you mean in the forseable future, and there is no doubt the vast majority of people would say, no, this ain't going to happen, including me. I do think it will happen eventually in the fullness of time, but that isn't very interesting.

The reason I think the question about whether taxis should be allowed or not is relevant, is because there are lots of fatalists who say they aren't even wanted. I think they are wanted. That is a first step, isn't it?

After all, I am sure there were lots of nay sayers also in Chiang Mai.

[Jingthing]

No matter how obvious it is that Pattaya needs Taxis or tuktuks, and no matter what we think it aint gonna happen buddy.

The people who make these decisions also have a stake in the Baht-bus monopoly. Now why in hele do you think they would make a decision to hurt their own business?

Welcome to Thailand.

Normally they wouldn't.

But it happened in Chiang Mai. So on paper, not impossible. Welcome to Thailand? Chiang Mai is in Thailand.

Reminder, the poll is only about whether you want the taxis, not whether you think they will be allowed. Not the same question at all.

Edited January 19, 2007 by Jingthing

[bmanly]

To answer Jingthings question yes Bangkok style taxi meteres would be great in Pattaya.

Walking street 2 am..... 60 baht by motocy rider, 100 baht by baht bus off the street and 150 by baht bus off the queue at closing time to say Carrerfour.

Bangkok stlye taxi from walking street with 40 baht flagfall and 10 baht in distance cost in an air con cab, what ya reckon? I take the air con cab anytime.... if it was there.

[Tammi]

Please, Angels, send us metered a/c taxis with a sign saying "we love farangs".

Tuk-tuks are dangerous and usually a rip off. I'm scared on motorcycles. Only once had a problem with a baht bus apart from getting water slung all over me at Songkran and me in my best bib and tucker.

Please, please send Bangkok style taxis.

[britmaveric]

Dream on......

[Pattaya_Fox]

Please, Angels, send us metered a/c taxis with a sign saying "we love farangs".

Tammi.... shouldn`t the sign read "we love farangs big taxi fares"?

[midas]

Never say never ! if you got together the backing of all the Chambers of Commerce and major hotels

together with the media highlighting that if the City of Pattaya is deadly serious about its tourist

trade - I think they would have to show at least some willingness to improve public transportation ?

[Pattaya_Fox]

Never say never ! if you got together the backing of all the Chambers of Commerce and major hotels

together with the media highlighting that if the City of Pattaya is deadly serious about its tourist

trade - I think they would have to show at least some willingness to improve public transportation ?

I think that they did all that with the Green..Blue...Red or was it Pink airconditioned bus route system.....and it still failed miserably.

Lions are King of the Jungle and the Baht Bus is the King of Pattaya`s transport system....Long may it reign

[Jingthing]

Never say never ! if you got together the backing of all the Chambers of Commerce and major hotels

together with the media highlighting that if the City of Pattaya is deadly serious about its tourist

trade - I think they would have to show at least some willingness to improve public transportation ?

I think that they did all that with the Green..Blue...Red or was it Pink airconditioned bus route system.....and it still failed miserably.

Lions are King of the Jungle and the Baht Bus is the King of Pattaya`s transport system....Long may it reign

I don't think Jungle is an apt analogy. A jungle implies there is a healthy ecosystem of competing animals that do eat each other sometimes, but don't actually wipe out entire species. The baht bus Lion King of the Jungle has eaten all the taxi meters. As we all know, Pattaya wouldn't be Pattaya without Kings AND Queens.

[tropo]

Yes we do make them wait, but we have regular ones we use so as no need to negotiate, the price is very reasonable and a 2 way trip can cost a lot less than what a taxi meter would charge to go to sahtaheep and back and wait.

Is the price you pay to Sattahip and back including a wait a secret? Could you perhaps share it?

[tropo]

Pattaya will have no option but to introduce some kind of metered transport in the future. It's only a matter of time until someone is brave enough to break the baht bus monopoly.

[britmaveric]

Pattaya will have no option but to introduce some kind of metered transport in the future. It's only a matter of time until someone is brave enough to break the baht bus monopoly.

Likely to be crushed again!!

[the gent]

Civilization can be measured in many ways and marks a watershed in any culture which may consider itself as acceptable to the majority whilst enjoying a singularity offensive to none.

Using that as a guideline, the continuing existence of the wretched Pattaya songthaew suggests that the Thai have yet to grasp the nettle which seemingly irritates even the most bovine of tattooed dross that may fetch up on the shore of that most tarnished of Thai jewels.

That they have not done so tells us more about the Thai than perhaps anything else and should act as a cautionary note to those who may consider Thailand as a suitable repository for their money,dreams or both.

My own short term solution would be Romanesque in that decimation might be a suitable starting point..... a solution that could always be extended to the proliferating estate agents but,hey, let's not get too carried away!

Edited January 19, 2007 by the gent

[Jingthing]

Indeed, Gent. (Huh?)

Anyway, posting again to highlight this poll to gather more votes.

Edited January 20, 2007 by Jingthing

[Tammi]

Please, Angels, send us metered a/c taxis with a sign saying "we love farangs".

Tammi.... shouldn`t the sign read "we love farangs big taxi fares"?

No. Flag drop is 35 baht and then rest of fare is automatically calculated. No hassles, you pay what's on the meter.

I don't think that there is a flag drop price for Thais and another for farangs. But please let me know.

[ryu]

If bath buses would have a fixed price system I don't need meter taxis

[Pattaya_Fox]

Never say never ! if you got together the backing of all the Chambers of Commerce and major hotels

together with the media highlighting that if the City of Pattaya is deadly serious about its tourist

trade - I think they would have to show at least some willingness to improve public transportation ?

I think that they did all that with the Green..Blue...Red or was it Pink airconditioned bus route system.....and it still failed miserably.

Lions are King of the Jungle and the Baht Bus is the King of Pattaya`s transport system....Long may it reign

I don't think Jungle is an apt analogy. A jungle implies there is a healthy ecosystem of competing animals that do eat each other sometimes, but don't actually wipe out entire species. The baht bus Lion King of the Jungle has eaten all the taxi meters. As we all know, Pattaya wouldn't be Pattaya without Kings AND Queens.

Where have you been??

How on earth could it have eaten all the taxi-meters when they never ventured into the arena in the first place??

As for Queens.............

[Pattaya_Fox]

Please, Angels, send us metered a/c taxis with a sign saying "we love farangs".

Tammi.... shouldn`t the sign read "we love farangs big taxi fares"?

No. Flag drop is 35 baht and then rest of fare is automatically calculated. No hassles, you pay what's on the meter.

Exactly.............before you`ve even set off they`ll charge you 35 baht++ waiting in traffic+distance+. that is if you will even be able to find one.

So from South Pattaya Road along 2nd Road to Dolphin Roundabout and down Beach Road to lets say the Big Ben Pub.......will be no less than 70 baht and probably more....and if you go further then ++ even more still.

Now the much praised Baht Bus would cost you a mere 5 baht or 10 baht...........and you don`t have to wait long for one to come along.

For longer distances the baht bus drivers love to haggle and you can secure a reasonable price with a humour and barter.

Edited January 20, 2007 by Pattaya_Fox