KhunHehe

How about from Mo Chit BTS to Don Muang? The cabbies there are vultures. Where does one find the bus? What number?

Thanks!

PS From Don Muang via taxi? Got a couple stories....

I wanted to get a taxi, so after waiting about 45 minutes in the line, I approached the desk outside the airport who approximated the charge at "about 350 baht."

(Quick aside: After getting in line and before I reached the desk, another flight had landed, and a bunch of people from that flight up went directly to the front of the desk--avoiding the two lines that had already formed--and started a new one. The Thai desk clerks said nothing and got them all cabs. Can you say a$$hole$? Knew ya could.)

After finally getting my cab, I told the cabbie, a somewhat hyperactive but fun younger lady, to take the express way. There was no one on it, and she drove like a maniac. I love fast drivers, but she was all over the road, and it was scary. When we finally arrived at Sukhumvit Soi 11, it was clear why she drove so fast. The meter showed around 270 baht.

"350 baht," she announced.

"The meter says 270," I replied.

"Desk at airport say 350 baht."

"The airport desk said 'approximately 350 baht.'"

The girl didn't change her position. She smiled and repeated herself. Soi 11 was crowded, so I called her "puying mai dee" and gave her 350 to avoid a scene. She smiled again. As long as she got her cash, she didn't care what I said.

I had another bad experience before this--which is why I asked the desk the rate before going with the female cabbie mentioned in the previous anecdote. The time before the cab driver had a fast meter. I called him on it and had him stop the cab about a third of the way back. After the cab stopped, I got out and walked away without paying. He ran up to me, grabbed me by the shirt collar, balled up his fist, and cocked his arm back. I'm big and look young for my age, and he was a small, old guy. So I just stood there. (I bought the shirt for 100 baht in Mae Sai, so who cares anyway.)

I was basically unphased by his penchant for drama, so he started yelling. I guess he was seriously losing face, so he grabbed my shirt again and positioned his fist and arm the same way--cocked and ready to strike.

Again, I stood there, my sang froid unabated.

He never swung on me, but he yelled a lot and drew a small crowd. Finally, as a few Thai intervened, we agreed to go to the police station, but he demanded my girlfriends id to insure we'd show up. Against my wishes, she gave it to him.

We arrived at the police station, and he never showed. Why would he? They would have busted him for the fast meter.

And now my gf has to get the id replaced--a big hassle. She's never done that before nor does she know anyone who has.

I'm not especially fond of Bangkok cabbies--they're certainly not your friend--and I especially dislike the DM cabbies. They can play their nickle and dime games because they're basically the only game in town. Suvarnabhumi has the airport link that's amazing. DM is in the boonies.

I do like taking cabs in Bangkok. With more than one person, one can avoid the crammed BTS and MRT trains and get door to door service for often a lower price--traffic notwithstanding.

And we carry exact change now. Hahaha.

Karma can be a b!tch.

If the cashier rolled over, now every cop is going to hit her up for cash.

The charge: Selling pirated goods without a helmet!

Poor girl.

More veneer for the Thai publicity wall.