richard_smith237

Erm... ????

Well... Which is it ??? Certainly seems stormy enough in Bangkok today !

Given your statement.... Yes... missing rather a lot...

We definitely need a few more government agencies to deal with this issue...

If you’re going to get into a taxi with only 1000 or 500 Baht notes then you’re daft. If you’re expecting 25 baht change from a 100 Baht note then you’re tight !

There are two main options in Bangkok. Grab and Bolt: Grab App covers a lot of things, including food orders etc. On the Grab App there is the transport option and you can select the type of Transport from ‘JustGrab’ which is any, including regular taxi or a car ‘GrabTaxi’ which is a taxi. ‘GrabCar premium’.... ‘GrabCar for Ladies' ‘GrabBike - win’ (motorcycle) ‘Grab SUV’ and ‘Grab XL’ Grab accepts Cash and local credit cards (I’ve never tried with int’l credit cards). Bolt only accepts Cash and also has a few variable options from Taxi, car, premium, motorcycle etc IMO: Grab is better than Bolt - but lately, in the awful weather its been difficult to get a Grab. Bolt seems more difficult to secure.

Stopping for a pedestrian here is a strange experience. Its something I always *try to do.... But when I stop, the wait, they hesitate, I wave my hand and they still don’t want to cross.... I’m there saying to myself... “Go... Go on then... what are you waiting for?... Cross already... Jaysus I’m not tricking you...”.... finally when I’ve just about had enough I give up and go to drive on just as they step out... then I look like the pillock !!!! *on my motorcycle on a faster section of road with traffic behind me I’m more conscious of being rear ended... (I had being the first at lights or a crossing in this scenario - in my car I’m less conscious unless there are lorries behind)

Because it never has in the past when exactly the same announcements have been made. Money does win - the BiB get their 200 baht when they catch people... Do the BiB want to lose out on a revenue stream ???.... Don’t enforce the law properly and people will continue breaking the law - its a balancing act ! Thats also part of the issue... the ‘affordability’ aspect.... That said, I’m sure many do have other options (i.e. leave the 1 & 3 year old at home with the wife, or take a Songthaew etc)... but prefer the convenience of the whole family on a bike. I saw a guy last week on our sub-soi.... trying to hold a shopping bag and a baby, also with 3 or 4 year old stood up on the step through section of the bike... (no helmets on any of them of course).

I’ve had this... I know my way around Bangkok - I’ve driven here for over 20 years (both cars and motorcycles). I know the short-cuts, I know the traffic and in most cases know where I’m going and how to get there more than the taxi driver and can speak decent enough Thai to articulate such and be understood. Some guys are just d!<ks and still don’t know that I know more than them and want to take me down a ‘busier route’ (since google maps its also been easier to identify faster routes). If we haven’t moved off yet or have only moved a very short distance I just get out. If we’ve moved a reasonable distance (i.e. 1km etc) I pay the meter rate and get out. I do the same (get out) if the driver is using his phone and won’t put it down or if there is no seatbelt in the back etc. If the taxi driver is an ayhole Its very childish but makes me chuckle - my little protest: not closing the door fully.

Yeah, sure! He is living with a girl who has 63 brothers. There we go.... someone got it !!! (or specifically 63 taxi drivers laying claim to be ‘the brother' !)

Exactly the same: In the past when I have rented Condo’s I pay the Government electricity rate and water bills. We’d see the original Elec / water bills and pay them directly. The Owner pays maintenance fees. When we used to rent out our owned condo it was the same deal for the renter. IF a Condo owner is charging a non-government rate and / or charging for maintenance fess then the tenant is being ripped off. In the past there has also been an agreement written into the contact - anything ‘estimated’ to be less than 2000 baht the tenant fixes (changing light bulbs, a water faucet etc). Anything larger and the Owner fixes (i.e. failed AC) also fixed into the rent is the AC being cleaned at least once per year (but twice is ideal if usage is high).

Regarding electricity usage: We have 7 AC units in our house ranging from 9000 to 18,000 BTU depending on the room. Unless we are out, there is at least 1 AC on all the time - either bedroom or living room. At night there is always two AC’s on (our BR and Sons). In the day time there (when in) there is Always at least one AC on, often two it its hot (to AC’s in a large high ceiling living room / dining room) and sometimes the AC in the joining kitchen when cooking. Our bill is usually about 6500 baht per month (I’m not sure of the exact usage) - but it seems reasonable given the amount we use. Two Fridges (one large one medium). Oven cooker (which we use at least 2 times per week). Hob cooker (also used a lot). Washing Machine and Tumble drier used multiple times per-week.

As LL wrote above - its not illegal for the owner to charge whatever they like in a Condo or house - that said, it seems more common that they just charge the government rate. It is illegal charge more than the government rate in apartments (of 5 or more units), it is also common for owners of Apartment complexes to charge more than the government rate (sometimes up to double).

So no real deterrent for someone driving a 1 million baht car. When stopped at a road side for DUI and paying the BiB their tea-money (2000 baht / 6000 baht or whatever the going rate is)... how will anyone ever know this is a repeat offence ? The only people who will be dealt with severely are those who are involved in accidents or kill people when DUI.... There is no proactive prevention with the current manner in which the roads are patrolled (or rather not patrolled). And then, what patrolling policeman is going to pull over a Mercedes weaving all over the road anyway ???

And this apathy towards enforcement which simply enables continued poor traffic behaviour will continue indefinitely.... This attitude is the underlying reason for Thailands road fatalities - an underlying leniency. Numerous announcements of crackdowns, harsh penalties followed by apathy and leniency sets the repeated tone that nothing really changes so no one pays attention anyway.

You mean home ???

I’m waiting for the ‘typical apologists’ to enter the fray and claim... - I’ve been taking taxi’s for 10 years and this never happened to me - It must be because you are not speaking Thai - It’s because the driver doesn’t understand you - Its because of the area you are in The taxi drivers want an increase in flag-fall rate which I think is fair enough. However, the sense of entitlement of people providing a service (taxi’s) is ridiculous. By being a taxi driver they have ’theoretically’ agreed to the terms of service they provide. It terribly annoying to ‘want to rely’ on taxi’s and find them so unreliable. After getting rejected 5 times I start to think I should have just been done with it and taken the car or motorcycle instead. Grab is also getting a lot worse and its often getting harder to call a ride. Bolt is virtually a no-go... I only successfully secure a ride 10% of the time (may be my area of Bkk). Is it the weather that means so many drivers just want to ’sit it out’ at this time of year ??? I’m not sure.... there still seems like plenty of taxi’s (with red lights) on the roads.