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

[Jingthing]

I have now set up a new poll on the Chiang Mai forum asking the fine people of Chiang Mai whether they are happy or not that they are now offered the free choice of using Bangkok style taxi meters in their city.

80 percent want taxi meters in Pattaya.

Thats a pretty impressive majority, folks, don't you agree?

If Chiang Mai can do it, why can't Pattaya?????

http://wikitravel.org/en/Chiang_Mai

To the naysayers that have maybe been in Thailand too long ... it ain't rocket science, it ain't brain surgery, its just taxis, cars with meters.

By taxi

Chiang Mai has finally introduced Bangkok-style metered taxis. In early 2005 there were only 15 plying the streets (versus 2700 songthaews), but one year later there were over 45, with the number growing monthly. Rates are very reasonable at 30 baht for the first 2 km and 4 baht/km after that. Dial +66 53-279291 for advance bookings, which are particularly useful when going to the airport (100 baht flat fare).

Edited January 20, 2007 by Jingthing

[moo9]

By the way when talking about the "baht bus mafia", who knows the structure of this? Are there many individual companies involved? Does the driver owns his Songthaew or does he rent it (like most of the taxis in BKK)?

I have no clear opinion on this poll, I use motorbike taxis and Songthaews in Pattaya. Never had a real bad experience (knock on wood). Yes, when you want to go anywhere at 4.30 am they try to cheat you a little bit, but I always manage to get home at 100 - max. 150 Baht. Other thing is, that if you stay around Soi Siam Country Club or up to Maprachan, it is really a mess to get there at night (after all there is almost no possibility which is safe and sound). At least one of the reasons why I moved away from there.

After all, you cannot deny the charme of the baht busses, despite all the transportation disadvantages some people face because of there remote place of living.

[Pattaya_Fox]

I have now set up a new poll on the Chiang Mai forum asking the fine people of Chiang Mai whether they are happy or not that they are now offered the free choice of using Bangkok style taxi meters in their city.

80 percent want taxi meters in Pattaya.

Thats a pretty impressive majority, folks, don't you agree?

If Chiang Mai can do it, why can't Pattaya?????

http://wikitravel.org/en/Chiang_Mai

To the naysayers that have maybe been in Thailand too long ... it ain't rocket science, it ain't brain surgery, its just taxis, cars with meters.

By taxi

Chiang Mai has finally introduced Bangkok-style metered taxis. In early 2005 there were only 15 plying the streets (versus 2700 songthaews), but one year later there were over 45, with the number growing monthly. Rates are very reasonable at 30 baht for the first 2 km and 4 baht/km after that. Dial +66 53-279291 for advance bookings, which are particularly useful when going to the airport (100 baht flat fare).

So so far 41 people have voted for the taxi meter....come on be real...there are thousands of locals as well as foreign residents and thousands of tourists who use the baht busses and are very happy with them.

Your tiny poll of people from TV will not influence anything with regard to the transport system in Pattaya.

There are more people to consider then the few who have voted in your poll and that aint rocket science either.

[Jingthing]

Pattaya Fox,

It is most certainly not a scientific poll.

However, it is a fair sample of farang opinion, both tourists and expats.

And with a such a dramatic majority, I actually think it is an extremely definitive result.

Sorry you don't agree with it. You seem to be in the minority. I know the feeling.

I believe the baht bus drivers rent the buses. I believe they rent them from one company. Anyone with authoritative info about the structure of the baht bus mafia, please post.

Edited January 20, 2007 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

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

Edited January 21, 2007 by Jingthing

[Mai Krap]

As long as you stay on first and second road or just go to the Carre Four from there the baht buses are ok, Beyond that its insane. God forbid you have any desire to go anywhere besides Ekimai in Bangkok if you have to rely on public transpertation.

I dont see the Taxi thing happeing anytime soon, My choice is to just avoid Pattaya as much as possible which includes passing up the meeting of old friends who refuse to meet up anywhere else. Once every year or two is about all I can handle at this stage in my life.

Edited January 21, 2007 by Mai Krap

[idle44mins]

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.

Just a simple 'yes, no or no opinion' is that so difficult?

[Jingthing]

There are some very interesting points of view on the Chiang Mai taxi poll. It seems the taxis in Chiang Mai are owned by the songthaew (CM baht bus) company, so as you can imagine, their price structure is not consumer friendly. So that might explain how Chiang Mai was able to fight the baht bus mafia there to get taxi meters! Now that is classic, isn't it? It does sound like the Chiang Mai people would be much happier with their new taxi meters if they were more like BANGKOK taxi meters with the same wonderfully reasonable price structure.

So what that shows if Pattaya is to ever get taxi meters, is that not only does the resistance to it from the baht bus mafia need to be defeated, but also that the baht bus mafia shouldn't have their hands in the new taxi business at all. But it is a catch 22. Why would the baht bus mafia ever allow this unless they had their hands in it?

That is TWO tall orders. I am afraid I am about the join the ranks of the total pessimists very soon. Oh well.

Edited January 22, 2007 by Jingthing

[Pattaya_Fox]

[quote name='Jingthing' date='2007-01-22 13:44:15' post='10952

That is TWO tall orders. I am afraid I am about the join the ranks of the total pessimists very soon. Oh well.

Enjoy the baht bus................be happy

[Gary A]

I don't think it's the "Dark Forces" as much as that the Taxi driver would likely starve to death. It's a sure bet that rates would have to be higher than in Bangkok and they would probably need to be called to pick you up. If the Bangkok Taxi mafia wanted to operate in Pattaya they ###### sure would do it.

[RoueLeJour]

Yes, please. But last time I was in Bangkok the meters went off at 2am and it was haggle time.