Chiang Mai: Are You Happy You Have Taxi Meters Available Now?

[Jingthing]

So, far Thailand has two cities which have taxi meters available.

Bangkok, of course, and now more recently Chiang Mai.

Many fine people in Pattaya (80 percent according to a poll on this forum), the big beach resort city in Thailand famous for its high morals, modesty, and world-class cultural offerings also want taxi meters to come to Pattaya.

So, we are wondering, are you happy they are available now in Chiang Mai, and how is it working out for you?

http://wikitravel.org/en/Chiang_Mai

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

[Cyberstar]

Someone, living on Phuket, told me they also have aircon meter taxis there. Don't know if he just had visions... As for the CM-taxis - well, I don't need them.

Edited January 20, 2007 by Cyberstar

[Donnyboy]

So, far Thailand has two cities which have taxi meters available.

Bangkok, of course, and now more recently Chiang Mai.

Many fine people in Pattaya (80 percent according to a poll on this forum), the big beach resort city in Thailand famous for its high morals, modesty, and world-class cultural offerings also want taxi meters to come to Pattaya.

So, we are wondering, are you happy they are available now in Chiang Mai, and how is it working out for you?

http://wikitravel.org/en/Chiang_Mai

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)

How does the words "high morales", "fine people", "world class cultural offerings","modesty" and "Pattaya" come in the same sentence?

Edited January 20, 2007 by Donnyboy

[Jingthing]

So, far Thailand has two cities which have taxi meters available.

Bangkok, of course, and now more recently Chiang Mai.

Many fine people in Pattaya (80 percent according to a poll on this forum), the big beach resort city in Thailand famous for its high morals, modesty, and world-class cultural offerings also want taxi meters to come to Pattaya.

So, we are wondering, are you happy they are available now in Chiang Mai, and how is it working out for you?

http://wikitravel.org/en/Chiang_Mai

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)

How does the words "high morales", "fine people", "world class cultural offerings","modesty" and "Pattaya" come in the same sentence?

Us Pattaya cats are nothing if not IRONIC. BTW, I love Chiang Mai. Almost moved there.

Now why did you move to Pattaya?

Jingthing: My health. I came to Pattaya for the waters.

Renault: The waters? What waters? Theres raw sewage in the waters.

Jingthing: I was misinformed.

Edited January 20, 2007 by Jingthing

[Ta22]

REd Pick up is 10baht - 20 baht for a ride .

and travel serious to basically any place within the city .

Taxi will cost more .. for the same amount, you will be paying 100baht to get to some places ..

is a good and bad sign ..

it will take bussiness away from TUTU - which their target is tourist . so i care less that tourist pay more ..

is your choice ..

but the best way is BUY your own transport...

when i am in singapore i take taxi everyday .

and the amount i spend on Taxi is enough to BUY ME A CAR .

you are talking average $20 a day on TAXI . everyday . More on weekend when i go party .

.

The traffic condition in chiangmai is getting bad.. with the useless citybus .. and now more Taxi .

it would get worst . . but then again . i don't really care . as long as the taxi driver don't cut infront of my path when i drive like TUTU and red pickup .

[Ulysses G.]

REd Pick up is 10baht - 20 baht for a ride .

15 baht is the minimum price. The maximum can be much higher depending on where/ how far one wants to go and the time of day/night.

[ThaiPauly]

I have only ever used them to go to the airport...then they charge a 50b surcharge for picking you up.

I now use a Songtel,as we got to know a driver ...he takes us to the airport or railway station for a lot less than a Taxi Metre charges.

So it really makes no nevermind to me.

[miltonbentley]

The meter taxis are a waste of space. They try to charge a 40-50B surcharge for picking you up which makes them expensive. Under certain circumstances I may be prepared to pay that but they are also extremely unreliable regarding times and pick ups.

I once ordered one to pick me up from a party that was a fair way out of town but when he arrived he got a better offer from someone else and took them instead

After that I gave up and now generally stick to songtaews when I'm not driving.

[calibanjr.]

Really, no place to go in Chiang Mai downtown from airport or even around that you couldn't get to for MAX 20 baht for the Song Thaeow. If you really need to noodle about for a day, you can get a car and driver for 8-900. The real price hits are the tuktuks (tourists) and now taxis (tourists again), no biggie, if I were still getting my stateside salary and here on vacation, wouldn't give a flying.

Of course us stingy types drive our extremely efficient and economical motorbikes all over, saving time and gas. I will of course conveniently ignore my recent 85k and one week hospital stay at Chiang Mai Ram since my boxing match with the hillside over near Doi Inthanon, ruins the math for me, among other things.

Edited January 21, 2007 by calibanjr.

[PeaceBlondie]

calibanair, I argued with a road barrier on Doi Inthanon - that's no easy place to ride a motorbike, at least on the side roads.

We asked for taximeters, at least for the tourists, because it's too much to ask a tourist to bargain with the driver of a songtaew or tuk-tuk. I've never used the taximeters (I ain't no tourist anymore). So I voted that yes, it's good to have them. Hua-Hin had fairly good taxis, but you had to bargain before getting in, because there was no meter.

[calibanjr.]

Good point about the meter, PB. Many tourists feel more comfortable with a meter vs. bargaining with a driver, especially with huge language/communication gap.

[Jingthing]

The meter taxis are a waste of space. They try to charge a 40-50B surcharge for picking you up which makes them expensive. Under certain circumstances I may be prepared to pay that but they are also extremely unreliable regarding times and pick ups.

I once ordered one to pick me up from a party that was a fair way out of town but when he arrived he got a better offer from someone else and took them instead

After that I gave up and now generally stick to songtaews when I'm not driving.

Your story about a problem securing a cab to pick you up suggests that maybe you still need MORE taxi meters in Chiang Mai, not less. If there were enough that they were more hungry for business, no problem getting a pickup. I find this discussion quite interesting when comparing to the Pattaya situation. In Pattaya to charter a songthaew (the only taxis allowed on the streets of the area are baht buses which can be made into chartered "taxis" on request, we don't have metered OR non-metered taxis) the cost would be a minimum of 100 baht even for a short ride. So you can understand why a flag of 35 like in Bangkok really appeals to people in Pattaya. It does sound like conditions are different in Chiang Mai, not a surprise to anybody I suppose. It actually sounds like you needed them less than in Pattaya and I can attest to that based on my travels in Chiang Mai before the taxi meters that securing low cost transport of all kinds (cars from the airport, tuk tuks, songthaews, negotiating privately with cars hanging about hotels) was not a big problem there. It is a much bigger problem in Pattaya. However, it seems the dark, powerful forces of the baht bus monopoly or if you wish, mafia, understandably finds it in their best interest to crush popular, affordable competition.

Edited January 21, 2007 by Jingthing

[JimsKnight]

I vote no, they may be convenient for the two weekers and wealthy falang but if your living here with your own transport (a bike in my case) it becomes a no brainer. What rate is the meter? Same as Bangkok?

Taxi's if you're using them a lot will rip into your budget compared with bike ownership. Plus more taxis means even more traffic on the road. Chang Mais roads are clogged as it is at certain times, more taxis will exaggerate this further.

[Jingthing]

Jim, fair enough. However, you would be surprised at the number of residents who don't wish to run a vehicle in Thailand. And I know you know that there are lots of people who just will never want to have a motorcycle for safety reasons.

[JimsKnight]

Jim, fair enough. However, you would be surprised at the number of residents who don't wish to run a vehicle in Thailand. And I know you know that there are lots of people who just will never want to have a motorcycle for safety reasons.

Little bit OT....

Indeed, indeed Jingaling!

It has its advantages for the more fragile folk and those who wish absolute safety, but for me and the chosen few biking falang they do seem a bit over-civilised. You know old city walls and gates... then spanking new taxis cruising CMs streets. For me, sitting astride the Blue Wolf, it doesn't look endearing to CM. You know what I mean,

Absolute safety, hmmm Safetys good and I don't ride about like I'm chasing Mad Max or anything, but too much safety... Thats bad for the soul man!

You're on the road open highway... open the throttle... BOOSH you're a road rocket on fire, nothing can touch you! Until the tuk tuks and traffic pulls in front of you!!!

[The Dan Sai Kid]

Since they have big surcharges they are not worth having. You still feel like you are getting ripped off! If you want to go from Airport Plaza they add on an extra 100 baht! Oh, they just happen to be owned by one of the song taew companies - so I can't imagine they have much motivation to be a competitor.

[Jingthing]

It sounds like the specifics about the WAY taxis have been introduced in Chiang Mai are less than ideal, like the prices and surcharges.

[Benlucky]

Can someone tell me why when you take a taxi in Chiang Mai,you are charged 40 baHT to start, then

you get to your stop, meter reads 140 baht, driver tells you 180 baht ,40 baht surcharge??

[cm-happy]

replace ALL the songtaews and tuk-tuks with metered taxis!! There must be a local law in CM to to get a songtaew or tuk-tuk license you have to be incredibly stupid and unable to read a map, yes even if its in Thai.

[Physherman]

replace ALL the songtaews and tuk-tuks with metered taxis!! There must be a local law in CM to to get a songtaew or tuk-tuk license you have to be incredibly stupid and unable to read a map, yes even if its in Thai.

As a driver, songtaews and tuk-tuks are the bane of our existence. They stop without warning, turn left from the right lane without signaling, and generally cause more traffic jams than anything other than school let-out pick-ups.

But as a pedestrian, songtaews and tuk-tuks make getting around Chiang Mai a pleasure. They are cheap, and everywhere you need them to be. Except on time.

That's where the metered taxis come in. If I have a flight at 10am, I know that I can leave me house at 9:15 and the taxi will be waiting at my front door to get me to the airport by 9:30. If I wish to rely on songtaews and tuk-tuks, I need to give myself an extra 30 minutes or so just to be on the safe side, and even then, there is no certainty.

Usually I'm a driver. I don't like songtaews and tuk-tuks when I'm driving.

But when I'm walking......

The Fly Fisherman

[meadish_sweetball]

It sounds like the specifics about the WAY taxis have been introduced in Chiang Mai are less than ideal, like the prices and surcharges.

That's it in a nutshell.

The way it works now, taxis are not a reliable transport option in most cases, due to the surcharges. Part of the problem is the ubiquitous C.M. songthaew lobby. It seems no transport decision or establishment is approved until they are satisfied they still have the upper hand.

If the taxi service worked as in Bangkok, I would be using taxis quite a lot (and I always tip if the service is satisfactory)... but as it is now, I find other ways.