VIDEO: The reality of hailing a taxi in Bangkok on a rainy night

[cyborgx]

9 hours ago, rufanuf said:

These A Hole taxi drivers  need sorting out. And it would be Soooo easy to do. Just a hotline number on all taxis to complain about fare refusal, and the rules simple. Refuse one, you lose your license. Forget rainstorms, yesterday in clear blue skies I had at least 3 rejects both ways on my destination, and it was a good fare! These drivers do not even have the most basic ethics of that its clear. So much for all the talk sometime ago about sorting this problem out.

There is one, there's even an IOS phone app! I assume someone has already posted some details here, I did post on another thread some time ago, but don't have the  latest phone numbers, but the app was called "Taxi Reporter"

[cyborgx]

9 hours ago, impulse said:

 

What's changed is the cost of living.  The fares haven't.  It's just going to get worse.

 

Actually fares have changed, but perhaps not enough. I assume that it's still a viable business, or they wouldn't do it.......

[cyborgx]

8 hours ago, LatPrao said:

It doesn't take a rainy night in Bangkok to get this kind of treatment at the hands of most, but thankfully not all, taxis around Sukhumvit. This kind of stuff used to be just around Hualumphong train station and late night Patpong after the BTS stopped running.  Now they roll down their window and want 3 or 400 baht for a short hop. No meter.  I just wave them off if they roll up and the window comes down.  Better than FO! and risk a fight, although leaving the rear door slightly ajar and walking away gives some satisfaction.  The topper in this, and after all the articles on the police or government doing something about it was mid-day on Sukhumvit, after several no meter experiences - I complained in Thai to one of the police about it, so he waves a taxi down and asks to go for me and the taxi driver blew him off and refused to take me on the meter!  Just in case you wondered why something wasn't being done about it.  They're free to rob you or refuse you.

sounds highly dubious.....

The boys in brown carry a gun don't u know, and they definitely do not like losing face to a lowly taxi driver, especially when he's breaking the law!

Most likely the driver gave the cop some sob story, and the cop sided with his fellow Thai rather than get into a big argument with another Thai over the grumblings of a foreigner.....

Edited April 4, 2018 by cyborgx

[cyborgx]

6 hours ago, Cranky said:

Taxis that follow the letter of the law have no chance at making any money at all as the fare structure is too cheap as the cost of the cab is about 1,000 Baht a day plus fuel.  Easy for a 100 baht cab ride to take an hour so do the math.

 

Negotiating before getting in works fine - don't like the price, try the next one.  I'm no fan of cab drivers but they have the right to make a living the same as anyone else.

I too believe the margins are very small, and fares should perhaps be higher, but I'm not going to waste my time working it out, when I'm sure the government do, as well as the taxi driver businesses....

 

What I will say is that when they apply for and accept the terms of being a licensed Taxi driver in Bangkok, they know what they are getting into and if they don't like the terms they should choose a different profession...  It's not like it's a highly skilled and lengthy training ordeal to get into (such as it is in some other countries).

 

[sambum]

On 4/3/2018 at 3:24 PM, Emmess said:

Definitely staged. Just a cheap gimmick to make Thai taxi drivers look bad. 

[cyborgx]

5 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

I called it once because of problems with the driver. They told me to call the tourist police. I did, and they told me to call the Taxi line.

I called them many times years ago and never had this issue. They took the reports in details and occasionally called back with updates about the actions taken on the drivers....

[metisdead]

Posts containing profanity have been edited or removed. 

[cyborgx]

5 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

You seem to have a lot of stories of antagonism and aggravation in your daily experiences here. Have you spotted the common denominator?

 

I can count the number of bad taxi drivers I've experienced over the years. It's less than 5%. Occasionally had some exceptionally friendly, helpful, chatty, and kind ones, but the majority just do the job. I've had two try to refuse the meter - one who buckled and put it on and moaned like fcku when he didn't get a tip and I told the hotel front guy why, and one who wanted double because it was "rush hour" and thought I wouldn't know the correct fare. He stopped and refused to go further on Soi Thong Lor so I got out and walked off without paying. 

 

You seem to attract the bad ones. 

 

People's experiences are all different, and that's because we all live in different areas, use different methods to hail a taxi (self/wife/doorman/security guard), at different places (hotel/store queue/street/entertainment venue), and at different times of the day, and in differing weather conditions.....

 

Bottom line is that just about everyone who lives here knows it's a problem, and the rare few that don't have either not lived here long enough, are too rich to care, or have lived a magically charmed life!  LOL

 

Oh, I forgot the last category... the ones who live in a fantasy world of their own....

Edited April 4, 2018 by cyborgx

[boonnoon]

Taxi drivers also need to take into consideration the length of time it takes to complete the run, how bad the traffic is and, particularly, the time remaining before they need to return the taxi to the depot.   I was turned down numerous times for those reasons. 

[Eaglekott]

16 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

i would rather die than take a taxi in Bangkok.

 

except from the airport. that seems to be sorted out.

 

 

I take taxis almost every day, I find mostly very good.  They are half priced compared to a TukTuk and safer than a MC taxi. Sometimes if we are 3-4 people we take Taxi instead of BTS/MRT because it gets much cheaper. Of cause it all depends on destinations and time. Rush hour... of cause avoid taxi.

[Media1]

On 03/04/2018 at 3:24 PM, Emmess said:

Definitely staged. Just a cheap gimmick to make Thai taxi drivers look bad. 

LOL they are bad

[HerbalEd]

On 4/3/2018 at 3:24 PM, Emmess said:

Definitely staged. Just a cheap gimmick to make Thai taxi drivers look bad. 

"Definitely staged"? 555  How much time and money and hassle do you think it'd take to "stange" this on a busy street during rain? Or maybe you think this was staged inside a large film studio.

[Sydebolle]

There is alway Grab Taxi, so hated by the cabbies of the Kingdom‘s capital ;-) 

[Stargeezr]

For the experts who think they know it all and that this is fake news. You are wrong, and

I hope you get caught in the rain someday. I have been with my Thai family and not only

were we not picked up. Several times the driver would go a long way around to get to the

address, then claim that they do not ow they city, and the proper routes. I have witnessed,

many arguments and know the taxi drivers cheat, Thai and Farangs alike. Some even just stop

for Tourists, as we are all thought of as rich targets.

Geezer

 

[Seismic]

On 4/3/2018 at 3:24 PM, Emmess said:

Definitely staged. Just a cheap gimmick to make Thai taxi drivers look bad. 

You really should visit Thailand for a short holiday sometime in your life............

 

[anon467367354]

14 hours ago, cyborgx said:

Yes, works sometimes, but even when it works, often you have to watch a shaking head and listen to a load of mumbled curses. Yes you can start an argument, or try to educate him on his bad manners, as the driver "bon"s his heart out, but that has it's headaches and downsides.....

I don't pay any attention to mumbling complaining nor do I try to educate the drivers. 

I ride in the taxi, pay the driver, leave a tip and say have a great day.

[Snowyrivers]

This guy refused meter to go Aussie Embassy from Sukhumvit 23. He wanted 300 Baht for a 60 Baht journey.

Jerk!

[InMyShadow]

This guy refused meter to go Aussie Embassy from Sukhumvit 23. He wanted 300 Baht for a 60 Baht journey.
Jerk!

Never approach stationary taxis. Problem solved

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, Snowyrivers said:

This guy refused meter to go Aussie Embassy from Sukhumvit 23. He wanted 300 Baht for a 60 Baht journey.

Jerk!

 

You do realise that in Thailand he could have you arrested for damaging his reputation, don't you. You have not only done that but are guilty of computer crime by posting it on the internet. That's the way it works in Thailand, where truth is no defence at all.

[tgeezer]

That’s the price Thai people pay for tourism. To get a taxi where I live , Rachayothin, you hail one, get in, tell the destination, and he drives off and switches on the meter. I am seeing farang more often in this area now so I fear change will come creating all sorts of non Thai situations. 

[InMyShadow]

 
You do realise that in Thailand he could have you arrested for damaging his reputation, don't you. You have not only done that but are guilty of computer crime by posting it on the internet. That's the way it works in Thailand, where truth is no defence at all.

Truth is no defence anywhere without a witness. Why would you think it's unique to Thailand?

[rufanuf]

On 4/4/2018 at 12:05 PM, Cranky said:

Taxis that follow the letter of the law have no chance at making any money at all as the fare structure is too cheap as the cost of the cab is about 1,000 Baht a day plus fuel.  Easy for a 100 baht cab ride to take an hour so do the math.

 

Negotiating before getting in works fine - don't like the price, try the next one.  I'm no fan of cab drivers but they have the right to make a living the same as anyone else.

Not a clue!

[Rgreen88]

Why I always take Uber/Grab instead of dealing with taxi drivers.

[impulse]

On 4/4/2018 at 9:19 AM, rufanuf said:

On 4/4/2018 at 9:11 AM, impulse said:

Who's dressing it up?  A taxi driver is 500 baht in the hole the minute his shift starts.  He has to spend most of his day digging out of that hole before he makes a baht for his family.

 

I think a lot of TVF'ers don't think enough.  Except about their own benefit.  Sometimes, it's helpful to look at behavior from the other guy's point of view.  But that's asking a lot.

And I think you comment for the sake of commenting on topics you clearly know nothing about.

 

If you have ever been a taxi driver, or happen to know a few BKK taxi drivers (and I have known several for over 10 years) you would know your talking out of your proverbial.

 

Self Employment is a choice people can make in a free society. It's the route "self starters" often go because they feel maybe just maybe with their willingness to work harder than others they can do marginally better than sitting in a factory. Sadly however it can also attract, parasites and opportunists. The taxi profession is one of the oldest in the book for this mindset anywhere in the world.  Simply put education levels in Thailand are not great...but boy oh boy do Thai's have some "attitude", when it comes to the freedom and liberty to express their "capitalist" ideals. An uneducated Thai taxi driver is likely to drive around all day looking to "win the lottery" from some poor punter, not even realising that in the long run trying to cheat the system will end up costing them more money than they make in the end.

 

Rather than just a personal attack, why don't you parse my comment and tell me exactly where I am wrong?

 

[SooKee]

Count myself lucky I've never had a problem with the hundreds of taxis I've taken in BKK, and way cheaper the Uber or Grab that I mostly only use for a distant trip out late at night If I'm where regular taxis are thin on the ground.  Maybe speaking Thai helps but around the tourist hotspots I just open the door and tell them where I want to go and ask them to use the meter, outside the hotspots I just get in if the there hailing / meter light is on.  If I'm out at places like Huai Khwang or Pahon Yotin, doing anything other than using the meter is never anything that's in question.

 

A few times in Soi 11 I've had them try on the flat fare trick but just close the door and wave them off, obvious to the driver of the cab behind why the other guy was waved off and invariable will use the meter.  I also make a point of hailing the taxi myself (rather than let the girlfriend do it) in those areas and talking to the driver, otherwise I guess the taxi driver would just assume a club girl has picked up a tourist mark for the night.  They def try it on more if it's chucking down of course the it's a case of is the regular 60-70 baht fare worth hanging out for, at the expense of getting drenched, vs the 100 the driver asks for.  Not doubting the problems are there, especially for tourists (which even though it's targeted doesn't make it right) insofar as it affects me though I don't class the occasional try on as a problem and ave certainly never experienced the problems some seem to encounter regularly.  

Edited April 14, 2018 by SooKee