I like to take taxi meters, and today was going to try it out for the first time.

The taxis are red&yellow painted, have a big TAXi-METER sign on top, and a phone number on the back.

However, they were asking us for 120 baht to go from Airport Center to the city center. I asked about the meter sign and the driver looked as if he didn't even know what that was.

Then I called the number on the back to complain and found that was the driver's cell phone. They all have _different_ numbers on the back!

We asked two different drivers, same for both of them.

Are there real taxi meters in town? Is there a place to complain to if they won't go by meter? Were these fakes (parked in front of Central Airport)?

Or... TIT?

The whole reason I like taxi meters is because I don't like to negotiate the price. I want to get in and go.

TIT, I am afraid. They have set their fixed rates for certain routes, and apply surcharges based on zones.

I don't use them anymore for this very reason.

If you were going further, using the meter probably wouldn't have been a problem (as I have done from Airport Plaza numerous times).

My guess (just a guess) is that the fixed fare is a result of them having to pay "parking fees" in order to be sitting at Airport Plaza in the first place. It's the same with Songteows/Tuk Tuk's there too - the ones parked up inside the mall grounds have ludicrous prices, but if you stroll over to the street and get one off the road it's normal fare.

TiT, AT, <deleted>, etc.

a taxi which is yellow and red painted is most likely a bangkok taxi. chiang mai ones are blue and yellow.

a taxi which is yellow and red painted is most likely a bangkok taxi. chiang mai ones are blue and yellow.

I've seen two red and yellow taxis getting about, and both have Chiangmai plates. Not saying all red & yellows are from Chiangers, but at least two of them are.

Edited January 26, 200719 yr by BlissfullyIgnorant

If you were going further, using the meter probably wouldn't have been a problem (as I have done from Airport Plaza numerous times).

My guess (just a guess) is that the fixed fare is a result of them having to pay "parking fees" in order to be sitting at Airport Plaza in the first place. It's the same with Songteows/Tuk Tuk's there too - the ones parked up inside the mall grounds have ludicrous prices, but if you stroll over to the street and get one off the road it's normal fare.

TiT, AT, <deleted>, etc.

The first thing the wife taught me.

a taxi which is yellow and red painted is most likely a bangkok taxi. chiang mai ones are blue and yellow.

I've seen two red and yellow taxis getting about, and both have Chiangmai plates. Not saying all red & yellows are from Chiangers, but at least two of them are.

###### bangers ! cant they just stick to the chiang mai colours??

and BI, what they hel_l you doing spending time looking at taxi registration plates???

and BI, what they hel_l you doing spending time looking at taxi registration plates???

I saw two pretty much brand new looking red & yellows on Changklan Rd, a combination of curiosity and the ability to read Thai reasonably quickly I guess

Even if one is unable to read Thai, it is not so difficult to learn how to recognize the word for "Chiang Mai" and the one for "Bangkok" on license plates, or at least to contrast them:

Chiang Mai เชียงใหม่

Krungthepmahanakorn (i.e. Bangkok's official name in Thai) กรุงเทพมหานคร

(clue: word length and absence of squiggles on top in กรุงเทพมหานคร)

My guess (just a guess) is that the fixed fare is a result of them having to pay "parking fees" in order to be sitting at Airport Plaza in the first place. It's the same with Songteows/Tuk Tuk's there too - the ones parked up inside the mall grounds have ludicrous prices, but if you stroll over to the street and get one off the road it's normal fare.

Ah - I knew the ones inside were overpriced but thanks for explaining why. At least it makes sense. Kind of

TiT, AT, <deleted>, etc.

Even if one is unable to read Thai, it is not so difficult to learn how to recognize the word for "Chiang Mai" and the one for "Bangkok" on license plates, or at least to contrast them:

Chiang Mai เชียงใหม่

Krungthepmahanakorn (i.e. Bangkok's official name in Thai) กรุงเทพมหานคร

(clue: word length and absence of squiggles on top in กรุงเทพมหานคร)

True, but what if they had been from Chiangrai?

OK, bad example given the topic, just having fun

Just to be pedantic, the background colour for number plates for vehicles for hire should be yellow. Chiang Mai with its multicolour plates may be an exception.

Even if one is unable to read Thai, it is not so difficult to learn how to recognize the word for "Chiang Mai" and the one for "Bangkok" on license plates, or at least to contrast them:

Chiang Mai เชียงใหม่

Krungthepmahanakorn (i.e. Bangkok's official name in Thai) กรุงเทพมหานคร

(clue: word length and absence of squiggles on top in กรุงเทพมหานคร)

True, but what if they had been from Chiangrai?

OK, bad example given the topic, just having fun

was thinking the same !

True, but what if they had been from Chiangrai?

OK, bad example given the topic, just having fun

Still, fair question. The first part looks the same, the second part doesn't - the part that differs in bold:

เชียงใหม่่ Chiang Mai

เชียงราย Chiang Rai

How can I get one of the beautiful colored plates?

It looks (1188) like a 'Lottery' plate....

Edited January 26, 200719 yr by Ajarn

I always read the registration plate on the car in front of me, just out of pure curiousity to see where they are from.

Our two provinces to the south, Lampang and Lamphun start off the same way too, but end differently.

ลำปาง.....Lampang

ลำพูน......Lamphun