Bangkok Taxis vs Grab

[Holmsedale25]

Just hailed 10... yes 10 taxis to take us from MoChit to Pak Kret area and all refused saying "mai ruu area" or too much traffic!

My Thai lady did the talking but to no avail. In the end had to convince 2 motorbike taxis to take us. 20 minutes later and no sign of heavy traffic we arrived hot, sweaty and slightly miffed. Now a Grab or Uber would have taken us regardless but these lazy mafia halfwits have forced them out leaving Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket and no doubt CM & CR residents having to deal with their moronic attitude to business and paying customers. Never had a taxi anywhere else in the world refuse a fare. I hope Grab get a foothold again to show these dumbarses how a business should run.

 

Rant over!

[Hooplehead]

I've been in BKK for a month and exclusively use Grab, usually Grab motobike. Felt pretty bad for some European couple trying to hail a cab in Chinatown-- At least 4 taxis wouldn't pick them up. Since my Grab taxi was a few minutes away, I went and told the couple to download Grab. I just like Grab so I can input my destination without getting driven in circles and playing the "Me no understand" game. And you know the cost of the ride before booking--way better than having to argue over use meter/no meter!

[Fairynuff]

The problem with Grab is that they are often double price of a meter taxi if you don’t have a promo code, but still use them more than taxis now. Since they bought out Uber prices are up and promo codes don’t come as often. If I stop a taxi and he winds his window down to ask where I’m going I just walk away because I know he’s gonna say no. If he lets me just get in then I’ll go with him

[SEAsia Traveler]

I often have trouble meeting drivers at pick up points in Bangkok because of all the u-turns and one ways. In Chiang Mai though it works like a dream.

[Cranky]

Grab is excellent and a breath of fresh air - rather than the stench of garlic and stale tea.  Pattaya and Bangkok several times with the main benefits being: fixed no quibble fare, decent cars, drivers have satnav so no issue where you are or where you are going and quick to show up.

[Fairynuff]

20 minutes ago, Cranky said:

Grab is excellent and a breath of fresh air - rather than the stench of garlic and stale tea.  Pattaya and Bangkok several times with the main benefits being: fixed no quibble fare, decent cars, drivers have satnav so no issue where you are or where you are going and quick to show up.

Except that the Satnav isn’t always correct. And of course a lot of drivers don’t believe that you might know a better way because you’re a foreigner and obviously only been here 2 days!

[JTXR]

Grab is well worth the extra cost.  The fact that Grab doesn't refuse to go where you want and that the cars are clean is just nice window-dressing.  Safety is my main concern whenever on the road in Thailand, so for me the important difference, compared to normal taxis, is that Grab cars have working seat belts and the drivers (usually) don't drive too fast or too recklessly. 

[THX1140]

Of the many tribulations of traveling by taxi in Bangkok by far the two most irritating are when the driver;

A) stops but then refuses to take you to your destination 

B) won’t put the meter on

 

Grab instantly does away with both of those problems.

 

Straight off the bat you have a clear winner, that’s before you consider the other advantages such as driving skills, comfort and overall attitude, and so on. 

 

I recently had two separate instances where I took first time visitors to Bangkok in a city taxi; one from the airport in a car that turned out to be barely road worthy and stalled multiple times. The other ordered from a five star hotel to take colleagues to dinner which the driver refused to put the meter on and then got completely lost. Great impression on first time visitors

 

Grab may be more expensive, but it’s still reasonable relative to most other global cities. 

 

No contest in my opinion...

Edited August 1, 2018 by blackcab
Oversized font removed

[RT555]

I stopped flagging taxis... A while ago. Bunch of ripoffs. I wish a lot more would do the same. 

[Stocky]

Grab's OK, but I've had problems in Bangkok with them cancelling on me.  Sat there watching the screen 5min away, 3min away, 2min away, then BLAM! the bugger pulls the plug, and I'm back to square one.  It annoys me that whilst you can rate a completed trip with Grab there's no option to give someone who cancels on you a 1 star rating.

[5633572526]

Grab is easily available in Bangkok and I use them regularly for longer trips but for short hops I just hail one on the street. I rather enjoy the haggling and I don’t have many say no however if the Thai gf tries she has a lot more “no” responses but she is not a good haggler ?

[Just Weird]

On ‎7‎/‎31‎/‎2018 at 2:05 PM, Holmsedale25 said:

Now a Grab or Uber would have taken us regardless but these lazy mafia halfwits have forced them out...

Grab has not been forced out of Bangkok by anyone, Grab taxis are all over the place, neither has Uber been forced out of anywhere, Uber were here illegally right from the start and were taken over, not forced out.  Do some research before you rant ignorantly.

[tfc]

17 hours ago, Stocky said:

Grab's OK, but I've had problems in Bangkok with them cancelling on me.  Sat there watching the screen 5min away, 3min away, 2min away, then BLAM! the bugger pulls the plug, and I'm back to square one.  It annoys me that whilst you can rate a completed trip with Grab there's no option to give someone who cancels on you a 1 star rating.

 

Had the same issue with Uber a few years ago in Ho Chi Minh City.  They'd agree get half-way then cancel.  Fortunately I've found the taxi service, Vinasun in particular, to be very reliable, turning on their meter every time and I've never had a cabbie refuse in HCMC.

[JTXR]

Grab is still better than taxis, but not as good as it used to be. When both Uber and Grab were in BKK, they had to compete.  Now, Grab has only the awful normal taxi as competition, so they have no incentive to improve service.

[moontang]

I just paid 49 on meter to take 3 cases of beer home from Tesco..about 3 Km.  Spotless Toyota in perfect running order, and it took me 10 seconds to flag it..cant possibly see how Grab could have been nearly as good, even for less money, due to the wait.  Life is different in the tourist areas, glad I dont live in one.

[JerseytoBKK]

38 minutes ago, moontang said:

I just paid 49 on meter to take 3 cases of beer home from Tesco..about 3 Km.  Spotless Toyota in perfect running order, and it took me 10 seconds to flag it..cant possibly see how Grab could have been nearly as good, even for less money, due to the wait.  Life is different in the tourist areas, glad I dont live in one.

I think this is true for at least 90% of Bangkok. Only time we had trouble recently was in Chinatown on a Sat evening so we walked 3 blocks and then had no trouble with getting a metered taxi.

 

A couple of years ago when I used to stay on Soi 11 it was an issue trying to get a metered cab. The heavy tourist areas and late night spots like Nana seem to be where the scammers hang out. Vast majority of taxi drivers in Bangkok seem to be good hard working guys. I also used to like to use Uber when going to places that a regular taxi would have a hard time finding. 

Edited August 2, 2018 by JerseytoBKK

[moontang]

and so many refuse to state a nearby landmark as their destination and walk 500 meters, or explain to them the real destination, when they get to the landmark.  They are more likely to know a temple than a guesthouse or apartment building.  And of course there is a learning curve..you will find out soon enough that there are places a high percentage know, and others very few know.  If I lived on Sukumvit, I would probably boycot those bastards, but I would likely just walk...and last time I just said "meter airport" before getting in, and it was smooth sailing...seems like the stationary ones are more likely to be scammers.

[Holmsedale25]

On ‎8‎/‎2‎/‎2018 at 9:50 AM, Just Weird said:

Grab has not been forced out of Bangkok by anyone, Grab taxis are all over the place, neither has Uber been forced out of anywhere, Uber were here illegally right from the start and were taken over, not forced out.  Do some research before you rant ignorantly.

Just Weird, think you need to see the recent reports from Pattaya, Chiang Mai and others. Grab drivers are being hounded/forced out by local taxi mafias in many towns. Agreed it may not have fully got to that stage in Bangkok but it will come if Grab is not given the support it deserves. I used Grab in Buriram during the MotoGP weekend and the service was above and beyond what is normally available

[RT555]

Getting Grab is a a deal breaker. They will thrive, and until the taxi Mafia feel the pinch... Then they will start beating up Grab drivers..

[moontang]

I saw an Orange cab that had a Grab sign in the window....probably cost more to use the same car as a Grab...can understand the frustration with the taxi slopfia though.  You cannot let your guard down for one second with them.  Too bad for the honest guys getting a very tarnished reputation.

[AlexCanada]

For those of us living in Pattaya it would be a dream come true to even have to deal with the worst Bangkok taxi drivers.  I just tried to hail one for a drive of less than 1.5 km in no traffic and the taxi wanted 250 baht because he was the only taxi in the area.  I even offered 200 baht since I was in a bit of a rush and he refused.  I walked it.

 

In Bangkok I find Nana and Patpong problem zones for not using a meter but even then the driver will take you quite a distance for 100 baht.

 

Not sure how much Grab is in Bangkok but whenever I try using it in Pattaya it is not any cheaper.

Edited October 21, 2018 by AlexCanada

[kkerry]

Grab is still active even in the outer suburbs of Bangkok.

Comes in handy if you are far away from a main highway. It helps now they have the option of sending the driver a photo to show where you are waiting.

Only had one cancellation so far. A driver told me it is less likely you will get cancelled if you have Gold member status, which doesn't take long to achieve.

Rare to see a regular taxi use a map app but most of my Grab drivers will. In KL they all do.