Video: "Welcome to Chiang Mai" - tourists forced to leave GrabCar as tempers flare

[travelman6]

WELL, the Grab drivers are more polite, the cars nicer and cleaner and the rates are lower, so I will ONLY use GRAB.

[hobz]

13 hours ago, Galactus said:

 

unfortunately but that is bc of 35 million tourists coming to thailand making these guys aggressive. moreover, they need to pay 1000 to 1200 to the owner of gaxi if they are drivers. that makes them more aggressive i reckon. can understand the pressure? just some empathy. you need to make 1200 baht a day just to cover the rent and you need to pay petrol, food and for your family waiting for food back home.

it is easy to speak from your comfy chair in front of your computer!

 

sure legal taxi guys improve their services but they will due to the fear of grab or uber. new regulations follow in time too.

anyway, no way i support grab or uber.

prefer to pay 50 baht more to a local guy. but that is me.

I understand the pressure. If they need more customers they can just join grab. 

50 baht more for a real taxi, sure, but that's not the case. In cm the real cabs ask 500-600 for a trip that is 170-180 with grab...

[Galactus]

7 hours ago, hobz said:

I understand the pressure. If they need more customers they can just join grab. 

50 baht more for a real taxi, sure, but that's not the case. In cm the real cabs ask 500-600 for a trip that is 170-180 with grab...

yep. bc of hordes of tourists. better get a small scooter and call it a day and never look back.

end of your complaints. or change the city and live somewhere quieter and less touristy.

[SammyT]

21 hours ago, Galactus said:

 

 can understand the pressure? just some empathy. you need to make 1200 baht a day just to cover the rent and you need 

it is easy to speak from your comfy chair in front of your computer!

 

 

Oh boy, that makes it perfectly okay to try to beat up another guy who is presumably trying to feed his family as well. Because they're under financial pressure, because they've had it too good with zero external competition too long. If your job isn't making ends meet, find something else to do or lower your prices. I've had taxi drivers at the airport try to charge me double what I know it costs to get to my condo and then hurl abuse at me when I decline a ride. But that's okay, because they're under pressure and I shouldn't judge. 

 

You're right, from the comfort of my chair it is easy to say that even if I was facing financial pressure that I wouldn't beat up some guy trying to do his job. Even worse that for one of the guys it his second time being caught. 

[EricTh]

I recently stop at bus station, the red bus tried to scam me by charging 150 baht for short distance to kad suan kaew.

 

Those tuk-tuk and red bus are overcharging tourists. That's why people prefer Grab or the blue bus.

[SammyT]

5 minutes ago, EricTh said:

Those tuk-tuk and red bus are overcharging tourists. That's why people prefer Grab or the blue bus.

 

Absolutely. I've no problem with the haggling process that tourists can engage in with tuktuks and red buses - for me that's all part of negotiating a fare that both parties are happy with and if they choose to overpay, so be it. But what I hate is the aggressiveness if the driver doesn't get the price they want, or the blatant ripping off of the person (i.e. turning up at the destination and demanding an inflated fare). 

 

Be nice to see the traffic police doing something about this, rather than trying to pick up westerners on motos driving around the old city

[A1Str8]

Just simply rage everywhere. These people are strange. I let off the steam in the gym, not the roads.

[EricTh]

56 minutes ago, A1Str8 said:

Just simply rage everywhere. These people are strange. I let off the steam in the gym, not the roads.

 

I can understand their anger if somebody is taking over their business. After all, they have to pay for their meals etc.

 

But these drivers should also lower their charges and work harder.

 

I have seen these people sitting there for long hours and pounce on a tourist who can overpay.

 

I've seen a lot of Chinese tourists end up overpaying. 

 

I've never seen any taxi drivers use meter in Chiang Mai before from the airport. All of them refused to use the meter. That's actually illegal.

Edited October 4, 2018 by EricTh

[CLW]

From another news source:

"Later that morning, a group of 30 taxi, Songteew and tuk - tuk operators assembled with posters and signs in front of the arcade bus station to ask the authorities to end the "grab cars" once and for all."

I will demonstratively take a grab next time from the airport, train station or bus terminal to tell these criminals that they can kiss my $##@!

[CLW]

And another section from the same news:

"The 37-year-old Tuk Tuk driver, later identified as Rungruj Jinareun, appears to be very aggressive in the video clip. He was warned after the incident to change his behavior and will now have to face the law."

"In 2016, Rungruj has already been arrested for a similar incident. Now he was again warned by the competent authorities that he has not improved since then."

So he has done this before but still allowed to work as a driver for public transport.
This is absolutely ridiculous and shows once more that sometimes something is really going wrong in this country.

Everyone who is defending these thugs is not right in their mind.

[HHTel]

2 hours ago, CLW said:

So he has done this before but still allowed to work as a driver for public transport.

Apparently he's not as he's not licenced and therefore operating illegally. 

[balo]

This monkey in the Chiang Mai shirt needs to be taken down and put in jail.

Who is in charge of Chiang Mai City ?? Why should Chiang Mai be any different from Bangkok ??  No problems with Grab in Bangkok !!!   So what is the fuxxxing problem with CM ?? 

 

I lived in CM for 1 year , that was enough .

 

 

 

 

Edited October 4, 2018 by balo

[balo]

On 10/2/2018 at 5:25 PM, snoop1130 said:

She added that the driver of the Grab car involved in Tuesday’s fracas had been informed that he was being fined Bt2,000 for using a private car for public-transport purposes.

I'm sorry but if Grab are legal to operate in Thaland why is he fines for using his own car ?  Do all Grab cars need to have a special license ? 

 

[Galactus]

7 hours ago, balo said:

I'm sorry but if Grab are legal to operate in Thaland why is he fines for using his own car ?  Do all Grab cars need to have a special license ? 

 

grab car can keep its app open but taxi they contracted with are not legal.

similar case in another country, Uber was covering the fines of illegal taxis if they are caught.

Maybe same for Grab too.

yes, if you want to have a taxi plate, you pay a big money! not like you do it with an ordinary plate like grab guys which is illegal and not fair for legal taxi people.

hence legal taxi guys are furious.

for many farang here: who cares? bc grab is cheaper!!! 

grab taxi is of course cheaper as they dont pay a million to get a taxi plate. just a guy, a car and a phone.

same problems in Bangkok too or Pattaya or Hua Hin or any other tourism area of Thailand. 

Edited October 5, 2018 by Galactus

[wimpy]

14 minutes ago, Galactus said:

grab car can keep its app open but taxi they contracted with are not legal.

similar case in another country, Uber was covering the fines of illegal taxis if they are caught.

Maybe same for Grab too.

yes, if you want to have a taxi plate, you pay a big money! not like you do it with an ordinary plate like grab guys which is illegal and not fair for legal taxi people.

hence legal taxi guys are furious.

for many farang here: who cares? bc grab is cheaper!!! 

grab taxi is of course cheaper as they dont pay a million to get a taxi plate. just a guy, a car and a phone.

same problems in Bangkok too or Pattaya or Hua Hin or any other tourism area of Thailand. 

Not just"farang". Thais love Grab too. Adapt, or you will be left by the wayside.

[greenmonkey]

I recently took a Grab from Denpesar airport in Bali. The driver gave us directions to where he was waiting which I thought was odd as he could just collect us from the door. Then I realised why as there were laods of taxi drivers waiting and they were quite aggressive towards me when I refused their offers of a taxi and one or two were 'accusing' me of booking a Grab taxi. I got to admit I felt a little intimidated and lied saying that I was being collected by a friend. This is not only happening in Thailand!

[hobz]

15 hours ago, Galactus said:

yep. bc of hordes of tourists. better get a small scooter and call it a day and never look back.

end of your complaints. or change the city and live somewhere quieter and less touristy.

Or use grab. Grab works well. 

[tingtongtourist]

On 10/3/2018 at 8:28 PM, nahkit said:

So the bus or van just flies over the traffic jam does it?

Of course not, but bus or van you pay total 10-20 baht for the whole trip instead of sit in traffic jam and watch the meter clock over.

 

Is actually a waste of time and money both for you and the driver. 

 

this is what many farang here dont understand why taxi driver refuse the fare.

 

then of course when the farang is in a taxi caught in traffic jam, he will accuse the driver of going the long way or deliberately driving into traffic jam.

555

[hobz]

5 minutes ago, tingtongtourist said:

Of course not, but bus or van you pay total 10-20 baht for the whole trip instead of sit in traffic jam and watch the meter clock over.

 

Is actually a waste of time and money both for you and the driver. 

 

this is what many farang here dont understand why taxi driver refuse the fare.

 

then of course when the farang is in a taxi caught in traffic jam, he will accuse the driver of going the long way or deliberately driving into traffic jam.

555

They never use meter in Chiang Mai.

[tingtongtourist]

8 minutes ago, hobz said:

They never use meter in Chiang Mai.

Yes ok, here i was refer to using taxi in Thailand in general.

But even when must negociate, any farang who speak Thai should know the proper cost from an A to B?

 

I dont know about now, but thats the way it was when i spent time there many years ago.

[hobz]

7 minutes ago, tingtongtourist said:

Yes ok, here i was refer to using taxi in Thailand in general.

But even when must negociate, any farang who speak Thai should know the proper cost from an A to B?

 

I dont know about now, but thats the way it was when i spent time there many years ago.

Another nail in the coffin for taxis then, need to learn a new language to get the correct price. Seems reasonable. Good thing grab exists.

[tingtongtourist]

30 minutes ago, hobz said:

Another nail in the coffin for taxis then, need to learn a new language to get the correct price. Seems reasonable. Good thing grab exists.

haha well yes, then GRAB is probably a good thing for C.M and anywhere that dont have meter taxi or them that dont want to turn on meter.

serve them right for taking the piรร for so long if they loose out.

 

In BKK is obviously different as theres many ok taxi guys compete and quick& easy just to get one off street.

 

I do not care for this wasting time waiting, what i read about, GRAB guys ringing you up, ask where you are, after you already put the exact location google marker into the site.

 

last time i try GRAB quote off internet, they want 180baht for route that normally cost 140-160.

 

So, like air b&b, they start out with a model that supposed to be cheap.

have no costs etc. 

then sooner or later as more people use it will be more expensive than regular.

 

but of course in that area,  if you only have took-took scumbags and dodgy taxi it is a better option

 

[hobz]

26 minutes ago, tingtongtourist said:

haha well yes, then GRAB is probably a good thing for C.M and anywhere that dont have meter taxi or them that dont want to turn on meter.

serve them right for taking the piรร for so long if they loose out.

 

In BKK is obviously different as theres many ok taxi guys compete and quick& easy just to get one off street.

 

I do not care for this wasting time waiting, what i read about, GRAB guys ringing you up, ask where you are, after you already put the exact location google marker into the site.

 

last time i try GRAB quote off internet, they want 180baht for route that normally cost 140-160.

 

So, like air b&b, they start out with a model that supposed to be cheap.

have no costs etc. 

then sooner or later as more people use it will be more expensive than regular.

 

but of course in that area,  if you only have took-took scumbags and dodgy taxi it is a better option

 

Agreed completely, when in BKK I use the regular cabs and ask for meter.... I have only good experiences... Well there's been a bunch that refused meter but the next one is just around the corner...

 

I think I maybe had one take the wrong route on purpose... But I don't know BKK well enough to know....

 

Grab in Bangkok calling you and asking where you are. Yes, this Happened the one time I used grab in Bangkok... In cm it didn't happen yet.. guess it depends on the area how clear it is where you are.. BKK roads if you are on the wrong side of the road it can be a long way around and no easy way to cross.

 

[malibukid]

On 10/2/2018 at 4:54 PM, hobz said:

The only taxi that works well in Chiang Mai is the airport taxi.. very good prices and they know where to go etc... Outside that cm is either inhale exhaust fumes (red car, tuk tuk) or pay ridiculous amounts to unmetered meter taxi. Grab wins every time.

airport taxi excellent, i use Grab for once back at the hotel

[Galactus]

3 hours ago, wimpy said:

Not just"farang". Thais love Grab too. Adapt, or you will be left by the wayside.

 

adapt to exploitation of a foreign company using illegal taxis? no way.

why dont you try to be fair? you use an illegal taxi. 

[SammyT]

1 minute ago, Galactus said:

adapt to exploitation of a foreign company using illegal taxis? no way.

 why dont you try to be fair? you use an illegal taxi.

 

Versus putting up with an established "legal" taxi system in Chiang Mai where drivers refuse to use the metre, price fix at main tourist attractions (tried lately getting a cab out of the airport for less than double what it'd actually cost?), have run-down cars and often get aggressive during the haggling process (which is mandatory because they refuse to use the metre).

 

I'll take the illegal system, if it's all the same. 

[Galactus]

22 minutes ago, SammyT said:

 

Versus putting up with an established "legal" taxi system in Chiang Mai where drivers refuse to use the metre, price fix at main tourist attractions (tried lately getting a cab out of the airport for less than double what it'd actually cost?), have run-down cars and often get aggressive during the haggling process (which is mandatory because they refuse to use the metre).

 

I'll take the illegal system, if it's all the same. 

yes, until they start fine the clients using grab taxi. like they did where i come from. they catch you in an Uber, they fine you bc you are using an illegal service. simple.

you live here, know the prices. but that guy can get a higher payment from a tourist. and they are spoiled by tourist paying them whatever they want.

same as in every touristic city on earth. and believe me, sooner or later, grab taxi guys also start to do the same, have a look:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g293916-i3687-k10149129-Beware_of_scam_drivers_with_Bangkok_GRAB_Taxi-Bangkok.html

 

[hobz]

6 minutes ago, Galactus said:

yes, until they start fine the clients using grab taxi. like they did where i come from. they catch you in an Uber, they fine you bc you are using an illegal service. simple.

you live here, know the prices. but that guy can get a higher payment from a tourist. and they are spoiled by tourist paying them whatever they want.

same as in every touristic city on earth. and believe me, sooner or later, grab taxi guys also start to do the same, have a look:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g293916-i3687-k10149129-Beware_of_scam_drivers_with_Bangkok_GRAB_Taxi-Bangkok.html

 

Grab has a rating system. They can easily weed out the scammers.

[SammyT]

5 minutes ago, Galactus said:

yes, until they start fine the clients using grab taxi. like they did where i come from. they catch you in an Uber, they fine you bc you are using an illegal service. simple.

you live here, know the prices. but that guy can get a higher payment from a tourist. and they are spoiled by tourist paying them whatever they want.

same as in every touristic city on earth. and believe me, sooner or later, grab taxi guys also start to do the same, have a look:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g293916-i3687-k10149129-Beware_of_scam_drivers_with_Bangkok_GRAB_Taxi-Bangkok.html

 

Fair play - a good well-reasoned argument (often hard to find on here), which I do agree with the rationale behind. I had a grab guy to the airport coach me on what to say if we got stopped by the cops ("He was my colleague just giving me a lift to the airport"). I'd be surprised if the authorities started fining passengers, but if they did, it would certainly affect my decision as to whether or not to use a Grab cab. 

 

If the authorities want to make Grab less attractive, they need to start properly cracking down on the behaviour of the existing taxi industry - not just paying lip service then going back to ticketing tourists on scooters. While I am a fan of the free market and if a Songthaew or taxi can get a tourist to pay twice the price as an expat then so be it, but ultimately legally operated taxis have meters for a reason and they need to incentivise the use of them, or deter refusal to turn the meters on.

 

I have no issue with negotiating a price on a metered taxi either - I do it all the time out of BKK airport if I'm going to a location I know (saves the old "getting lost" en-route and spending an hour longer in traffic so they can run a few hundred extra baht on the meter), but if a passenger wants the meter turned on, that should the method of billing. 

 

Idealistic, I know. But Grab are just responding to illegal behaviour by taxis that everyone is sick of. 

[CLW]

With the announcement and clear signage of fixed prices for motorcycle taxis the authorities have worked out a example.
Sadly the most tourist areas are an exception and the script is in Thai.

But how many years did that take?

At least a beginning of some sort of regulation