Benz VIP taxi plans on the rocks - too expensive and bad for drivers

 

Image: Daily News

 

Daily News reported that a leading company's expansion plans for a VIP taxi service using Mercedes Benz cars has been put on hold. 

 

Nakorn Chai Air's All Thai Taxi arm was gung-ho a while back with plans to flood the streets with luxury taxis.

But the plans came with a price.

 

Chairwoman Khreuawan Wongrakmit said that passengers have not been willing to pay the increased charges of using Benz VIP taxis over regular cabs. 

 

Business has been poor - people don't want to ride in a Benz, they'd rather own one themselves.

 

In addition the service - that has 20 cars at present - has not gained the right to park and pick up passengers at Bangkok's two main airports, Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang.

 

This has meant drivers' "downtime" with no passengers has limited their earning potential. 

 

For now the company has abandoned its previously stated expansion plans, reported Daily News. 

 

But the Thai media reported that All Thai Taxi are gritting their teeth and persevering with the service for now.

 

They plan to introduce other makes of cars to the service in the future - not Mercedes Benz. 

 

They denied they were going bust. 

 

Source: Daily News

 

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For a short medium distance ride, I wont pay twice for Benz. The latest Corolla is just as comfortable and more spacious than a C class at the back. Nobody looks up to you in Benz taxi nowdays.

sure that is not a BENZ i had a few and they did not look like that lol

Only the S class Benz holds any allure really and they won't be using them.

37 minutes ago, mercman24 said:

sure that is not a BENZ i had a few and they did not look like that lol

Its the cheap Thai model,  4 doors 4 wheels usually and the wrong emblem on the bonnet

So I guess a Ferrari taxi is out of the question then?

Pass their place near Mo Chit a lot and theres always lots of ALL Thai Taxis parked up in the compound, a taxi friend also told me you don't earn as much s well.


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1 hour ago, mercman24 said:

sure that is not a BENZ i had a few and they did not look like that lol

Oh what a feeling, Toyota!

A crappy Thailand taxi driver driving around in a Mercedes Benz is still a crappy taxi driver. I'll stick to Grab.

5 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Chairwoman Khreuawan Wongrakmit said that passengers have not been willing to pay the increased charges of using Benz VIP taxis over regular cabs. 

 

No doubt they are trying to appeal to all those rich, 'desirable', foreigners that we are constantly told about.  Hummm, so where are they?  They aren't knocking down the doors to climb in an upscale Benz taxi, that's for sure.

Never going to work here.

6 hours ago, rooster59 said:

In addition the service - that has 20 cars at present - has not gained the right to park and pick up passengers at Bangkok's two main airports, Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang.

 

Shouldn't they have sorted that out BEFORE starting the service? No wonder the business has failed with such idiots in charge.

6 hours ago, Brigand said:

Only the S class Benz holds any allure really and they won't be using them.

 

Exactly. Apparently they thought the badge alone would be a deal sealer. The smooth ride, spaciousness, comfort, and quiet of a stretched S class would be welcome when stuck in traffic and worth a higher fare. But a tiny C class? Not worth more than a corolla which are decent enough.

 

 

 

You can "book" a "limo" while waiting for your baggage to arrive in arrivals area, they have long had the option of MB - at additional cost, doubt many took up that "offer" either!

'Not good for the drivers' ?   I would have said Thai drivers are not good for the cars !

how can C class Mercedes to be considered something luxury?? its compact premium car, I don't think it can be used for taxis.... E class minimum . 

If you're constantly stuck in traffic congestion, as is often the case here, who cares if you're sitting in a Toyota or a Merc?! Sort out the traffic problems first and then maybe people might be willing to pay more to be driven (operative word here) around in a Benz. Until then, no thank you. 

I am wondering if the geniuses who came up with this idea realise maintenance costs on a Benz are 2-3 times that of a Toyota, Honda etc.

4 hours ago, canopy said:

 

Exactly. Apparently they thought the badge alone would be a deal sealer. The smooth ride, spaciousness, comfort, and quiet of a stretched S class would be welcome when stuck in traffic and worth a higher fare. But a tiny C class? Not worth more than a corolla which are decent enough.

 

 

 

Stupid prices for what is now, and really has been, just a car.

Spent 9 years based in Germany and 99% of taxis were mercs. The main reason being they had a reputation for being reliable and could easily cover two hundred or three hundred thousand kilometres with a good chance of no major mechanical problems.

As far as I'm concerned Japanes cars are now much better and although still a rIdiculous price here are better value than an MB.

MB E-Class in Germany is the usual taxi. Just sayin'.

From swampy to lower Suk airport link change at Phaya  Thai job done.  Quicker and easier. 

Used to use the "limo camry" service from swampy, 1200 baht and stuck in traffic.  No thanks. 

Edited May 25, 20197 yr by emptypockets

1 hour ago, Terek said:

how can C class Mercedes to be considered something luxury?? its compact premium car, I don't think it can be used for taxis.... E class minimum . 

The luxury class in MB line is quite clear, the Sonderklasse, S. And you obviously want something like S600 to pass the bar.

Edited May 25, 20197 yr by DrTuner

3 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

The luxury class in MB line is quite clear, the Sonderklasse, S. And you obviously want something like S600 to pass the bar.

If the S600 can get me from swampy to lower Suk  in less than forty minutes....  Sign me up. 

Otherwise it's just a slow taxi. 

19 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Chairwoman Khreuawan Wongrakmit said that passengers have not been willing to pay the increased charges of using Benz VIP taxis over regular cabs.

I could have saved them the trouble and told them that. 

 

Wow, who did the study on this and figured it would work -- in country where even the rich have a poverty mentality and try to haggle and save every Baht they can.

 

People in Chinese derivative countries like Thailand spend money as frugally as possible and make exceptions only where the perceived value is undeniable and/or where they are able to gain big FACE. Driving a Benz is not the same as using one for a taxi service.

Edited May 25, 20197 yr by Fex Bluse

10 hours ago, djayz said:

If you're constantly stuck in traffic congestion, as is often the case here, who cares if you're sitting in a Toyota or a Merc?! Sort out the traffic problems first and then maybe people might be willing to pay more to be driven (operative word here) around in a Benz. Until then, no thank you. 

This is a great point and what many Thai fail to understand about the country.

Thais try to create these isolated luxury experiences in a country that is largely the opposite of luxurious.

 

Poor value examples -

Sat in a luxury car being driven on horrific roads, often stuck in traffic, driven by drivers just off the farm who drive the cars like they drive their motorcys. Step outside onto unstable pavements that move when you walk, strewn with rotting rubbish and cockroaches and rats. Poor value.

 

Luxury Bangkok mall which never carries the latest products and carries what it does at prices far more expensive than the latest products in developed countries. Ask the sales staff any question other than "what price?" and "what colors?" and you are met with the frustrating results of the Thai education system. Poor value.

 

Build luxury home anywhere in the country but in immediate vicinity locals are burning rubbish, playing loud music (up in Issan, for example), electricity service is sometimes inconsistent, sewage smells often permeate the area, the workmanship is usually poor requiring too-frequent fixes by workers that are no more skilled than the average (which is low). Poor value.

Edited May 26, 20197 yr by Fex Bluse

Years ago Thai airways had a limo service using Mercedes-Benz sedans,small white jobs, used to cost 1500 baht to Pattaya from the old don muang airport, I loved them and thought they were the height of luxury.now I take the bus to Jomtiem, a train then metro then bus when I get back to the Netherlands.I do miss those days of disposable income and a libido.

They should get a fleet of premium tuk tuks for backpackers who want to go ethnic and be one with the locals.

19 hours ago, MaxYakov said:

So I guess a Ferrari taxi is out of the question then?

With a Maserati Quattroporte it's possible 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maserati_Quattroporte

The Porsche taxi concept was tried in Bangkok a few years back:

 

 

 

Come to Pattaya, the Mafia here can afford all manner of luxury cars as no meters are allowed here thanks to the other mafia.