Our Own Metered Taxis

[Sojourner]

About a month or two ago I started seeing these brand new, bright blue and yellow, metered taxis around town. At first I thought it was one or two from BKK as sometimes happens, but no, they had Chiang Mai tags and written in Thai across both front and rear windows "TAXI CHIANG MAI".

How is it that this momentous event has gone unnoticed? I was led to believe there are members of this board that keep their collective fingers on the pulse of Chiang Mai. How many are there? Has anyone dared ride in one yet??

Curious minds need answers.

[Lordfoul]

How is it that this momentous event has gone unnoticed?  I was led to believe there are members of this board that keep their collective fingers   on the pulse of Chiang Mai.  How many are there? 

It didn't go unnoticed http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...=30entry89624

I think there are still just Three with more to arrive soon.

/SM

[cutethaigirl]

Not unnoticed as the link above shows

Wanna know the registration numbers?

Chiang Mai 1, 2 and 3. Check them out sat by the road watching the 10 baht songthaews go by:-)

[john b good]

From previous thread.........

Taxi Meter - Call Nok - tel. 09 261 4290- 20 baht for pick up, 30 baht for the first 2 km and 4 baht for each subsequent kilometer.

It's hardly metered when you pay 30 baht for the first 2 km's and way above Bangkok rates.

BUT then i guess that it is a start, particularly if you can fone up Noi (does she understand english) and get one to come to the door. For me this would be the big upside (if they arrive on time and don't get you to the airport in time to see your flight in the air with the wheels up)

[holm188]

It's hardly metered when you pay 30 baht for the first 2 km's and way above Bangkok rates.

isn't BKK 35 baht? and it's still much cheaper than the airport taxi, but that's no surprise...

if they arrive on time and don't get you to the airport in time to see your flight in the air with the wheels up

I use them to get to the airport early morning, so far they were on time and i made it to the plane.

[sabaijai]

From previous thread.........

Taxi Meter - Call Nok - tel. 09 261 4290- 20 baht for pick up, 30 baht for the first 2 km and 4 baht for each subsequent kilometer.

It's hardly metered when you pay 30 baht for the first 2 km's and way above Bangkok rates.

BUT then i guess that it is a start, particularly if you can fone up Noi (does she understand english) and get one to come to the door. For me this would be the big upside (if they arrive on time and don't get you to the airport in time to see your flight in the air with the wheels up)

Meter taxis in BKK charge 35B for the first 2km, then 4.50B for the next 10km, 5B for 13km to 20km and 5.50B for any distance greater than 20km. If traffic is slow, a small per-minute surcharge kicks in.

[cutethaigirl]

It's hardly metered when you pay 30 baht for the first 2 km's and way above Bangkok rates.

Doesn't metered refer to that little box in the car that calculates the fare according to a charge scale.

Incidently if BKK is 35Baht flag fall fee, i just got out of one and it is how comes CM at 30 baht is "way above"??

Curious

CT

[john b good]

It's hardly metered when you pay 30 baht for the first 2 km's and way above Bangkok rates.

Doesn't metered refer to that little box in the car that calculates the fare according to a charge scale.

Incidently if BKK is 35Baht flag fall fee, i just got out of one and it is how comes CM at 30 baht is "way above"??

Curious

CT

I guess that you might have a point.

But then in Bangkok the scammers are often very reluctant to turn their meters on. By your analogy "yes they have a little black box, so they must be metered taxis. What do you call them when they refuse (leastaways attempt) not to turn the meter on. I guess you could call it a metered taxi with the meter not being used. Like I say you might have a point.

Maybe if you're really a thai girl (which I somehow doubt) they might "switch on" but on my recent trip to Bangkok the criminal calling himself a taxi drive wanted 600 Baht to go to town. I told him in very clear terms that even the thickest Thai would understand "to go <deleted> himself". My taxi with meter on cost around 275 Baht.

This example is not an isolated case.

[chanchao]

> What do you call them when they refuse (leastaways attempt)

> not to turn the meter on.

I could tell you that but this being a family oriented forum prevents me from saying it.

I don't think this is a significant problem if you stay away from the stationary waiting Patpong & hotel-shark taxis. It's been ages since I had a driver who didn't want to use the meter, and that was a typical case of "oh... really? Ok.. Never mind then, have a nice day."

Cheers,

Chanchao

[holm188]

But then in Bangkok the scammers are often very reluctant to turn their meters on. By your analogy "yes they have a little black box, so they must be metered taxis. What do you call them when they refuse (leastaways attempt) not to turn the meter on. I guess you could call it a metered taxi with the meter not being used. Like I say you might have a point.

Maybe if you're really a thai girl (which I somehow doubt) they might "switch on" but on my recent trip to Bangkok the criminal calling himself a taxi drive wanted 600 Baht to go to town. I told him in very clear terms that even the thickest Thai would understand "to go <deleted> himself". My taxi with meter on cost around 275 Baht.

This example is not an isolated case.

Where are you taking your taxis in BKK?

Of course from time to time a driver doesn't want to turn on the meter (but it's the exeption), but then just get out (leave the door open, if you want release some anger, words are not a good choice) and take the next one. I even don't get the "don't have change" metered taxis anymore; without asking you often get the 5 baht back for a 35 baht ride when you give 40! and

And I cannot be mistaken for a girl and even less for a thai.

good luck with your future travel

[cutethaigirl]

Only once had a BKK taxi not want to turn the meter on.

No need to say anything in any language. Avoid conflict being a high priority.

Simply left the taxi and got into one of the other 59,999.

Airport to BKK town. Take a bus outside the airport if no bags. Fast and easy but obviously not really a comparison to a delivered service.

Go upstairs and grab an inbound taxi. Saves 50 baht:-)

Hopefully there will not come a day when CM has thousands of taxis. Might be quite interesting when say someone calls a taxi to go to say Ban Ta Wai. Chances are the driver will have to return to CM empty. Will be out of business in a month or two.

Bring on more pink buses!

CT

[Ajarn]

It's hardly metered when you pay 30 baht for the first 2 km's and way above Bangkok rates.

Doesn't metered refer to that little box in the car that calculates the fare according to a charge scale.

Incidently if BKK is 35Baht flag fall fee, i just got out of one and it is how comes CM at 30 baht is "way above"??

Curious

CT

I guess that you might have a point.

But then in Bangkok the scammers are often very reluctant to turn their meters on. By your analogy "yes they have a little black box, so they must be metered taxis. What do you call them when they refuse (leastaways attempt) not to turn the meter on. I guess you could call it a metered taxi with the meter not being used. Like I say you might have a point.

Maybe if you're really a thai girl (which I somehow doubt) they might "switch on" but on my recent trip to Bangkok the criminal calling himself a taxi drive wanted 600 Baht to go to town. I told him in very clear terms that even the thickest Thai would understand "to go <deleted> himself". My taxi with meter on cost around 275 Baht.

This example is not an isolated case.

As a former Yellow cab driver in San Francisco, I can sure undestand BKK taxi drivers preferring to flat-fare a customer, especially a farang. There are plenty of farangs who do accept such offers, so, frankly, why wouldn't a Bkk driver make that pitch first? Thais are opportunists, so some might say the driver would be foolish to use the meter if the customer agrees with his flat fare rate....Business is business na'?

But, speaking rude Thai with a taxi driver is not a good idea....Just say 'Mai Aow' and close the door....Your life will likely stay intact. I would never insult a driver, then get in his cab for a ride...

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Take the Taxi's number and report him. He HAS to use the meter.

[Georgie-Porgie]

Take the Taxi's number and report him. He HAS to use the meter.

Not when it is Songkran, and we are on Sukumvit Road, already two blocks from my hotel and the taxi is full of easily destroyed items packed in paper boxes.

I just paid!