Seems you just need to refuse if they try to write a baht amount on your ticket. Then once you get in the taxi, insist a meter is used.

Exactly what I did in May when the public taxi stand on level 1 quoted 400 baht (including

tollway and 50 baht fee) fixed fee to go to Sukhumvit Soi 4. I didn't feel like dragging my bags to one of the other taxi stands, so I just got in the taxi and told the driver I would only pay the meter plus 50 baht and toll fee. The driver immediately turned on the meter and apologized, telling me taxi stand staff extort 20 baht from the drivers who participate in this scam. As it was 2 am, no need to take tollway, and meter fare was 205 baht plus the 50 baht fee.

Even thought the amount saved was minimal (I paid 300), I don't want to let the drivers and crooked taxi stand staff think they can get away with this all the time.

Last time home (about 6 weeks ago) I caught a taxi up to Khonkaen. I asked the lady at the desk (normal taxi rank level 1 outside the building) how much. She produced a table with varuios locations and fixed prices for the taxi fare to said location.

Paul

#32 That's normal for destinations outside Bangkok. I've photographed the cards for those rates and often quote them if anyone asks what they should be paying for a trip outside town. (Taxi fare to Yala is 9000 baht - danger pay.)

QUOTE: "The driver immediately turned on the meter and apologized, telling me taxi stand staff extort 20 baht from the drivers who participate in this scam."

So that explains it.

Seems you just need to refuse if they try to write a baht amount on your ticket. Then once you get in the taxi, insist a meter is used.

Exactly what I did in May when the public taxi stand on level 1 quoted 400 baht (including

tollway and 50 baht fee) fixed fee to go to Sukhumvit Soi 4. I didn't feel like dragging my bags to one of the other taxi stands, so I just got in the taxi and told the driver I would only pay the meter plus 50 baht and toll fee. The driver immediately turned on the meter and apologized, telling me taxi stand staff extort 20 baht from the drivers who participate in this scam. As it was 2 am, no need to take tollway, and meter fare was 205 baht plus the 50 baht fee.

Even thought the amount saved was minimal (I paid 300), I don't want to let the drivers and crooked taxi stand staff think they can get away with this all the time.

Thanks for this.