Successfully used InDriver at Phuket airport

[DFPhuket]

I arrived at the HKT domestic terminal on Thursday at noon and used the InDriver app to get a taxi to Patong. If you've not used it, InDriver offers a suggested rate and you enter what you're willing to pay. It suggested 488 baht and so I entered 500 baht. I immediately had several offers, some at 500 and some for more. I accepted a nearby driver's offer for 500 baht. For an hour trip, that was reasonable. 

 

After accepting, I received a message from the driver asking if I could walk to the main road since InDriver, Bolt and Grab drivers were banned by AOT from picking up passengers at the terminal. They are subject to a 2,000 baht fine if caught. I told her I wouldn't walk to the road with my luggage. She gave me her number and I called. We agreed to cancel the InDriver booking, she'd pick me up at the terminal, and I'd pay her the 500 we'd agreed to. If asked, we would say she was a friend picking me up. We weren't questioned and the trip was smooth. 

 

But why does AOT ban the very convenient and cheaper taxi apps? Of course we know why - taxi mafia and bribes. But if you're looking at a way to use a taxi app at the airport, you might try this technique. 

[ChaiyaTH]

Because of monopoly, obviously. Its all fun with these apps until everyone uses it and it causes traffic jams right on the main road.

 

AOT at least have nice suv taxi for reasonable prices in Chiang Mai though. 

 

Phuket, krabi etc is taxi mafia. Krabi they even fear to drop you off near tuktuks and co.

Edited July 24, 2022 by ChaiyaTH

[The Hammer2021]

3 hours ago, ChaiyaTH said:

Because of monopoly, obviously. Its all fun with these apps until everyone uses it and it causes traffic jams right on the main road.

 

AOT at least have nice suv taxi for reasonable prices in Chiang Mai though. 

 

Phuket, krabi etc is taxi mafia. Krabi they even fear to drop you off near tuktuks and co.

"Its all fun with these apps until everyone uses it and it causes traffic jams right on the main road."

The problem is not the App. The problem is that they haven't  been welcomed by the Airport

[Gaccha]

500 baht is the going rate for the mafia taxi. 

 

You played yourself. 

[Kopitiam]

1 hour ago, Gaccha said:

500 baht is the going rate for the mafia taxi. 

 

You played yourself. 

Taxi stand price at the airport going to Patong is 800THB.

[merijn]

3 hours ago, Gaccha said:

500 baht is the going rate for the mafia taxi. 

 

You played yourself. 

Good luck getting a official taxi from the airport to Patong for 500 baht.

The published and only excepted rate is 800 Baht to Patong from the airport.

[zzzzz]

Basically you paid a private person with his car 500 baht>
in the states we call them SCABS as there taking  business from legally operated drivers/taxi's

 

[stevenl]

Nothing to do with bribes 

Aot has auctioned the right to pickup from the airport. So of course aot has to protect that right.

[PJ71]

56 minutes ago, zzzzz said:

Basically you paid a private person with his car 500 baht>
in the states we call them SCABS as there taking  business from legally operated drivers/taxi's

 

So you'd have preffered to pay the 800 baht? Why?

[2long]

I often get (and send customers) taxis from the airport to Khao Lak. But of course the same team are available to destination around Phuket. They have someone waiting for me with a sign outside the arrivals hall, and the driver waits just outside the airport. When I meet the person with the sign they ask me to wait just a few minutes (normally less than 5 minutes) until the driver appears in a clean car.

the company is 'Cheaper Than Hotel' and the owner's name is Boss. He uses WhatsApp and Line and speaks good English. I have used him for years, both for myself as well as customers.

I'm not sure if I am supposed to post phone numbers or stuff here, so I won't. He's easy to find online or you can inbox me for his number.

[Gaccha]

16 hours ago, merijn said:

Good luck getting a official taxi from the airport to Patong for 500 baht.

The published and only excepted rate is 800 Baht to Patong from the airport.

I think you meant the exact opposite of what you wrote.

 

You probably meant "The published and only accepted rate is 800".

 

Some tourists have literally just gotten off the plane,  other tourists have both literally and metaphorically just gotten off the plane. It sounds like you are the latter.

 

Let me say this gently: it is fairly easy for them to spot a Mark.

[merijn]

1 hour ago, Gaccha said:

I think you meant the exact opposite of what you wrote.

 

You probably meant "The published and only accepted rate is 800".

 

Some tourists have literally just gotten off the plane,  other tourists have both literally and metaphorically just gotten off the plane. It sounds like you are the latter.

 

Let me say this gently: it is fairly easy for them to spot a Mark.

I believe that's what i wrote or not ??????

You say something of getting of a plane ????

[beechbum]

13 hours ago, zzzzz said:

Basically you paid a private person with his car 500 baht>
in the states we call them SCABS as there taking  business from legally operated drivers/taxi's

 

Who GAF what they're know as in American, iDrives a great idea and becoming more and more popular, FK the thieves that call themselves taxi drivers here, there's FA legal about them, they're out and out crooks and deserve to be undercut.

[arithai12]

The situation was similar in CM, Grab drivers took a risk of being beaten up if operating all the way inside the terminal. Now it's better, but already there are legal challenges.

About Phuket, you can call it mafia, I won't argue, but it is also true that fully licenced taxi drivers have a lot of extra expenses than a Grab or whatever App  driver. They have to maintain their vehicles to some standards of class, year, cleanliness, road-worthiness, etc. They have to pay for the right to operate in the airport. And their return trip is often empty.

An App driver is using his personal car, and can be booked both ways.

 

Even so, you can find the official price at the first booths when you leave the arrival area (eg 1000 for Rawai), and some cheaper price at some booth at the exit of the terminal (eg 800 for Rawai). In this case the car is usually inferior, it might stink of smoke, and so on.

 

Frankly, 1000B for 1-1.5 h drive to Rawai is reasonable to me. Sometimes I pay that. And sometimes I pay 100B for a 2.5h Smart Bus (plus some wait for departure).

Edited August 24, 2022 by arithai12

[Patong2]

I was surprised to see the posted fare to Patong still at B800 when we arrived a couple of weeks ago

With the price of gas up so much and the exorbitant price of new vehicles in Thailand I don't think that is unreasonable. 

We had 5 luggage bags and delivered to our underground carpark lift entrance. I am happy with that service for that price.

 

[calbear09]

On 7/24/2022 at 1:56 AM, Kopitiam said:

Taxi stand price at the airport going to Patong is 800THB.

True. But pull out a 500 note and walk around to see who will do it for 500...I never paid 800...usually 600 but that's only if I can't find the Phuket Town Bus which is only 100! Going to the airport, I usually will see random taxi drivers and ask if they can do it for 500 and someone always will but again for those staying in town the bus is 100!

[MrJ2U]

On 7/24/2022 at 2:51 PM, Gaccha said:

500 baht is the going rate for the mafia taxi. 

 

You played yourself. 

 

https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/tourism/phuket-officials-comment-on-recent-taxi-fiasco-everything-except-taxi-meters

[Gaccha]

On 8/26/2022 at 11:46 PM, MrJ2U said:

 

https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/tourism/phuket-officials-comment-on-recent-taxi-fiasco-everything-except-taxi-meters

You'll notice they are the maximum fares. It takes very little effort to get those fares down. You simply perform the 'taxi dance': the appearance of leaving the airport without a taxi, before being seduced by their lower counter-offers. Try it. 

[overherebc]

Check todays report of 4 tourist being forced to leave a van and take a taxi from the pier. Forced by the taxi driver.

[beechbum]

2 hours ago, overherebc said:

Check todays report of 4 tourist being forced to leave a van and take a taxi from the pier. Forced by the taxi driver.

Now they've come out and tried to say they're not mafia!????????

 From the FB video:

ชายชุดดำในคลิป แจง กลุ่มแท็กซี่ในท่าเรือรัษฎา "ไม่ใช่มาเฟีย" วอนสังคมให้ความเป็นธรรม เหตุการณ์ที่เกิดขึ้นสร้างความเสียหายให้กับคิวและภาพลักษณ์ท่องเที่ยวภูเก็ต 

The man in black in the clip explains the taxi group in Rassada Pier. "Not the mafia" pleads for the society to be fair The incident caused damage to the queue and the image of Phuket tourism.

Edited September 3, 2022 by beechbum

[overherebc]

6 minutes ago, beechbum said:

Minivan driver

He told them, 4 female tourists, to meet him outside the pier area, they did but a taxi driver saw it and blocked the minivan. End result, they  had to get out and get in the taxi.

Seems an enquiry is underway.

[fiddlehead]

If you're just one person, the Smart bus is only 100 baht and almost as quick as a cab.  
(if it's leaving soon) They leave every hour, on the hour.   

100 baht to Talang, Surin, Kamala, Patong, Karon, Kata, Rawai.    All are the same price.   
Great bus!   Friendly drivers.