went to Central Festival on Saturday very busy and traffic at a standstill on second road due to roadworks

after we finished in Central i said to the wife lets try and dodge the traffic and get a taxi to Soi Buchow

so the wife asked a taxi at the rank on second road. 400 baht i thought she was joking but no that is what

they wanted for basically 5 mins in a taxi, it appears a lot of these taxi's have decided they want to charge

these prices, as she ordered a taxi to Don Mueng Airport from Pattaya 1800--  2000 baht ok its awhile since i done that

trip but i am sure it was around 1300 -1400. i checked online and it appears these cowboys are upping the normal

rates  that come out at 1400 baht.---will not be using the cowboys in future......their loss. bad vibes... when the taxi to the

airport is costing more than the flight ? 

Inflation is the word the taxi mafia use....us farangs know it as a rip off.....10 minutes walk from Central to soi Buk ????

"Soi Buchow" ????????????

May have had to do with the fireworks in Pattaya over the week-end. Bolt fares have been abnormally high over the last three days.

They just fined and scared a bunch of Bolt drivers at Central 1-2 days ago, so maybe competition is now gone, so they can charge anything.

That rank is notorious. A couple of days ago I went to Bangkok Hospital in Pattaya for a check up and when I left I asked the front door guard for a taxi. He summoned one on his 2 way. On the way, I asked how much. He could have told me any amount but said 200 baht which I thought reasonable for a 3 Km trip. I guess they don't get to rank up there if they get too many complaints for over charging.

Been like that in Samui for years. Refuse to use the meter. Also add a service charge.

1 hour ago, ozimoron said:

... said 200 baht which I thought reasonable for a 3 Km trip....

I've been quoted less for such a trip by Bolt. Right now from LK Metro to BHP (3.5km according to Google Maps) Bolt is quoting 81 Baht.

Those 2nd road taxis have always been a rip off, they look for gullible tourists

3 hours ago, petermik said:

.10 minutes walk from Central to soi Buk ????

Yep, before the pandemic I used to head off for a few cold ones in Marquee Bar after meeting people for lunch in the Hilton, it's really not far at all.

Thai Taxi Mafia logic at play.

Have just a few Touroids , and a busy weekend with Firework Display so rip everybody  off for as much as possible.

I don't play with the Pattaya Taxi Mafia!  I'd walk first!

 

I wouldn't mind paying a bit extra, but I draw the line at extortion!

Central 2nd,  to Buakhao ????

I think what was quoted was to find out if you were serious?  

Cross 2nd, to the other side Where Sign for Skew Hotel through the Soi there is Tree Town. 

Thai humor quoted your a crazy price. 

Since I discovered BOLT, I never use any other taxi, and quite often find Bolt fares much less than even the "win" bikes!!!

"after we finished in Central i said to the wife lets try and dodge the traffic and get a taxi to Soi Buchow so the wife asked a taxi at the rank on second road. 400 baht i thought she was joking but no that is what they wanted for basically 5 mins in a taxi"

 

Soi Bukhao is the next street over from 2nd road where you were, so definitely not a 5 min taxi ride (lucky to be 4-5 min walk).

 

Why would anyone need a taxi to go one block? They probably thought you were crazy so charged a crazy price

If you must use a taxi, don't ask how much. Ask them to turn on the meter. If they refuse, get out. They are more likely to turn on the meter during the day than at night. That said I always use rideshare, Grab or Bolt. Bolt is cheaper. Tip.. Don't request the ride at a taxi stop or area with lots of taxis! Walk further down and maybe to a side Soi before you request. Taxi mafia is real and rideshare drivers get threatened. Drivers will drive right on by if they see a lot of taxis.

Bolt will be around 50 baht I think. If alone, I will get a motor bike for 40 baht. Who uses taxi in Pattaya unless going to Bangkok? Pattaya taxis are rip off any way. Anybody who lives in Pattaya knows it better. 

The taxis parked at the Malls are rip-off merchants who refuse to use their meter.....  another tourist deterrent they refuse to react to. 

It might be a five minute walk but It would’ve been half an hour in the taxi on the weekend due to the fireworks – traffic absolute mayhem. They need to be paid some money for their time!!

9 hours ago, aussiexpat said:

"after we finished in Central i said to the wife lets try and dodge the traffic and get a taxi to Soi Buchow so the wife asked a taxi at the rank on second road. 400 baht i thought she was joking but no that is what they wanted for basically 5 mins in a taxi"

 

Soi Bukhao is the next street over from 2nd road where you were, so definitely not a 5 min taxi ride (lucky to be 4-5 min walk).

 

Why would anyone need a taxi to go one block? They probably thought you were crazy so charged a crazy price

Yes some people are so lazy. It's probably about 400 yards. The taxi wouldn't even get out of first gear.

Taking a taxi  off of a rank  after he's been there  for Christ knows how long  to take u on a small journey, its not worth his while he'd rather sit there,   and  hopefully  get a longer ride, costing more,  so he inflates the price  for your journey  to make it worth his while ..

 

Try taking a London Black Cab off the rank at Heathrow  to a local Heathrow Hotel,  also a small journey,    they will charge u  the  same fare as   it costs to  go  into London,    again, to make it worth his time ...

On 11/29/2022 at 8:49 AM, actonion said:

Taking a taxi  off of a rank  after he's been there  for Christ knows how long  to take u on a small journey, its not worth his while he'd rather sit there,   and  hopefully  get a longer ride, costing more,  so he inflates the price  for your journey  to make it worth his while ..

 

Try taking a London Black Cab off the rank at Heathrow  to a local Heathrow Hotel,  also a small journey,    they will charge u  the  same fare as   it costs to  go  into London,    again, to make it worth his time ...

Try taking a London Black Cab off the rank at Heathrow  to a local Heathrow Hotel,  also a small journey,    they will charge u  the  same fare as   it costs to  go  into London,    again, to make it worth his time .......YOU Are Spouting RUBBISH,The Cab has to Take Them to wherever they want to go,The Driver charges whatever is on the Meter ( Has to engage the meter ) to be INSURED By Law,He then gets a Docket to go to the FRONT of the Rank on his return IF He gets back WITHIN ONE Hour.....I Gather YOU Have never been a London Cab Driver then " Eh ??

Call these gals. Never used them since I’m in BKK but seen them on FB. 1200 Pattaya to swampy. 

https://www.facebook.com/100070454845573/posts/pfbid02vCZytz5QdBYSD44ZozFGPC3qxSjFvvV113E4onkjYYfaJt3uK8rFioPPJ5Fb7Siql

21 hours ago, actonion said:

Taking a taxi  off of a rank  after he's been there  for Christ knows how long  to take u on a small journey, its not worth his while he'd rather sit there,   and  hopefully  get a longer ride, costing more,  so he inflates the price  for your journey  to make it worth his while ..

 

Try taking a London Black Cab off the rank at Heathrow  to a local Heathrow Hotel,  also a small journey,    they will charge u  the  same fare as   it costs to  go  into London,    again, to make it worth his time ...

You seriously try to compare a cab from a rank at LHR (In rip-off Britain)... to one that has been sitting in front of the Central Festival Mall?  There are ranks in Central London where you take a cab and they use the meter. A list of fixed fares would be fair.... 2-300 baht for a ride of a Km or 2 would be okay if one had shopping to carry. I have used taxis home from near Walking St, 12 km, 500 baht with tip, (and some interfering hustler on commission) under 200 by Bolt. 

On 11/28/2022 at 9:45 PM, CanadaSam said:

Since I discovered BOLT, I never use any other taxi, and quite often find Bolt fares much less than even the "win" bikes!!!

Not last weekend, they weren't.

 

And as for everybody criticizing the OP for being lazy; he'd just come out of a shopping mall. Perhaps he had lots of heavy bags?

 

Or maybe he has mobility issues?

 

But, no, let's have a dig at him for being lazy. 

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

You seriously try to compare a cab from a rank at LHR (In rip-off Britain)... to one that has been sitting in front of the Central Festival Mall?  There are ranks in Central London where you take a cab and they use the meter. A list of fixed fares would be fair.... 2-300 baht for a ride of a Km or 2 would be okay if one had shopping to carry. I have used taxis home from near Walking St, 12 km, 500 baht with tip, (and some interfering hustler on commission) under 200 by Bolt. 

And why not compare  Heathrow with  Pattaya, both cities  have a Taxi driver's  trying to  earn a living, and Baht bus taxis if that's what the op is talking about, dont have meters  as im sure u  know

On 11/29/2022 at 11:31 AM, Nong Khai Man said:

Try taking a London Black Cab off the rank at Heathrow  to a local Heathrow Hotel,  also a small journey,    they will charge u  the  same fare as   it costs to  go  into London,    again, to make it worth his time .......YOU Are Spouting RUBBISH,The Cab has to Take Them to wherever they want to go,The Driver charges whatever is on the Meter ( Has to engage the meter ) to be INSURED By Law,He then gets a Docket to go to the FRONT of the Rank on his return IF He gets back WITHIN ONE Hour.....I Gather YOU Have never been a London Cab Driver then " Eh ??

My experience  was  different , my hotel was   in Slough, a local town to  Heathrow   the driver does/ did not activate the meter  because slough  is outside of the M25 ,, And no i have never been a London Cab dive,r i choose to work  for a living lol

On 11/28/2022 at 11:45 AM, JackGats said:

May have had to do with the fireworks in Pattaya over the week-end. Bolt fares have been abnormally high over the last three days.

Couldn't get a Bolt from Wongamat on Friday night so ended up walking to Naklua road and getting the Baht Bus into town, 1st 2 of these tried it on for 200b "Farang Price", fortunately there were plenty of others behind them who were happy with the 2x10b fares. 

 

Same was true Sunday lunchtime coming back from Central, Bolt were a minimum of 20min away & wanted approx. 200b so went outside & spoke to the Taxi drivers there, 1st one (lady might have been the same one as in the OP) asked for 400, next 300b last one was happy with 250b (Traffic was really quiet so were home in < 15 mins) - would normally be approx. 80b in a Bolt. 

There were literally tens if not a hundred or more thousand extra people in pattaya for the fireworks most of them Thais from bkk or other cities who drove down....traffic  and parking was a complete zoo for the weekend and especially bad on second road as well as soi buahkow and beach road was completely closed along with several side streets for much of the time.....it was tough to even walk from hilton to soi buahkow as side streets were often gridlocked and chaotic to say the least....no big surprise that fares for taxis and bolt were through the roof as it was a super busy weekend so taxis reluctant to take any fare except maybe one wanting to go OUT of the city asap as the taxi would have sat in gridlocked traffic .....not sure that you wouldn't run into same gouge pricing at most any city in the world over a major weekend event.

On 11/28/2022 at 11:19 AM, zedzz said:

it appears a lot of these taxi's have decided they want to charge

these prices, as she ordered a taxi to Don Mueng Airport from Pattaya 1800--  2000 baht ok its awhile since i done that

trip but i am sure it was around 1300 -1400. i checked online and it appears these cowboys are upping the normal

rates  that come out at 1400 baht

I try to avoid flying out from Don Mueng but if I had to I would use Cherry Taxi...  https://cherrytaxiservice.com/services-rates/ - 1,400b including the Tolls. 

 

For Suvarnabhumi Airport, I always use Nam Taxi https://www.namstaxiladydrivers.com/services - 1,000b including the Tolls.