Airport Taxi's Again

[Ulysses G.]

This country is full of poor Thai people with much of what they see around them in stores and for sale WAY beyond their means. So what if 4 people can only afford to stay in a room "designed" for two farangs.

When the revolution comes, payback will be a mother*&%^$$!

[WaiWai]

When the revolution comes, payback will be a mother*&%^$$!

Something I'd love to see !

Can it, will it happen here ?

Edited September 15, 2007 by WaiWai

[Johpa]

My Thai wife and I got a taxi from the airport to Sanawan Palace last week. Approx 200 baht ride.

He told my wife that he had been queueing for 4 hours to get a fare from the airport. Obviously he would have preferred a fare downtown or further, but he was quite happy to take us on our 200bht trip. And yes, we tipped him.

And on the way to or from Bang Pli you can actually see the waiting area for taxis, and then one can understand that a 4 hour wait in that parking lot is probably pretty standard for all the taxi drivers. These guys really do depend upon tips to make a decent living wage and one can understand their reluctance to take Thais on relatively short trips knowing the odds are good that there will be no tip or but a little tip.

[brahmburgers]

Most farang tip out of habit and because they feel guilty if they don't tip. I rarely tip in Thailand because that's the Thai way "when in Rome, do as the Romans do." I tip when I feel the service is particularly good, and it makes no difference whether the person is a bellhop, a garbage man, a taxi driver, a meter maid, a waiter, or a vegetable vendor. What particularly burns my bisquit is the automatic add-on tips at up-scale tourist venues. It's lying. If the item on the menu says 250 baht, then that should be the price or the item. To add a 'gratuity charge' (or whatever they call it) is false advertising. It I sell you a jacket with a price tag of of 500 baht, and then bill you 600 baht at the register, what do you call that?

No wonder Thais look down their noses at farang. We spend money like big overweight dumbo jerks. We should have signs hanging off the back of our elephant-sized shorts saying, "No, don't kick me, but overcharge me please!" or "I just want to make the natives smile, so I'll pay whatever you ask."

[Tinkelbell]

quote.........."There are two queues, one for long distance and the other for short distance. Problem solved."

---------------------------------------------------------------------

In NY, there are two queues in both airports : JFK and LGA for decades.

I never have had any problems getting a cab at these airports.

When you queue up at a taxi stand outside the terminal, if it is a short distance, your taxi driver would receive a paper. After dropping you off at your distination, your driver is allowed to go back to the airport, by showing that paper he can cut in the taxi line to pick up another passenger.

It's fast, efficient, and smooth operation, no chaos at all .

[roamer]

Why do people tip taxis ?? you are already paying for there service when they put the meter on!! unless they are over helpful with bags and stuff in i dont see why people do it!!

So as a point of interest, who do you tip ?

[sonnyJ]

Sad, sad, sad, Maybe it will come a time when Thais themselves start to complaint about the ways things are run in their own country. I will have no say to that though.

I can't remember the last time I had problem with a taxi, maybe because I can speak some Thai with confidence. Well last time they gave me a taxi that wouldn't start, I waited calmly, in the end I had to push that taxi to get the engine on.

But.

As someone already said, what a welcome my friends get usually when arriving to LOS. Long queues to unfriendly immigration officer, the hussel by who knows, a taxi that has no change, sometimes on the edge to get violent. It is truly unforgettable I'm sure. Shame on them.

[soundman]

Airport crackdown

By Amornrat Mahitthirook

More than 900 illegal taxi drivers and tour guides were arrested at Suvarnabhumi airport in June and July as the airport is working harder to ensure passenger safety.

Suvarnabhumi airport director Serirat Prasutanont said the crackdown had brought illegal taxi and guide activities down by 70-to-80 per cent.

The airport sought police help in cracking down on illegal operators preying on visitors. In June, police made 235 arrests, and in July, 686 arrests.

With more than 10 people arrested more than once, the Airports of Thailand (AoT)'s legal division is exploring how to bar any people arrested more than three times for such an offence from entering the airport premises.

He admitted such illegal operations had damaged the country's image because some customers were over-charged, assaulted and robbed.

Mr Serirat said the airport is also preparing records of transportation and tourism agents and their vehicles' registration numbers.

Notices would be put up at the airport displaying taxi charges for trips to other provinces as fixed by the Land Transport Department. For a destination within Bangkok, the charge would be as shown by the meter, plus the 50-baht airport charge. Mr Serirat added that any taxi drivers found to have overcharged a passenger would be prohibited from picking up passengers at the airport for at least 10 days.

The crackdown has been a blessing for the legal limousine and taxi business. Limousine service operators now made 850-900 trips a day, up from 700 previously.

Taxi trips rose from 4,500 to 6,000 a day.

Starting next month, taxi pick-ups would be relocated from the first floor to the second floor of the terminal, where passengers arrive, he said.

Some Bangkok Mass Transit Authority buses would be allowed to pick up and drop off passengers on the first and fourth floors of the terminal.

Maybe there is some hope on the horizon...

[Briggsy]

Airport crackdown

By Amornrat Mahitthirook

More than 900 illegal taxi drivers and tour guides were arrested at Suvarnabhumi airport in June and July as the airport is working harder to ensure passenger safety.

The crackdown has been a blessing for the legal limousine and taxi business. Limousine service operators now made 850-900 trips a day, up from 700 previously.Taxi trips rose from 4,500 to 6,000 a day.

.

Maybe there is some hope on the horizon...

Reads to me like "Get somebody else's people out so we can put our people in." Very common Thai practice when there is a change in who holds the reins of power. When Thaksin came in there were a lot of changes regarding the semi-legal passenger vans that operate around Bangkok. It's about grabbing the revenue while you can.

[Acquiesce]

I She told me that the txi drivers dont like to take Thai people because they dont tip and only travel for short distances. They prefer farang because they usually want to go to Pattaya or similar and generally give bigger tips.

Cheers Rick.

So your wife thinks most Thai people that get taxis live close to the airport and most farang getting off a plane in Bangkok are on the way to Pattaya or such like?????

lol

[baboon]

Strange. I very rarely have any bother with taxis. I think it far better than a few years ago. Maybe it is because the drivers know I know?

[bangkokrick]

I She told me that the txi drivers dont like to take Thai people because they dont tip and only travel for short distances. They prefer farang because they usually want to go to Pattaya or similar and generally give bigger tips.

Cheers Rick.

So your wife thinks most Thai people that get taxis live close to the airport and most farang getting off a plane in Bangkok are on the way to Pattaya or such like?????

lol

Its pretty obvious that this is the way that the taxi drivers think or she would not have had such a bad time. In my opinion a lot of the farang arrivals are going on vacation so they would trvel to the coast or maybe the domestic airport. Whats your point?

Cheers Rick

[UnknownPoster]

"airport director Serirat Prasutanont said the crackdown had brought illegal taxi and guide activities down by 70-to-80 per cent"

"Thailand (AoT)'s legal division is exploring how to bar any people arrested more than three times for such an offence from entering the airport premises."

"Mr Serirat added that any taxi drivers found to have overcharged a passenger would be prohibited from picking up passengers at the airport for at least 10 days."

Reduced but still there.

Bar people that have been arrested 3 times?

A 10 day suspension for ripping off tourists?

Like I said in another thread.

This Airport needs a new manager from outside of Thailand.

A foreigner that won't play the games.

[brahmburgers]

a friend from the States just emailed to say she'll be arriving in Bangkok in a few weeks. I had to take several paragraphs to warn her about taxi fenagelings at the airport and roving uniformed annoyances that may or may not be excise tax toughs looking to take advantage of weary foreigners who just arrived in a strange land. That shouldn't be needed.

AOT should appoint a foreignor or a Thai far removed from BKK to start to set things straight at the airport. It's obvious that the current rotation of AOT directors can't do what needs to be done. An airport is essentially a transit place to enable people to get from one place to another - as efficiently and hassle-free as possible. SUV is getting a reputation for being a dreaded experience for travelers.

one case in point: Why are there no direct shuttle buses to downtown Bangkok? It's a disgrace, if the best that's on offer is haggling with taxis / limousines, or getting on a shuttle to a nearby bus station, and then having to tote baggage again, while trying to figure out which new set of buses goes where you want. D.Muang at least had a few shuttle buses to downtown.

[brahmburgers]

posted twice by mistake

Edited September 17, 2007 by brahmburgers

[blizzard]

do you want free shuttles to sowntown ? oh my goodness!

there is shuttle or mini buses into town for very minimal costs.

[Acquiesce]

one case in point: Why are there no direct shuttle buses to downtown Bangkok? It's a disgrace, if the best that's on offer is haggling with taxis / limousines, or getting on a shuttle to a nearby bus station, and then having to tote baggage again, while trying to figure out which new set of buses goes where you want. D.Muang at least had a few shuttle buses to downtown.

You have difficulty understanding this?

http://www.bangkokairportonline.com/node/55

[Vit77]

You have difficulty understanding this?

http://www.bangkokairportonline.com/node/55

Good link. Moreover passengers with lower budget can take regular bus - cost: 35 THB.