Motorcycle Taxis

[Upcountry]

I've used motorcycle taxi's a few times lately when I have been in a hurry to get from A to B.

But it's very annoying to have to dicker with them to get to the right price. Recently I got a lower price but the driver only got me to the corner near the sky train, not to the sky train itself. When I complained, he "snided" that I should have paid 5 baht more.

So I'm looking for advice and anecdotes about price. What's the reasonable base price, for instance, for a short ride (say from Big C near Central World to Phantip, or from Phantip to Ratchatewi(sp?)?

[JetsetBkk]

I would say 20 baht from Central World to Pantip, but I've never done it - I normally I walk it.

[ZukiSuzuki]

Big C near central world to phantip should be B20 max.

Phantip to Ratchatewi? I always thought Phantip was in Ratchatewi or is it classed as Pathumwan? Not sure.

[bendix]

I've never used them myself, but on a slightly different subject I was talking to my maid the other day and she tells me she has a couple of motorcycle 'vests' as investments. I'm not sure how she acquired them but it seems the numbers are limited (makes sense) and tradeable.

She says the cost depends on the location (again, makes sense). She bought two vests a couple of years ago for use around Sukhumvit 11 (prime location, I hear) for around 80,000 each. She was offered 100,000 for them earlier this year but she declined, saying that she rents them to the motorcycle lads for 1,000 a month.

That sounds like a nice little earner to me.

[Upcountry]

Phantip to Ratchatewi? I always thought Phantip was in Ratchatewi or is it classed as Pathumwan? Not sure.

Sorry, I meant the Ratchatewi BTS station.

[Upcountry]

Bendix,

Yes, I think the vests and licenses (for motorcycle or auto taxis) are limited.

UC

[ZukiSuzuki]

Phantip to Ratchatewi? I always thought Phantip was in Ratchatewi or is it classed as Pathumwan? Not sure.

Sorry, I meant the Ratchatewi BTS station.

B10

[t.s]

deleted, mispost

Edited November 5, 2007 by t.s

[Thanh-BKK]

Hi

The price gets a lot cheaper when you speak thai to them - i very regularly take the motorbike taxi from World Trade (Central World) to Panthip as i park my own bike at World Trade and am often just too lazy to walk that kilometer thru those huge crowds of people. Often the guys (motocy taxi drivers) approach ME and when i ask the price to Panthip (in english!) they will tell me "60 Baht" or maybe "50 Baht".

But when i go to one of THEM and ask the same in thai, i ALWAYS get to hear "20 Baht".

Same goes from Panthip to MBK, another route i take often (my run - WTC-Panthip, Panthip-MBK and finally MBK-WTC), the price if they come to you it's usually up to 80 Baht (sorry sir, traffic jam!) but if you ask them it's 30 Baht, ALWAYS.

For the final leg of my journey (MBK-WTC) it's then always 40 Baht, i never got that part cheaper.

And yeah, i could drive there myself but it too costs 10 Baht at Panthip and another 10 at MBK, but i'll have the hassle with finding a spot in the crowded motorbike stands..... locking the helmet, not losing the paper ticket etc etc.

And in the beginning of my soi the motorbike taxi guys have a stand there, they have a sign clearly stating the (fixed!) fare to various locations such as the nearest BTS station etc. They even have a helmet for their passengers

Best regards.....

Thanh

Edited November 5, 2007 by Thanh-BKK

[Upcountry]

And in the beginning of my soi the motorbike taxi guys have a stand there, they have a sign clearly stating the (fixed!) fare to various locations such as the nearest BTS station etc. They even have a helmet for their passengers

I was shown the fixed price sign at the Mo Chit BTS station, when I asked about getting to the Northern Bus Terminal. I noticed the B50 item, and it looked too high to me! I didn't even check to see if that was for my trip. So, I took a taxi-metre instead. B65, almost 8 kilometers of loop-de-loop and time. Maybe the motorbike deal was better and certainly faster!

[kankaroo]

Speaking Thai DOES HELP a lot, and it's not hard to learn something like "how much to xxxxx, no that is too much, I will pay you $$$ max, khrap" etc.

Also it is cheaper to ride TO Panthip rather than leave it I have always found (same directions, sky train - Panthip, Panthip - sky train). Traffic doesn't always matter as some of those journeys have been done completely on the pavement !

Also I have had the situation a couple of times where the guy won't take you right up the the sky train steps unless you pay an extra 5 baht or some crap. This in my experience always depends on the driver. Especially if it is a route you take everyday you tend not to negotiate the fair as it quickly becomes tedious.

Ahhhhh, good memories I wish I was there now !

[flightcrew1]

It helps if you know the fare already. Example a Thai only pays 10baht from Central World to Pantip. When you see the motorcycle taxi just say "pantip" and get on. When getting off just hand him the 10 baht and and a "krap khun Krap" No problem. Same going to BTS Ratchtevi. 20 baht. If you know the price ahead of time there is no bickering and they realize you live here. It's like getting a taxi. I'm always amazed when I see other farang opening the door and asking "how much?" to so and so place. Just get in close the door and tell him where you are going. Watch the meter and if it does not go on say "meter krap" no problems.

[soundman]

It helps if you know the fare already. Example a Thai only pays 10baht from Central World to Pantip. When you see the motorcycle taxi just say "pantip" and get on. When getting off just hand him the 10 baht and and a "krap khun Krap" No problem. Same going to BTS Ratchtevi. 20 baht. If you know the price ahead of time there is no bickering and they realize you live here. It's like getting a taxi. I'm always amazed when I see other farang opening the door and asking "how much?" to so and so place. Just get in close the door and tell him where you are going. Watch the meter and if it does not go on say "meter krap" no problems.

Have to agree with this. If you know the charge for the route you go on, just hop on to the motorbike & have the exact amount ready for payment at the destination. If the fee is to higher than normal, the onus is on the driver to let you know beforehand.....

[Upcountry]

It helps if you know the fare already.

Hence, this thread!

Just get in close the door and tell him where you are going. Watch the meter and if it does not go on say "meter krap" no problems.

I got into a "Taxi Mai-Meter" the other morning and explained, with a map, where I wanted to go. Then I pointed to the meter, saying "meter, krap". The driver said "200 Baht". I jumped out (should have left the door open). The next cab I got took me to my destination for B55.

I agree that speaking Thai is probably key, as well as knowing the price ahead of time. But having a farang face definitely is a disadvantage!

Edited November 5, 2007 by Upcountry

[sonnyJ]

I would say roughly B10/1km on normal routes.

[tingtong]

" But having a farang face definitely is a disadvantage! "

just all the same, if they know your face already that is an adventage.

in our soi I always got the same price like my wife, without bargaining much.

[samran]

For your first trip anywhere close, my advice is to get on and have a 50 baht note at the ready for when you reach your desitination. Hand it over and look like you are expecting change. They'll think you know the real price, and hand back the correct change.

For longer distances, I generally ask.

[dantilley]

Phantip to Ratchatewi? I always thought Phantip was in Ratchatewi or is it classed as Pathumwan? Not sure.

Sorry, I meant the Ratchatewi BTS station.

B10

20 Baht normally, the price is written on a sign by the motorcycle taxi "depot" at Ratchathewi BTS.

[t.s]

It helps if you know the fare already. Example a Thai only pays 10baht from Central World to Pantip. When you see the motorcycle taxi just say "pantip" and get on. When getting off just hand him the 10 baht and and a "krap khun Krap" No problem. Same going to BTS Ratchtevi. 20 baht. If you know the price ahead of time there is no bickering and they realize you live here. It's like getting a taxi. I'm always amazed when I see other farang opening the door and asking "how much?" to so and so place. Just get in close the door and tell him where you are going. Watch the meter and if it does not go on say "meter krap" no problems.

Have to agree with this. If you know the charge for the route you go on, just hop on to the motorbike & have the exact amount ready for payment at the destination. If the fee is to higher than normal, the onus is on the driver to let you know beforehand.....

it is a natural transaction they make almost wordlessly many times daily, if you are ok, they are ok. the more you turn the whole thing into an event the more it costs.

[t.s]

For your first trip anywhere close, my advice is to get on and have a 50 baht note at the ready for when you reach your desitination. Hand it over and look like you are expecting change. They'll think you know the real price, and hand back the correct change.

For longer distances, I generally ask.

exactly. you said it better.

[sonnyJ]

Phantip to Ratchatewi? I always thought Phantip was in Ratchatewi or is it classed as Pathumwan? Not sure.

Sorry, I meant the Ratchatewi BTS station.

B10

20 Baht normally, the price is written on a sign by the motorcycle taxi "depot" at Ratchathewi BTS.

It's shorter and simpler to drive Phantip to Ratchathewi than the other way round.

[polecat]

I use the bikes every day to get to and from work, which takes a good 20 mins or so. To work out what price I should offer, I did the journey by taxi (not at rush hour) then offered the same to the moto guys. I reckon this is a good gauge for longer journeys.

[JetsetBkk]

When getting off just hand him the 10 baht and and a "krap khun Krap" No problem.

Even better to say "khaawp khoon khrap" http://thai-language.com/id/196672

Edited November 6, 2007 by JetsetBkk

[petedk]

I started to reply to this post last week but decided not to but then today something happened that made me change my mind.

I often take motorcycle taxis and find most of the motorbike guys quite pleasant. Yes, I speak Thai to them and ask the price. I usually get the same price as Thais.

Having said that there is one place I constantly have problems. I travel from the university at Sukhumvit Soi 23 to the main road and back nearly every day (and up to 4 or 5 times a day). The motorcycle guys there are absolute monsters. The normal price is 10 baht but often when I approach them I hear them saying to each other "farang! Perm 10 baht" and they demand 20 baht or more from me. The highest they asked for was 50 baht.

Only last week I mounted a bike after agreeing to pay 10 baht. On arriving at Sukhumvit Road I gave the guy 10 Baht (I always make sure I have a 10 baht coin) and he immediately grabbed my arm and dug his nails into me and said "farang khi niow". He didn't let go for a good 10 seconds. When he did let go I just walked away and said nothing. I didn't want to start a fight with all his mates around him.

The other thing that often happens is that the guys on Soi 23 drive crazily. Sometimes they don't give me a chance to get on before they speed off. They also dart in and out of the traffic taking enormous risks.

I guess some of you will ask why I don't take a taxi or a bus along Asoke Road. Well sometimes a taxi is very difficult to find and the traffic can be very bad along Soi 23 during rush hours. I could walk (10 minutes) but I am one of those people who sweats so much that I would be absolutely wet through 4 or 5 times a day walking backwards and forwards along the road.

On a final and very sad note, I learned today that my very close Thai friends daughter was killed today falling off the back of a motorcycle on the way to or from the university on ..... yes, Sukhumvit Soi 23.( I don't know the exact details yet as her father was very distraught).