3 Things that will make your relationship successful in Thailand

[FolkGuitar]

I've noticed that many of the selors are now asking for 20 baht for the usual 'in town' ride. Not all the selors are doing this, and there is no notice written as there was when the rates went from 10 baht to 15 baht. I can understand the drivers wanting more money, as gas prices are certainly going through the roof these days. There really needs to be some commonality among the drivers though. Personally, I have no objection to a 20 baht fare if it is across the board. Gas is expensive.

I often take a selor down from Kad Suen Kaew around to Thapae Gate. No U-turns required. No special traffic situations, and certainly not a great distance to travel. But many of the middle aged drivers are requesting 20 baht for this trip. I just pass them up. There are plenty of other older drivers who are usually right behind the first one, and not grabbing for the extra 5 baht. I don't mind waiting the 1-2 minutes for the next selor, purely on principle. I do notice that the 20 baht selors tend to be empty, while the 15 baht trucks have passengers, so I guess I'm not alone in my feelings about this. I'd imagine this is making the 20 baht drivers a bit angry.... but people do vote with their wallets. The 15 baht drivers are still making money; more so now that people are waving off the 20 baht trucks.

[Crow Boy]

Price for tuk tuks and the red trucks have always been "whatever the market will bear" if the see lor drivers are asking for an extra 5 baht and it is a decent truck then I have no objection same deal as the tuk tuk drivers who also have to make a living in a very congested market.

As the high season starts to kick in then the prices will continue to increase by 5 or 10 baht.

CB

[uptheos]

I just give the Seelor driver 15 Baht.......nothing said yet. If he asks for 20 Baht before I get in its up to me.

I have no problem with Tuk Tuks - most drivers will come way down rather than lose any money albeit lower than they want.

The Seelor system is great....and cheap.

[siam-i-am]

I've noticed that many of the selors are now asking for 20 baht for the usual 'in town' ride. Not all the selors are doing this, and there is no notice written as there was when the rates went from 10 baht to 15 baht. I can understand the drivers wanting more money, as gas prices are certainly going through the roof these days. There really needs to be some commonality among the drivers though. Personally, I have no objection to a 20 baht fare if it is across the board. Gas is expensive.

I often take a selor down from Kad Suen Kaew around to Thapae Gate. No U-turns required. No special traffic situations, and certainly not a great distance to travel. But many of the middle aged drivers are requesting 20 baht for this trip. I just pass them up. There are plenty of other older drivers who are usually right behind the first one, and not grabbing for the extra 5 baht. I don't mind waiting the 1-2 minutes for the next selor, purely on principle. I do notice that the 20 baht selors tend to be empty, while the 15 baht trucks have passengers, so I guess I'm not alone in my feelings about this. I'd imagine this is making the 20 baht drivers a bit angry.... but people do vote with their wallets. The 15 baht drivers are still making money; more so now that people are waving off the 20 baht trucks.

Gas prices maybe going through the roof but they get twice the mileage.

[chanchao]

Question: Do you ask for the price? Because that will trigger some non-standard request.

Much better to just state the destination (if it's an obvious one like to Central or THapae gate) and make a slight body movement in the direction of just getting in... Never yet had someone ask for more money. (Or sometimes of course they just said 'no' when going somewhere else.

[Ulysses G.]

When I used to take the red trucks, I noticed that every single year at the beginning of high season they would start trying to cheat farangs. That is how I knew the season was beginning.

Might be that, rather than an official price raise.

[FolkGuitar]

Question: Do you ask for the price? Because that will trigger some non-standard request.

Much better to just state the destination (if it's an obvious one like to Central or THapae gate) and make a slight body movement in the direction of just getting in... Never yet had someone ask for more money. (Or sometimes of course they just said 'no' when going somewhere else.

No, I don't ask a price. I just state my destination... in Thai. I've been riding the selor for years, and as Ulysses stated, they do often try to raise prices at the beginning of high season. And as I said, I can understand them wanting more money as the gas prices are higher, but as they did when the jump went from 10 baht to 15 baht, most selors I rode in had signs in both Thai and English stating that there was a fare increase due to higher gas prices. This time, I've noticed that it's the younger to middle aged drivers trying for the extra baht. The older ones just either nod their heads or shake them.

I watched four Western backpack travelers pay 70 baht each for a ride from Kad Suen Kaew yesterday. To their credit, they did bargain in a friendly, polite manner, and reduced their fare from 100 baht each....

[uptheos]

Question: Do you ask for the price? Because that will trigger some non-standard request.

Much better to just state the destination (if it's an obvious one like to Central or THapae gate) and make a slight body movement in the direction of just getting in... Never yet had someone ask for more money. (Or sometimes of course they just said 'no' when going somewhere else.

No, I don't ask a price. I just state my destination... in Thai. I've been riding the selor for years, and as Ulysses stated, they do often try to raise prices at the beginning of high season. And as I said, I can understand them wanting more money as the gas prices are higher, but as they did when the jump went from 10 baht to 15 baht, most selors I rode in had signs in both Thai and English stating that there was a fare increase due to higher gas prices. This time, I've noticed that it's the younger to middle aged drivers trying for the extra baht. The older ones just either nod their heads or shake them.

I watched four Western backpack travelers pay 70 baht each for a ride from Kad Suen Kaew yesterday. To their credit, they did bargain in a friendly, polite manner, and reduced their fare from 100 baht each....

Where were they going?

[FolkGuitar]

Question: Do you ask for the price? Because that will trigger some non-standard request.

Much better to just state the destination (if it's an obvious one like to Central or THapae gate) and make a slight body movement in the direction of just getting in... Never yet had someone ask for more money. (Or sometimes of course they just said 'no' when going somewhere else.

No, I don't ask a price. I just state my destination... in Thai. I've been riding the selor for years, and as Ulysses stated, they do often try to raise prices at the beginning of high season. And as I said, I can understand them wanting more money as the gas prices are higher, but as they did when the jump went from 10 baht to 15 baht, most selors I rode in had signs in both Thai and English stating that there was a fare increase due to higher gas prices. This time, I've noticed that it's the younger to middle aged drivers trying for the extra baht. The older ones just either nod their heads or shake them.

I watched four Western backpack travelers pay 70 baht each for a ride from Kad Suen Kaew yesterday. To their credit, they did bargain in a friendly, polite manner, and reduced their fare from 100 baht each....

Where were they going?

Thapae Gate......