Taxis To Raise Fares

[gregb]

Sorry. Just have to add my 2 baht here.

My brother in law was a taxi driver for a while. Trust me, those guys are well paid for what they do. Ask any of them if they would like to do construction work for a while, since taxi drivers are so underpaid. No? Gee, why not?

Answer....driving a taxi is a pitifully easy job and requires no real skill. A monkey could do it. There is a reason there are thousands of them on the Bangkok streets, and its sure not because these people have no options. They just have no options that pay that highly for relatively easy work. If anything the fares should come down, not up.

There is no need to raise fares. This is a scam. A program to help subsidize the cost of NGV conversions is enough and wouldn't penalize the public.

This ridiculous scheme is being done for one reason and one reason only. What is it? Politics. They need the taxi drivers to talk good about the current government. Look how great these people are. They care about our plight. They're going to give us an extra 3000 baht per month for doing nothing. They don't even actually have to increase the fare this year to get the effect. They just have to talk about increasing it.

Well of course. Now we understand. All is well and good now. We don't need anything to change. Let's just keep the status quo and live together in peace and harmony. Remember, many taxi drivers are huge supporters of THE OTHER GUY. No better way to take the bite off of the upcoming election than a promise of a few more baht.

Please...all the apologists here for the Bangkok Wealthy Taxi Drivers Association are certainly welcome to their opinion, but there are real Thais doing real work who deserve your attention alot more.

I don't tip the taxi drivers. I know how well off they are. I urge everyone to do the same. If you really feel the need to help the poor of Thailand, donate to a charity. Taxi drivers as a rule don't need it.

And no, if you are wondering, I don't ride taxis usually. The bus works just fine for most things, thank you very much, and I drive myself when it won't. So I don't really consider myself personally affected by this. I probably only took 3 taxis this whole year. I just hate seeing people give good money away when there are so many more worthy causes.

[califdann]

The article indicated that the Government would subsidize the cost of conversion to NVG. Anyone have an idea what the cost would be?

DMC

[sriracha john]

Public fuming after taxi fare increased

Many people are disgruntled as taxi operators have raised the fare for the first two kilometers to 40 baht and adjusted the rate of 4.5 baht for each kilometer instead of two kilometers after that. The taxi operators have adjusted the fare following the government’s approval to float the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) price.

Numerous commuters are complaining that the taxi fare adjustment is too much, adding that the previous rate, starting at 35 baht, was already high. However, public members view that the government should ensure that taxi fare is reasonably raised.

- ThaiNews

[WilliamIV]

Taxi Owners who have Converted to LPG

have a saving of Fuel Costs about 70%

So it is wrong to say that they have had no increase to their

net incomes in the past so many years

Conversion costs about Bht 26,000 for a basic arrangement

There are other more expensive options

A Taxi Owner friend tells me he had the Basic Conversion

carried out Free of Charge early 2007 courtesy Khun Taxsin

Bill

[TAWP]

I have yet to ride a 40baht taxi thou'...are they all hiding around tourist-areas now?