Red Cars Now 15 Baht?

[mistavengeance]

I heard this rumor a few days ago. A few times since then, (when I've had the correct change) I've experimentally paid drivers only the 15 baht. Only 2 drivers actually complained, and even then it was only a half-hearted request for 20 baht before driving off.

In the past, I've had drivers try to charge me 40 or even 50 baht and STILL give me a hard time when I only wanted to pay 20... but I just want to be sure I'm not actually ripping these guys off (for a change). Anyone know the real story?

[bangkok blue]

Usually 20bht anywhere mate, although if from one end of town to the other and he has to go out there way can be 30-40bht. If inner city though always 20bht. I sometimes go from Lanna 3 condo, near Chiangmai Uni on Huay Keaw to my school near the train station and it's usually 40bht as it's at least a 15min drive and not many people go out as far that way.

Never paid as cheap as 15bht and never seen Thais pay that unless they have a small child with them.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

For any regular trip within town during daylight hours it's 15 baht; no need to wait for any response or appreciation. Especially now that diesel prices are back to around 1 baht per km for those vehicles. I would almost expect a reduction to 10 baht actually for short trips but I don't take them enough to really care.

When going further afield your mileage may vary, but often the driver will bring up the fare issue before agreeing to the destination in that case.

If no comments from the driver beforehand it's 15 baht, I didn't know that was even a debatable issue.. Not if you state a common destination and pronounce it with reasonable clarity anyway. If you're wearing a backpack and go point at maps or try to get one on the side of the road going the opposite way of where you need to go then all bets are off, obviously.

Edited March 11, 2009 by WinnieTheKhwai

[el jefe]

Exactly as Winnie says.

You tell them where you are going. If they say "OK", then it's 15 baht.

That some people pay 20 or 40 is why they expect more from farang.

[john b good]

I have found on the infrequent occasions that I use a song taew that if you ask how much before getting in they will hike the price.

I agree that one should just say where you want to go and if he says Okay it's 15 Baht.

Edited March 11, 2009 by john b good

[Bill97]

15 is right for normal routes

[elektrified]

Usually 20bht anywhere mate, although if from one end of town to the other and he has to go out there way can be 30-40bht. If inner city though always 20bht. I sometimes go from Lanna 3 condo, near Chiangmai Uni on Huay Keaw to my school near the train station and it's usually 40bht as it's at least a 15min drive and not many people go out as far that way.

Never paid as cheap as 15bht and never seen Thais pay that unless they have a small child with them.

Thais always pay 15 Baht and never a single baht more. When I pay with a 20 Baht note rarely do they give 5 Baht change. Sometimes if I pay exact change of 15 Baht they look unhappy. Some have even told me "falang - sow (20) baht".

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Wow, you do stick around for a chat to be able to even observe unhappiness, never mind engage in dialog after paying the fare?

Not sure if I would find the same if I did that. Maybe I would. But still I'd pay 15 and a friendly 'khob khun khrab'.

In Pattaya I do the same, but there I pay 10. (Typical trips are shorter though)

Edited March 12, 2009 by WinnieTheKhwai

[IanForbes]

Have you considered walking? If it's under 2 kilimeters I always walk. I can't understand people taking a songtheow for half a kilometer or less. The only time I've been on a songtheow is when I'm with a group and the ride is 5 or 6 kilometers. But then I have my motorbike if I need to hurry somewhere.

For your information it is exactly 1.8 kilometers from corner to corner on the inner city mote. That makes it 7.2 kilometers if you walk right around the mote.

And, I hate to nickle and dimie a songtheow driver out of a few extra baht. They are working on a very slim margin anyway. I just pay them what they ask. They need the money more than I do. Arguing over 5 baht seems pretty pointless to me. For example, a month ago I was taking a couple of Thai gals up to Doi Suthep in a red bus from the bottom. The normal charge is 30 baht each if the driver gets a full load of 10, but more if there are less people. It is 24 kilometers up and back to Doi Suthep and I thought the charge was reasonable.

Then came 3 attractive, but cheapskate, falong girls from France. One gal got quite mouthy when the bus driver wanted 50 baht each instead of 30 baht each. He was adamant in asking for more BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE A FULL LOAD. We could have waited until 4 more passengers to come along, but we all wanted to go right then. Who KNOWS when a bus might fill up. I told the bus driver that I would pay the difference for the cheapskate falongs and I made it quite plain of my disgust with their behaviour.

[el jefe]

Ian, you know everything, but I'm prety sure it's 400 baht for the trip up (or down) to Doi Suthep. Usually 10 passengers, so that's 40 baht each.

"I just pay them what they ask."

I've had plenty of drivers ask me for 100 baht for a short trip. Would you pay it?

And if I'm going somewhere that's 1.5 kilometers, is it OK if I take a songtheow? I get plenty of exercise. It's only 15 baht. Can't I help the economy? I don't understand people who will walk up to 2 km, just to save 15 baht.

What's a "mote"?

el jefe

Have you considered walking? If it's under 2 kilimeters I always walk. I can't understand people taking a songtheow for half a kilometer or less. The only time I've been on a songtheow is when I'm with a group and the ride is 5 or 6 kilometers. But then I have my motorbike if I need to hurry somewhere.

For your information it is exactly 1.8 kilometers from corner to corner on the inner city mote. That makes it 7.2 kilometers if you walk right around the mote.

And, I hate to nickle and dimie a songtheow driver out of a few extra baht. They are working on a very slim margin anyway. I just pay them what they ask. They need the money more than I do. Arguing over 5 baht seems pretty pointless to me. For example, a month ago I was taking a couple of Thai gals up to Doi Suthep in a red bus from the bottom. The normal charge is 30 baht each if the driver gets a full load of 10, but more if there are less people. It is 24 kilometers up and back to Doi Suthep and I thought the charge was reasonable.

Then came 3 attractive, but cheapskate, falong girls from France. One gal got quite mouthy when the bus driver wanted 50 baht each instead of 30 baht each. He was adamant in asking for more BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE A FULL LOAD. We could have waited until 4 more passengers to come along, but we all wanted to go right then. Who KNOWS when a bus might fill up. I told the bus driver that I would pay the difference for the cheapskate falongs and I made it quite plain of my disgust with their behaviour.

[Ulysses G.]

15 is right for normal routes

The drivers illegally jacked the official rate up to 20 baht when the gas prices were so high, but most of us - including Thais - paid it because we understood their problem. A few Thieves are trying to take advantage of gullible farangs who do not realize this, but why pay cheats more than the real rate?

Some of us have been teachers with little money and certainly could not afford to pay a "farang" price for anything. Please do not make excuses for stealing.

[john b good]

Ian, you know everything, but I'm prety sure it's 400 baht for the trip up (or down) to Doi Suthep. Usually 10 passengers, so that's 40 baht each.

"I just pay them what they ask."

I've had plenty of drivers ask me for 100 baht for a short trip. Would you pay it?

And if I'm going somewhere that's 1.5 kilometers, is it OK if I take a songtheow? I get plenty of exercise. It's only 15 baht. Can't I help the economy? I don't understand people who will walk up to 2 km, just to save 15 baht.

What's a "mote"?

el jefe

Have you considered walking? If it's under 2 kilimeters I always walk. I can't understand people taking a songtheow for half a kilometer or less. The only time I've been on a songtheow is when I'm with a group and the ride is 5 or 6 kilometers. But then I have my motorbike if I need to hurry somewhere.

For your information it is exactly 1.8 kilometers from corner to corner on the inner city mote. That makes it 7.2 kilometers if you walk right around the mote.

And, I hate to nickle and dimie a songtheow driver out of a few extra baht. They are working on a very slim margin anyway. I just pay them what they ask. They need the money more than I do. Arguing over 5 baht seems pretty pointless to me. For example, a month ago I was taking a couple of Thai gals up to Doi Suthep in a red bus from the bottom. The normal charge is 30 baht each if the driver gets a full load of 10, but more if there are less people. It is 24 kilometers up and back to Doi Suthep and I thought the charge was reasonable.

Then came 3 attractive, but cheapskate, falong girls from France. One gal got quite mouthy when the bus driver wanted 50 baht each instead of 30 baht each. He was adamant in asking for more BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE A FULL LOAD. We could have waited until 4 more passengers to come along, but we all wanted to go right then. Who KNOWS when a bus might fill up. I told the bus driver that I would pay the difference for the cheapskate falongs and I made it quite plain of my disgust with their behaviour.

Actually it is "moat" hence your uncertainty.

[IanForbes]

Actually it is "moat" hence your uncertainty.

Correct, Johnny be bad. I had a brain fart. I get them from time to time. Sometimes it's just a typo and some times I actually forget the proper spelling. Of course there is also the problem of the Amercan spelling and the English spelling being different in many words. My laptop is set up with an American spell checker and I have to ignore it.

As far as paying a fair rate is concerned I really don't mind paying extra... just not a LOT extra. With the lack of tourists right now I notice all the trike drivers are hungry for business. When I'm going on my daily 5 to 10 kilometer walk I have the trike guys stop continuously asking if I want a ride. I have to explain to the aggressive ones that I actually DO like walking. It helps me see the city much better and I notice things I wouldn't see on a motorbike.

It's 150 baht just to take a taxi from the airport to the city central. I don't mind paying that if I have luggage. Otherwise I just walk the 2 km home.

I DID learn very quickly in Bangkok to INSIST on a meter taxi. Otherwise the taxis will charge 10 times what a meter would be. But, it the guy has to creep for an hour through traffic I'll pay him extra for his time.

[el jefe]

At 150 baht, you're overpaying on the airport taxis too. It's a fixed fare of 120 baht for me and I live 5.5 km away. It was much cheaper when they let in all the songtheows. I used to have no trouble getting home for 20 baht.

Actually it is "moat" hence your uncertainty.

Correct, Johnny be bad. I had a brain fart. I get them from time to time. Sometimes it's just a typo and some times I actually forget the proper spelling. Of course there is also the problem of the Amercan spelling and the English spelling being different in many words. My laptop is set up with an American spell checker and I have to ignore it.

As far as paying a fair rate is concerned I really don't mind paying extra... just not a LOT extra. With the lack of tourists right now I notice all the trike drivers are hungry for business. When I'm going on my daily 5 to 10 kilometer walk I have the trike guys stop continuously asking if I want a ride. I have to explain to the aggressive ones that I actually DO like walking. It helps me see the city much better and I notice things I wouldn't see on a motorbike.

It's 150 baht just to take a taxi from the airport to the city central. I don't mind paying that if I have luggage. Otherwise I just walk the 2 km home.

I DID learn very quickly in Bangkok to INSIST on a meter taxi. Otherwise the taxis will charge 10 times what a meter would be. But, it the guy has to creep for an hour through traffic I'll pay him extra for his time.

[IanForbes]

At 150 baht, you're overpaying on the airport taxis too. It's a fixed fare of 120 baht for me and I live 5.5 km away. It was much cheaper when they let in all the songtheows. I used to have no trouble getting home for 20 baht.

You are right, it is their standard 120 baht rate. I paid the guy 150 baht because I asked him to wait and take me somewhere else after dropping off my bags. I had a trike take me from the bus station to my hotel (12 km) and he only charged 60 baht. I thought that was fair. For the same distance in Vancouver BC, New York city, or London England it is closer to $60 (1700 baht)

[el jefe]

At 150 baht, you're overpaying on the airport taxis too. It's a fixed fare of 120 baht for me and I live 5.5 km away. It was much cheaper when they let in all the songtheows. I used to have no trouble getting home for 20 baht.

You are right, it is their standard 120 baht rate. I paid the guy 150 baht because I asked him to wait and take me somewhere else after dropping off my bags. I had a trike take me from the bus station to my hotel (12 km) and he only charged 60 baht. I thought that was fair. For the same distance in Vancouver BC, New York city, or London England it is closer to $60 (1700 baht)

Ian, you're a generous guy wherever you go. I don't know about vancouver or London. but a 12km (7.2 miles) trip in a NYC taxi should be $16.90. I think you got taken for a ride.

[siam2007]

At 150 baht, you're overpaying on the airport taxis too. It's a fixed fare of 120 baht for me and I live 5.5 km away. It was much cheaper when they let in all the songtheows. I used to have no trouble getting home for 20 baht.

You are right, it is their standard 120 baht rate. I paid the guy 150 baht because I asked him to wait and take me somewhere else after dropping off my bags. I had a trike take me from the bus station to my hotel (12 km) and he only charged 60 baht. I thought that was fair. For the same distance in Vancouver BC, New York city, or London England it is closer to $60 (1700 baht)

Ian, you're a generous guy wherever you go. I don't know about vancouver or London. but a 12km (7.2 miles) trip in a NYC taxi should be $16.90. I think you got taken for a ride.

when will people stop (never, I know) arguing "but in my country it costs blablabla....." this IS not your country here and there IS a LOCAL market price for everything...... so if the fare is 15 Baht, and you have been charged 20 Baht, then you have been ripped-off. it's as easy as that.....