Price Hike At Phuket Airport For Taxi/limousine

[Paddleshifter]

I am using the limousine service thats got all the silver coloured cars that most people are using. I think their called P.B.C. Everytime it has been 550 B to my destination in a Camry but yesterday it turned out to be 650 B. I then picked up my bag and said; now 650? ....OK then I better go and take a metered taxi.

I got 2 metres away and where she said; OK old price for you 550 B.

I tried to tell her that it was not smart to raise prices in this difficult time Thailand was going through now, but to her little understanding. She then suddenly did not speak so good English and turned her wrists to left and wright looked down and said; I not understand...

I accepted the old price to come outside to see i was given a smaller Toyota Altis.

These people never seem to surprise me with their not very well thought through business ideas.

What a time is this to even think about raising these fares.

[ScubaBuddha]

Thai mentality. Less tourists = increase in price to make up for lost revenue!!!

Personally I could never use the price gouging "limos" (where I come from these are not considered limo's, but TIT) because they think they are F1 drivers, and flood the already overcrowded airport parking lot. Like the Tuk Tuk's there are about 500% too many of them. Oh how I despise them. Seems everytime I am getting forced off the road on my motorcycle, tailgated by millimeters, undertaken via the bike lane, it's one of these green plated homocidal maniacs. I took tremendous satisfaction when I saw one of them in the ditch just outside the airport the other day. Sum num na bitch. Just hope the passengers, if any, werent injured. Maybe the metered taxi's aren't any better, but at least there prices are a little better, and fixed, and there aren't as many of them, yet.

Wouldn't it be nice if the limo companys put a "How's my driving?" sticker with number on the back? I'd have that shit on speed dial. It would probably save lives, but that's no reason to upset the drivers I suppose.

Edited September 12, 2009 by Scubabuddha

[robertsonmartin]

Thai mentality. Less tourists = increase in price to make up for lost revenue!!!

Personally I could never use the price gouging "limos" (where I come from these are not considered limo's, but TIT) because they think they are F1 drivers, and flood the already overcrowded airport parking lot. Like the Tuk Tuk's there are about 500% too many of them. Oh how I despise them. Seems everytime I am getting forced off the road on my motorcycle, tailgated by millimeters, undertaken via the bike lane, it's one of these green plated homocidal maniacs. I took tremendous satisfaction when I saw one of them in the ditch just outside the airport the other day. Sum num na bitch. Just hope the passengers, if any, werent injured. Maybe the metered taxi's aren't any better, but at least there prices are a little better, and fixed, and there aren't as many of them, yet.

Wouldn't it be nice if the limo companys put a "How's my driving?" sticker with number on the back? I'd have that shit on speed dial. It would probably save lives, but that's no reason to upset the drivers I suppose.

Totally agree with you Scubabuddha. Biggest pack of w**nkers around. I used to use them pretty regularly until the final straw was when I was on my way home to my place in Kathu and I wanted to save myself and the driver a little time by going right at the set of traffic lights that take you into Kathu from the opposite side past the Loch Palm golf course.

The driver called me a "yet mare" (probably one of the highest rating insults you can call a stranger in thai), obviously not thinking I'd understand what he'd just said. Steam out of the ears I lost the plot with him for the next 3 minutes to my house and spoke some pretty bad thai to him myself, took me a fair while to get the blood pressure down. Never used the "limo" service since thanks to car number 58.

The Taxi meters are ok, they save you a little bit of cash but even their price is on the rise. I travel between KL and Phuket every week and the meters were always pretty consistent at around 280 (+ 100 baht for the airport), now it never seems to be below 350 (+ 100). But still well cheaper and you get a safer ride home.

Shame more people don't use the taxi-meters and give the limo's a bit of decent competition.

[Paddleshifter]

One of the reasons why I am using them is because of the safety. All drivers here are more or less mental anyway but in the back seat of a new Camry and with your seat belt on you re pretty much safe even if a hard hit.

In the metered taxis there is not even seat belts for the passangers in the back. At least not the ones in Bangkok. Taking a hit with a mini van taxi.... no thanks!

So these bigger sedans are the safer ones. I am also tall so a Camry is comfy for a 40 minutes drive.

I just dont understand the mentality of the company but I guess what you say is right. Try make up the loss of someone else paying for it no matter how stupid the idea is.

[phuketrex]

Thai mentality. Less tourists = increase in price to make up for lost revenue!!!

Personally I could never use the price gouging "limos" (where I come from these are not considered limo's, but TIT) because they think they are F1 drivers, and flood the already overcrowded airport parking lot. Like the Tuk Tuk's there are about 500% too many of them. Oh how I despise them. Seems everytime I am getting forced off the road on my motorcycle, tailgated by millimeters, undertaken via the bike lane, it's one of these green plated homocidal maniacs. I took tremendous satisfaction when I saw one of them in the ditch just outside the airport the other day. Sum num na bitch. Just hope the passengers, if any, werent injured. Maybe the metered taxi's aren't any better, but at least there prices are a little better, and fixed, and there aren't as many of them, yet.

Wouldn't it be nice if the limo companys put a "How's my driving?" sticker with number on the back? I'd have that shit on speed dial. It would probably save lives, but that's no reason to upset the drivers I suppose.

There are as many if not more but you don't see them all outside the terminal. There is only room for 3 or 4 at a time alongside their booth. If you exit the airport and turn left instead of right you will see a holding area for them down the road where there are usually 20 or so waiting.

[Thongkorn]

As you come out of the terminal turn right, go to the end and you will get a meter taxi , don't let the other taxis bully you into using them.

[KarenBravo]

The fare to my house has gone from 550 to 650 Bt.

This is the first price rise in many years, so, it's probably legitimate.

[ScubaBuddha]

There are as many if not more but you don't see them all outside the terminal. There is only room for 3 or 4 at a time alongside their booth. If you exit the airport and turn left instead of right you will see a holding area for them down the road where there are usually 20 or so waiting.

Well the other day there were probably 3 times that many "limos" clogging up the airport parking lots. I was fantasizing about how many grenades I would need and decided more than half a dozen.

[harleyclarkey]

I gave up using them after a row...surprise, surprise!?

Our luggage fitted in a standard taxi in Bkk. At Phuket the girl insisted we take 2 Limos...one for us and one for the luggage.

She refused to allow a bag on the front seat and therefore the extra car came in. Had a good ding dong and wrote to the airport manager.

Again surprise, surprise. No reply. Follow up letter....and?? No reply.

Haven't been back in 20 months from my previous 3-4 times a year because of all the hassles there now. I can without it on holiday.

Edited September 21, 2009 by harleyclarkey

[robertsonmartin]

A lot of taxi's now have the LPG tank in the boot / trunk and that takes up a fair amount of space where without it you can squeeze a couple of decent size suitcases in.

However, they are still a bunch of robbing gits. Esp the girl on the first counter as you come out of international baggage reclaim.

[harleyclarkey]

A lot of taxi's now have the LPG tank in the boot / trunk and that takes up a fair amount of space where without it you can squeeze a couple of decent size suitcases in.

However, they are still a bunch of robbing gits. Esp the girl on the first counter as you come out of international baggage reclaim.

Rob you got it. That cow. She is the smelly fish that gave the problem and the one with the attitude....complete contempt and hatred for any customer.

Thing is the taxi could have taken the luggage as the Bkk taxi had the LPG tank in the boot.

[choppychugger]

My sunglasses go on, i walk through with a smile straight to the meter taxis, of which i pay 450 plus a 50 baht tip.

Good service.

I dont want to line the generals pockets anymore, and I dont care that his monthly pitch rental is in excess of 1million baht - he should have negotiated a better deal.

It's a shame that the scamming starts as soon as the unsuspecting tourist steps onto Thai soil.

Choppy

[tenpounds]

just got a taxi from phuket airport to patong at the weekend 650bt from the airport and 480bt for the return (80km in total). Compared with Samui 400bt to the Airport and 500bt from the Airport, total distance 10km.

Phuket has a long way to go before it gets as bad for Samui for Taxi rip offs

[geriatrickid]

I take the taxis from HKT into Patong, so much less stress. I was ripped off 1 1/2 years ago. Charged me for a limo and then herded me into a van with a few other people. I wasn't in a position to argue as there was a horde of people just after 3 jets landed and it was pouring rain. I bit my lip and got in the van. Nice Australian mom starts up a chat with me and I'm venting and say to her, all I need now is for them to stop off at some gem store along the way. Well, that's exactly what they the driver did. Super mom, tells the guy, NO. Please you look ok, he says, I thought super mom was going to rip his head off. He got back in the van and we drove to Patong. I was so angry and read up on alternatives in TV and that's how I discovered the taxis.

Sadly, it's always a hassle to get a cab in Patong unless you call ahead with a trusted driver. I still use the silver cars sometimes. No problems with them though since they I order through the corner travel lady.

[JonesJitter]

Seems like the metered taxis are raising there prices too. They try to hide the meter and tell me that fees are applied because we're more people, more luggage, are picked up from the airport etc. All the time I go into the meter and deny to pay more than it tells - and they always end up complying...