How Safe Are The Airport Taxis After Midnight?

[sprocket]

My plane arrives after 1 am.

I read about the 50 baht service that gets you a registered taxi that uses a meter.

How safe is it after midnight?

I am thinking about the AOT limo service but if the taxis outside are safe than I'll use one of them and save some money.

[bonobo]

You should not have any problem with one of the registered taxis.

[oevna]

I don't think anyone can guarantee that any taxi you get into at any time is always going to be safe. For what it's worth, I've arrived in BKK after midnight several times and always taken a taxi, and I've had no problems. There was always a queue of (mostly) foreigners waiting for a taxi too.

[mauGR1]

You should be safe,but you might share a taxi downtown with somebody,and save some money too.

[clausewitz]

there was the case a few years back of that driver who used to pick up tourists at the airport, rob them, kill them and dump the bodies- but that was before Suwanabhumi opened.

[webfact]

2 nonsensical posts have been deleted.

If repeated warnings/suspensions will be given!

[sbk]

My flights always arrive after midnight and I take the airport limo, but then I am a woman travelling alone. My husband prefers I pay the extra cost in order to ensure my safety. Or perhaps he just wants to make sure that the fishing gear I buy for him in the US makes it home safely

[robblok]

My flights always arrive after midnight and I take the airport limo, but then I am a woman travelling alone. My husband prefers I pay the extra cost in order to ensure my safety. Or perhaps he just wants to make sure that the fishing gear I buy for him in the US makes it home safely

I think your right about the fishing gear My parents are going to bring me a new rod so i think ill pick them up from the airport instead of them trying to find a taxi. Now if they would not have brought the rod ........

[IanForbes]

My flights always arrive after midnight and I take the airport limo, but then I am a woman travelling alone. My husband prefers I pay the extra cost in order to ensure my safety. Or perhaps he just wants to make sure that the fishing gear I buy for him in the US makes it home safely

He's got a good point there. Good quality fishing tackle is hard to come by in Thailand. I shouldn't really comment on the availability of women.

Thanks for my laugh tonight, sbk.

I've never had a problem with taxis in Bangkok, and especially the registered ones on meters. They are the quickest way to get to your hotel. It sometimes helps to have a map and the printed name of your hotel so the taxi driver knows exactly where you want to go. All of the larger hotels have internet sites with locations. It should cost somewhere between 250 and 400 baht to get to a hotel in the city if you go by meter taxi. It all depends on the distance. It costs under a 100 baht to go to one of the hotels close to the airport.

[lovelomsak]

I have never had a problem and all my flights over the last 20 years have been after midnight arrivals. I wouldnot be concerned really

[hughben]

there was the case a few years back of that driver who used to pick up tourists at the airport, rob them, kill them and dump the bodies- but that was before Suwanabhumi opened.

Any links?

[wamberal]

there was the case a few years back of that driver who used to pick up tourists at the airport, rob them, kill them and dump the bodies- but that was before Suwanabhumi opened.

Any links?

This happened in the Philippines.

[Osmosis]

I think the taxis from the 50 baht counter are fine at pretty much any time of the day. Having said that, the one time I did get jerked around was when I arrived at swampy after midnight.

Not a very exciting story though. I went to the 50baht counter and got in the taxi, as we were driving off he hadn't turned the meter on, so I asked him to do so. Instead he said "No meter, 500 baht" We discussed this proposition for a few moments before I asked him to take me back so I could get another taxi. He refused to do this and continued to accelerate down the highway. I decided that he had misconstrued how serious I was about not using his services, so I opened the passenger door, whilst he was doing about 90kmh and told him I was getting out whether he stopped or not.

At this stage I think he thought I was more mentally unbalanced than he was and so he agreed to turn the meter on and keep going. The cheeky bugger didn't take the tollway though and took me for a jaunt through the countryside, so it ended costing about 400baht anyway. When we got to the hotel I told him I would give him 300baht and said if he had a problem we could speak with the tourist police about it. I'd done the trip before so I knew 300baht was a fair price if he'd gone the right way.

In hindsight the look on his face when I opened the door and told him I was getting out anyway was worth the extra time and money. If it hadn't been for the fact that I was tired and just wanted to get to the hotel I would have found it even funnier.

Edited October 17, 2009 by Osmosis

[h90]

The Airport taxis are a rip off and they might find a way or two so you pay 100-200 Baht too much but beside that I never heard of any problems.

[Redhawk]

Coming to Thailand for about 20 years, never encountered a problem with meter taxi of the airports, living up in Korat always taking one to come home, price is quite negotiable, Thai language in this case an advantage.

[lordsux]

Always a good idea to make a note of the taxi license number and convey it to a friend via a phone call or SMS

[TheGoodDoctor]

I have done it many times without any problems but I must say, its hardly ever a good experience. My advice is to simply pay the 800-900 baht for an airport taxi. That extra 600 baht is well worth the peace of mind.

[TheGoodDoctor]

Not a very exciting story though. I went to the 50baht counter and got in the taxi, as we were driving off he hadn't turned the meter on, so I asked him to do so. Instead he said "No meter, 500 baht" We discussed this proposition for a few moments before I asked him to take me back so I could get another taxi. He refused to do this and continued to accelerate down the highway. I decided that he had misconstrued how serious I was about not using his services, so I opened the passenger door, whilst he was doing about 90kmh and told him I was getting out whether he stopped or not.

Jeez, I sort of wish the story ended differently...

[sbk]

there was the case a few years back of that driver who used to pick up tourists at the airport, rob them, kill them and dump the bodies- but that was before Suwanabhumi opened.

Any links?

This happened in the Philippines.

The Japanese woman who was shot by her cabbie might disagree

http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=254611300007

[Osmosis]

so I opened the passenger door, whilst he was doing about 90kmh and told him I was getting out whether he stopped or not.

Jeez, I sort of wish the story ended differently...

Hehe, I hadn't really thought about what I'd do if he didn't stop then. Probably just paid the 500baht and chalked it up to experience.

On the rare ocasions when people have tried to scam me, it doesn't really bother me. I kind of figure if I was a taxi driver and I had Donald Trump in the back of my car I'd be trying to take him for all he was worth too:)

[ThailandWebZone]

I just came across this topic right after hearing a story from a mate recently. I've never had any problems with airport taxis at all, but a friend of mine came from Singapore to Bangkok and had this story to tell:

He was picked up from the airport by some standard taxi driver, as normal as always, and headed off to central Bangkok.

Unbeknown to him however, when he put his bags in the boot and started driving to his hotel, sitting in the front of the cab unaware of any going on in the rear, there was a midget stashed in the boot of the taxi who proceeded to open his bags and rob rob anything of value!!

He checked in to his hotel and found half his stuff was missing and didn't know where it was of course.

He went to the cops and after 8 hours in the police station, after tracking the deviant goings on through CCTV cameras and whatever other means, the police busted this taxi driver and his midget cohort.

They had been at it for a while apparently and the pair of them got 5 years in jail!!

So, next time you get picked up at the airport and sling your bags in the taxi in a rush to get into town, make sure you have a good look in the boot of the taxi and / or check your stuff before paying him at the end of your journey. You never know who is hiding in there!

[MJo]

The Airport taxis are a rip off and they might find a way or two so you pay 100-200 Baht too much but beside that I never heard of any problems.

Wrong again, in which country you get a taxi to downtown CBD area for $8 ?

Used them from old DM and new scampy airport more than 100 times over the years and twice had rigged meter and three times i have had to "remind" them to use the meter. Always shortest or fastest route to city without hassle. So not a bad deal if you ask me.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

OP a troll ?

[lopburi3]

there was the case a few years back of that driver who used to pick up tourists at the airport, rob them, kill them and dump the bodies- but that was before Suwanabhumi opened.

Any links?

This happened in the Philippines.

The Japanese woman who was shot by her cabbie might disagree

http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=254611300007

Except that had nothing to do with a normal taxi ride and everything to do with a relationship/robbery pre mediated murder it seems.

As for the original poster it was an unregistered taxi many, many years ago (those saving the 50 baht) and was robbery which when it did turn to murder was quickly solved. There is always a chance of problems but it is very, very low - even less if full time airport limo service. Even those picking up from departure would probably have second thoughts these days with the amount of security cameras. If you are concerned do pay the extra for limo service or, as has been suggested share a ride.

[lopburi3]

For some reason I never heard this story and it really sounds like BS. There is not room for baggage in a Thai taxi with the LPG/NGV tank - much less another person.

However such happenings have been known to take place in the bowels of long distrance bus service.

[sprocket]

Thanks to those who replied. I was carrying some extra cash for a friend who wanted me to bring it to Thailand for her relatives so I felt the need to be more cautious since other people were depending on me but I ended up using the public taxi to Ratchada/Suttisan since many recommended it. The tollway cost 25 baht. The meter was 203 but the taxi driver asked if I could help him out and asked for 300. I gave him 350 since he didn't give me any problems and seemed like a nice guy. So I spent a total of 375 baht. I thought I was suppose to pay the 50 baht service fee at the airport but the lady who wrote the ticket said to pay it to the taxi driver.

It does seem safer than I thought after seeing how the system works. You tell the ticket writer where you are going and she writes the ticket. The airport staff keeps half the ticket and the other half goes to the taxi driver. I assume the taxi driver has to return his half of the ticket after dropping off the customer.