Airport Taxis On Strike

[TAWP]

Airport Taxis on Strike

UPDATE : 24 December 2009

900 Suvarnabhumi Airport taxis go on strike to protest against the cancelling of a 50 surcharge passengers are required to pay. They say it will not be worth it if they drive all the way out to the airport and not be compensated for the long drive.

http://www.tannetwork.tv/tan/ViewData.aspx?DataID=1022770

Edited December 24, 2009 by Crossy
Added link, moved to News, Crossy

[mrtoad]

My heart bleeds for them.

[robblok]

My heart bleeds for them.

Actually i see taxi drivers in a different light now then before. I dont like the ones at the airport who wont open their meters but i have a regular driver here around the village. They tell me they pay 600bt for renting a taxi half a day, then they have to pay for all damages and fuel. So they don't make that much money.

[TAWP]

Please tell me why they should need extra money for driving 'far' to the airport as oppose to driving the exact same distance [with me] if I go from the office and home. The meter already covers their 'hardship' of having to work.

[robblok]

Please tell me why they should need extra money for driving 'far' to the airport as oppose to driving the exact same distance [with me] if I go from the office and home. The meter already covers their 'hardship' of having to work.

I think they mean coming (empty) to the airport and waiting for someone to pick-up opposed to just picking up someone near where they start their trip and just not going to the airport. But i would think that the further trips from the airport would be worth something too.

[mrtoad]

My heart bleeds for them.

Actually i see taxi drivers in a different light now then before. I dont like the ones at the airport who wont open their meters but i have a regular driver here around the village. They tell me they pay 600bt for renting a taxi half a day, then they have to pay for all damages and fuel. So they don't make that much money.

As the 50 baht charge is specifically set up for the Taxi Mafia that loiter around the airport I have no sympathy for them whatsoever. As for the other taxi drivers, I agree that it's a hard job, and not helped by the fact that there are just way to many taxis in Bangkok (unless it is raining).

[robblok]

My heart bleeds for them.

Actually i see taxi drivers in a different light now then before. I dont like the ones at the airport who wont open their meters but i have a regular driver here around the village. They tell me they pay 600bt for renting a taxi half a day, then they have to pay for all damages and fuel. So they don't make that much money.

As the 50 baht charge is specifically set up for the Taxi Mafia that loiter around the airport I have no sympathy for them whatsoever. As for the other taxi drivers, I agree that it's a hard job, and not helped by the fact that there are just way to many taxis in Bangkok (unless it is raining).

True i also have more sympathy for the not airport drivers, just never knew the dynamics of what it would cost to drive a taxi. They owners of taxi's are the ones who are making the money not the drivers.

And i do dislike the drivers at the airport because many refuse to turn on the meter when i want to go to my home near bang yai.

[bkkjames]

Tawp if as you say is true, that it's not the drivers making the money, then why do we have so many?

[phazey]

What's the source for this? I fly in this evening

[TAWP]

bkkjames>> You meant to ask robblok?

And the edit for the OP is removed, forgot to add the url: http://www.tannetwork.tv/tan/ViewData.aspx?DataID=1022770

[Chang_paarp]

My heart bleeds for them.

Actually i see taxi drivers in a different light now then before. I dont like the ones at the airport who wont open their meters but i have a regular driver here around the village. They tell me they pay 600bt for renting a taxi half a day, then they have to pay for all damages and fuel. So they don't make that much money.

I pay over 2500B/day to rent my cab for a 12 hour shift. Same contract in most parts of the world, the fee at the airport is also similar in most airports, just in western airports the airport gets the kick not the driver.

[BigBikeBKK]

Is that airport skytrain running yet?

[bendejo]

Tawp if as you say is true, that it's not the drivers making the money, then why do we have so many?

In the developed world if a child has learning disabilities they send him to special schools etc. In SEA they become bus drivers. If he can count to 100 he can be a taxi driver.

It actually gets worse in Malaysia and Indonesia. Eg, you're walking past a rank of taxis, and there is no shortage of taxis passing on the street. Each driver will have to solicit you "Taxi?" as you walk past. They're not driving taxis because university was too boring.

[dom samui]

Very Good ! I want a 10 years strike.

[BangkokJazz]

My heart bleeds for them.

Actually i see taxi drivers in a different light now then before. I dont like the ones at the airport who wont open their meters but i have a regular driver here around the village. They tell me they pay 600bt for renting a taxi half a day, then they have to pay for all damages and fuel. So they don't make that much money.

I pay over 2500B/day to rent my cab for a 12 hour shift. Same contract in most parts of the world, the fee at the airport is also similar in most airports, just in western airports the airport gets the kick not the driver.

Good to know the BKK taxi drivers are represented and posting on TV

[Phil Conners]

Great timing. Not.

[mojaco]

My heart bleeds for them.

Actually i see taxi drivers in a different light now then before. I dont like the ones at the airport who wont open their meters but i have a regular driver here around the village. They tell me they pay 600bt for renting a taxi half a day, then they have to pay for all damages and fuel. So they don't make that much money.

I pay over 2500B/day to rent my cab for a 12 hour shift. Same contract in most parts of the world, the fee at the airport is also similar in most airports, just in western airports the airport gets the kick not the driver.

Good to know the BKK taxi drivers are represented and posting on TV

I've been taking taxis in Bangkok for 15 years and ALL say it is 600-700 Baht for a shift. If he is paying 2,500 Baht for a normal taxi he is being scammed big time! Doubt his story totally. He must not be Thai.

Edited December 24, 2009 by mojaco

[ArthurPewty]

Taxi drivers are not the scum they are often painted as. They do in fact work long hours for very little.

My 'go-to guy' is a taxi driver and tells me what they earn and it isn't much. When the meter charge was raised this year it was cancelled out by the car owners charging more for the rent at the same time. Who saw the benefit?

[bkkjames]

Taxi drivers are not the scum they are often painted as. They do in fact work long hours for very little.

My 'go-to guy' is a taxi driver and tells me what they earn and it isn't much. When the meter charge was raised this year it was cancelled out by the car owners charging more for the rent at the same time. Who saw the benefit?

If I keep poking myself in the eye, who would be to blame? Nobody forces these guys to do drive taxis.

[think_too_mut]

Please tell me why they should need extra money for driving 'far' to the airport as oppose to driving the exact same distance [with me] if I go from the office and home. The meter already covers their 'hardship' of having to work.

It does not cover 2-3 hours wait time at the airport. They are not allowed to pick up passengers at drop off although some do. To avoid waiting in the queue and missing on work, some simply storm back empty.

Singapore has that surcharge too. To ensure that public is not left without taxis and avoid bad name for otherwise world'd best airport.

Edited December 24, 2009 by think_too_mut

[TAWP]

It should also be noted that not all drives rent their cars. I think it is especially the yellow/green ones that are own by the drivers? They are often more worn/torn inside also. Seen them all around the neighborhood when the drivers are home sleeping.

[TAWP]

Please tell me why they should need extra money for driving 'far' to the airport as oppose to driving the exact same distance [with me] if I go from the office and home. The meter already covers their 'hardship' of having to work.

It does not cover 2-3 hours wait time at the airport. They are not allowed to pick up passengers at drop off although some do. To avoid waiting in the queue and missing on work, some simply storm back empty.

Singapore has that surcharge too. To ensure that public is not left without taxis and avoid bad name for otherwise world'd best airport.

There is no such thing as a 2-3h wait-time during normal hours of operations.

Every time I land at the airport from abroad I walk to the taxi-stand and see between 10 and 20 guys waiting and a line that is constantly moving. 30min I can believe...

[PattayaParent]

Please tell me why they should need extra money for driving 'far' to the airport as oppose to driving the exact same distance [with me] if I go from the office and home. The meter already covers their 'hardship' of having to work.

It does not cover 2-3 hours wait time at the airport. They are not allowed to pick up passengers at drop off although some do. To avoid waiting in the queue and missing on work, some simply storm back empty.

Singapore has that surcharge too. To ensure that public is not left without taxis and avoid bad name for otherwise world'd best airport.

Well first off as you rightly say, they don't have to wait.

And secondly if 3 hours of their time is worth 50 Baht (the surcharge they're striking about) then taxi fares are too high.

[think_too_mut]

Please tell me why they should need extra money for driving 'far' to the airport as oppose to driving the exact same distance [with me] if I go from the office and home. The meter already covers their 'hardship' of having to work.

It does not cover 2-3 hours wait time at the airport. They are not allowed to pick up passengers at drop off although some do. To avoid waiting in the queue and missing on work, some simply storm back empty.

Singapore has that surcharge too. To ensure that public is not left without taxis and avoid bad name for otherwise world'd best airport.

There is no such thing as a 2-3h wait-time during normal hours of operations.

Every time I land at the airport from abroad I walk to the taxi-stand and see between 10 and 20 guys waiting and a line that is constantly moving. 30min I can believe...

There are 100s of taxis that you don't see (neither did I).

Over years, several taxi drivers (maybe 10) told me about that waiting time after drop off. One, still at Don Muang, told me that an official records their numbers as they come in to check if they have stormed empty without passengers (they can tell by time seen at exit, if shorter than 2 hours or whatever then they do something to them, can't remember what).

Someone could approximate what is 50 baht worth of net earning . 1 hour? 2 hours?

[simcity]

There is no such thing as a 2-3h wait-time during normal hours of operations.

Every time I land at the airport from abroad I walk to the taxi-stand and see between 10 and 20 guys waiting and a line that is constantly moving. 30min I can believe...

Yes, it is what you see, but a lot more taxis are in the designated area waiting to be call.

i am totally for the 50 baht surcharge (if it go to the driver), plus I tip them very well if they give me a smooth ride back to my home after hours of flight.

[selftaopath]

Tawp if as you say is true, that it's not the drivers making the money, then why do we have so many?

What is the typical salary of most Thai workers? Many an aiport taxi will readily scam a foreigner i.e. go around in circles/ no meter etc. I wonder if someone got a taxi on Thonglor and went to the airport what does the taxi driver do re: compensation for the “ride back” to the city????? I see taxis – many many many – driving around at all hours of the night when logic might suggest there are fewer people needing a taxi. I do not feel any sorrow for their plight. If they were constantly loosing money would they continue their chosen profession?

[selftaopath]

Is that airport skytrain running yet?

Wasn't it supposed to be running (3rd or 4th schedule) on Dec. 7, 2009 ?

[samran]

There is no such thing as a 2-3h wait-time during normal hours of operations.

Every time I land at the airport from abroad I walk to the taxi-stand and see between 10 and 20 guys waiting and a line that is constantly moving. 30min I can believe...

You've obviously not seen the sea of taxi's parked near the Airport Transport Centre waiting to be called in batches to the actual airport itself.

You've obviously not spoken to any of the taxi drivers.

Up until a few months ago a 4 to 5 hour wait was common place for these blokes. One of the key reasons for this was the taxi mafia siphoning off travellers into their taxi's.

Recently there was a change in some of the airport management, who, to date, have keep a good lid on the taxi mafia doing illegal pickups. This has resulted the queue time dropping to around 1 or 2 hours.

I'm alll for the 50 baht surcharge. Especially if it goes to the taxi drivers.

[nickjam]

Let's be honest, there can't be many places in the world where you can get such cheap taxis. It's the one thing that has stayed genuinely cheap as prices on everything else seems to have soared. I'm more than happy to pay that 50 baht surcharge and I think it's fair. As has already been pointed out, it's the rental firms who screw the little guy. Without a properly functioning government and regulation the drivers will always get screwed. The knock on effect of this is that they try and rip off their unsuspecting western passengers. Whilst i totally condemn that sort of shit, it might be the difference between a 12 hour and a 10 hour day. To me the whole situation is just another example of the few making a chunk of change whilst the masses are grinding away for pennies. Could this be resolved by the govt. absolutely; will anything be done, only when Angelina Jolie calls me up for some slap and tickle.

[spongeman]

Tawp if as you say is true, that it's not the drivers making the money, then why do we have so many?

What is the typical salary of most Thai workers? Many an aiport taxi will readily scam a foreigner i.e. go around in circles/ no meter etc. I wonder if someone got a taxi on Thonglor and went to the airport what does the taxi driver do re: compensation for the "ride back" to the city????? I see taxis – many many many – driving around at all hours of the night when logic might suggest there are fewer people needing a taxi. I do not feel any sorrow for their plight. If they were constantly loosing money would they continue their chosen profession?

Oh come on man. People should read up on the taxi situation before they visit Thailand. Anybody should know you ask them to turn on the meter or get out. They should stay at home in their own country and stop complaining about 50B surcharges. And if there was not taxis driving around people would be complaining that theres not enough taxis.

Edited December 24, 2009 by spongeman