Idea For Tuk-tuks In Patong.

[NamKangMan]

Admittedly the story is not directly tuktuk related, thats not my point, only that accidents like that continue to happen with regularity, because of the public transport problems..Quote from linlos

RE your weird statement above.

Just as an example, and i guarrentee this is the fact in EVERY so called developed country, but i can tell you for fact that in Aus, drink driving collisions [ they are NOT accidents] and drink driving in general are ever increasing in number, year on year.

This, absolutely despite having great trains buses and overpriced taxis for public transport...

Why would it be any different here, or anywhere , for that matter?

Ummmmmmm, last time I was in Patong, I never saw any trains and buses. I'll keep an eye out for them now. Would be great to catch a train from Patong to Kata Beach. I'm also happy to catch a bus. Can you tell me where the bus station is that services various tourist areas around Patong???? I guess all the bar girls who ride home and crash, as well as the farang, some of whom go home in a body bag, didn't see the train and buses either. Ummmm - 200 baht tuk-tuk for a short journey versus 150 baht motor bike hire for the whole day - guess what happens.

Edited January 15, 2010 by NamKangMan

[NamKangMan]

I had dinner in Kamala. My friend got me a taxi bike back to Patong. 50 baht. We took a clean modern taxi with a/c there from Patong ( around the beach road police box & Bangla road), it was 120 baht. My friend was Thai.

Had I done this on my own, I doubt I would have paid such reasonable fares.

My friend says to me, what problems? Why are you always complaining about Jetskis and tuk tuks.it's business. He is the manager of several properties on behalf of a European. His two hotels were at 100% capacity over the holidays and he has mostly repeat clients. His apartments and shop houses are doing well. He says to me, I am negative and that I shouldn't read bad things in TV because if Phuket was so bad, the properties he manages wouldn't have customers and the place wouldn't be busy if people were not returning. His views are completely the opposite of mine and I have stopped discussing the matter with him since it leads to some very uncomfortable and angry arguments.

My point here is that we see it one way and the people that can make the changes and improvements see it another way. We can make as many constructive suggestions and discuss this till our fingers fall off, but the locals are not listening and if they are, just do not see the benefits. Until there is economic pain, there will be no incentive for improvement. Innovation and planning is not a concept in practice. Copying is. Show them how it is profitable or has the appearance of being better and the powers that be will consider it.

Yes. I will show them. Pattaya baht busssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss. Hundreds, if not thousands of locals, expats, tourist, workers - every day, every night, all YEAR round. Now that equals BIG BAHTS.

[NamKangMan]

I'm confused. He's just told you that everything is going swimmingly, business is booming, his hotels don't have a single empty bed, and you tell him he needs to do things differently, make changes, and that he needs to listen to you to be more profitable!! How exactly do you make a full hotel more profitable??

Wise Farang have been predicting the downfall of the Thai tourist industry,for as long as I can remember. It's always, 'if this doesn't happen' or 'if that doesn't happen' or if Tuk tuks aren't turned in to buses etc etc, the tourists will stop coming, but guess what, they never do. 'The locals' don't want to listen to you because they don't need to, they are happy doing exactly what they are doing, because as your friend will testify, it works.

What it seems like to me, is that everyone wants changes that will benefit them, at the cost of the business men, and that's not how the real world works. They don't listen to your ideas, because they benefit you and not them, so why would they.

People always get upset when I say this, but I honestly believe no farang has the right to make changes in Thailand. I don't care if you work and pay taxes, you do that because living here give you a much better life than living wherever you are from does. Why not be content with that and stop thinking that you have the right to change things. You have the right to stay here and accept the way things are, and enjoy them as most do, or move on.

But he didn't catch a tuk-tuk, did he. He got his mate from the hotel. I'm the OP. Like I said, hotels/guesthouses will now have to offer this service to counteract the tuk-tuks, or, most will stay within walking distance rendering his, and all the rest of the hotels/guesthouses, broke.

[LivinLOS]

Admittedly the story is not directly tuktuk related, thats not my point, only that accidents like that continue to happen with regularity, because of the public transport problems..Quote from linlos

RE your weird statement above.

Just as an example, and i guarrentee this is the fact in EVERY so called developed country, but i can tell you for fact that in Aus, drink driving collisions [ they are NOT accidents] and drink driving in general are ever increasing in number, year on year.

Really almost every stat I just looked at showed alcohol related deaths per 100,000 in most of the developed world are in decline..

Wikipedia says "Traffic accidents involving alcohol have declined dramatically over the past 27 years in the United States"

Your guarantee is based on ???

[LivinLOS]

I'm confused. He's just told you that everything is going swimmingly, business is booming, his hotels don't have a single empty bed, and you tell him he needs to do things differently, make changes, and that he needs to listen to you to be more profitable!! How exactly do you make a full hotel more profitable??

Wise Farang have been predicting the downfall of the Thai tourist industry,for as long as I can remember. It's always, 'if this doesn't happen' or 'if that doesn't happen' or if Tuk tuks aren't turned in to buses etc etc, the tourists will stop coming, but guess what, they never do. 'The locals' don't want to listen to you because they don't need to, they are happy doing exactly what they are doing, because as your friend will testify, it works.

Well he must be the only hotelier that feels that way.. Visitor numbers have risen, but not nearly in line with the increase in beds, and decrease in price per room paid. The oversupply of rooms in Patong is crazy now, and here we are 2 weeks into the new year and lots of availability about.

But the head in the sand attitude is common, it was the same when you tried to tell people in 05 or 06 that a housing crash was coming, that credit was over supplied.. They couldnt leverage themselves into property fast enough... To even say it made people think your mad (property never goes down, how many times did I have that debate). When money and investment is part of it people 'need' to believe their own sales pitch. If your a Patong investor you need to believe that Patong is going to keep getting more profitable, its the bet you have made, its a natural reaction.

That said I dont think Patong is going anywhere, I think more hordes will keep coming, and prices will probably continue to rise.. But the individual (leased) businesses operate on razor thin margins and real landowners milk the system through renewals.

[WOOHOO]

Like I said, hotels/guesthouses will now have to offer this service to counteract the tuk-tuks, or, most will stay within walking distance rendering his, and all the rest of the hotels/guesthouses, broke.

That's exactly what I was talking about two posts ago. Thank you for demonstrating my point. A farang predicting doom and gloom for Patong just because he has a problem with something. Trust me mate for every person that feels like yourself, there are still tens of thousands who are happy to roll in to Patong, all year long, and stay in cheaper rooms on Nanai or even further back from the beach than that.

I'm sure you mean well mate, but I assure you, things don't change around here that much, and certainly not just because you and a few other people on TV think they should.

[neverdie]

I don't really care about these tuk tuk grubs but it would be great if they had to pay the tourists everytime they made that stupid 'tuktuk' call when it was blatently obvious that the tourist can first a.) See theres a tuktuk available for hire & b.) the tourist clearly doesnt want a tuktuk.

I recall parking my motorcycle once in patong, locking it and as I took my first step away from it a tuk tuk driver that had been watching me park it, said to me, 'tuk tuk'? <deleted>?

[happyinkathu]

Really almost every stat I just looked at showed alcohol related deaths per 100,000 in most of the developed world are in decline..

Wikipedia says "Traffic accidents involving alcohol have declined dramatically over the past 27 years in the United States"

Your guarantee is based on ???

Yep i got it wrong regarding collisions.. but the fact is that ''the amount of drink drivers being apprehended'' is increasing..

Apprehended is the key word...Due to the fact that authorities are spending millions on awareness campaignes and stopping a huge percentage of drivers in roadside blitzes and handing down substantial fines , loss of licence, and for repeat offenders confiscation of vehical! On a recent visit home i was amazed at the sheer amount of resources being used, just to lower the potential for a major collision and/ or death before it actually happens.

This and the fact that bar staff and management are liable if some drunken clown does actaully miss being apprehended at the police checkpoint and ends up in a collision.

The fact is that it is only a combination of these measures that has lowered the amount of incidents.

As i said earlier, your statement below is weird..and flawed to say the least.

only that accidents like that continue to happen with regularity, because of the public transportroblems..Quote from linlos..

Only when and if the Thai authorities make a serious full on effort as per above ,will drink driving collisions reduce.

Also consider the fact that the majority of the ''nuts behind the wheel'', Thai and western alike ,have a very low basic skill level, when sober, let alone when under the influence of various mind altering substances

And this will not happen in this country for a long, long time IMO.

[LivinLOS]

That's exactly what I was talking about two posts ago. Thank you for demonstrating my point. A farang predicting doom and gloom for Patong just because he has a problem with something. Trust me mate for every person that feels like yourself, there are still tens of thousands who are happy to roll in to Patong, all year long, and stay in cheaper rooms on Nanai or even further back from the beach than that.

Actually I am 100% with you in this view.. But does that not imply a downgrading of quality.. Just more low rent cheap stuff ?? Yet more ugly shophouses ?? More a Pattaya of the south which seems to me like a wasted opportunity to be so much more than that.

Phuket has to be the prime vacation brand of SE asia (?? I guess ??) there was perhaps a decade ago, a feeling this could be a Hawaii of the east, well run it could be, but the lack of a steering hand, built in corruption, a lack of investment from a non democrat government, and these kind of issues are damning it to be far less than it could have been ??

If some of us seem like complaining, its because its sad to see such potential wasted. The claim to want high end visitors, while giving them low end rip offs kind of thing.

[happyinkathu]

Admittedly the story is not directly tuktuk related, thats not my point, only that accidents like that continue to happen with regularity, because of the public transport problems..Quote from linlos

RE your weird statement above.

Just as an example, and i guarrentee this is the fact in EVERY so called developed country, but i can tell you for fact that in Aus, drink driving collisions [ they are NOT accidents] and drink driving in general are ever increasing in number, year on year.

This, absolutely despite having great trains buses and overpriced taxis for public transport...

Why would it be any different here, or anywhere , for that matter?

Ummmmmmm, last time I was in Patong, I never saw any trains and buses. I'll keep an eye out for them now. Would be great to catch a train from Patong to Kata Beach. I'm also happy to catch a bus. Can you tell me where the bus station is that services various tourist areas around Patong???? I guess all the bar girls who ride home and crash, as well as the farang, some of whom go home in a body bag, didn't see the train and buses either. Ummmm - 200 baht tuk-tuk for a short journey versus 150 baht motor bike hire for the whole day - guess what happens.

Ummmmmmm, Put your glasses on ,relax, reread the post .good..see the word Aus...Great ,does this answer your query - lol

[KarenBravo]

It's very simple. Which do you think would benefit the majority of people in Phuket?

A coherent public transport system that is affordable, or, the present system?

If you think the first option, then, what is standing in the way of this is the tuk-tuk mafia and their thuggish behaviour when anyone challenges the status quo. Is that right?

You apologists can go on and on defending the present system. Doesn't make it right, though.

[stevenl]

You apologists can go on and on defending the present system. Doesn't make it right, though.

I don't see anybody defending the present system here.

[WOOHOO]

It's very simple. Which do you think would benefit the majority of people in Phuket?

A coherent public transport system that is affordable, or, the present system?

If you think the first option, then, what is standing in the way of this is the tuk-tuk mafia and their thuggish behaviour when anyone challenges the status quo. Is that right?

You apologists can go on and on defending the present system. Doesn't make it right, though.

In my first post, the first thing I said, was that this was a strange thread for me because both arguments presented were valid ones. It's quite hard to get stuck in to a debate when you agree with everyone!!

In this thread there has been about 8 different points all being argued at the same time, and although it's been enjoyable to read, things have got somewhat confused to say the least.

I don't think anyone on this thread has defended the present system at all, and I don't remember anyone saying that the current Tuk tuk situation is a good one. Which is what I meant when I said the discussion has become slightly disjointed, with lots of different angles being discussed simultaneously.

Everyone is agreed that a nice cheap bus service running through the coast would be fantastic. The point is, if that's what you require to be happy, then you are a fool for living where you do. If there was a bus service running up until 2 months ago, and then it stopped, then maybe you could feel aggrieved. The truth of the matter is there wasn't and there never will be.

Patong is a place that exists for people to make money, and for people to spend it on holiday. It's been that way long before any of us came here for the first time (with exception of a very few long, long termers) So for people to waltz in, settle down permanently, and then say: 'you know what, this place could do with a bus service, and why should things be so expensive, and why do I have to listen to people trying to flog me a suit' etc etc. It's Naive and arrogant to think that because little old you, has decided to buy a house and settle down in a tourist hot spot, that things should then change to accommodate you. If you want a regular life, with a nice little bus service, live in the US suburbs or any crappy little UK town you fancy, but don't move to Patong.

No the Tuk tuk situation isn't great, but stop thinking that you can and have the right to try and change it. Or at least, if you want to think you have the right, please stop thinking that you can and will, because that's just making you look foolish.

Edited January 16, 2010 by WOOHOO

[stevenl]

You apologists can go on and on defending the present system. Doesn't make it right, though.

I don't see anybody defending the present system here.

Yes but that wont stop karenBravo entering into an argument

Reading beforehand would be nice, but you're right, there's no point in getting hopes up for something unrealistic. Which puts us back on track, because IMO there is also no reason to get hopes up for an overhaul of the public transportation system on the island.

[neverdie]

^My guess the overhaul would happen at about the same time the last tourist gets ripped off in thailand.

[JiveTalker]

No the Tuk tuk situation isn't great, but stop thinking that you can and have the right to try and change it. Or at least, if you want to think you have the right, please stop thinking that you can and will, because that's just making you look foolish.

That's a fairly pathetic way to live your life. Plenty of things have changed in Thailand because people voiced concerns over problems or disparities. Recently the local government implemented a new jet ski system (that may or may not work - but that's a another issue) after some foolish people voiced a concern. The governor is looking at improving the public transport in Phuket because it's clearly broken. How does he know it's broken?

[KarenBravo]

There are two issues here, each related to the other.

The high price of tuk-tuks which is enforced by the mafia. this does not affect must of us as we are not short stay tourists, though, it would be nice to have a good public transport system.

The other issue is the thuggish and outrageous behaviour of tuk-tuk drivers who think (and to all intents and purposes, think correctly) that they are untouchable. This DOES affect us. They get away with the second issue BECAUSE of the first issue.

Change the first and you'll change the second. I also don't see anything happening soon, but all this cobblers about not having the right to complain because it's not our country is bollux.

Following this logic, you can only complain about anything when you happen to be in your own country.

Tourists have bought a product (a holiday) they are perfectly within their rights to complain if that product doesn't come up to expectations.

How do you think the Bravo documentary team latched onto the fact of jet-ski rip-offs? From complaints. Finally, an attempt was made to do something about it

Edited January 16, 2010 by KarenBravo

[billythehat]

There are two issues here, each related to the other.

The high price of tuk-tuks which is enforced by the mafia. this does not affect must of us as we are not short stay tourists, though, it would be nice to have a good public transport system.

The other issue is the thuggish and outrageous behaviour of tuk-tuk drivers who think (and to all intents and purposes, think correctly) that they are untouchable. This DOES affect us. They get away with the second issue BECAUSE of the first issue.

Change the first and you'll change the second. I also don't see anything happening soon, but all this cobblers about not having the right to complain because it's not our country is bollux.

Following this logic, you can only complain about anything when you happen to be in your own country.

Tourists have bought a product (a holiday) they are perfectly within their rights to complain if that product doesn't come up to expectations.

How do you think the Bravo documentary team latched onto the fact of jet-ski rip-offs? From complaints. Finally, an attempt was made to do something about it

Exactly. Good post, Guv.

[LivinLOS]

I don't see anybody defending the present system here.

Really.. What do you call this ???

This constant talk of a taxi "mafia" is ill-informed and tedious. These guys just want to protect their living,

Or a selection of others..

You are playing 'victim' when you have choices. Rent a motorbike, buy a bike at Tesco for 1200 baht and dink your babe home. The greatest pleasure I get is riding the road from Patong to Bang Tao on my bike....

...Only ever bad news and evil Thais ripping off poor old farang etc.

...Shit, just get over it and walk or buy your own transport. There are not enough Poms driving Toyota Fortuners with a mobile stuck to their ear.............................

If you want to live in a nice little town in the UK or US then no, it wouldn't be too much to ask. You've chosen to live in the most touristic area of the most touristic island in Thailand, a country, in recent years, built on tourism. So I guess, yes, it is.

...For every whiner on TV, and for every horror story in the gazette there are thousands of tourists who don't have an issue with them or how much they cost, and that is why they survive and always will.

I would say thats pretty defending the present system.. I should also point out, WOOHOOs posts in general I agree with, and can see how I could feel the same if I wasnt witness to the aggressive behaviour as much, so I concede to 'cherry picking' quotes there but commenting on Kata to Surins transport issues when looking at Rawai or Mai Khao's are not the same thing.

[LivinLOS]

There are two issues here, each related to the other.

The high price of tuk-tuks which is enforced by the mafia. this does not affect must of us as we are not short stay tourists, though, it would be nice to have a good public transport system.

The other issue is the thuggish and outrageous behaviour of tuk-tuk drivers who think (and to all intents and purposes, think correctly) that they are untouchable. This DOES affect us. They get away with the second issue BECAUSE of the first issue.

Change the first and you'll change the second. I also don't see anything happening soon, but all this cobblers about not having the right to complain because it's not our country is bollux.

Following this logic, you can only complain about anything when you happen to be in your own country.

Tourists have bought a product (a holiday) they are perfectly within their rights to complain if that product doesn't come up to expectations.

How do you think the Bravo documentary team latched onto the fact of jet-ski rip-offs? From complaints. Finally, an attempt was made to do something about it

I was just going to post a similar statement but you hit the nail firmly on the head..

Quote frankly, the cost of tuktuks is not the problem to me.. If a tuk tuk is 150 baht or 300 baht or 500 baht isnt a big deal in the greater scheme of my life. Its not that aspect which is most insidious thats just a symptom not the cause. Take away the 'above the law' cause, and the symptom of high prices and massive oversupply vanishes as a baht bus or meter taxi or other natural competition makes the profession unprofitable for so many doing so little.

But what we have is a group whose bully boy activities, whose thuggish attitudes, is spreading and infecting a tourist town. The above the law vibe includes the Bangla Rd touts, even the animal photo op guys, and still the Jetski scene isnt really cleaned up.. They pay their handlers and then think this gives the the right to act up in a violent manner. To say you have to expect those things isnt really fair, how many touts were there 2 or 3 years ago ?? 10 ?? 15 ?? 20 ?? Theres now what 100 ?? Their entire purpose is to scam people into 500 baht drinks backed up with menaces, and threaten the lives of the gogo owners if they wont play ball. By paying 1000 baht each to the police monthly they can shoot bullets into a gogo, clip a dancer in the thigh and it all gets hushed up !!

To bury your head in the sand when things turn sour, to keep pretending they dont exist, is to let it happen. These things were not here in 2000, or in 2005, its been the last couple of years that they have really reached excess, with tuktuks the turning point was perhaps post the one way system, with touts perhaps the last year, but the attitude that doing anything to make money by fair means or foul instead of a free market where price meets service in 2 willing partners is creating a far less pleasant environment. Just try to even slow down on beach rd is to have a bunch of people jump at the opportunity to flex their power and show how that zone is their fiefdom, even tho its public land !!

Of course as farangs we have limited routes to change this, we dont vote, the elected officials only must pay attention to the (very small) electorate and local business may even be blind to the real issue as it doesnt come and hit them, they just see visitor numbers then wonder why the repeat customers no longer come ? But to effect change the first step is to recognize a problem, thats part one in trying to solve one.

[stevenl]

I don't see anybody defending the present system here.

Really.. What do you call this ???

Can't answer you with the quotes, because there would be too many quotes in the post, not allowed by TV.

But: No, these quotes (out of context of course because that way they suit you) are not defending the system.

Some of them, especially the first one, is defending some of the drivers, and the stigmatisation of all tuktuk drivers, but not the present system.

[LivinLOS]

Can't answer you with the quotes, because there would be too many quotes in the post, not allowed by TV.

But: No, these quotes (out of context of course because that way they suit you) are not defending the system.

Some of them, especially the first one, is defending some of the drivers, and the stigmatisation of all tuktuk drivers, but not the present system.

Ahh Ok...

Well I have no problems with the present system itself either.. If 'some drivers' didnt beat up other services and simply stayed within the law none of the negatives would exist. The system is OK, but the violence, with pitches and turf wars, is what stops the system working honestly, allowing competition, other services to comepete etc.

[stevenl]

Well I have no problems with the present system itself either.. If 'some drivers' didnt beat up other services and simply stayed within the law none of the negatives would exist. The system is OK, but the violence, with pitches and turf wars, is what stops the system working honestly, allowing competition, other services to comepete etc.

Well, I guess you're the only one.

[LivinLOS]

Well, I guess you're the only one.

In a free market their fares would match the service.. Somewhere theres a price point they meet. You take tuktuks all over Thailand so it works elsewhere. Everyones seen the "I love farang" sign on the chiang Mai tuktuk I guess..

[phuketrex]

For those that haven't seen it...this guy knows who pays his rent>>>

How about someone get some stickers printed with that on and we stick them on the Phuket tuktuks when the drivers aren't looking :-)

Edited January 16, 2010 by phuketrex

[cotambear]

As metioned in a previous post, currently, they are not getting any fares, so, to cruise around all day, and pick up and drop off like a baht bus, has to make more money than maybe getting one naive new tourist for 200 baht and then getting to the back of the que.

Oh I just love Thai-axegrinder.com. You always get so many balanced and informed opinions. I've never seen so many allround infrastructure, transportation, tourist industry and real estate experts located in one forum in my life.

Let's see, you are probably happy to go to bars and pay rip off prices for drinks, you then pay up to 500 baht if you want to take a girl out of the bar, the girl may want anything from 1000 upwards for her company. However you then want to be driven home for 20 baht. 200 baht is very outrageous for a ride home is it. I don't hear you complaining about the Rock City bar charging 200 baht for a small beer

I'll tell you a bit of history. Who did away with full bottle and half bottle mekong being sold in bars and only sold it only in glasses? - farang.

Who introduced bar fines when there never were any? -farang

Who opened Patong's first go go bar with bar fines? -farang

Yes, certain farangs taught many Thai's these gouging methods after bringing them down from Pattaya in the 80's.

Who taught the Thais how to lease and then sub-lease land plots and beer bar sois ? - farang

I can tell you about an American who worked at a law firm in Phuket. He set up just about every lease in Patong. He didn't give a shit as he never lived there.

I had a tuk-tuk driver at my place for cards recently. He said certain farangs complain bitterly about every peceived wrong in Phuket. Yet, never ever hold back on spending thousands on some bar girl from Udon or wherever. They hear the girls and what they really say about their love struck romeo.

The price of 200 baht for anywhere in Patong is a gouge, they admit it. They say "why should all these bar girls make a fortune while we sit around like muppets waiting for a fare then have to fight someone over 50 baht. They see guys happily handing over 2000 baht to some northern farm girl then have the same guy get pissed over his fare.

I know a number of drivers who have wives who work all day as maids in bungalows and then sit by their husband all night while he drives. They see the girls every morning leaving all cashed up yet rarely see a tip or gift from a guest like that. Then you wonder why they get pissed?

Thais are perhaps the most maleable and easy going people around, they are easy to win over and be friends with. They see bar crawlers as hypocrites willing to shell out a fortune on their own selfish gratifications then act like the original cheap charlie when dealing with them.

In 1985 a taxi to the airport from Patong was 500 baht, it still is. Back then 1 Aussie dollar 17-18 baht. U.S dollar was 24 or 25 baht. Now 1 Aussie is 30 baht and U.S 34 baht. A knock off water proof rolex was 500-800 baht. Things are actually much cheaper except farang owned bars like Rock City etc. Man, DVD's are 50 baht now, they used to be at least 100 or more.

In 1985 a tuk tuk to Kata was 700 baht at night after bar time and Surin was 700 and that was <deleted> miles away in those days as there was no ring road by the beach. The price of petrol is five times more expensive now as well.

Patong hasn't changed much at all in 25 years price wise per dollar rate. I have a picture of myself standing outside the Kangaroo bar New Years eve 1985. Apart from the flat screen T.V nothing has changed.

If you got rid of the Burmese, Bangladeshi and Indian suit sellers etc, Patong would still be ok. That to me is the main difference between now and the old days. That and the bar fines. This constant talk of a taxi "mafia" is ill-informed and tedious. These guys just want to protect their living, would you prefer they stopped driving farangs and started robbing them instead? They just want their slice of the tourist pie.

I ran businesses back then. I saw companies like budget and Avis move in, undercut everyone and put a lot of people out of a living. The smart Thais remember these things.

Well tough titty I say. The girls provide an intense personal service. They suffer the shame of thai society by going to bed with old overweight farang with bad BO. The do it at a price that is reasonable to them and the farang. The price is negotiable until it reaches a point where both are happy, otherwise they go their seperate ways.

That is not the case with tuk tuks. The price is fixed - 200 baht just to start the engine. The passenger has no alternate means of public transport. The tuk tuk scum may seeth at the money the girls are earning but frankly they are earning it, and the scum sat on their <deleted> all day drinking sam song are not. Youre right on one thing BTW, they are muppets. Evil muppets