Tuk - Tuks With Fare Meter Coming Soon?

[infinity11]

too expensive...

[marijka]

well I still say bu**er the tuk tuks, metered or otherwise, get a bus service running Patong-karon-Kata, that will bring the tuk tuk fares down and they won't have to buy the meters!!

I know I have been told here it can't be done - what you mean is it won't be done - well if it carries onthis way Phuket will be well and truly done ......and gone, as an "international tourist destination" there are plenty of others - destinations that is.

[happyinkathu]

Unfortunately, he is also quoted as saying that the minimum charge could be around 250 baht as opposed to the 35 baht for the regular taxis in BangkoK

This is simply confirming what i have said all along regarding tuk-tuks , That the extortion trail starts at the top, resulting in the drivers being made the scapegoats. Yes a lot of the drivers are lowlifes, but they are ''the visible tip of the iceberg'',so it's easy to put all the blame on them alone.

The rediculously high fares are a direct result of ''too many fingers in the pie!!'' from this guy at the top of the'' money required'' chain,down through the middlemen, to the drivers[ who realistically get the smallest share % wise ].

This guy is ensuring , by basically legalising ripoff fares [ by starting with an extemely high flagfall ]that his share is maintained and all down the line may have too minimise slightly, their share. He is simply looking out for NO.1..and maybe NO.2 & 3....

Unfortunately, one possible downside to this is , in that the drivers share,being reduced by this grand scheme they will in turn, turn to more underhand scams,and maybe even more violence in order to meet their financial obligations to those above.

Edited January 22, 2010 by happyinkathu

[wotaplonker]

My one and only trip to Phuket was made miserable by price-gouging taxi drivers and tuk-tuk operators.

I promised myself never to return to the Island again....

Some rationalization of the pricing scheme could allow me re-consider my decision, but only if it has some effect on the transport industry in reality.

I remain to be persuaded.

Hi

depending the nature of your holiday and whether you stay in one place all the time the way to go is to hire a car, it will give you tremendous freedom, and you will be able to wave serenly at the smiling faces of the tuk tuk drivers,

i recall walking down kata/karon beach road i flagged a tuk tuk but he wanted 200 for a 2 minute journey, i politely declined and waited 10 mins for the beach road bus at 30 baht!

Cheers wap

ps its no use having metered tuk tuks there will only be some sort of scam arise and you will have a battle getting the driver to put the meter on. Simply not worth the trouble.

Holiday makers should do their best to avoid them and then send an email or something to their Thai embassy in their own countries pointing out the bad feeling they cause that affects future tourism

[JetsetBkk]

He also expressed some dismay that one local blogsite chose to report his idea after he expressly asked all the reporters present at a meeting yesterday not to do so.

Asking reporters not to report, Lol.

<snip>

Yeah. Sorry about that, Gov.

[DrDave]

Nothing of any consequence will come out of this, considering that those who would be enacting and enforcing any new regulations are heavily "influenced" by the small number of powerful individuals that actually own the tuk tuks and lease them out to the drivers.

[jackinbkk]

So now you will be able to see in big digital numbers how much you are

being robbed by.

It's simple economics.

The fact is the more tuk tuks rip off foreigners, the more money flows in the Phuket economy.

Nobody is going to reduce the money coming into Phuket when they can get away with this.

Too many vested interests. You know who we are talking about...

My one suggestion, free competition. BUT THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN.

[Lovedog100]

In Phuket I never once sat in a tuk tuk. They charge 200 bht now, for driving someplace you can walk to in one minute. 250 bht? What are they thinking. I rented a motorbike for 200 bht a day. That is half the cost it would cost me to go to starbucks and back in a tuk tuk, just a few minutes away walking. I now have a better choice. Never go to Phuket again.

[Methane]

In Phuket I never once sat in a tuk tuk. They charge 200 bht now, for driving someplace you can walk to in one minute. 250 bht? What are they thinking. I rented a motorbike for 200 bht a day. That is half the cost it would cost me to go to starbucks and back in a tuk tuk, just a few minutes away walking. I now have a better choice. Never go to Phuket again.

I can safely say I too will never bother going back there.

Meters on tuk tuks I can see it now.

1 April 09:00 meters now required.

1 April 09:01 "solly meeester, meter bloken" you pay 400.

I am glad to say I have never paid these nuts 1 satang, I prefer a hire car, more than 3 destinations in 24 hours make it cheaper and much safer than those robbing rectoids.

250B flag charge 555555555 only 2x that of a London taxi.

[brahmburgers]

I recall reading that in Jakarta, about 10 years ago, the government took all their pedi-cabs and dumped them over a big hill. That's what Phuket should do with all the tuk tuks. Just do it next door to a re-cycling shop.

[selftaopath]

Hmm, "Just an idea". Something needs to be done, that's for sure.

Maybe I’ve become cynical but I don’t see anything “needing to be done.” In my opinion, the rich and powerful are not interested in Thailand or any particular city. The mentality as I see is it more for me me and mine. If in effect other people’s behavior depletes what the rich/ powerful have/get then there will be a change. I do not see a love of country by the rich/powerful. The only love they appear to have is for more money/power. And foreigners really really really do not matter. Their money does however.

Keoki

[jitenshaman]

Hmm, "Just an idea". Something needs to be done, that's for sure.

Maybe I’ve become cynical but I don’t see anything “needing to be done.” In my opinion, the rich and powerful are not interested in Thailand or any particular city. The mentality as I see is it more for me me and mine. If in effect other people’s behavior depletes what the rich/ powerful have/get then there will be a change. I do not see a love of country by the rich/powerful. The only love they appear to have is for more money/power. And foreigners really really really do not matter. Their money does however.

Keoki

it would be nice to read this forum in a year or more's time, to the headline of "collapse in tourism in Phuket leaves tuk tuk industry in ruins." Pretty obvious by this governor's take on things that as usual, NOTHING will be done...there is only one response. Do not go to Phuket.

[swillowbee]

. . . been living in Thailand for 10 years now . . . used to enjoy weekends in Phuket in the early years . . . it lost its soul long ago to the street level Thai crooks preying on non-Thais . . . haven't returned to Phuket in years now . . . miss it? . . . uh, NONE!

[BigWheelMan]

Good idea, anything to help the economy.

And why not metered buses, metered motorbike taxis, metered bicycles and metered elephants?

[tommybkk]

120 or 250 baht. Wow, that's alot of money to sit in an unsecured, uncomfortable Tuk-tuk. 50 baht starting price (with meter) would be the maximum reasonable starting fee in my opinion.