Taxi Issues?

[Spee]

Has anyone experienced any taxi issues from Suv to central Sukhumvit during the current events? Traffic jams any more than usual? Less taxis available than usual? Or business as usual? Thanks in advance for any feedback.

[KHUNDAN]

Still many taxis at the airport and nothing has changed, however the red shirts are talking about going to the PM's house today and if that happens Sukumvitt will be a mad house as far as traffic goes.

[ThaiEye]

Everything has returned to normal on Sukhumvit. No worries. The red-shirts were only at Sukhumvit 31 yesterday for a short-time then dispersed.

[mrtoad]

Everything has returned to normal on Sukhumvit. No worries. The red-shirts were only at Sukhumvit 31 yesterday for a short-time then dispersed.

Well, they have been there today as far as I am aware.

[peter991]

All I know is some of the taxi drivers still try and cheat passengers who want to travel from Suvarnabhumi to Bangkok city. I did the right thing: headed down one level from arrivals to catch a taxi at the clearly marked TAXIs sign.

I had the name of my hotel printed in Thai and showed the dispatcher. She indicated the next taxi driver. I gave the piece of paper to him. He read it and understood it - so I put my one bag (hang luggage) in the back seat of the taxi and sat in the front seat.

The taxi driver got into his seat and the conversation went like this:

Taxi driver: 500 baht.

Me: No. 200 baht or meter and I pay Motorway tolls.

Taxi driver: (laughs)

Me: You try to rip off farangs. Now you will be sorry. (Grab bag from back seat and get out of taxi). Tell driver: I am going to call Taxi Complaints number AND Tourist Police.

I was lucky to speak with Taxi Complaints (in English). They told me the driver would be fined and banned from getting fares for the rest of the day.

Whether this happens or not - I feel like I had a win.

I complained also to the Taxi Dispatcher and was allocated another taxi. This driver used the meter. The fare from Suv. to Saphan Kwai was 197 baht - I paid the tolls and gave the driver a 50 baht tip for his honesty.

Peter