Phuket Committee Agrees To Set Standard Tuk-Tuk Fares

[webfact]

Phuket committee agrees to set standard tuk-tuk fares

FARE PLAY: An overpriced tuk-tuk ride is set to become a thing

of the past. Photo: Apinun Saithong

PHUKET: -- A maximum fare of 200 baht has been set for any tuk-tuk or taxi ride within Patong, a Phuket provincial committee confirmed today.

The committee was tasked to address problems associated with tuk-tuk drivers overcharging customers.

Members held a meeting at Provincial Hall today to reach a final agreement on the fares, which are now set to be standard for tuk-tuk and taxi journeys both within and from Patong to different areas of Phuket.

The new fares will come into effect as soon as Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha signs an official announcement.

The maximum fares for taxi rides within Patong will be 200 baht for up to four passengers and a maximum extra charge of 50 baht per passenger exceeding four, as reported by the Phuket Gazette last month.

In its first stage, the standard fares will be used by all taxis in the Patong Taxi Federation, the committee said.

“These are the fares that drivers normally charge tourists – we’ve just made them standard and professional,” said Phuket Vice Governor Weerawat Janpen.

“At first, some drivers may have problems following this announcement, but I believe that in the end everyone will adhere to these fares.

“This action creates a good image for Patong,” he added.

The standard fares will be published in the form of official signboards and leaflets will be handed out in Patong.

For a comprehensive listing of the fares agreed to today, pick up a copy of the Phuket Gazette due out this Friday afternoon.

-- Phuket Gazette 2011-02-08

[Steele404]

next to you know, they are all going to be charging 200 baht just to hop a ride to the Pak Soi

[NoBrainer]

I wonder how many Thais will be paying 200 Baht to go a few blocks?

The best thing that could happen here is for the Tourists to just start walking a lot more, and let these Rip_ff merchants sit on the side of the road for days on end with nothing to do!!!!

[Raptor7]

The new Phuket tuk tuk rates set for the governor to sign are as follows (pretty expensive if you ask me):

Patong center from Bangla Road to Phuket City, South, East coast

Patong-Kathu Sub district 350 return 700 baht

Patong-Tesco, Big C, Central Festival 400 return 800 baht

Patong-Phuket Zoo 450 return 900 baht

Patong-Phuket Town 500 return 900 baht

Patong-Chalong Bay 500 return 900 baht

Patong-Chalong Temple 500 return 900 baht

Patong-Boat Lagoon 550 return 1000 baht

Patong-Rassada Pier 550 return 1000 baht

Patong-Novotel Panwa Beach 600 return 1100 baht

Patong-Phuket Deep Sea Port 650 return 1200 baht

Patong-Cape Panwa 700 return 1300 baht

Patong-Koh Sireh 700 return 1300 baht

Patong-Bang Pae water fall 700 return 1300 baht

Patong center from Bangla Road to South/West Coast

Patong-Le Meridien 250 return 500 baht

Patong-Central Karon Village 300 return 600 baht

Patong-Karon 300 return 600 baht

Patong-Merlin Beach 300 return 600 baht

Patong-Karon Orchid 400 return 700 baht

Patong-Kata 400 return 800 baht

Patong-Kata Noi 450 return 900 baht

Patong-Kata View Point 450 return 900 baht

Patong-Promthep Cape 600 return 1100 baht

Patong-Nai Harn Beach 600 return 1100 baht

Patong-Rawai 600 return 1100 baht

Patong to North of Patong

Patong-Thavorn Beach Village 300 return 600 baht

Patong-Kamala 400 return 800 baht

Patong-Laem Singha 400 return 800 baht

Patong-Surin Beach 500 return 900 baht

Patong-Laguna Beach 600 return 1100 baht

Patong-Bang Tao Beach 600 return 1100 baht

Patong-Kamala Parisa (Northern of Kamala) 600 return 1100 baht

Patong-Thalang Sub district 650 return 1100 baht

Patong-Laguna Village 700 return 1300 baht

Patong-Airport 800 return 1500 baht

Patong-Blue Canyon 800 return 1500 baht

Patong-Layan Beach 800 return 1500 baht

Patong-Nai Yang Beach 800 return 1500 baht

Patong-Yatch Heaven 900 return 1500 baht

Patong-Ao Por 800 return 1500 baht

Patong-Adamas 900 return 1700 baht

Patong-Nai Thon Beach 900 return 1700 baht

Patong-JW Marriott (Mai Khao) 1000 return 1900 baht[/font]

Source: www.ethailand.com/news/patong-tuk-tuk-maximums-set-for-governor-to-sign-77517.html

Edited February 8, 2011 by Maestro
Removed disallowed reference to a certaub publication.

[Raptor7]

What I would like to see, is also Minimum fare, let's say 35 bath.

Both of these fares should be printed on yellow sticker on Tuk-tuk side.

wow, 35 baht? that would be great!

[ozymandious]

The sad part is that 200 is also the minimum. Tried to go from Hard Rock to bangla. 200thb... I walked and he didn't make ANY money.

[ScubaBuddha]

Pathetic. The government is justifying this extortion. Now the that the tuk tuks have assured their 5 to 10x more expensive fairs than Bangkok, the mafia will be emboldened further and never allow baht buses between Kata/Karon or to run after 7pm. It is such a delight to deal with the affordable transport when I visit Krabi, Pattaya and Samui. What makes Phuket so different? To many mouths to feed on the money chain, many of which are in powerful positions. Corruption at it worst. It disgusts me. It should disgust everyone.

.

Edited February 8, 2011 by ScubaBuddha

[Lancelot]

The sad part is that 200 is also the minimum. Tried to go from Hard Rock to bangla. 200thb... I walked and he didn't make ANY money.

Oww! I don't think you love Thailand any more

[MaiDong]

Pathetic. The government is justifying this extortion. Now the that the tuk tuks have assured their 5 to 10x more expensive fairs than Bangkok, the mafia will be emboldened further and never allow baht buses between Kata/Karon or to run after 7pm. It is such a delight to deal with the affordable transport when I visit Krabi, Pattaya and Samui. What makes Phuket so different? To many mouths to feed on the money chain, many of which are in powerful positions. Corruption at it worst. It disgusts me. It should disgust everyone.

.

+1

[JiveTalker]

Pathetic. The government is justifying this extortion. Now the that the tuk tuks have assured their 5 to 10x more expensive fairs than Bangkok, the mafia will be emboldened further and never allow baht buses between Kata/Karon or to run after 7pm. It is such a delight to deal with the affordable transport when I visit Krabi, Pattaya and Samui. What makes Phuket so different? To many mouths to feed on the money chain, many of which are in powerful positions. Corruption at it worst. It disgusts me. It should disgust everyone.

It does me too. I can't do much but I haven't used one for about 4 years and I tell everyone I meet never to set foot in them. Sadly there is very little else any of us can do.

[virtualtraveller]

It's extortionate, these tuk tuk and taxi drivers on Phuket have absolutely no idea how expensive they are, when you try to reason with them and explain that a 45 minute taxi ride from Suvarnabhumi to central Bangkok is less than 300 baht, or a cross town tuk tuk ride in Chiang Mai is never more than 100 baht, they simple tell you that no taxi driver in Phuket will go anywhere for less than 200 baht.

Well, as a travel writer publishing some very popular travel guides online, I've advised all visitors to Phuket to rather rent their own scooter or arrange a hotel transfer and to use the tuk tuks and taxis as little as possible. In the same way I've advised everyone not to hire jetskis ever. About 3 million people see these guides every year, if everyone stopped using taxis or tuk tuks they would then have to think about being more reasonable and lesser mercenary.

[LivinginKata]

As I see it the high taxi prices exist because the average tourist has no appreciation of the true cost of living in Thailand and I meet so many tourists who think that paying 4 or 5 pounds on a short taxi ride as a real bargain compared with their home cost of using taxis. Since 20 years ago the locals have heard the tourists exclaiming 'oh how cheap the price is' and soon cottoned on that the tourist would pay much more. I don't know how many times I have talked to tourists here and tried to explain how much the average Thai earns, cost of living in Thailand (and not Phuket). Of course they could not care less as they are just on holiday for a short time and want a good time and don't worry about the cost (too much).

[steelepulse]

If what was mentioned in a previous thread that each tuk tuk driver has to pay 1000 baht to the powers that be daily, their overheads are much higher than anywhere else in Thailand. So if everyone stopped using them, driving a tuk tuk wouldn't be viable and they'd have to look for other work ( what that would be is anyone's guess as being a tuk tuk driver is a very easy job and causes extreme laziness). Boycott the tuk tuks and rent a car if need be.

[ozymandious]

The sad part is that 200 is also the minimum. Tried to go from Hard Rock to bangla. 200thb... I walked and he didn't make ANY money.

Oww! I don't think you love Thailand any more

I love LOS, just don't love getting fleeced

[Wellington]

The sad part is that 200 is also the minimum. Tried to go from Hard Rock to bangla. 200thb... I walked and he didn't make ANY money.

Oww! I don't think you love Thailand any more

I love LOS, just don't love getting fleeced

I can see "within Patong" being abused by the drivers too.

The Governor should have adhesive maps printed to stick inside each TT, showing routes as well as prices.

But a 200 bht minimum is clearly unjustified.