Tourist Says Taxis Are Tarnishing Chiang Mai Image

[webfact]

Tourist says taxis are tarnishing Chiang Mai image

By Ekkapong Praditpong

The Nation

A Norwegian tourist has complained about Chiang Mai taxi drivers taking advantage of foreign visitors and tarnishing the city's image.

In a letter addressed to the Tourist Police and The Nation, Leif E Holterud said he visited Chiang Mai and stayed at the BP Chiang Mai City Hotel in Muang district.

On January 28, while on a taxi ride to the Immigration Office, he was told that the fare would be Bt300 and that he would not be charged by the metre. On February 3, he hailed a taxi from Robinson Airport Mall to his hotel, but was told the price was Bt120. He told the taxi driver to use the metre but was told that taxis in Chiang Mai only charged a lump sum amount. Holterud compared this behaviour to that of London taxi drivers who are well-trained and deliver a fair service to passengers, and urged Chiang Mai to solve this issue so as to maintain its image.

Chiang Mai Transport Office director Nanthapong Cherdchu said taxis charged Bt40 for the first two kilometres and Bt5 per km beyond that. However, since the number of passengers was not as many as in Bangkok and petrol prices were rising, taxi drivers there charged a lump sum amount agreed upon with the passengers - which wasn't a violation of regulation. He admitted to getting complaints and sounded sympathetic to both sides. He suggested that passengers agree on a fare with taxi drivers beforehand and use other means of transport if the price quoted is too high. Thanking the tourist for his suggestion to improve the Chiang Mai transport system, he said he would ask for cooperation from cabbies.

Nakhon Lanna Public Transport Coop chairman Singkham Nanti said the city's 235 metre taxis provided two services. First, customers could call for a taxi and it would be sent for a surcharge of Bt50 over and above the meter reading. Second, customers could hail a taxi and pay Bt150 for travelling within the city's ring road, but for farther destinations the price would be charged as appropriate.

He said this was because of rising petrol prices and that fewer customers meant the taxi had to return without a paying passenger. He said they would set the rate at Bt40 for the first kilometre and Bt5 per km beyond that. If approved, all Chiang Mai taxis will be willing to use their meter.

-- The Nation 2011-02-24

[McFarang]

The Taxi Driver must be from Phuket where they have been ripping off everybody for years and nothing is ever done about it.

[craigt3365]

The Taxi Driver must be from Phuket where they have been ripping off everybody for years and nothing is ever done about it.

Or Pattaya!

We sure miss living in Bangkok....at least in terms of travel by taxi...

[laurentbkk]

The Taxi Driver must be from Phuket where they have been ripping off everybody for years and nothing is ever done about it.

totally agree with this comment , Chiang mai is not isolated ,even in Bangkok airport its the same , it happened to me once , taxi wanted to charge 600 baht to go back to my house ...of course with the help of the AOT staff who said it was normal to charge so much without meter. When I asked her name as I wanted to complain she refused to give to me , I took a picture with my phone and she was nuts ... LOL ... anyway there are TOO MANY taxis in this country and of course too much competition . but still so much cheaper than Europe.

[virtualtraveller]

Chiang Mai has some of the most reasonable and honest taxi/transport services in Thailand, this complainer obviously hasn't been to Samui or Phuket! Here's the situation;

the transport in Chiang Mai is dominated by red songteaws, about 3,000 of them (for a population of 300,000!) which are organised by a well establish Sri-Lanna Taxi Association (effectively an untouchable mafia), they are a traffic nuisance but always available, cheap, honest, and will take you anywhere in the city for under 50 baht, that's what this tourist should bave used.

Then there are tuktuks lurking in tourist areas, offering shorter rides for about 60-100 baht, not a rip off but not the cheapest. They are useful at night or outside tourist sites.

The metered taxis were only introduced a few years ago and generally operate from the airport or outside key points like Airport Plaza. Since they aren't allowed (by the taxi mafia) to trawl the streets, they generally only survive by agreeing set fees (since they can't pick up someone off the street for the return journey), but generally don't overcharge severely like some of the islands. They are under the semi supervision of the taxi association.

Then there is a bus service, introduced a few years back after much haggling between the mayor and the taxi mafia, but they are confined to set routes and the city council has to pay the taxi mafia a compensation fee to keep the songteaws off those routes.

Best thing to do in Chiang Mai is rent a scooter!

[kevbap]

The Taxi Driver must be from Phuket where they have been ripping off everybody for years and nothing is ever done about it.

Or Pattaya!

We sure miss living in Bangkok....at least in terms of travel by taxi...

come on guys nowhere is as bad as Koh Samui , where a 5 min walk costs you 400baht in a taxi, i know because i lived there for 5 years and my house was only a 5 minute walk from the airport. but with bags it was a real pain, but not as much as the taxi 'un' fare !

Kevin

[roc634]

Taxi drivers are not easy. The taxi fare is probably the cheapest in the world already. It's not comparable at all. How many meters can you go for 120 Baht in London. What you pay is what you get.

[anonymouse]

February 3, he hailed a taxi from Robinson Airport Mall to his hotel, but was told the price was Bt120. He told the taxi driver to use the metre but was told that taxis in Chiang Mai only charged a lump sum amount. Holterud compared this behaviour to that of London taxi drivers who are well-trained and deliver a fair service to passengers, and urged Chiang Mai to solve this issue so as to maintain its image.

IS 120 Baht for a taxi that much of a rip off? Yes London taxi drivers maybe well trained but.......a fair service, a similiar distance in a black cab assuming the tourist was going into the city centre would cost around 5 times that price in the UK.

Roc 634 beat me to it

Edited February 24, 2011 by anonymouse

[chmiroau]

I loved the taxis in Chiang Mai, except for the fact that they are disallowed by the songtauw Mafia from picking up passengers from anywhere except the airport.

The first songtauw I got was organised by the hotel, and tried to charge me 200b to get from near Airport Central, to the centre of town. Being from Bangkok, I knew this was wrong so told the driver to go, he then settled on 100b, still expensive but very acceptable, after all he did take the long way there.

It was the motorbike hire shop that gave me the most problems. The motorbike I hired broke down, no compensation for either the lost time nor the money I spent getting home with the bike. The shop, surprise, was owned and operated by two British men and their Thai wives. When I argued the point with them after asking for compensation, they told me the truth. 'Look mate you are in Thailand, and I don't know how its done where you come from, but we don't give refunds here.' This was the worst experience that I had in Chiang Mai, perpetrated by a westerner.

The main, really big problem in Chiang Mai, Thailand is that there is zero respect for even the flimsiest of laws, especially when it comes to making money from tourists. Down Phukett way the scams go on right in front of the police, but because the police also profit from these scams they do nothing, even the so called tourist police (not necessarily there to protect you but more to police the tourists from doing wrong, they are also in on the scam, remember that one).

The local government is also profiting from these scams, it all comes under the same banner, grafting, and this is where most of the tourists go wrong, misunderstanding this old ingrained cultural tit bit from SE Asia. This goes right to the top, you cant beat it, so either work around it, or don't try.

Almost all of the living costs here in Thailand are far far cheaper than any western or European country that I have visited, so stop your bloody complaining. If you don't read the warnings about the cultural differences here, then you are probably holidaying in the wrong place for you.

[larrybikes]

I have been coming to Chiang Mai for several winters now. I have always hated that different fees are charged to farangs and local Thais.

My solution is to buy a bike and only have limited use of songtaws and tuk tuks. I rarely take a taxi.

Chiang Mai has some of the most reasonable and honest taxi/transport services in Thailand, this complainer obviously hasn't been to Samui or Phuket! Here's the situation;

the transport in Chiang Mai is dominated by red songteaws, about 3,000 of them (for a population of 300,000!) which are organised by a well establish Sri-Lanna Taxi Association (effectively an untouchable mafia), they are a traffic nuisance but always available, cheap, honest, and will take you anywhere in the city for under 50 baht, that's what this tourist should bave used.

Then there are tuktuks lurking in tourist areas, offering shorter rides for about 60-100 baht, not a rip off but not the cheapest. They are useful at night or outside tourist sites.

The metered taxis were only introduced a few years ago and generally operate from the airport or outside key points like Airport Plaza. Since they aren't allowed (by the taxi mafia) to trawl the streets, they generally only survive by agreeing set fees (since they can't pick up someone off the street for the return journey), but generally don't overcharge severely like some of the islands. They are under the semi supervision of the taxi association.

Then there is a bus service, introduced a few years back after much haggling between the mayor and the taxi mafia, but they are confined to set routes and the city council has to pay the taxi mafia a compensation fee to keep the songteaws off those routes.

Best thing to do in Chiang Mai is rent a scooter!

[luvulongtime]

Taxi drivers are scum all around the world!... The Land of Lies is no exception

With regard to the red sontows in CMX they are more than just a nuisance... They are the worst offenders for pumping black smoke around a densly polluted city & absolutely no one cares or is prepared to do anything about it, it's quite sickening!!

They don't particularly want to pick up Falkangs either

[exbelg]

this guy apparently never went to phuket ? no meters at all, thanks to the maffia

[newermonkey]

How can something become tarnished that is already totally tarnished?

[yumidesign]

Chiang Mai has some of the most reasonable and honest taxi/transport services in Thailand, this complainer obviously hasn't been to Samui or Phuket! Here's the situation;

the transport in Chiang Mai is dominated by red songteaws, about 3,000 of them (for a population of 300,000!) which are organised by a well establish Sri-Lanna Taxi Association (effectively an untouchable mafia), they are a traffic nuisance but always available, cheap, honest, and will take you anywhere in the city for under 50 baht, that's what this tourist should bave used.

Then there are tuktuks lurking in tourist areas, offering shorter rides for about 60-100 baht, not a rip off but not the cheapest. They are useful at night or outside tourist sites.

The metered taxis were only introduced a few years ago and generally operate from the airport or outside key points like Airport Plaza. Since they aren't allowed (by the taxi mafia) to trawl the streets, they generally only survive by agreeing set fees (since they can't pick up someone off the street for the return journey), but generally don't overcharge severely like some of the islands. They are under the semi supervision of the taxi association.

Then there is a bus service, introduced a few years back after much haggling between the mayor and the taxi mafia, but they are confined to set routes and the city council has to pay the taxi mafia a compensation fee to keep the songteaws off those routes.

Best thing to do in Chiang Mai is rent a scooter!

excellent post!

this explains a lot. after 7 years in Chiang Mai, i have always found the taxi drivers welcoming and pleasant enough, prices reasonable and enjoy the red truck experience for 15 tbt on most trips. There are always exceptions to the rule and rip offs are always possible when any kind of Mafia is involved. The Op about the reason for not using the meter is crazy. So they are metered taxis but that are not. How very Thai.

[taichiplanet]

The Taxi Driver must be from Phuket where they have been ripping off everybody for years and nothing is ever done about it.

Or Pattaya!

We sure miss living in Bangkok....at least in terms of travel by taxi...

come on guys nowhere is as bad as Koh Samui , where a 5 min walk costs you 400baht in a taxi, i know because i lived there for 5 years and my house was only a 5 minute walk from the airport. but with bags it was a real pain, but not as much as the taxi 'un' fare !

Kevin

Agree! Was in Samui last month and the taxis and Baht Buses are a rip off. At least in Bkk you can tell the driver who doesn't want to put the meter on to get trucked, as easy to get another one. Not so much choice in places like Pattaya and Samui.

[kevbap]

The Taxi Driver must be from Phuket where they have been ripping off everybody for years and nothing is ever done about it.

Or Pattaya!

We sure miss living in Bangkok....at least in terms of travel by taxi...

come on guys nowhere is as bad as Koh Samui , where a 5 min walk costs you 400baht in a taxi, i know because i lived there for 5 years and my house was only a 5 minute walk from the airport. but with bags it was a real pain, but not as much as the taxi 'un' fare !

Kevin

Agree! Was in Samui last month and the taxis and Baht Buses are a rip off. At least in Bkk you can tell the driver who doesn't want to put the meter on to get trucked, as easy to get another one. Not so much choice in places like Pattaya and Samui.

Normally have to wear trousers in Bangkok, to have the meter switched on automatically! if your wearing shorts then you will have to determine the price or 'argue' to put the meter on! i also worked in Bkk, shirt and trousers !

[cheeryble]

Seems to me the whole raison d'etre for a meter taxi is to charge by the meter. Many people hate haggling including myself but especially tourists, it's just a bore.

So if the meter fares aren't enough, simply decide an appropriate higher rate for all of them.

That's it.

Edited February 24, 2011 by cheeryble

[bristolgeoff]

tok tok drivers, taxi drivers in chiang mai plus over many parts of thailand will see the farlang and try to get double the fare.they all think we are easy money.it is not fair but how can we change the system.i would love to know

[Jimi007]

Seems to me the whole raison d'etre for a meter taxi is to charge by the meter. Many people hate haggling including myself but especially tourists, it's just a bore.

So if the meter fares aren't enough, simply decide an appropriate higher rate for all of them.

That's it.

I agree with you, but you are using logic, which is in short supply here in Thailand...

[Igor]

"He suggested that passengers agree on a fare with taxi drivers beforehand and use other means of transport if the price quoted is too high."

TRANSLATION: Up yours.

"Thanking the tourist for his suggestion to improve the Chiang Mai transport system, he said he would ask for cooperation from cabbies"

TRANSLATION: <deleted>.

"If approved, all Chiang Mai taxis will be willing to use their meter."

TRANSLATION: We don't believe this either but, here goes...

Was this article from The Onion?

[Igor]

By the way, I seldom take a metered taxi except from the airport. Never had one try to rip me off. Always tip well since the fare is not much and I appreciate the air conditioning and no hassle ride after the hectic airport experience.

Tuk Tuks tend to see farang as ATMs. But, if you can speak a bit of Thai, they will usually come way down in price.

Song teaws are terrific bargains. Some of them drive like they're late for an appointment with destiny but they hardly ever ask for more than 50 baht to take you anywhere. There are some notable exceptions: Hail one outside a shopping center and they'll try to jack up the price. Walk a block away and stop one and the price come down to normal. Night Bazaar drivers assume, since you're in a tourist area, you must be a tourist. Again, speak a few words of Thai and prices normalize.

All in all, the transport in Chiang Mai is usually fair and cheap.

P.S. I had no idea the song teaws were run by a "mafia." Who'd a thunk it?

[sydneyjed]

Try to get a taxi in Oslo for that and see how you go is what I'd say to him!!!Selective professional complainer who has nothing else better to do by the looks of it!

[metisdead]

A post containing an inappropriate comment has been removed.

[personchester]

February 3, he hailed a taxi from Robinson Airport Mall to his hotel, but was told the price was Bt120. He told the taxi driver to use the metre but was told that taxis in Chiang Mai only charged a lump sum amount. Holterud compared this behaviour to that of London taxi drivers who are well-trained and deliver a fair service to passengers, and urged Chiang Mai to solve this issue so as to maintain its image.

IS 120 Baht for a taxi that much of a rip off? Yes London taxi drivers maybe well trained but.......a fair service, a similiar distance in a black cab assuming the tourist was going into the city centre would cost around 5 times that price in the UK.

Roc 634 beat me to it

Yes, London cab drivers are well trained (navigation-wise) they have to be, otherwise they wouldn't get their licence, but there are also negative aspects, many Hackney cab drivers are bad mannered, are arrogant, and consider themselves king of the road in relation to other car drivers.

Edited February 24, 2011 by personchester

[cbc]

Chiang Mai has some of the most reasonable and honest taxi/transport services in Thailand, this complainer obviously hasn't been to Samui or Phuket! Here's the situation;

the transport in Chiang Mai is dominated by red songteaws, about 3,000 of them (for a population of 300,000!) which are organised by a well establish Sri-Lanna Taxi Association (effectively an untouchable mafia), they are a traffic nuisance but always available, cheap, honest, and will take you anywhere in the city for under 50 baht, that's what this tourist should bave used.

Then there are tuktuks lurking in tourist areas, offering shorter rides for about 60-100 baht, not a rip off but not the cheapest. They are useful at night or outside tourist sites.

The metered taxis were only introduced a few years ago and generally operate from the airport or outside key points like Airport Plaza. Since they aren't allowed (by the taxi mafia) to trawl the streets, they generally only survive by agreeing set fees (since they can't pick up someone off the street for the return journey), but generally don't overcharge severely like some of the islands. They are under the semi supervision of the taxi association.

Then there is a bus service, introduced a few years back after much haggling between the mayor and the taxi mafia, but they are confined to set routes and the city council has to pay the taxi mafia a compensation fee to keep the songteaws off those routes.

Best thing to do in Chiang Mai is rent a scooter!

virtualtraveller,i live here in chiang mai for three year's now and,i totally disagree with your post.The majority of the tuk tuk's here always rip off the tourists and charge outrages amounts for short distance's....ie 80 to 100 baht for a trip from central mall to hillside three.Sure,it's cheap compared to our western or european countrie's but,why should a foreigner as a tourist or expat in this city pay more then a thai?A thai can go anywhere within the inner part of the moat for 50 baht.So,why should we pay 80 to 100 for the same distance.And,why do you think the songtaew is a menace to traffic?Atleast they are safer and drive more careful then the tuk tuk driver's,many of whom are or have been drinking beer or whisky.I know this because i use the tpt system here in this city a lot and have made friend's with a red taxi driver who informed me of many scams used by the taxi's here.

As for the meter taxi's,they are a joke.Meter taxi but never use the meter.I make frequent trip's to bangkok and when i return via air,i always see those taxi booth's in the airport and the ladies saying meter taxi,100 baht to downtown.Whenever i take one from the airport to hillside three they take a shothcut through the airbase which takes 7 to 8 min drive but still charge 100 baht.Now,since the beginning of high season i don't see the booth's now saying meter taxi 100 baht.I assume it's because they want to charge the incoming tourists more for their travel to whatever hotel they are going to.And BTW,now i collect my bag's go outside and wait for a incoming songtaew whenever i arrive at the airport.My hat is off to the norweigan gentleman for bringing this problem to surface.Hopefully something will be done about it.But,i doubt it very much.

[harleyclarkey]

When Chiang Mai Transport Office director Nanthapong Cherdchu waffles on about rising fuel and fewer passenger numbers than Bkk, then why does he not simply adjust the regulations regarding fares? Is this not part of his job? Then we know what the proper fare is and heads off any disputes. Or is this just too simple?

ps...warn the Norwegian not to come to Phuket. The minimum for a ride (even 1 minute) in a smelly, dirty tuk tuk with a nut of a driver is 200 baht.

Edited February 24, 2011 by harleyclarkey

[Jingthing]

We have a similar problem in Pattaya. Shiny taxi meters that won't use the meters. Low volume? <deleted>. Imagine if the public knew that every time they hailed a taxi that the meter would be used and that the meter rate structure was reasonable. No it doesn't need to be quite as reasonable as Bangkok, but there is no need for double/triple/quadruple either. Imagine that and imagine the "problem" of low volume being mysteriously solved overnight.

Edited February 24, 2011 by Jingthing

[jitenshaman]

Chiang Mai has some of the most reasonable and honest taxi/transport services in Thailand, this complainer obviously hasn't been to Samui or Phuket! Here's the situation;

the transport in Chiang Mai is dominated by red songteaws, about 3,000 of them (for a population of 300,000!) which are organised by a well establish Sri-Lanna Taxi Association (effectively an untouchable mafia), they are a traffic nuisance but always available, cheap, honest, and will take you anywhere in the city for under 50 baht, that's what this tourist should bave used.

Then there are tuktuks lurking in tourist areas, offering shorter rides for about 60-100 baht, not a rip off but not the cheapest. They are useful at night or outside tourist sites.

The metered taxis were only introduced a few years ago and generally operate from the airport or outside key points like Airport Plaza. Since they aren't allowed (by the taxi mafia) to trawl the streets, they generally only survive by agreeing set fees (since they can't pick up someone off the street for the return journey), but generally don't overcharge severely like some of the islands. They are under the semi supervision of the taxi association.

Then there is a bus service, introduced a few years back after much haggling between the mayor and the taxi mafia, but they are confined to set routes and the city council has to pay the taxi mafia a compensation fee to keep the songteaws off those routes.

Best thing to do in Chiang Mai is rent a scooter!

yes, the drivers in CM obviously way way better than down south, but i still wouldn't call them honest. The fare to go anywhere within the city is 15 baht, that is what I pay every time I get into a songthaew in CM. I usually catch the songthaews from around Worarot Market, as the ones that are in motion especially around the moat always ask for more. If they ask for 20, i just wait for another, because nobody is paying 20 except for tourists. The other day, i went all the way to Bo Sang Umbrella market...the white songthaew drivers are more apt to charge the correct price, which is 15 baht to go 9 km, way past the ring road, way out of town...so this nonsense that the red songthaews cant make ends meet because of the price of petrol blah blah blah blah blah is nonsense. The price is 15 baht, period. I do find CM tuk tuk drivers far easier going than southerners. I was with 3 others and we wanted to do a short jaunt from the old town to the Worarot market. The guy asked for 100, we told him we'd just take a songthaew for 15 each, and he immediately dropped to 60. Then again, if you dont speak Thai, you will pay more. Several times in red songthaews, after asking the driver, "15 baht, right?", i have seen him pick up farangs and tell them 20 or 30.

[bangon04]

February 3, he hailed a taxi from Robinson Airport Mall to his hotel, but was told the price was Bt120. He told the taxi driver to use the metre but was told that taxis in Chiang Mai only charged a lump sum amount. Holterud compared this behaviour to that of London taxi drivers who are well-trained and deliver a fair service to passengers, and urged Chiang Mai to solve this issue so as to maintain its image.

IS 120 Baht for a taxi that much of a rip off? Yes London taxi drivers maybe well trained but.......a fair service, a similiar distance in a black cab assuming the tourist was going into the city centre would cost around 5 times that price in the UK.

Roc 634 beat me to it

If you justify a Thai ripoff by comparing it to London ripoffs, then would you be happy to pay 5 pounds for a cheese sandwich (250 baht) ?? Oh well you probably eat at Subways.....

If Thai ripoffs are tolerated by foreigners, then they will get worse, not better, and more Thai people will come to regard foreigners as stupid people who deserve to be ripped off.

If you want to donate to Thai charities your hard-earned money, then give it to some more deserving causes...

[brianb1944]

Chiang Mai has some of the most reasonable and honest taxi/transport services in Thailand, this complainer obviously hasn't been to Samui or Phuket! Here's the situation;

the transport in Chiang Mai is dominated by red songteaws, about 3,000 of them (for a population of 300,000!) which are organised by a well establish Sri-Lanna Taxi Association (effectively an untouchable mafia), they are a traffic nuisance but always available, cheap, honest, and will take you anywhere in the city for under 50 baht, that's what this tourist should bave used.

Then there are tuktuks lurking in tourist areas, offering shorter rides for about 60-100 baht, not a rip off but not the cheapest. They are useful at night or outside tourist sites.

The metered taxis were only introduced a few years ago and generally operate from the airport or outside key points like Airport Plaza. Since they aren't allowed (by the taxi mafia) to trawl the streets, they generally only survive by agreeing set fees (since they can't pick up someone off the street for the return journey), but generally don't overcharge severely like some of the islands. They are under the semi supervision of the taxi association.

Then there is a bus service, introduced a few years back after much haggling between the mayor and the taxi mafia, but they are confined to set routes and the city council has to pay the taxi mafia a compensation fee to keep the songteaws off those routes.

Best thing to do in Chiang Mai is rent a scooter!

I have been in CM for about 5 years now, and have very rarely had a problem, we use Song Tiaow, and Tuk Tuks, very rarely does a driver try to overcharge, when they do I just laugh at them and look for another. We shop at Airport Plaza and Tuk Tuk drivers even know where we live and how much we will pay. I only use taxi from Airport which is a flat 120 baht to anywhere in City Centre, and is convenient.