A Recent Visitor'S Comment About The "Taxi Mafia"

[californiabeachboy]

Having just returned from my first visit to Phuket (Kata Beach), I wanted to add my comments about the so-called taxi mafia.

The taxi ride from the airport to my hotel was fine. As others have said, you go out the doors, turn right and you will see the taxi stand. She said 500 baht, I said OK, and I got in the taxi. When I got to my hotel I paid the driver, and he seemed happy. Given the distance (about 35 minutes), I think it was a fair price (except that he drove like a bat out of h_ll). No problems at all.

The return trip - not so much. I woke up the day of my departure to get a taxi for mid-morning, and as I walked the streets looking for places that said "taxi" I realized that it was a controlled business (they all wanted 1000 baht but would settle for 800). So I went back to my hotel and ordered a taxi, and not surprisingly, they said "800 baht". I didn't want to spend the last few hours of my trip trying to save a few bucks so I paid it. They had obviously called the taxi driver out of bed, because he had a horrible cold (I sat as far away from him as I could in a taxi), and I felt bad for him because he didn't want to be doing what he was doing.

While I was waiting for the taxi I was chatting with one of the staff of the hotel. She said that 800 baht was what I would probably have to pay, as the town is divided up into territories, and that is it. She said that the hotel orders the taxi, and may get it for less - I appreciated her honesty. Basically - the hotel gets a cut.

So I understand why some of the major hotels don't want to change the system. But I was there in mid to late March and I was shocked at the number of empty restaurants, empty bars, etc. There is no way you are going to convince me that the problems with the taxis don't affect the smaller hotels, the restaurants, the tour operators, etc. It seems to me that if there is any change, it is going to come form them. It really did affect my desire to come back to a place I really liked.

[katabeachbum]

Most hotels charge 10.000 baht per taxi a month who want to be on the call list or park outside hotel

[ScubaBuddha]

The metered taxi you used from the airport didn't use the meter, they charged you a flat rate, which is illegal. It should have been closer to 350 baht with the meter.

The empty restaurants and such is more a result of the lingering global economic situation and the strong baht.

[BangTaoBoy]

It really did affect my desire to come back to a place I really liked.

I found that quite a strange post. Your description of how things happened, didn't seem that bad, and you made it sound like it didn't really bother you that much. Yet at the end, you say it makes you think twice about coming back?? I don't follow that logic.

Did the fun you had in between the first and last day, not make the slightly expensive cab rides, seem barely worth worrying about? Probably added $20 to the cost of your entire holiday!

[Jimi007]

The metered taxi you used from the airport didn't use the meter, they charged you a flat rate, which is illegal. It should have been closer to 350 baht with the meter.

The empty restaurants and such is more a result of the lingering global economic situation and the strong baht.

Some of the metered taxis don't even have a meter in them! Laws followed in Thailand? Taxis at the airport and other places in BKK try the flat rate too. I called the airport meter taxi to pick me up at my house in Rawai and it was 500 Baht, the same they charge me at the airport. The local mob want 900 Baht from Rawai to the airport and the airport limo when they saw me headed for the meter taxi offered a ride for 600 Baht. I said 500, they said no, I said no too... If you want the "meter" taxi to pick you up you can call them, at least to your house. There might be a problem with the local mob if you have them picking you up at a hotel... The strong Baht is a whole topic of it's own! Why is there so much inflation here with such a strong currency?? Basics; eggs, milk, gasoline are all more than in many countries with a weaker currency, like the US...

[californiabeachboy]

It really did affect my desire to come back to a place I really liked.

I found that quite a strange post. Your description of how things happened, didn't seem that bad, and you made it sound like it didn't really bother you that much. Yet at the end, you say it makes you think twice about coming back?? I don't follow that logic.

Did the fun you had in between the first and last day, not make the slightly expensive cab rides, seem barely worth worrying about? Probably added $20 to the cost of your entire holiday!

Was the $20 a big deal? - no it certainly wasn't, and that is why I didn't say "I am never coming back blah blah". But it did afffect my perception of the place as a nice place to spend a few weeks each year, which is why I was there. Phuket has to compete with many other nice beach areas both within and outside of Thailand, and these things that may seem small can tip the balance. I don't know how I would deal with the taxi situation if I am staying there for several weeks and really want to explore the island, or buy groceries, etc.

I don't think it is simply a case of the hotels being in bed with the taxi drivers, otherwise when I wnet out on the street (Khoktanod Road) to find an "independent" taxi, I could have gotten a better deal, but I couldn't. The first two places that sais taxi outfront wanted 1000 baht, but quickly came down to 800 baht. When I offered 600 baht they both said no. The third simply said 800 baht and made it clear that was it.

Just from my brief experience, my feeling is that someone/group has divided the area up into territories, and that is the charge for that territory. If a taxi driver can get more, great for him, but there is a floor under which he cannot go or he will be in trouble.

[petercallen]

I do not know what a taxi costs in the USA but a taxi in Australia travelling a similar distance would cost 2000 to 3000 baht

Regular tourists here for one or two weeks do not think tuk tuks are expensive, the majority anyway

Most people who come here on a regular basis hire a motorbike for travelling around on the island

Hire cars are not expensive if you want to do longer trips about 7000baht a week or 18000 baht a month.

That is for a late model small sedan, older vehicles are cheaper

[notbritish]

Those restaurants are empty because most of them have bad cooks. The good restaurants are ALWAYS full of customers.

Opening a space with tables and serving crap doesn't guarantee customers

[markg]

I do not know what a taxi costs in the USA but a taxi in Australia travelling a similar distance would cost 2000 to 3000 baht

Regular tourists here for one or two weeks do not think tuk tuks are expensive, the majority anyway

Most people who come here on a regular basis hire a motorbike for travelling around on the island

Hire cars are not expensive if you want to do longer trips about 7000baht a week or 18000 baht a month.

That is for a late model small sedan, older vehicles are cheaper

You can't compare taxi prices in Aus to Thailand, Peter ! Residents earn more money in developed countries. A 1,000 baht taxi ride to a teacher in Phuket earning 35,000 baht a month is a LOT of money. From a UK perspective, taxi drivers are licensed, generally tested for prior convictions, driving a car which also undergoes testing and is INSURED as a taxi. In Phuket, that is NOT the case. Look how many 'black' licence taxis there are. (They are the ones with normal licence plates - NOT taxi licence plates) They are illegal and unisured to work as a taxi. If it has a crash, you may not get your medical bills paid. Yet the airport and Central et al allow them to ply trade there.

Compare taxi usage in Bangkok or Chaing Mai with Phuket. You ever see a Thai as a passenger in a taxi in Phuket? Or in a tuk-tuk? No ! They are too expensive! Yet in Bkk and Cm and in fact, every other little town or city i've been to in Thailand, you see the indigenous population using taxi and tuk-tuk all the time as a means of convenient transport. The disgraceful carving up of territory is a Phuket problem and it's shameful and indefensible . It is done only to squeezy tourists. If BKK can do it cheaper then so should Phuket.

Time after time after time after survey after survey - including surveys done by the Honorary Consuls - the NUMBER ONE complaint is taxi/tuk-tuk and jet ski.

The writing is on the wall Phuket. Read it !

[petercallen]

You can't compare taxi prices in Aus to Thailand, Peter ! Residents earn more money in developed countries. A 1,000 baht taxi ride to a teacher in Phuket earning 35,000 baht a month is a LOT of money. From a UK perspective, taxi drivers are licensed, generally tested for prior convictions, driving a car which also undergoes testing and is INSURED as a taxi. In Phuket, that is NOT the case. Look how many 'black' licence taxis there are. (They are the ones with normal licence plates - NOT taxi licence plates) They are illegal and unisured to work as a taxi. If it has a crash, you may not get your medical bills paid. Yet the airport and Central et al allow them to ply trade there.

Compare taxi usage in Bangkok or Chaing Mai with Phuket. You ever see a Thai as a passenger in a taxi in Phuket? Or in a tuk-tuk? No ! They are too expensive! Yet in Bkk and Cm and in fact, every other little town or city i've been to in Thailand, you see the indigenous population using taxi and tuk-tuk all the time as a means of convenient transport. The disgraceful carving up of territory is a Phuket problem and it's shameful and indefensible . It is done only to squeezy tourists. If BKK can do it cheaper then so should Phuket.

Time after time after time after survey after survey - including surveys done by the Honorary Consuls - the NUMBER ONE complaint is taxi/tuk-tuk and jet ski.

The writing is on the wall Phuket. Read it !

Metered taxis at the airport are not expensive, The airport to Chalong is 430 baht this includes the 100 baht

airport booking desk fee

The cure is to only have metered taxis like Bangkok and Ko Samui, If they do not want to go on the meter just

walk away and and use one that will, i have never had a problem finding one

Its very unlikely there will be only licensed metered taxis in Phuket in the near future as everyone knows

I still believe tourists will continue to use Tuk Tuks and not think they are expensive as long as no other form of transport is available

[katabeachbum]

You can't compare taxi prices in Aus to Thailand, Peter ! Residents earn more money in developed countries. A 1,000 baht taxi ride to a teacher in Phuket earning 35,000 baht a month is a LOT of money. From a UK perspective, taxi drivers are licensed, generally tested for prior convictions, driving a car which also undergoes testing and is INSURED as a taxi. In Phuket, that is NOT the case. Look how many 'black' licence taxis there are. (They are the ones with normal licence plates - NOT taxi licence plates) They are illegal and unisured to work as a taxi. If it has a crash, you may not get your medical bills paid. Yet the airport and Central et al allow them to ply trade there.

Compare taxi usage in Bangkok or Chaing Mai with Phuket. You ever see a Thai as a passenger in a taxi in Phuket? Or in a tuk-tuk? No ! They are too expensive! Yet in Bkk and Cm and in fact, every other little town or city i've been to in Thailand, you see the indigenous population using taxi and tuk-tuk all the time as a means of convenient transport. The disgraceful carving up of territory is a Phuket problem and it's shameful and indefensible . It is done only to squeezy tourists. If BKK can do it cheaper then so should Phuket.

Time after time after time after survey after survey - including surveys done by the Honorary Consuls - the NUMBER ONE complaint is taxi/tuk-tuk and jet ski.

The writing is on the wall Phuket. Read it !

cars with white plates are NOT TAXIs. they are private cars providing taxi services illegally. Do not expect them to have any Insurance covering you, and the worst, do not expect their cars to be in roadworthy condition or the driver to be approved as TAXI driver. No lisence, not registered, no taxes payed. A Swedish girl being raped by taxi driver recently? Bet it wasnt a green plate legal TAXI

[4evermaat]

...

The metered taxi you used from the airport didn't use the meter, they charged you a flat rate, which is illegal. It should have been closer to 350 baht with the meter.

...

....

Compare taxi usage in Bangkok or Chaing Mai with Phuket. You ever see a Thai as a passenger in a taxi in Phuket? Or in a tuk-tuk? No ! They are too expensive! Yet in Bkk and Cm and in fact, every other little town or city i've been to in Thailand, you see the indigenous population using taxi and tuk-tuk all the time as a means of convenient transport. The disgraceful carving up of territory is a Phuket problem and it's shameful and indefensible . It is done only to squeezy tourists. If BKK can do it cheaper then so should Phuket.

Time after time after time after survey after survey - including surveys done by the Honorary Consuls - the NUMBER ONE complaint is taxi/tuk-tuk and jet ski.

The writing is on the wall Phuket. Read it !

Metered taxis at the airport are not expensive, The airport to Chalong is 430 baht this includes the 100 baht

airport booking desk fee

The cure is to only have metered taxis like Bangkok and Ko Samui, If they do not want to go on the meter just

walk away and and use one that will, i have never had a problem finding one

Its very unlikely there will be only licensed metered taxis in Phuket in the near future as everyone knows

I still believe tourists will continue to use Tuk Tuks and not think they are expensive as long as no other form of transport is available

They have metered taxi in Phuket? :blink:Really? Wow, I really missed out. Not really, I rented/purchased a motorbike shortly after taking the minibus to Patong Beach. If I needed a taxi to get dropped off somewhere, I used my tour lady friend, Thanya Internet and Tour. After one motorbike taxi got me for an extra 60 baht for a very short trip, I usually asked a thai friend about how much it should cost me before taking one. Then I realized that it was just cheaper to rent or buy one if I planned on going where I want when I want.

When I finally went around Bangkok, I was thinking back to when I stayed in Phuket and wondered why they don't do the same thing there. Metered taxis were everywhere in Bangkok. And, since I usually had the thai lady with me, I never had a problem with the overcharging thing. (one time actually, and I didn't budge on the price. The GF paid the difference to save face. Up to her).