Taxi Surcharge From Airport Will Be Dropped

[george]

Cab ranks to be all over town

BANGKOK: -- The cabinet yesterday agreed the capital's traffic problems will ease if taxis are provided with free parking stands all over town. The surcharge on cabs collecting passangers from the airport and bus terminals will also be dropped, government spokesman Surapong Seubwonglee said.

All government and state enterprise offices will be required to provide taxi ranks. Hotels, hospitals, shopping malls and other major buildings will also have to comply.

A pilot project will start on three main roads _ Sukhumvit, Phetchaburi and Rama IV _ on Oct 15, to provide parking for about 600 taxis.

Mr Surapong said the proposals were submitted by PM's Office Minister Newin Chidchob, who was tasked with tackling the capital's growing traffic problem.

He denied the plan would conflict with city hall's plan to provide 150 ``intelligent'' taxi stands, which would allow passengers to call a cab by pressing a button linked to a taxi call centre.

Mr Surapong said there were about 60,000 taxis operating in Bangkok and its surrounding areas. At any one time about 70% were empty and roaming for passengers. This was a big waste of fuel and greatly added to congestion.

A working panel chaired by Mr Newin would draft a ministerial regulation to require all buildings in future to provide taxi stands.

The panel would comprise representatives of the Council of State, the Department of Public Works and Town and Country Planning and the traffic police.

--Bangkok Post 2005-09-28

[ovenman]

The surcharge on cabs collecting passangers from the airport and bus terminals will also be dropped, government spokesman Surapong Seubwonglee said.

Nice idea but something tells me that there will be howls of protest from the taxi queue operators at these locations...

[Jai Dee]

THE BMA IS ARRANGING FOR MORE TAXI PARKING POINTS

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has ordered for more surveys on taxi parking points, in efforts of addressing the traffic problems in the capital and the rising oil prices.

Deputy Bangkok Governor SAMART RATCHAPHONSIT (สามารถ ราชพลสิทธิ์) said the BMA has arranged for a total of 230 taxi parking points to facilitate the waiting passengers. The taxi points will also help taxi vehicles save more fuel. Mr. SAMART revealed that the BMA has deemed another 52 sites. They include footpaths that are wide enough to be scooped out and made into proper taxi parking spaces. This extension plan should be completed by the end of the year, and will accommodate around 700 taxis.

The Deputy Bangkok Governor further added that the BMA will coordinate with a total of 144 department stores, hotels, and hospitals under the BMA's jurisdiction in arranging taxi parking spaces in front of the buildings.

Source: thaisnews.com ประจำวันพุธที่ 28 กันยายน 2548

[yeti]

The surcharge on cabs collecting passangers from the airport and bus terminals will also be dropped, government spokesman Surapong Seubwonglee said.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So we will have to wait even more to get a taxi at the airport, great !!!

Mr Surapong said there were about 60,000 taxis operating in Bangkok and its surrounding areas. At any one time about 70% were empty and roaming for passengers. This was a big waste of fuel and greatly added to congestion.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A waste of fuel ? A waste of NGV maybe...

[Bluffer]

So we will have to wait even more to get a taxi at the airport, great !!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How does dropping the surcharge mean a longer wait? The driver doesnt get the surcharge, the airport does as far as I know.

[Kenn]

They better use the 50 Bath to get rid of the crappy taxis that you always get at the airport.

My favourites are the ones you find at carrefour for example, old, older and oldest

[Greer]

The surcharge is collected at the end of the journey, but I don't know if it is then paid back to the airport taxi operators or not.

I have noticed the wait for taxis at Don Meung getting worse and worse - I would hope that by removing the surcharge it may help reduce the waiting time by allowing more taxis to provide services from the airport - I have seen many empty taxis drive straight past because they were "not the right company"... of course it depends on being able to wedge the airport mafia out of their lair...

[yeti]

So we will have to wait even more to get a taxi at the airport, great !!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How does dropping the surcharge mean a longer wait? The driver doesnt get the surcharge, the airport does as far as I know.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, the explanation you can read at the airport clearly states that the surcharge is for the driver (the same explanation which says that if you take the tollway you'll have to pay for it).

This surcharge is aimed at attracting taxis at the airport, so no surcharge, more to wait...

[richard10365]

If you walk across the pedestrian overpass and go across the freeway you can catch a taxi there without the surcharge. Thai people do it all the time.

[ovenman]

If you walk across the pedestrian overpass and go across the freeway you can catch a taxi there without the surcharge. Thai people do it all the time.

That's my strategy upon arrival at Don Muang. Always a line of cabs waiting on the Vipavadhi-Rangsit Highway and they're always more than happy to use the meter.

[markuk]

That would save me walking upstairs to departures...............

[PeaceBlondie]

PROPAGANDA ALERT: THE ORIGINAL POST IS A GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCMENT FROM THAILAND. DISREGARD UNTIL AFTER IS HAS BEEN PUT INTO FULL FORCE AND AFFECT. Thank you.