farangchef Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 (edited) tuk tuk drivers in chiang mai are trying to scam tourist and they think we farang are stupid.. so i went to take tuk tuk to ping river area from night bazzar and he said 100 thb and i told him 100 thb to go airport why are you trying to scam me and he laughed then said 50 and i told him to <Snip!> off.. 4 minute ride for 50 baht <deleted>..it feels like im in phuket again.. avoid tuk tuks!!!! I have been in the kingdon for 5yrs and GREED IS DESTROYING THAILAND Edited November 8, 2011 by metisdead Profanity removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickeem Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 They have been following the practices of their Phuket and Bangkok brethen for about the last 7-8 years here in CM .. something to do with the huge influx of moneyed clueless tourists apparently I remember when I knew all of the 5 evening Tuk Tuk drivers in CM and it cost 20B from the Night Bazaar to to the Beer Bar Centre (near Taphae gate ).. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sappersrest Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 100 Baht from the Holiday inn to night bazar area seems to be the norm for tourists. seems to be a bit of a cartel going on there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellred Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 So whats the going rate generally for a few mins ride? Not that im tight but id hate to feed this frenzy. If i walk away to find another will they usually counter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolgeoff Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 anyone who visits chiang mai on regular trips,know that tuk tuks over charge.see the white man charge him dbl.that is why we all have a scooters or motorbike to get around.i never take a tuk tuk if i have too and that is at the end of my trip if i have to catch a train back to bkk or plane.so my advice is get a bike and avoid the tuk tuk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loaded Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 They charge what they think the customer is prepared to pay. They are not fixed-rate. Many foreigners are prepared to pay 100 baht for a short journey so the tuk tuk driver can't be blamed for thinking this is the standard rate for a foreigner. The more often foreigners are prepared to pay inflated prices, the more often tuk tuk drivers will ask an inflated price. Out of town Thais are also asked for more. However, the price is negotiable and is negotiated before you step inside. If it's too expensive, don't get in. Remember as well that it's currently high season with lots of tourists in town. This isn't a scam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackr Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 The more often foreigners are prepared to pay inflated prices, the more often tuk tuk drivers will ask an inflated price. That's alright then. Thai Buddhism 101; get as much as you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulysses G. Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 This happens every year at the beginning of high season, but plenty of drivers will go for the normal price. Chiang Mai is not Phuket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinnieTheKhwai Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 Except, in Phuket all you have are those tuk tuks. In Chiang Mai, tuk tuks are blissfully a tourist side-show to the actual public transport, provided by those Red Bus songthaews. (converted pick-ups. ). Not saying that none of those drivers ever try it on with tourists, but by and large if you know the lay of the land they are a solid public transport option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulysses G. Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 When I used to hang around in Phuket long ago, all they had was Songtaews that they called tuk-tuks. Has that changed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellodolly Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 (edited) Let me get this rite now.The first thing people should do is read the post.They are in the night bazaar and wanting to go to the ping river area and they are complaining about the price to go to the airport no where near the ping river area.The next thing a bunch of posters who never use them and know every thing or nothing jump on the band wagon and support this troll."" I use them every day and find them far cheaper than buying a motor bike. It costs me 150 baht to take a tuk tuk to a activity I enjoy they sit there and wait over a hour for me then bring me back home. If you are in no hurry use a songtell."" How does a tuk tuk driver know if you are a tourist or not do tourists have a sign around their neck or a secret pass word. Maybe a secret hand shake.":jap:" Edited November 9, 2011 by hellodolly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzo the Face Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 Agree with you [OP] that there is too much greed here in Thailand. You do say that you have been here for 5 years, then why do you stay? Greed has been a part of the Thai way for a lot longer than 5 years. I also have to agree with Loaded on this one. This is no scam. If you have been here that long you should be aware of the tuk tuk drill.... most will ask an inflated price, much as people [expats] do in their home country when they are trying to sell something. This is no scam. When you get into a taxi meter cab, you use the meter and there is a drop the flag starting price on the meter. Pretty much the way of tuk tuks. Yes this price has gone up in the past 25 years , but what hasn't. Yes the starting price has now arrived at about 50 baht, but just because you only wanted to go 2 blocks from the Night Market to the river and he asked 50 baht, doesn't make it a scam. I am sure you could have taken that tuk tuk for a greater distance for the same 5 baht. Sorry , afraid I do not agree with you that it was a scam...... besides from the Night Market to the river being only 2 blocks, why didn't you walk it ? ... unless you perhaps wanted to go a greater distance up or down the river, but that wouldn't sound like a scam for that price Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terminatorchiangmai Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 (edited) I used tuk tuks when i just moved to Chiang Mai 5 years ago, price from Holliday inn hotel to center 100THB , short ride in center 50THB , forget about taxi meter they start at 150THB no meter. Best thing to do when you want to be cheap is use the Songteaw starting price at 20THB for the center up to 40THB to the outer side. I prefer the tuk tuk because its your private transport. Edited November 9, 2011 by terminatorchiangmai Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Semper Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 How does a tuk tuk driver know if you are a tourist or not A backpack or a map is a giveaway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zorro1 Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 How does a tuk tuk driver know if you are a tourist or not do tourists have a sign around their neck or a secret pass word. Maybe a secret hand shake.":jap:" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robanywhere Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 all over thailand, tuk-tuks are about double a metered taxi and 4 to 5 times more than a songtheow. it all boils down to convenience (songtheows are don't always go all the way you want to go without extra charge or changing trucks) and availability. negotiation is the norm, even for the thais getting in the tuk-tuks. the other thing is that tuk-tuks are a novelty for some tourists, and they enjoy the loud hot bumping polluted ride around town, escorted by a driver wanting to take them to his cousin's discount gem shop... lol i stopped taking tuk-tuks about 3 or 4 years ago.... no regrets there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loaded Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 Let me get this rite now... Well, you're not off to a good start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loaded Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 The more often foreigners are prepared to pay inflated prices, the more often tuk tuk drivers will ask an inflated price. That's alright then. Thai Buddhism 101; get as much as you can. The analogy doesn't work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedonist44 Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 Let me get this rite now.The first thing people should do is read the post.They are in the night bazaar and wanting to go to the ping river area and they are complaining about the price to go to the airport no where near the ping river area.The next thing a bunch of posters who never use them and know every thing or nothing jump on the band wagon and support this troll."" I use them every day and find them far cheaper than buying a motor bike. It costs me 150 baht to take a tuk tuk to a activity I enjoy they sit there and wait over a hour for me then bring me back home. If you are in no hurry use a songtell."" How does a tuk tuk driver know if you are a tourist or not do tourists have a sign around their neck or a secret pass word. Maybe a secret hand shake.":jap:" I believe it is you who needs to read the post again Pal. The OP was comparing the 100 bht fair charged for going to the Airport as opposed to the proposed charging of the same price of 100 bht for only going a short distance to the river. Really should be careful when correcting an engish speaking person when you are clearly not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uptheos Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 (edited) They charge what they think the customer is prepared to pay. This isn't a scam. Quite right, there's no set rate so it's all negotiable. I would have thought that if the OP has been here for 5 years, he would know the way to negotiate with Tuk Tuks and others. Try not taking a Tuk Tuk that is 'parked up' they are waiting for higher fares. I always stop a Tuk Tuk that's already working and more often than not I can get him down to a reasonable fare - like anything else in Thailand, smiling and joking helps instead of ranting and swearing. The only times I probably pay over the top is if I'm going somewhere that I know he won't get a fare back, or if it's an emergency or peeing down with rain. Take it easy and that 100 baht fare can become 50-60 baht most times as money is always needed, albeit not as much as they would like. Edited November 9, 2011 by uptheos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante99 Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 How does a tuk tuk driver know if you are a tourist or not do tourists have a sign around their neck or a secret pass word. Maybe a secret hand shake.":jap:" Hey Zorro, great picture of you and your wife. You guys look just like my wife and me except our Aloha shirts are orange. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huli Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 You are all pissed off because the tuk tuk driver wanted 50 baht for a short trip? To take you exactly where you wanted to go without any other passengers? Come on....it's less than $2 American.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elektrified Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 (edited) This is not Phuket. The price of a tuk tuk is negotiable. If you don't like the price you have been quoted, ask another driver, simple as that. You can also try negotiating. One thing for sure is you will not get a ride for under 50 Baht. Thais don't complain, why do so many foreigners whine all over this forum over 10, 20, or 30 Baht? What is wrong with some of you people? This is not the Thailand it was 20 years ago. Have any of you whiners taken a look at what it costs to feed a family and send kids to school in Thailand these days? These people that operate tuk tuks and songtaews are barely getting by. I know a tuk tuk driver personally. He rents his tuk tuk. His rent is something like 15,000 per month. If he is one day late on the payment, thugs show up at his house warning him that he has 3 days to pay. On the 4th day his tuk tuk is confiscated if he has not paid. Come on whiners, get real. This is not a scam. Edited November 9, 2011 by elektrified Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zorro1 Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 How does a tuk tuk driver know if you are a tourist or not do tourists have a sign around their neck or a secret pass word. Maybe a secret hand shake.":jap:" Hey Zorro, great picture of you and your wife. You guys look just like my wife and me except our Aloha shirts are orange. I resemble that remark ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loaded Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 This is not Phuket. The price of a tuk tuk is negotiable. If you don't like the price you have been quoted, ask another driver, simple as that. You can also try negotiating. One thing for sure is you will not get a ride for under 50 Baht. Thais don't complain, why do so many foreigners whine all over this forum over 10, 20, or 30 Baht? What is wrong with some of you people? This is not the Thailand it was 20 years ago. Have any of you whiners taken a look at what it costs to feed a family and send kids to school in Thailand these days? These people that operate tuk tuks and songtaews are barely getting by. I know a tuk tuk driver personally. He rents his tuk tuk. His rent is something like 15,000 per month. If he is one day late on the payment, thugs show up at his house warning him that he has 3 days to pay. On the 4th day his tuk tuk is confiscated if he has not paid. Come on whiners, get real. This is not a scam. Spot on. I have far more sympathy for the tuk tuk driver who has a tough life than a whinging foreigner who isn't being forced to do anything he doesn't want to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfokevin Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 You are all pissed off because the tuk tuk driver wanted 50 baht for a short trip? To take you exactly where you wanted to go without any other passengers? Come on....it's less than $2 American.... In San Francisco when the taxi driver hits the start button it rings up $4.10... Airport to downtown ~$53.00... And they give you a dirty look if you want change back from your three twenties These rules apply to locals as well as tourists... These tuk tuk drivers are amatures.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uptheos Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 These tuk tuk drivers are amatures.... People don't know what scamming is, until they've traveled by cab in 'non scamming' countries like USA, UK etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berkshire Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 This is not Phuket. The price of a tuk tuk is negotiable. If you don't like the price you have been quoted, ask another driver, simple as that. You can also try negotiating. One thing for sure is you will not get a ride for under 50 Baht. Thais don't complain, why do so many foreigners whine all over this forum over 10, 20, or 30 Baht? What is wrong with some of you people? This is not the Thailand it was 20 years ago. Have any of you whiners taken a look at what it costs to feed a family and send kids to school in Thailand these days? These people that operate tuk tuks and songtaews are barely getting by. I know a tuk tuk driver personally. He rents his tuk tuk. His rent is something like 15,000 per month. If he is one day late on the payment, thugs show up at his house warning him that he has 3 days to pay. On the 4th day his tuk tuk is confiscated if he has not paid. Come on whiners, get real. This is not a scam. Spot on. I have far more sympathy for the tuk tuk driver who has a tough life than a whinging foreigner who isn't being forced to do anything he doesn't want to do. Concur. Tough life these dudes have. Honestly, I don't know how they make any money, with the price of gas any more. I don't use a tuk tuk, but I know these guys work unGodly hours for very little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F4UCorsair Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 This is not Phuket. The price of a tuk tuk is negotiable. If you don't like the price you have been quoted, ask another driver, simple as that. You can also try negotiating. One thing for sure is you will not get a ride for under 50 Baht. Thais don't complain, why do so many foreigners whine all over this forum over 10, 20, or 30 Baht? What is wrong with some of you people? This is not the Thailand it was 20 years ago. Have any of you whiners taken a look at what it costs to feed a family and send kids to school in Thailand these days? These people that operate tuk tuks and songtaews are barely getting by. I know a tuk tuk driver personally. He rents his tuk tuk. His rent is something like 15,000 per month. If he is one day late on the payment, thugs show up at his house warning him that he has 3 days to pay. On the 4th day his tuk tuk is confiscated if he has not paid. Come on whiners, get real. This is not a scam. It may not be a scam, but who wants to pay more than they need to? Tuk tuk drivers are notorious for gouging what they can get out of anybody, and in Bangkok a metered taxi is cheaper, from my experience, over any distance. Why would anybody pay B100 for a fare that should only be B50? Seems nuts to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellodolly Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 This is not Phuket. The price of a tuk tuk is negotiable. If you don't like the price you have been quoted, ask another driver, simple as that. You can also try negotiating. One thing for sure is you will not get a ride for under 50 Baht. Thais don't complain, why do so many foreigners whine all over this forum over 10, 20, or 30 Baht? What is wrong with some of you people? This is not the Thailand it was 20 years ago. Have any of you whiners taken a look at what it costs to feed a family and send kids to school in Thailand these days? These people that operate tuk tuks and songtaews are barely getting by. I know a tuk tuk driver personally. He rents his tuk tuk. His rent is something like 15,000 per month. If he is one day late on the payment, thugs show up at his house warning him that he has 3 days to pay. On the 4th day his tuk tuk is confiscated if he has not paid. Come on whiners, get real. This is not a scam. You hit the nail rite on the head I bet not a one of these people ever walked in to there bosses office and said I will work for less than you are willing to pay me. They were all just like the tuk tuk drivers getting the most they could so they could support their family and hopefully a little left over for some treats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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