Taxi Fare Hike Must Be Reasonable: Thai Transport Minister

[webfact]

Transport Minister: Taxi Fare Hike Must Be Reasonable

The transport minister asked the Land Transport Department to make sure the proposed taxi fare hike from the initial amount of 35 baht to 50 baht is reasonable.

Transport Minister Sukampol Suwannatat said taxi drivers must submit a letter to clarify how they will be affected if the liquefied petroleum gas price goes up by nine baht and the compressed natural gas price goes up by six baht next year.

The drivers are calling for a hike in their initial fare from 35 baht to 50 baht.

The minister said the issue falls under the jurisdiction of the Land Transport Department but the decision whether to allow the fare hike must be reasonable.

Sukampol believes that a taxi fare hike will not affect the public too much as they have other modes of public transportation they can switch to such as the air-conditioned bus.

Transport Minister Adviser Chinnawat Haboonpard said he does not agree with the taxi fare hike because the decline in taxi drivers’ revenue does not stem from the gas price hike.

He said it is due to the fact that there are currently 70,000 taxis in service in Bangkok while the demand is only for 35,000.

He noted that there should be a law to regulate taxis to make sure there is adequate supply in the market.

Chinnawat pointed out that the demand for a taxi fare hike came from entrepreneurs who rent out taxis rather than the drivers themselves as they want to increase their rental fees.

-- Tan Network 2011-12-19

[laurentbkk]

They say it all .... There are too many taxis in Bangkok .. how can they make some living with such competition ?

[Moruya]

How about making them pass a test as a fit and proper driver who knows Bangkok and can do the job safely?

How about ensuring that the vehicles are roadworthy and drivers do not work more than 12 hours a day?

[haveaniceday]

The last price rise, the actual drivers got non of it, the same day according to some of the drivers I spoke to, the taxi companies they rent them from for "shifts" up the rental.

[slapout]

I wonder who has the taxi concession in Bangkok? Her in CM the company for red son tow also are closely involved with the metered taxi. Many the tuk tuk are reported to be under the same companies license (influence). The motorcycle taxi, jet ski connection, apparently has been slow to catch on up here.

[beano2274]

Firstly the taxi drivers need to know where they are going, they do not even know Bangkok, then they want to raise the prices.

Get rid of the cowboys, the taxis that are falling apart, offer a better service then maybe you can raise the prices.

[andre47]

..........if the liquefied petroleum gas price goes up by nine baht and the compressed natural gas price goes up by six baht next year.

That means that the prices for gasoline will rise about 25% next year??

[enricobkk]

Like previous said, they not only know their way arround Bkk, many drive only in sectors because they come here from Isaan to work for a few months and then go back

also , how many taxidrivers driving arround , refuse to stop for farang or dont want to bring you where you need to go because their shift is "finished" ?

go to work and come back by taxi in a 5 day week , only to get in @ 50 Thb = 5 x 2 x 50 = 500 Thb......whats gonna be next ? BTS and busfares ?

[givenall]

They say it all .... There are too many taxis in Bangkok .. how can they make some living with such competition ?

I thought the role of government was to curb inflation notto cause inflation. 300 bth a day, 50 bth min is not the way to go. But cant expect much from this government after the way they showed their incompetent handling the flood

Edited December 19, 2011 by givenall

[chivo]

i find most taxi's i have been in DO know their way around. a few messed up but its a few.

and i think they do deserve a little more for their service as the fare has only risen once in 12 or 13 years.

so i usually tip ( but only if they offer good service and arent traffic whiners.)

[KKK]

will not affect the public too much as they have other modes of public transportation they can switch to such as the air-conditioned bus.

I'll believe that when they have air-conditioned buses running down my soi and every other soi in Bangkok...don't politicians ever think before opening their mouths.....

[thaikahuna]

How about making them pass a test as a fit and proper driver who knows Bangkok and can do the job safely?

How about ensuring that the vehicles are roadworthy and drivers do not work more than 12 hours a day?

Amen to that one! But who is going to enforce it and how? We all know a bit of pocket money gets the boss to look the other way.

[phiphidon]

They say it all .... There are too many taxis in Bangkok .. how can they make some living with such competition ?

I thought the role of government was to curb inflation notto cause inflation. 300 bth a day, 50 bth min is not the way to go. But cant expect much from this government after the way they showed their incompetent handling the flood

It's the drivers (maybe) that are asking for the increase to 50 THB not the Government. As Chinnawat said it's more than likely it's the people who rent the cars out that are asking for this increase rather than the drivers.

[bkkjames]

As the national transport minister, I hope this new fare of 50 baht will be applied immediately nationwide.

[Oberkommando]

will not affect the public too much as they have other modes of public transportation they can switch to such as the air-conditioned bus.

I'll believe that when they have air-conditioned buses running down my soi and every other soi in Bangkok...don't politicians ever think before opening their mouths.....

To be fair, there are air-con buses that run on most major roads and routes in Bangkok. I can go anywhere I want in Bangkok on an air-con bus coupled with a short walk.

If I have the choice, I will bus it over taxi mostly every time; I find them generally safer, less hassle, cheaper and sometimes even quicker than taking a taxi.

[KKK]

will not affect the public too much as they have other modes of public transportation they can switch to such as the air-conditioned bus.

I'll believe that when they have air-conditioned buses running down my soi and every other soi in Bangkok...don't politicians ever think before opening their mouths.....

To be fair, there are air-con buses that run on most major roads and routes in Bangkok. I can go anywhere I want in Bangkok on an air-con bus coupled with a short walk.

If I have the choice, I will bus it over taxi mostly every time; I find them generally safer, less hassle, cheaper and sometimes even quicker than taking a taxi.

Maybe you can travel by air-con bus but a lot can't.....not everyone can and does live a short walk from a major road. I'd wager more don't than do...hence my original statement....

[Soupdragon]

As the national transport minister, I hope this new fare of 50 baht will be applied immediately nationwide.

Nationwide ? That would be most welcome here on Phuket where flag fall is 200 Baht.

[jombom]

A proposed 40% rise in rates ---- nice one.

The last transport minister had bundles of cash in his house. That's a hard act to follow.

[chuang]

Have you try taking a cab in Singapore....

[bangkokdavie]

Would be nice if they checked the meters every now and again to see that passengers are being charged correctly. More and more it seems to me the meters have been tampered with.

[moskito]

They say it all .... There are too many taxis in Bangkok .. how can they make some living with such competition ?

how do all the other businesses? its a good old ThaiStyle way of life to copy. If the neighbor is making money on something, they

can do the same...and the same...and the same... Finally no one makes money on nothing anymore. Too less to live, too much to die...

At least in the tourism industry its working that way, hundreds of restaurants for just a handfull of people...good for the customer, bad for the

restaurants owner and the staff.

Same with Taxis and Tuk Tuk in Tourism centers. If they take reasonable prices there are not so much motobikes and cars hired by tourists on the road AND not so much traffic....AND not so much accidents.....BUT indeed, that needs the ability of using ones brain.

For a distance i paid 20 years ago 30-40 Baht, the TukTuk and Taxi Mafia is trying to charge now 300-400...better one customer pays this as to drive 10 times the same distance....better lurking around like sharks and wait for the big fish to come

[moskito]

BTW, since my last post was a BIT OFF TOPIC :lol: I dont think Bangkok Taxis are to expensive for the job they do sometimes. Car and Gasoline needs to be paid and wasting MY time in traffic jam NO THANKS :jap:

[Oberkommando]

Maybe you can travel by air-con bus but a lot can't.....not everyone can and does live a short walk from a major road. I'd wager more don't than do...hence my original statement....

Bus routes in Bangkok are very extensive, and tens of thousands of buses service the city, air-con or otherwise.

Given the vast majority of Bangkokians use buses over any other methods of public transport, I'd take that wager.

[moe666]

I maybe wrong but when they went to the metered taxi in Bangkok sometime in the late 90s the initial rate was 35 baht. But if you like the good old days you had to haggle over every taxi ride. If you didn't know how far the ride was you paid thru the nose. You would hire the taxi for all day and he stayed at your beck-and-call. In the good old days no skytrain and not to many buses and of course Suk. was only 4 lanes wide.

The taxi drivers have it hard: rent the taxi, pay for gas, and then I believe have to pay a commission on top of that.

[anterian]

I have to travel 9 km by SongTauw before I even connect with a bus service however there are 8 taxi drivers in my village, 2 of them are permanently drunk and another one is deaf

[Oberkommando]

Have you try taking a cab in Singapore....

Many times, it's fantastic as the drivers are safer and all know where they are going. The taxis are all regulated too, so far less problems.

Of course it is more expensive, but Singapore is a more expensive place overall.

[Evilbaz]

As the national transport minister, I hope this new fare of 50 baht will be applied immediately nationwide.

Nationwide ? That would be most welcome here on Phuket where flag fall is 200 Baht.

Amen to that brother.

Obviously the Minister has the power to set fees - but does he or any other Bangkok flunky have the will to tackle the Phuket mafia?

Bangkok taxis are so cheap.

BTW - I can't step up to a bus.

[pomchop]

Bangkok Taxis and Pattaya baht buses are two of the biggest transportation bargains in the WORLD. Try getting a taxi in USA or Europe to drive you several miles for a buck or two? Try getting a bus to haul you from one end of the beach to the other like in Pattaya for the equivalent of 30 cents. Good luck with that.

I only wish that every service I use was as well run,efficient, and affordable as the Bangkok taxis and baht buses.

[jonclark]

I remember a conversation I had a few years ago with a taxi driver who explained to me, that apart from the minority of drivers who own their own taxis, most taxi drivers rent a taxi for about 500 baht a day (8 hour shift) from a central organization and must pay fuel on top. On an average shift he made about 200 baht an hour, (1'600 a shift), he'd lose 500 to the rental + fuel and normally walk away with about 8-700 baht a shift. Which if you think about it. 700 baht for 8 hours of Bangkok traffic is a <deleted>'in nightmare.

Of course he was probably exaggerating parts to get a tip

On the whole Bangkok taxis are as good or bad as taxis anywhere in the world. If you don't like the taxi you're in best bet is to get out and wait for another to come along in 1 minute.

[moskito]

Have you try taking a cab in Singapore....

Many times, it's fantastic as the drivers are safer and all know where they are going. The taxis are all regulated too, so far less problems.

Of course it is more expensive, but Singapore is a more expensive place overall.

Singapore Taxis are by far not so expensive like Taxis in other, western destinations like Berlin or London. For a 20min ride crossing half of

the island its just about 10.-Singapore $ about 240 Baht...try the same distance in Berlin and it cost you about 40 EU, 50 USD or 1600 THB