Bangkok Traffic Police To Get Tough On Cabs

[featography]

If they want to help ease traffic matters they should reduce the number of taxis. There are an extimated 70,000 taxis in a city that only requires about half that number. Another thing would be for the taxi driver to accept all fares who flag them. I am fed up with the crap of taxi drivers telling me they do not or will not go where I want to go. Failure to accept a fare should result in hack licenxse revocation. Now, why won't this ever happen? The taxi mafia.

Let them go blow smoke up someone else's ass.

Seconded. What kind of crap taxi service refuses a fare? Have never seen this in any other country ever, it's ridiculous.

Been my experience in Bkk, that when a taxi driver doesnt want to take me somewhere, its for one of 2 reasons; the traffic is so bad between point a and point b, he doesnt want to sit in traffic, and run a high tab for us, or he is relatively new, and not familiar with the part of town you want to go to. It can also be for getting close to his meal break and is on his way to an eaterie, or his mia noi, or wife, or.......

Bottom line is I dont take it personal. If 3 in a row turn me down, then its a safe bet that its going to take too long to get there. They are doing us a favor under those circumstances. Next time youre turned down, ask them to take you to the sky train to make the bulk of the trip you want, then jump into another taxi to complete the trip. Wife and I make it a game; some days we will take a taxi part way, skytrain, then boat taxi, to get get from A to B. It doesnt cost any more money than a slow moving taxi stuck in rush hour traffic.

[sausageandmash]

But we are not living in the UK, we're living in Thailand, so who cares what happens there. First, they need to greatly reduce the number of taxis and stop them blocking traffic.Secondly, they need to take a rigorous exam before they get to be a taxi driver, so they actually know where they are going. People are sick of peasants coming to Bangkok and not knowing the way. If you can't be a competant taxi driver, start selling food on the street, or back you go to the rice fields.

If they want to help ease traffic matters they should reduce the number of taxis. There are an extimated 70,000 taxis in a city that only requires about half that number. Another thing would be for the taxi driver to accept all fares who flag them. I am fed up with the crap of taxi drivers telling me they do not or will not go where I want to go. Failure to accept a fare should result in hack licenxse revocation. Now, why won't this ever happen? The taxi mafia.

Let them go blow smoke up someone else's ass.

Seconded. What kind of crap taxi service refuses a fare? Have never seen this in any other country ever, it's ridiculous.

IIRC it is illegal to flag down a mini cab in the UK, how many cabs would come out for a short journey down the road ? and of course

"Don't go sarf of the river gov".

Edited March 3, 2012 by sausageandmash

[pacovl46]

If they want to help ease traffic matters they should reduce the number of taxis. There are an extimated 70,000 taxis in a city that only requires about half that number. Another thing would be for the taxi driver to accept all fares who flag them. I am fed up with the crap of taxi drivers telling me they do not or will not go where I want to go. Failure to accept a fare should result in hack licenxse revocation. Now, why won't this ever happen? The taxi mafia.

Let them go blow smoke up someone else's ass.

Seconded. What kind of crap taxi service refuses a fare? Have never seen this in any other country ever, it's ridiculous.

Exactly!!! A lot of the taxi drivers don't make enough money already the way it is and still some of them refuse passengers. While I can understand that they don't want to be caught in a traffic jam for 2 hours for a 100 Baht ride it still pisses me off, especially when it's raining, and I totally agree that they should be fined for doing so!

[sandpaper]

Worry about how they dress ?? not worry they are raping and robbing people for months after being reported for such, and have HIV.

They should make the drivers go through the same "vetting" that they have in other countries and not let people do the job who's only requirement appears to be that they are breathing.

http://www.thaivisa....ing-passengers/

OR pose as a Military Officer to rob people :

http://www.thaivisa....ign-passengers/

so it seems you can do this, but dont dress scruffy or park inconsiderately whilst doing it !

The new dress-code to solve all the issues? Heh, good luck...

[Wallich]

If they want to help ease traffic matters they should reduce the number of taxis. There are an extimated 70,000 taxis in a city that only requires about half that number. Another thing would be for the taxi driver to accept all fares who flag them. I am fed up with the crap of taxi drivers telling me they do not or will not go where I want to go. Failure to accept a fare should result in hack licenxse revocation. Now, why won't this ever happen? The taxi mafia.

Let them go blow smoke up someone else's ass.

Seconded. What kind of crap taxi service refuses a fare? Have never seen this in any other country ever, it's ridiculous.

Try Australia - now you know.....

[hansnl]

Of course the taxi are a part of the problem, but the traffic jams are mainly caused by individual cars.

Some thais are so proud to have their own car that they prefer to stay stuck for hours in their cars instead of using public transports.

Of course the taxi are a part of the problem, but the traffic jams are mainly caused by individual cars.

Some thais are so proud to have their own car that they prefer to stay stuck for hours in their cars instead of using public transports.

Not only Thais prefer traffic holdups before public transport.

It is a plague in all countries.

Cars are an extension of "self".

However, if you would take out 50% of the taxis from the Bangkok traffic, it would reduce the number of traffic movement by about 300,000 per day.

As such, they are rather a big part of the traffic jams.

Refusing customers is not only a Thai thing, this happens in many other countries/cities.

Happened to me last time I was in London, in Amsterdam, in Kõln.

Now I think back, the refusers were all from the middle east or the east.........

Of course it is a hindrance, but there wil always be a next taxi.

The taxi business in Thailand is like every taxi business in "developing" countries, a way of earning money.

For example, 2 years ago there were no taxis in Khon Kaen.

Now there are more than 200.

Way to many!

And the tuktuk pilots are loosing their income.

And if you need one, order by phone, the dispatcher can not be reached.....

And lately the no-meter drivers start to appear.

[RichardinBKK]

If they want to help ease traffic matters they should reduce the number of taxis. There are an extimated 70,000 taxis in a city that only requires about half that number. Another thing would be for the taxi driver to accept all fares who flag them. I am fed up with the crap of taxi drivers telling me they do not or will not go where I want to go. Failure to accept a fare should result in hack licenxse revocation. Now, why won't this ever happen? The taxi mafia.

Let them go blow smoke up someone else's ass.

Seconded. What kind of crap taxi service refuses a fare? Have never seen this in any other country ever, it's ridiculous.

Try Australia - now you know.....

America, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Sri Lanka ... from personal experience...and I once in Hong Kong at 2:00 AM when I wanted to go to Sai Kung. Now you know - more -

[RichardinBKK]

If they want to help ease traffic matters they should reduce the number of taxis. There are an extimated 70,000 taxis in a city that only requires about half that number. Another thing would be for the taxi driver to accept all fares who flag them. I am fed up with the crap of taxi drivers telling me they do not or will not go where I want to go. Failure to accept a fare should result in hack licenxse revocation. Now, why won't this ever happen? The taxi mafia.

Let them go blow smoke up someone else's ass.

Seconded. What kind of crap taxi service refuses a fare? Have never seen this in any other country ever, it's ridiculous.

Been my experience in Bkk, that when a taxi driver doesnt want to take me somewhere, its for one of 2 reasons; the traffic is so bad between point a and point b, he doesnt want to sit in traffic, and run a high tab for us, or he is relatively new, and not familiar with the part of town you want to go to. It can also be for getting close to his meal break and is on his way to an eaterie, or his mia noi, or wife, or.......

Bottom line is I dont take it personal. If 3 in a row turn me down, then its a safe bet that its going to take too long to get there. They are doing us a favor under those circumstances. Next time youre turned down, ask them to take you to the sky train to make the bulk of the trip you want, then jump into another taxi to complete the trip. Wife and I make it a game; some days we will take a taxi part way, skytrain, then boat taxi, to get get from A to B. It doesnt cost any more money than a slow moving taxi stuck in rush hour traffic.

This is, by far, the best reply...including my own. Exactly! Yes! There is actually a sane reason for their behavior. By the way, how many of you readers have jumped in a cab, realized you were hopelessly stuck, handed the driver 40 baht and walked to sky train or taken a motor bike? Now the driver is stuck for all of rush hour, idling his motor, when he could have had a sweet fare to the airport, or just pulled over for dinner. Do you think he will fall for that crap again? He knows from experience that if you had a clue, you would not be taking a taxi to Siam..in the shadow of BTS....so says...no, I won't fall for that one again.

[jeffcool]

If they want to help ease traffic matters they should reduce the number of taxis. There are an extimated 70,000 taxis in a city that only requires about half that number. Another thing would be for the taxi driver to accept all fares who flag them. I am fed up with the crap of taxi drivers telling me they do not or will not go where I want to go. Failure to accept a fare should result in hack licenxse revocation. Now, why won't this ever happen? The taxi mafia.

Let them go blow smoke up someone else's ass.

Seconded. What kind of crap taxi service refuses a fare? Have never seen this in any other country ever, it's ridiculous.

This used to really annoy the c-rap out me also until a mate told me what to do. Always open the back door when telling the driver where you want to go, if he refuses the fare, leave the back door open and walk away. This really p-isses them off especially if it is raining.

Any Bamboo stick run off????

[sprq]

Of course the taxi are a part of the problem, but the traffic jams are mainly caused by individual cars.

Some thais are so proud to have their own car that they prefer to stay stuck for hours in their cars instead of using public transports.

Exactly, but the city/government could help a lot (understatement) by setting up a comprehensive public transport network and, above all, do the thing that needs very little money, implement bus lanes citywide.

It will never happen, not even the latter. It involves too much impartial and professional expertise plus transparency in the awarding of infrastructure contracts, etc etc. As to bus lanes, above all they require enforcement by the police, who are not interested.

No, Bangkok will never have an efficient public transport system, people will continue to drivetheir cars every where because they will continue to be allowed to do so, and be provided with parking facilities everywhere they go. One thingthat forces people to use public transport in European cities is that parking space provision is severely limited. Office blocks can only have a small number of parking spaces integrated in the building. That kind of thing is cloud cuckoo land inThailand.

[RichardinBKK]

If they want to help ease traffic matters they should reduce the number of taxis. There are an extimated 70,000 taxis in a city that only requires about half that number. Another thing would be for the taxi driver to accept all fares who flag them. I am fed up with the crap of taxi drivers telling me they do not or will not go where I want to go. Failure to accept a fare should result in hack licenxse revocation. Now, why won't this ever happen? The taxi mafia.

Let them go blow smoke up someone else's ass.

Seconded. What kind of crap taxi service refuses a fare? Have never seen this in any other country ever, it's ridiculous.

This used to really annoy the c-rap out me also until a mate told me what to do. Always open the back door when telling the driver where you want to go, if he refuses the fare, leave the back door open and walk away. This really p-isses them off especially if it is raining.

Any Bamboo stick run off????

Yes, that is pure genius. Nothing says "This is going to be a great day" like being surrounded by several angry taxi drivers (The next one in line saw that....) Thanks for reinforcing the negative view Thais have of foreigners. I am willing to bet a tidy sum you speak no Thai, do not end your sentences respectfully and are in neighborhoods most Thais would prefer never existed. Just guessing.

I live here, take taxis all the time, and even with my basic Thai...seem to have no trouble at all.

I think what you may be experiencing is some of your own energy bouncing back, since your actions suggest that the Thai principle of politeness and saving face is lost on you.

I wish you no harm, but will tell you...you are playing Russian Roulette disrespecting a Thai driver of a taxi, tuk tuk or motorcycle. If that door is damaged by the next vehicle passing by (yes, they are on that side of the car too...) ... you will have to pay for it...and it will not be cheap. Hmmm... resisting arrest...tea money, visa inspection ... tea money ...cost of repair, tea money...second repair...tea money....perhaps they will even suggest in your rant you made a reference to a person who can NEVER be disrespected...ALL your money this time...

By the way, you do know are in the world capital of kick boxing???

Just because you do not understand how it works here, in the city you are a guest in.

Suggestion: Smile, say Mai Pen Rai Krup...close the door respectfully and have a nice day.

[pomchop]

Have never had any serious problem with bangkok taxis in over ten years years of use...few misunderstandings but usually no big deal.

I for one think it is a wonderful service at a rock bottom price....

[RichardinBKK]

Of course the taxi are a part of the problem, but the traffic jams are mainly caused by individual cars.

Some thais are so proud to have their own car that they prefer to stay stuck for hours in their cars instead of using public transports.

Exactly, but the city/government could help a lot (understatement) by setting up a comprehensive public transport network and, above all, do the thing that needs very little money, implement bus lanes citywide.

It will never happen, not even the latter. It involves too much impartial and professional expertise plus transparency in the awarding of infrastructure contracts, etc etc. As to bus lanes, above all they require enforcement by the police, who are not interested.

No, Bangkok will never have an efficient public transport system, people will continue to drivetheir cars every where because they will continue to be allowed to do so, and be provided with parking facilities everywhere they go. One thingthat forces people to use public transport in European cities is that parking space provision is severely limited. Office blocks can only have a small number of parking spaces integrated in the building. That kind of thing is cloud cuckoo land inThailand.

Bangkok does not have an efficient public transportation system? Please name an American city that is better. i know Boston is certainly equal...but not better. new york, good, not great. The other "City of Angels" has no---public---system!

[RichardinBKK]

Have never had any serious problem with bangkok taxis in over ten years years of use...few misunderstandings but usually no big deal.

I for one think it is a wonderful service at a rock bottom price....

Thank you...it is a bargain at twice the price!

[RichardinBKK]

Of course the taxi are a part of the problem, but the traffic jams are mainly caused by individual cars.

Some thais are so proud to have their own car that they prefer to stay stuck for hours in their cars instead of using public transports.

Exactly, but the city/government could help a lot (understatement) by setting up a comprehensive public transport network and, above all, do the thing that needs very little money, implement bus lanes citywide.

It will never happen, not even the latter. It involves too much impartial and professional expertise plus transparency in the awarding of infrastructure contracts, etc etc. As to bus lanes, above all they require enforcement by the police, who are not interested.

No, Bangkok will never have an efficient public transport system, people will continue to drivetheir cars every where because they will continue to be allowed to do so, and be provided with parking facilities everywhere they go. One thingthat forces people to use public transport in European cities is that parking space provision is severely limited. Office blocks can only have a small number of parking spaces integrated in the building. That kind of thing is cloud cuckoo land inThailand.

Oh my god....I am trying to imagine an empty lane in Bangkok during rush hour. Taxis lined up for kilometers, next to this wide open empty lane. I am weeping I am laughing so hard. Thank you, that is funny beyond words.

Actually, I like the Thai way, they evaluate current flow, and in mass, take over the empty lanes. No police needed, no orange cones...just common sense. 7 million people want to leave the downtown (we call that the Outboad in the US) and a few 100,000 are heading inbound. So, the 7 million say, look at those empty Inbound lanes...Presto! look at those new OUTBOUND lanes. LOL.

[rfukata]

one of Thailand's well thought out strategic marketing strategies

[Arkady]

If they want to help ease traffic matters they should reduce the number of taxis. There are an extimated 70,000 taxis in a city that only requires about half that number. Another thing would be for the taxi driver to accept all fares who flag them. I am fed up with the crap of taxi drivers telling me they do not or will not go where I want to go. Failure to accept a fare should result in hack licenxse revocation. Now, why won't this ever happen? The taxi mafia.

Let them go blow smoke up someone else's ass.

Seconded. What kind of crap taxi service refuses a fare? Have never seen this in any other country ever, it's ridiculous.

I have experienced that in HK with the taxis refusing to take you anywhere on HK Island because they wanted a fare to Kowloon. The most annoying thing is the taxi drivers that solicit people by honking their horns and then refuse to go where you want to go. I asked one why he bothered to solicit passengers like that, if he had no intention of picking them up.

Once reported a London cab driver to the Public Carriage Office because he picked me up with my gf and then decided he didn't want to continue our journey due to a light snowfall. He seemed in a very bad mood about something else and surlily tipped us out in the snow and we had to walk the rest of the way in the freezing cold at 2.00am as no other cabs came by. Two or three weeks later I received the satisfaction of a letter from the PCO confirming that they had suspended the graceless cabbie's license for three months.

[alanferdi]

Solve the chronic traffic problems ... by dressing properly ...

Sometimes I wonder if Thaivisa words their reports to get a response... Anyway thanks to Thaivisa that we can have a platform to interact. Yes... changing a dress code will not solve the problems. More to the point would be the problem with helmets on motorbikes and underage riders and drivers. Good move Police...but still long way to go!

[RichardinBKK]

If they want to help ease traffic matters they should reduce the number of taxis. There are an extimated 70,000 taxis in a city that only requires about half that number. Another thing would be for the taxi driver to accept all fares who flag them. I am fed up with the crap of taxi drivers telling me they do not or will not go where I want to go. Failure to accept a fare should result in hack licenxse revocation. Now, why won't this ever happen? The taxi mafia.

Let them go blow smoke up someone else's ass.

Seconded. What kind of crap taxi service refuses a fare? Have never seen this in any other country ever, it's ridiculous.

I have experienced that in HK with the taxis refusing to take you anywhere on HK Island because they wanted a fare to Kowloon. The most annoying thing is the taxi drivers that solicit people by honking their horns and then refuse to go where you want to go. I asked one why he bothered to solicit passengers like that, if he had no intention of picking them up.

Once reported a London cab driver to the Public Carriage Office because he picked me up with my gf and then decided he didn't want to continue our journey due to a light snowfall. He seemed in a very bad mood about something else and surlily tipped us out in the snow and we had to walk the rest of the way in the freezing cold at 2.00am as no other cabs came by. Two or three weeks later I received the satisfaction of a letter from the PCO confirming that they had suspended the graceless cabbie's license for three months.

Yes, totally agree about HK, and unlike BKK...it cost "real money" to get stuck in traffic there. Not $3 (USD) for an air-conditioned afternoon sitting... try $20 (USD)

[alanferdi]

one of Thailand's well thought out strategic marketing strategies

Thailand has a strategic marketing strategy? Did not know that. Oh! You are being sarcastic, as in, "I thought they spent the last several thousand years here waiting for a handful of foreigners to build military bases, turn farm girls to prostitution and treat the Kingdom like a personal toilet."

Sorry the "strategy" does not suit you! Enjoy the flight home!

Dont say that to the foreigner, Farang! Pass the word to the Tourism Department and the police. They profit from it the most and some of them make it into politics.... Its a dog eat dog world

[scorecard]

It's quite common for a Taxi to refuse a fare around 3.30 or so in the afternoon - this is because it's a hired Taxi and the driver has to return it to the Lot around 4.00. If your destination is in a different direction to the Lot he has no time to take you there and return the Taxi on time - I find that entirely reasonable. (And frankly people who take revenge on the Taxi driver when this happens - by leaving the door open - are being very petty and small minded ......... and increasing the traffic problem in Bangkok because the driver has to get out to close the door.)

I do get bemused when I flag down a Taxi in heavy traffic and the driver refuses to let me board because "rot dtit", even when I point out that there will still be a traffic jam whether he has a paying passenger in the Taxi or not they very rarely see the point!

Patrick

Two comments about the taxi 'changeover' system:

1. If the driver doesn't return the car on time (16:00 for all fleets) they get fined heavily by the fleet owner.

2. There are numerous fleet owners, and there have been many attempts over decades to get the fleet owners to agree to a staggered changeover time. They simply refuse to listen.

In most past governments (and now) the Land Transport Minister is there for the 'benefits' and nothing more (and many more ministries also) and they avoid policy making etc., and leave any problems and actions to the ministerial officials.

Bottom line, the taxi fleet owners, as a total group, are more powerful than the ministry officials, nothing gets tackled, nothing changes.

Edited March 3, 2012 by scorecard

[scorecard]

Of course the taxi are a part of the problem, but the traffic jams are mainly caused by individual cars.

Some thais are so proud to have their own car that they prefer to stay stuck for hours in their cars instead of using public transports.

Exactly, but the city/government could help a lot (understatement) by setting up a comprehensive public transport network and, above all, do the thing that needs very little money, implement bus lanes citywide.

It will never happen, not even the latter. It involves too much impartial and professional expertise plus transparency in the awarding of infrastructure contracts, etc etc. As to bus lanes, above all they require enforcement by the police, who are not interested.

No, Bangkok will never have an efficient public transport system, people will continue to drivetheir cars every where because they will continue to be allowed to do so, and be provided with parking facilities everywhere they go. One thingthat forces people to use public transport in European cities is that parking space provision is severely limited. Office blocks can only have a small number of parking spaces integrated in the building. That kind of thing is cloud cuckoo land inThailand.

Oh my god....I am trying to imagine an empty lane in Bangkok during rush hour. Taxis lined up for kilometers, next to this wide open empty lane. I am weeping I am laughing so hard. Thank you, that is funny beyond words.

Actually, I like the Thai way, they evaluate current flow, and in mass, take over the empty lanes. No police needed, no orange cones...just common sense. 7 million people want to leave the downtown (we call that the Outboad in the US) and a few 100,000 are heading inbound. So, the 7 million say, look at those empty Inbound lanes...Presto! look at those new OUTBOUND lanes. LOL.

You remind me of my first driver, about 20 years back, he lasted about one month.

He spoke good English, I asked him one day why the yellow and white lines were painted on the road, and why some were broken lines and some were unbroken.

His response. "It makes it look more professional, like in the farang movies".

The final straw was the morning that he turned up at 06:00 (as arranged) so drunk that I had to leave him on the footpath outside my house and drive myself the 60 kilometers to the office.

But to be fair, his replacement was first class, excellent driver, very safety conscious, always quickly hung back a little at any sign of 'trouble brewing', always totally reliable, totally honest.

He resigned to start his own restaurant in Rayong, which many years later has grown into a quite large, and very successful venue. One of the quiet achievers, started with very little education any zero resources.

Edited March 3, 2012 by scorecard

[anterian]

If they want to help ease traffic matters they should reduce the number of taxis. There are an extimated 70,000 taxis in a city that only requires about half that number. Another thing would be for the taxi driver to accept all fares who flag them. I am fed up with the crap of taxi drivers telling me they do not or will not go where I want to go. Failure to accept a fare should result in hack licenxse revocation. Now, why won't this ever happen? The taxi mafia.

Let them go blow smoke up someone else's ass.

"Another thing would be for the taxi driver to accept all fares who flag them. I am fed up with the crap of taxi drivers telling me they do not or will not go where I want to go. Failure to accept a fare should result in hack licenxse revocation. Now, why won't this ever happen? The taxi mafia."

The missus reckons the reason behind this is, that there is a change over time and if they can't make it back in time, they miss their "knock off'", hence the refusal. I don't get pissed off anymore and just ask the next bloke 10 meters behind.

Also reckon they should run an odds and evens number plate thingy, odds one day, evens the next and a free for all on Sunday.

Also sometimes they have a booked passenger, if they cannot fit your trip in before that they refuse. Also sometimes they don't know the way to where you want.

[fstarbkk]

If they want to help ease traffic matters they should reduce the number of taxis. There are an extimated 70,000 taxis in a city that only requires about half that number. Another thing would be for the taxi driver to accept all fares who flag them. I am fed up with the crap of taxi drivers telling me they do not or will not go where I want to go. Failure to accept a fare should result in hack licenxse revocation. Now, why won't this ever happen? The taxi mafia.

Let them go blow smoke up someone else's ass.

Seconded. What kind of crap taxi service refuses a fare? Have never seen this in any other country ever, it's ridiculous.

Actually, this problem used to exist in New York. Solution: Taxi commission put a few plainclothes officers on the street. Any cab who refused to pick them up was pulled over on the next corner. The driver's license was collected - gone for good! Word got around and the problem was gone within DAYS. It was neither very difficult nor very expensive.

Turns out that drivers who refuse a fare in BKK are subject to a THB 1500 fine. I saw this work one time when my friend (a Thai) called 191, when we where in a taxi whose driver suddenly changed his mind about our destination. We refused to go away. After the driver heard my friend reporting his cab number on the mobile he became extremely apologetic and begged him to cancel the call... Alas, most people wouldn't go through the trouble to report. As a result the drivers feel it's safe for them to pick and choose fares.

[UbonOz]

What woul BKK be like if there was no BTS, MRT or airport rail link?

[Reasonableman]

Just back from a local trip today. Intended to take a taxi, but after 4 refused, took 2 buses instead. It was good fun, less expensive, and a little less convenient. Nice to see the traffic flowing more freely round here, anyway. Looks like the taxi drivers are even refusing more fares than usual today. Suspect it may be a go-slow in protest at the police crackdown. Quite a lot of anger out there among the public today, against the taxi drivers, not the police.

[easybullet3]

SEAT-BELTS IN THE BACK OF THE TAXI PLEASE !!!

who cares if the drivers shirt is tucked in!!! its such an obvious way for police to find a new way to get more money in fines!

stupid how they make a rule to get more fines..

and there is zero care about safety!!

i think in 6 years of living in Thailand I have had less than 10 taxis with seatbelts in the back seats!!

Edited March 3, 2012 by easybullet3

[fred110]

If they want to help ease traffic matters they should reduce the number of taxis. There are an extimated 70,000 taxis in a city that only requires about half that number. Another thing would be for the taxi driver to accept all fares who flag them. I am fed up with the crap of taxi drivers telling me they do not or will not go where I want to go. Failure to accept a fare should result in hack licenxse revocation. Now, why won't this ever happen? The taxi mafia.

Let them go blow smoke up someone else's ass.

They should use the odd/even tag numbers to work alternate days. Cut number of cabs in half, they will save gas money and still get the same number of fares on the days they work.

How would you feel if you were suddenly told that your salary would be halved because from now on you could only work alternate days?

I don't think they get a salary. They would have half the competition for fares, and would save a lot of gas by not sitting in traffic jams all day. The jams are caused by too many taxis. Quality of life would also increase for the drivers.

[scorecard]

It's ok to complain about BKK Taxi drivers, but in my experience I think in general that they are not bad. Ok, I drive; but when I use taxis I never have, and never have had, a problem. They may not be trained, like black cabbies are, but they will genuinely get you from A to B in the best way they know how, and always use the meter - unless YOU are a prick, of course!

The police getting tough on cabs would be time better spent on police getting tough with motorcycle riders, and employing the laws that apply to them.

They only stop a few helmetless, car cutting and scratching, and road blocking cycle users when the lecky bills come in! As a driver, I find taxi's generally ok, and it's the <deleted> brainless and lawless motorcycle morons that need more policing - for their sakes plus mine!

-mel.

So"

- If the taxi driver tries to not use the meter. therefore I am a PRICK - anybody understand this logic?

- Car drivers / taxi drivers are all OK, motorcycle drivers are the sole cause of all the traffic problems?

[scorecard]

What woul BKK be like if there was no BTS, MRT or airport rail link?

Use the time warp box, go back 10 years, it wasn't good.