Phuket Taxis Agree To Standard Fares

[webfact]

Phuket taxis agree to standard fares

Phuket Gazette

Each taxi must carry this large sticker on both sides of the vehicle so complaints can be easily lodged about the conduct of the driver.

Each taxi must also be clearly marked with a unique identification number to make it easier for police to follow up on complaints.

PHUKET: -- More than 50 representatives from taxi organizations across Phuket have agreed to a schedule of standard fares to be charged island-wide.

The benchmark agreement, which is expected to resolve many of the issues – and violent conflicts – related to fares charged, was forged at a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall on Wednesday.

The schedule of standard fares will be posted on notice boards at main taxi ranks in six major tourist areas across the island, including at Central Festival Phuket on the bypass road, on Thaweewong Road (the beach road) and Rath-U-Thit 200 Pi Road in Patong, and along the beach road in Kata-Karon.

“Each main tourist area, including Kata-Karon, Patong, Kamala, Rawai, Phuket Town and Phuket Airport, will have these fares posted at main taxi ranks so people can see the fares before getting into the taxi,” explained Jaturong Kaewkasi of the Phuket Land Transportation Office (PLTO).

“The fares must be listed in English and Thai, but operators can add other languages, such as Russian and Chinese at their discretion.

“Taxi rank operators will need about a week to have the notice boards made, so we expect the boards to up in about two weeks. The fares agreed to were reportedly already in use by most taxi operators on the island, so it was relatively easy for them to agree to make them standard,” he added.

Although all the key parties involved had agreed to the list of fares, the Provincial Office had yet to ratify the list and will make it official by proclaiming it at a later date, Mr Jaturong said.

As part of the agreed conditions for drivers to legally operate taxis, the vehicles must have a sticker on the outside showing the complaints hotline number 1584. Inside the vehicle the details of the driver, including name and license plate number of the vehicle must be displayed.

“The list of fares must be shown inside the vehicle and each taxi vehicle must be branded with a unique letter-number combination to identify that exact vehicle,” Mr Jaturong said.

“Having passengers being able to identify the vehicle by remembering a simple code shown plainly on the outside of the car or van [such as ‘M1-001’] is expected to help reduce crime. It will help passengers identify which vehicles they were in if they are, for example overcharged, and it will therefore help police identify which drivers are wanted for questioning.

“We hope that the end result is that the ‘bad’ drivers will sooner or later withdraw their license, leaving only the ‘good’ drivers to serve tourists and other passengers,” he added.

Representatives from taxi ranks also suggested that each taxi organization have its own uniform, with the names of the driver on the shirt. “This has yet to be agreed on, but at this stage it sounds like a good idea,” Mr Jaturong said.

At the meeting it was confirmed that there were 651 legally registered taxis in Phuket, but the PLTO had received 3,594 applications for private vehicles to be registered as taxis.

“Of these, 1,277 applications are from people who already work for a taxi rank. These applications are the only ones we will approve for now,” Mr Jaturong said.

The PLTO was expecting at least 700 more applications before registration closes this Saturday, September 15.

“This is to allow any drivers already working for a legitimate taxi rank to file their application” Mr Jaturong said.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ares-17916.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-09-14

Click the Phuket Gazette link below to see the lists of standard taxi fares:

http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2012/Phuket-taxis-agree-to-standard-fares-17916.html

[angsta]

1,000 baht.

[rheinwiese]

From Patong to the airport 800 Bt, from the airport to Patong 650 Bt?? Am I missing something?

[stevenl]

These fares are even higher than the previous set fares. Ridiculous.

[yougivemebaby]

That's lame. The main issue is with tuk tuk drivers. I remember being at the airport and when you outside the phuket airport and walk to the right was the legitimate taxi's. The standard flat rate to patong beach was 350 baht. give or take. Now they're making everyone join their union and completely rape everyone on fares. No wonder everyone is signing up for this new union. Thai people call them mafia. Nothing has changed but forcing the moral/more cost effective taxis to join their union. The cost of the fare from the Airport to Patong has gone up by 50 baht from last year. Obviously this extra $ is going to the "union rep" lol Another reason to stay out of phuket. #middle finger

[Jimi007]

Interesting that they want 1,000 Baht from Rawai to the airport. I just called the meter taxi and got the same ride yesterday for 500 Baht. I don't know how much business they'll get at those prices, but they won't be getting any of mine. I thought the idea behind this push to register taxis was to stop the rip off, instead they legitimize it. Put meters in the taxis and tuk tuk and quite playing these games!

[BabyJebus]

Should have a private password protected hidden website for farangs with retired people willing to give airport taxi rides for cheap price.. let's say gas both way is 200baht then they offer it for 400-500b and all profit goes to the driver.

Better than hanging around tesco

[Guest]

Let there be rain in the night...

[LivinginKata]

Clarification - click on the Phuket Gazette link to access the taxi fare tables ....

http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2012/Phuket-taxis-agree-to-standard-fares-17916.html

[starkey_rich]

Got to be the highest priced taxi's in the world.

Thank god I do not have to have anything to do with these scum.

I just pity the poor tourist's having to put up with this total and utter crap.

Now highway robbery has been legitamized in Phuket.

[MaiChai]

Other countries in the world license taxis and then the taxis have to abide by the rules. If a taxi driver doesn't then he looses his license. Why can't Thailand implement and police laws? Because society is so corrupt? The taxi mafia make up the rules and then agree them with the local government? Only in Thailand!

[PaulHamon]

60km (by road) from the top to bottom of Pattaya, so all trip would be under this distance one would assume.

That distance in Bangkok would be a max of 500B or so using their rate charges including some taffic waiting costs.

[KarenBravo]

C'mon! Is anyone here really surprised?

We all knew that this was the only "face-saving" solution.

[I Like Thai]

Should have a private password protected hidden website for farangs with retired people willing to give airport taxi rides for cheap price.. let's say gas both way is 200baht then they offer it for 400-500b and all profit goes to the driver.

Better than hanging around tesco

Probably end up hanging from a coconut tree if a retired farang attempted to do that

[spidermark]

How does this resolve anything? Of course the taxi insects agreed, when they are offered London taxi rates. Thailand is running the risk of simply pricing herself out of the market. There is a limit to how much tourists are willing to pay. There is a limit to how much of a premium tourists are willing to pay, over the rate for a local Thai. And there is a limit to how much abuse a tourist is willing to take, from the authorities who are completely devoid of wisdom, intelligence, vision, maturity, and compassion for foreigners. The time may come when Phuket is a ghost town of an island. And then the Thais can say "we sure did a great job of sabotaging a once great enterprise".

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect App

[stevenl]

C'mon! Is anyone here really surprised?

We all knew that this was the only "face-saving" solution.

I'm not surprised they have legitimized the present situation, but I am surprised the fares have gone up substantially.

[lizardofoz]

Big Yellow sign makes it easier to spot the crooks. Airport meter cabs cost 400- 500B max to Chalong from the airport. No one is mention the meter cabs great deals. They are a bit high for short trips but still under the so called Legal Cabs. No mention of the bain of Phuket the Tuk Tuks who will continue to make the fare up on the spot depending of time of day/night and how stupid/desperate the customer looks.

One small step for Phuket and a even smaller one for Tourists!

[sydneyjed]

You can get a metered taxi from the airport into Phuket(we paid 500 baht)but no way would the driver come and pick us up to go back..not a chance in hell as it litterally is more than his life or livelehood is worth..This is just a token public relations exercise dreamt up by the powers to be(we all know who)and as with all the other publicity stunts wheeled out from time to time will just as quickly disappear back up its own anus where it rightfully belongs!Jed.

[ThaiSold]

With all the talk about Taxi's and Tuk Tuk robbery in Phuket I don't see why some Farang hasn't seen it as a business opportunity most countries have shuttle busses the fraction of the cost of a Taxi to and from the airport, instead of bitching about it why doesn't wait there is one http://www.airportbusphuket.com/ only 85 baht! So stop the bitching. You don't want to wait for the bus then pay the 650 baht for a taxi it's an hour long ride honestly I don't see how it's a rip off?

[KarenBravo]

With all the talk about Taxi's and Tuk Tuk robbery in Phuket I don't see why some Farang hasn't seen it as a business opportunity most countries have shuttle busses the fraction of the cost of a Taxi to and from the airport, instead of bitching about it why doesn't wait there is one http://www.airportbusphuket.com/ only 85 baht! So stop the bitching. You don't want to wait for the bus then pay the 650 baht for a taxi it's an hour long ride honestly I don't see how it's a rip off?

Firstly, it isn't about going to the airport, it's about going from point to chosen point. Secondly, that bus you are talking about goes from Phuket Town. How do you get there to take the bus in the first place?

When Phuket is the only place in the whole of Thailand that does not have an affordable public transport system, something is wrong. And when I say public transport, I mean something that is affordable to Thais.

Do you even live in Phuket?

[noob7]

These fares are even higher than the previous set fares. Ridiculous.

logical, isn't it?

Now more 'taxis' legal, so lots of space for more illegals, too!

From Patong to the airport 800 Bt, from the airport to Patong 650 Bt?? Am I missing something?

Yep, in the 'from the Air Port' fee is the 'Air port-fee' include. That's, why the way to the Airport is more expensive.

[gp2002]

Why does it cost 600 baht from the airport to Kamala but it costs 700 baht from Kamala to the airport???? Legalized stealing.....only in Thailand!!

[mortenaa]

Got to be the highest priced taxi's in the world.

Thank god I do not have to have anything to do with these scum.

I just pity the poor tourist's having to put up with this total and utter crap.

Now highway robbery has been legitamized in Phuket.

LOL, what countries have you been in? A 25km ride in Norway would cost you probably 8,000 baht. There was a story about a family of 6 people, taking a metered taxi to downtown Oslo in the worst possible time (red-letter-day and nighttime), which set them back about 30,000 Baht.. Talk about expensive..

[pacovl46]

How about standard fairs LIKE IN THE REST OF THAILAND, which is by meter?!?!

And what makes Phuket so different that it justifies those horrendous fairs in the first place?

[noob7]

With all the talk about Taxi's and Tuk Tuk robbery in Phuket I don't see why some Farang hasn't seen it as a business opportunity most countries have shuttle busses the fraction of the cost of a Taxi to and from the airport, instead of bitching about it why doesn't wait there is one http://www.airportbusphuket.com/ only 85 baht! So stop the bitching. You don't want to wait for the bus then pay the 650 baht for a taxi it's an hour long ride honestly I don't see how it's a rip off?

As long the airport bus is only connecting the airport and Phuket town, and the last one left long time, before most night flights arrive: It's only a choise for people living in Phuket town, or having a pickup organized.

It's not a option, to leave the airport rip offs behind, but get a Phuket Town (red/yellow) can rip off. Cost more, from Town to Patong, with a can. Better go with minibus or 'Limo' (green plate), or Meter taxi, from the airport. But check the meter, some running already looong time, so 200 baht on the clock, before youre leaving the airport! Or not switched on, at all! But still cheaper.

[KarenBravo]

And what makes Phuket so different that it justifies those horrendous fairs in the first place?

Ooooooooo.........I know the answer to that one.

Apparently, it's because Phuket has these things called "hills" and the tuk-tuk drivers claim that they use more gas than everywhere else in Thailand (seriously).

[ThaiSold]

With all the talk about Taxi's and Tuk Tuk robbery in Phuket I don't see why some Farang hasn't seen it as a business opportunity most countries have shuttle busses the fraction of the cost of a Taxi to and from the airport, instead of bitching about it why doesn't wait there is one http://www.airportbusphuket.com/ only 85 baht! So stop the bitching. You don't want to wait for the bus then pay the 650 baht for a taxi it's an hour long ride honestly I don't see how it's a rip off?

Firstly, it isn't about going to the airport, it's about going from point to chosen point. Secondly, that bus you are talking about goes from Phuket Town. How do you get there to take the bus in the first place?

When Phuket is the only place in the whole of Thailand that does not have an affordable public transport system, something is wrong. And when I say public transport, I mean something that is affordable to Thais.

Do you even live in Phuket?

That's my whole point! Shuttle bus to Patong seems like a gap in the market opportunity and my other point was it's not exactly a rip off either the cost of a cab fair as it is if it's less than 1000 baht from airport-patong it's still not exactly a rip off! You'd get 5km out of sydney airport for the same amount! As for the Thais they're tourists like anyone else.

[noob7]

LOL, what countries have you been in? A 25km ride in Norway would cost you probably 8,000 baht. There was a story about a family of 6 people, taking a metered taxi to downtown Oslo in the worst possible time (red-letter-day and nighttime), which set them back about 30,000 Baht.. Talk about expensive..

And the minimum wages, in Norway, is 57 NOK (~300Baht), a day? That would really make it expensive.

Come on, a 'Taxi' from Patong to the Airport cost 2.66 days of work, for a normal Thai

A 'Can', from Patong to Kata cost 1.66 days working, for a normal Thai

That IS expensive, for this country. Also, the capitol has cheaper taxi fares, as this province!

[cekipa]

Here we are, I expected this to happen again

First, crack-down on illegal taxis but .... hey, we give you the opportunity to become legal by joining a racket of scam drivers calling themselves "taxi" . From Rawai or Karon to the airport is 750 baht (50 Km) but from the airport to Rawai/Karon becomes 1,000. Here is a top example of local authorities literally at the mercy of a mafia racket. Thanks god, I have nothing to do with these people but I do hope illegal taxis to spread out quickly, at least with them you could bargain a better price.

[mortenaa]

LOL, what countries have you been in? A 25km ride in Norway would cost you probably 8,000 baht. There was a story about a family of 6 people, taking a metered taxi to downtown Oslo in the worst possible time (red-letter-day and nighttime), which set them back about 30,000 Baht.. Talk about expensive..

And the minimum wages, in Norway, is 57 NOK (~300Baht), a day? That would really make it expensive.

Come on, a 'Taxi' from Patong to the Airport cost 2.66 days of work, for a normal Thai

A 'Can', from Patong to Kata cost 1.66 days working, for a normal Thai

That IS expensive, for this country. Also, the capitol has cheaper taxi fares, as this province!

Phuket is a tourist place. Tourists use the taxis, hence the price is market price. You can't compare it to BKK