Global Survey Ranks Bangkok Taxis Fifth Best In The World

[hubahuba]

Love the report by Ozmick. "Driver speaks English"

After driving taxi's in Cairns Australia for almost 20 years, sadly our "cousins" from the sub continent have taken over the industry in most cities

and it is now very rare to get a true blue aussie driver. Cairns is a premier tourist town in North Queensland. International visitors are met at the

airport by drivers wearing turbans and large black beard's speaking a form of Punjab'e English that is hard to decipher even by the Aussie's.

It is now not uncommon for people "fares" to walk down a taxi rank just to find an Aussie driver and think themselves lucky to find one

[keemapoot]

Where is Singapore?????????? i have never had a problem with a Taxi there, but i have in BKK and London!!

Taxis are different class in Singapore.

Sure, during the day, top flight, great English, perfect....But, ever try getting one at night you haven't reserved in advance? That is why Singapore is nowhere near the top of the list.

[keemapoot]

My list would be London, Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok.

Bangkok taxi's are for me at least one of the best within Southeast Asia. Only had a problem once in 24 years and that was just recently

That's a pretty good list I'd agree with, except see my caveat on Singapore above. I would disqualify based on that. Who would go in the top five in lieu? Maybe Tokyo, and surprisingly, maybe Moscow (based on the fact that you can flag down any car to be a taxi if you can speak Russian and agree on the price). I can't think of any other major world city that clearly makes the top 5.

[RogueLeader]

It is now not uncommon for people "fares" to walk down a taxi rank just to find an Aussie driver and think themselves lucky to find one

In Australia, people walk down a taxi rank to find a white driver? Yet another good reason not to go there.

[Xangsamhua]

Love the report by Ozmick. "Driver speaks English"

After driving taxi's in Cairns Australia for almost 20 years, sadly our "cousins" from the sub continent have taken over the industry in most cities

and it is now very rare to get a true blue aussie driver. Cairns is a premier tourist town in North Queensland. International visitors are met at the

airport by drivers wearing turbans and large black beard's speaking a form of Punjab'e English that is hard to decipher even by the Aussie's.

It is now not uncommon for people "fares" to walk down a taxi rank just to find an Aussie driver and think themselves lucky to find one

What's the problem with Sikh taxi drivers? Sikhs are fine, upstanding people, and many work in the taxi industry in India, too. It's a traditional occupation for many Sikhs.

I did a couple of years part-time cab driving in Melbourne in my early-mortgage years and would be much happier to get in with a Sikh driver than some of the other guys I knew on the ranks. (Having said that, most of the dinkum Aussie cab drivers were quite OK, too.)

[zappalot]

I have to say, I was always satisfied with their services in general.

Just one thing, why don't they do a call service ?

they have an excellent call service. It is just 20 Baht extra and 30 minutes before the time you order the taxi the center will call you to confirm your order again. So far they always have been on time, average 15 minutes early.

For this service call 1681.

Sorry, i didn`t see that someone already answered this question...

Edited October 22, 2012 by zappalot

[jackr]

Seems about right. As to tuk-tuks, they'd be down in the three-figure range.

[uptheos]

I don't live in Bangkok, but over the last twenty odd years of being here I can't say I've had a real problem with Bangkok taxis. Some have refused to take me, some wanted it 'off the meter' which I made a decision on depending how badly I needed the cab and others have been fine. Sure I've gone the long way around a few times, but all in all I'm OK with them.

As for London cabs, if they are talking Black Cabs, then everything else is a distance behind.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

It is now not uncommon for people "fares" to walk down a taxi rank just to find an Aussie driver and think themselves lucky to find one

In Australia, people walk down a taxi rank to find a white driver? Yet another good reason not to go there.

Same in the Scandinavian countries.

(most of the drivers use GPS to find their destinations, no local knowledge at all.)

[Jaivin2011]

_{All I can say that most probably the farang owners of Hotel.com must be banging some sister of an Isaan Cab driver in thailand! From now on, i strictly recommend all my friends and families to stay from hotel.com as they ack any credibility. As far as I am concerned.....taxis in thailand are the scum along with tuk tuk drivers and thai policemen and also thai government staff. I always wish them the worst.}

[uptheos]

_{All I can say that most probably the farang owners of Hotel.com must be banging some sister of an Isaan Cab driver in thailand! From now on, i strictly recommend all my friends and families to stay from hotel.com as they ack any credibility. As far as I am concerned.....taxis in thailand are the scum along with tuk tuk drivers and thai policemen and also thai government staff. I always wish them the worst.}

Wow....been done over a few times eh?

They can always spot an easy mark.

[canuckamuck]

I have only had positive experiences when taking taxis in BKK. I am talking real cars, not the tuk tuks, I have also found the motorcycle taxis to be expedient and you get an added thrill factor with them. Not for the fainthearted though.

One thing I would never do (unless no other choice) is hire a taxi back in Canada. Sure they are nice enough and you get where you need to go, but by the rate they charge you would think you booked tickets on the concorde

[DocN]

It is now not uncommon for people "fares" to walk down a taxi rank just to find an Aussie driver and think themselves lucky to find one

In Australia, people walk down a taxi rank to find a white driver? Yet another good reason not to go there.

Same in the Scandinavian countries.

(most of the drivers use GPS to find their destinations, no local knowledge at all.)

Seriously, guys?

You are complaining, that a driver who doesn't know where to go, uses all available technical- aides to get you to your destination?

Sure, that is a lot worse than a) not understanding a word you said and where you want to go, b ) just drive off, with no sense of direction, c) circeling your destination for 30 minutes and d) in order not to loose face, NOT even to ask anyone (not even if you have a radio -that does not work in 80% of all cases- in your car!) ???

That is complaining on a very high level!

"Yeah...that idiot didn't know where to go...so he took his GPS and got me there, quick...! What a jerk!"

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

It is now not uncommon for people "fares" to walk down a taxi rank just to find an Aussie driver and think themselves lucky to find one

In Australia, people walk down a taxi rank to find a white driver? Yet another good reason not to go there.

Same in the Scandinavian countries.

(most of the drivers use GPS to find their destinations, no local knowledge at all.)

Seriously, guys?

You are complaining, that a driver who doesn't know where to go, uses all available technical- aides to get you to your destination?

Sure, that is a lot worse than a) not understanding a word you said and where you want to go, b ) just drive off, with no sense of direction, c) circeling your destination for 30 minutes and d) in order not to loose face, NOT even to ask anyone (not even if you have a radio -that does not work in 80% of all cases- in your car!) ???

That is complaining on a very high level!

"Yeah...that idiot didn't know where to go...so he took his GPS and got me there, quick...! What a jerk!"

The driver I got last time in a major town in Scandinavia did not even know the main road in town and he had to type it in on the GPS to find it, I tried to communicate with him in many languages without any success (unfortunately I don't speak Somali) Strange feeling to come home to your own country and not be able to find a country man as driver!

[Xangsamhua]

"The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there."

(L. P.Hartley, The Go-Between)

[Pentalobe]

So much for hotel.com

Of course taxies in Bangkok are not the 5th best in the world.

They are inexpensive YES!

First of all when you try to hire one, the driver will very often say "May Bai" - he is not going there.

The reason can be that he expects too heavy traffic where you want go, but most likely he don't know your destination.

Where I live near Pathumvan I often have to stop 5 to 10 cabs to be successful.

A great number of the drivers have only a very rudimentary knowledge of the layout of Bangkok; most are nice people from Isan especially from Royet, but often they depend on you knowing your way.

The taxis come with seat belts at the front seats as well as the rear seats, but most often the drivers cut them out or hide the buckles under the seat.

The way many drivers drive, I like to sit in a belt even at the rear-seat, but it is almost impossible to find a cab, where they haven't been disabled.

Edited October 22, 2012 by Pentalobe

[somdej]

Prices and availability are great, but why so few seat belts?

Also, I getting tired of biting my tongue every time brother driver floors it over speed bumps.

Taxis in Bangkok rate amongst the worst in the world. Any taxi that has safety belts, but does not allow passengers to use them shouldnt even be considered as a candidate for the top 10.

Furthermore I recall maybe ten years ago, when rear saftey belts were mandatory in many countries all over the world, Toyota, Nissan etc were still offering cars for sale in Thailand where such proven safety was an optional extra, it spoke volumes about these Japanese companies that clearly were interested in profits over clients lives, very much the same as Thai taxi drivers.

Edited October 22, 2012 by somdej

[lubbkis]

I agree with Bangkok being at least 5th but their list is crap. I agree with London at #1, but no way in hell is New York #2, & I'd rate Hong Kong higher than Shanghai or Tokyo.

Hong Kong during colonial times perhaps. Last time I tried to take a taxi from the Airport Express the driver spoke hardly any English or Cantonese and had to call his controller in Mandarin. He seemed to be on drugs and had great difficulty finding even major thoroughfares.

Bangkok taxis have many fewer bad apples than in the 1980s and many of the old bangers have been replaced. Possibly no 1 for value worldwide. London Taxis are not freindly to other traffic and I would never let one into a stream of traffic. Their mates do that all the time. Cockney karma translates as "What goes around, comes around".

Edited October 22, 2012 by lubbkis

[nurofiend]

Saw a sign on a taxi a while back - "Driver Speaks English"

I thought to myself what a great idea. They should do that in Oz, UK, USA, Canada,.........................

I could be wrong but I think someone did that in the UK. It caused a few arguments and I think it was dropped although it probably made the point it was trying to get across.

probably a member of the bnp, i'm sure ozmick would approve of them.... they seem to be in the same line of thinking as him.

I'm told one of the easiest ways to detect the mentally ill is to tell them a joke as their thought processes cannot handle the required connections. If you don't appreciate my attempts at humour, twice in 2 days, try to understand that the problem may be at your end, and stop trying to guess how my thoughts are aligned.

BTW the single eye is very appropriate. How's your depth perception?

wow, making fun of someone based on their avatar, yes i guess i don't appreciate your attempts at humour... i mean as in them just not being funny.

i've got 20/20 last time i checked, being the young man that i am, but thanks for the concern.

oh... that's a way of detecting the mentally ill is it?

i'm told that one of the easiest ways to detect a racist bigot is by constantly hearing them go on negatively about other races and religions, whether in jest or not.

Edited October 22, 2012 by nurofiend

[h5kaf]

Quality of driving? Safety?? Clean??? Are you frigging serious?

This was an ABAC poll, right?

Just what I was thinking. I have seldom had a clean taxi in Bangkok and I seem to be unfortunate in always getting a relation of Michael Schumaker.

[nurofiend]

Quality of driving? Safety?? Clean??? Are you frigging serious?

This was an ABAC poll, right?

Just what I was thinking. I have seldom had a clean taxi in Bangkok and I seem to be unfortunate in always getting a relation of Michael Schumaker.

i don't think i've ever been in one that wasn't clean.

[DogNo1]

Well, I've never been in a taxi in Bangkok that was clean or wasn't clean, had seat belts or didn't have seat belts and knew where to go or didn't know where to go.

[comserve]

I bet they did not try to get a taxi outside Central Plaza about 11pm & asked them to use their meter.

We did once and it took about 10 tries before anyone would take us!!!

[robkey69]

Well, I would have said that 10 years ago...But now if you want a taxi they are picky on where they will take you and a lot think they can turn the meter off and stick it to the dumb "farlangs"...Just last month it took me 3 open the doors and ask "metered taxi" to get me 2 miles to Pantip Plaza. WIth over 20 years of experience with Thailand and having a Thai wife I can speak the language pretty good....So I basically told them to go <deleted> themselves for outrageous fares.

But really....it doesn't matter.....Thailand is a pretty fun place to visit....but I gotta tell you honesty to "farlangs" at any level doesn't exist. How can you tell if a Thai is lying? Their lips are moving....

For what its worth!

[OzMick]

Quality of driving? Safety?? Clean??? Are you frigging serious?

This was an ABAC poll, right?

Just what I was thinking. I have seldom had a clean taxi in Bangkok and I seem to be unfortunate in always getting a relation of Michael Schumaker.

i don't think i've ever been in one that wasn't clean.

Relative to the passenger?

[nurofiend]

Quality of driving? Safety?? Clean??? Are you frigging serious?

This was an ABAC poll, right?

Just what I was thinking. I have seldom had a clean taxi in Bangkok and I seem to be unfortunate in always getting a relation of Michael Schumaker.

i don't think i've ever been in one that wasn't clean.

Relative to the passenger?

in that case i'm sure you feel right at home in them eh?

[eddiench]

Re: Bangkok Taxis.

Never taken a taxi in Bangkok that wasn't inexpensive. Never taken a taxi where the driver didn't know where to go. Never taken a taxi who didn't allow me to tell them what route I wanted or how fast or slow I wanted them to drive. Never had a taxi driver not respect my wishes for music on/off or the type of station I wanted. Never entered taxi without a seat belt for the front passenger. Never felt intimidated or seen anything that would make me feel like I am dealing with the mafia as some people refer to them

I have had taxis not want to take me to where I wanted to go but there has always been another one right around the corner that did. I have no problem with a taxi driver not being forced to go where they don't want. Although 99% of the time the taxis are clean I have run across some that smell but this is a rarity because it is rare I ever feel the need or desire to get into an older taxis with both the plethora of taxis and newer taxis. Also have had taxi drivers at certain spots during certain time of the day who don't want to use the meter (though rare), again there is another taxi right around the corner if they still don't want to use the meeter after being told you want it.

Absolutely the best, cheapest and easiest place to get a taxi (they are all over and pick-up and drop over anywhere) and by experienced drivers who know Bangkok including the outskirts. Just must my person experience and imagine I have taken over 3,000 taxi rides in and around and to and from Bangkok. The biggest negative is they won't always take you somewhere they don't want to go but I have no problem with this and being there is so many and I prefer dealing with people who are happy for the business and not feeling forced to do something.

Best post ever! Totally agree. Btw...if value was part of the ratings, in NO WAY London would rank 1st!

[MobileContent]

Where is Singapore?????????? i have never had a problem with a Taxi there, but i have in BKK and London!!

Taxis are different class in Singapore.

Sure, during the day, top flight, great English, perfect....But, ever try getting one at night you haven't reserved in advance? That is why Singapore is nowhere near the top of the list.

Yes, correct at night getting a taxi in Singapore is almost impossible.

[FarangTalk]

Where is Singapore?????????? i have never had a problem with a Taxi there, but i have in BKK and London!!

Taxis are different class in Singapore.

Sure, during the day, top flight, great English, perfect....But, ever try getting one at night you haven't reserved in advance? That is why Singapore is nowhere near the top of the list.

Yes, correct at night getting a taxi in Singapore is almost impossible.

Nonsense. A quick phone call, sms or use a smartphone app brings a taxi within minutes.

[keemapoot]

Taxis are different class in Singapore.

Sure, during the day, top flight, great English, perfect....But, ever try getting one at night you haven't reserved in advance? That is why Singapore is nowhere near the top of the list.

Yes, correct at night getting a taxi in Singapore is almost impossible.

Nonsense. A quick phone call, sms or use a smartphone app brings a taxi within minutes.

Ok, I'm sure most first-time-to-Singapore businessmen rushing to an important dinner after drinks will appreciate that. Sure, those of us who know Singapore well, know to do this, but again, that is why Singapore is nowhere near the top 5.

Edited October 23, 2012 by keemapoot