Taxi Fares To Be Raised As Living Cost Rises

[whybother]

Although the flat rate hasn't gone up for a while, there have been taxi rate increases regarding link between the 'wait time' and 'distance travelled' and the two Baht ticks.

July 2008 http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/198011-new-taxi-fares-take-effect-today/

March 2012, effective June? http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/540130-thai-taxi-meter-rates-set-to-increase-in-mid-april/

.

I don't think the taxi fares ended up being put up in 2012.

[BrianCR]

"causing difficulties for all cab drivers to make both ends meet." Pity really because, as far as I'm concerned, all taxi drivers the world over, can kiss their a33's

What a stupid and irrelevant post. How do you think people would get by without them??

Use their own cars, travel by public transport, buy a motorcycle, walk? Seems to me that you are the stupid and irrelevant poster! Edited May 21, 2013 by BrianCR

[BrianCR]

Unemployment is almost nil so if you do not like the job you are doing, go do something else instead that gives you a decent salary, we all need less taxis on the road and more decent other forms of public transportation, like air con buses, most skytrains and underground.

We all know where the heart of Yinyuck support comes from and road transportation, so anything relating to roads network and away from the rail network will keep her support.

As I said if you are not making ends meet then go do another job like construction since this is in dire need of more workers or is it you just want to sit on your a*se and rip off the tourists and smear the good name of Thailand like Phuket is doing now!!!!

The reason unemployment is almost nil is because there are 100 million jobs out there paying squat. If the minimum wage were raised to an actual living wage you would see unemployment far in excess of that in the U.S., U.K and Australia. If Thailand had welfare schemes similar to those countries you would see an even greater rise in unemployment. The unemployment rate in Thailand is most definitely manufactured by government policy.

Where are you living? Check the social security system here. It's better then most countries!!

[thairookie]

Taxi fares to be raised as living cost rises....living cost rises as taxi fare rises....

[BrianCR]

"causing difficulties for all cab drivers to make both ends meet." Pity really because, as far as I'm concerned, all taxi drivers the world over, can kiss their a33's

What a stupid and irrelevant post. How do you think people would get by without them??

Not so irrelevant...i really cant remember the last time i used either a taxi or motocyc taxi in any country.

So sorry to have to break the news to you but this thread is not about you.

Well really I am not sorry.

What are you talking about? Can you make both ends meet?

[Chicog]

You can bet your behind that the Phuket taxi mafia will take this as an excuse to gouge even more.

[mikebell]

Here's an idea, now remember it's just an idea...why don't they try picking up customers and working instead trying to cherry pick everyone? Then they can make their $15 a day...

+1

Stopped using taxis - too much hassle getting a driver to condescend to let me in his cab.

[MacWalen]

I would be ok with starting meter from 40 Baht. 35 is really low by any standard.

[rakman]

The magic wheel of inflation..

Raise wages and not productivity, raise the taxi fares because the cost of goods went up.

[lennois]

Here's an idea, now remember it's just an idea...why don't they try picking up customers and working instead trying to cherry pick everyone? Then they can make their $15 a day...

It bugs me too sometimes, but do you really think they don't know how best they can make the most money per shift? They are cherry picking because that's what works best for them ... not best for you and me ... but for them. And if I were in their shoes I'd probably be doing the same thing.

Short term - perhaps, long term - perhaps not. Like most any Thai business they have no concept of good service = repeat business. I've gone from taking multiple taxis a day to going out of my way to not take any, and this extends to all that visit me.

Taxis in lower sukhumvit have become absolutely fookin ridiculous

[louse1953]

The flag rate has barely gone up for 20 years.

I think this is fair enough.

The rate went up within the past 5 years.

I agree there should be a minimal increase in the fares though. Maybe 1b per 'tick' on the meter or a flat 5b on the start price, anything higher than this and you start to victimize those on low income.

Since when do low income Thai's catch taxi,or are you talking about Farang.

[MunterHunter]

Had a great one this morning - flagged down a taxi close to my house to get to the BTS station.

First cab wound down the window asked me where i wanted to go - BTS - he refused and drove off.

Second cab (directly behind the first one) took me, we followed the first cab all the way to the BTS station.

Why did the first guy refuse to take me, then go to the BTS anyway??? He lost out on a 40b fare to go where he was headed...

The sooner these guys are regulated and stop being lazy azz bar-stewards, the sooner we can address the minimum fares. Today i lost sympathy for the Taxi driver who 'cant make ends meet' - stop refusing fares and you might find you earn a little more moo-lah.

[lomatopo]

the per-kilo rate

What the heck? We have to get weighed now?

Another example of farang-unfriendly, dual-tiered pricing.

But the slight 18 year old Thai girl may balance the girth-challenged sexpat?

[belg]

oh no, hope the taxi maffia in phuket does not misread the article and increase their pirate rates with 25 - 100%

[gemini81]

Unemployment is almost nil so if you do not like the job you are doing, go do something else instead that gives you a decent salary, we all need less taxis on the road and more decent other forms of public transportation, like air con buses, most skytrains and underground.

We all know where the heart of Yinyuck support comes from and road transportation, so anything relating to roads network and away from the rail network will keep her support.

As I said if you are not making ends meet then go do another job like construction since this is in dire need of more workers or is it you just want to sit on your a*se and rip off the tourists and smear the good name of Thailand like Phuket is doing now!!!!

Well I tell all my Ozzie friends AVOID PHUKET. Cleaner and better beaches in Queensland on the reef and NOW... THE SAME PRICE. Phuket is as expensive as going to Paris now. Watch this space next year.. Tourism will be cheap charlie chinese. big numbers.. Low money spend.

And taxis are a part of the rip off

Boycotting leading to a lack of customers is the best way to do it, agree.

[rametindallas]

Not really sure what is going on, but the inflation rate under Yingluck has been staggering. As inflation always hurts poor people more than rich people, I am hoping that the bitter pill of inflation will not be forgotten by the poor people at the next election....

Not that I am a big fan of the PM, but let's get the facts straight. Inflation (consumer prices) in Thailand 2012 was 3.8%, amongst the lowest in SE-Asia. And better than the UK @ 4.5%!

They don't include fuel and a few other things in their calculations. Just as many other statistics are jiggered by governments, they are more so in Thailand

[FarangTalk]

I am another that now does not use taxis regularly unless there's no alternative.

Buses, used in combination with the BTS and MRT are much less hassle.

Sent from my GT-I9100T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[webfact]

UPDATE
Cab drivers lodge petition to raise fare

BANGKOK, 23 May 2013 (NNT) – Taxi drivers are looking to lodge a petition to raise the price of their service, both for the long distance rate and traffic jam rate.

Withun Naewphanit, president of Bangkok Taxi Cooperatives Network, revealed he has submitted a petition to the Ministry of Transport asking for taxi's initial fare to start at 40 baht instead of 35 baht, for the long-distance rate to be increased by 20%, and for the jammed-traffic rate to increase from 1.50 baht per minute to 2 baht per minute.

Mr. Withun explained that costs which cab drivers have to shoulder have increased because of the heightened taxi rental rate and natural gas cost. He added the taxi meter rates have not been increased for a long time.

Mr. Withun expects the Land Transport Department to call a meeting with representatives of cab drivers in a week or two, and that conclusion on the matter should be reached within June.


-- NNT 2013-05-23

[Salapoo]

Taxis starting at around 12% of the daily minumum wage is quite expensive surely.

[hellodolly]

Taxis starting at around 12% of the daily minumum wage is quite expensive surely.

Does the daily minimum wage have an overhead price included in it?

In order to get the daily minimum wage do you have to lay out a minimum of 550 baht a day?

[JetsetBkk]

UPDATE

Cab drivers lodge petition to raise fare

<snip>

Please raise them to the same level as in Phuket.

I would love to see the reaction in Bangkok if that ever happened.

[BuddyPinkham]

Maybe if the stopped driving around looking for a confused tourist to rip off or start taking fares when people hail them, maybe they would make more money and not waste fuel.

[farang000999]

Here's an idea, now remember it's just an idea...why don't they try picking up customers and working instead trying to cherry pick everyone? Then they can make their $15 a day...

What an ugly comment!

[DocN]

Here's an idea, now remember it's just an idea...why don't they try picking up customers and working instead trying to cherry pick everyone? Then they can make their $15 a day...

What an ugly comment!

No it is not!

[tomyummer]

Taxis in Bangkok have always been the best deal in town, when they picked you up. In all fairness it's about time they raise their fares then maybe they'll stop cherry picking their customers according to whether it's worth their time.

[RisqEM]

Here's an idea, now remember it's just an idea...why don't they try picking up customers and working instead trying to cherry pick everyone? Then they can make their $15 a day...

What an ugly comment!

Ugly comment for an ugly reality

[mufcsamui]

The flag rate has barely gone up for 20 years.

I think this is fair enough.

In Samui minimum fare at least 300bt no meter is ever used

[kennedy]

The flag rate has barely gone up for 20 years.

I think this is fair enough.

In Samui minimum fare at least 300bt no meter is ever used

They have taxis on Samui? Dam, I'm getting old.

Edited May 28, 2013 by kennedy

[BuddyPinkham]

Fine if they raise fares but they should be MANDATED to accept fares and not be able to REFUSE! This is just bewildering to me that taxi drivers can actually refuse a fare and just leave you standing on the side of the road. (just leave the back door open and walk away when they refuse)

[Morakot]

The Transport Ministry is considering raising taxi fares

Why this needs to be decided at national level remains a mystery? I am sure city authorities are perfectly capable of dealing with such local issues.

Edited May 28, 2013 by Morakot