I always tip the driver anyway. I'm not really bothered by the taxi smelling bad, you expect that in hot countries especially where everyone eats garlic. I do have concerns about the safety of taxis, especially the no-seatbelts problem and the way some taxis just stop running suddenly. I would sooner pay higher fares and have well-maintained vehicle engines, and with seatbelts in them. But the prices are okay, at least where I live they always run a fair meter and so I always tip them because relative to my income the fares are dirt cheap, and I'm an honoured guest in this great nation so I am thankful for that and always tip for services not just taxis.

Where can I apply for "honoured guest" status in this "great nation"? I must have missed the booth at the airport and immigration. How much does it cost? 1,900 baht or some such?

Of course you know it. It is called Thailand Elite Card. A real bargain at 2 Mio THB because not only "are [you] now recognized as a friend of the country, you are also treated as such." And with an annual fee of THB 20.000 it costs you a measly THB 600 per day to be labelled "Elite".

The current 35 baht is ridiculously low and should of course be increased to 50 baht.

Most of my trips in Bnagkok come in under 50-60 baht and I can't see how these guys can make a decent living driving around for a €1-1.50 euro fare.

I always drop a minimum of B20 anyway but in nearly every single case there is no acknowledgement. Once at Swampy I gave the driver a B500 note for a B230 fare. Of course...he had no change and started to walk off!! What a hoot!

A "decent living" (by your Western, relatively affluent, 500-baht-note-dropping standards) for a laborer (and even above) in Thailand!? Now, that's a hoot!

It is said that Thailand is a "developing" country. Exactly what is "developing" remains to be seen.

No Max you missed the point and maybe I didn't state it properly....I got my change and in this case didn't give a baht tip, yet alone a B500 tip.