Bangkok Taxi Story

[Curt1591]

I do tip for good service. I do not tip someone who simply performs the service for which they were hired.

Elsewhere, tipping cabbies might be customary. In Thailand, it is not the custom.

In the case of Thai cabbies, I have tipped. But, these tips were for drivers that did an exemplary job, not simply because they seem to need more money.

[tartempion]

Our little family exited Sathorn square building at Chong Nonsi BTS station around 11 am and tried to get a taxi to our hotel on Sukhumvit (soi 13/15)

Taxis were rare and no one wanted to drive us there (usually a 100 baht ride) Thus we went upstairs and took the overloaded BTS for 2x34B.

Next time within 500m of a BTS station we wont bother for a taxi

[millwall_fan]

If you have lived here, for 20 years, then you know that "tipping" has been something imported. It is not a Thai concept.

I've only lived here since 2007. But, I have been hanging out here since the 90s. My only friends, here, are Thai. Many taxi drivers are my neighbors.

For perspective? Some people don't do internet at all, while others access it from iPads and smart phones.

Tipping for all services, and tipping all poor workers, follows your logic, not mine.

Back in the days of empire, that sort of thing was caled going troppo.

[TheSpade]

I tip any taxi driver who's honest and doesn't try to rip me off or pull a fast one just because I expect almost every taxi driver in BKK to try something.

[buffalobob]

Hey look I bet there is an exact same thread/conversation about taxi drivers in every country/city/town/village in the world.

Just accept that some are good some are bad and as for tipping...well sometimes I'm so dying for a piss I throw 100b at him for an 80b fare and leg it inside. Aaaaaaaahhhh.

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.

[arminbkk]

Our experience after 3 weeks in Bangkok is that the biggest problem is taxi drivers cherry picking fares - it can take 3 to 5 attempts to get a driver to take us where we want to go. Of the guys that do accept our fare, we have not yet experienced anything except friendliness and good manners. Of course the fact that my wife speaks Thai helps and the son and heir is a source of constant interest. No one has asked to go 'off meter' and all have seemed happy with the 20-30 baht tip on top of the meter fare.

Why are you tipping on top of the taxi fare? Are you mad? Tipping taxi drivers is absolutely not required in Thailand.

I see no reason why one shouldn't tip a taxi driver has done a good job. I always make sure they get a small tip, if they are polite, go the correct way and don't drive like an idiot.

But that is what is normally expected from them, for the normal fare.

I don't like to tip, but I will usually round up the fare: for example 46 will be 50. When going home late at night after going out; fare is 84 baht ..... I will give 100.

[watcharacters]

If you have lived here, for 20 years, then you know that "tipping" has been something imported. It is not a Thai concept.

I've only lived here since 2007. But, I have been hanging out here since the 90s. My only friends, here, are Thai. Many taxi drivers are my neighbors.

For perspective? Some people don't do internet at all, while others access it from iPads and smart phones.

Tipping for all services, and tipping all poor workers, follows your logic, not mi

.

" My only friends, here, are Thai."

Is that by choice or availability limitations?

Edited October 30, 2013 by watcharacters

[watcharacters]

I tip any taxi driver who's honest and doesn't try to rip me off or pull a fast one just because I expect almost every taxi driver in BKK to try something.

.

One time of the two times i thought i was being ripped off by a bkk taxi driver, i raised my voice on a dark street and very rainy night and was starting to loudly protest being taken on a city tour.

Then within 400 meters he dashed into a hotel parking lot made a couple of maneuvers and in three minutes i was inside my hotel. I was lost but he found my way. 555 It was a total shock to me.

Another time I was getting ready to voice and suddenly the driver pulled into the Etchemi (?) bus station. We'd only been driving down residential streets up to that point. I was happy I kept my big mouth shut.

Using a GPS device is possibly a good idea.

Edited October 30, 2013 by watcharacters

[Travel2003]

Our experience after 3 weeks in Bangkok is that the biggest problem is taxi drivers cherry picking fares - it can take 3 to 5 attempts to get a driver to take us where we want to go. Of the guys that do accept our fare, we have not yet experienced anything except friendliness and good manners. Of course the fact that my wife speaks Thai helps and the son and heir is a source of constant interest. No one has asked to go 'off meter' and all have seemed happy with the 20-30 baht tip on top of the meter fare.

Why are you tipping on top of the taxi fare? Are you mad? Tipping taxi drivers is absolutely not required in Thailand.

Mad for tipping????

FalangBaa, there is a name for people like you here.

Not referring to Baa.

Not many countries where tipping is a requirement. Except for Homeland of the Greedy (guess which country).

Regular decent people tip when they feel the service is so good, it deserves something extra.

Is that so hard to understand?

[Curt1591]

If you have lived here, for 20 years, then you know that "tipping" has been something imported. It is not a Thai concept.

I've only lived here since 2007. But, I have been hanging out here since the 90s. My only friends, here, are Thai. Many taxi drivers are my neighbors.

For perspective? Some people don't do internet at all, while others access it from iPads and smart phones.

Tipping for all services, and tipping all poor workers, follows your logic, not mi

.

" My only friends, here, are Thai."

Is that by choice or availability limitations?

A bit of both.

Although I live in 'Bangkok', I live quite far from the shiny path. I don't really bump into many foreigners around my home.

When I moved to Thailand, I didn't have any plans to hunt down and hang out with "my kind".

I don't hit bars or clubs. The friends I've made are through neighborhood and family.

[millwall_fan]

I would have thought curt1591, that as a fluent Thai speaker, you would have been able to learn a bit about Bangkok Taxi drivers - like most of our breed, they are not backward in coming forward! What we have learned is that the vast majority are decent, hard working family men who aren't out to rip anyone off- they may take you round a longer way to avoid traffic jams - which they do know a bit about! A small tip wont hurt you curt, and who knows it might make it more likely that we Farang will get a ride!

[Curt1591]

I would have thought curt1591, that as a fluent Thai speaker, you would have been able to learn a bit about Bangkok Taxi drivers - like most of our breed, they are not backward in coming forward! What we have learned is that the vast majority are decent, hard working family men who aren't out to rip anyone off- they may take you round a longer way to avoid traffic jams - which they do know a bit about! A small tip wont hurt you curt, and who knows it might make it more likely that we Farang will get a ride!

Along the shiny paths, foreigners are already shown preference when it comes to taxi drivers.

------

We do tip for good service. However, We do not tip for simply taking us from Point A, to Point B, the service for which they were hired.

Our chats with drivers do not take place during rides in taxis. Our chats are with the many drivers and owners that live along my soi.

We don't chat about their socio-economic condition; I live around it.

The drivers we hire often rant politics! But, if we were to take my wife, Thai, out of the picture, I am pretty sure the taxi ride chat would center around their economic strife.