New metered taxi service being discussed.

[KarenBravo]

You're missing the point.

The transportation here is beyond the price of most local people.

Places in Thailand that have used tuk-tuks, both locals and tourists use them.

Here? Only tourists.

You seem to think that if expats don't use them, then we shouldn't have an opinion.

[Mudcrab]

You're missing the point.

The transportation here is beyond the price of most local people.

Places in Thailand that have used tuk-tuks, both locals and tourists use them.

Here? Only tourists.

You seem to think that if expats don't use them, then we shouldn't have an opinion.

No not at all - everyone should have an opinion and rightly so..

[JulesMad]

Talk, talk, talk.... Nothing will change in Phuket... Ruled by greed and stupidity, just to get more money now... Long term planning?!? Nah, too difficult, just get the money now as long as they can...

Phuket: the most disgusting place of Thailand! Of course they have to make sure it stays that way!

[andreandre]

Taxis are not expensive here if you compare the prices charged here to prices charged in western countries

Like most expats i only use a taxi once or twice a year when catching a flight from the airport and think the fare is cheap

Never use Tuk Tuks like most expats so who cares what they charge, Tourists do not think they are expensive i know that for a fact

In Bangkok taxis are allowed to pick up passengers anywhere they want to and have 2 way radios to tap in for fares so of

coarse they are cheaper

How many expats actually use tuk tuks, it would be interesting to know with the amount of whinging on this forum about them??

Taxis are not expensive here if you compare the prices charged here to prices charged in western countries

There is absolutely no value in this often stated comparison..none what so ever..

I disagree...there is a lot of value in this statement. You overlook the fact that Phuket is a tourist destination and the tourist do not find the taxi/tuk tuk fares extreme. The fact that cheap Charlie expats do find this so is irrelevant. Tourism is worth mega Baht to the island....long term expats - bugger all. And the tourists will still keep coming regardless.

To disagree is your choice....

but my guage of affordable taxis is a direct relationship of cost of journey compared to average wage of local inhabitants..

Most western workers can afford a trip in a taxi at times in their own country, but how do you immagine a local Thai on 9-10,000baht can ever afford to pay a cost that is way beyond what it should be in comparison to their wages.? eg near 3days wages to travel less than 50 kilometers...

Who gives a toss what a visitor can afford whilst here on holiday...If the locals can't afford it, its way overpriced!

Like i said above...not a valid comparison at all by nedK and many others in this regard.

[Mudcrab]

Taxis are not expensive here if you compare the prices charged here to prices charged in western countries

Like most expats i only use a taxi once or twice a year when catching a flight from the airport and think the fare is cheap

Never use Tuk Tuks like most expats so who cares what they charge, Tourists do not think they are expensive i know that for a fact

In Bangkok taxis are allowed to pick up passengers anywhere they want to and have 2 way radios to tap in for fares so of

coarse they are cheaper

How many expats actually use tuk tuks, it would be interesting to know with the amount of whinging on this forum about them??

Taxis are not expensive here if you compare the prices charged here to prices charged in western countries

There is absolutely no value in this often stated comparison..none what so ever..

I disagree...there is a lot of value in this statement. You overlook the fact that Phuket is a tourist destination and the tourist do not find the taxi/tuk tuk fares extreme. The fact that cheap Charlie expats do find this so is irrelevant. Tourism is worth mega Baht to the island....long term expats - bugger all. And the tourists will still keep coming regardless.

To disagree is your choice....

but my guage of affordable taxis is a direct relationship of cost of journey compared to average wage of local inhabitants..

Most western workers can afford a trip in a taxi at times in their own country, but how do you immagine a local Thai on 9-10,000baht can ever afford to pay a cost that is way beyond what it should be in comparison to their wages.? eg near 3days wages to travel less than 50 kilometers...

Who gives a toss what a visitor can afford whilst here on holiday...If the locals can't afford it, its way overpriced!

Like i said above...not a valid comparison at all by nedK and many others in this regard.

I doubt that any Thais are paying the taxi fare...most have a motorbike

[NamKangMan]

You're missing the point.

The transportation here is beyond the price of most local people.

Places in Thailand that have used tuk-tuks, both locals and tourists use them.

Here? Only tourists.

You seem to think that if expats don't use them, then we shouldn't have an opinion.

Totally agree KB.

Just give a thought to the drunk Thai locals jumping on their bikes and colliding with a sober expat on their bikes - then, those expats, who previously didn't care about the transport problems here, would have wished those drunk Thai locals could have / would have - got a baht bus home for 10 baht.

That option does not exist here, but exists elsewhere in Thailand.

[hawksway]

A very good idea, but the introduction of metered taxis can only come about if the Phuket Provincial Administration does not meet with serious opposition from established taxi groups and the mafia gravy chain fed syndicates. Unfortunately history shows, they lack fortitude.

[andreandre]

I disagree...there is a lot of value in this statement. You overlook the fact that Phuket is a tourist destination and the tourist do not find the taxi/tuk tuk fares extreme. The fact that cheap Charlie expats do find this so is irrelevant. Tourism is worth mega Baht to the island....long term expats - bugger all. And the tourists will still keep coming regardless.

To disagree is your choice....

but my guage of affordable taxis is a direct relationship of cost of journey compared to average wage of local inhabitants..

Most western workers can afford a trip in a taxi at times in their own country, but how do you immagine a local Thai on 9-10,000baht can ever afford to pay a cost that is way beyond what it should be in comparison to their wages.? eg near 3days wages to travel less than 50 kilometers...

Who gives a toss what a visitor can afford whilst here on holiday...If the locals can't afford it, its way overpriced!

Like i said above...not a valid comparison at all by nedK and many others in this regard.

I doubt that any Thais are paying the taxi fare...most have a motorbike

"I doubt that any Thais are paying the taxi fare...most have a motorbike"

Brilliant....yes most do have a motorbike..great observation...and you are right in doubting that Thais are paying the taxi fare...Isn't that what i was pointing out? Why aren;'t they ? As i said 3days wages to travel less than 50 K's...do the math...

You don't accept the fact that if fares were within a price range relative to the wage of these motorcycle riding Thais that they would indeed use a taxi on occassion, same as people in the west, most of whom probably have a car??

Edited October 27, 2013 by andreandre

[nedkellylives]

Thai people mostly drink at home with there friends and neighbors and do not need taxis to go out and get drunk

Edited October 28, 2013 by nedkellylives

[KarenBravo]

Funny that............I see loads of motorbikes parked outside of Thai karaoke and live music bars.

[andreandre]

Thai people mostly drink at home with there friends and neighbors and do not need taxis to go out and get drunk

Yeah right...maybe you live in a different Thailand than others ...

Do you even live here, just out of curiosity?

[nedkellylives]

Funny that............I see loads of motorbikes parked outside of Thai karaoke and live music bars.

Young men on average whos girlfriends are there also hoping to pick up a farang to pay the bills

How mant middle aged Thais do you see??

Usually only middle aged farangs

The thais do not use taxis

Edited October 28, 2013 by nedkellylives

[Jimi007]

well.. when they well use meter it is still more expensive then bkk and still they all drive LPG..

more problems... when the tourists are gone then the change will come..but to late..

Bangkok has CNG which is much cheaper than LPG. Still it will certainly be more expensive here, as it always has been, for a taxi than Bangkok.

[jpeg]

Taxis are not expensive here if you compare the prices charged here to prices charged in western countries

There is absolutely no value in this often stated comparison..none what so ever..

I disagree...there is a lot of value in this statement. You overlook the fact that Phuket is a tourist destination and the tourist do not find the taxi/tuk tuk fares extreme. The fact that cheap Charlie expats do find this so is irrelevant. Tourism is worth mega Baht to the island....long term expats - bugger all. And the tourists will still keep coming regardless.

Really? Is that why so many inexperienced, unfamiliar with Thai 'driving' find themselves having to hire motorbikes, as advertised on many travel websites outside Thailand to get around the extortion that is the tuktuk/taxi fares here on this island, many of whom end up dead/injured every High Season?

[nedkellylives]

None of the expats i know hire motorcycles they all own a vehicle and more often than not at least one MC

which they use locally, going to 7/11 etc

Tourists use taxis or tuk tuk and do not complain about there prices, they generally stop in higher end resorts as well

Edited October 28, 2013 by nedkellylives

[Guest]

None of the expats i know hire motorcycles they all own a vehicle and more often than not at least one MC

which they use locally, going to 7/11 etc

Tourists use taxis or tuk tuk and do not complain about there prices, they generally stop in higher end resorts as well

I have gin and tonic water on my fridge. Yet I like to go to drink beer and watch F1 races at the local pub. I have different possibilities and do not have to stick with one and only option.

The same goes with owning a vehicle here in Phuket. Even if I own an MC, it would be very handy to every now and then use an taxi on this island. That would be possible, if the prices were somewhere closer to the Bangkok (Where I sometimes used taxis, even if I owned a car) and if I would feel like I'm supporting the transportation mafia heads when I use the local taxis or tuk-tuks.

If we would have an efficient public transportation on this island, residents (expats and locals) would not need to own a car or motorbike. Or at least they would have an option to leave the vehicle home and let someone else to do the driving.

Edited October 28, 2013 by Guest

[nedkellylives]

None of the expats i know hire motorcycles they all own a vehicle and more often than not at least one MC

which they use locally, going to 7/11 etc

Tourists use taxis or tuk tuk and do not complain about there prices, they generally stop in higher end resorts as well

I have gin and tonic water on my fridge. Yet I like to go to drink beer and watch F1 races at the local pub. I have different possibilities and do not have to stick with one and only option.

The same goes with owning a vehicle here in Phuket. Even if I own an MC, it would be very handy to every now and then use an taxi on this island. That would be possible, if the prices were somewhere closer to the Bangkok (Where I sometimes used taxis, even if I owned a car) and if I would feel like I'm supporting the transportation mafia heads when I use the local taxis or tuk-tuks.

If we would have an efficient public transportation on this island, residents (expats and locals) would not need to own a car or motorbike. Or at least they would have an option to leave the vehicle home and let someone else to do the driving.

You are a long term expat who probably owned your own transport in your home country as well

There are bars in every area generally in walking distance of most houses, if not ask one of your Thai nieghbors to

drop you off and pick you up, they are usually happy to do it for a reasonable fee, a lot cheaper than a taxi

[Guest]

You are a long term expat who probably owned your own transport in your home country as well

There are bars in every area generally in walking distance of most houses, if not ask one of your Thai nieghbors to

drop you off and pick you up, they are usually happy to do it for a reasonable fee, a lot cheaper than a taxi

I actually did not, not at least motor vehicle. I did own a bicycle and used busses and sometimes overpriced taxis back ín home.

My closest pub is about 10 kilometers away from my home. But these are still irrlevant things.

I have been trying to promote local bus transportation on this area, but there has not yet been much interest. Hopefully there will be, before this area is taken over by the tuk-tuk's.

[Guest]

PW is now reporting that there has been metered taxis which have lit their 'available' signs on and take customers on the streets on the west coast.

That's a leap forward.

[KarenBravo]

I'm gob-smacked!

[stevenl]

PW is now reporting that there has been metered taxis which have lit their 'available' signs on and take customers on the streets on the west coast.

That's a leap forward.

Yes, just read the same. I really hope this is true, that would be a bomb under the present taxi system.

[LivinginKata]

Amazing Phuket - taxis that actually pick up folks on demand and turn on the meter. Revolutionary ... what a very sad place we live in

[stevenl]

Amazing Phuket - taxis that actually pick up folks on demand and turn on the meter. Revolutionary ... what a very sad place we live in

Turn on the meter?

[LivinginKata]

Amazing Phuket - taxis that actually pick up folks on demand and turn on the meter. Revolutionary ... what a very sad place we live in

Turn on the meter?

Oh - sorry Steven. I thought there was a chance that the meter would be used when hiring a meter taxi. Maybe that would be a step too far ... sad sad.

[NamKangMan]

Amazing Phuket - taxis that actually pick up folks on demand and turn on the meter. Revolutionary ... what a very sad place we live in

Yes, amazing that Thailand's showcase tourist destination is being "advertised" as having a normal taxi transport option for tourist, without it actually existing. :)

[KarenBravo]

There's gotta be a catch.......

[simon43]

I saw a taxi-meter near Kamala today with it's 'wang' sign lit. So it's looking hopeful.

BTW, my OP is not about the Taxi-Meter company, but a different organisation. I chatted again with the owner and he also said that all his vehicles will have free wi-fi...

Simon

[IrishIvan]

Damn im going to have to fit out my 2 taxis with meters now. When will the rot end?? That just halves my earnings now

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[steelepulse]

The thing is with taxi meters, the rates have been bumped up so high that they are now not undercutting any other service, so tuk tuks, legal and illegal taxis can now be at the same price as "taxi meters". However I still see a big problem if a taxi meter picks up within eye sight of a taxi tuk tuk stand.

[Valentine]

I too was pleasantly surprised to see 2 meter taxis with their signs on with a couple of minutes the other day. It was on Chao Fa West, no tuk tuk, "taxi stands" anywhere near.