Rip off red songtheaw drivers.

[Thighlander]

Reds are mostly saints compared with suk-suk. Negotiate price beforehand and avoid pom-pom.

Take yellow from chiangmai gate to central plaza...10 thb, walk the other 10 minutes, or hire a twenty there. Red will do it for 60, solo, but you may have to be firm. Hey, OP, what's the drop fee in your country?

Edited January 2, 2014 by Thighlander

[hellodolly]

Of course it's NOT about the money. What if I charged you 30 baht to walk on this block. Would you pay? Come on, it's only 1 dollar!!! of course you wouldn't pay, and maybe get mad. I have walked 1 hour instead of paying $1 more than i thought was reasonable. and in America, I have paid $26 for a few trips on a bus. but i know that is standardized, so i don't think about it.

*Note: TV will charge 1 baht for each word of posting. If Thai, and can prove citizenship, it's 1 baht per 10 words. If you are new to TV, you will be charged an additional 10 baht for logging into your account for the first 100 attempts. please send all funds to puukao, as I will negotiate and be arbitrator for all persons, save icelanders.

I have been in 7 years only had a driver try to overcharge me 30 baht $1. In both cases I just walked away and got the next one along. Even though it was only a 45 minute walk for me. I found waiting for the next one a couple of minutes to be preferable. some times they would ove3rchasrge me by 10 baht. Not worth the inconvenience and as I said My income goes up every year there's dosen't but their living expenses do.

I have no trouble paying a living wage.

[mizztraveller]

We were picking up our daughter from the airport in November and for some reason there were simply no taxis (it wasn't Loy Krathong) so we had to get a songtaew. When one stopped we told him where we wanted to go and he asked us 'how much'? We'd paid 100 baht to get there so said '100 baht'. He shook his head so we said '120 baht'. Again, he shook his head and said ' no - 90 baht!' He nodded his head at each of us saying '30 baht, 30 baht, 30 baht'

Result!

[Frank James]

Twenty baht doesn't make the nut anymore. It hasn't for a long time.

[chuang]

Complain...Complain....Complain............walk, run, drive or call a cab....

[thaibeachlovers]

So take the 20b ride to Central and catch another the short distance to the airport, there's always lots waiting outside Central.

Those red songtheaws at central are just scammers too, and I only take the one that waits at the door for a full load, which does go anywhere for 20 baht. However, I didn't want to wait till there were enough people at that time. I've waited over 20 minutes before.

Normally I'd take a red songtheaw to Central for 20 and walk the rest, but I currently have a very painful leg and can't walk that far.

[thaibeachlovers]

Twenty baht doesn't make the nut anymore. It hasn't for a long time.

Not so, I take them all the time for 20, but sometimes it takes a lot of refusals before getting one that will do it for the right price.

[thaibeachlovers]

Of course it's NOT about the money. What if I charged you 30 baht to walk on this block. Would you pay? Come on, it's only 1 dollar!!! of course you wouldn't pay, and maybe get mad. I have walked 1 hour instead of paying $1 more than i thought was reasonable. and in America, I have paid $26 for a few trips on a bus. but i know that is standardized, so i don't think about it.

*Note: TV will charge 1 baht for each word of posting. If Thai, and can prove citizenship, it's 1 baht per 10 words. If you are new to TV, you will be charged an additional 10 baht for logging into your account for the first 100 attempts. please send all funds to puukao, as I will negotiate and be arbitrator for all persons, save icelanders.

I have been in 7 years only had a driver try to overcharge me 30 baht $1. In both cases I just walked away and got the next one along. Even though it was only a 45 minute walk for me. I found waiting for the next one a couple of minutes to be preferable. some times they would ove3rchasrge me by 10 baht. Not worth the inconvenience and as I said My income goes up every year there's dosen't but their living expenses do.

I have no trouble paying a living wage.

That's normally true, but this time they all wanted minimum 100.

[thaibeachlovers]

Reds are mostly saints compared with suk-suk. Negotiate price beforehand and avoid pom-pom.

Take yellow from chiangmai gate to central plaza...10 thb, walk the other 10 minutes, or hire a twenty there. Red will do it for 60, solo, but you may have to be firm. Hey, OP, what's the drop fee in your country?

That's normally what I would do, but leg too sore to walk 10 minutes, or even 5.

BTW, you must be world champion if you can walk to airport from where yellow songtheaw drops you in 10 minutes, and that's assuming you can cross the road in less than 5 minutes.

[thaibeachlovers]

If I was flying somewhere with a case etc. I would not dream of haggling for 3US

20 baht around town but airport IS out of the way right? how many sitting in that songtaew wanted to go to thew airport? none i bet

OBVIOUSLY missed the bit where I said they have to go all the way down to the airport to do a U turn from Central. Where did I say I had a case, I didn't.

I really wish people would read my words before posting.

[thaibeachlovers]

Can the OP speak any Thai?

If not than the taxi drivers will consider any farang passengers as dumb tourists ripe for extortion and ripping off. It`s traditional here in the LOS and has been going on since biblical times when the first songtheaws were horse and chariot.

For the more enlightened of us ex-pats who have bothered to learn even some basic Thai, just say; no thank you, smile and then try a few cabs until a deal can be reached that suits everyone. It`s all part of the fun and games that we have to endure as residents of this noble land.

Yes. the OP speaks perfectly adequate Thai for hiring a songtheaw, didn't have any luggage and doesn't look like a tourist. However, he still looks like a farang ATM, despite not wearing any gold, or an expensive watch, and wearing 100 baht made in Thailand T shirt and shorts.

< then try a few cabs until a deal can be reached that suits everyone> I gave up after 10, and the prices were getting ever more ridiculous. Then the one that did allow me to hire his decrepit broke down heap for 100 procedeed to pick up other passengers and drive me all over town. If they want to charge extortionate prices, then they should just take me to my destination as a private hire.

[thaibeachlovers]

"They all wanted at least 100 baht"....

Wow, so they want to make some extra money over Christmas and New Year, why is that a rip-off? As far as I remember it's standard practice everywhere in the World at this time of the year.

I hope you paid with a smile!

John

So when in Bkk, or in London, or New York you would pay 5 times over the meter price? BS

[thaibeachlovers]

$ 3.50 US to go from Ta Pae gate to the airport, what a rip off...

C'mon people, please.

If you're so rich, can you send me a few thousand? No, yeah, that's what I thought

[uptheos]

Can the OP speak any Thai?

If not than the taxi drivers will consider any farang passengers as dumb tourists ripe for extortion and ripping off. It`s traditional here in the LOS and has been going on since biblical times when the first songtheaws were horse and chariot.

For the more enlightened of us ex-pats who have bothered to learn even some basic Thai, just say; no thank you, smile and then try a few cabs until a deal can be reached that suits everyone. It`s all part of the fun and games that we have to endure as residents of this noble land.

Yes. the OP speaks perfectly adequate Thai for hiring a songtheaw, didn't have any luggage and doesn't look like a tourist. However, he still looks like a farang ATM, despite not wearing any gold, or an expensive watch, and wearing 100 baht made in Thailand T shirt and shorts.

< then try a few cabs until a deal can be reached that suits everyone> I gave up after 10, and the prices were getting ever more ridiculous. Then the one that did allow me to hire his decrepit broke down heap for 100 procedeed to pick up other passengers and drive me all over town. If they want to charge extortionate prices, then they should just take me to my destination as a private hire.

If you want to pay OTT prices, aren't you able to tell him (in Thai) that you want to go straight there on your own, or no deal?

[thaibeachlovers]

Considering the tuk tuks charge 300 baht... 100 baht is a bargain!...

Why? The red songtheaw price is 20 baht. When you go to a road side stall for food, do you pay Sizzler price? When you fly economy, do you pay first class price?

[thaibeachlovers]

Can the OP speak any Thai?

If not than the taxi drivers will consider any farang passengers as dumb tourists ripe for extortion and ripping off. It`s traditional here in the LOS and has been going on since biblical times when the first songtheaws were horse and chariot.

For the more enlightened of us ex-pats who have bothered to learn even some basic Thai, just say; no thank you, smile and then try a few cabs until a deal can be reached that suits everyone. It`s all part of the fun and games that we have to endure as residents of this noble land.

Yes. the OP speaks perfectly adequate Thai for hiring a songtheaw, didn't have any luggage and doesn't look like a tourist. However, he still looks like a farang ATM, despite not wearing any gold, or an expensive watch, and wearing 100 baht made in Thailand T shirt and shorts.

< then try a few cabs until a deal can be reached that suits everyone> I gave up after 10, and the prices were getting ever more ridiculous. Then the one that did allow me to hire his decrepit broke down heap for 100 procedeed to pick up other passengers and drive me all over town. If they want to charge extortionate prices, then they should just take me to my destination as a private hire.

If you want to pay OTT prices, aren't you able to tell him (in Thai) that you want to go straight there on your own, or no deal?

Why would I want to waste even more time than I already had? Do you really think that someone that was charging 5 times the proper price is going to take orders from me.

What C M needs is meter taxis.

BTW, in Pattaya the standard price is 10 baht and you don't have to haggle. A much superior town to C M in most respects.

[uptheos]

Can the OP speak any Thai?

If not than the taxi drivers will consider any farang passengers as dumb tourists ripe for extortion and ripping off. It`s traditional here in the LOS and has been going on since biblical times when the first songtheaws were horse and chariot.

For the more enlightened of us ex-pats who have bothered to learn even some basic Thai, just say; no thank you, smile and then try a few cabs until a deal can be reached that suits everyone. It`s all part of the fun and games that we have to endure as residents of this noble land.

Yes. the OP speaks perfectly adequate Thai for hiring a songtheaw, didn't have any luggage and doesn't look like a tourist. However, he still looks like a farang ATM, despite not wearing any gold, or an expensive watch, and wearing 100 baht made in Thailand T shirt and shorts.

< then try a few cabs until a deal can be reached that suits everyone> I gave up after 10, and the prices were getting ever more ridiculous. Then the one that did allow me to hire his decrepit broke down heap for 100 procedeed to pick up other passengers and drive me all over town. If they want to charge extortionate prices, then they should just take me to my destination as a private hire.

If you want to pay OTT prices, aren't you able to tell him (in Thai) that you want to go straight there on your own, or no deal?

Why would I want to waste even more time than I already had? Do you really think that someone that was charging 5 times the proper price is going to take orders from me.

What C M needs is meter taxis.

BTW, in Pattaya the standard price is 10 baht and you don't have to haggle. A much superior town to C M in most respects.

Of course not, but you did say,

Then the one that did allow me to hire his decrepit broke down heap for 100 procedeed to pick up other passengers and drive me all over town

Victim!!

[binjalin]

Can the OP speak any Thai?

If not than the taxi drivers will consider any farang passengers as dumb tourists ripe for extortion and ripping off. It`s traditional here in the LOS and has been going on since biblical times when the first songtheaws were horse and chariot.

For the more enlightened of us ex-pats who have bothered to learn even some basic Thai, just say; no thank you, smile and then try a few cabs until a deal can be reached that suits everyone. It`s all part of the fun and games that we have to endure as residents of this noble land.

Yes. the OP speaks perfectly adequate Thai for hiring a songtheaw, didn't have any luggage and doesn't look like a tourist. However, he still looks like a farang ATM, despite not wearing any gold, or an expensive watch, and wearing 100 baht made in Thailand T shirt and shorts.

< then try a few cabs until a deal can be reached that suits everyone> I gave up after 10, and the prices were getting ever more ridiculous. Then the one that did allow me to hire his decrepit broke down heap for 100 procedeed to pick up other passengers and drive me all over town. If they want to charge extortionate prices, then they should just take me to my destination as a private hire.

If you want to pay OTT prices, aren't you able to tell him (in Thai) that you want to go straight there on your own, or no deal?

Why would I want to waste even more time than I already had? Do you really think that someone that was charging 5 times the proper price is going to take orders from me.

What C M needs is meter taxis.

BTW, in Pattaya the standard price is 10 baht and you don't have to haggle. A much superior town to C M in most respects.

then move there

PS BTW the 10 baht in Superior Pattaya is for the loop - nothing like the system here in lowly CM

Edited January 2, 2014 by binjalin

[Ulysses G.]

Twenty baht doesn't make the nut anymore. It hasn't for a long time.

The official price is still 15 baht, but most Thais pay 20. I never have a problem paying 20 baht for a reasonable distance, unless it is way off the beaten track.

Edited January 2, 2014 by Ulysses G.

[Ulysses G.]

BTW, in Pattaya the standard price is 10 baht and you don't have to haggle. A much superior town to C M in most respects.

Certainly in the demimondaine department.

[Genericnic]

BTW, in Pattaya the standard price is 10 baht and you don't have to haggle. A much superior town to C M in most respects.

The only drawback is that you have to go to Pattaya to get that price.

David

[Choonpon]

Funny this topic comes up today. I witnessed something similar this morning. I was in a restaurant on the roadside of moonmuang. Red songteaw parked up outside, waiting for prey. The family sat next to me paid their bill then walked over to this man. The asked how much to Central airport. He said 100 for each of them. Their were 2 parents and 4 small kids. They agreed, he then confirmed 600 baht with the father. The father agreed again. 600! I couldn't believe the drivers luck. He had a massive smile on his face. Before he could even get in his old pick up, he just couldnt resist shouting the result over to his wife who was in the passenger seat. She looked in shock, but then laughed.

The man was probably aware he's being ripped off but with 4 small kids in tow..no choice.

The last thing he wants is trouble in a foreign land.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Took one from the airport into town recently. 40 Baht.

He didn't actually state a price, but 40 Baht seemed reasonable, weighing in that it was late at night (10:30pm or so), but that there were other passengers besides me. Airport to half way down Loy Kroh.

I think they're one of the best things about Chiang Mai.

This is something I don`t recommend.

Always agree a price with a taxi driver prior to starting the journey, than there can be no disputes and no unpleasant surprises at arrival of destination.

Getting into a taxi and hoping the driver will be a decent chap and charge a reasonable fare, is a taking a big gamble in Thailand.

With a tuk tuk or 'meter' taxi absolutely. But this is a red bus songthaew. Have been using them for 20 years, never brought up price unless he makes it a topic.

Asking about price for a red bus songthaew is actually a clear givaway that you're a tourist who doesn't know how they work. If you ask then that opens a negotiation where none is needed.

Edited January 2, 2014 by WinnieTheKhwai

[WinnieTheKhwai]

BTW, in Pattaya the standard price is 10 baht and you don't have to haggle. A much superior town to C M in most respects.

The only drawback is that you have to go to Pattaya to get that price.

David

It's only 10 baht if you stick to the fixed loop up and down the beach. As soon as you actually need to go somewhere the prices are higher. For example, Soi 6 to the North Pattaya bus station I rarely get under 70 baht. Some of the old guys sometimes go for 60, but it's typically 70 or 80. Chiang Mai that sort of trip would be 20 baht, no questions asked, nor required.

Chiang Mai you rarely have to negotiate if you take one in a sensible place to a sensible destination. You're paying 20 baht though as the downtown area is a lot more expansive than Pattaya.

Best. Public. Transport. Ever.

Edited January 2, 2014 by WinnieTheKhwai

[Awk]

Interestingly the American who is murdered in that video had lived in Thailand for three years and spoke fluent Thai, according to a report in the NY Daily News. He also had a Thai wife, so he knew and understood the Thai culture. If he can make a mistake like that, anyone can.

Be careful here in Thailand. One miscalculation can cost you your life. The Thais do not think they way farangs think. Sometimes they don't think at all, and react like animals, as in this case.

Interesting the picture shows the victim running towards the attacker not away from him.

No mention of what built up to it was the passenger sober. Looks to me like he was attempting stupidly to attack a guy with a samari sword. Living in Thailand for three years he should have known enough to run away. It is not like the cab driver had the sword out. What did he do when the cab driver was getting it out stand by waiting for it.

Sensationalism with no background. Some people will believe anything. Also it was a cab not a songthaew. But it fits right in with a persons negative view against Thai's.

The American did nothing to provoke it all he did was stand there watch the cab driver get the sword out get out of his cab and attack him.

I have some swamp land for sale in Arizona if you are interested. It has a bridge over it that is included in the deal.

hellodolly, you did not understand that video clip at all. Look again, or listen to the news speaker who tries to explain it to you.

That video shows a very, very, impressive act of self-defence from what appears to be an older gentleman being attacked by a crazy man with a sword. Almost anyone else would freeze, and then perhaps be hacked to death, or try to run away, and then perhaps be hacked to death from behind.

At the point the video starts, which it looks like is just before the older man noticed the taxi driver coming up from behind, the distance between the two is obviously too short for the man to attempt to run away, even were he Usain Bolt waiting for the start signal. He would not have any chance of escaping the first slash if he were to try running away at that point. Instead he brings up his arm, trying to block the sword-swinging arm of the taxi driver and at the same time trying to reduce some of the distance to the taxi driver, to increasing the chance he will get close enough to block the arm rather than the sword. He then continues to defend himself, keeping his arms raised to protect his head and neck. This is a gentleman with previous training and a very cool mind.

There is nothing in the video giving any indication he was not sober. Quite the contrary. He is stable on his feet, not stumbling or even getting them crossed in this life-or-death situation as he does what looks like the most sensible thing. Nor is he attempting to attack the taxi-driver in any other way than as self-defence.

hellodolly, I find your nonsense insulting to this gentleman's memory. Show some respect for a dead man who died like a hero, defending his life against a sword-wielding maniac.

R.I.P.

[hellodolly]

BTW, in Pattaya the standard price is 10 baht and you don't have to haggle. A much superior town to C M in most respects.

The only drawback is that you have to go to Pattaya to get that price.

David

Actually it is 200 baht if you want to go some place that is not on the drivers route. You must also know all the different routes and many of them will not stop to pick you up if you are not at a particular point.

All in all not a good system if you are a visitor and don't know your way around the city.

[hellodolly]

Interestingly the American who is murdered in that video had lived in Thailand for three years and spoke fluent Thai, according to a report in the NY Daily News. He also had a Thai wife, so he knew and understood the Thai culture. If he can make a mistake like that, anyone can.

Be careful here in Thailand. One miscalculation can cost you your life. The Thais do not think they way farangs think. Sometimes they don't think at all, and react like animals, as in this case.

Interesting the picture shows the victim running towards the attacker not away from him.

No mention of what built up to it was the passenger sober. Looks to me like he was attempting stupidly to attack a guy with a samari sword. Living in Thailand for three years he should have known enough to run away. It is not like the cab driver had the sword out. What did he do when the cab driver was getting it out stand by waiting for it.

Sensationalism with no background. Some people will believe anything. Also it was a cab not a songthaew. But it fits right in with a persons negative view against Thai's.

The American did nothing to provoke it all he did was stand there watch the cab driver get the sword out get out of his cab and attack him.

I have some swamp land for sale in Arizona if you are interested. It has a bridge over it that is included in the deal.

hellodolly, you did not understand that video clip at all. Look again, or listen to the news speaker who tries to explain it to you.

That video shows a very, very, impressive act of self-defence from what appears to be an older gentleman being attacked by a crazy man with a sword. Almost anyone else would freeze, and then perhaps be hacked to death, or try to run away, and then perhaps be hacked to death from behind.

At the point the video starts, which it looks like is just before the older man noticed the taxi driver coming up from behind, the distance between the two is obviously too short for the man to attempt to run away, even were he Usain Bolt waiting for the start signal. He would not have any chance of escaping the first slash if he were to try running away at that point. Instead he brings up his arm, trying to block the sword-swinging arm of the taxi driver and at the same time trying to reduce some of the distance to the taxi driver, to increasing the chance he will get close enough to block the arm rather than the sword. He then continues to defend himself, keeping his arms raised to protect his head and neck. This is a gentleman with previous training and a very cool mind.

There is nothing in the video giving any indication he was not sober. Quite the contrary. He is stable on his feet, not stumbling or even getting them crossed in this life-or-death situation as he does what looks like the most sensible thing. Nor is he attempting to attack the taxi-driver in any other way than as self-defence.

hellodolly, I find your nonsense insulting to this gentleman's memory. Show some respect for a dead man who died like a hero, defending his life against a sword-wielding maniac.

R.I.P.

Make all the assumptions you like. You like me know nothing more than what was shown. Did it not strike you that there was a reason for the altercation.

The ones I care about are the family and I can not say that they are bothered by it either. They might be happy. Just keep on assuming the worst and don't question any thing.

[MadMac]

Get a bike or a car, as everywhere else in the world, and stop complaining about taxi rides and their prices!

[Chiengmaijoe]

I'll be honest, these topics are the main reason I check out TVCM. I get a perverse enjoyment from reading the endless moaning and complaining about trivial matters with the accompanying use of exaggerated language to describe the events.

This is a classic example. The guy wants to go to the airport and is being asked to pay the equivalent of 3 dollars or 2 pounds and is expecting us to be shocked. Sure, the usual suspects are enraged, but come on, anywhere else in the world you'd pay that just to sit down in a taxi.

So what do we get?, guys prepared to walk for one hour instead of paying one dollar more, people using the words 'rip off' , 'scammers', and even more funny, 'extortion' in reference to a few dollars!

Here's the reality. This is Asia. In lots of instances they still haggle over prices. If the price is right, you go with it, if not you make an offer or walk away. That's the way it is and they probably ain't going to change it just for you, so get used to it. They pick an amount that they think you are prepared to pay and if they get it right they have a customer. If they're lucky, some people will be prepared to pay a higher price, if not they get the regular price. Plenty of people , me included, have probably been quite prepared to pay the 100 baht and some , like you, may not. It's his and your choice. Since it is his livelihood he is probably quite good at determining what price to ask. He isn't scamming you or , more ridiculously, trying to extort money from you, he is offering you a price that he thinks will suit him and you. I imagine he uses the same system for Thais too. The poor little old lady wanting to go to the hospital will be asked to pay less than a wealthier Thai businessman.

Having lived here for so long, why would I pay 100 baht to go to the airport, I hear you say? Here's why... I'm a nice guy (sometimes). I can afford to pay 100 baht, and I look like I can afford to pay 100baht, I consider it to be a reasonable price for what I'm getting, and since I speak reasonable Thai, the driver will be aware of the fact that I know it should be less, and so he will appreciate the fact that I am being kind or considerate (graeng jai) to his plight, relative to mine, by paying more. If the guy knows me, it is even more important for me to pay more because if I didn't I would lose some esteem by appearing to being unnecessarily stingy.

So with a smile on my face, a polite thank you, and a respectful smile from the driver, I'm on my way, whereas you are either wasting time flagging down songthaews and getting all hot and bothered, or as some people suggested, walking for an hour!

Thanks for the post and keep 'em coming guys. When I have more time I'll write a book about expat life, and there'll be a chapter entitled " Much ado about nothing", so you'll all get a mention.

Edited January 2, 2014 by Chiengmaijoe

[Chiengmaijoe]

How gracious of the pleasant 'Buddhist'. I do hope karma comes around and puts the mockers on his motor! That'd be the right time to use one of these:

No one mentioned what his religion was, or even if he was religious, probaby because it is totally irrelevant. Unless of course you want to use the ridiculous argument that because someone proclaims a religion then that somehow makes them hypocritical if they don't perectly follow all of the precepts.

Religion is a guide as to how people should lead their lives and irrespective of what religion people hold, most people don't achieve perfection just by virtue of having a faith. That's pretty obvious to most people, I'd have thought, or am I crediting people with too much common sense?

I know your post wasn't meant to be taken seriously because no one could take a person that use smileys seriously, especially when it is laughing at their own 'joke'.

Edited January 2, 2014 by Chiengmaijoe