Taxi Rant

[OMGImInPattaya]

Any great city depends on its transportation network to move residents and visitors around so that everyone can go about their daily business. While there have been great strides in Bangkok over the past decade with the opening of the Skytrain and subway systems, what the heck has happened to he meter taxi service! As my name implies, I do not live in Bangkok now but for almost 3 years ion the early part of the last decade I did and at the time, the street-hail taxi service was much better. I come to Bangkok a few times a year for a couple of days for business and pleasure (this time to attend the auto show) and when I do, I'm without my car so depend on the taxi and public transportation network.

When it become standard practice to ask the taxi drivers if they would please take you to your desired destination? When I lived in Bangkok, one just opened the back door, hopped in, and directed the driver where to take you. Especially if it was in the central city areas of Silom/Sathorn, Wireless, Rama 4, Petchburi, and Sukhumvit/Ploenchit/Siam there was no question the driver would take you. Of course there was always the odd driver sho was returning the cab soon so couldn't do a longer run in a potentially congested area but these were few and far between. And at least with me, if the distance was far or a little out if the way or he traffic was especially bad, even for Bangkok, I would tip an extra 20-40 baht. At the time there was like a modus vivendi between taxi drivers and Bangkokians that they would take us where we needed to go and we'd pay them fair fares. Now, ever for short rides withing the CBDs many drivers won't accept he fare! Did Thaksin raise them up so high with his free taxi giveaways and other perks that they consider themselves ammarts lording over us prai passengers? The situation is really intolerable now. So much so that I'm sorely tempted to drive my own car up to Bangkok next time.

My example from yesterday, no crushing taxis would go from my hotel on Sukhumvit soi 24 out to the motor show venue of Muang Thong Thani. I spent 15 minutes out front being rejected by the new ammarts. Ok, I get it, it's a ways out but a major business and social venue in Bangkok and residents and business and tourist visitors need to get there! It's not their fault that Bangkok' traffic is so screwed up that it might take two hours for a trip that in any sane city would be maybe 30 minutes. Even the greasy taxi touts parked parked in front of the hotel wouldn't even entertain a negotiated fare to MTT. So I end up on a moto to Sirikit metro station where I take the subway to Bang Sue and the. A meter taxi to the show. Total time an exhausting almost 2 hours on 3 of the city's available public transportation modes . I could do this as being an ex-resident I know my way around and speak passable Thai...but whoa to a typical tourist attempting this. It was the same coming back.

I don't know how you Bangkokians put up with this BS day in and day out...I'm glad I got out a long time ago. Spending hours of my life in the back of a cab was one of the things that drive me out and I see that over a decade later nothing has changed.

Sorry for my rant and you won't have to hear from me again for awhile as I'm back to pattaya tomorrow.

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

While I live in Pattaya, many of my friends live in Bangkok, some for decades. We were just discussing this the other day on FB and my friends are more and more frequently refused rides. All of them are experiencing the trend so you are not alone in your disgust. As you did, I try to take the BTS/MRT as far as I can go, then catch a local area taxi. As for the cause of service refusal, no one knows why. Maybe traffic is getting worse and taxis don't want to fight their way back downtown.

[thrilled]

Yes I believe it's going to get worse before it gets better.I almost missed the train coming from the airport.At the last 20 minutes I

had to get out of the taxi and get A motorcycle taxi with suitcases,brief cases included.Then would have to lift them so they wouldn't be hitting the cars we were going between.Now that was crazy.I just did make it to the train before it left.

[farang1979]

I've not yet experienced this problem at such an extent. From time to time you'll get the occasional cabbie who will smile and politely motion for you to get out of the taxi but there's always one who is always more than happy to oblige.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Razzler1973]

Totally agree. It's incredibly annoying

Here in Dubai we have similar issues with cabs sometimes not wanting to take shorter trips, traffic, etc but we have the central taxi transport number to call and complain and they get fined for it. Hopefully enough that it'll change. It's nowhere near as bad as BKK though and BKK needs something similar, needs to let cabbies know they will get fined for it

... however, not sure how the cab system works in BKK and whether they actually report to anyone or anything, which would make it difficult

[kurnell]

I've not yet experienced this problem at such an extent. From time to time you'll get the occasional cabbie who will smile and politely motion for you to get out of the taxi but there's always one who is always more than happy to oblige.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

"politely motion"??? I don't think so. I get a taxi every day to and from work, usually an hour each way and a) I am lucky if they accept the ride and I am lucky to get any acknowledgment when they choose not to take the fair. I am more than happy to video this as the normal response is a grunt and a disdainful look.

Yes, there are some professional drivers out there, but they are i the minority.

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

I've not yet experienced this problem at such an extent. From time to time you'll get the occasional cabbie who will smile and politely motion for you to get out of the taxi but there's always one who is always more than happy to oblige.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

"politely motion"??? I don't think so. I get a taxi every day to and from work, usually an hour each way and a) I am lucky if they accept the ride and I am lucky to get any acknowledgment when they choose not to take the fair. I am more than happy to video this as the normal response is a grunt and a disdainful look.

Yes, there are some professional drivers out there, but they are i the minority.

Video not necessary. I know exactly what you mean. Sometimes after they listen, they turn their head forward and drive off. Not even a grunt. My politeness hardly ever registers on their faces. Even a good fare/tip is sometimes not received with any acknowledgement. Yes, I've met some very polite and helpful drivers, but most couldn't give a rat's you-know-what.

[kurnell]

I've not yet experienced this problem at such an extent. From time to time you'll get the occasional cabbie who will smile and politely motion for you to get out of the taxi but there's always one who is always more than happy to oblige.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

"politely motion"??? I don't think so. I get a taxi every day to and from work, usually an hour each way and a) I am lucky if they accept the ride and I am lucky to get any acknowledgment when they choose not to take the fair. I am more than happy to video this as the normal response is a grunt and a disdainful look.

Yes, there are some professional drivers out there, but they are i the minority.

Video not necessary. I know exactly what you mean. Sometimes after they listen, they turn their head forward and drive off. Not even a grunt. My politeness hardly ever registers on their faces. Even a good fare/tip is sometimes not received with any acknowledgement. Yes, I've met some very polite and helpful drivers, but most couldn't give a rat's you-know-what.

Wonder how these compare to taxi drivers regionally, as I don't think that Vietnam has a great reputation, but I remember the guys in Manila being ok

[Ulysses G.]

I get as annoyed as anyone when this happens to me, but what a lousy, low paid job they have. Who can blame them for not wanting to take fairs that they probably lose money on?

[farang1979]

I've not yet experienced this problem at such an extent. From time to time you'll get the occasional cabbie who will smile and politely motion for you to get out of the taxi but there's always one who is always more than happy to oblige.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

"politely motion"??? I don't think so. I get a taxi every day to and from work, usually an hour each way and a) I am lucky if they accept the ride and I am lucky to get any acknowledgment when they choose not to take the fair. I am more than happy to video this as the normal response is a grunt and a disdainful look.

Yes, there are some professional drivers out there, but they are i the minority.

Wow you guys have had it rough then. The ones I've encountered have been really polite. I'm interested as to why different people have had a different experience.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[prospero]

The political demonstrations have made some areas impossible to drive through.

KL cabbies are far worse.

[Metapod]

just take a video of them and photo their license or taxi info.

you can report them and they will get fined.

[Old Man River]

While I live in Pattaya, many of my friends live in Bangkok, some for decades. We were just discussing this the other day on FB and my friends are more and more frequently refused rides. All of them are experiencing the trend so you are not alone in your disgust. As you did, I try to take the BTS/MRT as far as I can go, then catch a local area taxi. As for the cause of service refusal, no one knows why. Maybe traffic is getting worse and taxis don't want to fight their way back downtown.

I live in Bkk and you are all correct. It is getting worse. I have had it explained to me. They get the THB 35 initial no matter where you are going, so they would rather cruise around empty hoping to get more of these, instead of offering the normal taxi service. The police have picked up on this, and if you report them they get fined something like THB 1,000.

[fishbrando]

We just recently had a thread about this:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/713266-dlt-over-10000-complaints-against-thai-cab-drivers-received-in-past-5-months/

[CharlieH]

Agree its getting worse,last time I was down in bkk, I wanted to go from China town across to Sukumvit and I tried 15 different taxi before I found 1 to take us, most wanted fixed fair at a crazy price, others just flat refused.

Edited April 3, 2014 by CharlieH