I just read on wikitravel that Samui songthaew drivers have started charging a fixed fare of 100 baht for foreigners. Maybe this is just some clueless tourist who foolishly asks the price before getting on and then accepts whatever the driver says. Anyone have any recent experience just getting on one and then paying the fare written on the inside of the songthaew? That's what I did last time I was in Samui without any problems but maybe things have changed recently.

Yes it a common practice here called biting the hand that feeds you.

The published fee from Naton to Chaweng was only around THB 60 the last time this came up. A pocketful of 20's reduces the chances of being short changed.

HTH

Edited April 23, 201412 yr by evadgib

The published fee from Naton to Chaweng was only around THB 60 the last time this came up. A pocketful of 20's reduces the chances of being short changed.

HTH

The wikitravel page has been edited by someone with an 'April 2014 update' but hopefully nothing has changed since a couple of years ago. Probably the person who edited wikitravel was a clueless tourist who has no idea how pricing works in Thailand.

Paid 100 baht last time from Nathon to Chaweng but that was after the last ferry and it was dark.

Tried a few times to get on board a songthaews on Samui, but all of them demanded insane prices and after the last driver a few vacations ago asked us to pay 500 baht for 2 persons from Bophut to Nathon, we just gave up on the whole songthaew concept.

Sometimes i don't understand those Thai drivers.

They have to drive the distance and spend fuel anyway, so why not just take as many onboard as possible, for a more fair price.

They would probably earn a lot more that way instead of having tourist walking away.

Tried a few times to get on board a songthaews on Samui, but all of them demanded insane prices and after the last driver a few vacations ago asked us to pay 500 baht for 2 persons from Bophut to Nathon, we just gave up on the whole songthaew concept.

Sometimes i don't understand those Thai drivers.

They have to drive the distance and spend fuel anyway, so why not just take as many onboard as possible, for a more fair price.

They would probably earn a lot more that way instead of having tourist walking away.

It sounds like you were trying to get on board the wrong ones. The public songthaews are the ones waiting in a particular place until it fills and then can be flagged down on its route. The other guys hanging around are waiting for the big catch (the clueless tourist). You can hardly blame them when so many people are prepared to pay.

Paid 100 baht last time from Nathon to Chaweng but that was after the last ferry and it was dark.

How did the conversation with the driver go exactly? Was it 'How much?' '100 baht' 'OK'?

Paid 100 baht last time from Nathon to Chaweng but that was after the last ferry and it was dark.

How did the conversation with the driver go exactly? Was it 'How much?' '100 baht' 'OK'?

100 baht phai Chaweng dai mai?

Dai!

I take them everyday from Chaweng to Lamai and nothing has changed pricewise for years.

Being a native Thai as well as regular face for most of the drivers, I do enjoy the Thai price.

60bt is still the maximum Thai price from start to end of route.

Who knows, perhaps that wikitravel edit was made by the drivers themselves...

For farangs I usually hear the drivers asking 100bt regardless of distance and most tourists simply OK.

But sometimes even I get the farang treatment. I always pay 30bt from Chaweng to Lamai, but often if I hand them 40bt, I won't get any change back, sometimes they won't even give me back if I hand 50, so I always try to have the exact amount to them.

A tip for you farangs is always try haggling. Some drivers won't budge and will insist on 100bt, but some will settle for less. After all, these drivers as a bit smarter and knows it's better to get some, than nothing at all, since they're gonna drive that route anyway. But mind you, these drivers are expert at cold reading and they can sense if a person will probably get on anyway or not. When you haggle, just insist on your price, for example 60bt, and if they refuse, just wave them away, and I'm sure most will accept your bargain.

But I have seen some drivers who are just plain stubborn (and stupid) and will refuse to lower the price regardless. So they end up driving empty instead of getting less.

Of course you're never gonna get away with for example 20bt around the island or something like that.

This is relevant only for songthaews who drives during the day. After 6PM, it'll be prohibitively more expensive and expect to pay at least 100bt to get anywhere.

But still, they should be cheaper than taxi.

Edited April 23, 201412 yr by Mole

It's a pity they do not provide some kind of a pass allowing unlimited use of songthaew for a limited period of time.

Pay per ride at farang price is OK when you do not need or enjoy to go around more than once a day, if not renting a bike is cheaper and more convenient, but dangerous.

Paid 100 baht last time from Nathon to Chaweng but that was after the last ferry and it was dark.

How did the conversation with the driver go exactly? Was it 'How much?' '100 baht' 'OK'?

100 baht phai Chaweng dai mai?

Dai!

Don't want to get in a lengthy exchange of grammar or off topic, but my 200 hour course in Thai says its written and pronounced "bhai" as in buy or bye and not phai or p, but b.

Yes?

It's actually neither b or p.

This sound doesn't exist at the beginning of words in English, but it's the same sound as the "p" when you say "Spain", "special".

When the Spanish pronounce words which begins with "p", it's exactly the same sound, such as peso, pais.

However, even if you do manage to pronounce it as b, p or correctly as "bp", the drivers will definitely understand what you're saying.

Edited April 23, 201412 yr by Mole

They will charge whatever they think they can get.Speak A little thai.Say to him how much your willing to pay.Say it all in a Thai,you will make out better

Some people seem to confuse chartering one and getting on a public one. For the public ones there's no need to speak to the driver at all, just hand him the correct fare when you get off. At least that's how it was a couple of years ago.

I thought they changed from public to private hire at 8pm. Don't use them since I bought the saleng but only ever paid 60 Baht from Lamai to immigration or the other way.

If I have to use them I never pay more than 60 baht always make sure you have 20 baht notes and never ask how much just hand over the 60 baht koh phangan is far worse they are total rip off merchants !!!

Asking the fare just slows down the travel process.

It's meant to be hopped onto,

and jump off, pay and walk away.

Never a need to converse.

If you feel a need to practice your haggling skills,

speak with a taxi will suffice,

and not hold up a bunch of people waiting to get across the island.

The more you ask about price,

the more you're setting yourself up to get pinched.

HELLO,

no problem with HUA HIN, It was between 10 and 20 baht bths, depending on the distance.

Ex: from market Village to makhro is 20 BHTS but makhro to nigth market is 10 BHTS.

I always pay 100 for long distances between beaches and not more than 50 for short distances but I know that Thai price is just half of this

They will charge whatever they think they can get.Speak A little thai.Say to him how much your willing to pay.Say it all in a Thai,you will make out better

For me this results in getting ripped off in Thai instead of English.

If I have to use them I never pay more than 60 baht always make sure you have 20 baht notes and never ask how much just hand over the 60 baht koh phangan is far worse they are total rip off merchants !!!

But it's different on KP, they think it's a Tax station! (Tongsala Pier!)

Hope Mole will say what the Thai part says!

If I have to use them I never pay more than 60 baht always make sure you have 20 baht notes and never ask how much just hand over the 60 baht koh phangan is far worse they are total rip off merchants !!!

But it's different on KP, they think it's a Tax station! (Tongsala Pier!)

Hope Mole will say what the Thai part says!

It says 'queue jawt rot doy san bra jam tang' or car for hire parking queue or Taxi stand if you like.

Edited April 24, 201412 yr by BudRight

Like others have said, if you ask the price you'll get overcharged.

Don't speak to the driver when you get on, just hop on. When you get off, just hand over the 60 baht and walk away. If it's not enough they'll tell you.

Edited April 24, 201412 yr by pokerspiv

Like others have said, if you ask the price you'll get overcharged.

Don't speak to the driver when you get on, just hop on. When you get off, just hand over the 60 baht and walk away. If it's not enough they'll tell you.

This works with the ladies as well.

Paid 100 baht last time from Nathon to Chaweng but that was after the last ferry and it was dark.

How did the conversation with the driver go exactly? Was it 'How much?' '100 baht' 'OK'?

100 baht phai Chaweng dai mai?

Dai!

Don't want to get in a lengthy exchange of grammar or off topic, but my 200 hour course in Thai says its written and pronounced "bhai" as in buy or bye and not phai or p, but b.

Yes?

What's that privately.....around 40,000 Baht?

Boy did you get taken!!

Like others have said, if you ask the price you'll get overcharged.

Don't speak to the driver when you get on, just hop on. When you get off, just hand over the 60 baht and walk away. If it's not enough they'll tell you.

This works with the ladies as well.

True. They probably want a bit more than 60 baht though.

Nathon to Chaweng Beach in either direction was 50-60 Baht from Sept thru March for this farang.

Then I tried again in mid-April and it was 100 Baht for first 3 drivers I politely asked.

When I countered with 80, two of them became pretty hostile.

The 4th one I found at the end of the pier was acceptable to 80 Baht.

Cheers

Tried a few times to get on board a songthaews on Samui, but all of them demanded insane prices and after the last driver a few vacations ago asked us to pay 500 baht for 2 persons from Bophut to Nathon, we just gave up on the whole songthaew concept.

Sometimes i don't understand those Thai drivers.

They have to drive the distance and spend fuel anyway, so why not just take as many onboard as possible, for a more fair price.

They would probably earn a lot more that way instead of having tourist walking away.

It sounds like you were trying to get on board the wrong ones. The public songthaews are the ones waiting in a particular place until it fills and then can be flagged down on its route. The other guys hanging around are waiting for the big catch (the clueless tourist). You can hardly blame them when so many people are prepared to pay.

Is there any good way of telling the the right ones from the wrong ones?

they drive by slowly and you can stop them by decent waving, you can ask them with one word of your destination and if they quietly nod you have a right one