Taxi "Mafia"

[BigC]

Personally I would not expect it to change

If people with private taxis don't charge much cheaper

Remember on an island everything is more expensive

The cost of living is higher

The cost of gasoline is higher

Cost of eating is higher

Cost of rent is higher

Not 400% higher.

The price is high because the cartel threatens to kill anyone undercutting them.

These are taxis it ain't Mexico cocaine barons where they are turning over billions of usd per day

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[BigC]

Personally I would not expect it to change

If people with private taxis don't charge much cheaper

Remember on an island everything is more expensive

The cost of living is higher

The cost of gasoline is higher

Cost of eating is higher

Cost of rent is higher

Not 400% higher.

The price is high because the cartel threatens to kill anyone undercutting them.

The average wage in Thailand is 500 baht a day. Taxi drivers in Samui charge that for a 10 minute ride.

Yes but that 500 baht is not profit

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[pokerspiv]

Most of it is. These taxis run on LPG. Nathon to Chaweng uses about 25 baht worth of LPG.

[Virt]

So far we haven't had any luck with songthaews on Samui and gave up on them.

Last one wanted 500 Bath from north end chaweng up near the dusk restaurant to Nathon, so we refused a nd grabbeb a taxi for 600.

can't believe that incompetence.

Again, daytime Songthaeows are very, very cheap.

They drive from Nathon along the Ring Road to Chaweng and back like a subway, there and back, there and back....... daytime!!

You get on along that by standing next to the street, waving with your right hand subtle 2-4 times, when one is coming in the direction you want to go, hand at the level of your collarbone, it stops and you get on it.

You stop it by pushing the white bottom above you. You go to the driver, you pay him from Chaweng to Nathon 60 Baht without any askings, and finito, you go away.

That's completely normal

Might be normal but all i know is that the driver during daytime asked for 500 and that we didn't want to pay.

But we might try it this time in July when we're in Maenam and Lamai and if they charge us more than 60 Baht i send you the bill

26 days to go... Yay

[Sandman77]

Search for uber in AppStore

Hopefully this programm also find supporters in Thailand !

[smokie36]

You stop it by pushing the white bottom above you

I love it Birdman.

I had no idea you were so tall!

[pokerspiv]

So far we haven't had any luck with songthaews on Samui and gave up on them.

Last one wanted 500 Bath from north end chaweng up near the dusk restaurant to Nathon, so we refused a nd grabbeb a taxi for 600.

can't believe that incompetence.

Again, daytime Songthaeows are very, very cheap.

They drive from Nathon along the Ring Road to Chaweng and back like a subway, there and back, there and back....... daytime!!

You get on along that by standing next to the street, waving with your right hand subtle 2-4 times, when one is coming in the direction you want to go, hand at the level of your collarbone, it stops and you get on it.

You stop it by pushing the white bottom above you. You go to the driver, you pay him from Chaweng to Nathon 60 Baht without any askings, and finito, you go away.

That's completely normal

Might be normal but all i know is that the driver during daytime asked for 500 and that we didn't want to pay.

Speaking to the driver was a mistake. You hail the songthaew and get on it. If you speak to the driver you will pay more.

[Tropicalevo]

Search for uber in AppStore

Hopefully this programm also find supporters in Thailand !

Sorry but I do not think that this is relevant for Samui.

I suppose that you just get a better car for a high price?

As it is more expensive than a regular taxi in Bangkok - I can only imagine just how much more expensive it will be compared to a taxi on Samui.

[BigC]

There again 3 people sharing a taxi for 300 baht is only 100 baht each

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[Absolut]

Personally I would not expect it to change

If people with private taxis don't charge much cheaper

Remember on an island everything is more expensive

The cost of living is higher

The cost of gasoline is higher

Cost of eating is higher

Cost of rent is higher

Which filters down to the street these drivers, owners and so on still have to live here supper families and so on

If you stand around watching the taxi drivers they always get customers depending which stand by they have chosen

Be it green mango on a Saturday night or tescos

So the myth that they don't get business is a myth

They get paid the as if they did it cheaper and if they so a short run that means they go to the back of the cue so they miss the bigger job behind them. The only way round it is to charge a fare price from example from tescos to Chaweng can be 250 or 300 baht as it is short so they can her back to the cue quicker

Then from Tesco to Nathong 500 baht is not too bad considering the distance and they have to drive back then back to the end of the cue

So it is what it is and it is very competitive mainly probably to probably not having restrictions as to how many taxis are aloud on the island

They do make money so why would they change

Would you offer a discount to people to someone who was renting your house for a year and already paying 100 k per month anyway and were due to carry on paying

What would be the point

The point of business is to make money

And with allot of 5 star hotels there is allot of demand for taxis and the customers don't find 500 baht too much

They are mainly for tourists

As most expats either rent a motor bike or buy one or a car

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This is exactly what the private taxis from the airport do and no one seems to complain too much about that.

(Also ocurrs in other cities like NY for example)

Having fixed pricing to/ between certain locations, per car at kind of acceptable pricing. Clearly displayed in all taxi's.

It would probably solve the "I don't want to be ripped off" mentality which would encourage more people to use taxis.

On an island where tourism is so critical, having a system that encourages the tourists to use a service can only be of benefit for the local taxi operators.

[BigC]

Yes some places have signs with fixed prices to locations

I have no problem with that

Also if people were just shouting taxi without looking at me but just making me aware of them I would not have a problem

The only problem is that I just cannot understand why they reckon that by intimidating me and stalking me that I shall abandon my plans to walk in to he family mart next to me and taxi a random taxi somewhere else

I don't really care about taxis

As I have my solution around it. Have my own car and motor bike so don't need one

End of the that day in bangkok j would not have bought a car because public transport is easy

Then again I have noticed people do give into these taxi touts which does not help

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[BigC]

Also it is not cheap being a taxi driver on samui

The stand by fees are very high in some places

Plus these place such as next the pier for example are only active for specific times of the day

Standby in central is about 300 k

So you could imagine how pissed of a driver would be if one was to park in his space

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[BigC]

Also I have had a number of times in samui when I have forgotten something on the taxi and got it back due to remembering the taxi bunber

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[apalink_thailand]

So far in Samui, it's been same same.

Doubt it's gonna change much considering there's very well connected families on this island with good ties to the people who took over the reign of the country.

small island too many taxis. makes it not worth doing short runs for small money. Also they are not aloud to under charge if they want to stay in their group

Short runs for small money better than no runs at all! Some taxis sit in the same place for hour upon hour with no fares rather than "undercharge" and fall out with their "family" " Don" group. (Hence the term "Mafia"!)

Understood it is madness but that's just the way it is

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Unfortunately, you are right with "that's just the way that it is", but if things can change in Phuket (which they seem to be doing rather quickly!) then surely the same could apply to Samui?

My guess is that even if they undercharged, they would still have to "kick up" the same fee ( not a percentage).

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[sambum]

Personally I would not expect it to change

If people with private taxis don't charge much cheaper

Remember on an island everything is more expensive

The cost of living is higher

The cost of gasoline is higher

Cost of eating is higher

Cost of rent is higher

Which filters down to the street these drivers, owners and so on still have to live here supper families and so on

If you stand around watching the taxi drivers they always get customers depending which stand by they have chosen

Be it green mango on a Saturday night or tescos

So the myth that they don't get business is a myth

They get paid the as if they did it cheaper and if they so a short run that means they go to the back of the cue so they miss the bigger job behind them. The only way round it is to charge a fare price from example from tescos to Chaweng can be 250 or 300 baht as it is short so they can her back to the cue quicker

Then from Tesco to Nathong 500 baht is not too bad considering the distance and they have to drive back then back to the end of the cue

So it is what it is and it is very competitive mainly probably to probably not having restrictions as to how many taxis are aloud on the island

They do make money so why would they change

Would you offer a discount to people to someone who was renting your house for a year and already paying 100 k per month anyway and were due to carry on paying

What would be the point

The point of business is to make money

And with allot of 5 star hotels there is allot of demand for taxis and the customers don't find 500 baht too much

They are mainly for tourists

As most expats either rent a motor bike or buy one or a car

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Good post and many valid points! However, the actual fact that the majority of these vehicles have "Meter Taxi" on a box on the roof is surely flouting the law (OK - I can hear it now "Which law?" "Thai law?" so don't bother!) but once again there seems to be no one to enforce it. (Bring in the Phuket "Untouchables"?) Actually, I remember 1 taxi that had a sign saying "Meter 50 baht surcharge", which at least was a step in the right direction, but didn't last too long - obviously "The Family" advised him against it!!!

[BigC]

Personally I would not expect it to change

If people with private taxis don't charge much cheaper

Remember on an island everything is more expensive

The cost of living is higher

The cost of gasoline is higher

Cost of eating is higher

Cost of rent is higher

Which filters down to the street these drivers, owners and so on still have to live here supper families and so on

If you stand around watching the taxi drivers they always get customers depending which stand by they have chosen

Be it green mango on a Saturday night or tescos

So the myth that they don't get business is a myth

They get paid the as if they did it cheaper and if they so a short run that means they go to the back of the cue so they miss the bigger job behind them. The only way round it is to charge a fare price from example from tescos to Chaweng can be 250 or 300 baht as it is short so they can her back to the cue quicker

Then from Tesco to Nathong 500 baht is not too bad considering the distance and they have to drive back then back to the end of the cue

So it is what it is and it is very competitive mainly probably to probably not having restrictions as to how many taxis are aloud on the island

They do make money so why would they change

Would you offer a discount to people to someone who was renting your house for a year and already paying 100 k per month anyway and were due to carry on paying

What would be the point

The point of business is to make money

And with allot of 5 star hotels there is allot of demand for taxis and the customers don't find 500 baht too much

They are mainly for tourists

As most expats either rent a motor bike or buy one or a car

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

Good post and many valid points! However, the actual fact that the majority of these vehicles have "Meter Taxi" on a box on the roof is surely flouting the law (OK - I can hear it now "Which law?" "Thai law?" so don't bother!) but once again there seems to be no one to enforce it. (Bring in the Phuket "Untouchables"?) Actually, I remember 1 taxi that had a sign saying "Meter 50 baht surcharge", which at least was a step in the right direction, but didn't last too long - obviously "The Family" advised him against it!!!

Yes understood by law it says taxi meter then it should do what it says on the tin

Thing is like in all island in thailand

They all seem to have their own set of rules almost like another country

Phuket is more of a Provence

Remember they had a big protest a while back when they tried to enforce the taxi meters

Shall have to sit back and see what happens

Problem is that the DSI would be the ones to enforce it but it is hard for Thais to act like tourists which is where the taxis like to strike at the white skinned Europeans , Americans extra

In America they only used to let Irish Americans into the force which made it harder to clamp down on Italians American mafia and Chinese extra until they changed their laws

Places like bangkok and Phuket have allot of thai people using taxis so it slightly easier and allot of these rich Thais are from bangkok and not locals even if they are locals Phuket is a big place not like samui where everyone knows everyone

So as nick Faldo says

" got to take the rough with the smooth "

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[spidermike007]

Personally I would not expect it to change

If people with private taxis don't charge much cheaper

Remember on an island everything is more expensive

The cost of living is higher

The cost of gasoline is higher

Cost of eating is higher

Cost of rent is higher

Which filters down to the street these drivers, owners and so on still have to live here supper families and so on

If you stand around watching the taxi drivers they always get customers depending which stand by they have chosen

Be it green mango on a Saturday night or tescos

So the myth that they don't get business is a myth

They get paid the as if they did it cheaper and if they so a short run that means they go to the back of the cue so they miss the bigger job behind them. The only way round it is to charge a fare price from example from tescos to Chaweng can be 250 or 300 baht as it is short so they can her back to the cue quicker

Then from Tesco to Nathong 500 baht is not too bad considering the distance and they have to drive back then back to the end of the cue

So it is what it is and it is very competitive mainly probably to probably not having restrictions as to how many taxis are aloud on the island

They do make money so why would they change

Would you offer a discount to people to someone who was renting your house for a year and already paying 100 k per month anyway and were due to carry on paying

What would be the point

The point of business is to make money

And with allot of 5 star hotels there is allot of demand for taxis and the customers don't find 500 baht too much

They are mainly for tourists

As most expats either rent a motor bike or buy one or a car

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Not sure if I have ever heard more nonsense. Gas is two baht more. Please do not apologize for the criminals. Next you will start a union for the taxi drivers. Please.

Spidermike007

[BigC]

Personally I would not expect it to change

If people with private taxis don't charge much cheaper

Remember on an island everything is more expensive

The cost of living is higher

The cost of gasoline is higher

Cost of eating is higher

Cost of rent is higher

Which filters down to the street these drivers, owners and so on still have to live here supper families and so on

If you stand around watching the taxi drivers they always get customers depending which stand by they have chosen

Be it green mango on a Saturday night or tescos

So the myth that they don't get business is a myth

They get paid the as if they did it cheaper and if they so a short run that means they go to the back of the cue so they miss the bigger job behind them. The only way round it is to charge a fare price from example from tescos to Chaweng can be 250 or 300 baht as it is short so they can her back to the cue quicker

Then from Tesco to Nathong 500 baht is not too bad considering the distance and they have to drive back then back to the end of the cue

So it is what it is and it is very competitive mainly probably to probably not having restrictions as to how many taxis are aloud on the island

They do make money so why would they change

Would you offer a discount to people to someone who was renting your house for a year and already paying 100 k per month anyway and were due to carry on paying

What would be the point

The point of business is to make money

And with allot of 5 star hotels there is allot of demand for taxis and the customers don't find 500 baht too much

They are mainly for tourists

As most expats either rent a motor bike or buy one or a car

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Not sure if I have ever heard more nonsense. Gas is two baht more. Please do not apologize for the criminals. Next you will start a union for the taxi drivers. Please.

Spidermike007

I am not apologising for them but in any dispute u have to look at both sides of the coin to get a better understanding of the situation

Personally the only solution is if it was compulsory that they can run the same way but the law on samui is that they should take the word meter away from the sign taxi meter just say taxi as you are right it is false advertising.

They cannot complain about that as it won't change the customers they get

Standby posts should really have set prices on notice boards

If they have to charge a set rate then better to let the public know beforehand as they are either going to accept it or not

It would cut out the haggling which. No one likes and stop all the banter between drivers

Just wat prices from taxis not taxi meters

The other side I the coin is that the mayor is a local from samui and so are allot of the owners of taxis so if he does not keep these people happy or find a balance then he won't be mayor much longer and the same with the next mayor and so on

The mayor has really improved samui as far as I am concerned so I would like to keep him in

If I was thai

Yes problems with airport and so on but hard to get it all right

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Edited June 10, 2014 by BigC

[PoorSucker]

Phuket is more of a Provence

Phuket is actually a province, if you don't mean Provence in southern France.

[BigC]

Phuket is more of a Provence

Phuket is actually a province, if you don't mean Provence in southern France.

Yes I meantime south of France apparently they used the DSI to stop taxi mafia there also lol

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[BigC]

So far we haven't had any luck with songthaews on Samui and gave up on them.

Last one wanted 500 Bath from north end chaweng up near the dusk restaurant to Nathon, so we refused a nd grabbeb a taxi for 600.

can't believe that incompetence.

Again, daytime Songthaeows are very, very cheap.

They drive from Nathon along the Ring Road to Chaweng and back like a subway, there and back, there and back....... daytime!!

You get on along that by standing next to the street, waving with your right hand subtle 2-4 times, when one is coming in the direction you want to go, hand at the level of your collarbone, it stops and you get on it.

You stop it by pushing the white bottom above you. You go to the driver, you pay him from Chaweng to Nathon 60 Baht without any askings, and finito, you go away.

That's completely normal

500 baht is a fare price. there are some bad drivers who are worse who go over board trying to rip people off even more and offering drugs and shit. Well maybe not shit don't know how much dmand there is for shit but the other stuff.

500 baht for a slow song tail taking probably about 40 minutes. Well personally thats what i would expect to pay but i am a cheap charlie according to another thread so maybe i should just walk

[pokerspiv]

500 baht is not a fair price.

A fair price is what would be charged in an open market free of extortion and death threats.

[notmyself]

500 baht is not a fair price.

A fair price is what would be charged in an open market free of extortion and death threats.

Ultimately, there is an overabundance of taxis on the island caused by the issuing of too many licenses. Using the meter (required by law) would not bring in enough revenue to support the enterprise given that many drivers only get one or two fares a day. If the market were regulated (meter usage only), half or likely more the taxis would be gone and what remains would make a profit.

Asleep in the boot/ trunk of your taxi waiting for a fare is not generating any income, it is laziness and nothing else.

Edited June 17, 2014 by notmyself

[notmyself]

[BigC]

500 baht is not a fair price.

A fair price is what would be charged in an open market free of extortion and death threats.

Death threats??

I haven't had a death threat from a taxi

Things work differently on a island people are comparing samui to Phuket

Samui had it's own style. Fare more lawless which has it's plus side aswell as it's down sides

Laws take away freedom

The more laws the less freedom

Only time laws are to be enforced is to make things fare on everyone

I would 500 baht ( about 10 pounds ) is not that expensive

I see Thai people paying the fare without giving the driver hassle

Cost of living is higher taxis should remove the word meter about their taxis just have sign saying taxi

Each stand by should bab the fare written on the board so people don't have to haggle

A small difference could get ride of allot of confusion

Just take the word meter off taxi metre

I dunno personally I don't find the fares too extreme but maybe I do to compare samui, pattaya Phuket bangkok as the same places

Phuket is rediculas as charging 250 baht to drove sown one 4 minutes down the road

That I can stand for because k just walk

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Edited June 17, 2014 by BigC

[notmyself]

Laws take away freedom

The more laws the less freedom

Only time laws are to be enforced is to make things fare on everyone

Whoa Big C!

Law does not mandate good, it protects from harm.

[BigC]

Laws take away freedom

The more laws the less freedom

Only time laws are to be enforced is to make things fare on everyone

Whoa Big C!

Law does not mandate good, it protects from harm.[/quote

Law is for me. I make laws charge protection rackets and with nice strings

Law can be fun I would encourage kids to do the law.

Go on do the law

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[pokerspiv]

500 baht is not a fair price.

A fair price is what would be charged in an open market free of extortion and death threats.

Death threats??

I haven't had a death threat from a taxi

Have you tried to start your own, competing taxi service?

Because if you did, you would.

[pokerspiv]

500 baht is not a fair price.

A fair price is what would be charged in an open market free of extortion and death threats.

Ultimately, there is an overabundance of taxis on the island caused by the issuing of too many licenses. Using the meter (required by law) would not bring in enough revenue to support the enterprise given that many drivers only get one or two fares a day. If the market were regulated (meter usage only), half or likely more the taxis would be gone and what remains would make a profit.

Asleep in the boot/ trunk of your taxi waiting for a fare is not generating any income, it is laziness and nothing else.

I don't think there is an overabundance of taxis. People are just loathe to use them because they are so expensive. My friends who live in Bangkok take taxis everywhere. No permanent residents use them here. Only tourists with no other options.

It's going to be interesting to see if apps like Uber are going to be able to break the monopoly in places like Phuket or Samui. Not sure if it is available here yet.

Base fare is 45 Baht and then it is 2.5 Baht per minute and 9.2 Baht per kilometer.

Based on those rates a car hired through Uber would charge around 180 baht for a Chaweng-Lamai trip.

Edited June 17, 2014 by pokerspiv

[notmyself]

I don't think there is an overabundance of taxis. People are just loathe to use them because they are so expensive.

Given your username 'pokerspiv', I reckon you are bluffing on that statement.

I've spent the best part of my adult life traveling the world and after a while I grew up an learned things from all sorts of people. One of the most basic things I learned is to always have a skill to sell if push comes to shove.