I have lived in Thailand for almost 5 years and along with my friends living here we have gone out of our way never to hire a taxi because of the blatant rip off's.

On Wednesday this week we flew in from Bangkok to Surat Thani and took the boat to Nathon and arrived about 7:30 that evening.

It was my friends first visit to Thailand and one they will never forget, on leaving the boat we were confronted with Taxi and Van drivers offering absolutely ridiculous prices, the Van driver wanted 500 Baht a head to get to Lamai via Chawang, the Taxi driver wanted 900 Baht.

I haggled for 10 minutes and finally got the price back to 500 Baht but it was a trip from hell with the Taxi driver complaining all the way back.

Although I thought the army had done something to regulate the Mafia Taxi drivers it surely didn't work here, there was no Meter in the Taxi.

Thanks a lot car 152

Related links:

http://www.samuitimes.com/?s=samui+taxi&x=10&y=9

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/751260-day-two-of-taxi-meter-rules-enforcement-but-has-it-made-any-difference-in-koh-samui/

Your ferry/bus company could probably have dropped you off using their shuttle service at a reasonable price or your hotel could have collected you.

HTH

Edited August 22, 201411 yr by evadgib

If you think only because the army might show their weapons, a whole industry of class B gangsters is dropping out of their jobs which have given them a monthly salary other people can only dream of, you're probably wrong. Even if they disappear for a while - the army isn't there forever.

seems to be the case in most of the region , too many taxi, not enough customers, so they have to make every trip pay off.

There ar many residents who have never used a taxi because of the rip off price. On the meter they would have far more business and may earn just as much. Of course the big problem is they would actually have to work for it.

What happened to the songtheaws?

Marfia?

'Av the Sauf London Boyz made inroads into Samui

Edited August 25, 201411 yr by samran

Perhaps the army could just clear the whole island and start again from scratch.

What happened to the songtheaws?

Maybe too late, 7-30 in the evening?

yes, probably too late

But what about Asiatique in Bkk? ( remind me in small, the magic Suam Lum Bazar in Lumpini )

"They" invite customers to leave the place using an organized and "special taxi service" and the trip that you should pay 60 baht. they ask 300.

Is enough walk no more than 3-4 min. for get a normal taxi with meter, but take enough distance from that pace before...do you know what i mean..!?!?!

Ciao picciotti

Greetings from Alex