Songtaew prices slashed!

[Thighlander]

Based on my experiences; there is about as much truth to this as then end of beer promotions...........I tried to get it for ten twice today, and both times was countered with thirty........first time walked away...second time we settled on 20. Did take yellow all the way out to central HD, today, and they insisted on giving me 5 back for my 20......I wonder if they discount if you are forced to ride holding onto the ladder?

[daoyai]

Perhaps the Chinese tourists should be informed of the 10 baht price, that could get interesting.

[mccw]

Perhaps there won't be so many driving round empty clogging the streets

They should get organised to routes and rotation with spacing like a real bus service. Or is this actually what the NCPO have or are currently trying to organise? Media full of things like this mess getting tackled and tidied up. Deck chairs, illegal logging, drugs dealer, gambling dens, corruption, soidogs(?), Now more organised and cheaper lot daang; Bravo NCPO

[mccw]

The sting in the tail will be when they announce all non thais to pay 30bt a trip.

They are just sweetening the headline.

Velvet glove......iron fist.

I think 30 bht for foreigner be fine if it lets the Thais ride at 10 bht.

Same goes for the zoo and royal flora et .

Should be same in all countries; tourist subside locals. Especially in areas that it's local taxes paying for the upkeep- like national parks and museums.

[Konini]

Whatever I pay them I don't care because they have a far better attitude than those tuk tuk drivers who are like Mafia ,

When I want to go from Arcade bus station to Chang Puek bus station number 1, I never pay more than 40 to 50 baht on a red songthaew while the tuk tuk drivers have demanded 150 baht for the same trip

And for that trip, compared with what we would pay back home 40 baht is a bargain, and really, how much is 40 baht?

Perhaps I shouldn't tell you though that Chang Puak bus station is the transfer point for yellow and green songthaews. If you do the 2 minute walk out of Arcade and onto the road, flag any yellow or green one down. Don't talk to the driver, just get on. Hand over 10 baht on arrival. If you're all hot and sweaty, use sign language to ask if you can sit up front with him where you'll either have an open window or aircon. It's only good manners to give him 20 baht for that privilege. Of course it depends what time you arrive, they don't seem to be any more coming in after about 8pm.

I go from Rimping Condo to Airport Plaza and shops further down Hang Dong Road, so I flag down a yellow or green one and when I get to the bus station I say 'Hang Dong' and someone points me to the right songthaew. I make myself known to the driver but don't get in straight away, because they aren't in the shade and it's too hot to just sit in there waiting. When the driver gets in, I indicate that I would like to sit up front, which means I'm facing forward not sideways, have a more comfortable seat and have either aircon or an open window next to me. Although that fare is also 10 baht as far as Makro, I always give 20 baht, because they've let me sit up front. More often than not, they try to give me 10 baht change.

[watcharacters]

I see still no one able to decipher the Thai post. I guess I will have to just take it for a fact that it is only artound the moat. I thought they had some other fixed rate routes but I never seem to run across them.

learn to read Thai and stop expecting other people to go to great lengths just for you.

What and deprive the Thai literate their moments of smug superiority? never.

.

Outstanding reply daoyai but I'm afraid it couldn't possibly penetrate the smugness protection layer surrounding Oscar2.

[debrakfurlow]

The gov reduced gas to help with economy the lowered the income for drivers. Does this make sense? I would never pay a driver .30 for a fare. That's rediculous. I'll pay what the trip was worth to me and always a 20b tip.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Perhaps there won't be so many driving round empty clogging the streets

They should get organised to routes and rotation with spacing like a real bus service. Or is this actually what the NCPO have or are currently trying to organise? Media full of things like this mess getting tackled and tidied up. Deck chairs, illegal logging, drugs dealer, gambling dens, corruption, soidogs(?), Now more organised and cheaper lot daang; Bravo NCPO

Colored Songtaws are organised, fixed routes, fixed prices and the drivers have to book their time slots days in advance.

Along the routes they have to regularly stop and punch in at devices bolted to street lamp pylons. Penalized it they aren't on time at each spot.

[puukao]

I had a great bargaining session with a songtaew driver:

In my almost-fluent (5%) Thai, I said "4 baht"

he said 17 baht

I said 8, he said 12

I said 9, he said 10

I then lowered back to 3

This went on for one hour, and then I decided to walk one block north to my destination.

Not even a bit funny sir.

Your post of not being funny, is not funny. I don't understand, did this insult you? Did you think I had malice in my post against others? Are you against attempted humor? Please list all your rules for what is funny.......please let the people who liked my post know your rules.

this is exactly why i am sick of TV.

[debrakfurlow]

I thought is was funny. I don't need rules.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[northernjohn]

I had a great bargaining session with a songtaew driver:

In my almost-fluent (5%) Thai, I said "4 baht"

he said 17 baht

I said 8, he said 12

I said 9, he said 10

I then lowered back to 3

This went on for one hour, and then I decided to walk one block north to my destination.

Not even a bit funny sir.

Your post of not being funny, is not funny. I don't understand, did this insult you? Did you think I had malice in my post against others? Are you against attempted humor? Please list all your rules for what is funny.......please let the people who liked my post know your rules.

this is exactly why i am sick of TV.

You waste one hour of an honest working citizen over nothing and think it is funny. It is people like you who give the Thais a false impression of Farongs.

While I am here I was wondering about some of the posters who figure taking songthaew's of the road would help lesson traffic. How about an answer like cut back the single driver vehicles.

[DaamNaam]

I had a great bargaining session with a songtaew driver:

In my almost-fluent (5%) Thai, I said "4 baht"

he said 17 baht

I said 8, he said 12

I said 9, he said 10

I then lowered back to 3

This went on for one hour, and then I decided to walk one block north to my destination.

Not even a bit funny sir.

Your post of not being funny, is not funny. I don't understand, did this insult you? Did you think I had malice in my post against others? Are you against attempted humor? Please list all your rules for what is funny.......please let the people who liked my post know your rules.

this is exactly why i am sick of TV.

You waste one hour of an honest working citizen over nothing and think it is funny. It is people like you who give the Thais a false impression of Farongs.

While I am here I was wondering about some of the posters who figure taking songthaew's of the road would help lesson traffic. How about an answer like cut back the single driver vehicles.

Of course it would help. But what is Somchai going to do for work? Farming? Too hard, anything else, too hard.

There is probably only need for less than half of them in reality. Unfortunately CM has a reality all of its own.

It's life Jim, but not as we know it.

[amexpat]

^^

"And for that trip, compared with what we would pay back home 40 baht is a bargain, and really, how much is 40 baht?"

And how much is a bottle of wine compared to what we would pay back home? About three times as much.

How much is rent? Maybe a third.

Comparisons to the life we left aren't valid.

[mccw]

Be nice if the gov built a metro; offer the jobs to the songteaw drivers and not re-issue licences for the removed capacity. Half be a fine service; for the red ones anyway.

Another problem with songteaw is how many of them belch filthy black smoke all over the place.

Other trucks too- I hope these increased check points can start to instigate some emissions testing too; I have seen many signs around warning about them but haven't seen it in action.

I had a great bargaining session with a songtaew driver:

In my almost-fluent (5%) Thai, I said "4 baht"

he said 17 baht

I said 8, he said 12

I said 9, he said 10

I then lowered back to 3

This went on for one hour, and then I decided to walk one block north to my destination.

Not even a bit funny sir.

Your post of not being funny, is not funny. I don't understand, did this insult you? Did you think I had malice in my post against others? Are you against attempted humor? Please list all your rules for what is funny.......please let the people who liked my post know your rules.

this is exactly why i am sick of TV.

You waste one hour of an honest working citizen over nothing and think it is funny. It is people like you who give the Thais a false impression of Farongs.

While I am here I was wondering about some of the posters who figure taking songthaew's of the road would help lesson traffic. How about an answer like cut back the single driver vehicles.

Of course it would help. But what is Somchai going to do for work? Farming? Too hard, anything else, too hard.

There is probably only need for less than half of them in reality. Unfortunately CM has a reality all of its own.

It's life Jim, but not as we know it.

[DaamNaam]

Be nice if the gov built a metro; offer the jobs to the songteaw drivers and not re-issue licences for the removed capacity. Half be a fine service; for the red ones anyway.

Another problem with songteaw is how many of them belch filthy black smoke all over the place.

Other trucks too- I hope these increased check points can start to instigate some emissions testing too; I have seen many signs around warning about them but haven't seen it in action.

For this to happen you have to first kill the wicked witch of the west and bring me her broomstick.

[mccw]

Be nice if the gov built a metro; offer the jobs to the songteaw drivers and not re-issue licences for the removed capacity. Half be a fine service; for the red ones anyway.

Another problem with songteaw is how many of them belch filthy black smoke all over the place.

Other trucks too- I hope these increased check points can start to instigate some emissions testing too; I have seen many signs around warning about them but haven't seen it in action.

For this to happen you have to first kill the wicked witch of the west and bring me her broomstick.

There are always nah Sayers before every changes.

I bet pre MRT & BTS in Bangkok there were expats sitting around saying "never going to happen".

Like pre internet guys "that internet, never going to catch on".

Mobile phones "who wants to carry around a brick and a suit case"

E tuk tuks, never

Electric trains , never.

High speed trains, never.

We will see.

[Thighlander]

BTS was actually the third attempt at a mass transit system. As of a few years ago, there were still some remnants of the failures.

I use red as my primary mode of transport. I get a solo ride about 1 time in 15. Usually, there are 3-4 other riders. Yellow is usually packed. Certain vehicles could be ticketed for smoke, but emissions testing is a job killer, and would just mean more corruption. Most tuk-tuks run on CNG. The real source of the bad air days is the burning in the fields; not vehicles. An electric car is basically a coal burning car. Over 91% of Thailand's electricity is derived from fossil fuels. http://www.indexmundi.com/thailand/electricity_production_by_source.html

Edited September 5, 2014 by Thighlander

[mccw]

^ getting a face full of black smoke from a songteaw while riding a bike or walking is not very nice.

At street level in city ellectric vehicles would be much nicer than what we have now; even if the grid is powered from fossils else where.

Since talking hypothetically - would be possible to build a charge station which is powered from solar PV.

[mccw]

BTS was actually the third attempt at a mass transit system. As of a few years ago, there were still some remnants of the failures.

I use red as my primary mode of transport. I get a solo ride about 1 time in 15. Usually, there are 3-4 other riders. Yellow is usually packed. Certain vehicles could be ticketed for smoke, but emissions testing is a job killer, and would just mean more corruption. Most tuk-tuks run on CNG. The real source of the bad air days is the burning in the fields; not vehicles. An electric car is basically a coal burning car. Over 91% of Thailand's electricity is derived from fossil fuels. http://www.indexmundi.com/thailand/electricity_production_by_source.html

I think a big part of Thai ellectric generation comes from Gas; from the gulf and andaman, some directly and some via Myanmar.

[Thighlander]

If solar was anywhere near practical here; you would already see lots of panels, but it is more like none, especially when talking about PV.

[hml367]

^ getting a face full of black smoke from a songteaw while riding a bike or walking is not very nice.

At street level in city ellectric vehicles would be much nicer than what we have now; even if the grid is powered from fossils else where.

Since talking hypothetically - would be possible to build a charge station which is powered from solar PV.

Go ask CMU. I think they did a study of electric public transport. They still use electric transport on campus.

[mccw]

If solar was anywhere near practical here; you would already see lots of panels, but it is more like none, especially when talking about PV.

I am installing PV to my own house. Actually it will be saving a couple of bht compared to the gov/ mains unit price. Over the years the gov price will rise further. While PV panels should come down as they have done over the last 10 years dramatically already.

The thing that holds PV back is the large upfront cost.

There are actually a few "solar farms" in Thailand, which sell energy to the national grid.

[mccw]

For me; rather than the savings, which are nice, but not the main point; the greatest benefit will be having a secure source of power to run essential systems like fridge freezers etc Incase of an energy crises.

[Thighlander]

If solar was anywhere near practical here; you would already see lots of panels, but it is more like none, especially when talking about PV.

I am installing PV to my own house. Actually it will be saving a couple of bht compared to the gov/ mains unit price. Over the years the gov price will rise further. While PV panels should come down as they have done over the last 10 years dramatically already.

The thing that holds PV back is the large upfront cost.

There are actually a few "solar farms" in Thailand, which sell energy to the national grid.

Maybe you could fill us in? Cost to install, and monthly Kwh production. I owned five homes in Arizona over the years. Close to First Solar HQ. Even with 350 days of sunshine per year; there were still plenty of horror stories. It is getting better, and it is feasible in some areas....proceed with caution. People were promised they could sell their excess back to the power company, but then found out they only got wholesale rates, which are about half of the delivered rates. If you are off the grid; the battery aspect is quite costly. Many unscrupulous leasing companies duped people into 20 year leases, that saved them almost nothing, and then became real estate deal killers, because there were many stipulations on the assumability of the leases. About half of the installations I've seen look like crap and totally ruined the aesthetics of the property.

[mccw]

If solar was anywhere near practical here; you would already see lots of panels, but it is more like none, especially when talking about PV.

I am installing PV to my own house. Actually it will be saving a couple of bht compared to the gov/ mains unit price. Over the years the gov price will rise further. While PV panels should come down as they have done over the last 10 years dramatically already.

The thing that holds PV back is the large upfront cost.

There are actually a few "solar farms" in Thailand, which sell energy to the national grid.

Maybe you could fill us in? Cost to install, and monthly Kwh production. I owned five homes in Arizona over the years. Close to First Solar HQ. Even with 350 days of sunshine per year; there were still plenty of horror stories. It is getting better, and it is feasible in some areas....proceed with caution. People were promised they could sell their excess back to the power company, but then found out they only got wholesale rates, which are about half of the delivered rates. If you are off the grid; the battery aspect is quite costly. Many unscrupulous leasing companies duped people into 20 year leases, that saved them almost nothing, and then became real estate deal killers, because there were many stipulations on the assumability of the leases. About half of the installations I've seen look like crap and totally ruined the aesthetics of the property.

5kw from 20 panels; with batteries and controller

650k bht

Integrated with the mains so use a sun power first and top up from mains if needs to by auto. Like if using aircon. While in times of no mains I can just turn off / not use what would over load/ too much power , ie air con.

They will be placed on an area of flat roof (concrete slab) so will be barely visable from the ground and easy to pop up there to clean and fiddle about if needs be.

[Thighlander]

How many Kwh will it produce in an average month?

[mccw]

How many Kwh will it produce in an average month?

Well the proof will be in the pudding; ie after installed and I have data across a year to compare sunny, cloudy and such. But I expect 20 to 30KWhrs per day. At least 15.

That should be plenty for my back up purposes, and if my general life running with no aircon = zero bills.

Can see here some Aussie info on similar systems and maybe more up to date than your last enquires, which if they were several years ago, could mean panel prices are now 45% cheaper (according to this:

http://www.solarchoice.net.au/blog/5kw-solar-system-price-output-return/

[uptheos]

Any more news on the songthaew prices?

[naboo]

A friend of mine (experienced Songthaew user) told me the only driver he's tried 10B with told him 10B was for Thais only.

[uptheos]

A friend of mine (experienced Songthaew user) told me the only driver he's tried 10B with told him 10B was for Thais only.

I imagine they feel aggrieved at giving it to Thai's for 10 baht, so can't imagine how they would feel if foreigners offered 10 baht only, no matter how good their Thai language skills are or how many DL they have or yellow books they produce.