Late this afternoon I caught a red car at KSK for a trip to kad Luang, on arrival I handed the driver a 20baht note, he quickly pressed a 10 baht coin into my hand....I barely could compose myself in time to utter a kapkuncrap before he pulled away, anyone else experienced this yet? i know there was a recent thread on this but I never expected to experience it personally. shocking.

time is money mate, your holding up the transportation industry

JT now has a good reason to make a visit to CM.

I don't know which country you come from OP, but in your country when you pay the bus driver or the contactor don't you expect to get the right change back?

Why in Thailand should be different?

Did you expect him to hang around for Tea and Scones ?

I think 20 baht is fair. Drivers work long hours and after paying for their vehicle and fuel, they are left with little. The new fares seem unfair, I will hand back the 10 baht.

Personally, I think the new 10baht fare is a bit low. I'd rather pay 20baht.

the next passenger may now get charged 40Bt, when the driver cottons on...

I agree with others who say 20 baht is better. The OP could of course return the shock to the driver by handing him a 10 baht tip.

Some (most?) of these drivers work so many long hours to get just enough money, and lots of them are in debt.

Who made the prices go down? Terrible.

the next passenger may now get charged 40Bt, when the driver cottons on...

when a driver quotes me 40baht, I make a point of noting his licence number and car number. A few have changed their mind quite rapidly.

I don't do anything with the note anyway.

I don't know which country you come from OP, but in your country when you pay the bus driver or the contactor don't you expect to get the right change back?

Why in Thailand should be different?

Because the price the OP paid hasn't been the normal case in Chiang Mai for several years.

I guess I missed the News Flash regarding a price reduction on Song Teaw prices as it has been 15-20 baht for years so guess I would be surprised also to get change back from a 20. 2012 topic And a recent travel news article stating 20 baht - http://travellingapples.com/2014/06/08/getting-around-chiang-mai/ and another article Pure Chiang Mai showing 20 Baht.

Any media link to the new price structure?

always make sure you have the correct money, anything else given my a foreigner is considered 'thankyou money'

Personally, I think the new 10baht fare is a bit low. I'd rather pay 20baht.

It's nice to see people care like this. I just hope it won't incite the authorities to introduce dual pricing (Thais: 10 baht, foreigners: 20 baht) on all their routes once they hear how wonderfully generous we farangs are.

I'm all for helping the needy. But I'm not sure it's good to instill the idea in Thai people that we're willing to pay more than the locals for the same product or service. That can lead to some very discriminatory practices. Why not offer the songtaew driver some fruits, milk, nuts or other snack, instead of cash? Some of them may even resent these tips.

I rarely use songthaew, what's this 10 baht thing?

I don't know which country you come from OP, but in your country when you pay the bus driver or the contactor don't you expect to get the right change back?

Why in Thailand should be different?

Because it is.

Personally, I think the new 10baht fare is a bit low. I'd rather pay 20baht.

It's nice to see people care like this. I just hope it won't incite the authorities to introduce dual pricing (Thais: 10 baht, foreigners: 20 baht) on all their routes once they hear how wonderfully generous we farangs are.

I'm all for helping the needy. But I'm not sure it's good to instill the idea in Thai people that we're willing to pay more than the locals for the same product or service. That can lead to some very discriminatory practices. Why not offer the songtaew driver some fruits, milk, nuts or other snack, instead of cash? Some of them may even resent these tips.

Give the driver some fruit or nuts! That's the funniest post on here for a while. So now you should carry small change and a banana in your pocket. Or a pineapple. I like it. And one for getting back, of course.

Any more tips like this? Keep them coming, please.

Post containing an insult - removed.

I don't know which country you come from OP, but in your country when you pay the bus driver or the contactor don't you expect to get the right change back?

Why in Thailand should be different?

Because the price the OP paid hasn't been the normal case in Chiang Mai for several years.

I guess I missed the News Flash regarding a price reduction on Song Teaw prices as it has been 15-20 baht for years so guess I would be surprised also to get change back from a 20. 2012 topic And a recent travel news article stating 20 baht - http://travellingapples.com/2014/06/08/getting-around-chiang-mai/ and another article Pure Chiang Mai showing 20 Baht.

Any media link to the new price structure?

Link to price reduction announcement: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/756398-songtaew-prices-slashed/

OP is the first person I've heard of that's gotten a 10 thb ride...I even had Thai friends ask and were told it's still 20 thb.

What were you expecting to happen OP? Sounds like a normal transaction to me

Personally, I think the new 10baht fare is a bit low. I'd rather pay 20baht.

It's nice to see people care like this. I just hope it won't incite the authorities to introduce dual pricing (Thais: 10 baht, foreigners: 20 baht) on all their routes once they hear how wonderfully generous we farangs are.

I'm all for helping the needy. But I'm not sure it's good to instill the idea in Thai people that we're willing to pay more than the locals for the same product or service. That can lead to some very discriminatory practices. Why not offer the songtaew driver some fruits, milk, nuts or other snack, instead of cash? Some of them may even resent these tips.

Give the driver some fruit or nuts! That's the funniest post on here for a while. So now you should carry small change and a banana in your pocket. Or a pineapple. I like it. And one for getting back, of course.

Any more tips like this? Keep them coming, please.

I'm going to try it just to see the look on the drivers face when I hand him over 10 baht and a packet of peanuts..just hope the saying ' If you pay peanuts you get monkeys' isn't widespread here or I could also end up with my teeth knocked out!

While we are on the subject of Songtaews the yellow ones are back at Kad Luang now as they were before, turned out to be a right old mess with them running from Chang Puak for everybody involved.

What were you expecting to happen OP? Sounds like a normal transaction to me

I was expecting him to accept the 20baht as is usual for the last few years, I had read here that the fare had been reduced to 10B but never expected it to come to pass, so I was surprised with the unexpected and somewhat forceful return of a 10 baht coin. got it?

OP - I think you are very sensitive.... what d'ya expect , times money for these guys,

I think 20 baht is fair. Drivers work long hours and after paying for their vehicle and fuel, they are left with little. The new fares seem unfair, I will hand back the 10 baht.

And the Songthaew drivers in Chiang Mai are generally a lot nicer and more polite than those in Pattaya so they deserve the tip just for that

the next passenger may now get charged 40Bt, when the driver cottons on...

when a driver quotes me 40baht, I make a point of noting his licence number and car number. A few have changed their mind quite rapidly.

I don't do anything with the note anyway.

As for me, I have better things to think about and do than take down notes concerning 40 baht.

So what's the deal, all fares around the city is 10 baht?

Personally, I think the new 10baht fare is a bit low. I'd rather pay 20baht.

Fuel and vehicle now being supplied free of charge as a subsidy from the government.

I wouldn't count on it Hans, my experience may just be a one off.

I already carry nuts and a giant banana in my pants....

CB

Someone needs to tell the Chinese, they are still getting hosed.

Thai's give 20 baht, don't ask for and don't expect change.

I had first handl experience of this yesterday.