Ok now taxi owns/driver.... not one word out of you for the NEXT 22 years huh?.....

thailand is no longer affordable to the average farang they are raising prices on everything.

Classic second post on a thread!!! ....

Can't believe people complain of an 11% raise of nothing. The ride from Sukhumvit to airport cost about 300 baht including the toll. 300 baht? Less than 10 US$.

Hell mate if that's an issue for you, you better get out of this country, cause you got some serious problems man…..

thailand is no longer affordable to the average farang they are raising prices on everything.

Classic second post on a thread!!! ....

new member

Taxi drivers deserve to make a decent wage... But also, they ought to be required to provide a decent service, which too many of them don't currently do.

Unfortunately, the government official's comment in the OP reflects the idea of give them the fee increase now/first, and THEN require that they meet service standards. But in the real world, what everyone here ought to know is the industry will get the fee increase. But then the notion of meeting service standards will get lost in the shuffle.

Does anyone really think that a 10% meter fee increase is going to stop the many taxi drivers who currently try to avoid taking meter fares, or those who outright refuse fares when they think there's too much traffic or the location is one they don't want to go? And does anyone really think the government is going to do anything seriously to remedy those abuses?

Indeed, Thailand probably has one of the most economical meter taxi rates in the developed world. And yet, on my soi in Bangkok, there isn't a single taxi that inhabits my soi that will take a meter fare. Every single one of them will ONLY take priced fares aimed at ripping off unsuspecting or uncaring tourists.

So how about as an alternative, the taxi drivers get their fee increase AFTER non-meter trip demands and arbitrary driver trip refusals are halted.

no tourists living near my BKK place

thailand is no longer affordable to the average farang they are raising prices on everything.

Or to put it another way "Cheap Charles" being priced out of Thailand, in that case I am all for it.

Wow the ignorance and Thai bashing of some people on this board is incredible. If the taxi rates was adjusted in 2007 then I fully understand the need for them to not use the meter or refusing trips with much traffic.

I just looked up the numbers and the average inflation in Thailand is around 3% (a lot higher in 2008 and lower now) If you paid 100 Baht for something I 2007 then after inflation you must now in 2014 pay 122,99 Baht. So to be honest even with a 11% raise in fare prices are still way to cheap. I can almost get to the airport from Sukhumvit for the same price as I pay in starter fee here in Denmark. In fact taking a taxi the 3 km I have from the city center to my house cost me the equivalent of 650 baht the last time I been out drinking a bit.

So the Thai taxi drivers are in fact getting poorer and poorer and they are forced to deny customers to feed their family. So you cannot expect that they stop that practice before they are actually paid a wage they can live off. Therefore the prices should be increased by at least 25% and be adjusted at least every other year.

Regarding Thailand becoming to expensive for the “average” Farrang tourist is just bullshit. Yes prices have risen but when I came to Thailand for the first time in 2002 it was insanely cheap and it is still very cheap compared to western countries.

In australia the taxi fare to the airport can be more expensive than the flight fare to another city. Its still will be a lot cheaper here.

My only problem with the Taxis in Thailand is how often they refuse to take you where you want to go, I know its illegal but it still happens all the time.

they are and if you say they arent you should have come here 5 years ago to see how things have changed.

You should take a trip back to farangland and see how expensive things have got - Thailand is still a bargain by comparison, and a 10% bump on a dirt cheap taxi fare isn't going to change that.

just back from the US. The taxi ride home from Swampy cost $6.. From LaGuardia $50...

Perhaps, to add a little balance here, you might tell us where home is, roughly that is.

Swampy to ........... for about B180 is ..................

BKK condo is Seacon Square area.

taxi fares rose in 2007 - the 35 baht base rate stayed the same, but the cost/km rose, as did the idling charge.

Not complaining though. They're due a rise. Taxis are pretty good, when they agree to take you at all ....

Getting them to use the METER is the hard thing

Really?

My biggest problem is they simply refuse to take me.

Guess it depends where you embark and go to.

"My biggest problem is they simply refuse to take me."

Do you think they are afraid of the 3 pitbulls you usually have with you?

Taxis have already been adjusting their meters and getting higher fares. Will this hurt me? Not at all. Will it hurt the average Thai seeking a taxi? Absolutely. In order to make taxi drivers happy, I'm betting that a much larger group of people have just been steamed up.

300 baht a day my a**

First fare increase in 22 years??? Not at all true. They went up about six or sever years ago.

thailand is no longer affordable to the average farang they are raising prices on everything.

Guess you'll be leaving Thailand soon for your homeland where it's much cheaper to live than Thailand. Given that Thai taxi fares are some of the cheapest in the world, you must be extremely poor.

I can't believe all the whinging on this board, really? Taxi fares have not changed in 22 years, can the same be said about the cost for petrol/CNG, insurance, tires, cleaning? If you are that poor that you can't afford 11% then maybe it is time for you to pack up and go back home and get on the dole.

As for them refusing to take you somewhere, Why should they go somewhere when they know they will only get the meter price and no return fare? People need to stop their belly aching and be glad they are allowed the privilege of living here.

thailand is no longer affordable to the average farang they are raising prices on everything.

Guess you'll be leaving Thailand soon for your homeland where it's much cheaper to live than Thailand. Given that Thai taxi fares are some of the cheapest in the world, you must be extremely poor.

I agree with you, too many Cheap Charlies bitching and complaining about everything. If it is too expensive for the poor farangs, all they have to do is go back home and cry in their corn flakes.

So the Thai taxi drivers are in fact getting poorer and poorer and they are forced to deny customers to feed their family. So you cannot expect that they stop that practice before they are actually paid a wage they can live off. Therefore the prices should be increased by at least 25% and be adjusted at least every other year.

Seems to me that a substantial raise (in Thai terms) will tempt even more people to try their hand at taxi driving, thus leading to a bigger oversupply of taxis in the centre of Bangkok and more drivers competing for the same number of fares (or a smaller number of fares as and when the MRT/Skytrain gets its act together and finishes more lines..)

Didn't I read somewhere that there are already a high number of taxis per head of population?

thailand is no longer affordable to the average farang they are raising prices on everything.

I think the average Thai will have more problems as the average farang. However the inflation here is quite high.

Especially in terms of percentage. Most things go up in 5/10 baht increments. It's not much in money terms but percentage wise can be quite significant. For example the woman who does my laundry increased some of my items from 10b to 15b. She had no idea it was a 50% increase.

christ what some whingers on here, still typical thai visa i suppose. my mate is a taxi driver in the uk and his rate at 3 am in the morning (when i go home here) STARTS at £ 2-40 (BEFORE HE MOVES), (127 ba) my trip would cost me the best part of £20, (1060) it cost 80 ba and i give him 100, get a life.

I can't believe all the whinging on this board, really? Taxi fares have not changed in 22 years, can the same be said about the cost for petrol/CNG, insurance, tires, cleaning? If you are that poor that you can't afford 11% then maybe it is time for you to pack up and go back home and get on the dole.

As for them refusing to take you somewhere, Why should they go somewhere when they know they will only get the meter price and no return fare? People need to stop their belly aching and be glad they are allowed the privilege of living here.

Of course they should take you to where you want to go. Isn't that the point of a taxi SERVICE.

'Be glad you are allowed the privilege of living here'. <deleted> are you on about, this isn't Utopia if you hadn't noticed.

Not all people stay here by design. Sometimes circumstances dictate that you stay here.

What do you think we should all do, take it in the arse whilst singing The 5th Dimension - Age of Aquarius

Well I am glad that the fares are going up, unhappy taxi drivers can spoil a day, fares will still be very cheap compared to the UK.

Why are you comparing taxi fares in the UK with Thailand. It's an absolutely nonsensical thing to do!

why do you say nonsensical.lots of posters on here are ex uk pats on pensions, and their pension would be the same in the uk, just to say what they would have to pay in the uk, still probably gone above your head, thats is why it was relevent, cheapest taxis in the world as far as i am concerned.

thailand is no longer affordable to the average farang they are raising prices on everything.

You think the average farang can't afford the taxis here? In the UK they're about 10 times more expensive than here, so of course us British farangs can afford them. Also, Thailand is very cheap compared to the UK. About 90% of the stuff I buy here is cheaper, with most of it under half price. Sometimes even 10% of the price back home. e.g. condo in London 100,000 baht, similar condo here 25,000 baht. 75,000 baht is enough to buy everything else I need here and still have money left over. If you think Thailand is expensive then you must be extremely poor.

BS, it has gone up at least 2 times in the last few years.

22 years is complete lie

taxi fares rose in 2007 - the 35 baht base rate stayed the same, but the cost/km rose, as did the idling charge.

Not complaining though. They're due a rise. Taxis are pretty good, when they agree to take you at all ....

Getting them to use the METER is the hard thing

No it's not. I've used taxi regularly for last 4 years and less than 5% don't want t use the meter. Most just switch it on. But I don't take taxis that are parked outside hotels or tourist attractions. They are usually the ones that don't want to use the meter. Just hail one and they're usually ok.

You should take a trip back to farangland and see how expensive things have got - Thailand is still a bargain by comparison, and a 10% bump on a dirt cheap taxi fare isn't going to change that.

just back from the US. The taxi ride home from Swampy cost $6.. From LaGuardia $50...

Please don't upset the complainers by bringing facts into the debate.

I can't believe all the whinging on this board, really? Taxi fares have not changed in 22 years, can the same be said about the cost for petrol/CNG, insurance, tires, cleaning? If you are that poor that you can't afford 11% then maybe it is time for you to pack up and go back home and get on the dole.

As for them refusing to take you somewhere, Why should they go somewhere when they know they will only get the meter price and no return fare? People need to stop their belly aching and be glad they are allowed the privilege of living here.

Of course they should take you to where you want to go. Isn't that the point of a taxi SERVICE.

'Be glad you are allowed the privilege of living here'. <deleted> are you on about, this isn't Utopia if you hadn't noticed.

Not all people stay here by design. Sometimes circumstances dictate that you stay here.

What do you think we should all do, take it in the arse whilst singing The 5th Dimension - Age of Aquarius

Sorry to hear that you've been given a few years in the Bangkok Hilton.

taxi fares rose in 2007 - the 35 baht base rate stayed the same, but the cost/km rose, as did the idling charge.

Not complaining though. They're due a rise. Taxis are pretty good, when they agree to take you at all ....

Getting them to use the METER is the hard thing

No it's not. I've used taxi regularly for last 4 years and less than 5% don't want t use the meter. Most just switch it on. But I don't take taxis that are parked outside hotels or tourist attractions. They are usually the ones that don't want to use the meter. Just hail one and they're usually ok.

Exactly. Surely most people who've been here more than a week have figured out how to get a taxi without being ripped off?