Thai taxi fares to go up but taxi condition and driver behavior must also improve

[webfact]

Taxi fares to go up but taxi condition and driver behavior must also improve



BANGKOK: -- Transport Minister Air Chief Marshal Prajin Juntong said the ministry will allow taxi fare to go up but the rise will vary on the distance.

But he assured the starting price on the fare meter will remain unchanged at 35 baht for the first two kilometers.

He said he has tasked his deputy minister, Akom Termpittayapaisit to consider the details for the scheme by working with the Department of Land Transport.

He said the ministry would allow the fare rise but would also ask that taxi operators and driver have to improve condition of their vehicles, cleanliness, and driving behavior.

Authorities will spend time during the negotiation period to give certification to each vehicle with a symbol once it has passed the standard improvement evaluation process.

As for fare rises for other modes of transportation, the ministry would consider each type by order of the documents filed, where the ministry has predicted that the increase in fares for all groups of transportation would be completed by year’s end.

Meanwhile, the price of LPG would continue to rise by 50 satang per kilogramme monthly, until it tops at the price of 27.85 baht per kilogramme from the current 22.63 baht per kilogramme.

However, the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce has estimated that the hike would only slightly affect inflation of a mere 0.1-0.3 percent, though it feared that the price increase could affect consumers’ confidence.

The economic think tank has suggested the price hike be gradually implemented in the first quarter of next year instead to help stimulate domestic economy.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/taxi-fares-go-taxi-condition-driver-behavior-must-also-improve/


-- Thai PBS 2014-10-10

[sscsamui]

Wake up Wake up you are dreaming.... Taxi Mafia's are not going to change. They only going to make more money..

[NongKhaiKid]

Instead of saying taxi condition and driver behaviour ' must ' / ' has to ' im prove ' how about ' will be made to... ' ?

I've met some very good taxi drivers over the years but there will always be those who will continue to break the rules unless there's a genuine ' crackdown ' to get most in line. It has to be accepted some will still take chances.

Unfortunately Thai officialdom is long on talk and short on action.

[lildragon]

I don't mind the fare hike as costs peanuts as it is. Most taxi drivers are decent folk too...however...

I want a stop to those taxis that refuse to take you places "Traffic" "Too far". This town is in constant gridlock for most of the day and in nearly every area mate. Are you waiting for a passenger to ask you to take them to some sort of traficless paradise?

[sungod]

I don't mind the fare hike as costs peanuts as it is. Most taxi drivers are decent folk too...however...

I want a stop to those taxis that refuse to take you places "Traffic" "Too far". This town is in constant gridlock for most of the day and in nearly every area mate. Are you waiting for a passenger to ask you to take them to some sort of traficless paradise?

You, I and countless others are in agreement.

[howzat]

Tip of the day. Taxis by law if flagged down and refuse to take you then just leave the back door open and walk away. Childish I know but hysterical particularly if it's raining and the driver has to get out of the cab to close the door.

[claffey]

Tip of the day. Taxis by law if flagged down and refuse to take you then just leave the back door open and walk away. Childish I know but hysterical particularly if it's raining and the driver has to get out of the cab to close the door.

Reckless behavior that may end with you dead or in hospital!!

[hawker9000]

Tip of the day. Taxis by law if flagged down and refuse to take you then just leave the back door open and walk away. Childish I know but hysterical particularly if it's raining and the driver has to get out of the cab to close the door.

You probably run the risk of him coming after you with some weapon of choice to smash in your skull (and many members here would blame it on you! Thai "culture" you know...)

[dick turpin]

Tip of the day. Taxis by law if flagged down and refuse to take you then just leave the back door open and walk away. Childish I know but hysterical particularly if it's raining and the driver has to get out of the cab to close the door.

My favourite ploy - pisses them off no end

[WitawatWatawit]

The freelance drivers who rent on a daily basis seem to be the ones having the most problems. Full time drivers who own their own vehicles are making ends meet, but would appreciate a rise to improve their services and gain more respect. This from a taxi driver friend just yesterday - I've known him 15 years and he often stops off for a chat when he's in my vicinity (plus his wife is well admired by my family).

[golfhacker]

Very bad idea to leave the door open. One day you may meet a taxi guy high on something or in a bad bad mood. Then you will be running away from a a big knife. Not so funny. I know foreigners who have lost an eye or with scars from forehead to chin thinking it would be funny. Now they do not laugh as much as before about anything. These are the same people who will argue with a taxi driver over 50 baht to a point of nearly fighting. Then wake up in hospital with an eye missing all over 50 baht.

[chiman]

I switched to Uber a few months ago, and never looked back. It's a few more dollars, but the drivers are polite, have a cold bottle of water waiting, you order it up on your smart phone and can see the car moving toward you so no waiting in the street flagging rude drivers down, and it's a nice clean black Camery with black windows.

[outsider]

Instead of saying taxi condition and driver behaviour ' must ' / ' has to ' im prove ' how about ' will be made to... ' ?

I've met some very good taxi drivers over the years but there will always be those who will continue to break the rules unless there's a genuine ' crackdown ' to get most in line. It has to be accepted some will still take chances.

Unfortunately Thai officialdom is long on talk and short on action.

Thai officialdom is 'NATO': No Action, Talk Only.

[freebyrd]

Tip of the day. Taxis by law if flagged down and refuse to take you then just leave the back door open and walk away. Childish I know but hysterical particularly if it's raining and the driver has to get out of the cab to close the door.

20 years ago I did this on a regular basis, until I saw a farang chased and badly beaten by the driver when others chipped in. Older and rather wiser, I open the front door and ask, expecting to be refused, happy when I'm not.

In Hanoi years ago, an acquaintance had and argument with a Siclor drover over the equivalent of 50 cents, again, beaten up. He complained of back pain for a week, then disappeared. I saw him again a month later looking like hell. He'd been casevaced to Singapore, emergency surgery, ruptured spleen, all over 50 cents?! It simply isn't worth it.

That said, one man's meat.....

[outsider]

By the way, what happened to the crackpot crackdown on taxi drivers who refuse to take passengers, or go to particular destinations? One only needs to try hailing a taxi on Suk 11 at night and one can see the so-called crackdown has a crack larger than a bum-crack.

[rjcampbe]

Tip of the day. Taxis by law if flagged down and refuse to take you then just leave the back door open and walk away. Childish I know but hysterical particularly if it's raining and the driver has to get out of the cab to close the door.

Sign up now for Howzat's one step class in how to get beat to hell or hacked to death by a taxi driver over stupid childish stunts.

I love the creativity, but starting confrontations, however "cute" they may be, with ignorant and arrogant people who have nothing to lose is just not a smart thing to do. It's how expats end up making headlines on Thai Visa.

The solution is simple people...

Step 1. Go to the Appstore and download UBER

Step 2. Done

[lomatopo]

When will fares be increased?

What will the new rates, per Km, from Km 3 up, be?

Will the traffic jam surcharge rate increase?

Maybe best to come up with a plan, and an implementation date, then announce that, rather than these vague announcements...

"He said he has tasked his deputy minister, Akom Termpittayapaisit to consider the details for the scheme by working with the Department of Land Transport."

Yes, I do realize This is Thailand.

[Ankloss]

>> until it tops at the price of 27.85 baht per kilogramme from the current 22.63 baht per kilogramme. <<

Current is now 13.25... to 14.xx baht.

[nbg]

I switched to Uber a few months ago, and never looked back. It's a few more dollars, but the drivers are polite, have a cold bottle of water waiting, you order it up on your smart phone and can see the car moving toward you so no waiting in the street flagging rude drivers down, and it's a nice clean black Camery with black windows.

just checked, according to the quote they give on the website its about 4-5 times the price of a normal taxi to get from Thonglor to the airport...

[NongKhaiKid]

Cash reward, say Bt 10,000 for traffic police arresting errant taxi drivers ?

[realenglish1]

I had one taxi driver play dumb and pretend not to know where the MRT is So I said OK take me to the BTS in Thai

Then Low and behold I ended up at the MRT

What a scum bag He did not want to go Too bad This is the job If you dont like it get another job

[RichardThailand]

Tip of the day. Taxis by law if flagged down and refuse to take you then just leave the back door open and walk away. Childish I know but hysterical particularly if it's raining and the driver has to get out of the cab to close the door.

My favourite ploy - pisses them off no end

Yeah and what do Thai's do when they are pissed off. I know of one incident in another asian country where a driver pissed off the security guard at the entrance to a compound. The driver shot him dead on the spot.

[RichardThailand]

I switched to Uber a few months ago, and never looked back. It's a few more dollars, but the drivers are polite, have a cold bottle of water waiting, you order it up on your smart phone and can see the car moving toward you so no waiting in the street flagging rude drivers down, and it's a nice clean black Camery with black windows.

just checked, according to the quote they give on the website its about 4-5 times the price of a normal taxi to get from Thonglor to the airport...

Yeah it's an excellent service. Trips to the airport are I believe higher. For any other trip around town the rates are great and the service out of this world. My last trip was in a luxury sedan with leather seating, a driver than never said a word, quiet music playing and complementary bottles of mineral water for me in the center armrest of the back seat. For some reason most that have never used Uber have no idea how good it is and look to put it down.

[sprq]

Tip of the day. Taxis by law if flagged down and refuse to take you then just leave the back door open and walk away. Childish I know but hysterical particularly if it's raining and the driver has to get out of the cab to close the door.

Not childish, but an appropriate response. They've inconvenienced you by letting you get in, then forcing you to get out, so giving them some inconvenience in return is entirely correct. I do this regularly in these cases, except when the driver is polite and apologetic about his refusal, in which case I shut the door normally.

[zig]

But he assured the starting price on the fare meter will remain unchanged at 35 baht for the first two kilometers.

----

I suppose he has not taken a taxi in a while. It has been 35 baht for the first ONE kilometer since 2008 ...

[NoshowJones]

Tip of the day. Taxis by law if flagged down and refuse to take you then just leave the back door open and walk away. Childish I know but hysterical particularly if it's raining and the driver has to get out of the cab to close the door.

Walk away???? You mean run away very fast, he might have some kind of a weapon under his seat.

[NoshowJones]

>> until it tops at the price of 27.85 baht per kilogramme from the current 22.63 baht per kilogramme. <<

Current is now 13.25... to 14.xx baht.

Is it not per Litre?

[nbg]

I switched to Uber a few months ago, and never looked back. It's a few more dollars, but the drivers are polite, have a cold bottle of water waiting, you order it up on your smart phone and can see the car moving toward you so no waiting in the street flagging rude drivers down, and it's a nice clean black Camery with black windows.

just checked, according to the quote they give on the website its about 4-5 times the price of a normal taxi to get from Thonglor to the airport...

Yeah it's an excellent service. Trips to the airport are I believe higher. For any other trip around town the rates are great and the service out of this world. My last trip was in a luxury sedan with leather seating, a driver than never said a word, quiet music playing and complementary bottles of mineral water for me in the center armrest of the back seat. For some reason most that have never used Uber have no idea how good it is and look to put it down.

seems like it, just tried another random route in town and it seems just a bit more than a taximeter, which would be a good value if the srvice is good . Might just give it a go, signing up now!

If you want true luxury cars try a taxi in Doha...

Cheers

[SupermarineS6B]

Mostly i've had good taxi drivers, but last night was one of those classic moments. Got in the taxi, told him where to go, then asked him if he wouldn't mind closing the windows and putting on the air-con as we we're going on a two mile journey. No response, girlfriend asked him, no response,,,,,,,,, MY RESPONSE, JAWT !!!!!!!!! Stopped the taxi, got out and walked away......... i'm F%^&cked if i'm putting up with some Buffalo mentality....... Told the next taxi driver what had happened and he laughed his head off.......... Some people eh ? Personally i think a lot of them need reminding about picking rice, and how little they would be making,,,,,,,,,,,,

[wabothai]

Like i said before, other than the meter taxis, the boys are making up their own prices as they go along and there is absolutely no reason for payhikes, unless it is only the farang who gets screwed by the thugs.