Sadly that the companies (mafia) renting the Taxi cars going increase the price so drivers end up with just little more.

How is it that the baht per km is lower than regular cars on the road? In all fairness, the rate should be higher taking a cab versus driving your own car. Only mass public transit should be lower, but not for a taxi. It's an upside down business model. 8-13% is still low.

As much as some taxi drivers are a-holes, there should be a steeper fare schedule. Making taxis a more profitable business may encourage better drivers to enter.

Brilliant plan, why didn't any one think of this before? It's because the cabs are mostly used by Thai's who can barley afford any increase at all. So good luck with your steeper fairs, if you want to pay more, do it.

How is it that the baht per km is lower than regular cars on the road?

Most taxis run on xNG/NGV, which is heavily subsidized by the government.

For a major world city, Bangkok taxi fares are extraordinarily low and this increase is well justified.

If it forces people on to public transport then so be it, a good reason to keep improving the PT infrastructure.

An inflammatory post and a reply have been removed.

"fare hike demanded by taxi unions that will increase the current per-kilometre fare by 8 percent in December 2014 and 13 percent in June 2014."

Only in Thailand, where time goes backwards.

Nice app, never knew about it. I think I'll start signing up as a driver.

'... service quality will be evaluated ...' Evaluated how? Q&A with the drivers? Or the logical way, with randomly selected customers? The ministry?

How is it that the baht per km is lower than regular cars on the road? In all fairness, the rate should be higher taking a cab versus driving your own car. Only mass public transit should be lower, but not for a taxi. It's an upside down business model. 8-13% is still low.

As much as some taxi drivers are a-holes, there should be a steeper fare schedule. Making taxis a more profitable business may encourage better drivers to enter.

Brilliant plan, why didn't any one think of this before? It's because the cabs are mostly used by Thai's who can barley afford any increase at all. So good luck with your steeper fairs, if you want to pay more, do it.

That's quite a generalization and probably not true.

Which Thais are we talking about? Certainly not the white collar, condo owning, smart phone using crowd? I believe most Thais use songthaews or public buses, BMTA vans, BTS or the MRT.

It's funny that Thais can afford pricey smart phones and 100 baht lottery tickets, but not an increase in taxi fares for their fellow countrymen.