Thai taxi drivers seek higher fare hike

[webfact]

Taxi drivers seek higher fare hike
By Coconuts Bangkok


Photo: Stephan Rebernik

BANGKOK: -- A taxi drivers organization is demanding a fare hike twice that which was recently approved, claiming it insufficiently addresses their costs and won’t produce profits.

Following word from the Department of Transport it approved a two-phase increase of 8 percent and 13 percent over the next six months, the Suvarnabhumi Public Taxi Driver Network is not satisfied and will submit a letter to Prayuth Chan-ocha to demand an increase of 26 percent.

Pramote Kotemanee, the network’s president, said Sunday the cost of renting a taxi runs about THB650 to 700 per shift. Deducting all costs, most drivers earn THB200 to 500 a day, and some end up without any profit.

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co//2014/10/22/taxi-drivers-seek-higher-fare-hike


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2014-10-22

[smutcakes]

Good, its been a long time coming for them.

[TheCruncher]

Maybe they should accept rides, then they can make a profit

[needforspeed]

knew already taxi mafia who rent out the cars just increased the price and drivers still on a few baht profit a day. They should limit the rental price.

rental prices been up in 10 years from 325 B to almost 650 B.

[chotthee]

While Uber X is undercutting them, even at this price.

[dinger]

Use your meter, take me where I want to go, don't refuse fares..... then start talking about a raise

[kurnell]

Thais won't use them. They will price themselves out of the market

[arunsakda]

Use your meter, take me where I want to go, don't refuse fares..... then start talking about a raise

Turning around with blood red eyes screaming "YOU PAY 500!"

[Metapod]

get offered a very reasonable 13% raise and then still not happy...

wow.

i spent 20min waiting for a taxi in the rain this week. had to ask more than 20 taxis before I was able to get a ride. most outright refused or wanted stupid amounts of money off the meter for the trip.

[Bluespunk]

"Deducting all costs, most drivers earn THB200 to 500 a day, and some end up without any profit."

Going to go out on a limb here and say

"Liars"

And I support the idea of a fare rise.

Just no pleasing some people.

[Jonmarleesco]

'... some end up without any profit.' No profit presumably excludes the odd few baht many of them omit to hand back as change? They'll be lucky to maintain that tradition with an eight percent increase; at twenty six percent, they had better be damned sure to have plenty of change. I, for one, will pay only the meter amount; and I won't be prepared to hang around while a driver goes looking for change, never mind go looking for any myself.

[VINCENT2012]

the problem is that it is not the taxi driver who make profit but the big company who hired the car to him.

the taxi driver should get defenitly a better money for their work...i already talked with many and i understand them

not enough is not enough

[arunsakda]

The fare should be increased by about ％115. The number of taxis should be reduced by %50 . Drivers who fail to comply should face heavy fines and Gaol.

[ChiangraiTony]

I wonder how many Taxi drivers refuse fares in BKK and how much potential baht they fail to make. I know that in BKK on many occasion if you don't have exact change they will gladly withhold it. I understand they may not make so much money but you cannot only blame it on the low fares. The drivers must accept some of the responsibility.

[fforest1]

While Uber X is undercutting them, even at this price.

Sorry your wrong Uber X will never amount to even a drop in the Bucket in Thailand because Uber X can not undercut the taxis..

Except Phuket now there is a place Uber X could do very well..

[peterdarby]

Except Phuket now there is a place Uber X could do very well..

They would have to keep finding new drivers willing to risk the taxi nazis.

Perhaps drivers refuse fares because the margins are so low. The price hasn't changed much in the 20 years I have been here, so they have a point. And those days, a bowl of noodles was 15 Baht.

On the other hand, 20 years ago it was harder to get them to switch on the meters, especially from tourist and nightspot areas, and many taxis had not yet converted, so when you could get one on on meters it was bliss.

A more realistic price might produce a better service, but it should be tied to proper enforcement of the regulations. Isaan Somchai hardly knows his way around Bangkok. Taxis in my country are way more expensive, but the drivers have to "do the knowledge" and are highly skilled, as well as highly regulated.

[inbangkok]

get offered a very reasonable 13% raise and then still not happy...

wow.

i spent 20min waiting for a taxi in the rain this week. had to ask more than 20 taxis before I was able to get a ride. most outright refused or wanted stupid amounts of money off the meter for the trip.

Yep....hard to feel sorry for these guys.

[kjun12]

That which has been said about not accepting passengers and demanding to go "off meter" is absolutely correct but the police are a much worse part of the taxi problem because they do not enforce the regulations which prevent these acts. Also, the taxi drivers need to learn not to double and triple park at busy spots thereby blocking most lanes of certain roads. Again this is a police problem.

[Baerboxer]

I wonder how many Taxi drivers refuse fares in BKK and how much potential baht they fail to make. I know that in BKK on many occasion if you don't have exact change they will gladly withhold it. I understand they may not make so much money but you cannot only blame it on the low fares. The drivers must accept some of the responsibility.

We were driving in and around central BKK today. Wifey was driving so I was free to observe. I noticed several taxis stop, blocking traffic, and then refuse to take the people. All the customers were Thai.

This was around Siam. Cenrtal World, Platinum and Wireless Road at different times of the day.

Last week four refused me and two refused Mrs. BB.

It's getting worse than I ever seen it.

[oldsailor35]

First they need to freeze the rate at which taxis are rented to the drivers.This has got to be the biggest reason for the need to increase fares. Then they must control the problem of drivers refusing fares and avoiding the use of the meter where they can get away with it.

[pjthefey]

I would be more sympathetic if so many drivers didn't refuse fares or try to charge 2-8x the metered rate in unmetered fares (I always decline). When I ride in a taxi with a good driver I give a tip.... Most aren't very good. One time I had a guy say in thai that the fare would be double the meter because I am white.... Did he really think my gf and I would just go along with it when there were three other taxis ready to take us? Stop trying to cheat people and refusing fares and they'll have more people out there saying "yeah! They deserve it!"

[shaggy28303]

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knew already taxi mafia who rent out the cars just increased the price and drivers still on a few baht profit a day. They should limit the rental price.
rental prices been up in 10 years from 325 B to almost 650 B.

I concur. Also by renting a taxi the yellow plate belongs to the owner and the last I knew the yellow plate matches the taxi license on the dash. So is this a legal taxi?

[outsider]

I wonder how many Taxi drivers refuse fares in BKK and how much potential baht they fail to make. I know that in BKK on many occasion if you don't have exact change they will gladly withhold it. I understand they may not make so much money but you cannot only blame it on the low fares. The drivers must accept some of the responsibility.

We were driving in and around central BKK today. Wifey was driving so I was free to observe. I noticed several taxis stop, blocking traffic, and then refuse to take the people. All the customers were Thai.

This was around Siam. Cenrtal World, Platinum and Wireless Road at different times of the day.

Last week four refused me and two refused Mrs. BB.

It's getting worse than I ever seen it.

+1 re the part about it getting worse. It seems to be deteriorating BY THE DAY! I remember the problem wasn't so bad and that was just what... two to three years ago? I used to tell people that being refused is an exception, but it's becoming the norm now. How the hell are they supposed to make money when they refuse fares? Once, a taxi refused to take me from Suk-11 (yup, ground zero for these idiots, in my book)... then he drove into and sat in a traffic jam on Sukhumvit road. And all I wanted to do was go to Suk 24!!! Now if he had taken me, wouldn't he at least earn some bahts while burning precious fuel sitting in the traffic? I am realy, honestly curious about the reason behind this strange phenomenon particularly on Suk-11. Anyone here has some insights?