Thai DLT to raise Taxi fares in December; wants service improvements

[SOMeTOM]

Why everytime they talks about improvements, the situation actually get worse?

I went to BKK a few days ago, in more than a decade being here, i have never encountered so many taxis refusing to use their "meters", they all wanted even 4 times what would have been the normal fare and once i got into a few that started their meters after being ask to do so, i had to struggle to tell them which way they supposed to go, as they all would take me for a very loooooooong drive around the city, one even wanted to take the tolway, it's increasingly getting worse and worse, probably because they are encouraged by seeing crimes/scams going unpunished so if they have nothing to lose apart from some extra moneys they can get by cheating, what is going to stop them?

It makes me seriously doubt about all those articles about good samaritans returning lost belongings, more likely they are just some marketing's stunts made up to restore face and make sure foreigners drop their alertness !

[petedk]

In defense of Thai cabbies - I have lived in Thailand for coming up on 20 years and can count on one hand the bad experiences involving Taxis and Motorcycle taxis. This is including travel to and from the airport on too many occasions to count (from Sukhumvit area to both DM and Swampy). When I arrived, in 1994 the starting rate in a cab was the same 35 Baht - at 25 Baht to the Dollar so the increase to today is negligible, if anything in real terms. Does anyone really begrudge giving a cabbie a tenner for a 30 KM trip ? Try that at Heathrow. Or Tokyo. Good Luck. It wont get you in the cab, let alone out of the airport. One can even get from Pattaya to Bangkok for twenty quid - that's 100 miles in a decent car, whaddyawantferchrissakes ?

Would you drive an hour away from home, in the rain, knowing it would now take you two hours to get home at the end of ten hours in Bangkok traffic for 2 quid ? Let them choose, there are enough of them and as previously noted the BTS and underground are excellent. Neither existed when I got here.

Increase choice - Introduce decent cars with higher pricing like Jakarta ?

Lastly, always give an extra tip if the photo on the permit matches the boat race of the driver. You wont have to do this too often.

I don't know any taxi driver who will accept two quid or even a tenner as you mention.

This is Thailand and the currency is Thai Baht.

Why compare with what a taxi costs in London? This is Thailand.

Fried pork with basil costs 30 baht here. How much does it cost in London?

Last week I took a taxi and the driver spoke excellent English (even though I spoke Thai to him.)

He told me that he used to own a furniture export business and had been to USA and UK many times.

His business went bankrupt when the Thai Baht appreciated against the dollar.

He told me that he never refuses a fare and makes enough money driving a taxi.

Having said that I believe they deserve an increase.

[sawati]

Taxi drivers told not to refuse passengers before the new fare is applied

Who in the name of Lord Budha believes they are going to do that???

Same same but the same.

[Jonmarleesco]

'... the DLT will evaluate the service of Taxis. Drivers are required to have a Taxi driving license, be dressed properly, never refuse to accept any passenger, and always use the meter.' Well, we shall see, shan't we.

[Jonmarleesco]

Taxi drivers told not to refuse passengers before the new fare is applied

Who in the name of Lord Budha believes they are going to do that???

Same same but the same.

Oh, they might obey that dictate. Whether they continue to do so after the fare rise is another matter.

[superdome]

oh yeah....55555

[MarkCyr]

Drivers are required to ... never refuse to accept any passenger, and always use the meter.

This is the only service I need. Otherwise, I never have problems with taxis in BKK. But I expect that this won't happen, especially around places like Soi 11 (mafia controlled) or Paragon etc.

[landslide]

I just spent 5 days in Bangkok. I was never refused a ride, but getting them to use the meter was next to impossible. There were times I flagged down 6 or 7 cabs before one was willing to use the meter. Some of the quotes were 5 or 6 times the meter fare.

[steven100]

Never refuse a passenger ....

What a crop of BS ... I see that happening all the time.

[Fatty123]

DLT to put taxi fare up? The Hairy Cornflake has to pay those lawyers somehow.

[godden]

Job done, now for the next problem.

[outsider]

Taxis idiots were told to improve before the fare hike. Nothing has changed. Taxis are still refusing passengers left, right and centre today. If anything, this problem is more rampant now than it was just two years ago. Despite the clampdowns and crackdowns, which we now know were just hot air. I don't think things will be different after the fare hike. I only console myself that it is worse in KUL (I travel there often so I know) but the divide is getting narrower and narrower.