Bangel72 Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 As with anything there are a few minor gripes but over the taxi situation in Bangkok is great. The change I would make would be to weed out the bad apples and the illegal activities, easier said than done but I'd put this as a focus rather than a whole revamp. Traffic congestion is an issue but I'm not convinced taxi's are the root cause of this and for the most part where this is an issue I'm just as comfortable on a bike which admittedly is not an option for everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangel72 Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 (edited) As with anything there are a few minor gripes but overall the taxi situation in Bangkok is great when compared to other major international cities. The change I would make would be to weed out the bad apples and the illegal activities, easier said than done but I'd put this as a focus rather than a whole revamp. Traffic congestion is an issue but I'm not convinced taxi's are the root cause of this and for the most part where this is an issue I'm just as comfortable on a bike which admittedly is not an option for everyone. Edited October 29, 2014 by Bangel72 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minnehaha Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 I can think of a few things. Teach them it is not necessary to floor the gas pedal, then hit the brake, hit the gas, then brake. This full on then brake style must be learned from an early age as most motorcycle taxis (in addition to meter taxis) do this. They do it even when not tailgating so it is not an effort to tailgate. Stop tailgating. Clean the interior and move the seats forward. I know I am taller than 98% of the Thai population (190 cm) but I gotta ask. Getting in and out and sitting in the back is very uncomfortable and ruins me shoes. If they would just keep the passenger seat forward it would help. Get rid of all taxis that are older than 5 years or which have + 100,000 km (I don't know what a reasonable number would be) - the idea is to cycle out the old ones. Have real inspection of tires, shocks, engine, etc. regularly. Install comfortable shocks that can offer a comfortable ride. I find almost ALL Bangkok taxis have shocks that are shot. Similarly, most of the doors do not stay open - the stay does not work. They swing open and then close on your leg. Fun. These are all reasons why I love Uber and think it is a great service. I hope it does not get kicked out like it has done in many other countries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minnehaha Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 Make them all Benzs like they were in Paris in the 70s when I lived there. Taxis in Morocco were all Mercedes '89-'92, though they were not all in good shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maidee Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 working GPS that give the exact route and approx cost, so no special buttons to make the meter go wild Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cocopops Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 Institute (somehow) transparent free-market pricing. Some kind of bid/offer system that ensures that passengers find the driver willing to offer the best fare for their journey while also guaranteeing that drivers are not forced into taking unprofitable fares when more lucrative prospects are available. In other words, extend to providers and consumers of taxi-services the same advantages enjoyed by users of all other service markets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nithisa78 Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 Have never had problem with Taxi service. It is among the least expensive in world. If we want to improve taxi service, we could start by improvinmg the quality of the passenger. Like the first think they could think, what on Earth must it be like to drive this machine around, day & night. yikes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gentmartin Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 I had to fly down from Udon Thani to DM last Thursday stood in the taxi Q had to go to the Aus. Embassy it was probably about 9.30am when I got a cab, fare on the meter was 189baht plus as he said 50baht surcharge I think at this time peak hour was well and truly gone I handed him 1000baht oh sorry I have not enough change he short changed me 100baht good scam I guess if he does this multiple time a day plus tips he gets good Hong thong money. Going back it was about a furthe 3kms the fare 195baht, not a lot of money but i do think any one is going to make them honest 555 Add to injury he comes from Udon Thani, LOL caught nicely Mate, i will try not to take the P over you paying a taxi fair with a 1000B note lol........ But about the return journey, it is more coming out of town by quite a large amount due to the stupid U turns. They are a royal pain, add to that the standing traffic due to the works for the new BTS/MRT/airport link extension, whatever the hell it is, means you'll be sat around racking up the meter........ You tried to pay a fare with a 1000B note ?? lol lol lol lol Damn, sorry couldnt resist ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverdie Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 Less taxis would be my suggestion. There's so many damn taxis creating traffic jams all around bangers. Damn cabbies s u c k world round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gentmartin Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 What i cant understand is, they dont exactly drive for economy do they ? the manuals they leave in the same gear until the engine is revving it rocks off, and could someone please teach then, the accelerator can be variedm and doesnt need to be either full, or off !!Generally speaking, they aren't the worst in the world, taxi drivers anywhere they are picking up foreigners can be inclined to try it on !! Worst ever i had was in Copenhagen....long story, ended in fighting, police, free beer from posh hotel i was staying and next day, my money back.......at least that was a merc , and not a knocking vios.... Oh yes, one more thing. IS that a taxi standard 'air freshner' they all use ? I always get out the taxi with a headache, please can we a gentler fragrence..thank you :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbrando Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 I'd implement some sort of system similar to Uber where you can request a taxi via an app on your cellphone that shows your current location and where you want to go. The taxis, of course, would have a corresponding app on their side with GPS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gemguy Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 (edited) I recommend they all have a permanent smile surgically sewn on to their face while greeting you in a nice, big friendly way and looking like they are so verly, verly happy to meet your acquaintance and so wery pwweased to provide a service to you and accept "money you" ...... gracefully....Sabai Sabai . In all seriousness....I use taxis everyday...... sometime 4 to 5 times a day to go about doing what I have to do...going to where ever I have to go. In my experience...25 years experience...... I would say at least 50 % of the taxi drivers have a look of distain on their face and or disappointment after you inform them where you want to go....and in effect reluctantly accept the fact they need to go where the client has told them to go if they want to make some. Of the 50%, half of them let it be known directly or indirectly that they are not really so pleased about having to take you to where they have been requested to take you while some of them are complaining the whole way about the traffic and the distance involved while sighing and moaning and shaking their head about the present circumstances. There have been a few times I told the driver to pull over and let me out and I paid the man and hailed down another cab...just so I did not have to listen to his sighing and moaning and complaining and the erratic, herky jerky dangerous driving conduct. Many times I have observed how the driver is very exasperated while continually fighting the traffic to gain mere feet of asphalt over the other drivers, like it is some sort of hard won victory and he is the road warrior victor while speeding and driving erratically in a manner that is most irritating while near collisions are occurring by the seconds. Hard on the brakes, then hard on the gas peddle maneuvers have you sitting up and taking notice of his driving antics in fear of him causing an accident and bodily harm happening to you. The type of driver where you know if you say anything about his driving you are going to be in an argument with the driver so better to get out and get another cab...as in : "What the hell is your problem ...mister cab driver"? About 10 percent refuse to go and most of them do it politely telling you the traffic is too heavy or they have to return their rental taxi cab so they do not want to delay returning the taxi cab. OK, fair enough, it is a polite way of lying and turning down your request .......so 90 percent is pretty good. Some of them react like A...holes and need to be slapped up the side of the head for good measure......refusing to go while sneering and talking at you with attitude. I can actually get into a cab while looking at the taxi cab driver and with a relative degree of accuracy judge the driver to be a nice, sincere service orientated cab driver or a small minded little shit who is moody and comes with an attitude. 90 percent of the time I engage them in conversation ( practicing my Thai language skills ) even if I can see they are not the friendly, cheerful Thai people type of person that the nation is so well known for as many of the Taxi cab drivers can easily destroy that urban myth that all the Thais are wonderful, friendly, cheerful, helpful human beings. Usually the conversation calms them down while we talk mostly about the taxi cab business and how it has changed and how the rates for renting a taxi cab have gone down but there are too many cabs on the road and too many taxi cab companies coming into the market and how there are too many cars on the road verses the pace of road and high way development that can not keep pace with all the new cars being sold and on the road and how they say 10 to 12 percent of the Thai economy is automotive sector related....yada yada yada.... That and talk about the driver himself and where he is from and how many children and family matters...yada yada yada.......and politics....they love the red shirts......but not necessary Taksin and his clan or his Sister but they all agree that his party is the first party in the history of Thailand to give the little guy/ the common guy a voice in the affairs of the country while knowing full well Taksin and his cronies are a bunch of corrupt, greedy, money grubbing, lying, cheating politicians ....but still they will vote for the opposition party to the yellow shits.......as that is what they inform me. By the time I get out of the cab the sour puss Thai taxi driver is now all friendly and cheerful and in a better mood and life does not seem so bad as it did 20 minutes earlier before he stopped to pick up the ......."Farang." Those are my experiences and more with 25 years of Thai taxi drivers. Cheers Edited October 30, 2014 by gemguy 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillieMCoddy Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 I really want one of these style stickers. There are a number of different ones, so not the exact one shown above. The Taxi driver could keep a folder with the different types and could flick though the different options as he drove like Nigel Mansell though the Bangkok Expressway, using only his knees. Then, if the design wasn't available, he (they usually are male drivers) could phone a friend and he could drop me and my luggage on the side of the road until the new driver came by and offered me a special price because he didn't have to use the meter. OK ... I would like one of the stickers ... and generally, I don't have problems with the average Bangkok Taxi Driver. Pattaya ... now that's a different story ... . It'll be really a awesome idea...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkkjames Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 2 more this morning refusing to take me .... moving to uber! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveAustin Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 "Taxi expected to improve service, what would you sugest?" [sic]... ... walking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveAustin Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 Taxi expected to improve service, what would you sugest? Learning to drive Not attempt to converse with me, especially in English Make it law drivers should own the vehicle to dissuade that excuse they need to return the rental Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
namdocmai Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 They should learn to speak english. Also i can't stand the noise of fingers being pulled out of their joint. Taxidrivers like to do that and it gives me the creeps. It sounds like the bones are breaking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundrenched Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 (edited) Get cars with a taller roof so those of us who aren't short can still sit upright. Or in the short term, at least put a lower back seat. It's the reason I avoid them like the plague and rather use the skytrain and walk. Edited October 31, 2014 by sundrenched Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eldragon Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 Nothing. But can we get the motorcycle taxis off the sidewalks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eldragon Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 I had to fly down from Udon Thani to DM last Thursday stood in the taxi Q had to go to the Aus. Embassy it was probably about 9.30am when I got a cab, fare on the meter was 189baht plus as he said 50baht surcharge I think at this time peak hour was well and truly gone I handed him 1000baht oh sorry I have not enough change he short changed me 100baht good scam I guess if he does this multiple time a day plus tips he gets good Hong thong money. Going back it was about a furthe 3kms the fare 195baht, not a lot of money but i do think any one is going to make them honest 555 Add to injury he comes from Udon Thani, LOL caught nicely Next time ask the driver to take you to the nearest 7-Eleven so you can break the bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
draftvader Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 Do random weapons checks and drug testing Exactly. I've found that the selection of weapons available to buy and their knowledge of illegal drugs to be very limited. These services could certainly be improved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericnoodeeka Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 never had a problem in thailand with a taxi.never. bloody hell i just returned from korea, now thats smthing else. 10 min from airport, taxi driver cant read, stops at a road and points and says ok, it there????? how am i supposed to konw, im on bloody holiday. stopped at 2 other hotels, i go in with the adress,finally we find it. 2500 baht. jesus, stop complaining about thai taxis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooo Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 After today's experience with some of the drivers on Sukumvit, they can go to hell. Rude arrogant bunch of thieves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.png.3b3332cc2256ad0edbc2fe9404feeef0.png)
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now