So The Taxi Revolution Is A Dud Then

[Gringogazzer]

The wife & I are waiting on some papers from the embassy so stopping at an apartment in Nana for the week.

Trying to fill the days we decided to pop down to Khao San Rd for a walk about, the first time this week we've been afield of BTS, MTR etc.

We took BTS to Ratchathewi & about 5 taxis waiting, perfect. Told him in thai where we're off (not a map wielding tourist) & off we go.

The metre doesn't come on so I nudge the wife & point to the metre & she asks him to put the meter on at which point he tells her the charge will be ฿200.

I jump in & tell him I ain't paying ฿200 for a ฿60 ride. Pull over we're getting out. In Thai, he understands.

He just ignores me & keeps on driving. I think ok, stuff him, let him explain to the police why the meters wasn't on if he gives me any issues when we arrive.

We arrive, I give him the ฿100 I would of give him for the ride anyway. Not a peep from him & on we go about our business.

Before we start to make our way home we see the normal nogosations for taxi fare on Chao Fa rd. So walk the short distance to Ratchadnoen Klang Rd so as not to get ripped off & dice with death crossing 10 lanes of traffic to be heading in the right direction.

Untold taxis to be had.

Each one that pulls up my wife pokes her head in & tells them we want to go to either Phaya Thai, Ratchathewi or National Stadium. Every driver says that he doesn't want to deal with traffic. This is 3pm, not 6pm. Two say they're changing taxis.

More than ten in succession.

I tell the wife forget about it we'll go to Hualampong & get the MTR. So dice with death & ten lanes of traffic again to point in the right direction, flag a taxi & off we go.

I tell the wife of the commotion few months back about reform & she just replies "always talk, do nothing"

Why don't they save their breath & just use the hot air of April & May?

Bpen bpai mai dai.

[Cypress Hill]

GrabTaxi app.

'Nuff said

[Gringogazzer]

GrabTaxi app.

'Nuff said

What's that then???

Not eNuff said

Edited November 22, 2014 by Gringogazzer

[new2here]

I think the taxi problems will eventually go down, but I think it's going to be a long process.

Consistent and uniform endorsement is a must, but I do think that if this occurs, we'll see this issue become much more the exception versus the norm.

For me personally, I can say - again from my own experiences only - that it is the overwhelming minority of times where I have cases of refuse to transport or meter irregularities... The vast number of my rides are exactly as they are supposed to be.

I can also say that from years back, that it wasn't so common.. But now is.

I've used grabtaxi and easytaxi too.. They essentially do what they say, but I think the issue is going to be increasing the rates of participation - both on the taxi end as well as the passenger end.

[Gringogazzer]

I've been refused a couple of times in the past to go to Don Muang but understood its a way out, thought nothing of it.

Today just took the biscuit.

Couldn't live with it.

[thailiketoo]

Taxi vs Tanks. Could be a new game. Or maybe the jet ski games. Pick one contender from each province and well you know how it goes.

Edited November 22, 2014 by thailiketoo

[Gringogazzer]

Taxi vs Tanks. Could be a new game. Or maybe the jet ski games. Pick one contender from each province and well you know how it goes.

Taxi vs Tanks..."Banzai Taxi", with a farang strapped to the bonnet (hood).

Would be prime time TV.

[DP25]

It won't change unless they double the prices. Drivers can't money at these low rates if they are forced to go places against their will.

I prefer low rates and dealing with refusals or having to walk a bit. Thailand's low price taxis are soon gonna be a thing of the past.

[Gringogazzer]

The prices will increase soon enough inline with most other things but I doubt that will bring about an increase in service or resolve anything.

That's just not the Thai way.

[h90]

It won't change unless they double the prices. Drivers can't money at these low rates if they are forced to go places against their will.

I prefer low rates and dealing with refusals or having to walk a bit. Thailand's low price taxis are soon gonna be a thing of the past.

Last taxi complained that he made only 1500 Baht this bad day.

That is good money and if they couldn't make money there wouldn't be enough taxis. In fact there are too many and the pick the best job.

[thailiketoo]

It won't change unless they double the prices. Drivers can't money at these low rates if they are forced to go places against their will.

I prefer low rates and dealing with refusals or having to walk a bit. Thailand's low price taxis are soon gonna be a thing of the past.

Last taxi complained that he made only 1500 Baht this bad day.

That is good money and if they couldn't make money there wouldn't be enough taxis. In fact there are too many and the pick the best job.

That seems right to me. Average 2000 baht with a bad day being 1500. How much maintenance and payment on taxi per day?

Edited November 22, 2014 by thailiketoo

[geodesic]

My brother in law is a taxi driver. He rents his taxi. He clears 15k - 20k per month after expenses.

Taxi drivers already make more than enough money at the current rates. The reason they refuse fares generally comes down to 2 things:

1) They are just about to change shifts. 3 PM is a terrible time to get a taxi. If you must get a taxi at this hour, get an old, privately owned yellow and green taxi. The shift changes generally occur around 4 PM. Most drivers who rent become very picky around this time.

2) They are just plain lazy. 15k - 20k a month is good money, and alot of drivers just don't seem to be motivated to earn beyond this if it means they have to do anything beyond the bare minimum.

Do not believe anyone who says these guys are underpaid. They are paid well compared to most professions employing unskilled labor. That is why there is more than 100,000 of them touring around Bangkok. Just choose old taxis as a rule and you usually don't have a problem. If you want to ride in the brand new, rental taxis, then you get to deal with the kind of unprofessional drivers who operate these.

The problem could be resolved with enforcement if there were any motivation to do so. Singapore just passed a law saying even taxi apps couldn't request the destination ahead of time because it might lead to drivers refusing unpopular routes. Try that in Thailand. Thailand could quite clearly fix this problem if they wanted to, and it doesn't require raising the price. They just lack the desire to do it.

[DP25]

It won't change unless they double the prices. Drivers can't money at these low rates if they are forced to go places against their will.

I prefer low rates and dealing with refusals or having to walk a bit. Thailand's low price taxis are soon gonna be a thing of the past.

Last taxi complained that he made only 1500 Baht this bad day.

That is good money and if they couldn't make money there wouldn't be enough taxis. In fact there are too many and the pick the best job.

That seems right to me. Average 2000 baht with a bad day being 1500. How much maintenance and payment on taxi per day?

Rental for a new taxi is around 700 or 800 baht I believe. Then they have to pay fuel.

So yeah they can make 15-20k per month...if they behave as they do now and turn down rides that make them lose money. If they are forced to spend hours stuck in traffic during prime earning times, because they can't turn down a customer, their profit for the day can be destroyed.

Forcing them to accept every customer is going to have consequences. Rates are going to go up and up.

[Gringogazzer]

So maybe a zonal system where rates are doubled within. Something.

But to have black spots for movement of people in the centre of a capital city where the BTS etc ends needs more than a bit of flannel thrown at it.

[Cypress Hill]

My brother in law is a taxi driver. He rents his taxi. He clears 15k - 20k per month after expenses.

Taxi drivers already make more than enough money at the current rates. The reason they refuse fares generally comes down to 2 things:

1) They are just about to change shifts. 3 PM is a terrible time to get a taxi. If you must get a taxi at this hour, get an old, privately owned yellow and green taxi. The shift changes generally occur around 4 PM. Most drivers who rent become very picky around this time.

2) They are just plain lazy. 15k - 20k a month is good money, and alot of drivers just don't seem to be motivated to earn beyond this if it means they have to do anything beyond the bare minimum.

Do not believe anyone who says these guys are underpaid. They are paid well compared to most professions employing unskilled labor. That is why there is more than 100,000 of them touring around Bangkok. Just choose old taxis as a rule and you usually don't have a problem. If you want to ride in the brand new, rental taxis, then you get to deal with the kind of unprofessional drivers who operate these.

The problem could be resolved with enforcement if there were any motivation to do so. Singapore just passed a law saying even taxi apps couldn't request the destination ahead of time because it might lead to drivers refusing unpopular routes. Try that in Thailand. Thailand could quite clearly fix this problem if they wanted to, and it doesn't require raising the price. They just lack the desire to do it.

Could you BE any more condescending?

Who are you to say what constitutes "good money"??

15-20K a month after expenses is CRAP money.

Could you live on it? Could you put anything worthwhile aside from that each month?

The minimum fare has been 35 baht for a decade or more. Have fuel prices been frozen for a decade? Have insurance rates? Rental rates?

You armchair Stakhanovites who probably started working just after the Industrial Revolution are completely out of touch with the real world.

The number of taxis circling Bangkok doesn't have any bearing on how lucrative or not the profession is any more than the number of massage shops or hair salons correlates to how much money there is to be made in those professions.

[thailiketoo]

Could you BE any more condescending?

Who are you to say what constitutes "good money"??

15-20K a month after expenses is CRAP money.

Could you live on it? Could you put anything worthwhile aside from that each month?

The minimum fare has been 35 baht for a decade or more. Have fuel prices been frozen for a decade? Have insurance rates? Rental rates?

You armchair Stakhanovites who probably started working just after the Industrial Revolution are completely out of touch with the real world.

The number of taxis circling Bangkok doesn't have any bearing on how lucrative or not the profession is any more than the number of massage shops or hair salons correlates to how much money there is to be made in those professions.

Who are you to say what constitutes good money?

[bkkgooner]

What has the junta actually implemented?

A lot of talk to keep people content.

And if you think 15 - 20 k is crap money for a job like driving a taxi you do not have a single idea about the lives of working class Thais

[wow64]

Taxi mafia negotiations that was last weeks crackdown. Its all fixed now...just as the bribing crackdown and the mototaxi on sidewalk crackdown have worked.

Sent from my c64

[Cypress Hill]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Could you BE any more condescending?

Who are you to say what constitutes "good money"??

15-20K a month after expenses is CRAP money.

Could you live on it? Could you put anything worthwhile aside from that each month?

The minimum fare has been 35 baht for a decade or more. Have fuel prices been frozen for a decade? Have insurance rates? Rental rates?

You armchair Stakhanovites who probably started working just after the Industrial Revolution are completely out of touch with the real world.

The number of taxis circling Bangkok doesn't have any bearing on how lucrative or not the profession is any more than the number of massage shops or hair salons correlates to how much money there is to be made in those professions.

Who are you to say what constitutes good money?

I'm assuming you meant crap money but in answer to your question, I'm the guy who believes that every man has the right to improve his lot.

Why should a man resign himself to earning 15-20K for the rest of his working life?

If you people had the same lack of social mobility growing up in your homelands as the average Thai working stiff, you'd have rioted in the streets

I think taxi drivers should get more money. I'm not suggesting doubling rates, I'm just saying an increase is long overdue

[bkkjames]

What has the junta actually implemented?

A lot of talk to keep people content.

And if you think 15 - 20 k is crap money for a job like driving a taxi you do not have a single idea about the lives of working class Thais

I think it is not good money - yet so many do it / want to do it.,,,,

[NeverSure]

-snip-

Why should a man resign himself to earning 15-20K for the rest of his working life?

I don't know. You tell me. I know plenty of Thais who make double that amount in Bangkok but they had goals early in life.

Why should a man resign himself to driving a taxi? It's a very low level job in every country I know of and yet people in Thailand work in factories for half that.

[Beetlejuice]

The meters in Thai taxis virtually mean nothing over here, cannot be compared with the taxis of New York or London.

One way around this that I have found, meter taxi or not, if I have a good idea of the fare price before hand, is to ask the driver how much before I enter the taxi. If the quote sounds about right, then I accept and begin my journey, if it seems well over the odds, then I either haggle with the driver or try another cab.

This is how it`s been done in Thailand for decades, it`s just a case of putting on the charm, getting the message through to the driver that I`m not a naive tourist and at no time getting offended and losing my temper. If you don`t go through this process and once inside the cab, the driver assumes that the passenger is leaving the fare at his discretion. It is a case of having knowledge of the Thai mind and attitudes and the way things are done here. I would have thought the OP`s wife would have known this and done the wheeling and dealing prior to entering the taxi, that I also do and never had any problems.

[kannot]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Could you BE any more condescending?

Who are you to say what constitutes "good money"??

15-20K a month after expenses is CRAP money.

Could you live on it? Could you put anything worthwhile aside from that each month?

The minimum fare has been 35 baht for a decade or more. Have fuel prices been frozen for a decade? Have insurance rates? Rental rates?

You armchair Stakhanovites who probably started working just after the Industrial Revolution are completely out of touch with the real world.

The number of taxis circling Bangkok doesn't have any bearing on how lucrative or not the profession is any more than the number of massage shops or hair salons correlates to how much money there is to be made in those professions.

Who are you to say what constitutes good money?

I'm assuming you meant crap money but in answer to your question, I'm the guy who believes that every man has the right to improve his lot.

Why should a man resign himself to earning 15-20K for the rest of his working life?

If you people had the same lack of social mobility growing up in your homelands as the average Thai working stiff, you'd have rioted in the streets

I think taxi drivers should get more money. I'm not suggesting doubling rates, I'm just saying an increase is long overdue

And do you think most Thais want to improve their lot?? I dont ,what they want is more money for even less work than they already do and often if they did any less theyd be doing nothing.....which is what a lot seem to want.

[David48]

Meanwhile ... back to the OP.

When you opened the door, told the destination, was there a reason that you didn't confirm for the Taxi Meter ?

Not having a go ... but it's the second thing I confirm before hopping into a Taxi ... the first being recognition of the destination.

But almost all my experiences are in the Bangkok Metro and fringe.

[thailiketoo]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Could you BE any more condescending?

Who are you to say what constitutes "good money"??

15-20K a month after expenses is CRAP money.

Could you live on it? Could you put anything worthwhile aside from that each month?

The minimum fare has been 35 baht for a decade or more. Have fuel prices been frozen for a decade? Have insurance rates? Rental rates?

You armchair Stakhanovites who probably started working just after the Industrial Revolution are completely out of touch with the real world.

The number of taxis circling Bangkok doesn't have any bearing on how lucrative or not the profession is any more than the number of massage shops or hair salons correlates to how much money there is to be made in those professions.

Who are you to say what constitutes good money?

I'm assuming you meant crap money but in answer to your question, I'm the guy who believes that every man has the right to improve his lot.

Why should a man resign himself to earning 15-20K for the rest of his working life?

If you people had the same lack of social mobility growing up in your homelands as the average Thai working stiff, you'd have rioted in the streets

I think taxi drivers should get more money. I'm not suggesting doubling rates, I'm just saying an increase is long overdue

I used to teach school in Thailand (speaking of lack of social mobility). I would make the boys who misbehaved (the girls never did) sit outside of the class and make car noises and practice driving.

[scorecard]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I think the taxi problems will eventually go down, but I think it's going to be a long process.

Consistent and uniform endorsement is a must, but I do think that if this occurs, we'll see this issue become much more the exception versus the norm.

For me personally, I can say - again from my own experiences only - that it is the overwhelming minority of times where I have cases of refuse to transport or meter irregularities... The vast number of my rides are exactly as they are supposed to be.

I can also say that from years back, that it wasn't so common.. But now is.


I've used grabtaxi and easytaxi too.. They essentially do what they say, but I think the issue is going to be increasing the rates of participation - both on the taxi end as well as the passenger end.

Additionally if the 'grab taxi' and similar services catch on (it's said that there are benefits for taxi drivers), and if the owners of these services cancel member ship of individual taxis because of complaints then the poor service guys will eventually get left out in the cold when passengers refuse to use taxis not displaying the grab taxi etc., stickers.

[scorecard]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Meanwhile ... back to the OP.

When you opened the door, told the destination, was there a reason that you didn't confirm for the Taxi Meter ?

Not having a go ... but it's the second thing I confirm before hopping into a Taxi ... the first being recognition of the destination.

But almost all my experiences are in the Bangkok Metro and fringe.

Let's go back a step further, why even open the door and ask if he will go, just get in and announce your destination.

I always just 'get in and ....' .

I've had a few refuse, I just continue to announce my destination and if needed I say in Thai that I'm calling the police and get my phone out.

Every time I've done this they then quickly agree to go.

Mind you, if it was a remote / isolated destination I wouldn't try this.

Edited November 23, 2014 by scorecard

[petedk]

To the OP

So you would pay 100 Baht for a 60 baht trip and you moan at the 200 baht?

That's a tip of 66%. No wonder taxi drivers love foreigners.

Nuff said.

[mrtoad]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Could you BE any more condescending?

Who are you to say what constitutes "good money"??

15-20K a month after expenses is CRAP money.

Could you live on it? Could you put anything worthwhile aside from that each month?

The minimum fare has been 35 baht for a decade or more. Have fuel prices been frozen for a decade? Have insurance rates? Rental rates?

You armchair Stakhanovites who probably started working just after the Industrial Revolution are completely out of touch with the real world.

The number of taxis circling Bangkok doesn't have any bearing on how lucrative or not the profession is any more than the number of massage shops or hair salons correlates to how much money there is to be made in those professions.

Who are you to say what constitutes good money?

I'm assuming you meant crap money but in answer to your question, I'm the guy who believes that every man has the right to improve his lot.

Why should a man resign himself to earning 15-20K for the rest of his working life?

If you people had the same lack of social mobility growing up in your homelands as the average Thai working stiff, you'd have rioted in the streets

I think taxi drivers should get more money. I'm not suggesting doubling rates, I'm just saying an increase is long overdue

I used to teach school in Thailand (speaking of lack of social mobility). I would make the boys who misbehaved (the girls never did) sit outside of the class and make car noises and practice driving.

Did any of them have an accident? Or flee the scene?

[Gringogazzer]

The meters in Thai taxis virtually mean nothing over here, cannot be compared with the taxis of New York or London.

One way around this that I have found, meter taxi or not, if I have a good idea of the fare price before hand, is to ask the driver how much before I enter the taxi. If the quote sounds about right, then I accept and begin my journey, if it seems well over the odds, then I either haggle with the driver or try another cab.

This is how it`s been done in Thailand for decades, it`s just a case of putting on the charm, getting the message through to the driver that I`m not a naive tourist and at no time getting offended and losing my temper. If you don`t go through this process and once inside the cab, the driver assumes that the passenger is leaving the fare at his discretion. It is a case of having knowledge of the Thai mind and attitudes and the way things are done here. I would have thought the OP`s wife would have known this and done the wheeling and dealing prior to entering the taxi, that I also do and never had any problems.

I don't wheel & deal on taxi prices, the metre is there for good reason & always tip regarding traffic conditions etc.

The wife has enough confidence in me to relax & not worry about babysitting every senario for me.