So The Taxi Revolution Is A Dud Then

[Gringogazzer]

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.

At Ratchathewi the lights were red & the taxi just had his nose poked out into the lane.

I've had it a few times when the driver doesn't turn the metre on until we start moving. Always a nice jesture.

But once moving the we asked for the metre.

[Gringogazzer]

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.

Yes I round up the bill, the driver always reaches for the change.

I do bemoan ฿200 for a ฿60 journey because the tip is at my discretion, not demanded.

It's a 15min journey.

[luk AJ]

In the first place I try to avoid taking a taxi. I really prefer BTS, MRT etc..although most of the time taxis are faster. I have problems with their attitude and driving style. When I do take a taxi I will tip according to my evaluation, if positive I can tip up to 50%. Once I made a remark to a grumpy driver and he told me I should go back to my home country, I replied if all Thais would be like him I surely would

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[jpeg]

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.

Whoa! Calm down. 'Could you live on it? ' There was a time when I had to live on half that amount for a couple of years. I'm guessing you're one of those 'you need at least 100k per month minimum to live here, despite most locals living on a fraction of that. Tad 'inverse racism' going on there.

I also resent having to pay a price just one thousand baht shy of the bloody return air ticket to Bangkok to my local taxi drivers, who, too, are Thai. It's the mindset. As little as possible for as much as possible and then back to your hammock. And the number of taxis 'circling Bangkok' most certainly IS because it's sitting on your $rse all day for what would be deemed a reasonable amount of wage here. As to all the beauty salons/massage shops, THAT'S because there's s0d all outlay/they have no clue as to do anything innovative so they copy, they see just one making any money out of it, they all jump in without giving a thought to the fact they've just flooded the market and most close shortly afterwards. Even the Thais laugh at them. You really don't know nearly as much as you think you do.

[thailiketoo]

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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?

Yes in their second year. Third year was machete moves.

[samsensam]

i live in banglampu and have very few problems with getting a taxi to take me home or pick me up in the area. sure a few won't use the meter but i sort that out before i get in - a useful tip for the OP!

i also know my way around bangkok and cant remember the last time a driver took me an out of the way route. honestly i cant complain about the taxi drivers here

[DP25]

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.

You should never ask the driver how much. That is making it clear to him that you are a naive tourist that doesn't understand how taxis work here.

You open the door and state your destination in Thai. They agree and you get in (or not, scammers will refuse you if you speak Thai as they know you understand things). He will turn on the meter and start driving. There is nothing to discuss. This is how Thailand taxis work 99% of the time. I have done it literally thousands of times.

If you ask how much and start bargaining about prices you immediately come off as a tourist and the driver knows he does not have to use the meter. You should never take a taxi in Bangkok that does not have the meter on.

[Gringogazzer]

i live in banglampu and have very few problems with getting a taxi to take me home or pick me up in the area. sure a few won't use the meter but i sort that out before i get in - a useful tip for the OP!

i also know my way around bangkok and cant remember the last time a driver took me an out of the way route. honestly i cant complain about the taxi drivers here

But getting to a BTS link from Banglampu even at that reasonable time for a taxi is undesirable & unwanted.

I've done the journey in 6pm rush hour before & can understand the nightmare at that time, but 3pm is as reasonable as it's going to get.

[Cypress Hill]

Whoa! Calm down. 'Could you live on it? ' There was a time when I had to live on half that amount for a couple of years. I'm guessing you're one of those 'you need at least 100k per month minimum to live here, despite most locals living on a fraction of that. Tad 'inverse racism' going on there.

I also resent having to pay a price just one thousand baht shy of the bloody return air ticket to Bangkok to my local taxi drivers, who, too, are Thai. It's the mindset. As little as possible for as much as possible and then back to your hammock. And the number of taxis 'circling Bangkok' most certainly IS because it's sitting on your $rse all day for what would be deemed a reasonable amount of wage here. As to all the beauty salons/massage shops, THAT'S because there's s0d all outlay/they have no clue as to do anything innovative so they copy, they see just one making any money out of it, they all jump in without giving a thought to the fact they've just flooded the market and most close shortly afterwards. Even the Thais laugh at them. You really don't know nearly as much as you think you do.

"Inverse racism"??!!

Why am I not surprised you had to live on half of that for a couple of years <deleted>

Perhaps you believe that aspiration to personal betterment is the sole preserve of Westerners; perhaps you believe the little brown people should be eternally grateful to earn 15-20K month <deleted>

Who the hell was talking about innovation? Of course there's no innovation - they don't have the education to have as many innovators per head as we do in the West.

They go into what they perceive to be tried and tested paths to some sort of financial security be that massage shops, hairdressing shops, shoes/fashion shops, taxi driving etc. They have few other opportunities available to them

Taxi driving has pretty steep costs for those who rent their vehicles. If your costs were rising each year for a decade but but you were unable to pass those higher costs on to the customer, what would you do?

<deleted>

[CharlieH]

Post edited to remove insult/flame.

[thaibeachlovers]

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.

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

Seems to be an average sort of wage. My wife doesn't earn that and she works harder than a taxi driver.

[StreetCowboy]

Recently a lot more of the taxis me and my family have taken have had seat belts available for use.

SC

[Robert24]

Take uber next time

[Gringogazzer]

Take uber next time

Is that the pet name for your gun....

[carib102]

Buy a car. Sorted.

[Gringogazzer]

Buy a car. Sorted.

Too late.

Just bought a helicopter for the few days a year we're in Bangkok.

The wife & I are doing the rope training tomorrow for dropping down onto rooftops or into wide Soi's.

[Cypress Hill]

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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

Pure BS

You make out that "working class" covers every Thai who isn't a doctor or a solicitor and that shows that you're thoroughly clueless.

I can see how farangs who've spent their entire time here in the company of locals mired in a narrow socio-economic band might share your beliefs but that doesn't make them any less misguided

Perhaps you believe driving a taxi in BKK is an 8hr-a-day, 5-day a week job but if you had any clue, you'd know that it's more like 12 hours a day, 6 days a week.

15-20K for that is crap money.

A modest increase in the minimum fare and mileage rates is very much in order especially as costs have rocketed over the years.

[Nuddy]

From time to time I need to go to the Aussie Embassy.

We drive from NE country and go to a friends place at Ayutthaya where we leave the car.

Then we catch a Van bus into Bk for around 100+ baht.

The Bus stops at a place I don't know and we walk out to the main street.

Taxi's stop and then once one understands that we want to go to the Aussie embassy we get in.

Mostly they meter and that has varied from 100 baht to about 300 baht...always I tip.

Then after we get out of the embassy we go back to the bus place getting a taxi that charges somewhere between 100 baht and 300 baht.

We get on the Bus and go back to Ayutthaya where our car is and then we go home.

There are no fights or whatever and who cares what it costs.

Its all mere money. You guys can argue about how much it costs but I am grateful that I can get where I am going when I want to.

Regards

[Nuddy]

And actually

Sometimes the guy in the Taxi says where are you going?

Sometimes my wife says we are going to Ayutthaya and then onto Khon Kaen

He says 1000 baht to Ayutthaya (85 kilometres) and I accept that and another time the guy said 2000 baht to Khon Kaen (350 kilometres)

Fuk it Taxis are cheap here

Never had an argument.

[Benmart]

GrabTaxi app.

'Nuff said

What's that then???

Not eNuff said

To anyone who can use a search engine, it IS 'nuff said

Manners would dictate an explanation. Terse responses are the domain of some whose time and patience seems to be in short supply.

[Toany]

I booked a taxi with the App Grab Taxi. 10 Minutes later the driver called me and told me to order another taxi as he was not coming. The theory may be good. But the taxi driver can still turn you down.

[ttthailand]

My Thai gf and I at Terminal 21 two nights ago about 8:00 pm. Went to the taxi stand and put our name on the taxi waiting list. We were going to Ekkamai area. Must have been 10 taxis come and the porter told each about 4 different locations (other people on list) including ours and they all just listened and shook their heads and left empty. Easy enough as we then went to BTS and got off Ekkamai and got taxi from there.

I think it will never change ....

[atyclb]

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.

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

Seems to be an average sort of wage. My wife doesn't earn that and she works harder than a taxi driver.

the starting salary for a university graduate was raised to 15000 not too long ago. going by thai standards 15-20k / month for a non educated (academic or trade) seems to not be unfair. to put things in perspective i was told that a medical doctor salary at a government hospital was 30k / month

[Gringogazzer]

My ex girlfriend's nice was at the time a nurse in Bang Po & received ฿30000 a month, would think a doctor would receive more.

That was regarded as good by my girlfriend & family. Very proud.

The Issan girl done good.

I wouldn't mind & could weather a rise in taxi fare but whether the Thai people would stick it is another matter.

For them to set the market rate.

[carib102]

Buy a car. Sorted.

Too late.

Just bought a helicopter for the few days a year we're in Bangkok.

The wife & I are doing the rope training tomorrow for dropping down onto rooftops or into wide Soi's.

Perfect!

[Cypress Hill]

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

Seems to be an average sort of wage. My wife doesn't earn that and she works harder than a taxi driver.

the starting salary for a university graduate was raised to 15000 not too long ago. going by thai standards 15-20k / month for a non educated (academic or trade) seems to not be unfair. to put things in perspective i was told that a medical doctor salary at a government hospital was 30k / month

What do you mean it was "raised not too long ago"?

What, do you think there's some kind of central body that decides how much graduates are paid across the board?

OK I didn't realise Thailand was a communist state because, last I heard - TODAY - Thai graduates can walk into starting salaries of up to 25K depending on the sector. That's based on 3 jobs I've seen advertising for Thais with a degree that can speak intermediate level English.

As for doctors being paid 30K, better you repeat rubbish like that on the forum than in real life, eh?

The trouble with you people is you're all a bit too "bwana" for your own good.

Thailand has moved on and left you behind still viewing the country through the distorting lensing effect of a pint.

Hence so many farangs complaining about rising prices . . .

Edited November 24, 2014 by Cypress Hill

[Robert24]

@Cypress Hill: starting salaries for graduates are usually around 15k depending on the sector and company. With usually I refer to government positions, SOEs, big Thai corporate companies etc. Obviously some require after an initial period for you to pass a test and then your salary is increased etc.

For example in banking, grads start somewhere between 13k-15k depending on the bank. But your salary may increase fairly rapidly by 3k-5k or even more if you meet their requirements and pass a test (which can be tough). Depending on the institution you may also get a bonus which is obviously not included in those numbers. 25k is a high entry salary for a grad. But same as in other countries, some sectors, some companies pay a lot more for grads than others. I've seen big differences in other countries too.

I don't know salaries for doctors though and neither I know how much a taxi driver can make......

[rapom]

I returned to Thailand, earlier this month. I was to stay in Bangkok for 4 days, for embassy and immigration business, then travel by bus from MoChit to Surin. I always stay at same hotel, near On Nut BTS. Usually, I take airport train to end of the line, transfer to BTS, to On Nut station and walk to hotel. This time I had extra luggage and decided to take airport taxi to hotel. Got into taxi and gave driver a google map, showing location of hotel, with name and address. Taxi driver was gentlemen in his early 60's, who was driving a new Toyota. We had the usual taxi ride conversation.I committed on how clean the taxi was and he told me brand new and cost 1 million. He was very proud of his taxi. He asked how long I was staying in Bangkok and I said 4 days, then I was taking bus to Surin, He handed me a printed sheet and said I could take new air conditioned taxi to Surin. The sheet had destinations to most of the larger cities in Thailand,with the cost. Price to Surin was 3000 baht. At the bottom of sheet was all day rental price, of 1500 baht. Fare from airport to hotel was metered at just over 200 baht, gave him 300. Very pleasant driver. While in Bangkok had several taxi trips to US embassy and Thai immigration, usually from nearest BTS station. Always was metered taxi. No problems. When I checked out of hotel, I had taxi take me to MoChit bus terminal. Driver asked me if I wanted to go by highway. I told him whatever was best way and that I had over 1 hour, before bus departure. I have taken taxi several times from MoChit to this hotel. Metered fare was always about 270 baht. This was first time taking taxi to MoChit. The driver went down numerous narrow 2 lane streets, onto a multi-lane highway, a couple more 2 lane streets, another highway and we were at MoChit. Fare was 179 baht. The time driving was probably, less than 5 minutes longer. I gave the driver 300 baht. My thinking was that if he had wanted to make a higher fare, he would not have taken, the shortest route. I would have to say, that my first and last taxi drivers in Bangkok were honest men. This is my experience.

[Jonmarleesco]

'... my wife pokes her head in & tells them we want to go to either Phaya Thai, Ratchathewi or National Stadium ...' And there is nub number one of the problem; Thais giving the driver the option. Not just today, but no doubt from the day the first metered taxi hit the road. Nub number two is the failure to report the taxi. They do get fined, and at up to a B1,000 a time, it can prove expensive.

[Jonmarleesco]

I returned to Thailand, earlier this month. I was to stay in Bangkok for 4 days, for embassy and immigration business, then travel by bus from MoChit to Surin. I always stay at same hotel, near On Nut BTS. Usually, I take airport train to end of the line, transfer to BTS, to On Nut station and walk to hotel. This time I had extra luggage and decided to take airport taxi to hotel. Got into taxi and gave driver a google map, showing location of hotel, with name and address. Taxi driver was gentlemen in his early 60's, who was driving a new Toyota. We had the usual taxi ride conversation.I committed on how clean the taxi was and he told me brand new and cost 1 million. He was very proud of his taxi. He asked how long I was staying in Bangkok and I said 4 days, then I was taking bus to Surin, He handed me a printed sheet and said I could take new air conditioned taxi to Surin. The sheet had destinations to most of the larger cities in Thailand,with the cost. Price to Surin was 3000 baht. At the bottom of sheet was all day rental price, of 1500 baht. Fare from airport to hotel was metered at just over 200 baht, gave him 300. Very pleasant driver. While in Bangkok had several taxi trips to US embassy and Thai immigration, usually from nearest BTS station. Always was metered taxi. No problems. When I checked out of hotel, I had taxi take me to MoChit bus terminal. Driver asked me if I wanted to go by highway. I told him whatever was best way and that I had over 1 hour, before bus departure. I have taken taxi several times from MoChit to this hotel. Metered fare was always about 270 baht. This was first time taking taxi to MoChit. The driver went down numerous narrow 2 lane streets, onto a multi-lane highway, a couple more 2 lane streets, another highway and we were at MoChit. Fare was 179 baht. The time driving was probably, less than 5 minutes longer. I gave the driver 300 baht. My thinking was that if he had wanted to make a higher fare, he would not have taken, the shortest route. I would have to say, that my first and last taxi drivers in Bangkok were honest men. This is my experience.

Believe me, you've been lucky. Much depends on where you flag down the taxi, not just where you are going. Example: take a taxi from Tesco-Lotus at Sukhumvit 52; never a problem. Take one from Central Chidlom, there will be a problem nine times out of ten.