How About a Taxi Meter Update

[Gonzo the Face]

Would some knowing soul fill in some of the gaps on the Taxi Meter confusion.

I see the yellow and Blue Taxi Meter cabs on the street

Some say they are closed and not answering the phone

Some say they do not want or do not use the meters

Some say they only do flat rate hauls

Some say the drivers are split with some willing to use meters and some only flat rate

.....and then, is there a new cab co in town with the cars almost the same with the exception on them being yellow and red rather than yellow and blue??

[scottishjohn]

I too would love to get answers to the questions you have asked and am really surprised at the total lack of any response.

Where are all these posters with their best prices/best way of getting around?

Can we please have some (reasonable/accurate) answers if anyone has any.

[arunsakda]

No yellow and blue taxi has ever started the meter in Chiang Mai according to my experience and those of friends. Apparently it simply is not done.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Yes.. I gave up on them long ago. Will use anything else. Even the aiport limo for trips that don't involve the airport. Anything to avoid 'meter' taxis.

[orang37]

"Meter Running," "Not spicy," "Refund:" Thailand: no have.

~o:37;

[trainman34014]

If you ring them they ask you where you are and where you are going and quote you a flat rate. There is no meter use in my experience....ever.

[Awk]

No meter is my experience also, though my experience is that the price is fair also, relative to CM's red bus and tuk-tuks. Slightly more expensive than a red bus, depending on how much time you want to spend haggling for the cheapest fare with various red bus drivers. On the plus side, you get picked up at your door, sit in a normal car with AC, don't waste time haggling over the price with various drivers passing by, and no detours to pick up unknown passengers.

053 262 878 is the number I've used for going to the airport. I also have another number, used for going other places: 053 279 291 (Taxi Lanna I've written this down as). Possibly Taxi Lanna only operates during the day, which is why I have had to use the other number also. I might remember this wrong though.

In all cases a driver has turned up on time, or even 10-15m before. No complaints from me regarding CM's taxis.

[kanook]

I started a thread a week ago noting the demise of a group of metered taxi drivers with a central dispatch number that lasted less than 1 month. I will not dwell on what I consider a real problem here in CM - no metered taxi service, because many expats I have met don't seem to think it's a problem. I have only lived here for 8 months so I don't have a problem deferring to long term residents. In saying that it does seem a very expensive proposition compared to my previous residences (Chiang Rai and BK) especially early morning taxi rides to the airport or during a heavy rain storm. In August I had to pay 300฿ for a 1.5 km ride from Central festival to my Condo in the business park after a late night movie. Needless to say, I drive everywhere now.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/787955-does-anyone-know-what-happened-to-the-new-metered-taxi-company/

[Diplomatico]

I asked one time at KSK if they would use the meter to go to the airport because I was curious to see what the fare might actually be. The drivers were huddled together - as they often are - and when I asked the question I got "this isn't Bangkok" from a couple of them.

I will not dwell on what I consider a real problem here in CM - no metered taxi service, because many expats I have met don't seem to think it's a problem. I have only lived here for 8 months so I don't have a problem deferring to long term residents. In saying that it does seem a very expensive proposition compared to my previous residences (Chiang Rai and BK) especially early morning taxi rides to the airport or during a heavy rain storm. In August I had to pay 300฿ for a 1.5 km ride from Central festival to my Condo in the business park after a late night movie. Needless to say, I drive everywhere now.

The "value proposition" of taxis in CM depends upon the perspective that one applies. If you compare it to the cost of a taxi in the UK or US, where it will cost 100 thb or more just to enter the taxi, then the 150 thb fare for the 5 kms to the airport is a bargain. If you compare it to the same 5 km fare in Bangkok, it's absurdly overpriced.

Edited January 6, 2015 by Diplomatico

[Sparkles]

I queried a taxi driver months ago, while on my way home from the Arcade Bus Centre, why I had to haggle over price every time to get back to my home in Hang Dong.

His reply was that BY LAW they had to have a meter installed when the taxi was registered but there was no enforcement to actually turn it on.....so Thai.

His was a new cab and he had moved back from Bangkok,with his young family, to CM to make more money.He claimed he made twice as much per month in CM as opposed to sitting in the

Bangkok gridlock.I used taxis in Bangkok for 9 years and agree totally that they were very cheap although they have just been granted a small mileage cost increase which cuts in soon, ironic as fuel prices are dropping. Most of the regular cab drivers I used in Bangkok received, after lease,fuel and repair costs around 400-500 baht day for a 12 hour shift.

It just sums up the chaotic ,non existent transport system we have in Thailand's second biggest city. Imagine how many tourists get scammed every day and we rarely hear about it as they don't come onto this forum.I would imagine the transport mafia here are quite content the way it is. I am told somewhere in CM there is a compound of the ill fated buses slowly rusting away.

No point in comparing prices here in CM with our home countries.I have friend in QLD,Australia who has owned 3 taxis for 15 years.His drivers depending on the day,weekend /holiday rates etc earn a minimum of 600 baht per hour. Subsequently catching a taxi in Oz costs an arm and a leg.

Tourists who are exposed to this ongoing rort probably don't think its excessive but locals know better.Maybe the Junta have it on the "to do" list

[eyecatcher]

We order the yellow and blue taxis regularly for our customers.

Its always 150bt regardless of whether they come from a hotel inside the moat or the dhara devi/ ratilanna.

They cannot be waved down as i think they are pre booking only.

Always on time and much more reliable and a healthier ride to boot.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I think the best approach is to not ever use meter taxis.

Let them die.

Then perhaps a brave new crop will sprout up who have learned that people actually want the 'meter' in 'meter taxi'.

Meanwhile I'll happily use the airport limo, not because it's cheaper but because they're providing what they claim to provide.

[siam2007]

"Meter Running," "Not spicy," "Refund:" Thailand: no have.

~o:37;

another typical polemical moaner/whiner-nonsense-post ;-)

"Meter running" --->>> in more than 1000 rides I had with Taxis in BKK, they would ALWAYS use the meter. In the 4 or 5 cases where the drivers didn't agree and not AUTOMATICALLY switched on the Meter, I just got off the cab and hailed another one down ten seconds later, who then would switch on the Meter immediately.

"Not Spicy" --->>> I can not handle overly spicy food, but nevertheless it is very easy for anyone with a minimum of brain to find so many different foods that are NOT spicy, that one would never have to eat the same dish in a month

"Refund" --->>> I just got a 100% refund from a Thai mobile provider 2 days ago (plus a friendly "sorry about that") when cancelling a data plan I had applied for a few days earlier, after it turned out that I only was able to get EDGE connection for 98% of the time, and not the promised at least 3G speed. I had documented this taking screenshots of performed SPEEDTEST results

[WinnieTheKhwai]

another typical polemical moaner/whiner-nonsense-post ;-)

I do appreciate the advance warning / executive summary of your post.

Wish more people had that ability to honestly reflect on their forum scribblings..

[Gonzo the Face]

"Meter Running," "Not spicy," "Refund:" Thailand: no have.

~o:37;

another typical polemical moaner/whiner-nonsense-post ;-)

"Meter running" --->>> in more than 1000 rides I had with Taxis in BKK, they would ALWAYS use the meter. In the 4 or 5 cases where the drivers didn't agree and not AUTOMATICALLY switched on the Meter, I just got off the cab and hailed another one down ten seconds later, who then would switch on the Meter immediately.

"Not Spicy" --->>> I can not handle overly spicy food, but nevertheless it is very easy for anyone with a minimum of brain to find so many different foods that are NOT spicy, that one would never have to eat the same dish in a month

"Refund" --->>> I just got a 100% refund from a Thai mobile provider 2 days ago (plus a friendly "sorry about that") when cancelling a data plan I had applied for a few days earlier, after it turned out that I only was able to get EDGE connection for 98% of the time, and not the promised at least 3G speed. I had documented this taking screenshots of performed SPEEDTEST results

First things first...... If you with your self perceived super intelligence would take the time to read the topic of this threat its about the metered taxis in Chiang Mai..... not Bangkok...... While there may be a small amount of meter/non-meter difficulties in Bkk, I think the vast majority of people from CM that have used the taxis in Bkk would agree , meter difficulties are at a minimum. But in CM its almost 100%.

I agree with the poster WTK that flat rate is not a problem , if that is what the program is, but not when you go around advertising meter and then refuse to use the meter..... that is false advertising and no doubt violating some law. That is what rubs most people the wrong way.

Now

"another typical polemical moaner/whiner-nonsense-post ;-)"

Reading your post, in my opinion, it is you who come off as the "whiner"

I know Orang37, and would not be surprised in the least to find he has the highest IQ of all the poster/members on this forum. You are the one that does not grasp what he is saying, if you did you would not surely have made you post as written.

[Konini]

Meanwhile I'll happily use the airport limo, not because it's cheaper but because they're providing what they claim to provide.

Please be so kind as to share some info on airport limo's.