How Do Motorcycle Taxis Work?

[Briggsy]

The Soi's off Sukhumvit Rd Bangkok seem to be divided between Motorcycle Taxis and the little 4-wheel 'Daihatsu' vans. You don't see both working the same Soi and Motorsai will not pick you up in the area the Daihatsu's are parked.

That's probably a traffic issue though. I don't think either one is poaching off the other. The Daihatsu drivers definitely aren't. That's the most straightforward form of transportation out there, besides the skytrain/subway. Love those little trucks.

Eldragon, I am afraid I have to take issue with you again.

The little Subaru / Daihatsu taxis that control the sois west of Thong Lor defend their area with extreme violence against any poaching motorcycle taxis. The dividing lines where pick-ups can be made by one group or the other are clearly drawn. The reason there is no poaching is that they know what it would lead to. It is not a traffic issue. It is a monopoly defended with violence. Try approaching a motorbike dropping someone off on Suk 53 and you will see a very unequivocal refusal and possibly fear of being wrongly accused on the guy's face.

That's a shame. Violence seems unnecessary in that situation. For starters, most people seem like they have their mind made up on which form of transportation they're going to use. Then there's the fact that the little trucks are usually at least half the price of a motorcycle ride. Also, the truck is a straightforward process. 99/100 times, you know what you're getting. There's no stories that I'm aware of about customers getting mugged or raped by truck drivers. And I've never seen a truck driver that appeared drunk and/or surly. So I don't see many people who chose the trucks being tempted to upgrade to a motorcycle.

You will need to be more specific. What particular soi or road are you referring to?

In some sois, e.g. Ramkhamhaeng 65, there is a choice as the Subarus ply a fixed route while the motorbikes will go anywhere. In some sois, like Suk 53, there is no choice, you must use a Subaru from this soi and they function as motorbike taxis going anywhere on demand.

You seem to be a bit confused. Do you know how much a taxi monopoly on Suk 53 would be worth? That is why it is defended with the threat of violence.

You seem to be a bit confused again. The violence is one taxi group against another taxi group, not against the customers.

Edited January 13, 2015 by Briggsy

[eldragon]

You will need to be more specific. What particular soi or road are you referring to?

In some sois, e.g. Ramkhamhaeng 65, there is a choice as the Subarus ply a fixed route while the motorbikes will go anywhere. In some sois, like Suk 53, there is no choice, you must use a Subaru from this soi and they function as motorbike taxis going anywhere on demand.

You seem to be a bit confused. Do you know how much a taxi monopoly on Suk 53 would be worth? That is why it is defended with the threat of violence.

You seem to be a bit confused again. The violence is one taxi group against another taxi group, not against the customers.

Ha ha. No, I didn't think it was against customers. But the neighborhood I live in has trucks for like 10 baht and motorcycles at a variable rate. The people that use the truck wait for the truck, and the people that use the motorcycles wait for the motorcycles. I wasn't aware of any of that other nonsense. And I thought all the trucks operated on a fixed route with a fixed rate. I didn't know there were any sois that didn't have motorcycle taxis. That is some monopoly s--t right there. That's a shame.

[Briggsy]

Ok, I am with you now. You are referring to the former situation where Subarus ply a fixed route.

Check out some of the sois off Thong Lor. You will find a distinct lack of motorcycle taxi stations as detailed above.

[impulse]

With no particular energy about the worthiness of this information:

http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2010/07/21/interview-with-claudio-sopranzetti-the-politics-of-motorcycle-taxis/

http://pulitzercenter.org/reporting/asia-thailand-revolution-motorcycle

[krisb]

Is it really any of your business to know the in's and outs other taxi motorcycle's in Thailand...

unless you're thinking about joining .. but you can't because you're a farang.

He could if he was a citizen.

[eldragon]

With no particular energy about the worthiness of this information:

http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2010/07/21/interview-with-claudio-sopranzetti-the-politics-of-motorcycle-taxis/

http://pulitzercenter.org/reporting/asia-thailand-revolution-motorcycle

This is fascinating.