Suvarnabhumi taxi drivers suggest baggage charges

[webfact]

Suvarnabhumi taxi drivers suggest baggage charges
By Coconuts Bangkok


Photo: Sugree Phatanapherom

BANGKOK: -- If people carrying many heavy bags want them to use the meter, a group of Suvarnabhumi airport taxi drivers said they should have to pay a baggage charge.

After simmering frustrations on both sides of the taxi driver-public debate boiled over following one man’s viral rant this week, representatives of the Suvarnabhumi Airport taxi drivers discussed their ideas to resolving the issue on the Jor Kao Den news show yesterday.

"If the Department of Land Transport wants to me to use the meter according to their price chart, this is a win-win solution," driver Pattawee Meerat said of the baggage charge idea.

Their solution suggests a baggage charge should be officially set. One bag under 15 kilograms would be free. However passengers carrying two to four bags would be THB30 per bag, their fifth and sixth bags would be THB50 each, and every one after that would be charged THB80.

While the public has been fed up with experiences of bad service, rejected fares and reckless driving, many drivers complain 20-year-old fares and much higher costs have made it impossible to make a living.

"As fuel becomes more expensive, our costs have also increased," Pattawee added, "The recent fare increase was calculated based on the cost of an average taxi driver who rents their taxi and makes approximately 14 trips per shift.” [read more...]

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co//2015/01/22/suvarnabhumi-taxi-drivers-suggest-baggage-charges


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2015-01-23

[cornishcarlos]

Charge fat people extra too, like a US airline tried once

[ldiablo]

If you don't like the new price chart then get out of the customer service field you are in and go and do something else. Stop trying to come up with other ways to rip people off.

[Mangkorndang]

But the price of fuel, oil per barrel is dropping throughout the world ? So what bullshit is this ? Everywhere else in the world where there are metered taxis, the drivers charge the price on the meter... carry and load bags into he vehicle with enthusiasm to get tips. Frankly Thai taxi drivers are bloody awful.. and the worst of the worst seem to work at that airport.

[Ricardo]

"If the Department of Land Transport wants to me to use the meter according to their price chart, this is a win-win solution," driver Pattawee Meerat said of the baggage charge idea.

It's not a case of "wants me to use the meter", that's surely a legal requirement !

And "a win-win solution", except for their arriving passengers, that is !

"As fuel becomes more expensive, our costs have also increased," Pattawee added

So since their fuel-costs have been falling recently, how big a fare-cut will the taxi-drivers now be offering ?

[Mango Bob]

And if you all your bags are over 15 kg so you get no free bag. Most international flights from North American allow two bags of 23 kg. So they can screw those people and charge for each bag. I have no problem with charging for the bag, but they have to offer the bigger cars if they want to charge for it.

[Jeremy50]

Charge fat people extra too, like a US airline tried once

No, just don't let them on the plane.

[alfalfa19]

Charge fat people extra too, like a US airline tried once

No, just don't let them on the plane.

an overweight coworker of mine recently went to board the plane in portland, for a flight to billings. he was refused and had to wait for the next flight, but only after the company bought 2 additional tickets, one for each way.

[BKKdreaming]

logic is you paid for flying here so you can pay us more......

so charge more at Siam Paragon than Big C

charge more if I get off the BTS than the city bus ,

Charge more if I have a new iPhone than a 400baht cheap phone......

OHHH forget it , CHARGE us MORE because we are not Thai Taxi drivers so we must have more money than they do.......

you know they deserve it , you are in their country ........

[ColdSingha]

these guys will not be happy until its a flat 500baht fare

[apetley]

The last time I used the airport taxis I couldn't even get one suitcase in the rear as the gas tank left no room for it.

[Kasset Tak]

How can they defend their prices, when you compare the fares:

Mo Chit to Suvarnabhumi I usually pay 250-300Baht with highway tolls and using the meter.

Suvarnabhumi to Mo Chit I usually have to pay 500Baht (+50Baht airport fee and tolls sometimes) as many refuse the fares if you insist that they use the meter!

Many of Bangkok's taxi drivers don't think that they are there to provide a service for the people. They think it's better to refuse a short (or long) fare and just keep cruising around waiting for that perfect fair. So lets start using the buses, BTS and MRT when we are in Bangkok and see how fun it's then for the drivers... remember that there is about 175,000 Taxis in Bangkok!

[chotthee]

Now farang is really going to complain.

No other land transport charge extra for baggage.

Not train, not bus, not car rental; why on earth Thai taxi going to charge for baggage is beyond my logic.

Perhaps the happy Thai people's logic is a world different from mine.

[cornishcarlos]

Now farang is really going to complain.

No other land transport charge extra for baggage.

Not train, not bus, not car rental; why on earth Thai taxi going to charge for baggage is beyond my logic.

Perhaps the happy Thai people's logic is a world different from mine.

I was charged for baggage by a taxi in Marseille once, can't argue with them as they really are mafia

[PepperMe]

Well I have been all over the world and have never been told I will have to pay for my suitcase to travel in the taxi with me.

I can imagine all those tourists arriving and being met with this load of old boll***s.

As if they haven't already got lots of things to criticise about Thailand, the taxi idiots have to add this to it.

Discover Thainess, where we treat your luggage as passengers.......

Discount for Thai luggage by any chance?

[spidermike007]

It may be time to start finding alternatives to the taxis at the airport. They are really acting up, and behaving like spoiled brats, and the discipline is not forthcoming. As to be expected with an impotent government.

[daveAustin]

"As fuel becomes more expensive, our costs have also increased," Pattawee added, "The recent fare increase was calculated based on the cost of an average taxi driver who rents their taxi and makes approximately 14 trips per shift.”

Pattawee said 75 percent of taxi drivers at Suvarnabhumi owns their taxi who must also pay monthly installments.

"Do you think taxis at Suvarnabhumi can make 14 trips in a 12-hour shift?

Who <deleted> cares! It is not for the public to muse over such things. Should it be of concern to us the logistics behind the 'service' you offer when all we want to do is be transported somewhere! And therein lies the main problem with Thai taxis; many of them are rented and thus they turn down fares because they need to get the thing back by a certain time, etc etc. It is a complete mess.

Just think yourself lucky that you're in the position to whinge over this matter, Mr Meerat; tourists could easily not bother coming to your country due to being overcharged for stuff and just plain sick of it all. What would you say, and who would you blame, then??

The first bit is just laughable but the mentality not untypical.

[Tatsujin]

< slaps forehead again >

They just don't get it, do they. Are they also now going to charge more for more than 1 x passenger per car? 3 x people in the car = 3 x times the meter fare?

If they are basing this on their "logic" that additional baggage costs more to transport, then the next "logical" step is to do the same with the number of passengers.

It's a service industry, if you don't like the laws/rules/regulations that accompany that industry, i.e. use the <deleted> meter, then you should have your licence taken away and find another job.

It's this kind of < deleted > that is partly keeping those tourists you hate so much away.

[LuckyLew]

IMO The problem is the fares are set too low and it is tough for them to make an honest living

They left the rates the same for too long and now the poopoo is hitting the fan

That said the drivers new the fares and income limitations when they applied for their hack license

There is already a 50 baht airport pickup surcharge, how about raising this to 100?

Have never seen this fee to 100 and all hacks are mandatory meters

[Cpkt8]

Are the taxi drivers going to put a weighing scale in their vehicles now? Will the taxi drivers going to consider ladies' handbags as part of luggages as well?

[givenall]

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

Charge fat people extra too, like a US airline tried once

Aircon 100b, breathing 150, if you drink water in taxi 50 b unless share with the driver, sleeping free only if they rub you otherwise 100b, etc. etc.

Edited January 23, 2015 by givenall

[Diplomatico]

Aircon 100b, breathing 150, if you drink water in taxi 50 b unless share with the driver, sleeping free only if they rub you otherwise 100b, etc. etc.

Seat belt fee: 50b

Tire inflation fee: 25b

Oil change surcharge: 50b

Loud radio fee: 50b

Buddha mini-shrine fee: 25b

Air freshener surcharge: 20b

Brake replacement fee: 50b

Open window fee: 20b

Close window fee: 20b

Right turn fee: 5b

Left turn fee: 5b

[roo860]

These people have had the shitty end of the stick for years, good for them!!!!!!

[asdecas]

The principle is correct but taxi drivers are shooting at the wrong target. Instead of extra fees for carrying bags from Suwannaphum, they would be far better served by charging farang tourists say 10 Baht extra per moan about ripoffs.

ThaiVisa members would of course automatically attract the surcharge.

[SoiBiker]

I'll happily pay 30b for my suitcase if it means they'll charge the meter rate for the journey.

I mean come on. It's 30b. Who gets upset over an amount like that?

[dragonfly94]

I think fat people and anyone wearing those ghastly cargo pants should have to pay an extra charge. You can't get that many bags in a taxi anyway as half the boot is taken up with the gas tank.

[chooka]

A new scam in the making. Set the baggage weight limit under that of the airlines and when people get off the plane then they have the choice dump your luggage and pay up bring in dual pricing and you can make a killing. How about a human weight / height scale? Anyone above the average thai weight and height to pay extra.

[JCauto]

In Berlin this summer, we were charged 1 Euro for each large bag we loaded into the car for the trip to the airport. It was listed as a standard on the cost chart in the taxi and I had no issues with it, as the guy was professional, the car was clean and large, and the bags all fit into the back of the taxi no problem. The seatbelts all worked (when was the last time you had any seatbelt work in a taxi in Bangkok) and the driver drove safely and professionally while making pleasant conversation in English. We had five large bags, so the costs were around the same as what these guys are proposing. But that was before the drop in fuel prices and plummeting of the Euro.

What is missing is all of the above except for the money.

BTW, has anyone ever seen a taxi in Bangkok that would be able to load 7 large bags safely?

[jeanpierre]

1. charche the passengers for breading the air in the taxi it is property of the taxi driver!!

[luk AJ]

IMO The problem is the fares are set too low and it is tough for them to make an honest living

They left the rates the same for too long and now the poopoo is hitting the fan

That said the drivers new the fares and income limitations when they applied for their hack license

There is already a 50 baht airport pickup surcharge, how about raising this to 100?

Have never seen this fee to 100 and all hacks are mandatory meters

I understood that the 50 baht surcharge was dropped after the fare increase? Can somebody confirm? The surcharge for lugage is idiotic. Taxi drivers make more money than construction workers. Why else there would be so many taxis?