Suvarnabhumi taxi drivers suggest baggage charges

[Loles]

I suggest STINK & CRAZY DRIVER CHARGES against them.

If the car is stinky (as usually smoke and dirty smell) charge them 50% from taxi fare. If you got extra crazy driver also, charge them one more time 50% from taxi fare.

I guess would be many free cab in Bangkok.

Edited January 23, 2015 by Loles

[lynnnayko]

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

man...i am 200 lbs don't do that. LOL

[janpharma]

What will be next? ...pay for your shoes?...

Take the skytrain! Easy, cheap and no rip-off by taxi mob...

[Mot Dang]

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

Having to listen to Driver's terrible music or talk back radio: credit of 50b to passenger

Smell of driver or questionable air freshener (usually bai toey leaves): credit of 100b to passenger

Perving by driver in rear view mirror, or unsolicited obvious hitting on passenger's wife or gf: credit of 200b to passenger

Getting lost or suspicion of delaying driving tactics: credit of 20b to passenger

No luggage space because of LPG bottle: credit of 200b to passenger

Not using meter: credit of 300b to passenger

[SoiBiker]

Seriously though. It's 30b.

I'll pay it for you if it's that big a deal.

The meter is there for a reason. It works out the fare. That's why it's there.

It's not about the cost it's all about some, not all, scum trying to scam, extort and evade the rules.

F. those gits

How is this a scam? Isn't the point that they will use the meter, plus an small, approved additional fee?

[pattaya1234was]

I would suggest that taxi fares have been stable for quite a while because of the switch to LPG. Now the price of LPG is increasing and hence the profit margins are decreasing-hence the request for higher fares.

[2fishin2]

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

Not exactly true. There is a 50 baht surcharge now everywhere

[maswov]

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.

The logic is that to move more mass, more energy is required thus more fuel used.

[2fishin2]

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

Having to listen to Driver's terrible music or talk back radio: credit of 50b to passenger

Smell of driver or questionable air freshener (usually bai toey leaves): credit of 100b to passenger

Perving by driver in rear view mirror, or unsolicited obvious hitting on passenger's wife or gf: credit of 200b to passenger

Getting lost or suspicion of delaying driving tactics: credit of 20b to passenger

No luggage space because of LPG bottle: credit of 200b to passenger

Not using meter: credit of 300b to passenger

And I was the only one who noticed these crazy thing

[Diplomatico]

Not exactly true. There is a 50 baht surcharge now everywhere

Huh? I was just in Bangkok two weeks ago and did not get charged a 50 thb surcharge to go from hotel back to airport nor was I charged a 50 thb surcharge for any taxi rides within the city.

[Loles]

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.

Your post a classic "no idea" post.

The Bangkok taxi don't use gasoline (petrol) only for start car's engine. They use LPG and NGV and those gas prices have increased well the last 10 years.

If they would used gasoline (petrol) they would spent every taxi fare for it, may be not enough.

[DM07]

Use limosine service. No arguing. Nice clean cars. No problem.

Yeah!

Or buy your own car...or better: a helicopter!

You understand what a Taxi-service is and what it is there for, don't you?!

[sarathjay]

Going from Ratchyothin to Suvarnabhumi cost 280Bt and coming back 350Bt. without Tolls. Let's say 400 Bt. Thats 10 € for almost 30km

Can one of you tell me where in the world can you use a Taxi for a 30km ride with Aircon for this money?

I bought a car Battery the other day for 3900 bt. One cheap Tire for a Corolla is over 2000 Bt. The list can go on.....For the ones who own a car in Thailand will understand Taxi owners and drivers when they ask for more.

Almost all in this Forum have steady incomes over 50 thousand / monthly.Do you know that an average Taxi driver takes not more than 15 to 17 thousand home? I am not defending the Taxi owners plea, but .showing how arrogant and selfish some of the comments here are.

Thais are kind, friendly, and helpful people if you know to respect them.

[Manbing]

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

Many of these drivers are unlicensed, many cheat their passengers when they can. If they enjoy a fare hike they won't stop these practices. Adding a further complication to calculating fares gives them more leeway to cheat their passengers.

Bad luck if the licensed or unlicensed thieves are too stupid to get a real job and are forced to earn a living in this menial job.

I have no sympathy for them. Get another job, get 2 jobs if you want to earn more money.

Cheating a farang out of 800bht to get to KS. road represents about 800bht an hour, then cheating KS road farang out of 300bht to get to Wat Po (10 mins walk away) that's another easy con., that's just 2hrs out of your 12 hr day. times that by 20 and you get 20k a month.

If this was a properly controlled licensed profession with honest employees I would have no problem with their structuring higher fees.

However,

The service, fares dictated (cheating), vehicle conditions, attitudes and quality of drivers is well below reasonable service standards. How many of you have had to sit in a taxi with no aircon, a driver who complains they don't know the way, who drives too fast ortoo slow. Who purposely chooses the slow lanes over the moving lanes, who misses their turns, doesn't turn on the meter. a driver who doesn't understand personal hygiene, uses mobile phones to chat or text whilst driving, picks their nose. etc etc etc.

How are these morons even capable of dictating policy?

You employ monkeys, you are paid in peanuts.

[trogers]

I don't see the logic. Four passengers in a taxi, normal meter rate. Two passengers plus luggage occupying the seat space left vacant, extra charge?

You can't even fit a dog into the luggage booth due to the gas tank.

[Manbing]

Going from Ratchyothin to Suvarnabhumi cost 280Bt and coming back 350Bt. without Tolls. Let's say 400 Bt. Thats 10 € for almost 30km

Can one of you tell me where in the world can you use a Taxi for a 30km ride with Aircon for this money?

I bought a car Battery the other day for 3900 bt. One cheap Tire for a Corolla is over 2000 Bt. The list can go on.....For the ones who own a car in Thailand will understand Taxi owners and drivers when they ask for more.

Almost all in this Forum have steady incomes over 50 thousand / monthly.Do you know that an average Taxi driver takes not more than 15 to 17 thousand home? I am not defending the Taxi owners plea, but .showing how arrogant and selfish some of the comments here are.

Thais are kind, friendly, and helpful people if you know to respect them.

total rubbish, my friend is kind and respectful and friendly, taxi driver still tried to cheat him by doubling the charge from swampy.

Don't be naive

[BudRight]

I recently returned from the US with 3 bags totalling 85 kg( could have taken 98 kg total complements of JAL business class). I hadn't been back in 3 years and had many things to bring plus gifts. I took the larger Toyota wagon. I was planning to tip the guy as my bags were heavy...but as he picked them up he was on the phone talking to someone and kept repeating farang...hiaa and more about my heavy suitcases. I told him in Thai where to take me and the route to take. I asked if he understood he said yes but he had a shortcut. This was at 3:30am and I had to be to work at 9 am. His shortcut cost me an extra toll fee and took about 20 minutes longer. He got off on Ram Intra and backtracked to Chatuchak area. I decided then I would pay a rounded up fare but really no tip. He made up for it with his extra ride. He continued to cuss as he got back in the car after taking my bags out.

I read elsewhere that a leader of a Taxi association was comparing Taxi charges in Japan and saying Thailand should pattern themselves after the fee schedules in Japan. But they didn't mention what you get in Japan for those rates.I did a 6 day stopover in Japan(Tokyo and Kyoto) on my way to the US. As it was about 5 C I took many taxis. The taxis I had were late model, very clean, drivers wore white gloves, many had lace coverings on headrest and top of seats. One even had a lamb shearling throw rug on the back seat. The drivers were polite. One even missed the turn off and had to go up several blocks to make a u-turn. He apologized as I had given him a card with a map of the location. When I paid him the full fare he deducted 10% for his mistake. I tried to get him to keep it as a tip but he said,"no my error." Has a Thai taxi driver ever offered to deduct increased charges due to their "mistakes" intentional or mistakenly? I have never had this done. I used to pay the total fare when this happened but after learning some Thai many times I discount what I pay if they have taken me INTENTIONALLY way out of my way and the increase is 100 baht or more, telling them why. This is when I have given them explicit instructions where to go and they tell me some excuse for taking another route--not traffic related.

To be fair, I have had taxi drivers take money off the fare for mistakes, abeit less frequently than juicing the price by taking the scenic route.

[KonaRain]

Unbelievable..

I was barely happy when,Hawaii added 1 dollar a bag, in 1995.

Gave an automatic tip for carrying HEAVY bags.

(I am,disabled somewhat tho I can walk and sing,)from heavy bags, like 8 of 'em.

That's another story.We had $5 gas, now $3?.

Thai baht, that's what, 25 cents.

Relax

4 Seasons said, 'don't charge our guests $1.'

Sure..

[Manbing]

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.

Your post a classic "no idea" post.

The Bangkok taxi don't use gasoline (petrol) only for start car's engine. They use LPG and NGV and those gas prices have increased well the last 10 years.

If they would used gasoline (petrol) they would spent every taxi fare for it, may be not enough.

'Frankly Thai taxi drivers are bloody awful.. and the worst of the worst seem to work at that airport. '

-That's not a 'no idea' that's correct.

I am reminded of thieving monkeys stealing stuff from tourists at temples when I see the taxi drivers at swampy.

Especially those bottom feeders who hang around the car park because they have been banned from picking up in the queues.

[Mot Dang]

Use limosine service. No arguing. Nice clean cars. No problem.

Yeah!

Or buy your own car...or better: a helicopter!

You understand what a Taxi-service is and what it is there for, don't you?!

If the taxis get their own way and a luggage tax (?) is introduced, the price of airport limos WILL go up, no doubt about it. They wont what to miss out on the extra pickings.

And DM07, don't be so quick to defecate on those who use the limo service. There are very legitimate reasons why some people do. I for instance use them if I'm travelling to and from Thailand (yes, my home), with my wife who has had a spinal cord operation. She prefers the comfort of a new car, and we avoid the pot-luck of getting a bone cruncher taxi.

[kingalfred]

Screw the taxis at swampy! Or should I say"Dont allow them to screw passengers" Basically I never use them and advice as many as I know not to!

[Hamburgler]

What a horrible idea. Not that you could fit 6 bags in a taxi's trunk anyhow.

Thailand already has a reputation for innovation. Unfortunately it's a reputation for innovative ways to hustle tourists. Now they want to be the first country to charge a baggage surcharge for taxi's. The second thing arrivals to Thailand experience after the long line at immigration is getting hit with a fee no other country has. They'd be better off setting a flat rate which I've seen in other countries and similar to what they have in Chiang Mai although it's 100-140 baht.

I have always avoided the scumbag taxi drivers that just hang around the tourist areas and refuse to turn on the meter. I flag down taxi's or hop in one that is dropping off passengers. I've found that most taxi drivers are pretty decent and hardworking, and they seem to do alright for themselves without ripping people off. If they implement some garbage like this it will end up costing the taxi drivers in the long run as they will have fewer customers and be disliked by tourists within minutes of arriving. The Chinese reaction would be the funniest. There will be a lot of hot noodles flying.

[KonaRain]

Reading more, these drivers sure must have some backup for such poor behavior.

We would get,reamed for backtracking. (Only one road) !!

You guys are lucky to have many options in Thailand.

I'll sell Hawaii and be a good shot in Thailand.

Stay at green lake hotel, travel by car and train..

lol ? :-(

[ratcatcher]

In the 4 years of living in Thailand i have never been in a " Taxi " ....

You never have time, canary, you're always on the train somewhere.

[BlueSkyCowboy]

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 ........

There are many very cheap tourists in Thailand. Argue over 10 Bt. Buy an item in a store for 50 Bt and ask for a discount. The be a taxi driver at the airport is a very hard job. Always walk a mile in another persons shoes before complaining too much. I watch the foreign trash in Pattaya who think that they are superior to the natives.

Edited January 23, 2015 by BlueSkyCowboy

[BlueSkyCowboy]

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

Many of these drivers are unlicensed, many cheat their passengers when they can. If they enjoy a fare hike they won't stop these practices. Adding a further complication to calculating fares gives them more leeway to cheat their passengers.

Bad luck if the licensed or unlicensed thieves are too stupid to get a real job and are forced to earn a living in this menial job.

I have no sympathy for them. Get another job, get 2 jobs if you want to earn more money.

Cheating a farang out of 800bht to get to KS. road represents about 800bht an hour, then cheating KS road farang out of 300bht to get to Wat Po (10 mins walk away) that's another easy con., that's just 2hrs out of your 12 hr day. times that by 20 and you get 20k a month.

If this was a properly controlled licensed profession with honest employees I would have no problem with their structuring higher fees.

However,

The service, fares dictated (cheating), vehicle conditions, attitudes and quality of drivers is well below reasonable service standards. How many of you have had to sit in a taxi with no aircon, a driver who complains they don't know the way, who drives too fast ortoo slow. Who purposely chooses the slow lanes over the moving lanes, who misses their turns, doesn't turn on the meter. a driver who doesn't understand personal hygiene, uses mobile phones to chat or text whilst driving, picks their nose. etc etc etc.

How are these morons even capable of dictating policy?

You employ monkeys, you are paid in peanuts.

Hey smart guy/ math genius. I have lived and worked in several countries in the West. When ever there was cash, there would be thiefs. Of course we are such holly people and make sure that the poor do not steal 5 Bt. Get a live

[kingalfred]

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 ........

There are many very cheap tourists in Thailand. Argue over 10 Bt. Buy an item in a store for 50 Bt and ask for a discount. The be a taxi driver at the airport is a very hard job. Always walk a mile in another persons shoes before complaining too much. I watch the trash in Pattaya who think that they are superior to the natives.

And the "trash" who post garbage on TV who are "inferior"

[KhnomKhnom]

Thailand is growing up all at once. The lid is off and now these items are regular

-protest grievances to govt, now that there appears a govt that may listen.

-protest in street is almost polite.

-thinking new and broadly how to milk extra money, like bag charges, even when regulated.

-discussing public issues widely on social media.

The new aspect of Amazing Thailand is Thai people beginning rather suddenly to think of themselves as ordinary citizens with real rights and options. Some Ph.D. dissertation can win prizes by doing a study of this Amazing growth to teenage level for a nation. Not yet adult but coming on fast.

[ginbkk]

Whatever they said, it's not like I will ever use them again. More than 20 times using taxi from airport, must have been like 15 times that they tried to rip me off...or dropped me next to the airport.

Not to mention large chunk of taxis in town, it's really hard to get a ride to my house in Thonburi side...

All in all, <deleted> the taxi.

[sarathjay]

Going from Ratchyothin to Suvarnabhumi cost 280Bt and coming back 350Bt. without Tolls. Let's say 400 Bt. Thats 10 € for almost 30km

Can one of you tell me where in the world can you use a Taxi for a 30km ride with Aircon for this money?

I bought a car Battery the other day for 3900 bt. One cheap Tire for a Corolla is over 2000 Bt. The list can go on.....For the ones who own a car in Thailand will understand Taxi owners and drivers when they ask for more.

Almost all in this Forum have steady incomes over 50 thousand / monthly.Do you know that an average Taxi driver takes not more than 15 to 17 thousand home? I am not defending the Taxi owners plea, but .showing how arrogant and selfish some of the comments here are.

Thais are kind, friendly, and helpful people if you know to respect them.

total rubbish, my friend is kind and respectful and friendly, taxi driver still tried to cheat him by doubling the charge from swampy.

Don't be naive

What is your argument? You got to see it from the drivers point of view. He is cheating your friend for a reason. He is one who knows no other way out to feed his family back home. Have you visited a Taxi drivers family? I have. I am 62 and have traveled the world more than most of you here. If you want to be respected in Thailand, you got to earn it like in your home country.Like in all societies, there are a few black sheep in Thailand too.

If the tone is right when you ask the driver to use the meter, you will never have a problem. It's the arrogance that gets you into trouble. In 19 months of living in Thailand, I have used Suvarnabhumi Taxis at least 25 times without one single problem. How come? Rethink before you write rubbish!