Taxi Cabs?

[thomas3940]

I have been to Pattaya many times and I'm still miffed on the Taxi cab thing? Why no air conditioned cabs, they don't even have many tuk-tuks. I have heard mafia and other colorful stories?

What's the real beef here! Sometimes it's darn hot and there is many senior citizens in Pattaya, wouldn't a nice air-conditioned taxi be nice.

How can a taxi cab service get started as I'm sure the Thai would like the work opportunity?

Did I say Mafia

[Hobgoblin]

I agree.

Unfortunately, all we have to choose from here are motorbike taxis, which are cheap but dangerous, and the baht busses - who are inconsiderate and dangerous drivers.

I'm not sure if there is any mafia involvement, but it's fishy as to why there are no proper taxis for hire in town.

Personally, I would love to see every baht bus in the city vaporized.

[Eneukman]

For all its faults (and there are many), the baht bus system is cheap and works well in Pattaya.

I agree it would be nice to have the option of an air-conditioned taxi but most journeys are relatively short so I doubt whether it is a viable option.

Alan

[naka]

For all its faults (and there are many), the baht bus system is cheap and works well in Pattaya.

I agree it would be nice to have the option of an air-conditioned taxi but most journeys are relatively short so I doubt whether it is a viable option.

Alan

Well ... It's a viable option in almost anywhere else in the world, so why not here ?

Thailand wants quality tourists ... Yea, and the twits want them to ride in pig busses.

Naka.

[Ling Kae]

For all its faults (and there are many), the baht bus system is cheap and works well in Pattaya.

I agree it would be nice to have the option of an air-conditioned taxi but most journeys are relatively short so I doubt whether it is a viable option.

Alan

Yeah, Baht busses are great! Koh Samui never had air con taxis and now they have and charge like wounded bulls, they are the new maffia there now.

[ZZZ]

Baht busses, greatest transport system ever.

Can not see it being replaced by taxis.

One bath bus can hold 10-15 passengers to replace them with taxis, that can take 3 passengers, would more than doubble the number of vehichles on the road.

A normal trip with a baht bus cost 10 baht, a taxiride would cost at least 35 baht, if they used the meter.

If you are travelling in a group you need to get more than 1 taxi.

Without baht busses you would most likely have to wait much longer than the 15 seconds you have between baht busses.

As for mafia, dangerous and inconsiderate drivers, this would not change just by changing the vehichle from a baht bus to a taxi.

What would be nice would be to have some taxis sitting in one or two locations in Pattaya that you could call if wanted them, but not cruising around like in Bangkok.

I read somewhere, Pattaya Mail maybe, that they were considering some kind of rail system, Pattaya Skytrain?

[feasantplukka]

Air con taxi service would be great for longer distances, but the baht bus system works and is cheap, good business opportunity start a taxi rank in central Pattaya

[Thaiquila]

It doesn't have to be an either/or. Some trips work well with a baht taxi, for others the option of a taxi would be great. For example, going from Jomtien to Carrefour you need to transfer at least once, and the bus isn't really the most direct route. It does seem like something is fishy. Metered taxis would be a pleasure, especially when its raining.

How are the Chiang Mai taxis working out?

[suiging]

Must be enough folk in the lovely " Pong " to justify the odd cab or two ?

[Pattaya_Fox]

I have been to Pattaya many times and I'm still miffed on the Taxi cab thing? Why no air conditioned cabs, they don't even have many tuk-tuks. I have heard mafia and other colorful stories?

What's the real beef here! Sometimes it's darn hot and there is many senior citizens in Pattaya, wouldn't a nice air-conditioned taxi be nice.

How can a taxi cab service get started as I'm sure the Thai would like the work opportunity?

Did I say Mafia

There are plenty of air conditioned taxis available...all you have to do is to walk into any hotel and they will order one for you....just make sure that you check the price first.

If you go to the better hotels where there are Avis, Budget and other taxi services based....for example Dusit Resort, Woodlands Resort etc. you will be able to book with them there and then.

In the UK in most areas you would have to ring for a taxi.....you can do the same in Pattaya....just collect a few numbers.

The baht bus system in Pattaya has been a reliable form of cheap efficient transport for many years and is used and accepted by the majority as such, but should you prefer an aircon taxi they are easily available, but they do not operate as hailed taxis as they do in a city such as London or New York.

[Thaiquila]

No, I am sorry. There are no metered taxis in Pattaya. Rip off private cars available through hotels do not qualify as viable everyday transport options. The best I can say is that there are organized truck taxi stands at places like Carrefour and Lotus. These have more or less standardized rates based on destination. That is certainly better than nothing, but very limited.

Pattaya can do better. It probably won't, but it could.

Edited August 24, 2006 by Thaiquila

[Pattaya_Fox]

No, I am sorry. There are no metered taxis in Pattaya. Rip off private cars available through hotels do not qualify as viable everyday transport options. The best I can say is that there are organized truck taxi stands at places like Carrefour and Lotus. These have more or less standardized rates based on destination. That is certainly better than nothing, but very limited.

Pattaya can do better. It probably won't, but it could.

I thought that the OP was asking about airconditioned taxis.....I don`t think that he mentioned Taxi meters....the truck taxi stands are the rip off ones....not much comfort and the last time I left Big C they wanted 200 baht to take me and my wife to South Pattaya.

[Thaiquila]

Exactly.

Why should "taxis" that aren't really taxis cost much more than an air conditioned taxi in Bangkok for the same distance?

In any case, probably another case of love it or leave it.

I like the truck taxi stands when carrying groceries though. Even overpriced, better than nothing.

I don't think there are posted prices at Big C, but there are at Carrefour.