Bangkok taxis demand second round of fare increase

[webfact]

Bangkok taxis demand second round of fare increase



BANGKOK: -- Bangkok taxi operators are preparing to demand another round of fare increase, citing the latest increase of NGV by 50 satang per kilo last week, making a combined increase of 1.50 baht in total. Increase of NGV twice is a cost burden for them, they said.

President of Bangkok Taxi Cooperative Network Mr Witoon Naewpanich revealed that he has discussed another round of taxi fare hike with the director of Land Transportation, after the first 8% rise of taxi fare on December 12 last year already took place.

He said although the fare has been raised by 8 percent the last time, but earning by taxi drivers stayed at 100-120 on average daily while the price of NGV has increased twice, to about 1.50 baht higher.

This prompted taxi drivers to pay around 100-110 baht more per day for NGV gas.

The taxi co-op president stated that he has now presented a document to Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha to reconsider the increase of NGV price or to implement new measures to help alleviate taxi drivers’ hardship.

He indicated that taxi driver would demand a 5% increase in fare in the second round.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/bangkok-taxis-demand-second-round-fare-increase


-- Thai PBS 2015-02-03

[thesetat2013]

I'm sorry but didn't the price of gasohol go down more than the increase in propane? These cars do not use propane unless they are on the highway. City driving uses more gas whereas highway driving uses more propane. So how is this DEMAND justified?

[SABloke]

''He said although the fare has been raised by 8 percent the last time, but earning by taxi drivers stayed at 100-120 on average daily while the price of NGV has increased twice, to about 1.50 baht higher.

This prompted taxi drivers to pay around 100-110 baht more per day for NGV gas.''

So he's saying that taxis use about 80 kilos of gas per day (roughly 600 - 700 kms range in city traffic conditions). I seriously doubt there's enough time in a day to travel 600 k's in Bangkok.

Edited February 2, 2015 by SABloke

[rasmus5150]

If the cabbies complain of lower income because of higher price of gas, then just stop using it and switch to gasoline........ The price has been going down for the last 12 months, so they should actually reduce their fares or put a cork in it.

[honoluludave]

They should just use the cheapest fuel available. Go back to gasoline if it is cheaper.

[daveAustin]

The taxi co-op president stated that he has now presented a document to Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha to reconsider the increase of NGV price or to implement new measures to help alleviate taxi drivers’ hardship

'Hardship'? lol. If things are that tough, I suggest this nonce tell his drivers to give up and actually try to earn a living through good, honest work.

[LuckyLew]

As soon as they all start taking every single fare regardless of destination then ok ... give them a fare increase

Too many complain while they refuse fares or do not stop for passengers when the red available light is on

I have no sympathy for people who have a job, demand more money ... then do not do their job

[SABloke]

''... but earning by taxi drivers stayed at 100-120 on average daily...''

This ia another hard pill for me to swallow and I'm calling BS on everything this fool says.

IF he's telling the truth and the poor dears are only taking home 3000 baht per month *cough* BS *cough*, perhaps it's time for a career change. The security guards at my condo make 12 - 15 000 per month, hell, even the Burmese day labourers make more than 100 baht a day

[Eliot Rosewater]

I'm sorry but didn't the price of gasohol go down more than the increase in propane? These cars do not use propane unless they are on the highway. City driving uses more gas whereas highway driving uses more propane. So how is this DEMAND justified?

"These cars do not use propane unless they are on the highway"

This is not true. My car runs on LPG and the only time it uses gasoline is when starting it up, unless I switch it manually. It uses propane all through the city.

Edited February 3, 2015 by Eliot Rosewater

[dragonfly94]

NGV is cheaper than water

[doremifasol]

''... but earning by taxi drivers stayed at 100-120 on average daily...''

Yeah...right. That is why there are so many taxi drivers around.

​My neighbor is a taxi driver and makes about 25-30 thousand a month on average.

[JohnThailandJohn]

Didn't the government convince Taxis to all switch from LPG to NGV a number of years ago?

I am all for using the cleanest burning fuels for the environment and no problem with a fare increase as the last one was kind of a joke and there really has been no real bump in fare prices for like a decade or more yet the price of basic things such as food has gone up considerably.

[shirtless]

The whole article is just a outright lie these guys make more than 120 bht per day which turnip truck does he think we fell off, eg taxi from pattaya to jomtien cost me 250 bht of course no meter 20 minute trip.

[sscsamui]

Give them an inch and they want and will take a mile to 2

[IAMSOBAD]

Give em an inch they want a mile.

Give them the finger get beaten to death.

A very nice bunch of people.

Edited February 3, 2015 by IAMSOBAD

[bkkgooner]

give them a once off hefty bump up price and then immediately launch a wide scale crackdown on taxi drivers refusing customers, taxi drivers over charging customers, taxi drivers verbally and physically abusing their passengers, taxi drivers sexually assaulting passengers, tax drivers murdering passengers

[alantheembalmer]

So the reason they loiter outside hotels, trying to rip off unsuspecting tourists, is to save fuel, because they can't afford to run their vehicles with all the low fares they are expected to take?

Edited February 3, 2015 by alantheembalmer

[Strangebrew]

Get ready for another bomb blast if there demands aren't met.

[bkkjames]

They can return home if it's too much of a financial burden driving a taxi in Bangkok

[Stradavarius37]

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

Get ready for another bomb blast if there demands aren't met.

Classy.

[bkkcanuck8]

I thought the last increase before the 8% was more than 8 years ago? So the last increase if that is right averaged 1% per year all increased in the last year? Seems like a lot of hostility from many people here that probably make much more than the taxi drivers.

[thhMan]

A taxi is supposed to stop and let customers in, then get directions to where the customer wants to go, instead of the... "Tell me first and if I want to take you, I will TELL you how much money you must give me".

Perhaps the public would be more sympathetic if the President of Bangkok Taxi Cooperative Network Mr Witoon Naewpanich got that sorted out first

In the interim, perhaps Taxis can save money by picking up fares, instead of driving around (and wasting fuel), trying to get a sucker customer!

Edited February 3, 2015 by thhMan

[dean008]

Double the fare for all I care and watch the taxi numbers dwindle due to a lack of passengers. Taxis are an overused congesting menace in a city with excellent transport infrastructure such as cheap clean and efficient bus and vans. In most countries a taxi is a relative luxury,

[luk AJ]

''... but earning by taxi drivers stayed at 100-120 on average daily...''

Yeah...right. That is why there are so many taxi drivers around.

​My neighbor is a taxi driver and makes about 25-30 thousand a month on average.

i can confirm this, a driver at our company who made 25-30k a month (including overtime) quit his job to become taxi driver. If now fares go up again more people will/want to become taxi drivers as well. Result more taxis but same income because less travel per taxi. So they will ask again for more money and the circle is round...once all taxis are Grab taxi, no need anymore to drive around looking for customers. This will save fuel and keep the city cleaner, safer and with less traffic congestion.

[scorecard]

Just 10 minutes ago I took a taxi to my uni. About 1.5 kilometres, traffic not too bad.

Normally 39Baht. Today 53Baht.

I mentioned that the meter was running fast, driver got abusive. Just after I got in he's talking to a friend on his phone, when I mentioned about the meter he abused me for interrupting his call.

This cab has the sticker to say it's passed inspection which is simply not possible, exhaust super loud, shockers completely failed, and the inside of the car is quite dirty.

He has stickers etc. for grab taxi - I called their number many times nobody answers.

I called 1111, eventually got someone speaking English 'sorry all staff gone to breakfast', then he hung up.

Edited February 3, 2015 by scorecard

[luk AJ]

You need to download grab taxi app works always

[maidee]

if they would stop driving around all the time without customers, being a big part in the congestion of the streets

they could save on ngv

[sjjmmi]

Just 10 minutes ago I took a taxi to my uni. About 1.5 kilometres, traffic not too bad.

Normally 39Baht. Today 53Baht.

I mentioned that the meter was running fast, driver got abusive. Just after I got in he's talking to a friend on his phone, when I mentioned about the meter he abused me for interrupting his call.

This cab has the sticker to say it's passed inspection which is simply not possible, exhaust super loud, shockers completely failed, and the inside of the car is quite dirty.

He has stickers etc. for grab taxi - I called their number many times nobody answers.

I called 1111, eventually got someone speaking English 'sorry all staff gone to breakfast', then he hung up.

So TIT remember

[spermwhale]

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

I'm sorry but didn't the price of gasohol go down more than the increase in propane? These cars do not use propane unless they are on the highway. City driving uses more gas whereas highway driving uses more propane. So how is this DEMAND justified?

Sorry... You're wrong. Most of the taxis have been converted to run on compressed natural gas and they are not flex fuel vehicles that can use both gasoline (petrol) and gas (or NGV as they call it here). Once they've been converted they only run on the NGV.

Very few taxis use gasohol because the price of NGV is so much less and continues to be so even with the price hike.

[pattaya1234was]

On previous posts I've asked if you get the same performance out of 1 litre of NGV or LPG as you do out of 1 litre of gasohol? Answer-No.

So all you posters who refer to prices per litre going up or down are not comparing like with like.