SOTIRIOS Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 .....more 'social justice'.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dthomasss Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 They have a stranglehold in Pattaya. If a regular taxi takes someone from Bangkok to Pattaya, he has to go through the "Mobsters" to pick up a fare returning to Pattaya. He gets a small percentage and they keep the rest. That's why you see hundreds of little stands in Pattaya advertising 900 baht taxis to Bangkok. If a driver picks up his own fare and is "caught" it is very bad news for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berto Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 I am more and more happy to learn about Thailand. For some reason I had a crush on this people that kept me wanting to come back. Now I understand what Thailand really is and I will NEVER come back again. Yes NEVER! At least not from my initiative. Finally free from the Thai spell. I hope you all wake up, accept the reality of this third world country, and go back home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 Many westerners have the delusion that if the speak Thai, they are respected and won't be ripped off. Nothing could be further from the truth. If the OP was to take the same route with a Thai wife/gf, the driver would turn on the meter. In Pattaya? No. "Turn your meter on NOW" always worked for me and i really mean always... and everywhere here in Thailand. I never start to ask them, asking makes you a possible victim to them... You step in a meter taxi... why should you ask the price ? Last time in Phuket, the driver wanted to hide the meter with his hat on top of it... starting with 400 bath on the meter already... In Thailand you don't ask ;-) you tell them politely what to do and how to do it ;-) Tell you what, mate. I suggest you make videos of doing exactly that in about 100 Pattaya taxis and how 100 times it NEVER works. It would be hilarious! Viral potential that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digbeth Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 I tried looking up the laws about using meter and I had only found the ones for Bangkok, and that states that meters must be turned on within the city centre, and it describes the roads that are the boundaries of the area, basically the whole Bangkok and suburbs, venturing outside the area meters use is optional, which means negotiation, and there are tables for the supposed fare by distance, I seem to recall seeing this table hanging off the back of the front seats in Bangkok taxis sometime. So, to get a Taxi from Bangkok to Pattaya, no meter is fair game; but surely there must be a law for Taxis or Chonburi or Chiangmai. If there is only one law concerning meter use and that only covers Bangkok, it'd be possible why meter use is not enforced anywhere else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smotherb Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 First of all, I am totally surprised that someone who claims to have been here 15 years would even ask. The fact that you are talking about a farang ghetto ought to tell you. We bring it on ourselves; just check the prices and the observance of normal courtesies in areas less populated by farangs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc46 Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 They don't use the meter because the Government has NOT got the balls to clamp down on the greedy bastards,,,It seems the Taxi corruption(Mafia) is stronger than the Government,,,,No wonder this Country is in a Frying mess,,,,, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 (edited) Just an anecdotal story but once I ran into a very intelligent English fluent driver and we had a talk about this. I suggested that drivers would make more money and also be driving a lot more if they had a real meter system where they could pick up and drop off anywhere. He completely agreed that they make less being idle MOST of the time, just waiting, for the inflated non-meter fares. But then I said why you don't YOU use your meter then. Well, there would be CONSEQUENCES. Anyway the fact that this has not been addressed in any way by the current national government which is theoretically capable of doing things other governments couldn't speaks volumes about the nature of PATTAYA, which we already knew of course ... but still, there it is. Edited August 1, 2015 by Jingthing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimlove Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 Many businesses are above the law in Thailand : Police, Taxi, Jetski, DVD-shop, Go-go bar etc. etc. ... Only the poor and foreigners have to follow thai law ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tchooptip Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 (edited) Many westerners have the delusion that if they speak Thai, they are respected and won't be ripped off. Nothing could be further from the truth. The driver did not turn on the meter because the OP was a westerner traveling solo. If the OP were to take the same route with a Thai wife/gf, the driver would turn on the meter. "If the OP were to take the same route with a Thai wife/gf, the driver would turn on the meter." In Samui they would not turn on the meter ...even if the Thai wife/gf is alone Edited August 1, 2015 by Tchooptip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joebrown Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 They don't use the meter because the Government has NOT got the balls to clamp down on the greedy bastards,,,It seems the Taxi corruption(Mafia) is stronger than the Government,,,,No wonder this Country is in a Frying mess,,,,, Pattaya and it's civic officials control everything that happens in the Banglamung Amphur. In reality Banglamung is subordinate to the Governor of Chonburi province, but whatever 'makes money' is held close to the chests of Pattaya City Hall officials. For example the recent closure of the 'Face' nightclub in South Pattaya, which operated outside the law (underage drinking etc). In this case the local police/officials only acted to close it down when the Governor of Chonburi received locals' complaints direct to his Facebook page, and instructed the Army and Police to enforce closure. Pattaya is a self perpetuating goldmine attracting foreigners' money and there is no local wish or incentive to enforce the law and stop the greed of those with the noses in the trough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudcrab Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 because the powers that be are scared of a couple of petty gangsters, it is really is embarrassing how emasculated the police force are in Thailand Maybe you've started something: a 4th or maybe 5th sex. male/female/lady boys/transgender/emasculated cops Try 57!! http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/university-gender-identity-survey-offers-a-mind-boggling-57-different-options-but-none-are-simply-male-or-female/story-fni0cx12-1226892403442 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wpcoe Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 I tried looking up the laws about using meter and I had only found the ones for Bangkok, and that states that meters must be turned on within the city centre, and it describes the roads that are the boundaries of the area, basically the whole Bangkok and suburbs, venturing outside the area meters use is optional, which means negotiation, and there are tables for the supposed fare by distance, I seem to recall seeing this table hanging off the back of the front seats in Bangkok taxis sometime. So, to get a Taxi from Bangkok to Pattaya, no meter is fair game; but surely there must be a law for Taxis or Chonburi or Chiangmai. If there is only one law concerning meter use and that only covers Bangkok, it'd be possible why meter use is not enforced anywhere else You may be as surprised as I was to read that there *are* government regulations over the fares of metered taxis in the provinces: The Land Transport Department has adjusted the ceiling of taxi fares for taxies registered outside Bangkok to not more than 100 baht from 50 baht for the first two kilometers, 20 baht for the next kilometer instead of 12 bahta and five baht per minute in case the taxies get stuck in traffic gridlock. source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/new-taxi-rate-ceiling-for-provincial-taxies-set Now, *enforcement* of those regulations is the issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard_smith237 Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 Many westerners have the delusion that if they speak Thai, they are respected and won't be ripped off. Nothing could be further from the truth. The driver did not turn on the meter because the OP was a westerner traveling solo. If the OP were to take the same route with a Thai wife/gf, the driver would turn on the meter. Many Westerners are of thr delusion that Thai's only rip off Westerners... This isn't true... Unscrupulous people, including Thai's are indiscriminate in who they rip off.... Some of these folk would rip off their own family.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 Government regulations? Never mind. Who said Pattaya was in Thailand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gillyflower Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 It's the same in CM. You can't get to/from the airport without paying a set amount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kovaltech Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 Many westerners have the delusion that if the speak Thai, they are respected and won't be ripped off. Nothing could be further from the truth. If the OP was to take the same route with a Thai wife/gf, the driver would turn on the meter. In Pattaya? No. "Turn your meter on NOW" always worked for me and i really mean always... and everywhere here in Thailand. I never start to ask them, asking makes you a possible victim to them... You step in a meter taxi... why should you ask the price ? Last time in Phuket, the driver wanted to hide the meter with his hat on top of it... starting with 400 bath on the meter already... In Thailand you don't ask ;-) you tell them politely what to do and how to do it ;-) Tell you what, mate. I suggest you make videos of doing exactly that in about 100 Pattaya taxis and how 100 times it NEVER works. It would be hilarious! Viral potential that. Why would i take a taxi 100 times ? i always walk on walking street.... But anyhow what is the Law ? and why would you give in to someone who breaks the law ? http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/793970-all-taxis-required-to-use-taximeter-thai-dlt-official-says/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 (edited) Don't be ridiculous. Pattaya taxis don't use meters. It doesn't matter what tactic you try to use to make them use them. They won't. Also kovaltech it's clear from your last post you aren't posting seriously about this topic and don't have direct knowledge of the way things are in Pattaya, so I don't have patience for such noise. Welcome to my ignore list. Edited August 1, 2015 by Jingthing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balo Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 Unfortunately the taxi mafia controls Pattaya. But the good thing is you can always find a 10 baht ride in the main roads. Or you can hire a private baht bus that would cost you a bit less , maybe 200 , at least their negotiable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 Unfortunately the taxi mafia controls Pattaya. But the good thing is you can always find a 10 baht ride in the main roads. Or you can hire a private baht bus that would cost you a bit less , maybe 200 , at least their negotiable. Yes the baht bus system is great (and being cheap is a big part of what makes it great) but if you need to go outside the main routes, there is no there there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RabC Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 Get the app. GRABTAXI or similar .... you also get set price for the trip . See my earlier post, theyve also screwed with Grabtaxi, it was great when first introduced but the pricing has now gone crazy, thats only here in Pattaya no idea about BKK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RabC Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 Many westerners have the delusion that if the speak Thai, they are respected and won't be ripped off. Nothing could be further from the truth. If the OP was to take the same route with a Thai wife/gf, the driver would turn on the meter. In Pattaya? No. "Turn your meter on NOW" always worked for me and i really mean always... and everywhere here in Thailand. I never start to ask them, asking makes you a possible victim to them... You step in a meter taxi... why should you ask the price ? Last time in Phuket, the driver wanted to hide the meter with his hat on top of it... starting with 400 bath on the meter already... In Thailand you don't ask ;-) you tell them politely what to do and how to do it ;-) Your comment makes it blatantly obvious that you have never tried this in Pattaya. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 Many westerners have the delusion that if the speak Thai, they are respected and won't be ripped off. Nothing could be further from the truth. If the OP was to take the same route with a Thai wife/gf, the driver would turn on the meter. In Pattaya? No. "Turn your meter on NOW" always worked for me and i really mean always... and everywhere here in Thailand. I never start to ask them, asking makes you a possible victim to them... You step in a meter taxi... why should you ask the price ? Last time in Phuket, the driver wanted to hide the meter with his hat on top of it... starting with 400 bath on the meter already... In Thailand you don't ask ;-) you tell them politely what to do and how to do it ;-) Your comment makes it blatantly obvious that you have never tried this in Pattaya. Yes, obviously. But maybe he knows about the "taxi meter" situation in Nong Khai. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JESSVANPELT Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 Todays post in Thai visa gives the update on this topic.New taxi rate ceiling for provincial taxies set BANGKOK: — The Land Transport Department has adjusted the ceiling of taxi fares for taxies registered outside Bangkok to not more than 100 baht from 50 baht for the first two kilometers, 20 baht for the next kilometer instead of 12 baht and five baht per minute in case the taxies get stuck in traffic gridlock. Department’s deputy director-general Mr Chirut Visarnchit, however, said that the rate adjustments would not be effective yet until there is a ministerial announcement setting new taxi rates for each respective province. As for the taxi fares at airports, he said that the ceiling rates remain unchanged plus a 50 baht service charge for taxi-calling by phone service. The licenses of taxies registered from December 26, 2005 until December 26, 2008 will expire in December 2017, said Mr Chirut, adding newly-registered taxies must not be equipped with child locks for the safety of passengers. Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/new-taxi-rate-ceiling-for-provincial-taxies-set Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 So what? Does anyone seriously believe that news will have any effect in PATTAYA? They don't turn on the meter. All those rules are meaningless if they don't turn on the meter. Are the meters even calibrated at all at any fare in Pattaya? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LennyW Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 Many westerners have the delusion that if the speak Thai, they are respected and won't be ripped off. Nothing could be further from the truth. If the OP was to take the same route with a Thai wife/gf, the driver would turn on the meter. In Pattaya? No. "Turn your meter on NOW" always worked for me and i really mean always... and everywhere here in Thailand. I never start to ask them, asking makes you a possible victim to them... You step in a meter taxi... why should you ask the price ? Last time in Phuket, the driver wanted to hide the meter with his hat on top of it... starting with 400 bath on the meter already... In Thailand you don't ask ;-) you tell them politely what to do and how to do it ;-) You need to qualify your statement by pointing out that you have never tried it in Pattaya, obviously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kovaltech Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 Don't be ridiculous. Pattaya taxis don't use meters. It doesn't matter what tactic you try to use to make them use them. They won't. Also kovaltech it's clear from your last post you aren't posting seriously about this topic and don't have direct knowledge of the way things are in Pattaya, so I don't have patience for such noise. Welcome to my ignore list. I have been in Thailand since 2005 and every year i spend some weeks in Pattaya... Taking taxi is my preferred transportation. From my home in Samut Prakarn to Pattaya and back. Always meter on. I call that direct knowledge... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 Actually, if anyone does want to try my viral video idea of trying that silliness out on lots of taxi "meters" here, do so AYOR and better yet travel with a very capable BODYGUARD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RabC Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 Don't be ridiculous. Pattaya taxis don't use meters. It doesn't matter what tactic you try to use to make them use them. They won't. Also kovaltech it's clear from your last post you aren't posting seriously about this topic and don't have direct knowledge of the way things are in Pattaya, so I don't have patience for such noise. Welcome to my ignore list. I have been in Thailand since 2005 and every year i spend some weeks in Pattaya... Taking taxi is my preferred transportation. From my home in Samut Prakarn to Pattaya and back. Always meter on. I call that direct knowledge... Direct knowledge of up country taxis yes, have you ever tried using one to get around in Pattaya???????????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbirds20 Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 You can come from Bangkok to Pattaya by van for 99 baht, but a taxi in Pattaya can cost 3 times that ...weird! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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