New taxi rate ceiling for provincial taxies set

[Lite Beer]

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

-- Thai PBS 2015-07-31

[Peabody]

Are all taxis operating in Bangkok registered in Bangkok?

That's a heck of a bump! In Bangkok, that would make my 75 baht ride go to 200 baht minimum!

[phetphet]

In Samui it's 50THB the minute you get in + 50THB service charge, and no meter.

Edited July 31, 2015 by phetphet

[Thian]

Will Phuket also get taxi metres now?

[chiang mai]

In Samui it's 50THB the minute you get in + 50THB service charge, and no meter.

Service charge, in a taxi!

[kingalfred]

Screw the so called "metered taxis"!!!

[sungod]

Will Phuket also get taxi metres now?

Shouldn't get too excited, Pattaya has had them for years but no one has figured how to turn the metre on yet

[DrDave]

Will Phuket also get taxi metres now?

Phuket already has a number of meter taxis. So I guess that legally raises the already outrageous fare from Patong to the airport (about 45km).

Under this new scheme, it would be about 950 baht, or an even 1,000 baht if you call for pickup.

I don't suppose GrabTaxi will help, since I believe they use meter rates. The non-meter taxis always seem to charge about the same fare as what you'd pay for a meter taxi to the airport.

[robblok]

Will Phuket also get taxi metres now?

Phuket already has a number of meter taxis. So I guess that legally raises the already outrageous fare from Patong to the airport (about 45km).

Under this new scheme, it would be about 950 baht, or an even 1,000 baht if you call for pickup.

I don't suppose GrabTaxi will help, since I believe they use meter rates. The non-meter taxis always seem to charge about the same fare as what you'd pay for a meter taxi to the airport.

Less then double of a BKK taxi.. not too bad id say. Try to go 45 km in BKK and see what that costs you. Phuket is more expensive we all know that.

[meatboy]

thats the nail in the coffin for korat taxi's 160bht.for 5kilometers. + the charge if you phone control.

[hawker9000]

Laughable in the first place as so many taxi drivers refuse to use their meters. But reward them with higher rates anyway ... 'Course we silly gullible foreigners are supposed to assume that new higher rates are a huge step forward in somehow disincentivizing taxi drivers from demanding their fixed rates. But what are the odds they'll now just simply ratchet up their fixed rates in tandem with the new meter rates.

[CindyB]

Child locks? So you can't open your door from the inside? You're stuck in the taxi until the driver lets you out? Many taxis I've been in in BKK have no way to open the back windows. This is for our safety?

[jonw8uk]

Child locks? So you can't open your door from the inside? You're stuck in the taxi until the driver lets you out? Many taxis I've been in in BKK have no way to open the back windows. This is for our safety?

read it again

[Basil B]

In Samui it's 50THB the minute you get in + 50THB service charge, and no meter.

200B for a journey of less than 500m.

Be very interested to see if this announcement is for real or just more hot air.

[Bluespunk]

"Mr Chirut, adding newly-registered taxies must not be equipped with child locks for the safety of passengers."

How about ensuring they all have working seat-belts that don't have the locking mechanism buried underneath the seats?

[jonw8uk]

Will Phuket also get taxi metres now?

Phuket already has a number of meter taxis. So I guess that legally raises the already outrageous fare from Patong to the airport (about 45km).

Under this new scheme, it would be about 950 baht, or an even 1,000 baht if you call for pickup.

I don't suppose GrabTaxi will help, since I believe they use meter rates. The non-meter taxis always seem to charge about the same fare as what you'd pay for a meter taxi to the airport.

Less then double of a BKK taxi.. not too bad id say. Try to go 45 km in BKK and see what that costs you. Phuket is more expensive we all know that.

Am I missing something?- it seems to me that provincial taxi rates are higher than in bangkok...

Bangkok:

Under the new rate, taxi fares are 35 baht for 0-1 km, 5.50 baht for each of the next 10 kilometres, 6.50 baht each for the 10th to 20th kilometres, 7.50 baht each for the 20th to 40th kilometres, 8 baht each for the 40th to 60th kilometres, 9 baht each for the 60th to 80th kilometres and 10.50 baht each above 80 kilometres.

In the event a taxi is caught in a traffic jam and is forced to stop or move at less than 6 kilometres per hour, there is an increase of 50 satang from the previous 1.50 baht to 2 baht per minute.

So, for this (zero traffic standstill) 45km journey in a bkk taxi = 35+55+65+150+37=342b

A taxi anywhere else = 100+(20x43) =960b - the rate isnt stated after the first 3km, so I've taken it as 20b

bangkok taxis getting a worse deal for living in or around the capital??

London cabs certainly arent cheaper than Grimsby cabs..!

My personal experience being that I can always find a driver that will go on the meter, though it may take a few refusals depending on where I am.

[wpcoe]

You mean the rates for taxis in the provinces are *regulated*? That's news to those of us in Pattaya and Phuket.

[CindyB]

Child locks? So you can't open your door from the inside? You're stuck in the taxi until the driver lets you out? Many taxis I've been in in BKK have no way to open the back windows. This is for our safety?

read it again

[CindyB]

I may, as an American, misunderstand the term "child lock." We had a couple of cars in the States which had child locks on the doors. This meant that, if the switch was in the lock position, the child (or anyone else for that matter) couldn't open the door from the inside. It had to be opened from the outside. This way children couldn't open the door and fall out of a moving vehicle. Maybe, in this instance, "child lock" means what I would consider to be a child safety seat.

[jonw8uk]

I may, as an American, misunderstand the term "child lock." We had a couple of cars in the States which had child locks on the doors. This meant that, if the switch was in the lock position, the child (or anyone else for that matter) couldn't open the door from the inside. It had to be opened from the outside. This way children couldn't open the door and fall out of a moving vehicle. Maybe, in this instance, "child lock" means what I would consider to be a child safety seat.

correct, and the article says:

"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."

So you can get out if need be

[phetphet]

In Samui it's 50THB the minute you get in + 50THB service charge, and no meter.

Service charge, in a taxi!

[DrDave]

Will Phuket also get taxi metres now?

Phuket already has a number of meter taxis. So I guess that legally raises the already outrageous fare from Patong to the airport (about 45km).

Under this new scheme, it would be about 950 baht, or an even 1,000 baht if you call for pickup.

I don't suppose GrabTaxi will help, since I believe they use meter rates. The non-meter taxis always seem to charge about the same fare as what you'd pay for a meter taxi to the airport.

Less then double of a BKK taxi.. not too bad id say. Try to go 45 km in BKK and see what that costs you. Phuket is more expensive we all know that.

Am I missing something?- it seems to me that provincial taxi rates are higher than in bangkok...

Bangkok:

Under the new rate, taxi fares are 35 baht for 0-1 km, 5.50 baht for each of the next 10 kilometres, 6.50 baht each for the 10th to 20th kilometres, 7.50 baht each for the 20th to 40th kilometres, 8 baht each for the 40th to 60th kilometres, 9 baht each for the 60th to 80th kilometres and 10.50 baht each above 80 kilometres.

In the event a taxi is caught in a traffic jam and is forced to stop or move at less than 6 kilometres per hour, there is an increase of 50 satang from the previous 1.50 baht to 2 baht per minute.

So, for this (zero traffic standstill) 45km journey in a bkk taxi = 35+55+65+150+37=342b

A taxi anywhere else = 100+(20x43) =960b - the rate isnt stated after the first 3km, so I've taken it as 20b

bangkok taxis getting a worse deal for living in or around the capital??

London cabs certainly arent cheaper than Grimsby cabs..!

My personal experience being that I can always find a driver that will go on the meter, though it may take a few refusals depending on where I am.

Yup, that's exactly the same calculation I came up with. Almost 3 times more expensive in outlying provinces, such as Phuket.

Not too long ago, a ride from Patong to Phuket airport was a flat 600 baht. Now it's about 900 baht. The cost of fuel has not gone up during that time, nor has the cost of living increased by anywhere near 50%. The fuel cost for this 1 hour ride (one way) is about 140 baht. Assuming the worst case scenario in which the taxi makes a return trip empty, that's a fuel cost of 280 baht with a gross profit of 620 baht for 2 hours work. Best case scenario is 740 baht gross profit for 1 hour of work.

Yes, we all know that Phuket is more expensive, but that's primarily because individuals in the local government allow (and probably have a hand in) the fleecing of tourists and residents.

[longtom]

In Samui it's 50THB the minute you get in + 50THB service charge, and no meter.

That's what's written on every taxi, still never saw a samui taxi using the meter (even with these surcharges). The actual price is still much higher. Living here for 10 years.