Bangkok upgrades taxi services to raise tourism standard


File photo. Source: Internet

BANGKOK, 7 August 2015 (NNT) – A taxi service enhancement workshop for taxi drivers, organized by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), was completed in Bangkok with the aim to improve the city’s tourism standards.

The Governor of Bangkok Sukhumbhand Paribatra granted certificates to 500 taxi drivers who had completed the taxi service enhancement for tourism workshop, during a ceremony held at the Royal Thai Air Force Auditorium.

The project was hosted by the BMA’s Culture Sports and Tourism Department, with the intention to upgrade the service quality of taxis in Bangkok and to create a supportive Tourism network.

The Bangkok Governor emphasized on the importance of taxi drivers, saying they are responsible for the first impressions that both Thai and international travellers will have with the city.

Participants in this workshop will be granted necessary experience, safety awareness and Basic English skills to increase the drivers’ preparedness for the expansion of tourism.

He added that Taxi service improvement is considered as a crucial element to the entire tourism development process, towards a more systematic and orderly manner, which will help promote the positive image of Bangkok among travellers around the world.

-- NNT 2015-08-07

"Participants in this workshop will be granted necessary experience, safety awareness and Basic English skills to increase the drivers’ preparedness for the expansion of tourism."

Day One: Okay, class, now repeat after me, "Meter no work. 500 baht."

So now the taxi driver can tell you in English he don't want to take your fare or his meter is broken and the fare is? To be honest I doubt anything will change.

"Participants in this workshop will be granted necessary experience, safety awareness and Basic English skills to increase the drivers’ preparedness for the expansion of tourism."

Day One: Okay, class, now repeat after me, "Meter no work. 500 baht."

beat me to it.

"tip for me?"

Seriously do not have this no meter argument these days except late at night/early morning if in town. Mostly drivers just switch on meter.

Creating a better impression among tourists ought to include taking perhaps 30% of existing cabs off the road.

They do Thailand and it's 'image' no good at all.

I can't recall having to ask for the meter although the other night, about 3:30am on On Nut the driver did double check to confirm I wanted the meter on and he was slurring a little.

granted certificates to 500 taxi drivers who had completed the taxi service enhancement for tourism

Lesson 1 - Tip tourist upside down.

Lesson 2 - Shake until all money falls out

Lesson 3 - Take all the the money

I love getting "enhanced".

I also must admit, very few "500 baht" requests and most taxis will not refuse the fare.

Don't know if it's the Government initiatives, but taxis have improved for me in the last 6 months.

Airport taxi pickup system is also greatly improved and there are rarely queues....Don Muang taxi system on the other hand is a disaster...

Actually 9/10 of my taxi experiences are positive. Decent folk just trying to earn a living, and I wholly agree that their standard fare should be raised.

It is the leech 1/10 that hang around the known spots that need to go. Get the cops to police these areas and fine taxi drivers on the spot for refusing to turn on their meter. I hate these leeches that want 300 baht from RCA back to victory monument. On the meter that journey costs 70 baht or less.

It won't happen though, It never has in all my time here.

I see there is another taxi service coming on, not only Grabtaxi and Uber this one had a big flat screen advertising on a nice Toyota Prius.

These taxis at the moment are playing up again refusing rides. I was in a taxi yesterday which was pulled up by the police for not wearing a uniform which he gave the cop 100 baht and drove off swearing and cursing all the way to Sukhumvit, my son was starting to get worried. Then he had the nerve to demand a tip because he had to pay the police.

The best upgrade will be to teach the taxi-drivers how to turn a meter to position “On”...

…and it’s not only tourists and farangs facing the problem, also genuine Thais can sometimes have difficulties finding a taxi that will drive on the meter, for example outside shopping malls.

I see there is another taxi service coming on, not only Grabtaxi and Uber this one had a big flat screen advertising on a nice Toyota Prius.

All Thai Taxi

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/technology/Nakhonchai-Air-to-expand-its-IT-system-to-taxis-30255540.html

http://www.allthaitaxi.com/

I see there is another taxi service coming on, not only Grabtaxi and Uber this one had a big flat screen advertising on a nice Toyota Prius.

All Thai Taxi

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/technology/Nakhonchai-Air-to-expand-its-IT-system-to-taxis-30255540.html

http://www.allthaitaxi.com/

Hmmm, Tourism authority keeps touting record number of arrivals...

But then we are getting these improve tourism initiatives...along with talk of the new 6 month tourist visa.

I a guessing things are at breaking point...and sooner or later the lies of the TAT will come to light.

Did they make it mandatory to have working seat belts i the cars? I think this is the most important issue. If the diver take me all around the city, I do not care, but I want to have the seat/safety belt.

Thailand, here you can do taxi rides in 180 kilometer per hour without any safety belts in the car. very good promotion for the tourists.

Strange, the first persons i meet when arriving in Thailand are the customs. They still never say "hello" or "goodday" or smile. I won't even speak english to them because i guess they can't understand me.

Last taxiride to the airport the driver wanted to bring me ASAP. We drove 170 over the tollway all the time and i never asked him to do so.

taxis are bad in Thailand, but not as bad as other countries. Take for example Indonesia. Literally everywhere you go there is a sign posted saying "don't trust taxi here". Lol

What is tourism standard? For me that's a taxi which can easy load a few big suitcases. Thai taxi's have a huge gastank.

singapore taxis is what they want model on, good clean well maintained cars, good pleasant helpful genuine drivers, meter with receipt & always give exact change, plus 2 grades of taxi . I've kept chickens in better cars than I had the misfortune of hailing in bangkok, I don't mind an old car but bit of effort to clean inside would be good & some drivers smell like they bathe in sangsom or hongtong :-/

I am sure where this phrase came from, or why, but "the proof is in the pudding". We will see if there are changes. If there are positive changes, maybe this program could be expanded to New York and San Francisco.

Few weeks ago checking out of the Indra Regent in Pratunam going to Don MUANG airport my Thai wife asked 3 taxis to take us and all refused.

Giving the drivers basic English lessons would certainly help. In the last year I had several drivers not understand my request to go to MRT.

What a waste of time and effort this will be ....

Taxis still refuse passengers everywhere .... why don't these guys get out in the real world and try and catch one at 4.30pm from say MBK or Sukhumvit ...

GRABTAXI , UBERTAXI , NAKORNCHAI TAXI ..... that's your alternatives ....

singapore taxis is what they want model on, good clean well maintained cars, good pleasant helpful genuine drivers, meter with receipt & always give exact change, plus 2 grades of taxi . I've kept chickens in better cars than I had the misfortune of hailing in bangkok, I don't mind an old car but bit of effort to clean inside would be good & some drivers smell like they bathe in sangsom or hongtong :-/

agree ... it needs to be regulated properly ... the problem here is money and attitude of the driver.

singapore taxis is what they want model on, good clean well maintained cars, good pleasant helpful genuine drivers, meter with receipt & always give exact change, plus 2 grades of taxi . I've kept chickens in better cars than I had the misfortune of hailing in bangkok, I don't mind an old car but bit of effort to clean inside would be good & some drivers smell like they bathe in sangsom or hongtong :-/

Have you ever tried "All Thai" Taxi company------- google and read

"Participants in this workshop will be granted necessary experience, safety awareness and Basic English skills to increase the drivers’ preparedness for the expansion of tourism."

Day One: Okay, class, now repeat after me, "Meter no work. 500 baht."

Right on, as well as shake their head and drive off when you give them a destination. All these usual practices have not changed, more particularly at night. On the whole though I find the majority of taxi drivers very couteous.

This sort of meaningless propaganda is growing very thin indeed.

"Swears to upgrade ", "Vows to stop" and all the other political paraphrases that make these clown so hollow. If the really want some credibility they have to go out and earn it by simply saying that they will do something and then go out and actually do it