Bangkok upgrades taxi services to raise tourism standard

[tonypace02]

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.

They always turn on the meter for me no matter what time. The only questionable activity I get from them is choice of routes. I know the shortest and cheapest route from my house to the Rail Link station. They would, of course, prefer the longer route because it meters up about 30 baht. But if I tell them what highway to take, there is never a problem, especially if I tell it in Thai.

[Snig27]

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.

Yes, the same. And you always have the Grabtaxi or Uber alternatives both of which are everywhere now.

[Loles]

English lessons for them by 5 steps:

1. Soly, Soly, meter no good mister, sixhundred baht

2. I take you to Lady, Lady

3. My tip is evertime 75 baht, and I don't hit you mister

4. I can stop everywhere for you, no matter bus stop, green light or at medium of any road mister. Good service.

5. I can't go far mister my car is tired.

[jobwolf]

So next month it will be : WE ARE THE BEST TAXI DRIVERS IN THE WORLD AND BECAUSE OF IT WE NOW NEED A HIGHER FARE .

[Tongpo]

SEAT BELTS - no more tucking them under the back seat or taking them out altogether for the occasional fare where they have 4 people rammed into the back seat. I'm sure this nonchalant attitude to seat belts is partly to blame for the large number of deaths at songkran.

The only way to change the taxis is for customers to start refusing them.

"I am not a robbing leech and I will switch on my meter, I have seat belts and I will not drive at 100mph through built up traffic because every Farang must be in an emergency"

[fmjaffar]

Come to Sukhumvit soi 1,3,5,7 side and you will see how taxi drivers behave! As soon as you stop them they will say 300 to 500 Bahts

[rijit]

Remember coming out of the old sportsman and my mate trying to stop a cab and 6/7 times they refused and it wernt the money it was the fact they couldnt understand what the <deleted> my mate was saying.

rijit

[GRIMMY]

The taxi drivers in bangkok have not changed in the last 10 years. They are still 'no meter' money grabing scum and a huge negative factor for tourism.

[Alwyn]

Dad: "okay kids I've booked our holidays and we're going to an all inclusive 5 star resort in Punta Cana, Mexico. The beaches are pristinf and you're even allowed to take a parasol on to the beach to protect you from cancer! Foods great, weather great, no military government and it's only $40 a night"!!

Kids: "Oh but dad, we want to go somewhere they have an upgraded and enhanced taxi service"

[Ghostnigel]

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 ...

Bought the T shirt on that one....best to get a motorcy at 4.30pm, if life has no worth....lol

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

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.

Not sure where you live but maybe you should get out more. On lower Sukhumvit you will have to ask 20 taxi's just to take you a few blocks for for a minimum 100 baht if they even agree to take you.

[Ghostnigel]

The taxi drivers in bangkok have not changed in the last 10 years. They are still 'no meter' money grabing scum and a huge negative factor for tourism.

That's a little harsh mate....most are decent people, who will be quite friendly, please do not 'tar them all with the same brush'. Ok, there are the odd a/holes, but most of them do their job well...that's my opinion anyway.

When you get a rejection, just shut the door and find another, easy.

If you do find a good one, take his phone number, and he will always try and be there for you, if he can't he will get a another to come, works for us.

[Jimlove]

Bangkok upgrades taxi services to raise tourism standard

I Guess when a standard is as low as in Thailand there is only one way ... Stay away, its not worth the hassle ...

[watcharacters]

TWice i was pissed off at a taxi driver in BAngkok who I was sure was taking me on a city tour and not where I waned to go.

I was wrong both times. I am OK to use a taxi in Bangkok as I am in most cities in SEA.

I don't include taxis at airports in my post unless it is through a reliable service.

It's the Western counties that would cause me alarm.

[mikiea]

my problem is at least 1 of 4 taxi's smell like a old nasty socks and sport shoes .

[Jonathon]

There was a sign by Udom Suk BTS advising that taxi drivers cannot refuse a fare. Not been there for a week or two so don't know it it is still there. It was a proper sign so maybe there are more about.

[jimstar1]

"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.

Gee Beat me to it as well I got 1000 Baht say no chamge

[Baerboxer]

Dad: "okay kids I've booked our holidays and we're going to an all inclusive 5 star resort in Punta Cana, Mexico. The beaches are pristinf and you're even allowed to take a parasol on to the beach to protect you from cancer! Foods great, weather great, no military government and it's only $40 a night"!!

Kids: "Oh but dad, we want to go somewhere they have an upgraded and enhanced taxi service"

You missed out the bit about the electrified 20 ft fence with barbed wire and armed guards patrolling to protect you from the cartels, feuding gang warfare, corrupt police and ever threat of kidnap, murder, rape and robbery.

Mexico - have you thought of moving?

[rijit]

Cant say i've ever had a cabbie, once asked refuse to turn the meter on. Refused to take me where i want to go, yes. And as for cabbies learning english, well how about westerners learning enough thai to convince a cab driver u aint a drunken ignorant red neck

&lt;deleted&gt; who hasnt a &lt;deleted&gt; clue where he wants to go.

rijit

[Brer Fox]

I hope the workshop mentioned the practice of many drivers driving like NASCAR racing drivers going to and from Suvarnabhumi Airport and scaring the bags of tourists. Nothing will change as faster speeds means more fares and more money.

[Alwyn]

Dad: "okay kids I've booked our holidays and we're going to an all inclusive 5 star resort in Punta Cana, Mexico. The beaches are pristinf and you're even allowed to take a parasol on to the beach to protect you from cancer! Foods great, weather great, no military government and it's only $40 a night"!!

Kids: "Oh but dad, we want to go somewhere they have an upgraded and enhanced taxi service"

You missed out the bit about the electrified 20 ft fence with barbed wire and armed guards patrolling to protect you from the cartels, feuding gang warfare, corrupt police and ever threat of kidnap, murder, rape and robbery.

Mexico - have you thought of moving?

Nah, you're thinking of Jamaica or Columbia maybe. I stayed in the Occidental a couple of years ago. No barbed wired no nothing really. If you'd even been to Mexico (which I have nore than a few times, you wouldn't be making such nonsensical comments. I used to hear that crap a lot about Brasil but never Miexico. I lived in Brasil for 18 months and it was excellent, I was in Natal and never ever saw any of the stuff that is supposed to happen in Rio. But as I've not been to Rio I'm really qualified to speak about it. Have you been to a holiday destination in Mexico? Only I';m wondering why you made such a dumb comment.

[HerbalEd]

Over the past thirty-plus years I've taken Thai taxis (esp. in BKK) literally thousands of times and I'd say approx. 85-90% of the taxi drivers I've experienced have been honest with me .... turn on meter & don't try to cheat me ... and many are cheerful and very professional.

The rest are a bunch of a__holes, and unfortunately seem to be a growing menace.

[TEFLKrabi]

So the government have delivered a workshop to start improve things: Well Done. It's a start. Up Yours to those who say the government don't care and do nothing.

[rijit]

Dad: "okay kids I've booked our holidays and we're going to an all inclusive 5 star resort in Punta Cana, Mexico. The beaches are pristinf and you're even allowed to take a parasol on to the beach to protect you from cancer! Foods great, weather great, no military government and it's only $40 a night"!!

Kids: "Oh but dad, we want to go somewhere they have an upgraded and enhanced taxi service"

You missed out the bit about the electrified 20 ft fence with barbed wire and armed guards patrolling to protect you from the cartels, feuding gang warfare, corrupt police and ever threat of kidnap, murder, rape and robbery.

Mexico - have you thought of moving?

Nah, you're thinking of Jamaica or Columbia maybe. I stayed in the Occidental a couple of years ago. No barbed wired no nothing really. If you'd even been to Mexico (which I have nore than a few times, you wouldn't be making such nonsensical comments. I used to hear that crap a lot about Brasil but never Miexico. I lived in Brasil for 18 months and it was excellent, I was in Natal and never ever saw any of the stuff that is supposed to happen in Rio. But as I've not been to Rio I'm really qualified to speak about it. Have you been to a holiday destination in Mexico? Only I';m wondering why you made such a dumb comment.

Yep, was gonna say something around the same lines, oh and rio,, well it happens but nowhere near as often as led to believe and generally only if you dont follow 'golden rules' like wearing no bling or dont walk down by the sea after dark ect ect , in the main its cool.

rijit

[Bluespunk]

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.

Not sure where you live but maybe you should get out more. On lower Sukhumvit you will have to ask 20 taxi's just to take you a few blocks for for a minimum 100 baht if they even agree to take you.

I get out and about. I tend to use BTS for longer hauls, but as I say, when do use taxis rarely have a problem.

[Jonmarleesco]

'Participants in this workshop will be granted necessary ... safety awareness​ ...' Might it not be a good idea to go beyond - way beyond - taxi drivers?

[Jim walker]

Taxi drivers wont change their attitude some are bad but most of them are good and helpful provided you put baht's in their pocket.

[swerver]

Interesting to read about this taxi driver improvement class, by the way, how long was it for half day, one day, surely no longer than one day because Thais are fast learners.

Now what about taken a page out of the book of taxi drivers in countries that are interested in besides their own citizens but also foreign tourists i.e. Holland for the less informed The Netherlands were taxis are located in taxi stands on the main thoroughfares, instead of like in Thailand, copied of course from America, New York, were they're ALL driving around choking up the environment with their exhaust gas (carbon monoxide). In the good old days there were taxi stands in Bangkok the major hotels had them so did the banks and the Department stores just to name some, but since capitalism has run AMOK in Thailand these taxi stands are long gone.

When working in Iran and I lived in Tehran, it had and still has a unique taxi system, Taxi stands and roaming taxis the roaming taxis the first person waving a taxi over set the route the taxi was going to, the passenger window is partially open and when standing at the curb hailing a taxi you shout were you want to go, if it is on the route set by the first person the taxi pulls over and you get in, take a look at the meter and remember what was on it, when getting out at destination look at the meter again and the difference is your fare plus the Flag fall. These taxis are allowed to carry 5-passengers, 3-in the back seat and 2-in the front seat beside the driver. Now that is using motor vehicle fuel used to the maximum extend possible.

No I'm not holding my breath but I like to share my worldwide working and living experience with other people and hope it may sink in with their "leaders".

[mydee]

Dad: "okay kids I've booked our holidays and we're going to an all inclusive 5 star resort in Punta Cana, Mexico. The beaches are pristinf and you're even allowed to take a parasol on to the beach to protect you from cancer! Foods great, weather great, no military government and it's only $40 a night"!!

Kids: "Oh but dad, we want to go somewhere they have an upgraded and enhanced taxi service"

And the drug barons come around and machine gun you all- I'd prefer a dodgy taxi driver

[zyphodb]

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 ...

Bought the T shirt on that one....best to get a motorcy at 4.30pm, if life has no worth....lol

At 4 30 PM why would you do anything but take the Sky Train or Underground out of the centre before even thinking about catching a taxi??? you'll be stuck in the traffic for hours...