Phuket Airport Taxi-Meter Rip Off?

[NamKangMan]

Glad you put a question mark on the title OP as I would say the answer is NO.

Throw a 60thb tip in there and you are still 850thb from the airport to Kamala, with current US$ exchange you did airport-Kamala for under 25$ US.

Some transportation skinflints on here will put up a stink, expect a Pattaya 10thb bus, but it's my opinion you did fine and I don't think that is an outrageous price, again, IMO.

As I have said previously, in my opinion, most people do not have a problem with the cost of transport to, and from, Phuket Airport. They will only require this transport twice on their holiday.

The real transport rip off on Phuket is along the coast road, between the beaches and nightlife.

Pattaya has baht buses to cater for this market, at 10 baht a journey, Phuket has minimum 200 baht tuk-tuks, which are a rip off.

"Skinflint" or not, a journey in Pattaya is 10 baht, and on Phuket, it's 200 baht just to enter the vehicle, and the price goes up from there.

[spidermike007]

Similar on samui but even more expensive. 600 baht for 25km. 200 km. for two km. Rampant, out of control criminal enterprise. More or less state sponsored. The state or locals could step in at any time and make it fair. They did a few years ago, after hundreds of complaints. They were forced to post meter plus 50 baht signs on their doors. They used the meters for about 48 hours. What have the "authorities" done? Nothing. That is what the Samui authorities always do. Nothing.

"The state or locals could step in at any time and make it fair. They did a few years ago, after hundreds of complaints." - the Thai Military will not even "step in" on Phuket. That's how bad the transport is here.

The Thai Military was pretty much Phuket's last hope for transport - they failed to deliver, except for some beach encroachment clean-up.

So, some 15 months after the coup, you can see what their lack of intervention has had on the tourist industry here.

Yes. The military will not step in onto Samui either. Hundreds of complaints about the excessive noise of really heinous citizens like the Abominable Ark Bar. What do they do? Nothing. The highest rate of road deaths in the world, per capita. What do they do? Nothing. Do they care? It does not appear so.

And the taxis and tuk tuks? Forget about it. The authorities are powerless. They are above the law. All laws. Even the army's law.

Edited September 24, 2015 by spidermike007

[beerzy]

Similar on samui but even more expensive. 600 baht for 25km. 200 km. for two km. Rampant, out of control criminal enterprise. More or less state sponsored. The state or locals could step in at any time and make it fair. They did a few years ago, after hundreds of complaints. They were forced to post meter plus 50 baht signs on their doors. They used the meters for about 48 hours. What have the "authorities" done? Nothing. That is what the Samui authorities always do. Nothing.

"The state or locals could step in at any time and make it fair. They did a few years ago, after hundreds of complaints." - the Thai Military will not even "step in" on Phuket. That's how bad the transport is here.

The Thai Military was pretty much Phuket's last hope for transport - they failed to deliver, except for some beach encroachment clean-up.

So, some 15 months after the coup, you can see what their lack of intervention has had on the tourist industry here.

Yes. The military will not step in onto Samui either. Hundreds of complaints about the excessive noise of really heinous citizens like the Abominable Ark Bar. What do they do? Nothing. The highest rate of road deaths in the world, per capita. What do they do? Nothing. Do they care? It does not appear so.

And the taxis and tuk tuks? Forget about it. The authorities are powerless. They are above the law. All laws. Even the army's law.

Hey to tear down the tuktuk taxi collusion will take a long time. yes the army dont really want to do much as evidenced in the Farang visa crackdowns

Edited September 24, 2015 by beerzy

[spidermike007]

Similar on samui but even more expensive. 600 baht for 25km. 200 km. for two km. Rampant, out of control criminal enterprise. More or less state sponsored. The state or locals could step in at any time and make it fair. They did a few years ago, after hundreds of complaints. They were forced to post meter plus 50 baht signs on their doors. They used the meters for about 48 hours. What have the "authorities" done? Nothing. That is what the Samui authorities always do. Nothing.

"The state or locals could step in at any time and make it fair. They did a few years ago, after hundreds of complaints." - the Thai Military will not even "step in" on Phuket. That's how bad the transport is here.

The Thai Military was pretty much Phuket's last hope for transport - they failed to deliver, except for some beach encroachment clean-up.

So, some 15 months after the coup, you can see what their lack of intervention has had on the tourist industry here.

Yes. The military will not step in onto Samui either. Hundreds of complaints about the excessive noise of really heinous citizens like the Abominable Ark Bar. What do they do? Nothing. The highest rate of road deaths in the world, per capita. What do they do? Nothing. Do they care? It does not appear so.

And the taxis and tuk tuks? Forget about it. The authorities are powerless. They are above the law. All laws. Even the army's law.

Hey to tear down the tuktuk taxi collusion will take a long time. yes the army dont really want to do much as evidenced in the Farang visa crackdowns

One might surmise that it is all about easy targets, without power, great wealth nor influence.

[NamKangMan]

Similar on samui but even more expensive. 600 baht for 25km. 200 km. for two km. Rampant, out of control criminal enterprise. More or less state sponsored. The state or locals could step in at any time and make it fair. They did a few years ago, after hundreds of complaints. They were forced to post meter plus 50 baht signs on their doors. They used the meters for about 48 hours. What have the "authorities" done? Nothing. That is what the Samui authorities always do. Nothing.

"The state or locals could step in at any time and make it fair. They did a few years ago, after hundreds of complaints." - the Thai Military will not even "step in" on Phuket. That's how bad the transport is here.

The Thai Military was pretty much Phuket's last hope for transport - they failed to deliver, except for some beach encroachment clean-up.

So, some 15 months after the coup, you can see what their lack of intervention has had on the tourist industry here.

Yes. The military will not step in onto Samui either. Hundreds of complaints about the excessive noise of really heinous citizens like the Abominable Ark Bar. What do they do? Nothing. The highest rate of road deaths in the world, per capita. What do they do? Nothing. Do they care? It does not appear so.

And the taxis and tuk tuks? Forget about it. The authorities are powerless. They are above the law. All laws. Even the army's law.

"They are above the law. All laws. Even the army's law." - they are not above the "laws" of market forces, supply and demand.

Due to their rip off pricing, their "demand" now holiday elsewhere, which just leaves a further oversupply and less income.

You are correct, no Thai law will change the situation. Not even the Thai military will dismantle their criminal enterprise.

It's going to have to be market forces that eventually bring about change, and we are seeing that now on Phuket, with a rapid decline in western tourists, and the main tourists coming here, the Chinese, having their own coach buses.

[spidermike007]

Similar on samui but even more expensive. 600 baht for 25km. 200 km. for two km. Rampant, out of control criminal enterprise. More or less state sponsored. The state or locals could step in at any time and make it fair. They did a few years ago, after hundreds of complaints. They were forced to post meter plus 50 baht signs on their doors. They used the meters for about 48 hours. What have the "authorities" done? Nothing. That is what the Samui authorities always do. Nothing.

"The state or locals could step in at any time and make it fair. They did a few years ago, after hundreds of complaints." - the Thai Military will not even "step in" on Phuket. That's how bad the transport is here.

The Thai Military was pretty much Phuket's last hope for transport - they failed to deliver, except for some beach encroachment clean-up.

So, some 15 months after the coup, you can see what their lack of intervention has had on the tourist industry here.

Yes. The military will not step in onto Samui either. Hundreds of complaints about the excessive noise of really heinous citizens like the Abominable Ark Bar. What do they do? Nothing. The highest rate of road deaths in the world, per capita. What do they do? Nothing. Do they care? It does not appear so.

And the taxis and tuk tuks? Forget about it. The authorities are powerless. They are above the law. All laws. Even the army's law.

"They are above the law. All laws. Even the army's law." - they are not above the "laws" of market forces, supply and demand.

Due to their rip off pricing, their "demand" now holiday elsewhere, which just leaves a further oversupply and less income.

You are correct, no Thai law will change the situation. Not even the Thai military will dismantle their criminal enterprise.

It's going to have to be market forces that eventually bring about change, and we are seeing that now on Phuket, with a rapid decline in western tourists, and the main tourists coming here, the Chinese, having their own coach buses.

Good points. I always thought that Samui ran the risk of turning into some sort of tourism horror experiment. Where they would convert the entire island into a sort of museum. Like a tourism relic. This is what happens when an entire area over reaches, and the tourism sector just abandons them. Five star pricing with two or three star service, facilities, amenities and attractions. Samui has become very expensive. Many restaurants there charge the same prices as in Los Angeles. Add in the sewer issues, the fouled water, the useless cops, the ridiculous death toll on the roads, the useless local leadership, the utter lack of pride on the part of most locals, and the tourists, all tourists, just said no. All hotels and restaurants were abandoned. Now, how would that look?

Edited September 25, 2015 by spidermike007

[NamKangMan]

@ spidermike007

I've said it before, Phuket is heading in the same direction as Costa del Sol. Derelict buildings and "For Sale" signs everywhere. As you say, "a tourism relic."

"Five star pricing with two or three star service, facilities, amenities and attractions." - I agree with your comment. I will say, however, most of the 5 star hotels / resorts offer decent service, facilities and amenities.

The problem is, basically "everything" as soon as you leave the front of the 5 star hotel / resort, and this is due to the complete failure of authorities here, and a disgraceful display of the corruption and greed on Phuket.

[spidermike007]

@ spidermike007

I've said it before, Phuket is heading in the same direction as Costa del Sol. Derelict buildings and "For Sale" signs everywhere. As you say, "a tourism relic."

"Five star pricing with two or three star service, facilities, amenities and attractions." - I agree with your comment. I will say, however, most of the 5 star hotels / resorts offer decent service, facilities and amenities.

The problem is, basically "everything" as soon as you leave the front of the 5 star hotel / resort, and this is due to the complete failure of authorities here, and a disgraceful display of the corruption and greed on Phuket

Totally in agreement with you about the five stars on Samui, and my guess is on Phuket too. Hotels like the Four Seasons and the Banyan Tree are amazing. Others like the Kala and Rocky's are outstanding on many levels. Many come and rarely leave the hotel. For good reasons. A couple on their honeymoon was plowed down right in front of Rocky's last year, by a minivan, who was driving at a ridiculous speed. She died instantly. It happens almost daily on Samui. The authorities do nothing. Zilch. Nada.

[Singharh]

Jonaz, where do you get the shared mini bus ? I'm there on 19 Oct. Going to Karon.

[jonaz]

Jonaz, where do you get the shared mini bus ? I'm there on 19 Oct. Going to Karon.

When you exit the terminal turn left and it's the counter at the end on the left. 180 baht. You can book the same service when returning to the airport from almost any of the tour operators that have counters in the tourist areas in Phuket. They pick you up from your hotel.

[beerzy]

Glad you put a question mark on the title OP as I would say the answer is NO.

Throw a 60thb tip in there and you are still 850thb from the airport to Kamala, with current US$ exchange you did airport-Kamala for under 25$ US.

Some transportation skinflints on here will put up a stink, expect a Pattaya 10thb bus, but it's my opinion you did fine and I don't think that is an outrageous price, again, IMO.

please dont do a tip in phuket...they charge way too much

[grumpyoldman]

Glad you put a question mark on the title OP as I would say the answer is NO.

Throw a 60thb tip in there and you are still 850thb from the airport to Kamala, with current US$ exchange you did airport-Kamala for under 25$ US.

Some transportation skinflints on here will put up a stink, expect a Pattaya 10thb bus, but it's my opinion you did fine and I don't think that is an outrageous price, again, IMO.

please dont do a tip in phuket...they charge way too much

Sorry chief, where I come from if you get good service you tip. I can confirm though, that the current meter rate is up about 10% from last year.

Edited October 1, 2015 by grumpyoldman

[NamKangMan]

Glad you put a question mark on the title OP as I would say the answer is NO.

Throw a 60thb tip in there and you are still 850thb from the airport to Kamala, with current US$ exchange you did airport-Kamala for under 25$ US.

Some transportation skinflints on here will put up a stink, expect a Pattaya 10thb bus, but it's my opinion you did fine and I don't think that is an outrageous price, again, IMO.

please dont do a tip in phuket...they charge way too much

Sorry chief, where I come from if you get good service you tip. I can confirm though, that the current meter rate is up about 10% from last year.

Why would you tip someone who is the member of pricing cartel, and who is ripping you off????

[grumpyoldman]

Glad you put a question mark on the title OP as I would say the answer is NO.

Throw a 60thb tip in there and you are still 850thb from the airport to Kamala, with current US$ exchange you did airport-Kamala for under 25$ US.

Some transportation skinflints on here will put up a stink, expect a Pattaya 10thb bus, but it's my opinion you did fine and I don't think that is an outrageous price, again, IMO.

please dont do a tip in phuket...they charge way too much

Sorry chief, where I come from if you get good service you tip. I can confirm though, that the current meter rate is up about 10% from last year.

Why would you tip someone who is the member of pricing cartel, and who is ripping you off????

Because being "ripped off" there mister "transportation beat your drum every chance you get to the point of nauseum" is subjective. I had just returned from a place where I paid the same amount to go 1/3rd of the distance.

Did not feel I was being cheated, will do as I please, thank you very little.

[NamKangMan]

@ GOM

This is a Phuket transport related threat, is it not? Isn't "transport" Phuket's biggest "issue?"

"I had just returned from a place where I paid the same amount to go 1/3rd of the distance." - how is this relevent to the out of line transport prices on Phuket?

I don't tip criminals belonging to a criminal enterprise, but each to their own.

Edited October 3, 2015 by NamKangMan

[grumpyoldman]

@ GOM

This is a Phuket transport related threat, is it not? Isn't "transport" Phuket's biggest "issue?"

"I had just returned from a place where I paid the same amount to go 1/3rd of the distance." - how is this relevent to the out of line transport prices on Phuket?

I don't tip criminals belonging to a criminal enterprise, but each to their own.

Because what you feel is "out of line" NKM, others might not, thus my comment of subjectivity.

Also, I do not feel transport is Phuket's biggest issue, guns and drugs I feel are bigger.

Edited October 3, 2015 by grumpyoldman

[Jimi007]

I paid 1,600 Baht for a minivan to drive us from the airport to Rawai a bit over two weeks ago. About a year ago it was 1,300. After a thirty something hour trip with my wife and my dog and her flight kennel plus bags, I was over it! Especially when customs in Phuket started hassling us for our dog's paperwork as she had cleared customs in Bangkok! I whipped out a large brown envelope of stamped and approved paperwork and let her sort through it. It didn't cost me a baht. My only fee was 100 Baht to the Animal Quarantine Office at BKK. They hate it when you have all your paperwork together!

[Shot]

^^^We had the same problem with my mother-in-law.

[kingalfred]

@ GOM

This is a Phuket transport related threat, is it not? Isn't "transport" Phuket's biggest "issue?"

"I had just returned from a place where I paid the same amount to go 1/3rd of the distance." - how is this relevent to the out of line transport prices on Phuket?

I don't tip criminals belonging to a criminal enterprise, but each to their own.

Because what you feel is "out of line" NKM, others might not, thus my comment of subjectivity.

Also, I do not feel transport is Phuket's biggest issue, guns and drugs I feel are bigger.

the whole place is a jungle. I was their 2 weeks ago and the the headline in the local weekly paper was "Phuket teenagers exchange and buy guns on Facebook pages". Cleaning up the beaches of a few sunbeds and parasols is least of its problems. Edited October 3, 2015 by kingalfred

[beerzy]

@ GOM

This is a Phuket transport related threat, is it not? Isn't "transport" Phuket's biggest "issue?"

"I had just returned from a place where I paid the same amount to go 1/3rd of the distance." - how is this relevent to the out of line transport prices on Phuket?

I don't tip criminals belonging to a criminal enterprise, but each to their own.

Because what you feel is "out of line" NKM, others might not, thus my comment of subjectivity.

Also, I do not feel transport is Phuket's biggest issue, guns and drugs I feel are bigger.

the whole place is a jungle. I was their 2 weeks ago and the the headline in the local weekly paper was "Phuket teenagers exchange and buy guns on Facebook pages". Cleaning up the beaches of a few sunbeds and parasols is least of its problems.

There are many things greater than transport. Water and sewerage problems Guns and gun control, drugs, are just a few bigger problems.

[NamKangMan]

@ GOM

This is a Phuket transport related threat, is it not? Isn't "transport" Phuket's biggest "issue?"

"I had just returned from a place where I paid the same amount to go 1/3rd of the distance." - how is this relevent to the out of line transport prices on Phuket?

I don't tip criminals belonging to a criminal enterprise, but each to their own.

Because what you feel is "out of line" NKM, others might not, thus my comment of subjectivity.

Also, I do not feel transport is Phuket's biggest issue, guns and drugs I feel are bigger.

How many Thai's, expats and tourists are killed by guns, and drug overdoses, compared to road fatalities, on Phuket???? (driving / riding whilst intoxicated aside)

In my opinion, from the tourism point of view, I really don't think tourists are in fear of being shot on their holiday on Phuket, and as for a fatal drug overdose, that's a risk all drug users take, no matter what country they are in.

That said, a lot of tourists would be aware of the transport rip off here, rather than a jealous Thai shooting another Thai who he thinks is having an affair with his missus.

Thailand has one of the worse road fatality statistics in the world, and it was recently reported that Phuket had the worse road fatality statistics of all the provinces in Thailand. This makes Phuket's roads among the most dangerous on the planet.

The transport cartels on Phuket ARE indirectly killing people. Certain "influential people" that profit from it, have blood on their hands. The lowly driver, also profits, while everyone MUST have access to a vehicle on Phuket, or be ripped off by the collective "Association" of which the driver is a part. The drivers are complicit in the transport thieft, and the death of so many on Phuket, hence, why I never tip them, even though I don't use them anymore.

A quick random snapshot of the opening page of this forum shows, at the time of this post, 5 threads out of 22 threads being transport / vehicle / roads related. That's around 23% of threads being road transport related. It's appears to be an issue to many.

So, I disagree that transport is not Phuket's biggest issue.

In relation to "what you feel" - I do tip, particularly in relation to proper massages and meals.

[Shot]

@ GOM

This is a Phuket transport related threat, is it not? Isn't "transport" Phuket's biggest "issue?"

"I had just returned from a place where I paid the same amount to go 1/3rd of the distance." - how is this relevent to the out of line transport prices on Phuket?

I don't tip criminals belonging to a criminal enterprise, but each to their own.

Because what you feel is "out of line" NKM, others might not, thus my comment of subjectivity.

Also, I do not feel transport is Phuket's biggest issue, guns and drugs I feel are bigger.

snip> Thailand has one of the worse road fatality statistics in the world, and it was recently reported that Phuket had the worse road fatality statistics of all the provinces in Thailand. This makes Phuket's roads among the most dangerous on the planet .<snip

Based on those recent numbers, if Phuket were a country it would have the worst road fatality stats in the world, and in fact would beat its nearest competitor by about 37%.

[NamKangMan]

@ GOM

This is a Phuket transport related threat, is it not? Isn't "transport" Phuket's biggest "issue?"

"I had just returned from a place where I paid the same amount to go 1/3rd of the distance." - how is this relevent to the out of line transport prices on Phuket?

I don't tip criminals belonging to a criminal enterprise, but each to their own.

Because what you feel is "out of line" NKM, others might not, thus my comment of subjectivity.

Also, I do not feel transport is Phuket's biggest issue, guns and drugs I feel are bigger.

snip> Thailand has one of the worse road fatality statistics in the world, and it was recently reported that Phuket had the worse road fatality statistics of all the provinces in Thailand. This makes Phuket's roads among the most dangerous on the planet .<snip

Based on those recent numbers, if Phuket were a country it would have the worst road fatality stats in the world, and in fact would beat its nearest competitor by about 37%.

Correct, and as I have just posted on another thread, those road fatality statistics do not take into account the many who have died in hospital, after the accident.

That would definately make Phuket the most dangerous place to be on the road, in the world.

I suggest, the lack of proper public transport on Phuket puts all those living here at great risk.

Edited October 4, 2015 by NamKangMan

[BngkkB]

Watch the speedometer. If it is saying 90 kph and your obviously going slower that will push the mileage travelled up along with the meter. To bad Google map doesn't have a speed per kilometer travelled built in.

[The Big Mango]

Mmmm.....

[NamKangMan]

Mmmm.....

It's been tried before, and failed.

It's the same drivers, charging the same rip off price, in fact, i believe, a little more for using the app.

[johnjydee]

Only naive tourists go to Phuket. You can have a guided tour of Pattaya for 10 baht with a jet-ski ride thrown in.

I've lived in both Pattaya and Phuket and I'd rather live here in Phuket hands down. Each to their own.

they are both garbage dumps!

[grumpyoldman]

Only naive tourists go to Phuket. You can have a guided tour of Pattaya for 10 baht with a jet-ski ride thrown in.

I've lived in both Pattaya and Phuket and I'd rather live here in Phuket hands down. Each to their own.

they are both garbage dumps!

Nice troll johnjydee,we are all waiting with excited anticipation for post #17!

Did the same run the other day, as I posted earlier, 100thb cheaper. Curious...in spite, I tipped the guy 60thb just to get a few of you boyz rolling here.

[NamKangMan]

Only naive tourists go to Phuket. You can have a guided tour of Pattaya for 10 baht with a jet-ski ride thrown in.

I've lived in both Pattaya and Phuket and I'd rather live here in Phuket hands down. Each to their own.

they are both garbage dumps!

Nice troll johnjydee,we are all waiting with excited anticipation for post #17!

Did the same run the other day, as I posted earlier, 100thb cheaper. Curious...in spite, I tipped the guy 60thb just to get a few of you boyz rolling here.

Why a 100 baht cheaper on the second run?

Edited October 11, 2015 by NamKangMan

[madmitch]

Anyone managed to take a meter taxi anywhere other than the airport yet? Apparently they are available for ad hoc rides.

I'm going to answer my own question.

This morning, having just missed the songthaew after dropping the car at Anuphas Honda, I spotted a meter taxi with its light on so I flagged it down. I only half-expected him to put the meter on and when he started moving without doing so I suggested he might wish to turn it on.

"400 baht" was his reply. And that was it. No meter, no negotiation, just about acceptable price from Honda to Karon (I'd previously been offered 300 baht by a motorbike taxi) but not what should be offered.

Still a long, long way to go!