Do you have trouble with Bangkok taxis?

[DLang]

I never have problems with angry, machete wielding nutters.

They're always the nicest people in the World.

[SoiBiker]

So press 5,000 baht and see how many 100's come flying out.

So withdraw 4900 instead.

[meltingpot2015]

The OP title should say "Do you never have trouble with Bangkok taxis".

[SoiBiker]

The OP title should say "Do you never have trouble with Bangkok taxis".

Why?

The whole point of the thread was that I'm aware that some people have trouble with them, and was curious to try and find out why.

[kkerry]

So press 5,400 baht and see how many 100's come flying out...

[meltingpot2015]

Is it next to the 5,300 bhat button?

[SoiBiker]

Is it next to the 5,300 bhat button?

You've never figured out that ATMs let you type in your own amount?

[meltingpot2015]

The OP title should say "Do you never have trouble with Bangkok taxis".

Why?

The whole point of the thread was that I'm aware that some people have trouble with them, and was curious to try and find out why.

If you already knew the answer, then its not really finding out is it?

[SoiBiker]

The OP title should say "Do you never have trouble with Bangkok taxis".

Why?

The whole point of the thread was that I'm aware that some people have trouble with them, and was curious to try and find out why.

If you already knew the answer, then its not really finding out is it?

I think you've misunderstood the OP.

[thaiduncankk]

So press 5,000 baht and see how many 100's come flying out.

So withdraw 4900 instead.

Oh, I get it.

I have to make everyday decisions so that I don't inconvenience useless, incompetent, (alleged) Thai businessmen, who cannot work out that paying customers would like to receive change from their money tendered, for the service they have just provided.

Funny, I never get change problems in 7eleven, Tesco, gas stations, restaurants, the list is endless.

[SoiBiker]

So press 5,000 baht and see how many 100's come flying out.

So withdraw 4900 instead.

Oh, I get it.

I have to make everyday decisions so that I don't inconvenience useless, incompetent, (alleged) Thai businessmen, who cannot work out that paying customers would like to receive change from their money tendered, for the service they have just provided.

Funny, I never get change problems in 7eleven, Tesco, gas stations, restaurants, the list is endless.

Like I said earlier in the thread - you have a choice. You can adopt a pragmatic attitude to life and take a few simple steps to avoid problems, or you can choose to bang your head angrily against the world until you go mad.

[thaiduncankk]

So press 5,000 baht and see how many 100's come flying out.

So withdraw 4900 instead.

Oh, I get it.

I have to make everyday decisions so that I don't inconvenience useless, incompetent, (alleged) Thai businessmen, who cannot work out that paying customers would like to receive change from their money tendered, for the service they have just provided.

Funny, I never get change problems in 7eleven, Tesco, gas stations, restaurants, the list is endless.

Like I said earlier in the thread - you have a choice. You can adopt a pragmatic attitude to life and take a few simple steps to avoid problems, or you can choose to bang your head angrily against the world until you go mad.

I ain't going mad, never been so chilled out in years over here.

Do what I want, when I want, how I want.

Dealing with numbnuts over here, I take it with a pinch of salt.

[SoiBiker]

Your posts tell a different story, though.

[thaiduncankk]

Your posts tell a different story, though.

All 187 of them !

I, unlike some, do not waste countless hours everyday drivelling on about how good or shit Thailand is, or is not.

[zxzoomy]

Going from Surawong to Sathorn Soi 1 at midnight the first one or two taxis will quote me 100 baht. The meter fare is about 45 baht. At 3am it's easier to get a metered taxi. Leaving Silom late at night drivers often quote 100 baht. Taxis to bkk airport from Sathorn will usually agree the meter fare but quite often go the long way round, though, to be fair, I have no way of knowing if there is a traffic jam on the usual route. Occasionally a taxi driver to the airport asks for 500 baht for the trip and then agrees to use the meter. Taxi drivers in Birmingham,UK, also often go the long route in my experience and 50 baht does not go far there.

[GeorgeBrown]

Stand away from the road an get your Thai friend to stop the cab, when agreed jump in with your Thai friend always works, and the Thai driver tricks, otherwise don't get a taxi at shopping center, tourist places... If you have to walk away further down the road from where the taxi's are stopped and stop a moving taxi works every-time...

[thaiduncankk]

Stand away from the road an get your Thai friend to stop the cab, when agreed jump in with your Thai friend always works, and the Thai driver tricks, otherwise don't get a taxi at shopping center, tourist places... If you have to walk away further down the road from where the taxi's are stopped and stop a moving taxi works every-time...

Surely any new visitors to Bangkok do not know these silly little games you have to play, just to get an honest taxi fare from A to B. They probably, also, would not be wedged up with 20 baht notes like the TV experts, and would expect the correct change from a higher denomination note ?

[jacko45k]

"...people mentioned by an apologist earlier."

Apologist? The word you need is realist.

No, the reality is Bangkok taxis have a bad reputation, for example a recent report of one refusing to stop smoking, the post above mine providing personal issues with them.

To claim it is all simply not true and only 'Thai bashing' is quite ridiculous.

I even had a friend telling me of an incident only yesterday where he was told to get out and pay, somewhat distant from the agreed destination yet still wanting an agreed upon fare. Him being left with a suitcase to drag across a busy dual carriageway.

I didn't say it is not true. My point was that the problems are a small minority and not the majority of taxi drivers and those that say it is the majority are being ridiculous. For example, somewhere on this thread is a post from someone claiming that out of himself and 50 other Australian friends not one has ever found a taxi that didn't give every single one of those 51 a problem.

Your last point only emphasises that to accept a taxi off the meter is probably asking for trouble, just wait for the one that will take you without issues

So the bad reputation is undeserved?

In my last example, it was not a meter taxi.

I have also had issues with a Bangkok Taxi driver, who managed to get lost, then insisted we get out of the taxi and he abandoned us also unsure where we were. I have had refusal of meter numerous times. Having to hunt around for another is not the idea of meter taxis, particularly in dirty, smoggy and hot Bangkok. After standing and waiting, at a taxi rank, it is not how it is meant to work. The compliance to obligation to accept the fare should be 100%, rather than interrogation, and then being jumped by someone prepared to go off meter, while I have to wait, is unacceptable.

I believe if one tries to get a taxi in particular areas, the incidence of problems will be higher than in other areas.

[Happy Grumpy]

On the few occasions I've had a driver refuse to take me, I assumed it was because of my poor language skills

Perhaps if you learned the language, you would have a far better understanding of Thailand, Thai culture, Thai attitudes, and Thai behavior.

[SoiBiker]

On the few occasions I've had a driver refuse to take me, I assumed it was because of my poor language skills

Perhaps if you learned the language, you would have a far better understanding of Thailand, Thai culture, Thai attitudes, and Thai behavior.

I have. I just can't speak it worth a crap. Like most expats, despite the fact so many here claim to be fluent.

[SoiBiker]

Stand away from the road an get your Thai friend to stop the cab, when agreed jump in with your Thai friend always works, and the Thai driver tricks, otherwise don't get a taxi at shopping center, tourist places... If you have to walk away further down the road from where the taxi's are stopped and stop a moving taxi works every-time...

Surely any new visitors to Bangkok do not know these silly little games you have to play, just to get an honest taxi fare from A to B. They probably, also, would not be wedged up with 20 baht notes like the TV experts, and would expect the correct change from a higher denomination note ?

In my experience, new tourists are hell bent on using tuktuks rather than taxis. Which is a whole other kettle of worms.

[DLang]

On the few occasions I've had a driver refuse to take me, I assumed it was because of my poor language skills

Perhaps if you learned the language, you would have a far better understanding of Thailand, Thai culture, Thai attitudes, and Thai behavior.

You see this time and time again HG.

Westerner moves over, even lives here, fails to learn the language to the point where they cannot even communicate about where they want to go to. Despite that these are likely regular places for them to go.

It's little wonder they are so clueless about Thailand and Thais.

Edited November 17, 2015 by DLang

[craigt3365]

On the few occasions I've had a driver refuse to take me, I assumed it was because of my poor language skills

Perhaps if you learned the language, you would have a far better understanding of Thailand, Thai culture, Thai attitudes, and Thai behavior.

You see this time and time again HG.

Westerner moves over, even lives here, fails to learn the language to the point where they cannot even communicate about where they want to go to. Despite that these are likely regular places for them to go.

It's little wonder they are so clueless about Thailand and Thais.

The Thai language is one of the hardest to learn. I've tried for years and just can't master it. Learned Spanish in no time. Even Russian. But Thai? Very difficult for me. And if your pronunciation isn't perfect, they don't understand you.

I was just in Myanmar. The taxi drivers there speak better English than they do here! Bangkok is a major tourist destination. A bit of English language skill on the part of the drivers should be a necessity.

[SoiBiker]

On the few occasions I've had a driver refuse to take me, I assumed it was because of my poor language skills

Perhaps if you learned the language, you would have a far better understanding of Thailand, Thai culture, Thai attitudes, and Thai behavior.

You see this time and time again HG.

Westerner moves over, even lives here, fails to learn the language to the point where they cannot even communicate about where they want to go to. Despite that these are likely regular places for them to go.

It's little wonder they are so clueless about Thailand and Thais.

I've made the effort to learn the language. I can even read it - can you?

However, like 99% of expats - even, I suspect, those we see here claiming fluency - my pronunciation of Thai words is pretty poor, so sometimes I struggle to make myself understood.

[craigt3365]

My friends try to speak Thai to my wife all the time. She kindly asks them to speak English as she can't understand them. This from people who've been here for years and think they can speak Thai! LOL

[meltingpot2015]

if your hotel name or drop-off point ends with "s", and you pronounce this as you would in English, most Thai taxi drivers will look at you bemused. Because, in the Thai language if a word ends in "s" it is pronounced as "t".

Had various problems getting a taxi to my hotel because of this small issue. I then asked the hotel for some business cards (they had the address in thai script) and just handed one to the taxi driver the next time.

Edited November 17, 2015 by meltingpot2015

[robblok]

My friends try to speak Thai to my wife all the time. She kindly asks them to speak English as she can't understand them. This from people who've been here for years and think they can speak Thai! LOL

I more then get by but understand it a lot better as that I speak it.

Yesterday in Thai watsadu I was buying some stuff and they asked if I had a member card, i said in Thai forgotten (just the word)

So the girl packaging the stuff being a smart ass said in thai real fast (and not book learned conversation with some slang in it) then go home and get it. She probably thought that I only knew the word forgotten.

So I replied No way I don't want to get it. You should have seen the eyes after that we both laughed real hard because she obviously did not think I would understand and I did not make much of a problem about it.

I am pretty good in understanding Thai and speaking is ok good, because around here there are not many people who speak English. Reading and writing I tried but gave up. Will do that again in the future.

But its not about speaking Thai or not.. otherwise all the 1000's of Thais would not have any problems and there would not have been any crackdowns.

I now just drive around myself, went to MBK with my parents in the car, no problem. As long as my GPS works ok I can find it. I prefer my bike because it is faster and if you make a mistake you can go past traffic. But car is ok too if you train yourself to drive.

Only problem would be of-course if you go out for a drink my solutions is to avoid the taxi drivers as much as possible.

[richard_smith237]

On the few occasions I've had a driver refuse to take me, I assumed it was because of my poor language skills

Perhaps if you learned the language, you would have a far better understanding of Thailand, Thai culture, Thai attitudes, and Thai behavior.

You see this time and time again HG.

Westerner moves over, even lives here, fails to learn the language to the point where they cannot even communicate about where they want to go to. Despite that these are likely regular places for them to go.

It's little wonder they are so clueless about Thailand and Thais.

I've made the effort to learn the language. I can even read it - can you?

However, like 99% of expats - even, I suspect, those we see here claiming fluency - my pronunciation of Thai words is pretty poor, so sometimes I struggle to make myself understood.

Although I can't read my Thai speech is ok... If I tell a Thai I've lived here for 5 years they tell me how excellent my Thai is. If I tell someone I've lived here nearly 20 years they look at me like I'm an idiot !! - So my level of Thai is somewhere between.

I have no issues with Taxi drivers understanding me... While I understand that some of the issues people face may be related to language issues a good Taxi driver would always make the most effort to understand or at least try and let on that he doesnt understand.

However, some taxi drivers pick up on signs of weakness... i.e. know knowing their destination or route, recognising someone who speaks very little or no Thai.. etc...

So its not purely a language issue... It giving off signs that you have little local awareness that may permit and even encourage a less than honourable taxi driver to try and take advantage.... Its almost innocent and childlike in the way some may try and take advantage where and whenever they thing they can get away with it.

When dealing with a potentially dodgy taxi driver (the 10%) whether they can get away with it (taking advantage) or not for the most part is simply down to how we come across as a customer.

[SoiBiker]

I'd like to congratulate those who not only managed to learn Thai to a fluent level, but also did so before arriving here.

The rest of us, though, like me, learned along the way, and thus I'm sure have all had experiences where we were less understood than we are now.

But lets not get diverted by trolling. This is about Taxis, not who can speak the best Thai.

[Rimmer]

Troll posts and some quoted replies have been removed