Traveling in Bangkok by Taxi

[thaiduncankk]

I live in Isaan, and by coincidence, most of the drivers I get are normally from up here.

I have good conversations with them, if they have a basic grasp of English, which normally means a 'more than normal' tip.

I take it you are from Bangkok Mr Lie ?

[Apiwan2]

Sceptical or racist?

^^^ Where did that come from ???

Im Sceptical why the hell would you think im racist based on my post

This is written like no Thai I know would write english thats why im sceptical.

The nuances of English seem only from a Native English speaker not a European let alone a Thai educated here or even in the UK.

But hey , prove me wrong OP.

I can understand your scepticism.

However I have had drivers speak exceptional English.

Only ythe other day I approached a security guy started in Thai .then he spoke English better than some brits.

He just moved back from abroad.

Not every Thai only speaks Thai.

[The Big Mango]

Sceptical or racist?

^^^ Where did that come from ???

Im Sceptical why the hell would you think im racist based on my post

This is written like no Thai I know would write english thats why im sceptical.

The nuances of English seem only from a Native English speaker not a European let alone a Thai educated here or even in the UK.

But hey , prove me wrong OP.

I can understand your scepticism.

However I have had drivers speak exceptional English.

Only ythe other day I approached a security guy started in Thai .then he spoke English better than some brits.

He just moved back from abroad.

Not every Thai only speaks Thai.

Understand and I do agree ,

However this is written English , I have many many western educated Thai friends and none of them would write like this thats all.

His blog also started on the same day and his first post here , all very strange.

OP if you could let me know why you would join an english speaking forum just to post about you being a Thai taxi driver and giving us standard info on rates etc I would be gratefull ,

The curious side of me sometimes becomes synical and I would love to be proved wrong.

Heck post your phone number and ill book your taxi to say hi , as im sure many other members would too.

But as I say im synical and curious as the reason for the post.

You could be a very busy Taxi Driver if you prove to be not a Troll.

Edited January 11, 2016 by The Big Mango

[HidyHo]

Not every Thai only speaks Thai.

Nope, most taxi drivers are not Central Thai and also speak their home dialect, along with various level of other languages

And, here we are discussing the OP's English writing and not verbal which is a totally different ball game.

I've looked at the blog as well as this thread (is only thread on TV that OP has participated in so far) and am a skeptic/sceptic as well. I'm also a septic and, perhaps, a racist to a certain degree.

[SoiBiker]

Why would anyone pretend to be a taxi driver?

[stoneyboy]

Why would anyone pretend to be a taxi driver?

I've pretended to be a lot of things in the past but not on Internet forums I agree.

[Renrut]

Guys don't get me wrong, i just wanted to share things that i believe it might be useful somehow for the foreigners, that's why i come to this forum.

Anyway just finished my final job today bringing a couple from Turkey to the airport. luckily they are on time. I believe many taxis refuse to bring them to the airport. the first question i heard from this couple is how much does it cost from here (Ekamai Bus Station) to the Don Meung Airport. then i told them will turn on the meter coz i also not sure how much exactly will it cost.....

Well that is riveting, you posted about doing what the vast majority of taxi drivers in Bangkok also do, you took someone on a journey and used the meter. So what? I got a taxi from Suan Luang to Lam Lu Ka on the meter as usual earlier this morning but I didn't start a thread about it as nobody would be interested.

How is sharing information about your uneventful last pickup of the day "useful somehow" to anyone? Perhaps you just want clicks on your blog for some reason?

I really can't work out where you're going with your posts. You can't be soliciting for business as you've given no way for you to be contacted. Why don't you do that, you never know "it might be useful somehow for the foreigners"? Why not post your taxi ID and registration number then we can keep an eye open for you?

[Apiwan2]

Maybe the OP started with rates.

And will post further about life of a BKK cabbie .

[stoneyboy]

Guys don't get me wrong, i just wanted to share things that i believe it might be useful somehow for the foreigners, that's why i come to this forum.

Anyway just finished my final job today bringing a couple from Turkey to the airport. luckily they are on time. I believe many taxis refuse to bring them to the airport. the first question i heard from this couple is how much does it cost from here (Ekamai Bus Station) to the Don Meung Airport. then i told them will turn on the meter coz i also not sure how much exactly will it cost.....

Well that is riveting, you posted about doing what the vast majority of taxi drivers in Bangkok also do, you took someone on a journey and used the meter. So what? I got a taxi from Suan Luang to Lam Lu Ka on the meter as usual earlier this morning but I didn't start a thread about it as nobody would be interested.

How is sharing information about your uneventful last pickup of the day "useful somehow" to anyone? Perhaps you just want clicks on your blog for some reason?

I really can't work out where you're going with your posts. You can't be soliciting for business as you've given no way for you to be contacted. Why don't you do that, you never know "it might be useful somehow for the foreigners"? Why not post your taxi ID and registration number then we can keep an eye open for you?

I lost interest in this dubious thread when I asked for a quote for a taxi from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Lom Sak Phetchabun only to be told I've never been there I will stick the taxi meter on.

A job such as this is very profitable and most Bangkok Taxi drivers I've used in the past would have been all over it throwing out a quote in a matter of minutes with no mention of the meter.

Needless to say I know how much it runs not only on the meter but how much less I can make this trip for with a friendly quote which in turn is beneficial to all involved.

Inevitably I will be sticking to my usual Taxi driving friend who's taken me and numerous others on this journey hundreds of times.

The OP should practice on his opportunistic,entrepreneurial skills as opposed to giving information long term expats are fully aware of especially as he has gone out of his way to become a member on here,something I've never seen in the past.

His phone could and should be ringing off the hook after his master plan of self advertising on Thai Visa.

Cheers.

Edited January 11, 2016 by stoneyboy

[Mr Kie]

First of all, Thank you so much for every comments. and secondly i would like to apologize everyone if my written English is not understandable somehow.

Here I would like to clarify to everyone, i'm a taxi driver, i got into this job about 2 years ago, my father bought a second hand taxi and i first started helping him out when i finished my daytime job. then I got my driving licence for taxi on 12 Feb 2014. after that i fully work as a taxi driver and quit my daytime job.

my background is i from a small farming family from Northeastern of Thailand, Yasothon province, i did a lot of hard work in the past because we were poor, do farming just for a living. then when i got out off school,, i was granted to study in Holland for my Bachelor degree. that was when i really started learning English.

after i graduated, i started working with many international companies and finally quit. indeed i working on many things and one of this is taxi driver.

i respect everyone and just wanted to clarify every thing that you all curious about. so you can ask me anything that you wanted to know. some information i might not be able to give right here because i also don't know everyone well over here, even your profile some of you even don't put your own pic. never mind. i'm always nice to everyone. and again thank you so much for comment.....

[The Big Mango]

This just keeps getting better :-),

[Lumbini]

Tired of having to fight to get cab to use meter so UBER and the brilliant app they have has completely transformed things for me in a good way . If Bangkok does not make law that cab must use meter I will always from now on call UBER . As I live across from Lumpini UBER is always available and cabs in this area much of the time shake their head when I ask them to turn on meter . Thanks UBER .... If I were a cab driver here I would investigate selling my cab and switching to driving to UBER .

Edited January 11, 2016 by Lumbini

[swampdonkey]

Why would anyone pretend to be a taxi driver?

I've pretended to be a lot of things in the past but not on Internet forums I agree.

I was an astronaut on my last arrival card

[Howitzer]

cab drivers hate going to some places. if you're going to say central world for example or makkasan forget it.

[Howitzer]

Guys don't get me wrong, i just wanted to share things that i believe it might be useful somehow for the foreigners, that's why i come to this forum.

Anyway just finished my final job today bringing a couple from Turkey to the airport. luckily they are on time. I believe many taxis refuse to bring them to the airport. the first question i heard from this couple is how much does it cost from here (Ekamai Bus Station) to the Don Meung Airport. then i told them will turn on the meter coz i also not sure how much exactly will it cost.....

oh lord all the earlier drivers must have quoted them some high rate.

[Mr Kie]

cab drivers hate going to some places. if you're going to say central world for example or makkasan forget it.

that's true, here is the trick, if you able to talk a bit of Thai, and know a place near where you wanted to go then tell them that place instead, coz taxis might not know and then you tell them the direction. with this trick you might be able to catch taxi easier.

another notice, between the old driver and the young driver, my suggestion is go for the young one coz they are not yet experienced and will go everywhere you told them.

Edited January 12, 2016 by Mr Kie

[Renrut]

First of all, Thank you so much for every comments. and secondly i would like to apologize everyone if my written English is not understandable somehow.

Here I would like to clarify to everyone, i'm a taxi driver, i got into this job about 2 years ago, my father bought a second hand taxi and i first started helping him out when i finished my daytime job. then I got my driving licence for taxi on 12 Feb 2014. after that i fully work as a taxi driver and quit my daytime job.

my background is i from a small farming family from Northeastern of Thailand, Yasothon province, i did a lot of hard work in the past because we were poor, do farming just for a living. then when i got out off school,, i was granted to study in Holland for my Bachelor degree. that was when i really started learning English.

after i graduated, i started working with many international companies and finally quit. indeed i working on many things and one of this is taxi driver.

i respect everyone and just wanted to clarify every thing that you all curious about. so you can ask me anything that you wanted to know. some information i might not be able to give right here because i also don't know everyone well over here, even your profile some of you even don't put your own pic. never mind. i'm always nice to everyone. and again thank you so much for comment.....

No-one criticised your excellent English, some of us were, however, curious about the purpose of your OP which is still a bit of a mystery regardless of your desire to "clarify every thing". Perhaps you have found that posting here is a good way for you to practice your English?

One thing that you have confirmed though is that taxi driving must be a fairly lucrative occupation if you have given up positions with many international companies in order to do it.

What information re taxis could you possibly be withholding because you don't know us well enough and how would a picture on our posts help? If we used pictures of animals as our avatars as you are doing would you be able to tell us more?

[The Big Mango]

^^ lol

[jacky54]

Lol the language of a 12 year old, you have brought nothing to this thread other than negativity and implications that the OP is not Thai.

[Renrut]

cab drivers hate going to some places. if you're going to say central world for example or makkasan forget it.

that's true, here is the trick, if you able to talk a bit of Thai, and know a place near where you wanted to go then tell them that place instead, coz taxis might not know and then you tell them the direction. with this trick you might be able to catch taxi easier.

another notice, between the old driver and the young driver, my suggestion is go for the young one coz they are not yet experienced and will go everywhere you told them.

Now we know that you don't really know any more about Thai taxi drivers than we do! Since when do taxis accept fares when they don't know the destination? What a trick.

You are also suggesting that when we stop a taxi we should check his appearance to ascertain our interpretation of his age before we tell him where to go because you think that the old drivers are likely to be problematic? Another great trick.

Here's a trick for you to remember, you have started to substitute "coz" for "because" on a number of occasions, stop doing this as it lowers the tone of your posts unlike the excellent use of your scathing sarcasm in post #40 where you apologised for not making your English understandable enough.

Keep up the good work.

Edited January 12, 2016 by Renrut

[The Big Mango]

Lol the language of a 12 year old, you have brought nothing to this thread other than negativity and implications that the OP is not Thai.

Jees you dont like me do you ?

It seems your the odd one out in this thread in your opinion but hey thats what we are all entitled to isn't it ?

I trust youve pm'd the OP and have reserved his services.

P.S how did you know I was 12 ???

[Mr Kie]

cab drivers hate going to some places. if you're going to say central world for example or makkasan forget it.

that's true, here is the trick, if you able to talk a bit of Thai, and know a place near where you wanted to go then tell them that place instead, coz taxis might not know and then you tell them the direction. with this trick you might be able to catch taxi easier.

another notice, between the old driver and the young driver, my suggestion is go for the young one coz they are not yet experienced and will go everywhere you told them.

Now we know that you don't really know any more about Thai taxi drivers than we do! Since when do taxis accept fares when they don't know the destination? What a trick.

You are also suggesting that when we stop a taxi we should check his appearance to ascertain our interpretation of his age before we tell him where to go because you think that the old drivers are likely to be problematic? Another great trick.

I if you open your mind a bit more you will see more about Thai Taxi. I think you met many taxis just around your stay that's why you got a narrow minded

like i said earlier, if foreigner able to speak a bit of Thai and also know the way to go, don't tell the clouded area just tell them the place that is closed to, by telling this way most likely they will take you. then once you are in the cab try to keep talking with the driver, by doing this will help a lot.

what i mean about appearance because most of the old driver got more experiences and they know most of the places in Bangkok and know even when and where will make more profit. so if you ask the old taxis to go to Central World more than 50% will refuse you comparing to the younger driver. this is just give you an idea, i'm not telling to stop every taxis and checking their appearance.

another thing that you might have noticed why many people calling to the taxis parking around the hotel will never wanted to go by meter. these taxis they have to pay some amount of money to the hotel guy (i don't know who is that guy) just to be able to park their taxi around. Then they will charge your guys more to compensate to what he paid to the hotel guy.

this is just a tiny thing about Thai Taxi.... Some of you have been staying in Bangkok for many years that why you seem to know much more than others. TV is a worldwide website all about Thailand, i believe many people who planed to visit Thailand will search things out in Google and study for there on.....

[Mr Kie]

Don't you know some taxis like to cheating on the foreigners a lot. this is just one reason that i post about the standard price and how to check it, i thought it's useful, or you don't?. i talked to some taxis how they cheating on passengers, i learned a lot from them (they will not tell this to any passengers but me because i'm a taxi driver like them), they just simply modified the meter which they can turn switch on to keep the meter running faster than usual. if you guys never look at the screen how far the car moved and not compare to the actual distance from your phone, you will definitely don't know weather what is the right rate. that's why some taxis they love cheating on the foreigners. now you know how taxis maximizing their profits.

Another thing, I believe if you have been in Thailand long enough will heard about taxi mafia, especial in Soi NaNa, Suwannaphumi Airport and many other places. they are all keeping eye on you guys like a blood sucker.

Most of the taxis that dropping passenger in such an area it's more likely that they're from other area, so i recommend to take that kind of taxi, and often they will take you if they don't have problem with running out of gas.

Edited January 12, 2016 by Mr Kie

[Lumbini]

Like I said " UBER " was a real game changer for me so I no longer play the taxi $ game

[Mr Kie]

Like I said " UBER " was a real game changer for me so I no longer play the taxi $ game

Well...it actually depends on what you prefer..for example do you have more time to wait?, if so i suggest there are many app available out there e.g. Grabtaxi, Easy Taxi, or the brand new All Thai Taxi, then go for it, including UBER.

on the other hand if you don't have time, then just call the taxi on the road which is easier. many passengers i talked to including myself whenever they are in a rush they don't care weather it's new or old, the only thing that they do care about is to be there as soon as possible. by the way i have never used the UBER service before.

among Thai taxi if you prefer to have a better service, more polite, and better car, i recommend ALL Thai Taxi because they all using Brand New Toyota Prius which is a bit better than the Toyota Altis. this taxi service is owned by one of the best Bus Service Company. they would like to revolutionize the taxi service in Thailand. for me they are just too small right now (approx 500 i guess) comparing to the total of taxi in Bangkok which is more than 100,000 registered. and again most likely you have to wait.

[SoiBiker]

Maybe you should give Uber a try before deciding how slow it is?

Most of the time I can order one when I'm about to leave, and by the time I've picked up my wallet, put my shoes on, locked the door and gone downstairs it's arriving to collect me.

Edited January 12, 2016 by SoiBiker

[SoiBiker]

In fact I just checked. Nearest one right now is two minutes away.

[Apiwan2]

Like I said " UBER " was a real game changer for me so I no longer play the taxi $ game

But uber is more expensive than a metered taxi in BKK.

And also the guy pays 25% to uber.

So not that good for customers and drivers

[SoiBiker]

Like I said " UBER " was a real game changer for me so I no longer play the taxi $ game

But uber is more expensive than a metered taxi in BKK.

And also the guy pays 25% to uber.

So not that good for customers and drivers

Nope. UberX is competitive with meter taxis - generally a little cheaper for trips around town I find.

[Lumbini]

Mr. Kie you need to sign up and try unless you do not have a credit card ? UBER IS AKWAYS CHEAPER THAN CAB UNKESS THERE IS A LOW DEMAN BUT WHEN THAT HAPPENS I WAIT A FEW MINUTES AND AKWAYS RATES GO DOWN BUT 99% of time lower than cab .Never more than a few minutes away for me and all information about ride is stored and even able to rate driver immediately and now find out the driver gets to ride or a rating also . Once you try this app there is no going back if there is a situation where her car is not available you can always grab a cab. And when I do this it reminds me how different the Huber experiences again if I owned a cab in Bangkok I would sell it and start driving for Uber ASAP

Edited January 12, 2016 by Lumbini