Prime Minister orders overhaul of metered taxis in six tourist hot spots

[churchill]

'Following a barrage of complaints about meter taxi drivers in tourist areas the Prime Minister’s office has ordered an overhaul to take place in six tourist hot spots. It has been announced that Chiang Mai, Chiang Ria, Pattaya, Hat Yai, Phuket and Samui will all go under the spotlight.' ..

.. 'Problems with taxis are well known in Samui where fairs are so ridiculously high many locals and ex-pats refuse to use them, many believe this is a major contributing factor to the daily carnage on Samui roads with drink driving being common place in the evenings. One ex-pat who did not wish to be named told us “who can afford to pay over 1000 baht return trip to go out for a few beers in the evening? We have no choice but to drink drive with fairs like that and I am not talking a long way either that is just Bangrak to Bophut for God sake”.' continued ..

http://www.samuitimes.com/prime-minister-orders-overhaul-of-metered-taxis-in-six-tourist-hot-spots/

[khunPer]

The Taxi-fare at Samui is All Right – meter with start fee of 50 baht and 50 baht surcharge – compared with the extra costs living and operating a taxi here .
But refusing to drive "on meter" and overcharging almost everybody is a scam ; and that should be punished hard, as it spoils the so much wanted tourist-business at both Samui and in Thailand in general.

[orchis]

Chiang rai was/is never a problem

[evadgib]

If I ever find Alladin's lamp my first wish will be...

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2bxPZGmR_EE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[TheLobster]

The Taxi-fare at Samui is All Right – meter with start fee of 50 baht and 50 baht surcharge

BS

[Basil B]

I only used a taxi once on Samui... 200B for 400m, if I had known how far it was I would have walked.

It leave a nasty taste in the mouth after paying only 35B for much longer distances in Bangkok.

Edited February 10, 2016 by Basil B

[SamuiRes]

Driving back from Lamai on Monday there was a large meeting of Taxi drivers in Chaweng Noi. I suspect that had heard the news as well!

It will take the Army to sort this out as the BIB have never had the will (or courage) to do so.

[smokie36]

Taxis on Samui are a joke and one of the major reasons I spend less and less time there.

[Morakot]

Prime Minister orders overhaul of metered taxis in six tourist hot spots

Micromanagement par excellence.

[notmyself]

There is a good thread from a year or so ago on this. I might have a search for it later.

Last year (or was it the year before), it was around the time but before the start of the 50 Baht surcharge which I don't have an issue with, all taxis had to have a meter. That actually worked I believe so now all taxis on Samui have a meter.... great. How are you going to get the drivers to use them huh? Send out a few BiB grunts in full uniform to take random taxi journeys and report back that the meter was always used? C'mon.

[evadgib]

Not once have I met anyone or seen anything online confirming that a meter has ever been used, save perhaps for the red 'for hire' sign in Thai that sits in the window and serves only as bait.

Related link from Sep 14:

http://www.samuitimes.com/complaints-coming-distressed-tourist-ripped-samui-taxis

Edited February 11, 2016 by evadgib

[Basil B]

I assume by not using the meter they also avoid paying tax on on their income.

Maybe they should be assessed on the vehicles mileage based on 200B/km

[notmyself]

Not once have I met anyone or seen anything online confirming that a meter has ever been used, save perhaps for the red 'for hire' sign in Thai that sits in the window and serves only as bait.

Never seen it and I've been here since '99.

[carmine]

That old chestnut again! yawn.

Whatever next, the roads are going to be policed, wearing helmets enforced, regulate the jet skis, blah blah blah. And to think such crap is still being printed.