Thank you my dear Thai taxi drivers

[Spock]

If you don't like the thread topic then don't read the replies or comment. I thought the topic was quite OK and something I could relate to from personal experience.

If you don't like the replies, don't read them or comment. See how easy it is to use your playground logic? Grow up.

These 'Inspire' topics are propaganda trolling and spinning to cast Thailand in a light that's already faded.

What absolute crap. The article is about learning Thai through conversing with ordinary people, in particular taxi drivers. It is not an 'inspire' article. And I hardly see what 'grow up' has to do with my comment. I just get sick of the desire of some posters to rip into anything that doesn't fit their negative agenda.

I see that... However, most posters are probably well balanced... They see an abundance of positive things in Thailand which is why they are living here, they also see great deal of negative things and would like to see improvement... much in the same way as Thai's do.

Of course, there are some overly negative, bitter and sadly twisted individuals who like to troll, however, a thread regarding taxi's brings out an abundance of negatively charged comments from numerous balanced posters for one very simple reason - Our experiences with Taxi's for the most part are generally negative.

I've been keeping sort of a mental running tally... Turn downs, poor driving, attempts at overcharging, refusal of meter etc... things I'm not happy with - I'm probably running at 7 negative experiences per 1 positive....

Others don't have these issues such as Soi Biker who made an interesting thread a while back which identified that it is perhaps location and time which more greatly influences negative experiences. I'm in central Sukhumvit so I guess thats a factor.

One things is for sure... My experiences of Taxi drivers (which of course differs from others) is most definitely not a positive one - In fact its a surprise to me when things run 'normally' without issue.

And, No... its not an easy Job for Taxi drivers, conditions are fairly poor, some passengers are probably quite impolite, but hey, my job isn't all roses either, we all work hard.

So, with balance in mind - I don't really agree with the article... I had some very good conversations with Taxi drivers, a very small percentage... but most are juvenile... "You have Thai Wife?... From Isaan? You like Boom Boom, I take you lady now"..... Its tiresome...

As you say, the area you live in will have a large influence over your view of taxi drivers. I understand fully your perspective living in Sukhumvit. Out in the sticks, the conversations with drivers are less sexually orientated and more pleasant and not one driver has refused to use a meter. Foreigners are more of a novelty out this way and drivers genuinely more curious and friendly. However your reply is perfectly reasonable and welcome in the context of the thread.

[SoiBiker]

I live in Sukhumvit too. Sure, the odd one refuses my destination now and then. But mostly they're fine, and I've never had a sexual conversation with one!

I think there's a lot of confirmation bias evident around this subject - people fixate on the one driver they feel spurned by, and forget the ten that were fine.

[richard_smith237]

I live in Sukhumvit too. Sure, the odd one refuses my destination now and then. But mostly they're fine, and I've never had a sexual conversation with one!

I think there's a lot of confirmation bias evident around this subject - people fixate on the one driver they feel spurned by, and forget the ten that were fine.

Wednesday night as a lone example...

10pm from Sukhumvit 20 to Prachachuern area.... (a B170 journey)

4 Taxi's refused

1 Taxi wanted B500

1 Taxi wanted B350

The 7th Taxi did take me, he wasn't the same guy in the Photo ID, but he drove well... I sat in the front seat so I had a seatbelt - I tipped him the B30 rounding up to B200 and thanked him for driving well.

At the end of the night, on the way home - the taxi was clean and new, had seat-belts in the back, the driver was polite enough, but drove erratically... a little worrying.

This is quite an average experience...

------

The following day I took a taxi to nearby (about B55) - the driver had no change for B100 so I had to nip out to a 7-11 along the way.

------

These issue's don't bother some - so I guess it depends on where you draw the line with regards to good vs negative experiences...

None of my experiences are particularly negative... and perhaps my expectations are a standard safe and honest service are a little too high, especially considering the awful transport options other Thai cities... so when making a comparison my judgement may be a little unfair...

After all, after 6 refusals, I took the 7th Taxi - it only cost me an additional 5 mins such is the frequency of taxi's... BUT... it does irritate and wear thin.

------

Edit: I must also point out in the interests of balance... The cost of taxi's here is incredible when compared to other capital cities. Given the additional frustrations Vs additional costs I'm happy to accept a few hassles just so long as my safety isn't compromised

Edited June 6, 2016 by richard_smith237

[thaihome]

I live in Sukhumvit too. Sure, the odd one refuses my destination now and then. But mostly they're fine, and I've never had a sexual conversation with one!

I think there's a lot of confirmation bias evident around this subject - people fixate on the one driver they feel spurned by, and forget the ten that were fine.

Wednesday night as a lone example...

10pm from Sukhumvit 20 to Prachachuern area.... (a B170 journey)

4 Taxi's refused

1 Taxi wanted B500

1 Taxi wanted B350

The 7th Taxi did take me, he wasn't the same guy in the Photo ID, but he drove well... I sat in the front seat so I had a seatbelt - I tipped him the B30 rounding up to B200 and thanked him for driving well.

At the end of the night, on the way home - the taxi was clean and new, had seat-belts in the back, the driver was polite enough, but drove erratically... a little worrying.

This is quite an average experience...

------

The following day I took a taxi to nearby (about B55) - the driver had no change for B100 so I had to nip out to a 7-11 along the way.

------

These issue's don't bother some - so I guess it depends on where you draw the line with regards to good vs negative experiences...

None of my experiences are particularly negative... and perhaps my expectations are a standard safe and honest service are a little too high, especially considering the awful transport options other Thai cities... so when making a comparison my judgement may be a little unfair...

After all, after 6 refusals, I took the 7th Taxi - it only cost me an additional 5 mins such is the frequency of taxi's... BUT... it does irritate and wear thin.

------

Edit: I must also point out in the interests of balance... The cost of taxi's here is incredible when compared to other capital cities. Given the additional frustrations Vs additional costs I'm happy to accept a few hassles just so long as my safety isn't compromised

In all fairness from sukhumvit 20 to Prachachuern at 10PM is asking g a lot from a taxi. That takes him completely out of his area and will likely have to deadhead back to Sukhumvit which is why you had trouble getting one off the street. He can make your 200 baht in 2 or 3 trips in the Sukhumvit area in half the time it took him to take you and get back.

TH

[falang khinok]

Most of the Thai cabbies are nice man who work too many hours. Its the few bad ones who give them all that bad name. It's not fair to say this article was paid for. More likely the man who wrote this has a Thai cabbie brother in law or friend he feels needs to be given a break from all the bashing.

Thats exactly what i think too 90 % on taxis was good experience pom rak thai taxis

[richard_smith237]

I live in Sukhumvit too. Sure, the odd one refuses my destination now and then. But mostly they're fine, and I've never had a sexual conversation with one!

I think there's a lot of confirmation bias evident around this subject - people fixate on the one driver they feel spurned by, and forget the ten that were fine.

Wednesday night as a lone example...

10pm from Sukhumvit 20 to Prachachuern area.... (a B170 journey)

4 Taxi's refused

1 Taxi wanted B500

1 Taxi wanted B350

The 7th Taxi did take me, he wasn't the same guy in the Photo ID, but he drove well... I sat in the front seat so I had a seatbelt - I tipped him the B30 rounding up to B200 and thanked him for driving well.

At the end of the night, on the way home - the taxi was clean and new, had seat-belts in the back, the driver was polite enough, but drove erratically... a little worrying.

This is quite an average experience...

------

The following day I took a taxi to nearby (about B55) - the driver had no change for B100 so I had to nip out to a 7-11 along the way.

------

These issue's don't bother some - so I guess it depends on where you draw the line with regards to good vs negative experiences...

None of my experiences are particularly negative... and perhaps my expectations are a standard safe and honest service are a little too high, especially considering the awful transport options other Thai cities... so when making a comparison my judgement may be a little unfair...

After all, after 6 refusals, I took the 7th Taxi - it only cost me an additional 5 mins such is the frequency of taxi's... BUT... it does irritate and wear thin.

------

Edit: I must also point out in the interests of balance... The cost of taxi's here is incredible when compared to other capital cities. Given the additional frustrations Vs additional costs I'm happy to accept a few hassles just so long as my safety isn't compromised

In all fairness from sukhumvit 20 to Prachachuern at 10PM is asking g a lot from a taxi. That takes him completely out of his area and will likely have to deadhead back to Sukhumvit which is why you had trouble getting one off the street. He can make your 200 baht in 2 or 3 trips in the Sukhumvit area in half the time it took him to take you and get back.

TH

I agree, one of them actually said (in Thai) that its too far.... BUT, there are parts of my job I'm not best pleased with, I still have to do it.

Upon receiving their Taxi drivers licence taxi drivers agree to a set of rules - by following these rules they provide a level of agreed service throughout the City.

Of course, not many do and I'm not so sympathetic when 6 in a row refuse to take me.

I don't consider this to be a major issue, rather its a minor irritation with having to deal with Taxi's and is balanced and made more tolerable by the low cost of taxi's.

That said, I'm hardly singing the praises of BKK taxi's as some do.... In my experience they are not as great and trouble or hassle free as many others seem to experience.

-------

The funniest (in hindsight) was 'The farter'... Yep, thats right, shortly after getting in the Taxi, the driver guffed, quite horrifically... it was sickening, I'd had a few beers and this nearly pushed me over the Chunder cliff... My friend and I had to get out... We were laughing about it, but couldn't go on any more, opening the windows didn't offer much release from the 'guff cushion' surrounding us... I felt like it was sticking to our clothes !

[SoiBiker]

I live in Sukhumvit too. Sure, the odd one refuses my destination now and then. But mostly they're fine, and I've never had a sexual conversation with one!

I think there's a lot of confirmation bias evident around this subject - people fixate on the one driver they feel spurned by, and forget the ten that were fine.

Wednesday night as a lone example...

10pm from Sukhumvit 20 to Prachachuern area.... (a B170 journey)

4 Taxi's refused

1 Taxi wanted B500

1 Taxi wanted B350

The 7th Taxi did take me, he wasn't the same guy in the Photo ID, but he drove well... I sat in the front seat so I had a seatbelt - I tipped him the B30 rounding up to B200 and thanked him for driving well.

At the end of the night, on the way home - the taxi was clean and new, had seat-belts in the back, the driver was polite enough, but drove erratically... a little worrying.

This is quite an average experience...

------

The following day I took a taxi to nearby (about B55) - the driver had no change for B100 so I had to nip out to a 7-11 along the way.

------

These issue's don't bother some - so I guess it depends on where you draw the line with regards to good vs negative experiences...

None of my experiences are particularly negative... and perhaps my expectations are a standard safe and honest service are a little too high, especially considering the awful transport options other Thai cities... so when making a comparison my judgement may be a little unfair...

After all, after 6 refusals, I took the 7th Taxi - it only cost me an additional 5 mins such is the frequency of taxi's... BUT... it does irritate and wear thin.

------

Edit: I must also point out in the interests of balance... The cost of taxi's here is incredible when compared to other capital cities. Given the additional frustrations Vs additional costs I'm happy to accept a few hassles just so long as my safety isn't compromised

In all fairness from sukhumvit 20 to Prachachuern at 10PM is asking g a lot from a taxi. That takes him completely out of his area and will likely have to deadhead back to Sukhumvit which is why you had trouble getting one off the street. He can make your 200 baht in 2 or 3 trips in the Sukhumvit area in half the time it took him to take you and get back.

TH

I agree, one of them actually said (in Thai) that its too far.... BUT, there are parts of my job I'm not best pleased with, I still have to do it.

Upon receiving their Taxi drivers licence taxi drivers agree to a set of rules - by following these rules they provide a level of agreed service throughout the City.

Of course, not many do and I'm not so sympathetic when 6 in a row refuse to take me.

I don't consider this to be a major issue, rather its a minor irritation with having to deal with Taxi's and is balanced and made more tolerable by the low cost of taxi's.

That said, I'm hardly singing the praises of BKK taxi's as some do.... In my experience they are not as great and trouble or hassle free as many others seem to experience.

-------

The funniest (in hindsight) was 'The farter'... Yep, thats right, shortly after getting in the Taxi, the driver guffed, quite horrifically... it was sickening, I'd had a few beers and this nearly pushed me over the Chunder cliff... My friend and I had to get out... We were laughing about it, but couldn't go on any more, opening the windows didn't offer much release from the 'guff cushion' surrounding us... I felt like it was sticking to our clothes !

Isn't the rule that they're obliged to take you anywhere within the city limits? Was your destination within those limits?

[El dee]

Thai taxi

[Squeegee]

If you don't like the thread topic then don't read the replies or comment. I thought the topic was quite OK and something I could relate to from personal experience.

If you don't like the replies, don't read them or comment. See how easy it is to use your playground logic? Grow up.

These 'Inspire' topics are propaganda trolling and spinning to cast Thailand in a light that's already faded.

What absolute crap. The article is about learning Thai through conversing with ordinary people, in particular taxi drivers. It is not an 'inspire' article. And I hardly see what 'grow up' has to do with my comment. I just get sick of the desire of some posters to rip into anything that doesn't fit their negative agenda.

Yes it is absolute crap you started by posting negatively about negative posters. That's now the second count in which you've shown yourself to be a hypocrite. People with a negative agenda indeed. At least they are reacting to the story, unlike you, Mr Not Negative.

Edited June 7, 2016 by Squeegee

[Oceanbat]

I avoid them unless absolutely necessary. Had a couple of shockers who weren't happy with taking me where I wanted to go and drove like a maniac. My Wife also avoids taking them if she has my kids with her. I take pretty much Uber everywhere. The cars are clean and don't smell like garlic and farts and the drivers drive a lot more carefully.

OB

[richard_smith237]

Isn't the rule that they're obliged to take you anywhere within the city limits? Was your destination within those limits?

A 170 B taxi ride.... Prachachuern... (close to Lad Prao & Ratchiothin and closer than Nganwongwan, and much closer than Don Muang).... I'd guess within Bangkok City Limits.

The reality has already been touched upon.... The Taxi drivers refusing the fare thought they could do better staying in the area.

No big deal, I still got there.... but it's in contrast with the flawless BKK taxi services other posters suggest.

Usually I'd take UBER - but they're not always available, so in that respect, Taxi's are a viable backup and we need them in their ubiquity to keep the prices of the better services (i.e. UBER. GrabCar) down... from this perspective ++ for the taxi's !!

[fishbrando]

I've taken quite a few taxis in my years here and have had enough bad experiences that I now take Uber whenever possible.

I could make a huge list of all the bad experiences I've had but my biggest complaint is that they try to avoid you or rip you off when you most need a taxi, e.g. in the middle of the night when there are no other options.

My favorite experience was after seeing a movie at Siam Paragon, after the BTS was closed. I waited with my friend on the street and watched as taxis turned off their on-duty lights as they drove past us. I called up an Uber and the driver picked us up in 5 minutes and took us to our destination with a smile.

The other big complaint is the way most taxis remove their back seat belts (probably because it makes it easier to clean the seats). Bangkok roads are dangerous enough even with safety belts in place; to take them out is criminal.

[balo]

So what is the poin with this story , OP is a sponsor but why should this article end up as feature news on Thaivisa?

[Scouse Twoccer]

Inspire' articles should have a clue in the title so we do not click on their non-stories and can move on to something interesting.

They do have that clue word, it's 'Inspire'. Best not to bother with it when you see that word.