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Banana Bike – The answer to your Bangkok Motorbike Taxi nightmare



The recent launch of an app that is available on both Android and iOS looks to be answer to any taxi issues that you may experience in Bangkok.

The app, known as Banana Bike, opens up a whole host of options including the ability to book a Motorbike taxi or tuk tuk as well as the facility to arrange food or parcel delivery.

There have been similar apps released previously but each has had their flaws but Banana Bike seems to address these to give you something that is practical and workable.

After you have installed the app and you go into it you will be given a range of options including Motorbike Bike Taxi, Tuk Tuk,Package Delivery or 7Shop.

Finding your way around the app is quite straightforward with the on screen prompts being self-explanatory although you may not appreciate fully the range of facilities that each option has.

The 7Shop option for example allows you to order a selection of items from your local convenience store.

These can include, drinks, food,snacks along with every other day items. This is great if you are ill or just feeling lazy as the burden of the trek to the top of the soi can be eliminated by just raising a finger and simply tapping on your smartphone and selecting from the wide range of items that are available.

Your delivery will be with you in a matter of minutes and you won’t even have to leave your house or condo.

When you are finally looking to leave your house or condo you have the option of choosing a motorbike taxi or tuk tuk All you have to do is let the app know where you want to go in the Pick Me Up option and Banana Bike does the rest.

The app uses Google Maps for Android, Apple Maps for IOS and Foursquare for both operating systems to assist the driver in finding the location.

It might not be fool proof but it is a significant improvement on what was available just a couple of years ago that often led to tantrums and frustrations on both parts when destinations couldn’t be found.

The app works by informing nearby drivers of your confirmed journey. Those drivers who are interested in the fare will enter rival bids. This ensures that you get the cheapest ride available as well as being able to choose the one who is in closest proximity.

You get to choose your driver if you have a particular favourite or alternatively wish to avoid one and know the price up front so the chances of getting ripped off are almost nil Banana Bike provides you with a cheap and reliable ride that is as convenient as just tapping the screen on your smartphone

The App fee is 1 banana that is the equivalent to 10 Baht you can select to pay this in Cash on top of the winning drivers bid or alternatively pay 1 Banana from your credit on your account leaving you to pay only the winning driver for your journey.

When you open your account you will be instantly credited with 15 bananas –THB150.

You can buy more of the banana credits to use for future rides and the more bananas you buy the more you get for free.

If you run out of bananas just pay the driver an extra THB10 on top their winning price for your journey and the driver will pay this banana from their credit.

An electronic Wallet enables you to easily keep track of your Bananas.

The Package Delivery function is basically a courier services that goes above and beyond what currently available You can select the size, weight and type of package which ensures that when the vehicle arrives it is capable of carrying your item through the busy Bangkok traffic.

Packages in excess of 20kg will automatically be delivered by tuk tuk with this being the apps default setting.

We appreciate that Bangkok taxi drivers can carry most things but heavier items are far safer in the back of a tuk tuk than under a motorbike taxi drivers arm.

Banana Bike only uses trusted motorbike taxi drivers who are officially licensed –the ones in orange vests who have the yellow number plates. This gives you the peace of mind that your ride will be completely legal and properly licensed.

Banana Bike will be the answer you are searching for the next time that you are stuck in congested traffic or waiting on the corner of a soi for the next available ride It is quick and easy to use so just sit back and enjoy the ride.

Download Banana Bike on iOS and Android

Visit the Banana Bike website for more information

[Kasset Tak]

Aa no need to legalize UBER and GrabBike as there already is an alternative available that use already legal, registered drivers and not unregistered nutcases like that UBER driver in the States!

[impulse]

I like the idea, and it seems they've kept it legal. I especially want to try some deliveries when I'm too lazy to head off to the 7/11 for something I ran out of.

Now we'll see what happens when they poach a customer from in front of one of the more expensive corners to own a vest.

I recall when I first came to Thailand and tried to hail a moving taxi in front of my hotel. The guys who paid to sit there and gouge the hotel guests (which is why I refused to use them) almost pulled one driver who stopped out of his car. I quickly learned I needed to walk down the street 50-100 meters to hail a taxi.

Still, I like the motosai guys in my neighborhood, so I hope this doesn't disrupt their means of making a living.

[DrTuner]

Fits. Banana republic.

[richard_smith237]

I like the idea, and it seems they've kept it legal. I especially want to try some deliveries when I'm too lazy to head off to the 7/11 for something I ran out of.

Now we'll see what happens when they poach a customer from in front of one of the more expensive corners to own a vest.

I recall when I first came to Thailand and tried to hail a moving taxi in front of my hotel. The guys who paid to sit there and gouge the hotel guests (which is why I refused to use them) almost pulled one driver who stopped out of his car. I quickly learned I needed to walk down the street 50-100 meters to hail a taxi.

Still, I like the motosai guys in my neighborhood, so I hope this doesn't disrupt their means of making a living.

I suspect this will benefit them... The added convenience means that instead of getting my Wife to drop me at a BTS I can call Banana Bike which it seems uses the Motosai guys.

Additionally: Have friends round and have run out of Beer and Ice - this system takes care of it !!!...

On the surface it seems like a great idea - IF the Motosai guys themselves adapt, which in turn means they would have to have a 'smart phone'... I guess these days most will.

[impulse]

Fits. Banana republic.

Thank goodness for that. Otherwise, a lot of the guys that amuse us here on TVF couldn't afford to live here.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Is this thread a paid/sponsored post/ad???

It certainly reads like one. Or a verbatim press release, at best.

Shouldn't advertisements be labeled as such?

[ozyjon]

Where Do I Sit

[mikebell]

I avoid bananas in Thailand since seeing how they were devoured in a Go-Go bar.

[Monkeyrobot]

I have lived in my Soi for 3 years all the motor bike taxi guys know me but still want to overcharge me for a fare. Say I wanted to go to the main road which is about 400 meters its 10b for a Thai and 30b for farang, I don't even bother anymore I just walk it, so now they get nothing, if they were to charge me the correct fare I would use them on a daily basis. They soon will wonder why they are loosing customers,. I also use grab a taxi and when they turn up I see the other taxi guys that hang around are not impressed. Greed will be there downfall.

[Guest]

Is this thread a paid/sponsored post/ad???

It certainly reads like one. Or a verbatim press release, at best.

Shouldn't advertisements be labeled as such?

Ain't rocket science bro'

Woops .. this is TV "Shoot first, aim later"

[Guest]

I have lived in my Soi for 3 years all the motor bike taxi guys know me but still want to overcharge me for a fare. Say I wanted to go to the main road which is about 400 meters its 10b for a Thai and 30b for farang, I don't even bother anymore I just walk it, so now they get nothing, if they were to charge me the correct fare I would use them on a daily basis. They soon will wonder why they are loosing customers,. I also use grab a taxi and when they turn up I see the other taxi guys that hang around are not impressed. Greed will be there downfall.

3 years and you don't know what to do? Really?

When you are 100% confident that locals are paying "X" ... you simply get on ... tell them where to go ..

Get off, calmly hand them "X" baht and walk away.

Do not turn around .. just keep walking.

Rinse and repeat.

[Guest]

We are lucky to have security guards with walkie talkies to get us cabs and motor bikes .. but can see this as a really positive step for people far off the beaten path ... or on those Sukhumbit sois that get so jammed that the only option is a motobike.

I hope users will not ruin it by expecting unrealistic prices .. folks .. convenience comes with a price!

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Is this thread a paid/sponsored post/ad???

It certainly reads like one. Or a verbatim press release, at best.

Shouldn't advertisements be labeled as such?

Ain't rocket science bro'

Woops .. this is TV "Shoot first, aim later"

That "Advertisement" tag is for the obvious ads that appear on all ThaiVisa pages, unless they're blocked by AdBlock as they are in my browser, until I turn it off as the image below shows.

It's not a tag for the quasi-advertising Banana thing that's the subject of the thread.

[Guest]

Is this thread a paid/sponsored post/ad???

It certainly reads like one. Or a verbatim press release, at best.

Shouldn't advertisements be labeled as such?

Ain't rocket science bro'

Woops .. this is TV "Shoot first, aim later"

That "Advertisement" tag is for the obvious ads that appear on all ThaiVisa pages, unless they're blocked by AdBlock as they are in my browser, until I turn it off as the image below shows.

It's not a tag for the quasi-advertising Banana thing that's the subject of the thread.

PS0477.jpg

* Sigh *

How about the "Presented by" .. did that tip you off at all ... since this is obviously a paid ad?

There really is no end to having to explain the obvious to many TV readers.

[Agent Sumo]

I'm in between Asoke and Nana.

Wanted to go to EM Quartier @ Phrom Phong

Used this Banana Bike

8 drivers nearby

Not one bid for my journey

Tried GrabBike, guy was here in 5 minutes

He dropped me off and left with 100 baht nestling in his back pocket

[bainai144]

Is this thread a paid/sponsored post/ad???

It certainly reads like one. Or a verbatim press release, at best.

Shouldn't advertisements be labeled as such?

Ain't rocket science bro'

Woops .. this is TV "Shoot first, aim later"

That "Advertisement" tag is for the obvious ads that appear on all ThaiVisa pages, unless they're blocked by AdBlock as they are in my browser, until I turn it off as the image below shows.

It's not a tag for the quasi-advertising Banana thing that's the subject of the thread.

PS0477.jpg

* Sigh *

How about the "Presented by" .. did that tip you off at all ... since this is obviously a paid ad?

There really is no end to having to explain the obvious to many TV readers.

"Advert Presented by" would be much to obvious, nobody would want to read it, aw wait, the penny just dropped

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Normally in the past, when advertisers had sponsored threads, the advertiser itself had a ThaiVisa ID and the post was made under their ID with the ID being labeled "Sponsor."

In those cases, it was clear the thread and post was a sponsored one. No problem with that.

In this case, this thread was originated by a ThaiVisa admin who is (or was) one of the primary news article posters and the OP post here was written kind of like a news report. Not quite the same thing.

[Guest]

I'm in between Asoke and Nana.

Wanted to go to EM Quartier @ Phrom Phong

Used this Banana Bike

8 drivers nearby

Not one bid for my journey

Tried GrabBike, guy was here in 5 minutes

He dropped me off and left with 100 baht nestling in his back pocket

wow ... a 30 - 40 baht ride for 100 ... and you are patting yourself on the back.

Thanks from all the Expats (sarcasm) --- to guys like you who drive up prices and make getting a "meter ride" near impossible on a lot of Sukhumvit.

Funny part is , you are probably the one to cry the loudest when drivers ask for 300 baht to go one kilometer.

Dude, trust me ... if you put up your hand and tell ANY motorbike that you will pay triple the normal price ... you should be well on your way ... with them laughing at you !

Really .. at that price .. why not just take a nice, safe air con Taxi ??????????

[lvr181]

Is this thread a paid/sponsored post/ad???

It certainly reads like one. Or a verbatim press release, at best.

Shouldn't advertisements be labeled as such?

An 'advertorial' perhaps?

[richard_smith237]

I'm in between Asoke and Nana.

Wanted to go to EM Quartier @ Phrom Phong

Used this Banana Bike

8 drivers nearby

Not one bid for my journey

Tried GrabBike, guy was here in 5 minutes

He dropped me off and left with 100 baht nestling in his back pocket

Same here... I'm near Asoke - traffic was terrible, I thought I'd give Banana Bike a try..

nothing... no bids for the journey.

I popped downstairs, security called a MotoTaxi, I was on my way within 2 mins.

----

It seems that Banana bike requires more moto-drivers signing up and actually bidding for journeys.

It's in its infancy, my guess is that as a service it should improve and become useful as more people use it.

[impulse]

It seems that Banana bike requires more moto-drivers signing up and actually bidding for journeys.

It's in its infancy, my guess is that as a service it should improve and become useful as more people use it.

I'd hope so- though I'm more interested in the delivery part of the service. But there's always the possibility that Banana Bike is taking a disproportionate bite out of each ride and they'll never hit critical mass.

Or maybe the time and effort required to bid on a ride, combined with the poor odds of actually being the low bid, combined with the paltry amount of the low bids, makes the drivers say "why bother?"

Makes the set fee business model look pretty appealing.

Edited June 20, 2016 by impulse

[Agent Sumo]

I'm in between Asoke and Nana.

Wanted to go to EM Quartier @ Phrom Phong

Used this Banana Bike

8 drivers nearby

Not one bid for my journey

Tried GrabBike, guy was here in 5 minutes

He dropped me off and left with 100 baht nestling in his back pocket

wow ... a 30 - 40 baht ride for 100 ... and you are patting yourself on the back.

Thanks from all the Expats (sarcasm) --- to guys like you who drive up prices and make getting a "meter ride" near impossible on a lot of Sukhumvit.

Funny part is , you are probably the one to cry the loudest when drivers ask for 300 baht to go one kilometer.

Dude, trust me ... if you put up your hand and tell ANY motorbike that you will pay triple the normal price ... you should be well on your way ... with them laughing at you !

Really .. at that price .. why not just take a nice, safe air con Taxi ??????????

You're talking loud but you're saying nothing

The official price for the ride was exactly 42 baht but because he was courteous and rode responsibly in horrendous traffic, I felt 42 baht would have been robbing him.

So I gave him 100 baht

I don't take a nice air-conditioned taxi because of - wait for it, Einstein - the traffic

[NoshowJones]

We are lucky to have security guards with walkie talkies to get us cabs and motor bikes .. but can see this as a really positive step for people far off the beaten path ... or on those Sukhumbit sois that get so jammed that the only option is a motobike.

I hope users will not ruin it by expecting unrealistic prices .. folks .. convenience comes with a price!

and I hope that motorbike taxis will not try to charge 50 Bt for 20Bt fares as they have tried to do to me.

[B1TcoinLife]

I'm in between Asoke and Nana.

Wanted to go to EM Quartier @ Phrom Phong

Used this Banana Bike

8 drivers nearby

Not one bid for my journey

Tried GrabBike, guy was here in 5 minutes

He dropped me off and left with 100 baht nestling in his back pocket

You paid him about double or triple what that journey would cost a Thai.... Thx for keeping the overcharging stupid farangs idea real

[Agent Sumo]

I'm in between Asoke and Nana.

Wanted to go to EM Quartier @ Phrom Phong

Used this Banana Bike

8 drivers nearby

Not one bid for my journey

Tried GrabBike, guy was here in 5 minutes

He dropped me off and left with 100 baht nestling in his back pocket

You paid him about double or triple what that journey would cost a Thai.... Thx for keeping the overcharging stupid farangs idea real

You don't know how Grab works, do you?

[Rc2702]

Great idea hope this pans out of course some teething problems will occur but utilising the bikers and then rating them etc will prove very useful and at some point in the future it will be easy to spot the men from the boys. Also for the tuk tuks a plagued industry with a real opportunity to change that perception and add some value to expat/thai lives. Personally I would use the tuk tuk for deliveries etc as much as possible as that industry is in dire need of a facelift. Good luck

[mcfish]

I have lived in my Soi for 3 years all the motor bike taxi guys know me but still want to overcharge me for a fare. Say I wanted to go to the main road which is about 400 meters its 10b for a Thai and 30b for farang, I don't even bother anymore I just walk it, so now they get nothing, if they were to charge me the correct fare I would use them on a daily basis. They soon will wonder why they are loosing customers,. I also use grab a taxi and when they turn up I see the other taxi guys that hang around are not impressed. Greed will be there downfall.

Farang are about triple the weight of a Thai , triple the bike wear and tear , triple the price. I cant be bothered fighting over 20 baht

[B1TcoinLife]

I have lived in my Soi for 3 years all the motor bike taxi guys know me but still want to overcharge me for a fare. Say I wanted to go to the main road which is about 400 meters its 10b for a Thai and 30b for farang, I don't even bother anymore I just walk it, so now they get nothing, if they were to charge me the correct fare I would use them on a daily basis. They soon will wonder why they are loosing customers,. I also use grab a taxi and when they turn up I see the other taxi guys that hang around are not impressed. Greed will be there downfall.

Farang are about triple the weight of a Thai , triple the bike wear and tear , triple the price. I cant be bothered fighting over 20 baht

You don't know much about bikes I can gather...

Oho, and fat Thais pay the same as thin ones but keep on keeping on.....you're doing a good job sir

[kingalfred]

Banana bike overpriced nonsense. Ubermoto were under cutting the "orange jacket hang around taxi Motos"  so they were banned. Banana app charges at least double the Moto taxis so I'm sure they"ll be allowed to continue,but won't be getting much business 

Edited August 25, 2016 by kingalfred