Uber patrons in Chiang Mai

[millwall_fan]

21 minutes ago, stament said:

Is that an app Millwall fan?  

GRAB is an app. Yes. 

[bubba]

There was another thread running about Uber in CNX, and I posted my recent experience there, so...

 

I just did a trip to Chiang Mai and had a very good experience using Uber. Very inexpensive to use, good cars and drivers as well. There is a flat rate of 150 baht to the airport, which I did. The driver even had a pass to take a short cut through the RTAF base and with the traffic being horrendous in Chiang Mai this weekend, that saved a lot of time. The driver was female, spoke excellent English and was a real pleasure to talk with for the journey.

 

A short journey from around Tapae gate to Maya cost me 53 baht. At least for me, well worth the differential from flagging down a Songthaew.

[stament]

21 minutes ago, bubba said:

There was another thread running about Uber in CNX, and I posted my recent experience there, so...

 

I just did a trip to Chiang Mai and had a very good experience using Uber. Very inexpensive to use, good cars and drivers as well. There is a flat rate of 150 baht to the airport, which I did. The driver even had a pass to take a short cut through the RTAF base and with the traffic being horrendous in Chiang Mai this weekend, that saved a lot of time. The driver was female, spoke excellent English and was a real pleasure to talk with for the journey.

 

A short journey from around Tapae gate to Maya cost me 53 baht. At least for me, well worth the differential from flagging down a Songthaew.

Did you pay by credit card? Is paying by cash an option or compulsory card?

[bubba]

I have a credit card registered with Uber and use that. Makes things very simple. 

 

I can't remember whether cash was an option in Chiang Mai. Uber provide a cash option in some cities, including BKK.

 

https://newsroom.uber.com/thailand/ubercashbkken/

[brissy allan and lynda]

Paying cash ..download and instal the Uber app first, which provided me with the opportunity to select cash as the payment method ... if u just register, not using the Uber app, then only card provided as payment method

Used Uber a number of times in last week .. very impressed and will continue to use them ... also theres been a number of trip discounts on offer, so have taken advantage off these to have a look around.

[bubba]

From the other thread running on Uber in Chiang Mai:

 

Quote

 

Used Uber again this weekend going from Loi Kroh to Nimman , one time 75 baht , back 60 bath.

Uber gave me a promotion that took 50 baht of from both rides , so i only had to pay 25 and 10 baht , which left the rest of the 100 baht as a tip for the excellent drivers

 

 

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/953882-we-are-a-big-hit-in-chiang-mai-–-says-uber/?page=3#comment-11384744

[SooKee]

 
20 baht is an obscene price? 

Try taking a red from town to Hangdong. 3-400. Yes. That's obscene for a crap open air truck with the stupid low roofs. Friend of mine who is actually Thai local copped 400 for Nimman to Hangdong, so it's not a westerner to rip off thing.


Posted using Tapatalk

[1FinickyOne]

2 minutes ago, SooKee said:

 

Try taking a red from town to Hangdong. 3-400. Yes. That's obscene for a crap open air truck with the stupid low roofs. Friend of mine who is actually Thai local copped 400 for Nimman to Hangdong, so it's not a westerner to rip off thing.


Posted using Tapatalk

 

 

It is a negotiated fare... if you find the price too high for you, then don't go... if you find it a crap open air truck, then maybe you should find another way to go... if that road to Hang Dong is a massive traffic jam, then maybe it is not profitable for the driver to make that trip. If it is a breeze, I am sure you will find someone glad to do it for less. It is a competitive market. 

[bubba]

I just did a cost estimate with Uber from Nimman to Hang Dong and came up with 450 baht.

 

I reckon the extra 50 baht for an air conditioned car is worth it over the price of a songthaew.

[SooKee]

Normally I can get a taxi for 250 from town to a Hangdong. 300-400 at night, esp after 12.

400 for a Songtaew no way. I'm well aware of the way things work here and competitive market thanks. I'm quoting the fare as an example. Negotiated it may be. I still consider it exorbitant to pay 400 in a crappy open air converted truck for a 25 minute traffic free trip when in BKK you can get a taxi at midnight from Silom to Suthisasan (about 1 hour with the traffic) for 107 baht.


Sent using Tapatalk

[WinnieTheKhwai]

 

58 minutes ago, SooKee said:

400 for a Songtaew no way. I'm well aware of the way things work here and competitive market thanks. I'm quoting the fare as an example. Negotiated it may be. I still consider it exorbitant to pay 400 in a crappy open air converted truck for a 25 minute traffic free trip when in BKK you can get a taxi at midnight from Silom to Suthisasan (about 1 hour with the traffic) for 107 baht.

 

I couldn't agree more.

 

Red Buses are great during the day for short trips around town, but it all falls apart at dusk, and/or for slightly longer trips.

[sanemax]

10 hours ago, millwall_fan said:

Don't ask them how much it is or they'll assume you want a private hire. Tell the driver where you want to go, if he nods get in and give him 20B when you get out. 

 

  Sometimes though, when I get to my destination, the driver asks for more money, say 50 Baht , so I always confirm the fare before I get in .

   Sometimes its 20 Baht . 

If theres a few people its usually 20 Baht each , and if Im on my own and no one else gets picked up along the way, they usually want a bit more .

   I do think that they are being fair, because some simply refuse to take me places for 20 Baht

 

[millwall_fan]

2 hours ago, WinnieTheKhwai said:

 

 

I couldn't agree more.

 

Red Buses are great during the day for short trips around town, but it all falls apart at dusk, and/or for slightly longer trips.

I don't agree. We've always managed to get a Songthaew to take us back from town to Nong Hoi after midnight. We pay them 100B. They are happy. If they take us right to the door of the condo they get a 20B tip. Far prefer Songthaew to tuk-tuks but will try Uber.

[dingdongrb]

22 hours ago, stament said:

Did you pay by credit card? Is paying by cash an option or compulsory card?

 

Using a credit card for 53 THB is ridiculous.

 

BTW, as I mentioned here before, I never use a CC for anything in Thailand other than drawing money out from an ATM (debit card). I don't trust being scammed and having someone jack my card info.

[stament]

7 minutes ago, dingdongrb said:

 

Using a credit card for 53 THB is ridiculous.

I agree entirely but I was told by my friend that paying by cash in CM isn't an option. Paying by card also means sales are tracked etc, and no hiding from the taxman for cash heavy services such as taxis, hairdressers, etc.

[bubba]

6 minutes ago, stament said:

I agree entirely but I was told by my friend that paying by cash in CM isn't an option. Paying by card also means sales are tracked etc, and no hiding from the taxman for cash heavy services such as taxis, hairdressers, etc.

 

For Uber, the credit card information is only with Uber...and it is not very likely that Uber will jack your card.

 

But then, that 53 baht Uber charge is definitely risky in alerting the tax man to initiate an audit.

[stament]

2 hours ago, bubba said:

 

For Uber, the credit card information is only with Uber...and it is not very likely that Uber will jack your card.

 

But then, that 53 baht Uber charge is definitely risky in alerting the tax man to initiate an audit.

The taxman has a trail then for all journeys if paid by card and can presumably identify Uber drivers earnings. Cash taxi drivers I am sure dont declare all their earnings so lost revenue for Govt. You only need to look what is happening in India to see what I mean. Cash transactions very rarely are fully declared by all.

 

Thailand is a high risk country for credit card fraud too. Once info stored it can be used fraudulently by others not Uber in certain circumstances and if certain people act fraudulently.

Edited December 6, 2016 by stament

[Mousehound]

On ‎4‎/‎12‎/‎2016 at 11:01 PM, sanemax said:

 

   Quite often, more often than not red cars will not accept 20 baht for a fare , Tapae gate to the bus station and they usually ask for 100 Baht , although , if you ask enough of them, you can get it for 50 Baht .

For two sides of the moat I have never paid more than 20B.  never had a problem.  Costs more if I want to go off the main rout but usually pretty reasonable. North of moat to airport I usually pay 120B for a charter.  Seems pretty cheap to me.  Whet I get back to Oz it costs me 3000B for a twenty minute ride and I have to wait ages for a cab, then trick them into taking me by not telling them where I'm going until I get in the cab, otherwise they don't want to take me.  Which do you think I prefer?

 

I like the idea of Uber for longer trips out of CM.  never really thought of actually using Uber before.  So, I just looked them up for my airport trip in Oz - half the price of a taxi and a thirteen minute wait.  So thanks to TV posters I am now going to start a new mode of transport.

Edited December 6, 2016 by Mousehound
additional information

[Dipterocarp]

Looking forward to bypassing the Transport Cartel for my now monthly required trips to PromenaDa'.

[bubba]

So it appears that Uber have done a deal with Line and you can now book an Uber ride through Line (if you have Line), and then pay cash when you get to your destination. See this link:

 

https://newsroom.uber.com/thailand/uberxlineen/

 

 

[thai006]

live in chiang dao but when i go cm i only use uber x now , no more tuk tuk or mafia taxi :) 

[khunphil]

Maybe a stupid question, but can we use a debit card to register with Uber ?

 

Phil.

[bubba]

20 minutes ago, khunphil said:

Maybe a stupid question, but can we use a debit card to register with Uber ?

 

Phil.

 

 

According to this, you can:

 

How to register for Uber without a credit card

 

Also, I just saw this on Uber:

 

Pay for your Uber ride with cash

 

HOW DOES IT WORK?

1. Open up the Uber app
2. Tap the menu in the top left corner and select Payment
3. Select ‘CASH’ as your payment option
4. Request a ride 
5. Confirm your pickup location and payment method
6. *IMPORTANT* Before you get out of the car, don’t forget to pay the amount shown in the app directly to the driver in cash!

 

 

[Mendo]

I just counted today and I have used Uber 57 times in Chiang Mai in the past month haha. I think I have met every Uber driver in the city so far and have had nothing but great experiences and got to talk with some very interesting locals who have been pleased with this new way for them to earn extra income for their families. 

Uber has been running promos for the past two weeks for 50 baht and 30 baht free rides all week! Best thing ever.

[SooKee]

THIS POST RELATES TO THE TAXI SERVICE 'GRAB' - NOT UBER.

 

Less impressed with it so far. Used it once to arrange a pick up from the airport to Hang Dong. Price quoted on the app was 100-150 or thereabouts. Driver responded, called me back and then told me actually it's 250. Couldn't be bothered to tell him to forget it and mess about booking again.

Can't see the point of the app telling you the price if the driver then comes back with a price almost double. If I'd had more time and wasn't dog tired I'd have cancelled him.

Unlike BKK, where I think the service works really well, there was no 'rate my service' feedback option here.

Not impressed at all.


Sent using Tapatalk

 

Edited on request of the poster.

 

Edited December 17, 2016 by KhunBENQ
On request of pos

[SaintLouisBlues]

Uber X drivers can't dictate the price, it's whatever the App says. You should have complained to Uber. They will certainly take notice because they will have received only a percentage of what the App says the charge is, not what the driver demanded and you paid. If you pull down "Your Trips" from the = menu bar then you can submit feedback any time you like

Edited December 16, 2016 by SaintLouisBlues

[bubba]

Not sure what happened there, SooKee, but the driver has no control over what Uber charges, other than running you around in circles to push the fare up. But then, you would see that on the app's GPS display while you were riding. Also, I always get the driver rating display popup in the app at the end of the trip. 

 

If you think you were overcharged, you can ask for a fare review from the app or by logging in via their website. I had one bad experience in Dubai where for some reason (possibly to run the fare up), I looked up and noticed that we were nowhere near the route to my destination. I told him to stop, got out and grabbed another Uber. I filed the fare review and was given a refund by Uber, no questions asked.

 

EDIT: the poster was in error. His post referred to "Grab".

Edited December 17, 2016 by KhunBENQ

[SooKee]

Aiyoo - my bad!!!  Teach me to wake up before posting!!!  The experience was with Grab.  I'l see if I can get a mod to edit the above comment.  

 

I'm not sure what happened though.  Was dog tired at the time and couldn't be asked to look into it.  Route he took was direct, no messing around, same route I'd have taken.  

 

I did get the Uber receipt saying price of 250 so maybe if I can be bothered I'll try get a feedback dropdown.  I'm outta here in a couple of weeks though so I'll likely just write it off.  

Edited December 17, 2016 by SooKee

[KhunBENQ]

9 minutes ago, SooKee said:

Aiyoo - my bad!!!  Teach me to wake up before posting!!!  The experience was with Grab.  I'l see if I can get a mod to edit the above comment. 

Edited as per your request.

[stament]

so Uber is good now and everyone is happy?