In praise of Bangkok taxi drivers

[KhaoNiaw]

3 hours ago, thai3 said:

35 years and never had a taxi problem, you should get out more, they did not have meters when you arrived, how did that go?

You had to agree on the price before you got in. When they brought the meters in nobody really thought they were going to last that long and I don't think it was the first time it had been tried. I've had a few bad experiences with taxi drivers in 30-odd years but not that many. The vast majority are fine.  

[gdgbb]

33 minutes ago, zoza said:

I do not use taxi's in Bangkok on a regular basis but mine and my wifes treatment by some

taxi drivers on the rare occasions we use them has been a lot worse than any other taxi's in Pattaya/Udon Thani and several other cities in Thailand.

 

And after the American passenger got attacked and killed with a samurai sword by a drug

addicted taxi driver I decided I would try really hard not to get into any arguments with Bangkok taxi drivers...

Someone who states that he gets better service from taxis in Pattaya than in Bangkok is stretching the bounds of credibility too much.    Can you get a metered taxi in Pattaya to use the meter?  That's rhetorical, I know it's not possible.

 

 You need to recount incidents more accurately.  The driver who killed the American wasn't reported to have been drug addicted but he did have coffee thrown in his face by the American (when he turned down the Americans offer of zero baht for the fare).  I'm not saying that that justified his actions but anyone who has a tendency to do similar things to anyone, not just taxi drivers, should consider using their own transport.

[rickudon]

Quote

6 hours ago, smutcakes said:

In ten years i have never had a taxi not turn on the meter. 

Hmm, whats your secret. Apart from when i was in Bangkok with my wife, only ever had a taxi driver use the meter once - and he refused a tip! Otherwise they have never used a meter - when they have taken me and others who were with me, Last time in Bangkok the only time we got a taxi was when we asked the hotel for one - and he refused to use the meter and was actually quite threatening. All the others just refused to take us. I will never use a taxi in Bangkok again unless i am at death's door.

[SiamBeast]

So many adventures with taxi drivers... my favorite:

 

Around 5 months ago, I had a taxi pick up up at a friend's condo, back to my place. It's a ride of around 20 km. I speak fluent Thai, and told the taxi where I was going. He starts driving, and after around 1 km, I ask him (in Thai) if he forgot to turn the meter on. He replies, in English, "no worry, it will be cheap". I repeat my request in Thai, and he just ignores me. I let it go. Once he arrives at my moo-ban, I ask him to stop in front of the gate where the guards are, and he tells me "500 baht". It normally costs 169 with the proper fare. I told him "please turn the meter on, I just want to check something". He acts confused but presses the button, which makes the meter turn on and show 35. I say, in Thai, "we're arrived, there you go, 35 baht" and I open the door. He starts being cocky, and I tell him, "if 35 baht is not okay, let's call 1584 together, and explain to them why it is not okay". It was the end of it.

[PremiumLane]

12 hours ago, Bonefish said:

Uber will charge a premium and they will inform you about that before you order them. It is your free choice to accept or decline it. 

and therein is the problem with Uber - they don't care about pushing the regular taxi services out, and will go cheaper most of the time until they have a monopoly, then jack the prices up. 

[F4UCorsair]

My experience is similar to the OP.  I use taxis a lot when in Bangkok, and of course there have been a few issues, refusing an airport fare and giving a fixed price rather than using the meter,  one broke down on the freeway and I fixed the problem, but largely I see people doing a good job, just trying to make a living from what is a $hit job.  I couldn't do it at any price.

 

Imagine picking up drunks, stinking of booze and sweat,  talking garbage, demanding, complaining, refusing to pay, etc. 

 

I think those who complain the most, and most often, need to look within.

[fishbrando]

16 hours ago, impulse said:

 

So, you don't figure those taxis with their lights on were actually going to meet someone that summoned them by Uber, Lyft or Grab?  And when your Uber came (if it was a legal taxi), how many people like you do you figure they passed, just like those guys passed you?

 

Enjoy Uber while it lasts.  And when the bad drivers figure out how to game the ride summoning apps, we'll be reading about the horrible Lyft and Grab drivers.  Uber, in the meantime, will have burned through their funding fighting legal battles and paying for market share at negative profits.

No, I don't think so.  I think they saw us, didn't want to pick us up, and shut off their light.  This happened a few times in a row so it wasn't just a coincidence.

 

I've never seen an Uber that was a legal taxi, and I use the service quite often.

 

Uber (and other ride share services) also allows you to review the driver.  If I see a driver with a low review score, I next him.  Bad drivers will get weeded out.  And if Uber gets weeded out, someone will come to replace them.

[fishbrando]

16 hours ago, gdgbb said:

You are complaining that taxis without the "for hire' sign illuminated drove past you?  Really?  Those would be taxi drivers deciding that they were not available (which is their prerogative) and complying 100% with the law yet you complain? 

No.  I'm complaining about taxis who had their light on, then saw us, then shut their light off before they drove past us because they didn't want to pick us up for whatever reason.
 

Even taxis with the sign lit are not compelled to stop for anyone if they don't want to, it's when they stop but refuse a journey that the problems begin.

I don't really care if taxis are compelled by law to stop for me or not.  If they drive by me, it's inconvenient and I consider it bad service.  When they were the only choice in town, we all just had to grin and bear it.  Now we can go with a superior competitor.

 

Uber decimating the Thai taxi industry?  No, not going to happen, just has it hasn't happened anywhere else.

http://www.businessinsider.com/nyc-yellow-cab-medallion-prices-falling-further-2016-10

 

[fishbrando]

16 hours ago, gdgbb said:

Uber charges a premium yet you claim that they are cheaper than taxis?  Every estimate, without exception, that I had from their app (before I uninstalled it) for a familiar journey was more expensive than a taxi would be.

I've had Uber trips that were cheaper than the standard flagfall price (35 baht).  

 

Almost every Uber trip I've taken, with the exception of the airport trips, has been cheaper than a taxi.  Even with surge pricing in effect Uber is often still cheaper.

[funandsuninbangkok]

19 hours ago, gamini said:

I've been living in Thailand on and off for the last 50 years. Bangkok taxi drivers are normally very nice and friendly. They keep their taxis  Clean and they do a wonderful job negotiating the very bad traffic. They are also very cheap. On the whole. I find them better than in a lot of countries that I've lived in. But then there will always be people on this forum who have nothing better to do than criticise everything . about Thailand.

Agreed!

 

and after I wake up from a "long night out" I get my maid to call my phone and ask them to bring it to me. Works every time!

 

Maow. smiles all around. 

[gemguy]

"Funny though, in 35 years of living in the city I can’t remember every really meeting a nasty one."

 

Nasty is the Incorrect description concerning SOME of the Bangkok Taxi drivers

 

"Surly" is the correct word while SOME of them "turn" nasty depending on the circumstances.

 

I use Taxis all the time and I would estimate with about 20 to possibly 30 percent of the taxi drivers I can immediately detect an attitude, so to speak, when you get into the cab and all the more so after you tell them where you are going.

You can see or feel they are reluctant to take you were you tell them as commonly the distance and the route and the inevitable heavy traffic is going to test their patience.

I do not blame them as being a taxi cab driver is not exactly a job that most people would want to do while most of them are doing it because they really do not have that many options available to them while you can surmise the overwhelming majority of them are not university graduates or highly educated and come from a poor or relatively poor background and just trying to make enough money to make ends meet...like most other people.

They fight the traffic everyday for 10 to 12 to 16 hours per day hoping to make enough money.

Most of them I talk to inform me on the average they make around 15 to 20,000 baht a month while they never really know how much while on some days they make 100 baht profit...when they calculate the day by day profit and some days they make 600 baht profit.

A percentage of them choose to purchase and own their own cab and some lease the cab but most of them rent the cab on a day to day basis and commonly pay between 500 to as much as 800 baht per day to rent the cab and depending on whether the cab is a new cab or a old cab.

I do not think they have a whole lot to look forward to when they "Go To Work" everyday while they know well their status in a hierarchical based society garners very little respect or sympathy for the work they do and the service they provide....so yeah...I guess some of them get frustrated with their life and their situation and occasionally "lose it"  

 

Overall , most of them are more than cheerful enough and gladly take you where you request them to go and will engage you in conversation.........( if ) you can speak "their" language.

 

Cheers

Edited February 20, 2017 by gemguy

[thai3]

The last thing I want is for them to engage me in conversation, not interested in their problems

[robblok]

46 minutes ago, gemguy said:

"Funny though, in 35 years of living in the city I can’t remember every really meeting a nasty one."

 

Nasty is the Incorrect description concerning SOME of the Bangkok Taxi drivers

 

"Surly" is the correct word while SOME of them "turn" nasty depending on the circumstances.

 

I use Taxis all the time and I would estimate with about 20 to possibly 30 percent of the taxi drivers I can immediately detect an attitude, so to speak, when you get into the cab and all the more so after you tell them where you are going.

You can see or feel they are reluctant to take you were you tell them as commonly the distance and the route and the inevitable heavy traffic is going to test their patience.

I do not blame them as being a taxi cab driver is not exactly a job that most people would want to do while most of them are doing it because they really do not have that many options available to them while you can surmise the overwhelming majority of them are not university graduates or highly educated and come from a poor or relatively poor background and just trying to make enough money to make ends meet...like most other people.

They fight the traffic everyday for 10 to 12 to 16 hours per day hoping to make enough money.

Most of them I talk to inform me on the average they make around 15 to 20,000 baht a month while they never really know how much while on some days they make 100 baht profit...when they calculate the day by day profit and some days they make 600 baht profit.

A percentage of them choose to purchase and own their own cab and some lease the cab but most of them rent the cab on a day to day basis and commonly pay between 500 to as much as 800 baht per day to rent the cab and depending on whether the cab is a new cab or a old cab.

I do not think they have a whole lot to look forward to when they "Go To Work" everyday while they know well their status in a hierarchical based society garners very little respect or sympathy for the work they do and the service they provide....so yeah...I guess some of them get frustrated with their life and their situation and occasionally "lose it"  

 

Overall , most of them are more than cheerful enough and gladly take you where you request them to go and will engage you in conversation.........( if ) you can speak "their" language.

 

Cheers

If they make 15 to 20.000 after expenses they make quite a lot many Thais don't make that and they should be grateful for it and stop with the attitude. I know university graduates that make just 18k a month. 

[Bonefish]

19 hours ago, gdgbb said:

Yes, a taxi has to pick you up where you are!  How can you get a taxi where they are but you are not?  Every taxi that picks you up does so where you are, by definition!  And the taxi does that for NO CHARGE also!

 

Just had another estimate on another tab while typing this; On Nut 17 to Sukhumvit 13, Sunday afternoon (obviously) therefore relatively traffic free, B114-146.  A taxi will be around B90-110.  How do you manage to always get a 20/30% discount?

 

 

You obviously do not get my point or - more likely - you do not WANT to understand what I am saying because you seem to be an anti-Uber person: To get a taxi to pick you up you have to make the effort to be where there are taxis available. It is up to you, not up to them, to be physically present where there are taxis available.

 

With Uber it is just the reverse: YOU tell them WHERE you want to be picked up, and they will pick you up there, for instance in the privacy and comfort of your home, and that pick-up service is free of charge. The meter on Uber starts running when your actual trip starts.

 

To give you one example: I live on a small dead-end subsoi of a large soi. Never a taxi to be found on the small soi. To find and get a taxi, I have to walk about 15 minutes, rain or shine, to the large soi and wait for a taxi with the red light on.

 

With Uber, on the other hand, I just call them from my home on the small soi and they will pick me up, for free, right at my front door. And YES, they are 20-30 % cheaper than a taxi for the same time and distance during normal hours. Surcharges occur only during periods of peak demand and they announce the exact surcharge before you hit the "order" button, up to you to decide if you accept or decline the surcharge.

 

Do you get it now?

[funandsuninbangkok]

Uber sucks in Bangkok. Uber time to car arriving is x + 20 minutes. 

[zoza]

21 hours ago, gdgbb said:

Someone who states that he gets better service from taxis in Pattaya than in Bangkok is stretching the bounds of credibility too much.    Can you get a metered taxi in Pattaya to use the meter?  That's rhetorical, I know it's not possible.

 

 You need to recount incidents more accurately.  The driver who killed the American wasn't reported to have been drug addicted but he did have coffee thrown in his face by the American (when he turned down the Americans offer of zero baht for the fare).  I'm not saying that that justified his actions but anyone who has a tendency to do similar things to anyone, not just taxi drivers, should consider using their own transport.

firstly I never mentioned metered taxi's anywhere? so what are you on about? secondly yes

I do get better service with hardly ever a cross word with taxi's in several cities in Thailand

you talk about accuracy but quote mr Chidchia Utmacha who also claimed the American

attacked him and he only defended himself, as pointed out there was blood stains on his shirt but no mention of coffee stains the driver went into his trunk were he carried a samuri sword and then ran after the American and struck him multiple times and this was on CCTV

so Mr Chidchia admitted this. he then threw the evidence (the sword and his bloodstained shirt) into a canal.(I have not seen any drugs mentioned in this case, it was another taxi

attack around the same time, and this was an error in my post)  

the American was teetotal was fluent in Thai was a senior manager with a multinational company, he had lived in Bangkok for four years, and took under his wing about ten Thai nationals and you insinuate he had a tendancy to do these things!!!! I hope you never are in a position to decide or influence anything of any importance in your ***  life

just in case you think I am against Thai taxi drivers, I had a Thai taxi in Udon Thani who I used for four years until he moved to another province, he was excellent. never used a meter.   

  Cherdchai Utamacha (with the machete) and Troy Lee Pilkington (inset). 

Troy Lee Pilkington died after being attacked with a long knife about 8.30pm on July 6. Taxi driver Cherdchai Utamacha, 32, has confessed to the attack and been charged with murder, police said.

The 51-year-old American had been living in Thailand for four years and was married to a Thai woman for three.

His sister, Tracy Pilkington-Shaffer, told the Bangkok Post Sunday she fears her brother's Thai family will now be unable to cope financially without him.

Pilkington's wife and her son, as well as her two sisters and the three children of one sister, all lived together in a Bangkok home paid for by the Thailand arm of US machinery company Caterpillar Inc, where the victim worked.

Centre of storm: Taxi driver Cherdchai Utamacha at a police press briefing last week. Photo: Thanarak Khoonton

He also sent money every month to his wife's parents, and paid their medical bills, Ms Pilkington-Shaffer said.

"My brother had been supporting all of them," she said.

"He paid for his wife's son and the three children of his wife's sister to goto private schools.

"One of them graduated and he was paying for her to go to nursing school. Now their whole world will change.

"They can stay in the house for a little bit longer, but then what?

"This taxi driver... not only killed my brother, but he also totally destroyed a Thai family."

Kanthima Pilkington, 38, the victim's wife, told local media last week she was still in shock by what had happened to her husband.

"My husband was a family man. He didn't drink, he was a lively and cheerful person. The only thing that he hates is people who cheat," she said.

She said Pilkington used to visit Bangkok regularly on vacation, but eventually asked his company for a transfer so they could live here permanently together.

The couple lived in a rented home on Sukhumvit Soi 85.

The day he was murdered, Pilkington told his wife he wanted to go to Central Bangna to get a haircut and a massage.

Soon after, Mrs Kanthima received a call informing her that her husband had been killed in the street in a brutal knife attack.

The taxi driver, Mr Cherdchai, told police that Pilkington became enraged when the cab hit traffic, and accused him of rigging the taxi's meter. The victim then began shouting at him before getting out of the cab without paying the 51-baht fare and throwing a cup of coffee at him, Mr Cherdchai told investigators.

But Mrs Kanthima rejects the suggestion that the attack was triggered by her husband's refusal to pay a taxi fare.

She was quoted in Manager Online last week as saying she did not believe her husband would walk away without paying, since he was a generous and friendly man.

"My husband had some money with him. He might have been ripped off by the taxi driver and wanted to get out from the taxi and take the skytrain instead," she said.

Mrs Kanthima said she felt upset and angry at the taxi driver. She is now scared to take a taxi anywhere in Bangkok since she fears what happened to her husband might happen again.

Mrs Pilkington-Shaffer also said she finds it difficult to believe the story Mr Cherdchai told police.

She insists her brother - who was known as "Chip" to his friends and family - would not have behaved in that manner.

Speaking by telephone from the US, Ms Pilkington-Shaffer said she understood neither she nor anyone else could say what really happened in the taxi.

"We don't know what happened," she explains. "But Chip doesn't drink coffee at night, ever. He doesn't drink cold coffee or iced coffee. He'll have a coffee early in the morning on his way to work, and that is all."

Her brother was not the sort to try and evade paying someone who was providing him with a service, she says, but would have spoken up if he felt the driver was trying to cheat him.

"We weren't there, but I can tell you Chip would have paid what was due and he also would have known if the price was wrong," she said.

"If someone was trying to overcharge him, he would say something.

"But he knows what it is like in Bangkok and he knows the taxi drivers don't make a lot of money, and he would never have expected a ride for free or thrown anything at anybody."

Ms Pilkington-Shaffer also noted police statements have referred to bloodstains found on Mr Cherdchai's shirt, but there has been no mention of coffee stains on the driver's clothing.

Police say Pilkington got into Mr Cherdchai's taxi outside the Central Bangna department store and had been making his way home to Sukhumvit Soi 85.

Somewhere along the way, a dispute between the two men ensued, and turned into a fight that spilled out onto the road near Sukhumvit Soi 68.

Ms Pilkington-Shaffer says online speculation about her brother's character, and whether or not he could have been intoxicated at the time of the incident, has added to the family's trauma.

"I want people to know that Chip was not on drugs, he was not drunk, he was not some bad farang guy," she said.

"He was a good person. He took care of his Thai family. He didn't have to. He could have just supported his wife, but he went to the extreme and took care of the whole family."

A Buddhist religious ceremony for Pilkington was held at Wat That Thong on Sukhumvit Road for three days before his body was cremated on Thursday.

Mrs Kanthima is now making arrangements to return her husband's ashes to his home town in Idaho state.

The forensic laboratory at Chulalongkorn Hospital meanwhile has released its autopsy results, confirming Pilkington died from hypovolemic shock due to the huge amount of blood lost from a severe knife wound to his heart.

Ms Pilkington-Shaffer says she is now waiting for her brother's ashes to arrive home.

She described him as an avid fisherman and a keen scuba diver, who also had a private pilot's licence.

She said he loved Thailand, but will be laid to rest close to their father.

"My brother's ashes will be here in a few days," she said.

"We will be taking them up to Alaska, where my dad's ashes are and where Chip used to go fishing. That's where he would like to be."

Related search: cctv, thailand, Troy Lee Pilkington, killing, murder, taxi, dispute, fare, sister, wife,

About the author

Writer: Lauren Higgs

[gdgbb]

10 hours ago, fishbrando said:

No.  I'm complaining about taxis who had their light on, then saw us, then shut their light off before they drove past us because they didn't want to pick us up for whatever reason.
 

I don't really care if taxis are compelled by law to stop for me or not.  If they drive by me, it's inconvenient and I consider it bad service.  When they were the only choice in town, we all just had to grin and bear it.  Now we can go with a superior competitor.

 

http://www.businessinsider.com/nyc-yellow-cab-medallion-prices-falling-further-2016-10

 

Taxis are allowed to not show a "for hire" sign; if they turn it off before they get to you, that is their privilege and it's not illegal, whatever the reason.   How do you know that they specifically did not want to pick you up?  Maybe they were at the end of their shift?

 

Don't complain about off-hire taxis being unavailable, it doesn't make sense! 

 

What was the point of linking to an article about New York taxis?

Edited February 20, 2017 by gdgbb

[gdgbb]

3 hours ago, zoza said:

firstly I never mentioned metered taxi's anywhere? so what are you on about? secondly yes

I do get better service with hardly ever a cross word with taxi's in several cities in Thailand

you talk about accuracy but quote mr Chidchia Utmacha who also claimed the American

attacked him and he only defended himself, as pointed out there was blood stains on his shirt but no mention of coffee stains...

Firstly, this is what I am on about, the thread is about metered taxis and you indicated that Pattaya taxis, which are metered but never use them, provide a better service than Bangkok taxis which do use them.  How does that work?

 

Secondly,

"...there was blood stains on his shirt but no mention of coffee stains..."

So what, who cares about stains on his shirt?   The driver confirmed that the American threw a cup of coffee at him and refused to pay the fare.  I was accurate and that is the only point I am making here, I'm not condoning what happened.

[fishbrando]

1 hour ago, gdgbb said:

Taxis are allowed to not show a "for hire" sign; if they turn it off before they get to you, that is their privilege and it's not illegal, whatever the reason.   How do you know that they specifically did not want to pick you up?  Maybe they were at the end of their shift?

 

Don't complain about off-hire taxis being unavailable, it doesn't make sense! 

 

What was the point of linking to an article about New York taxis?

It happened with 3-4 taxis in a row so I'm pretty sure it was intentional.

 

Again, I don't care if it is illegal or not, or if they're allowed to do it or not, or if it's their privilege or not.  The bottom line is that it's inconvenient for customers.  People are allowed to provide bad service and I'm allowed to choose alternatives.

 

Regarding the point of the link, go back to my message and see what I replied to and then scan the article.

[fruitman]

It all depends of where you take the taxi....in the subs they work well but at touristic spots they work without meter and only if if the ride suits them. Very frustrating so we don't use them anymore and go by car.

[gemguy]

13 hours ago, robblok said:

If they make 15 to 20.000 after expenses they make quite a lot many Thais don't make that and they should be grateful for it and stop with the attitude. I know university graduates that make just 18k a month. 

Nope........that is before expenses....

None of them make much money while you will notice a lot of them are older guys in their 60's and 70's and can not afford to stop working.

Plus there are a lot more taxi cabs now than there were before because of all the automobile manufacturing while many of them have lease to buy arrangements resulting in many more fleet cab operations then ever before all competing to make money.

Some aspects have grown worse and some aspects have become better...such as the price of fuel is lower than before and the cost to rent the cab per day has gradually gone down.

But overall, taxi cabbing has never paid any really good money ..say 30 to 40 to 50 baht a month ..so they are more o less stuck in a rut if they choose to be cab driver or forced by financial circumstance to try being a taxi cab driver.

Just saying ...   

[robblok]

10 minutes ago, gemguy said:

Nope........that is before expenses....

None of them make much money while you will notice a lot of them are older guys in their 60's and 70's and can not afford to stop working.

Plus there are a lot more taxi cabs now than there were before because of all the automobile manufacturing while many of them have lease to buy arrangements resulting in many more fleet cab operations then ever before all competing to make money.

Some aspects have grown worse and some aspects have become better...such as the price of fuel is lower than before and the cost to rent the cab per day has gradually gone down.

But overall, taxi cabbing has never paid any really good money ..say 30 to 40 to 50 baht a month ..so they are more o less stuck in a rut if they choose to be cab driver or forced by financial circumstance to try being a taxi cab driver.

Just saying ...   

Ok yes that is more in line with what I was thinking they were making.  Anyway because of the constant refusal (either too far or to short) I try to avoid them and take my own car or bike. I can't always avoid them but it just bores me to have to beg to be taken somewhere. 

 

When i find one that takes me where I want to go I always tip them. There are good guys out there for sure. 

[anotheruser]

On 2/19/2017 at 9:19 AM, pmarlin said:

The OP has joined the "Fake News" gang. By the way isn't Inspire the magazine name for the  ISIS terror group.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inspire_(magazine)

 

TV in general with the in your face school of "journalism" makes most people feel dumber for reading it. I can't see this lasting too much longer before even the dimmest amongst us sees right through it. Didn't read the main article because I can only imagine how vapid it is. 

 

The media empire, the new group that bought TV envisions is simply unrealistic. Everyday people are jumping ship because these sort of articles begin to become so stupid they challenge even the most basic level of intelligence of the readers. 

 

 

[joecoolfrog]

On Sunday, February 19, 2017 at 2:39 AM, PremiumLane said:

Seriously? It is an opinion piece, not news. Is fake news going to be the new buzzword that is overused and misused by idiots? 

Even Trump and his advisors misuse the phrase , an opinion , or argument is by definition not news , fake or otherwise.