Uber says Thai govt agrees to study ridesharing benefits

[sjaak327]

43 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

Yes, flagging a taxi works. What happens after that can be anyone's guess. You like simple services and some people like peace of mind. There's a market for the latter so let it be. 

Well in my pretty extensive experience, what happens is I get to my intended destination, with the taxi driver using the meter. I have nothing against market forces, providing all parties play by the rules. Uber thinks the rules are not applicable to them, therefore there isn't a level playing field. In this case the Thai government is right.

[rkidlad]

6 minutes ago, sjaak327 said:

Well in my pretty extensive experience, what happens is I get to my intended destination, with the taxi driver using the meter. I have nothing against market forces, providing all parties play by the rules. Uber thinks the rules are not applicable to them, therefore there isn't a level playing field. In this case the Thai government is right.

So you have good experiences. Enjoy and carry on with metred taxis. Again, there are plenty of us who don't always share your experience and want something better. 

 

 

[sjaak327]

5 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

So you have good experiences. Enjoy and carry on with metred taxis. Again, there are plenty of us who don't always share your experience and want something better. 

 

 

Sure, and as far as I'm concerned you can, providing those companies operate within the law, the critisicm against the land department is unjust, Uber thinks they can get away with not following the rules of the game, the blame should therefore be shitfted to Uber themselves. But I guess you think they can get away with it, because you want a better service (in your eyes) the fact that this leads to unfair competition and that the companies that do operate within the law are negatively affected is of lesser concern, got it.

Edited March 22, 2017 by sjaak327

[rkidlad]

3 minutes ago, sjaak327 said:

Sure, and as far as I'm concerned you can, providing those companies operate within the law, the critisicm against the land department is unjust, Uber thinks they can get away with not following the rules of the game, the blame should therefore be shitfted to Uber themselves. But I guess you think they can get away with it, because you want a better service (in your eyes) the fact that this leads to unfair competition and that the companies that do operate within the law are negatively affected is of lesser concern, got it.

Okay, you win. Taxis are amazing.

 

But I'm still going to use Uber and Grab when I need to. I don't owe anyone a living. 

[sjaak327]

2 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

Okay, you win. Taxis are amazing.

 

But I'm still going to use Uber and Grab when I need to. I don't owe anyone a living. 

My post wasn't about taxis being amazing, it was about Uber not following the rules. They have been requested to seize their operations pending this new investigation, let's see if they follow this request, if they don't, I think it is fair to say that they are not going to be operating much longer in Thailand, and 100% justified.

[rkidlad]

Just now, sjaak327 said:

My post wasn't about taxis being amazing, it was about Uber not following the rules. They have been requested to seize their operations pending this new investigation, let's see if they follow this request, if they don't, I think it is fair to say that they are not going to be operating much longer in Thailand, and 100% justified.

Great. I now agree 100%

 

Still, I will continue with Uber and Grab. 

 

 

[11223344]

1 minute ago, sjaak327 said:

it was about Uber not following the rules

lol and who in here follows the rules?? Let's start from the government...

[sjaak327]

13 minutes ago, 11223344 said:

lol and who in here follows the rules?? Let's start from the government...

Oh I am sure the current government has not been following some rules here or there. However, I am not aware that they operate a taxi business in Thailand that tries to operate outside of the relevant rules, which is the subject of this thread...

[dukeandduke]

5 hours ago, sjaak327 said:

My post wasn't about taxis being amazing, it was about Uber not following the rules. They have been requested to seize their operations pending this new investigation, let's see if they follow this request, if they don't, I think it is fair to say that they are not going to be operating much longer in Thailand, and 100% justified.

Hilarious.  What rule are the metered taxi drivers in Chiang Mai, Phuket and Samui following when they refuse to use the meter, which is always?

[hobz]

7 hours ago, sjaak327 said:

It seems their failure to comply with certain regulations will do that anyway. I am not telling anything, you asked for a service that already exists for decades here in Bangkok. And it works by flagging a taxi, call it low tech, love simple services.

I'm pro uber. but i agree with you that the taximeter system in bangkok already works really well. Sure it can be improved but it's easo to use and fairly priced as long as they use the meter which they most often do.

 

BUT in Chiang mai and every other place i visited they always refuse to use the meter. When will they crack down on that in CM? It's been like that for at least 5 years and not a single crackdown.. Uber comes for 5 months and now it's massive crackdown. Makes no sense..unless you know thailand

[sjaak327]

3 hours ago, dukeandduke said:

Hilarious.  What rule are the metered taxi drivers in Chiang Mai, Phuket and Samui following when they refuse to use the meter, which is always?

since when are there metered taxis in Chiang Mai ? In Bangkok where I am referring to, they do and they are obliged to do so by law.

[sjaak327]

3 hours ago, hobz said:

I'm pro uber. but i agree with you that the taximeter system in bangkok already works really well. Sure it can be improved but it's easo to use and fairly priced as long as they use the meter which they most often do.

 

BUT in Chiang mai and every other place i visited they always refuse to use the meter. When will they crack down on that in CM? It's been like that for at least 5 years and not a single crackdown.. Uber comes for 5 months and now it's massive crackdown. Makes no sense..unless you know thailand

As far as I know the metered system as has been created in Bangkok only is applicable to Bangkok, although in cities like Udon they do use the meter most of the times. I don't think using the metered system is the only gripe against Uber.

 

However for Chiang Mai I can understand the appeal of a service like Uber, in Bangkok however, I feel they should only be allowed to operate if they follow the same rules as all the taxi companies inside of the Bangkok city limits have to follow, and in the case of Bangkok this means a legal obligation to use the meter, unless the destination is outside of the city limits.

 

Thailand is not the only country cracking down on Uber, in Europe there are several countries where they are not allowed to operate for the same reasons, their inability to follow the same rules and guidelines that all others are following. Level playing field and fair competition.

 

Being hip and techy isn't an excuse to try and get away with these antics.

 

 

 

Edited March 22, 2017 by sjaak327

[dukeandduke]

8 hours ago, sjaak327 said:

since when are there metered taxis in Chiang Mai ? In Bangkok where I am referring to, they do and they are obliged to do so by law.

That's the point.  They say "Meter" on the top, they have meters inside, but the drivers won't use them, hosing the riders instead.  How is that following the law?

 

Grab uses some of those cars.

[dukeandduke]

8 hours ago, sjaak327 said:

 

Being hip and techy isn't an excuse to try and get away with these antics.

 

 

 

As opposed to the official taxis around Sukhumvit who won't use the meter late at night and will either take you a short distance for 200 baht or not at all.  Being douchey is no excuse.

[hobz]

11 hours ago, sjaak327 said:

As far as I know the metered system as has been created in Bangkok only is applicable to Bangkok, although in cities like Udon they do use the meter most of the times. I don't think using the metered system is the only gripe against Uber.

 

However for Chiang Mai I can understand the appeal of a service like Uber, in Bangkok however, I feel they should only be allowed to operate if they follow the same rules as all the taxi companies inside of the Bangkok city limits have to follow, and in the case of Bangkok this means a legal obligation to use the meter, unless the destination is outside of the city limits.

 

Thailand is not the only country cracking down on Uber, in Europe there are several countries where they are not allowed to operate for the same reasons, their inability to follow the same rules and guidelines that all others are following. Level playing field and fair competition.

 

Being hip and techy isn't an excuse to try and get away with these antics.

 

 

 

I agree completely. Ideally the real taxi's in Chiang Mai would use meters and fair pricing and then Uber would not have much demand. 
The problem now in CM is that if you wanna go out and don't feel like driving your car and finding parking, or you don't feel like driving your motorbike (because it's dangerous or hot outside) then you are forced to take a disgusting Red car, good price, but takes a long time, and you have to breathe in exhaust fumes. Or you have to take a tuk tuk, and they charge like 2 times that of uber. Or you have to take a taxi meter that 100% refuses the meter and they charge like 4 times that of uber. 
Basically, a trip that me and my gf usually does to the mall is 130 THB with uber, roundtrip. With "taximeter" it's 400 THB roundtrip ... 400 THB is significant sum of money...

[sjaak327]

3 hours ago, dukeandduke said:

As opposed to the official taxis around Sukhumvit who won't use the meter late at night and will either take you a short distance for 200 baht or not at all.  Being douchey is no excuse.

Hmm you know Sukhumvit is a long street right ? I stay right on Sukhumit (near 38) and taxis there always use the meter, and never refuse a ride. I agree, the ones around the tourist mekka (near soi 4) can be dodgy. I just threaten to report them and that usually works fine.

 

The percentage of drivers doing what you describe is so tiny, it would be unjust to paint the whole basket..

[dukeandduke]

1 hour ago, sjaak327 said:

Hmm you know Sukhumvit is a long street right ? I stay right on Sukhumit (near 38) and taxis there always use the meter, and never refuse a ride. I agree, the ones around the tourist mekka (near soi 4) can be dodgy. I just threaten to report them and that usually works fine.

 

The percentage of drivers doing what you describe is so tiny, it would be unjust to paint the whole basket..

Read again and notice that I didn't say "all."  It happens all the time on Soi 11, for example, to me and many others.  Not just to farangs, either.

 

The point is, why does the govt. not care about this, but they get their knickers in a knot about Uber?

[sjaak327]

54 minutes ago, dukeandduke said:

Read again and notice that I didn't say "all."  It happens all the time on Soi 11, for example, to me and many others.  Not just to farangs, either.

 

The point is, why does the govt. not care about this, but they get their knickers in a knot about Uber?

Well I cannot answer that question for them. They did announce they would crack down on taxi drivers refusing to turn on the meter or refusing rides (which is also illegal) some time ago.

 

As to uber, they are  intending to not follow all kinds of regulations, as I said earlier, this is not a Thai only thing, Uber finds itself in hot water with authorities in quite a few other countries as well. Their business model might have something to do with that. In any case, there should be a level playing field, Uber should not be allowed to sidestep regulations other competitors are following.

[balo]

14 hours ago, hobz said:

disgusting Red car, good price, but takes a long time, and you have to breathe in exhaust fumes. Or you have to take a tuk tuk, and they charge like 2 times that of uber. Or you have to take a taxi meter that 100% refuses the meter and they charge like 4 times that of uber. 
Basically, a trip that me and my gf usually does to the mall is 130 THB with uber, roundtrip. With "taximeter" it's 400 THB roundtrip ... 400 THB is significant sum of money...

So we have the red songthaews for 20 baht which works fine on the regular routes into the city for most locals. Then there is Uber for 100-200 baht , a private tuk tuk no air-con and pollution for 200 ++, and a no meter taxi for 400 baht for a small trip .  

 

Anyone with a bit of a brain , and that includes Thai officials understand something is wrong here.  Why should C.M be different to Bangkok ? No regular buses, no meter taxi.

 

Uber is just taking that market because there are no other options for normal people living here. Tourists that only stay here for a few days don't care much but the locals should.  

 

 

 

[hobz]

21 hours ago, balo said:

So we have the red songthaews for 20 baht which works fine on the regular routes into the city for most locals. Then there is Uber for 100-200 baht , a private tuk tuk no air-con and pollution for 200 ++, and a no meter taxi for 400 baht for a small trip .  

 

Anyone with a bit of a brain , and that includes Thai officials understand something is wrong here.  Why should C.M be different to Bangkok ? No regular buses, no meter taxi.

 

Uber is just taking that market because there are no other options for normal people living here. Tourists that only stay here for a few days don't care much but the locals should.  

 

 

 

You can't compare red car price 20 thb with uber 100-200.

A 200 thb uber trip is really long and it would be extremely hard to find a red car that would do that trip for 20 thb.

Uber charges like 60-70thb from kad suan kaew to central festival.

 

 

[balo]

2 hours ago, hobz said:

Uber charges like 60-70thb from kad suan kaew to central festival.

Did you check the latest update on the app ? Uber sent out a message they increased their prices by 20-30% .  I paid 120 baht from the train station for only 3 km to Nong Pa Khrang.  

[hobz]

3 hours ago, balo said:

Did you check the latest update on the app ? Uber sent out a message they increased their prices by 20-30% .  I paid 120 baht from the train station for only 3 km to Nong Pa Khrang.  

Maybe it was surge pricing? It's a temporary price increase during high demand to make sure drivers will flock to the area.

I just checked the app and the base pricing is the same. 2THB per km. 2THB per minute. 20THB base fare. 20THB minimum fare.

Your trip should cost around 30THB. 

I think you are making stuff up. Not sure why you would do that but..

[balo]

12 hours ago, hobz said:

Maybe it was surge pricing? It's a temporary price increase during high demand to make sure drivers will flock to the area.

I just checked the app and the base pricing is the same. 2THB per km. 2THB per minute. 20THB base fare. 20THB minimum fare.

Your trip should cost around 30THB. 

I think you are making stuff up. Not sure why you would do that but..

I am not making stuff up, do you want to see the receipt ?

 

 But I understand a temporary price increase could be the reason for this. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[balo]

It was actually 109.56 to be more precise. 

 

 

 

Edited March 25, 2017 by balo

[hobz]

2 hours ago, balo said:

It was actually 109.56 to be more precise. 

 

 

 

Thats super expensive for 3km uber trip. I have done many trips more than double that distance for half the price.

 

Must have been temporary increase. Or bug. Maybe make a complaint, it's way beyond what u should pay.

Edited March 25, 2017 by hobz

[balo]

5 hours ago, hobz said:

Must have been temporary increase. Or bug. Maybe make a complaint, it's way beyond what u should pay.

 

Interesting , I will make a complaint and see what happens.