Patpong Taxis

[The_Munchmaster]

This is the advice in Stickmans column of 12 May 2013,

 

"Getting a cab from Patpong late at night needn't be a problem. If you cannot find a cabbie who will turn on the meter, just cross Silom Road and jump in a taxi on the other side of the road i.e. a cab heading down Silom Road towards the river. They will almost certainly turn on the meter as there are fewer passengers on that side of the road late at night. It is the cabs on Suriwong Road (going in both directions) and those going up Silom Road towards Rama 4 Road which are often reluctant to turn on the meter."

 

This is the same advice as I've been giving for years, i.e., cross to the McDonalds side of Silom and you will rarely get a taxi driver who won't turn on his meter.

 

That was until recently, as on three of the last four occassions that I have been to Patpong (all this month) the driver has refused to take me at all (to Suk Soi 22), not refused to turn on the meter and tried to charge a high fixed fare, just refused to take me?!

 

On the first two occassions the taxis were outside McDonalds so I walked back to just before the entrance to Soi Convent and had no problem getting a taxi there. Actually I normally do that anyway as the quickest route for me is to go down Soi Convent and turn left onto Sathorn.

 

Last night I also walked back to Soi Convent but again the driver refused to take me, said he was waiting for his sister?! Anyway I refused to get out of his taxi so he got out and went and found me a taxi that would take me.

 

So what's with taxi drivers not wanting to take fares to Suk Soi 22 and no doubt other destinations. These guys weren't demanding high fixed rates they were just refusing the fare point blank?

[Mekong]

I have been saying that for years to anyone who would listen.

 

Up Convent then onto Sathorn, no brainer

 

I don't think we need the Kiwi fool how to teach our Grans to suck eggs

[Flashermac]

People still go to Patpong?

[JaiRai]

Same thing when I lived on Ratchada. Trying to get a taxi from suk soi 11 down to Ratchada anywhere was an ordeal, would have to go thru half a dozen taxis to find one willing to take me home. At first I thought it was because I was falang, but even with thai girls it was the exact same thing -- mai. mai bpai. Taxi situation is getting worse, not better. Yep.

[The_Munchmaster]

Not that many these days Flash, but still my fav haunt.

[Mekong]

I still prefer Pong over NEP or SC.

 

It has a bad reputation but if you have half a brain cell you can see the scams coming.

[Flashermac]

There are a few decent bars there, but I just got tired of the touts and the market vendors. Haven't been to the Pong in several years. Once upon a time, I went there every weekend. In the '80s, I edited a tourism magazine and knew virtually every bar owner there. Now I only know one, that I can think of.

 

p.s. It was in 1982 that I arrived there right after some vocational student punks had thrown an M61 frag grenade at a bar, killing a doorman and several dancers. Lots of strange things have happened at PP.