Straycat Posted December 8, 2003 Report Share Posted December 8, 2003 Well, that is not true in residential areas. Taxis can be few and far between. Naturally it'll not be the same as along the main routes. But in my experience there is never a problem to get a cab within a minute or two. I cannot see how there could be a demand for even more taxis. :: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pianoman Posted December 8, 2003 Report Share Posted December 8, 2003 Last summer the goverment stated (in the Bangkok Post) that next year there would be an increase in the "Flag Drop Charge" (going to 50 baht) and a slight increase in the milage/time charge... Also that the goverment would be starting a program to help drivers purchase their own taxi's with a 5 to 7 year payback... They said that it would be needed prior to the openning of the new airport.... Most drivers felt that the increases were far too much, but were all excited about the possiblity of owning their own taxi's... Like a lot of "Thai Programs" that are disscused, nothing has been done about it... Pianoman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldtimer Posted December 8, 2003 Report Share Posted December 8, 2003 Like many others on this board I always speak in my basic Thai to taxi drivers and am occasionally astonished when they answer me in English. My TG's brother is a taxi driver. He was injured in a bus accident up in Issan so this is the only job he can get. No, he doesn't know his way around Bangkok but is learning. Can't read a map either. So I don't book him to go strange places! Starting his twelve hour shift @ 0600 hrs. he only clears about 225 baht daily plus any tips. He tells me that he usually tries to pick up farangs whenever possible as they are more generous with the tips, even though his English seems limited to "God Save the Queen" (thanks to me). To my surprise his TG sister doesn't tip taxi drivers at all, although sometimes they curse her when she insists on change. When I ask her why no tip, she says "Do you tip the Skytrain driver?". As a consequence I always let her pay, except coming in from the Airport when I add at least 50 baht (plus the 50 baht surcharge) to the fare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaiLuk Posted December 9, 2003 Report Share Posted December 9, 2003 One time when i took a taxi from pattaya to bkk, the driver told me he gets 500 baht. I had negotiated 800 baht with the bell hop or whatever you call the thai guy at the hotel who ran at top speed to find the taxi. So the 300 baht overage was split between the bell hop and the taxi mafia, and i noticed the driver had to front the 300 baht to the mafia guy since i wouldn't pay until we arrived in bkk. Seemed like the hotel was cut out of the deal. Anyway, the taxi driver said when we arrive in bkk, the mafia guys give him a place to sleep with other drivers (not a 5 star hotel ), and the next morning he will carry a fare back to pattaya where he lives and make another 500 baht. He does not carry any other fares in between pty-bkk runs tho i suspect someone else drives the taxi during his 'off' time. It occurred to me that the mafia guys are providing an ok living for this 60 year old thai guy with him just making one run a day, tho its hard to say what the driver nets out of the deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.. Posted December 9, 2003 Report Share Posted December 9, 2003 Yeah, yeah, what he said. That is my modus operandi and I have the same results. ALWAYS avoid taxis that are parked, especially ones near the entrance to NEP, XCowboy and Patpong! Cheers, SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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