think_too_mut Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 >I'll never get in another tut tut in Bangkok again. However, in Chaing Mai, I take tut tuts and taxis everywhere. How do you spell it? "toot-toot"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 The 50 baht surcharge you add to the taxi fare and pay the driver that amount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khun_Kong Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 shygye said: The 50 baht surcharge you add to the taxi fare and pay the driver that amount. Who gets this extra 50 B, anyway? And what's it's alleged purpose/excuse? RE the quality of the drivers: Mostly, I'vre found them to be a nice lot, just working guys, much better than, say, NYC or Madrid. Usually, the cabs are spotless (well, pretty clean, anyway) inside and out. If they refuse meter, don't use 'em. Gotcha by the balls in a rainstorm, though. Helps to have a general idea where you're headed. A few times, I've been driven a bit out of the way to get somewhere. I think sometimes on purpose, (like last week when the guy started to make a right off Phayatai Rd and I asked him what he was doing and he made the proper left) and other times, he's just a grinning idiot, tells you he knows where to go and then just kinda randomly drives. Had a guy drive all over the friggin town to get to the airport when I went to pickup my son on his first visit. Took over an hour from Nana at 10:00 at night!! Meter was well over 300 baht. When we got to the terminal, I suddenly told him to stop (in the right lane, away from the curb).Got out, threw 150 baht at him, told him he was lucky to get that ( he actually then shut his mouth) and walked off, leaving the left rear door wide open. I'm more calm now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shotover Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 My take on taking an airport bus or regular taxi (from the stand): Airport bus: OK if a bus arrives at your terminal within a few minutes after you come outside AND your hotel is within reasonable walking distance from its route (like Nana Hotel) as it's not much fun transferring your bags from the bus to a taxi. Sometimes you can wait 20 minutes for the bus to arrive at your terminal, another 10-15 minutes as it loads its passengers and collects drop-off data, and another few minutes if it makes another stop at another terminal. Taxi: If you have a long line at the stand, can be up to 20 minutes to get a meter taxi. Taxis hired through the stand have never tried to rip me off, though drivers who operate from the road across from the terminal will try to set fixed prices of about 500 baht. Remember if you take a meter taxi from the airport, give the driver highway toll money (70 baht going to Sukhumvit), and 50 baht added to the metered fare. As other posters mentioned, make sure the driver turns the meter on (35 will show as the base fare). Some travelers like to avoid the 50 baht surcharge and wait in the taxi stand by hailing a taxi from outside the arrival terminal. IMO, not worth it, as airport police discourage it and the driver is more likely to try to set a fixed fee instead of the metered fare. The main objective is to get to the sanuk zone fast, safely, and at a reasonable cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 I think the 50 baht pays for the airport taxi stand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
think_too_mut Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 shygye said: I think the 50 baht pays for the airport taxi stand. It probably pays for 2+ hours waiting time that cabbies have to endure once they are at the a/p. Without that surcharge, taxi drivers would refuse to take customers to the airport. Singapore has that too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.. Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 shotover said:Some travelers like to avoid the 50 baht surcharge and wait in the taxi stand by hailing a taxi from outside the arrival terminal. IMO, not worth it, as airport police discourage it and the driver is more likely to try to set a fixed fee instead of the metered fare. Actually you pay it there too. The coppers get a share for letting them pick up. There is either a sticker in the window that tells the cop the taxi in on the game (I have seen the driver point to it when pulling away and the cop is motioning him to stop) or he pays the copper directly upon leaving. Rarely does a cab get away with picking up there without paying the B50 Never had a problem with a driver trying any tricks from there. He is usually quite happy to get a fare (that he was not counting on) back to the city. I use this method if there are more than 10 people in line and /or there are no taxis downstairs. Cheers, SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.. Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 vegasdave49 said:I buy what I need and jetison as I go. Not having to lug around dirty laundry and crap I honestly dont need, has been a real advatage. And no I am not worried about 200 baht, but I certainly prefer to spend it in ways that are more enjoyable. So let me get this straight. You take the bus to save B200? Fine, not for me, but nothing wrong with that. More power to ya. You do not take anything with you and buy it all here? When your clothes are dirty, you throw them away? Given that shirts & shorts cost B50/ea at Pratunam, 7 days x 2 changes of clothes each day, equals B700 that you have thrown away. Ooooo-Kay. I just do not get it . But that is not unusual. Cheers, SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Searcher Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 It's been a while since i've taken a plane to Bkk and have forgotten what the real average taxi fare should be to the Nana area. Gotta admit I haven't a clue. For 1600 baht, the Peninsula will send a Mercedes S500 to the airport to meet you. Liveried driver to handle baggage, etc., included. After 30 freakin' hours of airline/airport hell its probably the best 1600 baht I spend on the whole trip. For 3200 baht they'll send the Rolls out to fetch ya. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vegasdave49 Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 Well I dont do it quite that way. I will buy what I need, and of course I wash out things each night, or eventualy have enough stuff to launder. I tend to accumulate while I am there so there are times I just "forget" things at hotels or I will leave things in hotel storage, and claim them later. I once left a bag at the GP for over a month, and I wasnt even staying there I have left things in BKK, then Vientien, as I traveled super light into Loas. Then I gather things up as I make my way back. Eventualy I leave for home with at least two huge bags of items. But I rarely carry them around with me. Upon arriving home I have no need to shop for many many months. All this as opposed to spending western money to buy things before the trip. Basicly I save about the cost of the ticket by purchasing my clothes CD's, eyeglasses ect over there. All things I would buy back home over the next 6 months or so. Arrive empty, go home packed to the gills. The only time I have any logistic issue is getting all this crap to the airport. But much easier than having it as a millstone for my entire trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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