Bangkok first timers - your #1 tip?

[ozbeachbabe]

Thought I'd post some info re taxis in BKK that was posted in another AFF thread 'Scams like these' as it's relevant to this thread.

** Edited as Alans Legal already posted his comments from the scam thread so I've deleted the dupe quote & left the others **

A simple way to beat the driver when they scam you. When you get to your hotel get all of your luggage out and ask the hotel person for assistance because the taxi driver is trying to scam you. Tell them to call the tourist police immediately on 1155.

Once they hear this they will do one of two things, either call the tourist police, or intervene and ask what the problem is and can they fix it.

Tell them what happened in a calm way and what you believe is the correct fare and offer to pay that immediately. Usually the driver knows they've been caught and will accept the money offered.

If there is no quick resolution again insist on the tourist police being called. The matter will be resolved. As always in Thailand remain calm and polite, do not scream or be abusive and you will win.

Been there done that and paid the appropriate fare. Trust me the hotel doesn't want the tourist police to attend and neither does the driver.

I know that one can get the hotel to assist upon arrival (and help call the tourist police line) but last night the driver deliberately drove past our hotel, told us to pay the inflated meter and get out.

 

[Archphoto]

I find this BTS map extremely helpful, unfortunately the mobile version doesn't work - just shows the map, no actual interaction.

Service Routes : BTSC

 

[nonpop]

With cabs in general, may be we've just had good luck ... and we never act like a noob and always act cool.
Before we jump into the cab we always give them the destination and say "meter". If they say no, then I just step back and wave them on with my hand and look away. Again, most say "okay" and away we go. I think learning to deal with taxi scams is part of the travel as you'll encounter it everywhere in the world, even in Oz. Once you get the hang on it they give up real quick. And let's face it, you are going to need a taxi at some point in time.

Speaking of public transport, how about the Khlong.
Khlong - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

We always use these a bit as well. A lot of fun, especially when you are standing up and they approach a bridge and all of a sudden the roof lowers.
And they are very cheap. Getting on and off is a hoot and would never be possible in Oz due to OH&S etc. (But I think that sums up a lot of what makes BKK so interesting ... like workmen using jackhammers on concrete wearing only flip-flops for foot wear)

 

[drron]

Getting the hotel to intervene when being scammed by a taxi driver can pay off but not always.On Arriving at the Millenium Hilton when we did that the doorman told us the driver was right and to pay him what he asked.Fortunately that was the year I defected to SPG.
Next trip same scam.The Doorman at the ROS was the exact opposite-started yelling at the driver,got his hands on my bag,got out his phone and told me I didn't have to pay him anything as if he reported the driver he would lose more than my fare.

 

[Isochronous]

Getting the hotel to intervene when being scammed by a taxi driver can pay off but not always.On Arriving at the Millenium Hilton when we did that the doorman told us the driver was right and to pay him what he asked.Fortunately that was the year I defected to SPG.
Next trip same scam.The Doorman at the ROS was the exact opposite-started yelling at the driver,got his hands on my bag,got out his phone and told me I didn't have to pay him anything as if he reported the driver he would lose more than my fare.

Is Uber an option now in Bangkok?

 

[Archphoto]

Is Uber an option now in Bangkok?

They use GrabTaxi quite a lot here. Haven't used myself, but seen the cards etc in many of the cabs I've travelled in.

 

[Paul_PER]

Just back from Bangkok - my number one tip is if you are going to walk around a lot is take a fresh shirt for every day - I just throw my old t-shirts and polos into my luggage and they don't make the return trip to Australia! And pack the sunscreen....

Usually Bangkok is the hottest, most humid destination I go to but after SIN, KL, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Bali in the last fortnight Bali won this trip - very overcast and humid there at the moment. But the beach is the cleanest I've ever seen it there.

 

[JohnK]

With cabs in general, may be we've just had good luck ... and we never act like a noob and always act cool.

It's quite possible to have good luck but it is getting harder and harder.

You could possibly think taxis were cheap until you visit Chiang Mai, Hua Hin etc. Even BKK outskirts such as Nakhon Pathom can be very expensive.

 

[Archipelago]

With cabs in general, may be we've just had good luck ... and we never act like a noob and always act cool.
Before we jump into the cab we always give them the destination and say "meter". If they say no, then I just step back and wave them on with my hand and look away. Again, most say "okay" and away we go. I think learning to deal with taxi scams is part of the travel as you'll encounter it everywhere in the world, even in Oz. Once you get the hang on it they give up real quick. And let's face it, you are going to need a taxi at some point in time.

Speaking of public transport, how about the Khlong.
Khlong - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

We always use these a bit as well. A lot of fun, especially when you are standing up and they approach a bridge and all of a sudden the roof lowers.
And they are very cheap. Getting on and off is a hoot and would never be possible in Oz due to OH&S etc. (But I think that sums up a lot of what makes BKK so interesting ... like workmen using jackhammers on concrete wearing only flip-flops for foot wear)

nonpop gives some very sound advice regarding Bangkok taxis. Do be prepared to wave more than one on if they refuse to put on a meter. Know your address or destination.
I have seen foreign visitors to Bangkok lose the plot when their taxi refuses to take them - keep your cool and be prepared at peak times to have a few taxis try to get you for a fixed price (refuse them - if they don't want to put on the meter, someone else will)

Khlong boats are a great suggestion. Catching them is an activity in itself. I enjoy local buses too, when I am not in a rush to get somewhere, and I am travelling away from the usual transit lines.

Finally - Bangkok taxis aren't that bad in the big scheme of things. Spare a thought for me down in coughet, where we are at the mercy of the coughet mafia, and there is no mass transit system. It costs me 700 baht to get one way from home to coughet airport (about a 35-45 minute ride), yet it is not much more than that for me to fly to Bangkok or KL.

 

[Archipelago]

They use GrabTaxi quite a lot here. Haven't used myself, but seen the cards etc in many of the cabs I've travelled in.

Be careful with Grab Taxi, for those considering using it. I'm a mod on Thailand's main expat forum, and have noticed a few dodgy stories recently regarding Grab Taxi drivers calling females up on their mobiles after a trip.

Uber and All Thai Taxi Service also operating in Bangkok - link

 

[Archphoto]

Be careful with Grab Taxi, for those considering using it. I'm a mod on Thailand's main expat forum, and have noticed a few dodgy stories recently regarding Grab Taxi drivers calling females up on their mobiles after a trip.

Uber and All Thai Taxi Service also operating in Bangkok - link

Have seen a couple of the ATTS cars getting around and did wonder what they were - didn't take too much notice, it was more the map on the side that caught my eye at a couple of tollways.

If they can live up to their hype, I think it will be a good thing - friends did get tired of being rejected by cabs who refused to use meters around Khao San Road last time they were here. Cops on the sidewalk couldn't have been less interested if they had tried, we approached at least 8 before finding one who would use it, all in full view of said constabulary. (I know they aren't the "Tourist Police" but what are they paid for anyway??)

Cleaning up the taxi associations act would be a good start to restoring visitor faith in using them (along with locals), but in the 6 years I've lived here full-time, I've had problems on rare occasions. One was from the airport from the sanctioned official rank - he asked if I wanted to pay 350thb to travel the 12kms home (refused), and when I told him to take a short-cut he became belligerent and started yelling at me that I was wrong. Told him to pull over and i'd refuse to pay if he didn't drive me where I wanted. Shut him up, he dropped me off and I actually reported him to the Taxi Board.

As expected, heard nothing - why would I? Too hard to deal with a farang about something so petty as a poor cab experience; it's all for show - if it looks like they take it seriously then it must be ok, right?

Mai pen rai.

 

[moa999]

Uber and All Thai Taxi Service also operating in Bangkok - link

More importantly Uber is also operating in coughet - providing some alternatives to the taxi mafia, although rates are still pretty high.

That said they have just closed - for low season...
https://blog.uber.com/LowSeasonIsHere

Would also note in Bangkok that for the last 8 months Google Maps has been useless for the BTS.
- No station numbers or English names, just the Thai script,
whereas virtually everything else appears in English.

Has been reported in the Google forums but they have done nothing.

 

[feezable]

More importantly Uber is also operating in coughet - providing some alternatives to the taxi mafia, although rates are still pretty high.

That's good news, the taxi fares really impacted on our coughet experience last year. We did seek out and use the blue bus where possible which was great.

 

[Paul_PER]

It's quite possible to have good luck but it is getting harder and harder.

Agreed. This last trip to Bangkok seemed to be the hardest taxi-wise. Or it could be my patience / tolerance is just getting lower.

I've always stayed in the Sukhumvit district to be near the train lines and avoid the taxis but some destinations can't be easily reached without the torture of finding a decent taxi driver. The ones that turn on the meter without being asked get large tips from me.

Whenever I'm stressed by the process I just think how much I pay from Perth Airport to Perth CBD........

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I'm now on TG474 BNE/BKK Sun 26 Apr arriving at 2020 (was going to be 1515 ex PER) so are trains still running then?

Is the station easy to find from the airport?

If I do get a taxi I'll tell the driver to turn on the meter hoping it's not a dodgy fast meter but the fare should be 300 baht?

Are there any other tolls, fees or tips applicable on top of the fare I need to know about?

I will have baht cash so I can give the cabbie the exact amount.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm now on TG474 BNE/BKK Sun 26 Apr arriving at 2020 (was going to be 1515 ex PER) so are trains still running then?

Is the station easy to find from the airport?

If I do get a taxi I'll tell the driver to turn on the meter hoping it's not a dodgy fast meter but the fare should be 300 baht?

Are there any other tolls, fees or tips applicable on top of the fare I need to know about?

I will have baht cash so I can give the cabbie the exact amount.

While bad taxis are out there... they're not that common. It is usual to get a good cab rather than a bad one.

In addition to the fare on the meter, there is a 50 baht airport fee AND tolls. If you hand the driver a 100 baht note just after the taxi starts off, say 'toll way', and they'll hand on to the money and pay the tolls as you get to them. There are two toll stations, total I think is 75 baht.

If you prefer, you can book an AOT 'limousine' (just a basic car) which will set you back around 1200 baht or so. No additional fees and you'll have 100% peace of mind. You can book that in the arrivals hall. Alternatively, you can jump on line before you leave and get a car with driver to meet you at the arrivals hall for anywhere from 800 baht upwards (just google 'bangkok airport transfers'... but look at a couple of providers because some companies can be expensive).

So you have taxi - around 220-250 for the meter, plus 50 airport fee and tolls (plus a small tip on arrival)... or for about double that, your own clean safe car with driver and zero worry (tolls included).

 

[moa999]

Train runs to midnight, every 15min or so...
Albeit bts stops from 11.30 so you would want to be on a train before 11 to be safe.
Well signposted in Airport - like most its in the basement.

Where are you staying?
By that hour most of the peak traffic should be gone (partic on a Sunday)

If Riverside (as suggested above) I would just go the taxi route, versus two trains and a ferry

 

[ozbeachbabe]

While bad taxis are out there... they're not that common. It is usual to get a good cab rather than a bad one.

In addition to the fare on the meter, there is a 50 baht airport fee AND tolls. If you hand the driver a 100 baht note just after the taxi starts off, say 'toll way', and they'll hand on to the money and pay the tolls as you get to them. There are two toll stations, total I think is 75 baht.

If you prefer, you can book an AOT 'limousine' (just a basic car) which will set you back around 1200 baht or so. No additional fees and you'll have 100% peace of mind. You can book that in the arrivals hall.

Alternatively, you can jump on line before you leave and get a car with driver to meet you at the arrivals hall for anywhere from 800 baht upwards (just google 'bangkok airport transfers'... but look at a couple of providers because some companies can be expensive).

So you have taxi - around 220-250 for the meter, plus 50 airport fee and tolls (plus a small tip on arrival)... or for about double that, your own clean safe car with driver and zero worry (tolls included).

Thanks heaps for that info MT!

What is a reasonable tip for the cabbie in your opinion? If I give him 100 baht for the 75 baht tolls, is the 25 baht left over too stingy?

Train runs to midnight, every 15min or so...

Albeit bts stops from 11.30 so you would want to be on a train before 11 to be safe.

Well signposted in Airport - like most its in the basement.

Where are you staying? By that hour most of the peak traffic should be gone (partic on a Sunday)

If Riverside (as suggested above) I would just go the taxi route, versus two trains and a ferry

I'm now staying at the Millenium Hilton & will have a checked bag as en route to a conference in BCN.

I'd have no hesitation doing two trains & a ferry if I was arriving mid-arvo with HLO, but now arriving at 2020 I think the taxi sounds like a good idea.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks heaps for that info MT!

What is a reasonable tip for the cabbie in your opinion? If I give him 100 baht for the 75 baht tolls, is the 25 baht left over too stingy?



I'm now staying at the Millenium Hilton & will have a checked bag as en route to a conference in BCN.

I'd have no hesitation doing two trains & a ferry if I was arriving mid-arvo with HLO, but now arriving at 2020 I think the taxi sounds like a good idea.

The driver will almost always give you back the change from the toll after you go through the second toll (they hang on to the money after the first one to use at the second). It just occurred to me they probably do that so tourists don't leave it with them as a tip!

I think you will get a pretty good gut feel about how much is appropriate... it's a suck it and see thing. If you get there safely, and the driver appears to be doing everything appropriately (no fast meter) - then I round up, with a minimum of 50 baht.

The 50 airport fee never appears on the meter... they don't punch it as an 'extra' once you arrive like they would in Australia... so if the base fare was say 220, you add the 50 for 270, and I'd probably give them 350. Maybe even 400.

It's tough being a taxi driver in bangkok... it's a long way from the airport, and fares a dirt cheap by comparison with Australia. Many drivers have to rent their car for the day which costs them 700 baht for starters. So anything extra you can give them is appreciated.

 

[Alanslegal]

While bad taxis are out there... they're not that common. It is usual to get a good cab rather than a bad one.

I have a feeling based on my last visit to Bangkok a few weeks back that the bad taxis are on the upward trend. I had a string of bad runs there whilst in my many multiple trips to Bangkok I have never had any issue. For example at BKK the taxi stand previously manned by real people is now replaced with automatic machines. The machines you print out the taxi number and general destination area whilst the previous system, you tell the clerk where you are off to, they write it down, and then they tell/translate/explain to the driver your exact destination - no issues especially staying at a large western branded hotel. With the new machine, it was up to me to tell the driver where the hotel was. I said Sheraton and the driver pretended he did not know where it was. Then after he started driving, tried to ask for 700 or 800 BHT that was listed on a print out on the back of his car, then tried to offload me on the motorway when I insisted on the meter. We had a small van and whilst stuck or in slow traffic on the motorway, I would look at other taxis and notice at least half of them did not have the meter running even fully loaded with what I believed to be tourists who had just arrived at BKK. Anyway other situations whilst in the City including multiple drivers refusing to take my fare, even hotel staff who tried to get taxis did not fare better.

If I do get a taxi I'll tell the driver to turn on the meter hoping it's not a dodgy fast meter but the fare should be 300 baht?

Please report back how you went.