First Taxi Fare Hike Since 2014

[reader]

The Bangkok Post reports that an 8% increase will take effect Saturday. The first flag drop will remain at 35 baht but the distance between additional drops will be reduced.

The last increase was in 2014.

It's still a bargain.

 

 

 

[TMax]

Not too bad an increase, about the only times I use taxis in Bangkok now are to and from the airport or if I'm going somewhere that the BTS or MRT aren't close by or very late at night.

[fedssocr]

I've never understood how they make any money

[vinapu]

9 minutes ago, fedssocr said:

I've never understood how they make any money

Probably because they are so cheap more people are using them so they have volume, crowding BKK streets in meantime 

[reader]

Thai PBS World today suggests that authorities are still ironing out some of the new fare changes.

The Transport Ministry is considering increasing taxi fares in Bangkok, from 35 baht for the first kilometre to 45 baht, noting that the fares have not been increased for 8 years.

Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Transport Ministry, Sorapong Paitoonphong, said that they will consider increasing fares for taxis licensed in Bangkok, as taxi drivers have been demanding an increase in the fares in line with the economic situation. He added that fares have not risen since 2014, in direct contrast with increasing fuel prices and costs of living.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Thai Taxi Public Association said that its working committee has proposed an increase, starting at 45 baht for taxis with 1,600-1,800cc engines and 50 baht for taxis with 2,000cc engines and above for the first kilometre.

If they are travelling to Don Mueang or Suvarnabhumi airports, they also propose that the service charge be increased from 50 baht to 75 baht.

Currently, all taxi fares start at 35 baht and increase by 5.50 baht for each kilometre travelled. Taxis pre-booked via phone or hailing apps will, however, cost another 35 baht.

========================

Higher Traffic Fines in Effect from Sept 5

From Thai News Agency

BANGKOK, Sept 2 (TNA) – Traffic fines will be much higher, with the maximum rate of 4,000 baht, on Sept 5 when the newly amended Land Traffic Act will take effect, according to the police.

Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittipraphat said the amendment increased punishment on the traffic rule violations that were main factors behind road accidents. They included the violation of speed limits, traffic lights and pedestrian crossings, he said.

The maximum fine of such offences rose from 1,000 to 4,000 baht, Pol Gen Damrongsak said.

The new law also raised the maximum fine from 500 to 2,000 baht for driving in wrong direction and failure to wear a helmet or a seat belt.

[PeterRS]

9 hours ago, vinapu said:

Probably because they are so cheap more people are using them so they have volume, crowding BKK streets in meantime 

With all respect, taxis certainly do not crowd the streets of BKK. Trucks are banned in the city until about 9:00 pm. So in the daytime most of the traffic consists of private cars. The number of private cars I see with just the driver - or a passenger plus the family driver - inside is vastly greater than all other vehicles. The problem with Bangkok's streets is largely twofoold. When the city started expanding, it filled in most of the city's klongs. Most klongs were quite wide, but those that were left were considerably narrowed to allow for more construction either side. With no new laws to make roads wider, many sois became traffic bottlenecks.

Worse, many were dead ends, leaving traffic nowhere to go. An astonishing 37% of the city's roads are virtual dead ends! Bangkok also has a dreadful road to area ratio of just 8%. Often gridlocked Tokyo fares far better with 23%. New York has 32%.

The city also has far too many areas without relatively easy access to major roads. This has also resulted in a lack of public transportation in those areas. Getting in and out of those areas needs a vehicle. Regulations governing shopping malls and office buildings are also different in Thailand compared to the rest of the region. Commercial buildings are permitted to accommodate many more cars than is the case in major capital cities around the region. Also, if you live and work in Tokyo, for example, you are only allowed to own a car if your car has private access to two car park spaces, one at home and one at work!

As a result, Bangkok now has 4.3 million private cars. This is aided by parking spaces around the city which are very cheap. In the centre of Bangkok it is little more than 40 baht for the first two hours. In Hong Kong, it is roughly ten times more expensive. At Robinsons Shoping Mall in Singapore, you'll pay 157 baht for every 30 minutes and a higher rate between 6:00 pm and midnight. Most cities also have vastly more parking meters than Bangkok.

Bangok's traffic woes are primarily a lack of streets, far too many private cars for the existing streets, a lack of parking spaces and those that are avaiable are vastly too cheap. Until travelling by private car is made a lot more expensive and the city authority constructs many more roads, traffic gridlock will continue in BKK. 

https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/1762349/understanding-bangkoks-traffic-woes

[vinapu]

5 hours ago, PeterRS said:

, taxis certainly do not crowd the streets of BKK.

you are right, it's why is so hard to get one. Sometimes on Silom or Suriowong I need to wait whole 37 seconds before one appears

[PeterRS]

10 hours ago, vinapu said:

you are right, it's why is so hard to get one. Sometimes on Silom or Suriowong I need to wait whole 37 seconds before one appears

Wow! That was lucky.😀  In the rush hour or a rain storm, I have waited closer to 15 minutes.

I do believe taxi drivers deserve a raise - a considerable one. But I am increasingly pissed off at the number who now pass by empty and with the meter off. The distance between the supermarket and my apartment is less than 1.5 km and only a small turn off the main soi is required. A taxi driver wanting to go further along the main soi would get my fare for a delay of at most two minutes. Yet five empty taxis passed by, each without the 'busy' sign lit, not one bothering even to ask where I was going. 

Another dreadful place for taxis is the junction of Chidlom and Petchburi. Empty taxis coming down Chidlom only rarely bother to pick up passengers from the taxi queue outside Central Chidlom even when flagged down by one of the Central Dept. Store staff. Since I visit TOPS there quite a lot, I estimate an average of at least six pass by empty each time. And try walking round to get one on Ploenchit as it nears Chidlom. Most with lit 'available' signs will be in the outer two lanes or will quickly move into the outer two lanes. GIve these guys a raise, but get them to do what a taxi should do - at least stop and take passengers they want to go, unless the driver has to go somewhere else at shift change time.

[sterial]

Inflation everywhere nowadays... 

[reader]

Fee of 45-50 baht but more at Thai airports?

From the Thaiger

A taxi fare increase of about 45 to 50 baht was proposed by drivers in Thailand yesterday while standing or idling in traffic is expected to be fixed at about five baht per minute.

The President of the Thai Public Taxi Association, Sadit Jaitiang, reported yesterday that the association met with the Deputy Director of the Land Transport Department, Sirirat Weerasarn, to discuss the new Thai taxi fares.

Sadit said there were four relevant departments at the meeting, including Suvarnabhumi Taxi Coordination Association, and Electric Taxi Association, and every association debated the fare increase.

Sadit revealed they proposed the new fares to the Land Transport Department according to the details below:

• 1,600 to 1,800 cc taxi cars: The basic fee starts at 45 baht
• 2,000 cc taxi cars: The basic fare starts at 50 baht
• For both types of taxi cars:
  • A journey from 2 to 20 kilometres costs 10 baht/kilometre
  • A journey from 21 to 40 kilometres costs 11 baht/kilometre
  • A journey from 41 to 60 kilometres costs 12 baht/kilometre
  • A journey of 61 kilometres onward cost 13 baht/kilometre
• In a jam when taxi cars move about 25 kilometres per hour, the fare will cost five baht per minute
• A service charge for taxi service in airports is 75 to 90 baht according to the size of the car and engine

• According to the report, the Land Transport Department acknowledged the request and said it would consider the fares at a future meeting. The department will meet with the associations again at the beginning of October to conclude and set the fare rate.

  Sadit added that some people urged the Thai taxi drivers to improve their service if they wanted fare increases. Sadit said the Land Transport Department has to support, encourage, and host training to train taxi drivers.

[Mavica]

Doesn't this belong in the Thailand forum?

[vinapu]

1 hour ago, Mavica said:

Doesn't this belong in the Thailand forum?

we don't have Thailand forum

We have Gay Thailand forum. If this was posted there , objections would no doubt  arise that quite a few taxi drivers are NOT gay and topic belongs to Beer Bar forum even if apparently there are 3 or 4 taxi drivers in BKK who don't drink beer , at least not on the job