The third journey, however, was not so hassle-free. I took this taxi from my hotel in Huamark at 4.15 am (it was summoned by the porter).
Never allow the hotel to call you a taxi in Thailand, or in many other countries. You will always be expected to pay more. Often the taxis are waiting there, sometimes for quite a while, and they expect you to pay extra to compensate them for their wait time and the convenience of having a readily available taxi, which I suppose is fair, provided you know what the deal is. I try my best to never get a waiting taxi anyplace but simply flag down a passing taxi and you'll normally get less hassles in doing so.
Never allow the hotel to call you a taxi in Thailand, or in many other countries. You will always be expected to pay more. Often the taxis are waiting there, sometimes for quite a while, and they expect you to pay extra to compensate them for their wait time and the convenience of having a readily available taxi, which I suppose is fair, provided you know what the deal is. I try my best to never get a waiting taxi anyplace but simply flag down a passing taxi and you'll normally get less hassles in doing so.
OK, Soju, that's fine, but the hotel did advertise that they would arrange a taxi which was "safer and more secure" than hailing one off the street. And all this for only an additional 20 bt. Seemed like a reasonable deal to me. Pity it didn't work out in practice.
The other issue is that I didn't want to walk several hundred metres to the main road to try and hail a cab at 4 am.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Soju
Never allow the hotel to call you a taxi in Thailand, or in many other countries. You will always be expected to pay more. Often the taxis are waiting there, sometimes for quite a while, and they expect you to pay extra to compensate them for their wait time and the convenience of having a readily available taxi, which I suppose is fair, provided you know what the deal is. I try my best to never get a waiting taxi anyplace but simply flag down a passing taxi and you'll normally get less hassles in doing so.
At the Conrad, they have someone who flags down taxis on the road and directs them to the hotel as needed, so the taxis aren't waiting but are readily available when needed. They also don't expect any extra money (although I usually used to tip the guy who gets me the taxi 20 bhatt).
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I've now taken the taxi from the upper/departures level at both Bangkok airports in the last week. At both airports, the taxis were right there, no problems turing on the meter, no tollways taken (to Asia Hotel). The BKK ride was about 60-70 baht more, attributed to distance. The higher meter still under B200.
Location: Formerly in PNH (among others), now living in DAR...
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400 baht scam alive and well
My wife just came back from a short trip to BKK and reported that the public taxi stand tried to pull the 400 baht scam for her ride to Sukhumvit. She said, "no thanks, meter please," and the taxi stand woman passed her on to a driver.
The driver had his meter covered up with a casually-placed piece of paper*; when he started up, my wife asked for the meter to be used and he refused. She insisted a couple of times; he did nothing. In the end, she opened up the door while the cab was in motion; he stopped and she got out, walked back a ways to the desk and demanded loudly that she be given a meter taxi with no tricks. The next cab was fine, though she said that the first driver looked furious: he had followed her to the desk, and she doubted that any of the waiting pax would be willing to use him...
- Michael
*We had run into a covered-meter scam at Don Muang: at that time, the meter was already running under the piece of paper, so that the final reading is much higher than it should be. But in this case, it appeared that the driver was just trying to hide the meter or suggest that it not be used...
My wife just came back from a short trip to BKK and reported that the public taxi stand tried to pull the 400 baht scam for her ride to Sukhumvit. She said, "no thanks, meter please," and the taxi stand woman passed her on to a driver.
The driver had his meter covered up with a casually-placed piece of paper*; when he started up, my wife asked for the meter to be used and he refused. She insisted a couple of times; he did nothing. In the end, she opened up the door while the cab was in motion; he stopped and she got out, walked back a ways to the desk and demanded loudly that she be given a meter taxi with no tricks. The next cab was fine, though she said that the first driver looked furious: he had followed her to the desk, and she doubted that any of the waiting pax would be willing to use him...
- Michael
*We had run into a covered-meter scam at Don Muang: at that time, the meter was already running under the piece of paper, so that the final reading is much higher than it should be. But in this case, it appeared that the driver was just trying to hide the meter or suggest that it not be used...
Is it worth using those pieces of card with the car registration number on to report these activities, do you know? I read a week or so ago that a lot of taxi drivers had been banned from BKK for doing there scams, but clearly this hasn't stopped the practice.
It happened to me 4 weeks ago, BKK to Suk 33 (well... half way to the expressway he finally understood that no answer to "400 baht" meant 'put the meter on'), but not last Thursday. I think that's pretty good going with 24 airport trips a year On the downside, I enjoy a good argument and they're not giving me enough opportunities!
Is it worth using those pieces of card with the car registration number on to report these activities, do you know? I read a week or so ago that a lot of taxi drivers had been banned from BKK for doing there scams, but clearly this hasn't stopped the practice.
It happened to me 4 weeks ago, BKK to Suk 33 (well... half way to the expressway he finally understood that no answer to "400 baht" meant 'put the meter on'), but not last Thursday. I think that's pretty good going with 24 airport trips a year On the downside, I enjoy a good argument and they're not giving me enough opportunities!
Just avoid the green/yellow taxis, by all accounts.
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Don Muang to Suvarnabhumi Airport by taxi
Haven't heard many people talk about the taxi ride between the 2 airports.
In my case, our NOKAir flight was cancelled (as it turns out, they grounded a few planes until they were fully checked out. This was a few days after the 1-2-Go crash). In the afternoon I got a SMS to my phone that the flight was canceled, the re-booking options, times, and phone number to call.
We missed the last flight from DMK, because of traffic issues in BKK (100 minutes to cover a few kms to the expressway).
At DMK, we convinced them to let us fly from BKK, that we would pay the taxi.
I don't remember the exact meter price.
We must have hit 4 toll booths.
distance was 46km
time from DMK to BKK was 50 minutes (all on tollway roads/ no traffic jams)
I've never had any problems with meter taxis from/to the airport. Of course, My thai friend always meets me at the airport and rides into town with me. Maybe the Taxi drivers don't dare try to pull any scams with a Thai present.
FYI, and apologies if it's already been covered, the official taxi stand is now on level 2. Level 2 is the same level as arrivals, Immigration, baggage claim and Customs. Previously it had been on level 1. I think I used door #6 last night and found a stand there. No line, no problems getting a taxi and use of the meter. I simply stated my destination to the dispatcher, and my preference for using the meter. I re-confirmed my destination, use of the meter and use of the tollway BEFORE putting my bags in the taxi. No problems.
FYI, and apologies if it's already been covered, the official taxi stand is now on level 2. Level 2 is the same level as arrivals, Immigration, baggage claim and Customs. Previously it had been on level 1. I think I used door #6 last night and found a stand there. No line, no problems getting a taxi and use of the meter. I simply stated my destination to the dispatcher, and my preference for using the meter. I re-confirmed my destination, use of the meter and use of the tollway BEFORE putting my bags in the taxi. No problems.
That's great to hear - and must've just happened since last week as I'd had to go down to the dark and creepy lower levels as usual.
FYI, and apologies if it's already been covered, the official taxi stand is now on level 2. Level 2 is the same level as arrivals, Immigration, baggage claim and Customs. Previously it had been on level 1. I think I used door #6 last night and found a stand there. No line, no problems getting a taxi and use of the meter. I simply stated my destination to the dispatcher, and my preference for using the meter. I re-confirmed my destination, use of the meter and use of the tollway BEFORE putting my bags in the taxi. No problems.
Just out of interest (not that I use them) but where have the AOT "Limousine" taxis (actually mainly Toyota Camrys) gone, or are they fighting for space with the proper taxis now on Level 2?
I think I saw the AoT limos (Camrys, BMWs, Mercs, 4x4's etc.) more towards the right, doors ~ 4 - 6-ish, on level 2.
I've avoided level 4 as there was some active policing action there a few months ago and I hate to waste time going up there if they are enforcing the no pick-up ban.
I think I saw the AoT limos (Camrys, BMWs, Mercs, 4x4's etc.) more towards the right, doors ~ 4 - 6-ish, on level 2.
I've avoided level 4 as there was some active policing action there a few months ago and I hate to waste time going up there if they are enforcing the no pick-up ban.
AoT limos must be feeling all this hassling too, last trip I noticed they have a booth inside near baggage collection and were offering cars for 750. I was so determined not to pay 400 for a taxi, that I forgot what evryone here had told me was the "right" fare so when the taxi driver said 300 and i said with all tolls included, he agreed and I felt as if I had achieved something only to come home and find I was still overcharged. If the car is clean and he doesn't exceed 140k, I usually tip, but with the agreed price I didn't feel I had to, so from a hip pocket point of view I am not that far out. regards bkkrop
On the downside, I enjoy a good argument and they're not giving me enough opportunities!
