Grace B

So what's new?

Just ask him to slow down, or he won't get a tip. He probably tried to overcharge you too, I imagine.

og

He turned on the meter when I got in - no questions, no issues.

seanthepilot

Since I started flying Bangkok Airways, I've enjoyed BKK more and more.

This week I flew in, and within minutes was in a taxi. The new sideways queue, with yellow paper traded for white. The taxi turned on the meter without prompting and traffic once off the tollway was light (Sunday). I forget the total cost... under 300 or so.

On the way out, Wireless Rd (Plaza Athene) to Don Mueng was only 161THB + tolls. I gave him 200.

Exleftseat

This is all quite encouraging and I look forward to my next trip.

maxmin

What time should you take a taxi leaving downtown to get to the airport for a 22:00 flight (Sunday evening)?

transpac

Domestic? International? BKK? DMK? Airline? Status? Class of Service? Any Immigration issues (overstay)?

For an international departure I'd leave (step in to a taxi) at 19:00. I am overly cautious and have never missed a flight.

Lately there have been a lot of reports of a shortage of Immigration Officers and lengthy waits exiting the country. Wait times of up to 60 minutes have been reported and some have missed their flights.

Q Shoe Guy

One can only hope that after they clean up the taxi-mafia they will start on the pick-pocket/security/baggage thieve rings that are also endemic at BKK.......

maxmin

Sorry, TG international from BKK in J class.

Grace B

Yes, I think you have hit the nail on the head there.

Anyone traveling through BKK/DMK needs to be fully aware of what's going on around them. Otherwise, I don't want to hear their complaints.

Exleftseat

I can confirm this. On departure a couple of weeks ago, around 4 p.m.,
we had to wait a good hour or so to get through immigration. Flight did
not leave until 10 p.m. so it wasn't a problem. But highly recommended
to arrive at the airport plenty of time ahead of departure.

A_Lee

The poster asking about this clarified he/she was traveling in J on TG so can use the dedicated C check-in and immigration. Normally it's very fast with no wait or only one or two people but can have a bit of a line at peak times. Never though been more than 10 minutes for me. Y class or any other airlines though and you have to use the general immigration where it can be a much longer wait at peak times. Traffic on the road to BKK should really be the only major consideration.

Grace B

Why do they (the Thai Govt) get so uptight and annoying about people LEAVING the country?

Seems decidedly 4th world to me (compare with Singapore)...

transpac

I confess that your post makes no sense to me. And might do better in another thread as it has absolutely nothing to do with taxis at BKK?

Singapore requires foreigners to clear Immigration upon exiting the country. (At least they did on my last trip there in 2007.) I think the U.S.A. requires foreigners with visas to get stamped out?

When entering Thailand you get stamped in for a fixed length of time (visa, tourist visa exemption, etc.). There are fines for overstays, maybe 500 THB per day.

I think Thailand is a bit concerned about illegal aliens and/or people potentially staying too long, and then maybe working?

AFAIK, every hotel in Thailand needs to fax a guest list to Immigration every single night.

vysean

Paid 500 Baht last Monday night (the 17th). I didn't know the address of the Conrad, but the guy escorting me out (TG employee) to the taxi stand said it wasn't a problem - he said some things to the taxi stand person and then he was loading my bags in a taxi.

Driver departed the airport and then first quoted 450 Baht and then 550 Baht. Never turned on the meter and I didn't think to ask (hoped the earlier posts were indicative of a new trend - guess it's hit or miss). I told him I had only 500 Baht when we hit the first toll booth and he accepted it.

He took me on quite the tour of Bangkok, first driving down a street with a bunch of "ladies for hire". He kept looking back at me as he would pass a lady to see if I wanted him to stop or something. Once it was clear I was more in need of a bed than a lay he got back into the fast lane and drove off.

First he delivered me to the Holiday Inn. I told him "no - Conrad". I told him Wireless Road and showed him the printout from the hotel with the address. He kept saying "Con-las" and I kept saying "Conrad". He then tried two other hotels before finally delivering me to the Conrad. As he pulled in, he said, "Con-lan". Okay, now I know what to call it.

The return trip couldn't have been more different. The concierge at the Conrad got me a taxi - I made sure to mention I wanted it metered. Got in and we went through two different toll booths. Total charge (including both tolls) was only 295 Baht. Seemed like a good deal, or at least far better than the trip to the hotel. This was on a Tuesday early afternoon.

Guess the key take-away is to make sure you ask for the meter to be turned on...

transpac

Not really. The key take-away is to just follow the simple steps repeated quite a few times in this thread.

1.) Exit the main passenger terminal building on level 2.
2.) Look for the official taxi stand.
3.) State your destination to the dispatcher who will write it down in Thai for the driver, example, "Conrad Hotel, Wireless Road", and your preference for using the meter.
4.) Confirm destination with driver, confirm use of meter with driver, example, "Meter, OK.". Cinfirm use of tollway if applicable.
5.) Load bags in taxi.
6.) If the driver does not start the meter, within a few seconds of rolling mention "Meter" again.

You made the mistake of relying on someone else, in this case the baggage porter. I've arrived on TG in F, and I still speak directly with the dispatcher and driver, with porter in tow.

edited to add: In Thinglish the Conrad would be Con lass, also Wireless Road is also called Wittayu (wit tie you) Road.