Originally Posted by
SKT-DK
Agree - I am perfectly fine to hail a taxi off the street in front of my office at Khlong Toei intersection at midnight, which granted is not the nicest of places at night. I would hesitate doing that in similar places in most western cities!
My main nuisance with Grab drivers is that none of them have a clue about directions and follow their (not always smart) GPS blindly, even if it would lead them off a pier and into the Chao Phraya!
Generally never had a major issue with Taxi drivers in Bangkok, yes - many try not to use the meter, might claim a tourist attraction is closed but if you're polite, friendly but assertive you are almost certainly going to avoid trouble. Worst case scenario just get out of the cab and get another one. I also tend to pick taxis up from hotel ranks where the hotel doorman can instruct the driver as well as usually making a note of the taxi number.
If i'm being scammed for 50-100B I try to not let it ruin my holiday, after all back at the hotel I usually end up paying 500B extra for a beer in the hotel bar so as to keep The Deluxo Hotel Corporation in business - who's scamming who :-)