Editor;
Re: 100 taxi drivers protest black-plate cabs (PM Friday, 13 February 2015) – Taxi rip offs are not endemic to Thailand. In Tokyo we passed the same intersection 3 times before stopping. In Sydney I knew the shortest way & said, “Hey you are going the wrong way.” He replied, “No, my way is quicker.” Result: Fare $20 more than I had paid before.
In most western countries you cannot negotiate a fare and drivers must use meters.
Getting back to Thailand. If the official Fare Suvarnabhumi to Pattaya (a distance 125 km) is ß1050 + ß60 toll booth and the metered fare is ß900, pray tell me how is the metered taxi being undercut?
How often have you been in a metered cab and the driver refuses to turn on the meter? (Met mai dee, kaput.) Go Pattaya ß1500 ok? Golden rule: negotiate price first. Even at that price it’s a bargain compared with what you would pay in Australia: Airport Tax $2.50, flag fall $ 3.60 plus $ 2.62 per kilo = $ 327.50. Total $ 333.60. That works out well over ß9000.
Let’s face it. We have never had it so good so stop whining about being hard done by. You can always use the bus and then moan about the cost of a Songthaew from the terminal.
Ryan
