Thread: Taxis at the airport

Originally Posted by MeMock

Q jumpers really annoy me.

Oh yeah and liars too.

What about shrewd people who get through immigration before you, pump one up and facialise your favourite bargirl, then sit drinking there 3rd singha watching you pull up in Soi Nana an hour later ?

We always take two taxis from the airport when returning as a family with any sort of luggage (more than a weekend trip).....

And always from Departures level, once you can convince them you really aren't going to Pattaya.

159 to my place, so the 180 to Nana would be right if no traffic.

Going back to the OP, take the taxi and take the form, fill it in and tick the boxes and post it.

I did that once and I got a letter back from the transportation ministry telling me the driver had been called in and fined Bt1000.

It won't help you but there is a certain satisfaction knowing you fucked up the drivers day.

(And no, it wasn't a form letter, it was (badly) typed!).

Originally Posted by Bobcock

The other day when I came in I went for the priority Lane and just marched in like I owned the place (after some gental persuasion my the guy I was with).

They were sitting there doing nothing so they didn't care.

Through in seconds.

In May I saw on the screens that there were no queues at the other passport area so I walked over there. But there were no staff!.

I actually have 4 priority passes anyway, so I try it on and if collared I would produce one.

So far I have never been asked to hand one over....

I allways get my misses to sawattdee ka with one of the " queue guiders " they lift the ropes up for us and through we go in one of the many empty Thais only lanes

4 adults and 2 bags.

damn those Thais.

Definitely, if you traveling with a Thai, get in the Thai Immigration lines. I do it all the time with the wife.

I haven't thought about going up to the Departure level for a taxi. I used to do that a lot at Don Muaeng, but never thought about it for Swampy. Thanks for reminding me.

I tried the train last summer and found it was not such a great deal after all. I had to ride the BTS down Sukhumvit to get to the stop for the Airport rail. Then you have to wait for the direct train.

I got to the airport just in time to check in. The whole time I was riding that train, I was thinking, "If I had taken a taxi, I would have been there by now." The economics of more than 2 people traveling together on the train just don't make sense, compared to the taxi. Yes, having a lot of bags makes it a challenge.

Originally Posted by Bobcock

180 to Nana would be right if no traffic.

180 baht from Swampy to Nana is absolutely rock bottom and quite unrealistic. No money there for the driver, slave labor really.

Jeez. maybe if one gets in at Mid night and Takes the low road maybe so but in real life its the toll road and paying the driver a decent wedge.

180 baht is silly money for that trip. Extortion on the passengers part and certainly not worth the effort for the driver.

Originally Posted by terry57

180 baht is silly money for that trip. Extortion on the passengers part and certainly not worth the effort for the driver.

The average wage is 300 baht a day Tel. If he was flagged down after dropping a fare off at Swampy, he'd be pleased as punch, especially at that time of night that Bobcock mentioned when there's no traffic and it's done in 25 mins.

^

Yes I realize that but by the time the dude pays for gas, hire of the car, corrupt cops and all the other shit the 180 baht leaves very little cream.

The 180 baht is the extreme low end of a taxi ride from Swampy to Nana, most Taxi drivers would buck it.

Very few drivers would do that trip for 180 baht.

If they have just dropped a fare off and have an empty cab maybe so but most would not.

Many years ago I bartered down a taxi driver for a ride into Kao San for piss all, anyway he took me but give me the ride from hell bolting down the freeway at 150 KLM.

Foking shit myself, never again done that but that aside its still Cheap Charlie money.

Easy way is to just front up at the Taxi rank, pay the money and the toll for the free way and everybody is happy.

Easy innit. 180 baht is rubbish money.

I'm pretty sure that fare is not 180 baht, more like 260-300.
It was 140 baht to my house in Bang Chak which is a hell of a lot closer to Swampy

^

Yes for sure,

180 baht is bull shit, don't happen unless you find a junkie riding a pushbike into Nana and he makes you peddle.

The meter was on Terry, I didn't negotiate it. Took about what seemed like twenty minutes, if that. No traffic at all. The average is usually between 200-300 baht. This was definitely an exception.

^

I believe you mate but its certainly the exception for sure EH.

Must of had a dream run into Nana with virtually zero stops.

Be pushing shit up hill to pull that off again.

^

My point exactly, the Op is crying about sweet fuk all.

I don't see how it could ever be only 180 baht from the airport to nana, whatever way the driver went and no way 20 minutes either. We used to live next to nation tower on bangna trat, that was about 20 minutes and 165 baht, did it many times. That's still a hell of a way to nana, at least another 30 minutes.

If you have loads of bags you ask for a people carrier. And it isn't Bt700.

I reckon a few enterprising Thais decided to commandeer an empty taxi point and chance their arm.

I have had sub-200bt taxis from swampy to Asoke a couple of times in 10 years. That's the cheapest it will be (clear roads etc)

Tel, the expert will be along to tell you, you're wrong.

Originally Posted by Dillinger

I'm pretty sure that fare is not 180 baht, more like 260-300.

Originally Posted by terry57

180 baht is bull shit,

Originally Posted by xanax

I don't see how it could ever be only 180 baht from the airport to nana, whatever way the driver went and no way 20 minutes either. We used to live next to nation tower on bangna trat, that was about 20 minutes and 165 baht, did it many times. That's still a hell of a way to nana, at least another 30 minutes.

Look at the little doubting Thomases....

180 to Nana is easily achievable if the traffic conditions are correct.....

It's 159THB to my house in Thong Lor, no tollways necessary.....

Highway, drop down to rama 9, left on Ekkamai, up Ekkamai 20 down Thong Lor. And that is on a normalish day maybe hitting two lights, unstopped It could at a push be 153, lowest I've had is 157.

Now take that 159 and take off two (conservative) for the turn into Thong Lor putting you back on Rama 9 or Petchburi (could have come down Ramkhamhaeng past NASA VEGAS).

Now my house to Nana on an average day is less than 60 but lets say 59.

Take off the 35 Baht on the meter makes it 24 B

Add that to the 157 and you have 171. Now the 35 B removed has 1km in it which is another 9 Baht 171 + 9 = 180....

QED

That said he is lying because taxi fares are only ever an odd number..... so it could not have been 180, but easily conceivable as 179 or 181.

Bangkok is really easy, quick and cheap to get around when there is no traffic.

To be honest I didn't look at the single baht counter on the meter, but it was definitely 180 something. I was surprised when he pulled into Bumrungrad to cut to soi 1 as I thought we were still miles away. If there's no traffic, don't take the expressway.

Originally Posted by Bobcock

Now my house to Nana on an average day is less than 60 but lets say 59.

Take off the 35 Baht on the meter makes it 24 B

Add that to the 157 and you have 171

Maths is not your forte is it Bob ?