TAxi Mafiosos in Hua Hin

[Vital Spark]

The van we took from Hua Hin a few weeks ago was running LPG.

We left Hua Hin with some seats to spare, but filled up in Cha-am. These guys are not going to run at a loss. Picked up a parcel or two on the way (extra dosh).

If they didn't make a decent amount of money (and forget maintenance on the vans, because Thais really don't understand servicing or preventative maintenance) then the service wouldn't be available.

VS

[Wanderlust]

From my point of view it is only the tuk tuks that really try it on; the minibus to BKK is very cheap and most would probably willingly pay more (especially if they stopped hiring wannabe Ayrton Sennas!). The taxi services to BKK are mostly within a reasonable price range and again could probably charge a little more (especially if they guaranteed that all tolls were included). The situation with tuk tuks though is not just restricted to Hua Hin; when I lived in BKK the tuk tuks there always tried it on as well, and I ended up taking meter taxis most of the time, and only took tuk tuks for very short journeys (once from one end of Khao San Road to the other when it was hissing down!).
The point made by chelsea about the short high season in HH does have some relevance, but the logical thing to do when there are few tourists around and expats laugh in your face when you ask for ludicrous amounts for short journeys is to lower the price, or at least allow some negotiation, but this just doesn't happen most of the time.

[chelsea]

FFT100 With most diesel vehicles you need to change oil every 5000kms and Oil and Filter every 10,000kms. Whereas Petrol engines have a much longer oil and filter service interval.
Also costs of Diesel oil filters can cost the equivilant of between 1000-1500baht each. Whereas a petrol engine oil filter would cost you about 500-600baht and has a lot longer life span.
Over a year that can add up to a lot larger expense to service a diesel engine against a petrol.

Wanderlust the smarter of the expats/holidaymakers will find themselves a regular driver that they can trust and if you make a deal with a certain driver it can be a godsend to you. Makes life a lot simpler than having the end of night haggle with drivers that do not want to take your fare.
I have done a similar thing when I have been in HH and have had no problems. If you have a driver pick you up at the airport, a quick converstaion re driving you around when needed while you are there makes getting around a lot easier and sfaer.

[E.P.]

To go from anywhere downtown to Kao Takiab is 150 baht. They try to charge 200, and pretend they don't have any change if you don't give them the exact amount. Forget about Europe, but you can go farther for less in Bangkok, KL, or even Hong Kong. Plus, while tuk tuks are kind of charming, a lot of the so-called "taxis" are just pick-up trucks with benches in the back. THIS IS NOT A CASE OF GETTING WHAT YOU PAY FOR!

Who is supposed to regulate taxi fares, and why did they stop trying? Even a couple of the suggestions proposed earlier in the thread could help. How do you implement them? Another improvement would be regular schedules for the green buses, up to reasonable hours at night.

These are basic things to fix if the community wants to continue to attract tourists.

[hhfarang]

Sorry E.P., understanding those basic things requires logic... which is a word (nay, a concept) that I don't think exists in the Thai language!

[Guess]

............... Forget about Europe, but you can go farther for less in Bangkok, KL, or even Hong Kong.

Interesting old topic. I guess people are a little bit more au fait with alternative fuels after the many discussions since this thread was active.

To compare HH with Bangkok or Hong Kong is just as irrelevant as tye comparison with Europe.

City taxis work on the basis of little dead mileage. They also have other aids such as call out agencies and taxi ranks to give them more work and reduce their costs. Out in the sticks a taxi will usually return to its base empty.

However the problem in Hua Hin is caused mainly by the lack of regulation. They all want to start at 10:00 and do a couple of jobs, sleep for a few hours in the midday sun, do another couple of jobs and go home at 4:00 PM. It must need about 800 - 100 baht per day to keep the tuk tuk on the road and earn a bit so the maths dictates 200 Baht per trip.

Getting tuk tuks at night can be almost impossible. People get to know this over time and find alternatives.

Plus, while tuk tuks are kind of charming, a lot of the so-called "taxis" are just pick-up trucks with benches in the back. THIS IS NOT A CASE OF GETTING WHAT YOU PAY FOR!

Tuk tuks may be "charming" for some, they are also very dangerous not only to the occupants but to other road users.

"just pick-up trucks with benches in the back" cost just as much to run as a standard car/taxi if not more. They should be there to cater for the market that requires a lot of space. That would be travelers with luggage from the train or bus station or larger groups that want to go out for the day to somewhere that is beyond the reach or impractical of the tuk tuk. As with all hired transport negotiate the price first. If you are a regular user then get a regular driver.

I used to use one that lived close to me. That way he liked picking me up because it meant he was on his way home.

No one has mentioned the Songthaew service in Hua Hin. The only good thing I can remember about transport in Pattaya was the Songthaews. Regular service and cheap and you could often negotiate an off route excursion with them.

[BaaBaa.]

No one has mentioned the Songthaew service in Hua Hin. The only good thing I can remember about transport in Pattaya was the Songthaews. Regular service and cheap and you could often negotiate an off route excursion with them.

My place is over the Flyover so I'd welcome a "Baht Bus" like pattaya.

Pattaya has certainly got that sorted, you can get anywhere very quickly and cheaply, but the layout and amount of customers in Pattaya obviously makes the Songthaews more viable than Hua Hin.

[Guess]

My place is over the Flyover so I'd welcome a "Baht Bus" like pattaya.

They have them already but they don't go over the flyover they go down KT high st and terminate at the MIB shop. The other end is HH airport I think.

Why they haven't branched out further I really don't know. It's just another example of the serious lack of business and marketing skills.

They could so easily go over the flyover and loop back via Kao Takiap

[BaaBaa.]

My place is over the Flyover so I'd welcome a "Baht Bus" like pattaya.

They have them already but they don't go over the flyover they go down KT high st and terminate at the MIB shop. The other end is HH airport I think.

Why they haven't branched out further I really don't know. It's just another example of the serious lack of business and marketing skills.

They could so easily go over the flyover and loop back via Kao Takiap

I know they have them Takiab side, thats still a fair walk though.

I think they might start doing the Flyover side for that Thai estate, in the day at least.

[hanoi66]

is there someone who have a number to a good taxidriver we can trust, he should drive us in the nighttime from center of HH and about 10 km outside the city

Hanoi66

[richard]

Aod 0871116558 - tuktuk
Ratee 0890632877 - taxi

Reliable and safe

Open to barter and recognise the value of repeat business

So spiel about how often yo nee them and say you have friends coming