Complaints about Bangkok taxis rising

[Gérard]

I just read this, which is not a surprise to me :

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/compla ... is-rising/

These complaints probably come mainly from Thai customers.

[Lung Per]

Yes, there is a lot to complain about in Thailand. But remember, this is still a developing country. Good behavior doesn't automatically follow pace with technological progress.

[Gérard]

Yes, there is a lot to complain about in Thailand. But remember, this is still a developing country. Good behavior doesn't automatically follow pace with technological progress.

Agree with you, and I did not have problems with taxis apart that most of them come from upcountry and do not know BKK so well. For the last years, I used a GPS to guide them...

Interesting is the fact that these complaints come mainly from Thai people.

[oakdale160]

Most of the time I had no problem, they hate short rides but will usually take you BUT when it is raining all the rules change, they refuse short rides and will not use meters. Taxis from the airport usually no problem now.

[hhfarang]

Yes, there is a lot to complain about in Thailand. But remember, this is still a developing country. Good behavior doesn't automatically follow pace with technological progress.

"Developing Country" seems to be a very nebulous term. There is no real definition of developed vs developing according to everything I've been able to find on the internet. In fact it seems to be a western term where all countries are compared to North American and western European countries and if they fall short in any way, they are developing. It seems to be another case of our "western ways are better" thinking.

According to the IMF it is a term relating to trade or economics. According to the UN: "Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations, defined a developed country as "one that allows all its citizens to enjoy a free and healthy life in a safe environment." But according to the United Nations Statistics Division, There is no established convention for the designation of "developed" and "developing" countries or areas in the United Nations system."

Can't Thais enjoy a free and healthy life in a safe environment if they choose to live that way?

I think most Thais would considered this a developed country. Maybe the criteria should be a count of potholes in the roads (then we could say that Thailand is not developed). I get tired of reading that designation nearly every day on here used as an excuse for some negative aspect of living here, though I too may have been guilty of it in the past. Thailand has all the modern conveniences of any country including malls, airports and airlines, a huge thriving capital city with modern mass transit, etc. The only thing I've seen develop since I came here is real estate in Hua Hin. Other than that I think Thailand is as developed as it is going to get or as it wants to be.

Sorry, if mods think this is worthy of a new thread in another area, please feel free to make it so.

Regarding Bangkok taxis: I stay near the BTS when I go there because of the taxi drivers. When we have to take one to a remote area of the city it usually takes flagging down around 5 of them before we find one that will take us where we want to go. However, I've had the same problem in other countries, notably Hong Kong where the taxis would slow down and begin to pull over and as soon as they see I am a foreigner they would speed up and pull away from the curb.... and I'm sure that I've had problems with taxi drivers in several "developed" countries as well.

[buksida]

80% of taxi drivers everywhere are assholes (100% in tourist areas) - I dont usually post such epic generalizations but having travelled a fair bit and used a fair few of them I'm confident that figure is accurate. If they think Bangkok taxis are bad, at least they have a meter - you want to try the ones in Penang, or even worse Hat Yai (700 baht for a 5 kilometer ride)

[STEVE G]

80% of taxi drivers everywhere are assholes (100% in tourist areas)

That is pretty much how I feel about the matter, I'll use any form of public transport available and will only get a taxi anywhere if it's absolutely unavoidable. In many parts of the world either the licenses are given out corruptly or organised crime is involved which makes the whole thing a rip off, as much in the West as in Asia.