Jump to content


Photo

Taxi changes at Suvarnabhumi Airport

taxi airport bangkok

  • Please log in to reply
23 replies to this topic

#1 rxpharm

rxpharm
  • Moderators
  • 3,337 posts

Posted 26 July 2014 - 09:25 AM

Upcoming changes to the taxi service at Suvarnabhumi Airport will hopefully make things more efficient and less corrupt. As reported in today's Nation.

 

 

Automatic kiosks set to improve taxi service at Suvarnabhumi Airport

Jessada Jantarak
The Nation July 26, 2014 1:00 am

Automatic queue-card kiosks will soon improve people's access to taxi services at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

"They should reduce waiting time [for taxis]," Colonel Boonchu Klinsakhon said at a press conference.

Working in response to the National Council for Peace and Order's policy, Boonchu - who heads the 2nd Field Artillery Regiment Queen's Guard - said yesterday efforts to regulate taxi services at Bangkok's key aviation facility had been progressing.

The airport's general manager Rawewan Netarakavesana said eight kiosks would be installed by the end of next month. "We will install kiosks at Gates 4 and 7 [on the first floor] of the terminal," she said.

She added that the airport had also sought to improve taxi services by arranging training courses for taxi drivers. "The courses cover English-language skills, respect for traffic laws, and service-mindedness," Rawewan said.

She added that she hoped taxi services available at Suvarnabhumi would become modern, safe, fast, convenient and accountable.

End to 'taxi mafia'

Before the NCPO intervened, "mafia-style" operations had reportedly plagued the airport's taxi services with bribe-paying taxi drivers allowed to select long-haul passengers. Such selective services made it harder for short-haul passengers to get a taxi ride.

A short ride from the airport starts from just Bt35, while a ride to faraway destinations like Pattaya can earn a taxi driver up to Bt3,000.

 

 

They hope to have all this done by the end of August.


:cnd:


#2 veveron

veveron
  • Members
  • 300 posts

Posted 26 July 2014 - 10:25 AM

Who's paying a taxi 3000 to go to Pattaya?

Maybe a private bus.



#3 brianj

brianj
  • Members
  • 42 posts

Posted 26 July 2014 - 11:12 AM

Who's paying a taxi 3000 to go to Pattaya?

Maybe a private bus.

Some of them charge 1500 to go there but expect you to pay him that to go back empty



#4 sharkdog

sharkdog
  • Members
  • 73 posts

Posted 26 July 2014 - 04:55 PM

Just did the BKK Sukhumvit hotel to Pattaya hotel route, and then Pattaya hotel to Suvarnabhumi airport route.  In both cases, my hotel told me they could get me a regular taxi for 1600 thb one way, or a private driver with a Toyota Camry for 2000.  I went with the Camry.



#5 xyzzy

xyzzy
  • Members
  • 1,708 posts
  • LocationPattaya

Posted 27 July 2014 - 08:28 AM

Just did the BKK Sukhumvit hotel to Pattaya hotel route, and then Pattaya hotel to Suvarnabhumi airport route.  In both cases, my hotel told me they could get me a regular taxi for 1600 thb one way, or a private driver with a Toyota Camry for 2000.  I went with the Camry.

 

PT Taxi and a few other well know services in Pattaya would save you a few baht:

 

http://pttaxiservice.com/


xyzzy is the "magic word" from the first computer adventure game and isn't capitalized

#6 rxpharm

rxpharm
  • Moderators
  • 3,337 posts

Posted 27 July 2014 - 10:11 AM

There were a lot of taxi "mafia" touts in the back of the luggage carousel area and in the arrivals hall. These touts would corral naive first time tourists into taking these inflated price taxis out of the airport. At one time the "mafia" taxis outnumbered the approved taxis. It's good the situation is being cleaned up, and also notable that taxis dropping off passengers at the departure level will be able to pick up fares if they are flagged down immediately. This was banned in the past.


:cnd:


#7 RobiSLO

RobiSLO
  • Members
  • 1,902 posts

Posted 29 July 2014 - 07:03 PM

This month I paid 900 THB for a taxi ride from Pattaya via Jomtien ) i went to hotel where I collected my bags) and after straight to BKK. Didn't pay for the road, car was brand new Toyota and guy was good driver. Anything over 1000 THB from Pattaya - BKK or back is too much... only my 5 cents.


  • buttmanreturns likes this

#8 dixon cox

dixon cox

    Monkey Nut

  • Moderators
  • 7,150 posts
  • LocationCentral Pattaya

Posted 29 July 2014 - 07:07 PM

Prices tend to be cheaper going home, i.e. from Pattaya to Suvarnabhumi, as opposed to the other way.

 

They know on arrival at the airport they have your attention as you're in a hurry and keen to get moving. Once in Pattaya you have the luxury of arranging your ride and bargaining accordingly throughout the duration of your stay.

 

 

At the airport you can still acquire taxis at the drop-off area, despite the fact they installed large baggage-sized turnstiles. You turn them slightly off the quarters and you can squeeze through with your bags. Even airport staff help you through and taxi drivers are keen to get a move-on due to the sweep-up vehicle doing the rounds and the drivers are likely to accept B1,000 to B1,200 or thereabouts.

 

A taxi-share buddy can often be found at the Bell Bus desk to share the cost to Pattaya if it's hours until the next bus, handy if you're on a budget or just fancy some company for a chat along the way.


Meum cerebrum nocet


#9 filipef

filipef
  • Members
  • 73 posts

Posted 29 July 2014 - 08:55 PM

I have been in Thailand a few times and i have never had any problem with taxis.

Sure i have read about mafias, scams, etc., but, maybe i was lucky, i had no problems at all, neither at the old airport, nor at this one.

Ok, once the taxi driver, after i got in the car, wanted to "negociate" the fare and not using the meter, but my "no way!" was enough to put him on the right path (and no tip was given at the end of the ride). But that was all.

And, when i go to Pattaya, i use the taxi services of PT Taxi, or Mr T...



#10 RobiSLO

RobiSLO
  • Members
  • 1,902 posts

Posted 29 July 2014 - 09:22 PM

I always had same tactics to get me a cheap taxi to Pattaya from BKK. Like DC said it is still possible to squeeze yourself to the upper part of airport where taxi drivers wait to be thrown out of the airport by airpoirt police/guards. Once there just walk past every smiling c..nt of a driver who speaks perfect English (yep.. taxi mafia) and find some nice Isaan looking young guy who came from Pattaya, at least one will sure be from there, he would be happy to drive you back for 1000 THB.

 

Plan B is to just take the better, cheaper and safer option - book Bell Bus if your plane arrives at the right time.



#11 Nick Bullseye

Nick Bullseye
  • Members
  • 2,009 posts
  • LocationParis, France

Posted 29 July 2014 - 11:42 PM

Booking Mr.T is a no-brainer. 1000 thb from BKK airport to Pattaya. No problem, no hassle, the driver will wait for you at Gate 3 with your name written on a whiteboard. Wo can beat that?

 

http://www.paradise-...to-pattaya.html


Nick Bullseye


#12 dixon cox

dixon cox

    Monkey Nut

  • Moderators
  • 7,150 posts
  • LocationCentral Pattaya

Posted 30 July 2014 - 01:13 AM

Booking Mr.T is a no-brainer. 1000 thb from BKK airport to Pattaya. No problem, no hassle, the driver will wait for you at Gate 3 with your name written on a whiteboard. Wo can beat that?

 

 

The Bell Travel Service can beat that. Or, better known colloquially as, the Bell Bus.

 

B350 each way door to door between the airport and your Pattaya hotel, plus several other routes too. Unless you're in a hurry or just miss a bus it's a great way to go and the buses/coaches are in excellent condition and very reliable, leaving pretty much on the dot every time.

 

I always use the Bell Bus to get me to the airport, in fact I just booked online with them the other day for the umpteenth time. I do use a taxi on occasion from the airport to Pattaya though, but usually only if I've just missed a bus.


Meum cerebrum nocet






Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: taxi, airport, bangkok

0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users

Smooci