Most, if not all, major cities in the world have taxis or cabs waiting to ferry passengers from one point of the city to another and Bangkok is no different. Riding taxis can either be a difficult or enjoyable ride based on how you handle yourself when getting one so here are some tips which may help in ensuring that you’re taxi ride is a pleasant one.
A typical taxi in Bangkok
Taxis are can be found on almost every street corner but more easily near hotels, shopping areas and markets, tourist spots and other places where people generally congregate. For most hours of the day, it’s pretty easy to get a cab, but expect to stand around for a if you’re looking for one during the morning and afternoon rush hours. An indicator light which glows red means that a particular cab is ready to be hired but this doesn’t always mean they’ll take you. Drivers will sometimes choose their passengers based on their destinations and if you get turned down by a cabbie, don’t get upset there are always more cabs out there.
The taxi meter starts out at 35 baht and moves 2 baht per kilometer after the first two. Because of the traffic in the city taxi meters also have a surcharge of 1.25 baht per meter when the cab is moving less than 6 kilometers per hour so don’t be surprised why the fare gets higher in traffic. When you get in a cab, be sure to remind the driver to turn on his meter, it is there for a reason and that is to make sure that you and the driver get a fair price for the service. Some drivers will negotiate and if you’re in a rush to get somewhere you can play along but if you don’t have to and you can readily get another cab.
Communication with the driver may be difficult as they often speak only a little English. This may become a challenge at times but having a map or address written in Thai can help greatly facilitate you arriving at your destination without getting lost.
When alighting from the cab, be sure to check behind you first to make sure that the road is clear of bikes or motorcycles. The increase in the number of motorcycles in South East Asia have also seen an increase in the number of these smacking into the door of cars and taxis being opened by people who didn’t check if the coast was clear. Once this is done, be sure to check your pockets be certain that you didn’t drop anything, and finally check the seats for luggage or things you might leave behind. The chance of a cabbie giving you your stuff back isn’t impossible, just slim so double check to be sure.
Of course, I wouldn’t want to forget some safety tips on riding a cab in Bangkok as a foreigner. Be wary of drivers who offer to bring you to “fun places”, no matter how big their smiles, something may be up and it’s better to err on the side of caution. Also being in a different city with a different culture, don’t be afraid to follow your instincts, if you think there’s something wrong with the driver, no matter how small, then don’t’ ride the cab.
Lastly, its polite practice to give a bit of a tip to the driver, so that if you’re fare is 22.25 baht, you could give the cabbie 23 baht as a tip for their trouble, especially if they’ve been nice and courteous, and got you to where you were going safely and quickly. Being a cab driver isn’t easy anywhere, much more so in the clogged and congested streets of Bangkok so a little tip would go a long way in making someone’s day.
Taxis are easy to get in Bangkok and can save you a lot of time walking around and getting lost and I hope that these tips help make your rides around the city a pleasant one.
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