Bangkok taxis
there are a lot of taxis in bangkok.
unless ur somewhere really touristy, and sometimes at rush hour, they always use the meter these days - u don't even have to ask them. minimum fare is 35 baht ($1.50 australian or about 100 japanese yen). u can get from khao san road on the west of bangkok to sukhumvit in the east for 100 baht - in fact u can get pretty much anywhere in bangkok for less than 200 baht - even the airport from sukhumvit is 150 baht (tollway is an extra 70 baht).
every now and then u wind up doing the taxi hokey pokey - u get in, tell the driver where u want to go, and they say "mai dai" - can't go - which means they don't want to go there. or they say "200 baht" and u laugh at them and get out and try the next taxi.
but generally, no problems. i have become a taxi person. i taxi everywhere.
the old tuktuks are still here - but the hassle of haggling for fares is too annoying, and it doesn't seem to work out much cheaper anyway. so airconditioned cabs it is. motorbike taxis are popular too, but if it's close enough for a motorbike taxi, i tend to walk. thai's never walk anywhere if they can help it.
the only trouble with taxis is the smell...although most taxis are new and clean, about half of the taxis stink. drivers with nasty halitosis or who have just eaten something with lots of garlic... the worst is when u get stuck in traffic (always) with a stinky driver. u can't open the window for the pollution and heat, so you sit, trying not to breathe as the taxi crawls along...
but my new discovery is the khlong (canal) ferries! they are so cool! no traffic, 8 baht from here to downtown. the ferry rocks up at the jetty, you leap on (literally), climb in, sit if you can. they have plastic curtains running down each side operated by the passengers to keep the FILTHY khlong water from splashing onto passenger. khlong water is 90% poo (the other 10% is urine) so you REALLY don't want to get splashed...
haven't tried the buses yet - apparently they are really, really cheap, but why bus when a taxi is so cheap?
Bangkok Taxis
unless ur somewhere really touristy, and sometimes at rush hour, they always use the meter these days - u don't even have to ask them. minimum fare is 35 baht ($1.50 australian or about 100 japanese yen). u can get from khao san road on the west of bangkok to sukhumvit in the east for 100 baht - in fact u can get pretty much anywhere in bangkok for less than 200 baht - even the airport from sukhumvit is 150 baht (tollway is an extra 70 baht).
every now and then u wind up doing the taxi hokey pokey - u get in, tell the driver where u want to go, and they say "mai dai" - can't go - which means they don't want to go there. or they say "200 baht" and u laugh at them and get out and try the next taxi.
but generally, no problems. i have become a taxi person. i taxi everywhere.
the old tuktuks are still here - but the hassle of haggling for fares is too annoying, and it doesn't seem to work out much cheaper anyway. so airconditioned cabs it is. motorbike taxis are popular too, but if it's close enough for a motorbike taxi, i tend to walk. thai's never walk anywhere if they can help it.
the only trouble with taxis is the smell...although most taxis are new and clean, about half of the taxis stink. drivers with nasty halitosis or who have just eaten something with lots of garlic... the worst is when u get stuck in traffic (always) with a stinky driver. u can't open the window for the pollution and heat, so you sit, trying not to breathe as the taxi crawls along...
but my new discovery is the khlong (canal) ferries! they are so cool! no traffic, 8 baht from here to downtown. the ferry rocks up at the jetty, you leap on (literally), climb in, sit if you can. they have plastic curtains running down each side operated by the passengers to keep the FILTHY khlong water from splashing onto passenger. khlong water is 90% poo (the other 10% is urine) so you REALLY don't want to get splashed...
haven't tried the buses yet - apparently they are really, really cheap, but why bus when a taxi is so cheap?
Bangkok Taxis
aimlessly scribbled by Shadyswamp at 8:43 am
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