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Army's New Phuket Taxi Rules Lower Fares, Add Meters: New Fares Revealed
By Chutima Sidasathian Tuesday, July 29, 2014
PHUKET: New fare rates for metered and unmetered taxis on Phuket are revealed for the first time, Phuketwan reports tonight.
The fares pitch metered cabs as being lower in price than non-metered cabs - which means meter cabs should quickly become more popular.
Comparisons between the new fares show there's a large difference that grows with longer trips.
The new fares and meter rates are only waiting on approval from the National Peace and Order Council.
Illegal taxis operating on Phuket have been given a month from August 1 to register as meter taxis. New livery will add a red and yellow stripe to wannabe meter taxis for one year.
In that time, the drivers will be expected to be able to raise the money to fully respray their vehicle in green and yellow.
Full law enforcement to push all remaining illegal taxis off Phuket's roads will follow from August 31, according to the Army.
Meanwhile, meter taxis will be able to pick up and drop off passengers all over Phuket.
The new rules and fares rates were endorsed by Governor Maitree Intrusud on July 25 and now are only awaiting the final approval of the military's NCPO, which took over in Thailand on May 22.
Agreed rates for green plate taxis are as follows:
Phuket Airport to Phuket City 550 baht
Phuket Airport to to Chalong 650 baht
Phuket Airport to Patong 800 baht
Phuket Airport to Karon 1000 baht
Phuket Airport to Laguna 700 baht
Phuket Airport to Cape Panwa 750 baht
Phuket Airport to Rawai 1000 baht
Estimated cost of meter taxis is as follows:
Phuket Airport to Phuket City 400 baht
Phuket Airport to Chalong 470 baht
Phuket Airport to Patong 500 baht
Phuket Airport to Karon 600 baht
Phuket Airport to Laguna 300 baht
Phuket Airport to Cape Panwa 520 baht
Phuket Airport to Rawai 620 baht
The meter cabs will charge a flagfall of 50 baht, 50 baht for the first two kilometres, then 12 baht between 3-15 kilometres, and 10 baht per kilometer after that.
To register, taxis must be under six years old and be of 1500 cc or more.
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Comments
Comments have been disabled for this article.
How far off is this from the Bangkok rates?
Posted by
rc
on
July 29, 2014 22:14
Editor Comment:
A substantial twirl of the meter. However, don't expect to see an increase in Phuket rates for about 10 years. It's a weaning process. As time passes, the taxi drivers who don't mind working should win out and shake off the drivers who prefer to not work too hard. No way it can be accomplished overnight.
Interesting that the proposed rate for green plate taxis to Hkt Town/Laguna respectively 550/700 (ie Laguna more expensive than Hkt Town) but Hkt Town and Laguna meter 400/300. Is Hkt town further by meter taxi?
Posted by
Mister Ree
on
July 29, 2014 22:47
Editor Comment:
Yes, odd. Another reason to catch a meter taxi.
So after all this effort from the junta they finally agree the green plate rate at 1000 bahts Airport to Rawai which is 100 bahts more than it currently costs! Theres also no mention of the airport charge for the taxi meters (currently 100 bahts, double that of survanabhumi) would put Airport to Rawai 720 + tip no great changes here and miles away from bkk rates?.absolute cop out. I really thought change was coming for the better but it looks like the doomsayers were right. All thats been accomplished is a lot of talk and the removal of a few small fry beach chair and drink vendors, ironically the one service that it seems a lot of people would like to of seen stay!
Posted by
Chalongian
on
July 29, 2014 23:37
Editor Comment:
Chalongian, change may not come at the speed you wish, but it's on the way. If there's a problem, get along to the Damrungtam and make your feelings known. Rawai at 620 baht seems to be an option you are choosing to ignore. More and more of the ''green'' plate cabs will adopt meters as time passes. I don't hear any doomsayers saying they were right. Are you feeling especially gloomy?
These rates seem to do nothing but roll back the latest rate increase and allow return trip customers. Looks like this structure gives both metered and non-metered BIG increases because they will be able to carry customers both ways and charge for two return trips. What happened to "rates cut in half" as previously reported.
Posted by
Dkin
on
July 30, 2014 01:21
Editor Comment:
Cutting rates in half is what Phuketwan suggested should happen. The meter taxi rates are not ideal, but reasonable, provided use of the meter is enforced. The next target will be to convert all cabs to meters. Only then will it be equally reasonable to compare Phuket rates with Bangkok, and mean it.
Looking at the fare for Laguna, It has not changed, was 700 baht a few months back?!?!
Posted by
Pepper
on
July 30, 2014 02:56
Editor Comment:
My understanding is that the official response has always been that the declared fares are the maximum, and that fares are negotiable, but only downwards. It's certainly true that the reluctance of drivers to negotiate downwards was always a strength of the monopoly. Keep negotiating downwards, Pepper. Change won't come instantly in every direction, but it appears to be here. If you think there's a serious anomaly, take it to the Damrungtam complaints office on behalf of all residents.
Is it still plus 100 baht from the airport (or as the meter lady quoted me 100 per person if you want meter)
Posted by
Anonymous
on
July 30, 2014 05:10
Editor Comment:
Shouldn't be any extra charge. Perhaps there's some confusion over the 50 baht flagfall and the first 50 baht. We'll try to clarify that. Airport arrangements should be brought in line with Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang. That's what AoT has promised.
What changes, if any, for taxi fares from the intercity bust terminal. The rates they advertised two months ago are obscene. I was informed by the desk clerk her boss had the right to charge whatever she liked. An eight km journey was quoted at 450 Baht and to Karon 650 Baht, almost the same cost for a bus ride from Bangkok to Phuket.
Posted by
seht1912
on
July 30, 2014 06:58
big joke!,...I don't see any decrease...again a lot of hot air
Posted by
sky
on
July 30, 2014 07:01
ED yeah I was feeling especially gloomy the second I read this article, all the meter taxis run on LPG and no longer have to make the return journey empty, the meter rates have only slightly been decreased from the slightly increased green plate rates, so in effect this job has become even more lucrative. The illegal cabs should have no problem converting to meters as they'll potentially earn even more now. It's just yet again a legitimised rip off by the powers that be, army or government doesn't seem to make a difference in this area. All we keep hearing is 100% law will be applied across the board, it's not 1 rule for 1 and 1 rule for another....that is until it comes to phuket taxi rates vs the rest of Thailand taxi rates.
Posted by
Chalongian
on
July 30, 2014 07:44
Metered fares at 50% above those in BKK.
This news is a great disappointment.
It does not surprise me that these come from the current Mayor.
I can only hope that, unlike the Mayor, the NCPO puts the interest of the general public above that of a small group of extortionists and does NOT endorse these shameful prices.
Posted by
ThaiMike
on
July 30, 2014 07:57
Editor Comment:
Your prejudices continue to show: The mayor has nothing to do with the taxi fares.
There is no incentive at all for metered taxis to actually use their meters. It will business as normal again i fear.
Posted by
Ciaran
on
July 30, 2014 08:20
Editor Comment:
The incentive is that the laws are now more likely to be enforced. This is the same incentive as in Bangkok.
- Ed
Your response only reveals YOUR prejudices.
I meant to say Governor as reported by you but erroneously typed Mayor instead.
Posted by
ThaiMike
on
July 30, 2014 08:51
Editor Comment:
I have no prejudices.
Perhaps, having blundered so badly, you will be more tolerant of the foibles of others in future.
The governor signs off on taxi fares but it's our understanding that the NCPO hasn't seen them yet.
They have never given us a reason behind the fares not being the same or close to Bangkok rates.
Fuel is the same cost everywhere, living costs are about the same in BKK.
Posted by
Tbs
on
July 30, 2014 09:14
So the Governor has endorsed them but has not seen them yet, how can he endorse them then?
Posted by
phuket madness
on
July 30, 2014 09:44
Editor Comment:
The NCPO has to finally approve them and the governor is the NCPO's Phuket rep. We are not sure whether it will be up to the governor or go to Bangkok.
So Ed, here is a question which you may know the answer to. One of my thai friends would love to set up a saengthae (not sure of spelling) service in Patong, essentially running two loops: ratuthid and beach road, and a second running third road and nanai road. He has the funds to buy a few pickups and employ drivers. Any idea what his chances would be of being allowed to operate such a service. His aim would be about 20 baht max hop on hop off, similar to pattaya and other cities.
Do you think he would get permission to run this? And secondly, do you think the army would allocate staf
Posted by
Amazing Thailand
on
July 30, 2014 10:02
Editor Comment:
Conditions are adverse right now. That kind of project is probably best left to the mayor to organise, probably employing existing drivers. If your friend is determined, he should go to talk to the mayor. The time will come for such a service but my reckoning would be that it's 12 months away.
When taxi meters arrived some years ago from airport to Rawai the cost was about 450 baht. After they increased the fair till now that is the same on normal taxi. Short run are absolutely a theft.. bla bla bla again.. The taxi mafia power cause now that can take customer everywhere really can make double money
Posted by
dave
on
July 30, 2014 10:07
Editor Comment:
The fares are way over the top. Meter taxi drivers stuck with fair fares for a while then realised they were losing out badly and upped their rates to compete, mostly by switching off the meter. So through lack of enforcement, what was intended to be a positive became a negative, as is so often the case on Phuket.
Thank you, that's pretty much what I told him too. I hope he has the courage to pursue this and it would be good to employ existing drivers.
Fingers crossed he has success, I think the service would be extremely popular among locals and tourists alike.
Posted by
Amazing thailand
on
July 30, 2014 10:25
Chalk one up for the doomsayers on this ED..and every reason in the world to do so
Posted by
sky
on
July 30, 2014 11:29
Editor Comment:
Change is inevitable, sky, more so now than ever.
I don't understand all the negative comments on what I consider to be a fundamental and positive change here in Phuket. First of all, to compare with Bangkok prices is in my opinion not fair. I dare say that taxi fares in Bangkok are too cheap. Result, taxi drivers doing what they can to stay awake enough hours to make ends meet, including drugs. Maybe a "fair" price would be somewhat between Bangkok and the proposed Phuket prices. Second, you are all talking about to/from the airport. I consider 33% reduction to Karon significant. But the big gain for tourists and residents will be for shorter travel. Karon - Patong, Patong - Phuket Town etc. There we will see the prices cut in half, or near, by the proposed prices.
Posted by
Tourandot
on
July 30, 2014 13:30
I'm not optimistic. Looks like the bad old ways will just go on and on gradually destroying Phuket's reputation.
Posted by
jimbo34
on
July 30, 2014 14:21
the only change that has occured here is that the tuk tuks and jet skiis are now operating under the army instead of the previous gov't....Jet Skiis will remain...Tuk tuks will continue to clog up the streets and NOT be confined to the so called holding pen that has been discussed
Posted by
sky
on
July 30, 2014 14:28
Editor Comment:
You wouldn't know, sky. You're just guessing. What a waste of time.
@tourandot - you are making alot of assumptions - you have yet to factor in the TUK TUK's and will they really let meter taxis pick people up where ever they like.
Posted by
Ciaran
on
July 30, 2014 16:15
@Ciaran. No assumptions from my side, other than an "assumption" that everybody will have to follow the law, including Tuk Tuk drivers. I give my personal opinion on Bangkok taxi prices, and the rest is factual based on the information given. I am sorry, but I cannot allow myself to be so negatively biased and make an assumption that NCPO, Phuket government and others involved will allow Tuk Tuk drivers to boycott and effectively put an end to the changes that now will be introduced, before it starts. That is the assumption you now make. When that is said, you might be right :-) Time will tell.
Posted by
Tourandot
on
July 30, 2014 17:01
In Nakhon Si Thammarat meter taxis were introduced recently. 30 baht for first 2 kilometers and 4 baht per kilometer after that. Flagfall for call out in the city 20 baht and airport 50 baht. So Phuket at 12 baht per km is 3 times the rate here. Songthaews are of course 10 baht anywhere in the greater city area.
Posted by
Arun Muruga
on
July 30, 2014 19:32
Editor Comment:
Sadly, the tuk-tuks and taxis have led the way for others to charge higher prices, and now the tuk-tuks and taxis can claim it's more expensive to live in Phuket.
Introducing an affordable regular bus service covering all the island would be more appropriate. If more people take the bus then taxis would have no option but to reduce their fares.
Posted by
reader
on
July 30, 2014 20:51
Editor Comment:
The problem for any bus service is not the taxis but the fact that everyone is used to the convenience of motorcycles.
I read lots of anger in the prices here.
Taxis are for Tourists and Buses are for Locals PERIOD. That is how Phuket is set up.
Airport to Patong 800 Baht. I'll pay that. Last time was 650 Baht for me 4 yrs ago.
In my area Airport to home 4.5 Miles is aprox. 750 Baht and they want a tip on top. Not a Thai tip either, % How far to Patong Beach from HKT ?
Posted by
John
on
August 1, 2014 11:15
- John
Oh really ?
Would you please tell me which bus to take from Chalong to the Airport ?
While you are at it, please explain to me how the bus network is laid out on the west coast.
Throw in a few links to municipal websites displaying routes, stops, times and fares.
Have you actually ever been to Phuket ?
Posted by
ThaiMike
on
August 1, 2014 13:52
Hi ThaiMike,
Yet more anger.
Yes I've been to Phuket 4 times and plan on retiring in Thailand in a few yrs.
My comment was about how Phuket system is set up and who it caters to , not how to get from A to B.
Since there is such a problem there maybe you locals need to Organize and create petitions for the local Government and Military. Show them that current pricing is out of your reach and that Thais and Locals need lower prices Before they seal the deal with taxi drivers.
So get out there and get some signatures and help your self instead of getting mad at a computer screen.
Have a Good Day in Paradise
Posted by
John
on
August 1, 2014 23:11
@John @ThaiMike
John is absolutely right:
Bangkok taxi market serves mostly locals , and tourists are minor share of business.
Phuket: preponderant part of taxi business is to serve tourists , locals are very small part of of the business.
Demand curve in Phuket is absolutely deferent to Bangkok one, giving all other conditions t be equal , so the settled market in Phuket is much higher simply because tourists can pay more - very logical faire laisee situation in lack of government intervention in pricing of the business.
Yes, you may argue that Phuket taxi incur unnecessary extra costs on empty return trips as they can pick up customers only within that vilage which is a municipal unit in Phuket.
Yes, if that cost component will go away, and , as promised, every taxi driver will be able to pick anywhere on the island, thus may slightly decrease market price, but this cost is not high, and on general market price is set by how much customer is able and willing to pay.
State intervention in Phuket taxi pricing is evidence that Phuket and Bangkok are simply different markets in demand side, as metere tariffs recently announced are much higher.
Another aspect is that taxi service is designed to be used not on everyday basis, either during shirt period like being on vacation, or on some rare occasion being in place of honest location.
Thus taxi service is not to be affordable for general population on daily basis.
And those expats who are on Thai level of income surely can not complain about it as well.
According to statistics of Ministry of Tourism http://goo.gl/bYx898 an average tourist spends in the Kingdom 4616.49THB per day per person, incl. 470.24 THB per day per person on transport, so for two persons it s roughly 1,000THB per day per couple. Of course, transport here includes all domestic transport - air, boats, as well as taxi. Assuming that major part of tourists do not travel more than to a single destination,and that tour boats etc., are under the header Entertainment, then biggest part of it is spent on taxi/tuk tuk.
So that shows how much tourists on average in the Kingdom are willing to spend on taxi in the Kingdom.
And taxis on other islands are not cheap too,e.g.on Koh Lanta Long Beach to Mai Pai bay will cost you 1,300THB.
Real problem - that there is no cheaper alternative in Phuket - namely there is virtually no public transport system, is not an argument to tell that taxis so much expensive. Even, let's imagine an Army would launch public transport network coveting whole island , taxi service anyway should be more expensive than in Bangkok and out of reach for daily use of local population, that is a logic of things , however , of course, it would be somehow cheaper than today.
Posted by
Sue
on
August 2, 2014 06:26
- John
A whopping 4 times ?
No wonder you are such an expert.
Next time you come, look a bit closer.
You may discover that there IS NO BUS SERVICE on the west coast.
You are ASSUMING there is, as there would be in any developed destination.
Your suggestion of petitions further reveals you have no clue how things work here, or rather don't work.
Making comments like
"Taxis are for Tourists and Buses are for Locals PERIOD. That is how Phuket is set up."
as if setting all us decade and longer staying expats straight without having a clue what you are talking about simply reveals how arrogant and ignorant you are.
I recommend you reconsider your retirement destination or you are in for a huge disappointment.
Posted by
ThaiMike
on
August 2, 2014 09:31
Meter taxis may be able to pick up fares anywhere now but if you had a meter taxi would you take the chance of being beaten up by the tuk tuk drivers etc for doing it
Most will still return to the airport for there next fare
All the expats I know personally all own at least a motorbike and vehicle and only use a taxi to go to the airport from one to four times a year
Last time we took a airport taxi was at songkran and cost 800 baht to Rawai which is at least a 90 minute round trip
and cheap compared to what I would pay in Australia
We have used the local bus service which runs in the daytime from nai harn/rawai to Phuket town on the odd occasion and find it fun to use and cheap
Posted by
Peter allen
on
August 18, 2014 09:49
Editor Comment:
Just how are tuk-tuk drivers going to beat up meter taxi drivers, pa? Will they be following meter taxis in a convoy, or with a dozen drivers all squeezed into the one pursuit cab? The places where tuk-tuk drivers congregate are obvious and no meter taxi driver is going to stop if there's a risk involved. Why would meter taxi drivers have anything to fear in most parts of the island? It's not logical. Most of the scare talk is the creation of expats.
What a joke for the Laguna price. Shall they pay more because the house and hotels are more expensive? 100 baht difference between Patong and Laguna. :-) and it takes 1 hour to patong, and 30 minutes to get to Laguna. Wow
Posted by
Peter
on
August 18, 2014 10:55
As the tuk tuk drivers have been known in the past to beat up people for parking in there spots it would not surprise me if the started following meter taxis around if they though they were going to pick up passengers in their areas, they think they own the area
The tuk tuks and taxis illegal and legal are back in some of the same spots they have always occupied for years,like opposite Nikita's in Rawai without the shelters but keeping watch on what is going on
Posted by
Peter allen
on
August 18, 2014 11:40
Editor Comment:
Illegal action by the tuk-tuk drivers is highly unlikely. It's understood that the Army will deal with anyone who interrupts the process of reform. The tuk-tuks and taxi drivers are no linger in the driver's seat.
Sorry Editor, Until this moment tuktuks and black plated taxis are still parking illigal everywhere in Patong. No police officer to see.Behind Starbuck Jungceylong I was kicked away by this transport mob, actually where I was allowed to park! ( they have the power there, not the NCPO)You don't see there any police (perhaps they are cleaning their station after it was submerged?). Editor, your writing that the Army is dealing with everyone who interrupts the process of reform sounds nice. But we see not any significant sign of that in the streets of Patong. Look yourself there.
Posted by
Kurt
on
August 18, 2014 15:35
Editor Comment:
Don't be so impatient, Kurt. Decades of decay can't be fixed in a day.
To all writers here,.. it is very simple. As long I do not see on Phuket a single taxi pick up any thai customer having a ride, like in BKK, something is wrong! I want to see on Phuket thai people taking a taxi same way as they do in BKK! NCPO. where are you in this matter? Bkk is the capital, there it is normal, what makes Phuket can be different, NCPO? Considering that phuket (any plate) taxi drivers not even live officially on Phuket! NCPO, look into this, NOW!
Posted by
Kurt
on
August 18, 2014 15:50
@Kurt
. it is very simple. As long I do not see on Phuket a single taxi pick up any thai customer having a ride, like in BKK, something is wrong! I want to see on Phuket thai people taking a taxi same way as they do in BKK
===
completely WRONG! BKK taxi market is local population, and according to their ability to pay bills
Phuket taxi services market is preponderantly tourist-oriented - giving % of tourists in Phuket and BKK, and , logically, Supply-Demand curves meet at higher points, as demand is of differrent nature, at first place customers are able to pay more. Market economy.
Although there is a cost factor in Phuket,as taxis are able to pick customer within tehir village, and lack of alterantive transportation options, but market price is set where customers can pay, so faire-laissez model works like that.
Mow Phuket taxi fare seems to eb regulated, but differrent market considerations still are in place, and rightly so.
But you don't need to call wrong solutions for a problem of lack of public transport; a solution is NOT to make taxi affordable, but straight&direct establishing of network of public transport, at first place - for the need of locals.
Tourists can absolutely afford - and they do afford - even existing taxi fare.
But those who stay longterm on Thai income - obviously immigration laws ratio is not that foreigners stay in the Kingdom on Thai level of income, so something has been misapplied then and there should be no reason complain.
Posted by
Sue
on
August 18, 2014 21:23
Editor Comment:
The Phuket taxi structure is geared entirely for the drivers, Sue, with no consideration for the users. There has seldom been a more obvious economic model built on greed, not need. Do Phuket's residents deserve an affordable taxi service as well as a public transport bus system? Of course they do. That model works everywhere on supply-demand. The model has been reshaped on Phuket to suit the greed of the gang. No laughable excuses, please.
I took taxi from phuket airport to phuket town on 07th Oct. 2014. And I was so shocked to see the price. Taxi-Meter was running like hell. within 2 km. taxi meter was showing 70 Baht nd then i started watching carefully. In one K.M. meter was showing 18 baht. which is quite very high. I reached phuket town and it was 550 baht Plus 100 baht for driver.
I think their meters should be inspected. We though private taxi would be costly but this time Taxi-Meter turned out bad experience for me. Better to take Airport bus from there, which charge 100 baht to phuket town.
Posted by
Atul
on
October 8, 2014 10:47
Editor Comment:
The former governor always claimed that people had the alternative of the airport bus to taxis but this outlook neglects to take account of the need most people often have to get somewhere quickly. More excuses. Another compromise that only suits the drivers.
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How far off is this from the Bangkok rates?
Posted by rc on July 29, 2014 22:14
Editor Comment:
A substantial twirl of the meter. However, don't expect to see an increase in Phuket rates for about 10 years. It's a weaning process. As time passes, the taxi drivers who don't mind working should win out and shake off the drivers who prefer to not work too hard. No way it can be accomplished overnight.