How much for full time car and driver, on call 24/7

Hey, I can't afford this at the moment I am sure, but anyhow know how much this kind of arrangement would run in the Pattaya area.

Driver on call full time, 24/7, nearby by mobile phone, would drive anywhere in Thailand, wait anywhere in Thailand, (but mostly in the area and surrounding areas) driver would supply decent late model car, like a Toyata four door sedan, and also the driver would cover insurance.

Oh, and I would pay extra if he would clean my condo everyday too.
I know some of you use your boy toys as servants but I like the idea of a dedicated servant.
So, how much dya think?

[paulg]

I have only just started using a mobile in LOS.
A friend of mine when he finds a motor bike boy he likes, books him to pick him up to go to Jomtien and pick him up for the return. His last visit the boy gave him his number, anytime no problem.

He likes the system as he hates getting the old fat guys, and moves to the next bike rank if no pretty ones are around.
He likes to help a younger guy even if there is no hanky panky. Dont we all.

For the trip to Jomtien, pick up at condo and return pick up in the car park. he pays 100baht each way
Going out for dinnner or movies, he sometimes takes the boy or has him pick him up at say Brunos and deliver him to
Sunee. Four trips in a day say 400baht, is good money for the boy and little extra for the real convenience

A 24/7 car might not be as silly as it first seems, particularily when the wet season arrives.

I think you are talking about a motorcy taxi, yes?
I won't go on those, too dangerous.

Maybe the idea of the boy toy driver isn't so bad. You buy the car and insurance, and he drives. I don't think I will ever want to drive in Thailand ... but riding baht buses all the time does get tired after a while, eh?

I don't know if this helps, but on my recent ill-fated trip to Nahkon, my friend had rented car and driver for 5,000 bt for about a 48 hour period (we left Sat at 2am and were to return on Monday at 7pm).

Pete

I don't know if this helps, but on my recent ill-fated trip to Nahkon, my friend had rented car and driver for 5,000 bt for about a 48 hour period (we left Sat at 2am and were to return on Monday at 7pm).

Pete
So at that rate on a monthly basis, the driver would earn more than many Thai doctors!

[PeterUK]

Your job description is too vague for a potential taker to be able to give you a precise figure. If you want his exclusive services, which I presume is what you mean by 'on call 24/7', and just for local runs, I should think he would want about 12,000B a month. I base that figure on the fact that some song taew drivers earn 15,000-plus a month in Pattaya to my knowledge, but work long hours for it and your prospective driver would probably be prepared to take a slight drop in earnings in return for the easier working conditions (but not a big drop if he has a nice car). If 'anywhere in Thailand' is involved, that would be extra, negotiable on a case-by-case basis. I don't see how anyone in his right mind would just agree to work for a fixed amount when there could be huge variations in his likely mileage.

ํYou might want to consider a monthly salary for being "on call", plus a per-kilometer fee to cover gasoline and car maintenance. Perhaps 12,000 per month, plus 5 baht per kilometer.

[paulg]

Your job description is too vague for a potential taker to be able to give you a precise figure. If you want his exclusive services, which I presume is what you mean by 'on call 24/7', and just for local runs, I should think he would want about 12,000B a month. I base that figure on the fact that some song taew drivers earn 15,000-plus a month in Pattaya to my knowledge, but work long hours for it and your prospective driver would probably be prepared to take a slight drop in earnings in return for the easier working conditions (but not a big drop if he has a nice car). If 'anywhere in Thailand' is involved, that would be extra, negotiable on a case-by-case basis. I don't see how anyone in his right mind would just agree to work for a fixed amount when there could be huge variations in his likely mileage.

I spoke of 400 baht per day above and this is about 12000 baht per month.

I think a figure which includes hire of car would be need to be 20000 to be fair. This is 24/7 for 30 days

[DJB0Y-old]

In Chiang Mai I can hire the following for 100 baht per hour plus the cost of gasoline:

Driver
Nice Volvo station wagon
Insurance (I presume, I never checked if he had it)

This is a tourist price, but just goes to show that at this rate, the daily rate would be 2400 baht for the full 24 hours....and who will have the driver that long.

[TOQ]

I find myself doing the same thing that paulg's friend does.. There are a couple of guys at the Yensabai Condo stand that I use.. For short trips I pay 30B each way. If im going to be running around for a bit I pay 100B hour. Sometimes when I head to the beach I will get him to stay at the beach with me... He enjoys the break , gets lunch, a beer but not more than 2 since he is driving, and I still pay the 100B hour..

This works well for me and I never have a problem getting fast friendly service.

Time is getting close :).. I arrive again on June 9th..

john

[Surfcrest]

Gems and Phon in Pattaya charge 2000 baht per day plus fuel / petrol with the added responsibility of you paying for the driver's meals. I don't believe it's an on-call / hourly basis, he's either driving for you that day or he's not. Cleaning is not part of the deal, they are professional drivers and are quite good / safe at what they do. (See #12 Sticky Rice for a complete write up).

Contact gemsphon@loxinfo.co.th
(6638) 734848, 734472 (More reliable by phone)

Baw Know How Services (Formerly of RittтАЩs chairs)
Baw (Pronounced Bow) does house sitting, cleaning, gardening and taxi service. You may need to chat with him first to see whether he knows where about you need to be driven. He knows Pattaya and the route to the airport quite well and may know other areas by now.

Contact Baw_Know_How@hotmail.com
09 2499 807 (Better by phone)

The only other arrangements where you have a driver working for you when / if you need him, including domestic duties usually involve you supplying the car. I know several friends in Pattaya that have a driver on-staff. If that is what you are looking for, I know an excellent driver that is in need of more hours / days of work as his employer is tied up more in the States on business.

I hope this helps!

Surfcrest

Yes, thanks, this info gives me the idea that I would have to define the deal better.

How about this:
No cleaning
Almost all local Jomtien, Pattaya
Occasional trips to nearby towns in Chonburi province, never Bangkok
On call 24/7, 7 days a week with two official days off per week, on days on, driving could occasionally be late at night
Driver supplies car, gas, tolls, maintenance, insurance, car can be older but well maintained, working aircon
Driver lives within a 15 minute ride away, on call by mobile
Driver waits wherever for anything
Extra compensation for working on official off days, expected to do so in special situations such as medical problems
Driving and waiting not to exceed 8 hours a day, on average over the 5 day week, some days would no hours, some more than 8

So, any estimates?

[DJB0Y-old]

you might find the gas and tolls part will want to be excluded from the basic rate.

these costs really are more a function of where you go, how far, and what route you take and has nothing to do with the driver's basic salary.

you might also mention that the car needs to be washed and cleaned daily which is the driver's responsibility.

hope it works out well for you and let us know what happens.

you might also consider agreeing that you have a try-out period so that you can exit the relationship more easily if it doesn't work out. usually for full time staff, there is a bonus of 1 months salary at the end of the year (pro-rated if not full year served).

for my housemaid, when i left, i paid her 2 months salary which again is standard severance.

she was so good to me that i didn't mind it at all.

Yeah I can see leaving tolls out of it, but if I gave the guy 8 full days off a month plus many days with no trips (which I could sometimes inform him in advance), I could be paying for gas for indie runs to Bangkok and who know what else. I am just thinking about options now. I really do not want to buy my own car and drive in Thailand.

[Surfcrest]

Yeah I can see leaving tolls out of it,

I could be paying for gas for indie runs to Bangkok and who know what else. I.

The general compensation arrangement is that the driver shows up to work for you with a full tank of gas. After your services are no longr required, you fill his tank back up. It's basicaly the same as any common-sense rental car agreement. A rental car agency will accept a car to be returned with less than a full tank, but will charge you up to 150% of normal fuel charges for fuel if you return it in the non-common-sense way. So no need to worry about paying for fuel that isn't being used to taxi you about.

Secondly, it's more economical for you to pay tolls yourself out of pocket. If you pay in advance you may be paying for expressway service while using the backroads. Secondly it will give you the option of using them / when and where it suits you best. Many drivers can and will provide toll receipts upon request. If you are not going to Bangkok, tolls really shouldn't be an issue anyway.

Please give Baw a call. He sounds like your better option for the type of service you need. At least discuss your needs, shop around and see if anyone will match his price with your specific requirements.

Surfcrest

Thanks, Surf, but this would be about convenience for me and I wouldn't want to be bothered with being at gas stations all the time! So, the more I think about it, an agreed to mileage fee for use which could rise when gas prices rise would be fair and convenient.