Taxi fare

ahem...is 2000baht a good price for a taxi from Bangkok airport to Pattaya? I thought it was, but a very large sweaty Dutch gentlemen covered in bling and his equally large wife thought it was outrageous. They were sitting stranded at arrivals because he kept telling the taxi drivers they were mad. His wife must have been used to his ways because she had unpacked half their belongings out onto the bench like this was going to be long haul. I paid 2000 return, but after I saw his defiant stand, I thought maybe I had been ripped. I am sure return or one way is much the same in this instance.

ahem...is 2000baht a good price for a taxi from Bangkok airport to Pattaya?

I you book in advance; more like 1,300 - 1,600 plus tolls & tip--So almost 2,000 anyway, depending on the tip.
If you go up to departures; you can usually get one for less: one dropping someone off that might have to dead-head it back, for instance, but it may or may not take some time. The Thai, seeing bf...Oh, I miss you too much!...off do it this way & usually find one willing to cart them back for about 400 baht--Can you pass for Thai?

No I cant pass for Thai Im not nearly pretty enough and way too tall, and my skin is mighty pink. Now that you mention it the couple in question were sitting at departures. So obviously seasoned pattaya visitors.
For 2000 including tolls and lunch my taxi driver took me to Pattaya, which I didn't like the look of, so he then took me to all the beaches between there and bangkok. I settled for a charming white cove nestled in a cradle of thick bush, soft white sand....every once and awhile a gigantic ship from the industrial port round the corner glided past.

[paulg]

If you are on your first or even second visit then you have an excuse for your confusion.

I always have a taxi booked to meet me at BKK airport to take me to Pattaya. 1500 baht

I arrange this several days in advance by email or phone and they are reliable.

They are just one of a number of services that have been recommended here

At first Ian McKnight from Cafe Royale did it all for me, but I got frightened when their cars exceeded 150k.

On the freeway you might think it is acceptable. Even when they were sucking on their caffeine drinks????

I was shit scared.

Now I use Gems for meeting me in BKK or U Tapoa

If you need the phone number I can probably post it. Others have their own favourites.

Ask for help and phone numbers and you will get help.

Thanks paulg no I have no exuses, I have been hundreds of times but only once to Pattaya. Thanks for the offer of the taxi numbers but I dont think I will be going to Pattaya again for awhile with a taxi. Since I got my drivers license I prefer driving myself, one of those zippy honda utilities.

They do drive fast in Thailand, but also very well. Least better than here.

[Carnarvon-old]

a but a very large sweaty Dutch gentlemen covered in bling and his equally large wife thought it was outrageous.Let us thinkтАж

2,000.00 THB Thailand Baht = 42.9288 EUR EuroтАж

Airport to Pattaya = 250 KmтАж

Are you telling us Dutch are stingy? This is generalisingтАж.

Not fair, such as saying that gays are this or thatтАж

Oh you were scared Pauly was you,oh poor baby,I bet he was driving fast cause he knew you were a poof and he thought you were gonna dart him up the arse.Personally i dont like slow cab drivers and i tell them before i get in ,at least 120km min.Once i drove the cab myself along the freeway one Monday night at about 140km getting to Pattaya in 90 mins whilst the cab driver slept,but i had to wake him up cause i turned right after the McDonalds but it should of been the next right hand turn.and i got lost but he didnt know his way either..Funny thing was ,while the cab driver was sleeping on the backseat i pulled into a service station on the way,about 1 hr before Pattaya and every thai was staring at me thinking i was the cab driver.I could of actually picked up a fare cause a bloke was hailing me outside the servo.I didnt realise how expensive fuel was,filling up the tank was around 350 b.Its not the first time i have drove in Thailand ,i did a Bangkok to Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son in 2004.If you ask the cab driver to pull over when you get to the freeway and tell him you want to drive most will say yes.I usually like to get the bus however.

[andrewcraig]

Oh you were scared Pauly was you,oh poor baby,I bet he was driving fast cause he knew you were a poof and he thought you were gonna dart him up the arse..

http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/fo ... php?t=7212 (http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7212)

No I am not saying the Dutch are stingy, that would be a gross generalization, though often it is the case. I might be saying large gentlemen are sweaty. But arent we all on our first day.
I think the Brits are more stingy, they can be very penny pinching in all sorts of ridiculous ways. Not sure why this is, the pound being so strong, but they will discuss a cup of coffee for half an hour and then decide to walk three blocks to get it cheaper. Only to be seen the next day at the first place again drinking coffe, because its more convenient. But they wont touch the cakes, these they will get by walking the three blocks to the second place even though they cant have them with the coffee, because that they already had at the first place.............etc etc

Paulg, Yes I get a bit nervous on the toll roads when the driver takes off. But I soon settle after I have sussed his abilities. If its a large Mercedes I just lay back and enjoy.

"Dart him up the arse"....titter titter. Gay or not Mr Syd has a way with words that makes me feel weak at the knees,very graphic. He makes us sound like cone shells.

[paulg]

Paulg, Yes I get a bit nervous on the toll roads when the driver takes off. But I soon settle after I have sussed his abilities. If its a large Mercedes I just lay back and enjoy.
.

As a matter of habit I ask the driver how many times he has been to the airport today. I was picked up to go to Pattaya last year by a driver who was on his third trip in 18 hours. Yes I do find it hard to sleep when the driver is sucking on those pick me up drinks, when he has been driving for that period of time and hits 150+kph.

I do get nervous when he drifts from lane to lane, or overtakes needlessly.

Yes thats terrible Paulg, I would get out at the first petrol station and phone and demand another driver. Maybe stop at one of those nice little coffee places with the orchids and water features. Somtimes the drivers nod off to sleep after accelarating to try and keep awake. This is the time to take mr Syds advice and dart him up the arse, that or die.

"Let me tell you" your "image drive" made me laugh my head off. Is it geared to the Asian market by any chance? All those drivers with their "inbred smiles" I wonder if what with all that inbreeding they can "image drive" us safely to our destinations?

I spoke with a very nice guy at Panarama who had just taken a taxi from the Bangkok Airport. It was his first time in Thailand. He paid 2000 baht and got a receipt from the lady behind the desk. After driving away, driver then demanded another 5000 baht or he would throw him out on the side of the road with his luggage. When told he did not have that much cash on him, he drove to him to an ATM. I guess the driver smelled weakness because it was his first trip, he was a bit on the small side and he had a deformed arm. What a way to start your first hour in Thailand.

D&D thats horrible. Touch wood this has never happened to me in Thailand. Though as I dont speak Thai I often give people the benifit of the doubt, like when they take you to the wrong hotel. I now however always get a Thai person to write my destination on a slip of paper, and if the driver so much as frowns I dont get in. This habit is less to do with Thai taxis but more to do with Taxis worldwide.

But as a wise precaution its always best to decide with the driver the fare before you get into the car even if its been prepaid or booked and always use metered taxis in towns cities etc. If you know the fare more or less and its very early or very late and its a long distance then no meter seems fine, some wont use meteres during these hours or a long trans city ride, but then you must decide the price before you get in.

I bet the guy who got the chit from the desk thought he had agreed the fare. I must say I find that story very unusual.

I have used "Image" cars and know they are a first class service, which is reflected in their price. The kind of "local" their price would fit would probably have a family chauffer and several cars anyway so unlikely to outsource personal transport.

I have used "Image" cars and know they are a first class service, which is reflected in their price.

You are so hi-so. Welcome to Thailand, where the penniless English middle class can finally afford to live the lifestyle they were accustomed to in 80s Hong Kong.

Villa by Jomtien, anyone?

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Mrs Sybil Thrope. I love it :bounce: :flower: :bounce:

However should I need a ride in the future I will def try "drive by image" long scarf roof off wind in my hair,and all for the cost of a bad massage.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Mrs Sybil Thrope. I love it :bounce: :flower: :bounce:

It's Miss, my dear. My father the vicar never approved of any of my suitors, thus I've been a spinster all my life. You're most welcome to change that of course...

when having just arrived at don maung, you see the taxi touts on your left & right, but how to you actually get back up to arrivals.

is there a lift or stairs somewhere.....??

Now MISS Thrope, you are begining to sound like those sluts on virgin Upper class decks, or my maid....cant people see I am gay heavens alive, I have three black pugs.