Bolt

[christianpfc]

No personal experience, but a friend from Bangkok used Bolt in Pattaya and recommended it highly. Only because I get around entirely by walking and baht-bus I haven used it yet.

When I checked grab two years ago, prices were similar as you would pay by direct negotiation with driver, about 200 THB for 5 km as far as I remember.

[goji]

I took a Bolt ride in Pattaya for 60 Baht.
I checked the cost of going in the opposite direction by Grab and it was 210 baht.

For comparison purposes, I just compared to the cost of exactly the same journey in Pattaya with the 2 apps:
Bolt 63 Baht
Grab Car 296 Baht. After digging further, Grab seem to have some car options for about 118 Baht.

I've never used Grab in Pattaya, but have used it in Chiang Mai, where some quite attractive fares were offered.

[dab69]

CB Media takes Bolt to Nong Prue Airport Pataya 108 baht + big tip
00:31-2:10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LY8DWWX4Zf8

[aussie]

Unless it is a very short trip, I give the Bolt driver100 baht whatever the quoted fare is less than that. They are not making much if anything on some of those low fares.

[gerefan2]

Bolt is a typical Loss Leader. Use it while it lasts!

[Moses]

Unless it is a very short trip, I give the Bolt driver100 baht whatever the quoted fare is less than that. They are not making much if anything on some of those low fares.

By fact Bolt pays to drivers more than you pay to Bolt in cases when fares are low. Bolt now "eats market" - grows own market share by damping and pays for it by unprofitable fares. It is typical strategy on taxi's market. Didi and Grab did the same on many markets. Uber also.

[jvt22222]

Moses, I really wish you could give more explanation to your post … I would really like to understand it better.

[Moses]

Moses, I really wish you could give more explanation to your post … I would really like to understand it better.

When taxi company enters to local market they do it by damping - keep prices very low, make strong promotion, earn loyalty of new clients. But for to have enough drivers company pays extra to driver for each order because drivers want normal price or they will switch to serve clients of another company.

Usually exists "minimal compensation" - amount of money what driver will get after serving one client. For example: somebody made short ride and paid 30 Bahts, but driver will receive from company 100 Bahts because it is minimal compensation by agreement. That why all taxi companies have negative profitability at first 1-2 years on new markets - they pay own money to drivers for each client for to compensate low fares.

After 1-2 years of damping company will have enough loyal clients and will rise fares step by step for to get profit.

[goji]

I'm currently in a smaller Thai town. Just one driver shows up on Bolt. They quoted 53 baht for a ride of abour 2 miles, but the only Bolt driver didn't take the job.

Grab quoted 73 baht. Their driver accepted the job. So it's worth having more than one of these apps on the phone.

[jvt22222]

Thanks Moses,… I have become somewhat addicted to BOLT … convenient, dependable, inexpensive, professional … 15-20 times I have BOLTed and never yet had a problem … short trips to Immigration, longer trips to T HE BEACH CLUB in Bang Saray … under your scenario they will eventually get more expensive step-by-step … by that time I will be even more addicted.