Traveler’s Notes—Thailand: Taxi Rides in Bangkok
Rental rides in Thailand fall into several categories. At the high end are chartered buses and cars which you can arrange for at the airport or through a travel agency in town, the latter of which will be better priced, especially if you shop around the many roadside travel agencies available and compare prices. Next come “cool cabs” which are also advertised as limos. These look and feel the same as regular taxis. They just have a fancier name and cost more. Regular taxis cost 35 baht to start, and the cost goes up by increments of 2 baht. A trip from the airport to downtown Bangkok costs anywhere between 350-700 baht, depending on your taxi driver and the type of roadway. Highways are a paid service in Thailand, so be sure to check with your driver beforehand whether the quoted price is inclusive of these fees if you are going by a set price, or be sure to have change ready if you are using a metered service.
Generally, it is in your best interests to use a metered taxi cab service in the city, because Bangkok is not that big a place and many an unscrupulous driver will try to part you from your money by quoting an outrageous price at the end of your ride if there is no meter to check him. More than one driver will likely try to take advantage of your by deliberately not turning on his meter as well, so make sure that the rate is clearly visible before you get taken off on a ride.
On occasion, you may want to ask a driver for a flat rate to a certain location, depending on the time of day and the traffic level. These prices are always open to negotiation, but may possibly cost you more for the trip, although the reassurance of a set price to a more distant destination that you are unsure of may be worth the extra fare. Ask a native to negotiate for you whenever possible, such as through your hotel concierge service, or a tour guide. The native will likely know the actual price of the ride, and the driver will be less likely to try and cheat you.
The last two types of rental rides in Bangkok are the tuk-tuks (pronounced too-tookes) and motorcycle taxis. The tuk-tuks are basically three wheeled motorcycles with an open air cover, giving it larger seating space and carrying capacity. Motorcycle taxis are identifiable by the bright orange vests that the drivers wear, and seating is limited to one person behind the driver. These mostly seem to be used by the local travelers trying to get quickly to and from neighborhood destinations.
For more about traveling abroad, check out the full Vacation in Asia blog entry.