http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/loca...nsumer-hotline

Happy Travels!

I am still getting, 6 years later, spam generated from "Julie Taxi", a taxi service highly touted by some forum members. Apart from her taxi never showing up for an airport run and despite no apology and despite a "we are never late" comment by the woman (presumably Julie), my email addy has been inundated form years by spammers using her address. Lousy service and even lousier internet hygiene. Avoid.

Our last two taxi drivers in Bangkok were memorable.

One couldn't find the hotel at all, no matter how many times we showed him the map we'd printed out. He then got angry with the mild mannered receptionist when he finally called the place (Old Bangkok Inn near wat saket). Just a terrible guy, overall.

The other fellow unexpectedly grabbed the hairs on my leg (while driving 70 mph), and started shouting "monkey! monkey!" for no apparent reason.

Our taxi driver took us to a restaurant of <i> <b>his</b></i> choice, not ours.

I've been lucky most of the time, but not always. I have gotten out of a cab twice in 32 trips to Bangkok.

I decided to try to stay out of taxis as much as possible. I usually either take the skytrain, river taxi, or just simply walk where I need to go. We're all not so sensitive to the heat.

My best Thai friend and I were in a taxi trying to go to the Oriental Hotel area to be dropped off so that I could go to Oriental Place Shopping Center. She explained to the driver how to get there. She's born and raised in Bangkok. Well, we ended up at the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel. We were so ticked off until we just got out of the taxi and went over to the river taxi and jumped on it. I could write a book of crazy taxi experiences, since the 1990s, and more than a few of them while with my Thai friend who was speaking Thai to the drivers.

Happy Travels!

Here is one of our recent taxi rides here in BKK - thought it might add to the conversation. No complaints though....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OROZC...lFd1OA_XVvlyOQ

I've gotten out of a taxi just once because a driver didn't want to use the meter, and once we had a guy who took us to the Sukothai rather than the Royal Orchid. It was more funny than annoying. I've been traveling to Bangkok since the mid-1980s.

I do opt for the skytrain or water taxis whenever possible, mostly to avoid traffic. But I don't hesitate to take a taxi if I need one.

Yes the no meter thing is common especially with traffic. I usually bargain with them a bit and then settle on a fair price. They are usually pretty fair. They get little to nothing sitting in traffic and I think it is acceptable for the meter to be off then. Getting to my home is often a meter-off scenario too as I live about 22 km north of the center. We all know they will likely not get a fare back so I tend to bargain a normal too-fro price with them and they're usually good about it....

We have experienced some resistance during heavy traffic times to using the meter, so I just go on to the next cab.

Soi 2 sukhumvit is impossible to get a metered cab anytime so we walk to the JW marriott and catch a taxi from there-- 3 min walk. K's jeweler is on soi 2.

I continue to not see bkk taxis as a problem in any way....well maybe a problem in that up country drivers do not know bkk well enough.

Bob means soi 4 above.