The minister said passengers quizzed on their levels of happiness with Bangkok’s cabbies showed a drop of 20 per cent to 50 per cent in the first half of 2015. He noted that part of the problem might be the general increase in the cost of living in Thailand and this was another reason that the time was not ripe to increase fares.
The air-chief-marshal noted that although the fare rise had been temporarily shelved it was still open for discussion. The boss of the Bangkok taxi-drivers’ cooperative, Vitoon Naewpanich, said he planned to write to minister Juntong and ask him to endorse the agreed fare increase.
An initial percentage increase on distance travelled was authorised last September and came into effect at the end of 2014. There was no increase in the standard flag fare and this still remains at THB35 for the first kilometre travelled.
Thai Transport Ministry stalls on Bangkok taxi fare rise
News in Asia
Thailand’s Transport Minister has delayed a second increase for taxi fares in Bangkok that was due this month. Air-chief-marshal Prajin Juntong says the ministry has not approved the five per cent increase as the commuting public has made numerous complaints about what they say is inferior service.