Officials clarify Phuket metered taxi fares

PHUKET: The Phuket Info Center, operated under the Phuket office of the Ministry of Interior, has issued a notice reminding people of the rates to be charged by metered taxis in Phuket.

The notice, issued yesterday (Mar 31), marks the announcement by the Ministry of Transport in 2014 stipulating the metered taxi fares to be charged in Phuket. They have not changed since.

The announcement marks the fares that came into effect on Aug 17, 2014. The fare rates are:

First 2 kilometres - B50 flat fee
2 km to 15 km - B12 per km
15 km or more - B10 per km

Where the taxi is stuck in traffic or cannot move, or cannot move faster than 5km/h, B1 per minute is to be charged.

Ordering a taxi via a call centre allows an extra fee of B50 to be charged, in addition to the amount shown on the fare meter.

Flagfall for being picked up at Phuket International Airport is another B100, in addition to the amount shown on the fare meter.

Of note, the regulation posted specifically noted that it applied to metered taxis registered in Phuket. It did not mention what is to be charged by metered taxis not registered in Phuket.

BANGKOK COMPARISON

Although metered taxi fees in Phuket have not increased in the past nine years, they still exceed those charged in Bangkok even after metered taxi rates in the capital were increased two months ago.

The Department of Land Transport announced on Jan 13, the official tariff structure for Bangkok-registered taxis is:

Under 1 km – B35 (B40 for big taxis);

1-10 km – B6.5 per km
10-20 km – B7 per km
20-40 km – B8 per km
40-60 km – B8.5 per km
60-80 km – B9 per km
Over 80 km – B10.5 per km

Time in congested traffic or in traffic with speed under 6km/h is tariffed at B3 per minute.

Flag fall for calling a taxi via a call centre costs B20, while surcharge for Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi Airports is B50.

‘GREEN PLATE’ TAXIS IN PHUKET

Most taxis in Phuket are referred to as ‘green plate’ taxis, as they are fitted with green-and-white licence plates.

Green plate taxis do not use fare meters.

Instead, through negotiations with provincial officials, a list of standard “maximum” fares have been agreed upon.

The list of ‘green plate’ taxi fares was last announced in 2021. (See here.)

While the fares agreed to were supposed to be the maximum, Jaturong Kaewkasi, Chief of the Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) at the time, admitted that the fares were “open to negotiation”.

Not sure it's safe to sit in a car driven by a non cartel acceptance group of old expats with their shaky hands. Probably the ride to the airport would take forever too because they would never drive faster than the allowed speed limit.

It is blatantly obvious that the PLTO is against the metered taxis being here too. No fare increases for 9 years must cause financial hardship for these drivers, but they are still heaps cheaper than the other 'legal' cartel choices. I will take a meter taxi from the airport, I will NOT use the others.

"Open to negotiation" is just a polite way of saying these oxygen thieves are allowed to charge as much as they think gullible tourists are willing to pay. These 'fare charts' should be posted in every taxi that uses that pricing system so every passenger knows the applicable rates.

Pooliekex has short memory: PN, 29 March, a legal driver flips over his van ( ups& down) in Kamala. Two tourists wounded. And as Phuket taxi fares are very much unreasonble higher than in BKK, yes, we all feel on Phuket you are taken for a ride'' by taxis with a dirty face towel covering their meter.

Pooliekev reaction is derailing, almost defamation. We are 9 families who are afraid to danger themselve, including childeren, risking to experience a ups/down /3 wheel Van or taxi pole embrace experience, their traffic laws violation, besides taken for a financial çartel 'ride'. Safe & scam free family rides first. We are not taxi company. Only safe serve ourselve.

Seems that the Ministry of Interior in BKK doesn't know the real taxi cartel practises, something the Phuket Info Center must very well aware of, but pretend not to know, scared as it is to make transport mafia cartels angry. And so nothing change. It all shows just the difference between their sweet talks and reality. Who holding protective hands above Phuket cartels?

This whole article reflects just the Taxi cartel lies. Arriving at airport, you must go to the taxi booth, tell where you want to go, than get a paper with the fixed fair to your destination. You must agree. No use of meter. Well, a group of friends feel well with staying out of this being taken for a ride and drive each other from/to airport. We are a non cartel acceptance group.

Officials clarify Phuket metered taxi fares

Officials clarify Phuket metered taxi fares

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