When new fares go into effect Monday, they’ll be charged in fewer than one of 20 taxis.
Although roughly half of 100,000 registered taxis have made it through mandated inspections, meters in fewer than 5,000 have been adjusted, and completing the process for all will take nearly 16,000 man-hours, according to the chief of the Department of Land Transport.
“It takes experts about 10 minutes to adjust the meter of each taxi,” Thiraphong Rotprasoet was quoted today by the Bangkok Post. “The adjustment will take place at the department’s service area near Don Mueang.”
That off-the-cuff estimate would place the work, done continuously, at 15,833.3 (repeated) hours, or about 94 weeks of work.
Thiraphong did not indicate how many meter-adjusters are busy completing the work. If there were 50 of them, it would still take about two months of working a typical week.
It’s also possible Thiraphong just made that number up, and it was dutifully repeated without examination.
Under the new rate, passengers will be charged THB35 for the first kilometer, then THB5.50 for the second through 10th kilometers, and THB6.50 baht for subsequent kilometers up to the 20th. For just chilling out in paralyzed traffic – or when they move under 6kph, passengers will pay THB2 per minute, an increase of half a baht per minute.
Taxis allowed to use the new fare rate must display a blue label on the left side of the windshield, and any unauthorized use should be reported at hotline 1584.
Photo: Amanda W
