Four associations of taxi drivers are pushing ahead using their call for a hike in taxi fares even though talks with the Department of Land Transportation (DLT) on Wednesday ended in a stalemate.
Discussions will resume earlier next month, Sadit Chaithiang, president of the Thai Public Taxi Association, said yesterday. At the meeting with DLT director-general Jirut Wisanjit, the taxi driver organizations asked for the beginning price of taxi fares to be raised to 45 baht intended for small taxis plus 50 baht pertaining to large taxis, up from 35 baht now, said Mr Sadit.
Small taxis are usually defined as cars by having an engine of between 1, 600cc and 1, 800cc whilst large taxis have a 2, 000cc engine or larger, he said.
The new starting cost will cover the first kilometre of travel whilst passengers will be billed 10 baht/km from then on from the second km to the 20th, 11 baht/km from the twenty first kilometre to the 40th, 12 baht/km from your 41st kilometre towards the 60th, and 13 baht/km for longer take a trip, he said. In the event of heavy traffic in which a taxi runs at a speed of 25km per hour or much less, the passenger instead will be charged five baht per minute, he or she said. The associations have also called for an unique starting fare meant for taxis taking people to an airport, associated with 75 baht for small taxis and 90 baht just for large taxis.
“We persist the taxi costs will have to be raised, ” Mr Sadit mentioned.
A public hearing carried out by the DLT demonstrated the public mostly decided taxi fares needs to be raised, he additional.