Thailand is laced with terrific tourist spots. When you’re there you can explore gorgeous beaches, beautiful cultural locations, and rad festivals under a single sky. This beautiful country, also known as the land of smiles has many spectacular experiences to offer. However, before you visit this country, you might be wondering whether you can safely commute through taxis in Thailand.
Not only are taxis safe but they can be a great option to consider when traveling within Thailand. Generally, there is no need to fear using taxis in this country. It is one of the most cost-effective commute methods for short to medium distances. However, you need to ensure that the taxi you choose doesn’t charge you a flat rate. If you’re still anxious, you should know how you can contact the police and you’ll be good to go.
While it can be overwhelming to figure out the best way to use taxis in Thailand, don’t worry. We have covered everything you need to know in this article.
How To Spot Available Taxis?
If you’re on the street in Thailand, it might be confusing to identify a vacant taxi. It could be especially confusing if you don’t know how to read the Thai language. An easy way to identify a vacant taxi is by looking at the taxi’s glowing sign. If the glowing sign is red, it means that the taxi is vacant and you can safely travel in it.
Does The Color of the Taxi In Thailand Make Any Difference?
When you’re searching for a taxi, you might come across multicolored taxis in Thailand. Generally, you can find three variations: yellow-green, red-blue, and yellow-orange. Don’t be alarmed by this as the color of the taxi will make little to no difference to you. All taxis are required to charge the same rate to passengers. However, if you have a choice, you should prefer to travel on the yellow-green taxis. The yellow-green color of the taxi indicates that the taxi is owned by the driver himself.
Can Females Travel on Taxis in Thailand?
It is safe for females to travel on taxis in Thailand. Most drivers are friendly and will do their best to drop off their passengers at their destination. It is not uncommon for women to use taxis to travel inside this country. Most taxi drivers are males but if you’re lucky you might even spot a female taxi driver. About hundreds and thousand of females use the services to get around the country, so female tourists will be safe traveling by taxis too.
The Problems You Can Encounter While Using Taxis In Thailand And Their Solutions
Since taxi drivers are not from the most financially secure backgrounds, they tend to look for ways to earn more. If you’re a tourist, do not ask your taxi driver for suggestions. Usually, the drivers will suggest you a hotel or a club where they will get a commission for bringing in a new customer. In other words, you will pay more to the hotel or club and the driver will get a cut of whatever you spend.
Another thing you need to be wary of is that taxi drivers often don’t carry change in hopes that you will leave the larger note with them. The easy solution to this problem is to keep sufficient change in your wallet so that you can pay the exact amount to the taxi driver. If possible, do round the taxi fees to the nearest 5 or 10 baht as it is considered polite to do so.
Finally, another problem that you could encounter is a taxi that wants to charge you a flat fee. Since this is suspicious, do not sit in a taxi without a properly running meter. Always check before boarding any taxi to be safe.
So How Safe Are Taxis In Thailand?
Taxis are usually safe to use in Thailand. You have little to no reason to refrain from traveling through them. In fact, it is so safe that females also travel by taxis safely in the country. If you’re planning to travel to Thailand, you should keep sufficient change in your wallet and you should limit yourself to using taxis with working meters.
Conclusion
For short to medium distances, Taxis are the safest and most convenient commute methods in Thailand. Even if you are a female tourist, you can consider this travel method. Taxi drivers are friendly folk who will do a great job at making you feel comfortable and will respectfully drop you off at your destination.
