My Experience of using Uber in Bangkok

[tweet https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/453728960010924032]
This morning I’m heading to the launch of Uber Bangkok, which is a new limousine service in Thailand. It’s a little more expensive than a regular taxi but it is supposed to be a better service.  Base fare is 45 Baht and then it is 2.5 Baht per minute and 9.2 Baht per kilometer. Minimum fare is 75 Baht. There are some fixed fares to the airport for 1,000 Baht and to Pattaya for 3,000 Baht. At the moment, they have a promo code that allows you to get your first ride for free (valued up to 300 baht).  Download the Uber app from the App Store or Google play and enter the code uxtb6.

These are my live tweets from the ride and the press conference. Everyone attending were given a free ride to test out the service:

[tweet https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/453733393386049536]
 

[tweet https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/453733898850422784]
 

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[tweet https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/453749152669650944]
 

[tweet https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/453752114053804032]
 

[tweet https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/453753944645201920]
 

[tweet https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/453755799253168128]
 

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[tweet https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/453759416806805504]
 

[tweet https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/453760152806518784]
 

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[tweet https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/453780754212728833]
 

[tweet https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/453781759436414976]
 

[tweet https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/453783945369235456]
 

[tweet https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/453783945369235456]
 

[tweet https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/453797684806049792]
 

[tweet https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/453800013315837952]
 

[tweet https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/453805187463790594]
 

[tweet https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/453806362409967616]

27 thoughts on “My Experience of using Uber in Bangkok

  • November 28, 2016 at 1:02 am
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    Hi Richard!

    Thanks for your great review. My friends and I are going to be going to Thailand for the first time in less than 30 days. While we are really excited for our adventure we are a little worried about getting ripped off by a taxi. For that reason we are more than likely going to be taking advantage of the Uber service in Bangkok for many of our excursions. No need to barter or demand for a meter rather than fixed pricing and no need to fiddle through our wallets to find the proper amount of a foreign currency we aren’t familiar with.

    I ‘m not sure what has changed since you left your review over 2.5 years ago, but one thing that has not is the fixed pricing to and from the airport. I see that many here have complained about the 1000 Baht fixed rate, but nobody has really given alternatives other than, “get a regular taxi.” For a group of twenty-somethings travelling to Bangkok for the first time what would you recommend to get to and from the airport and how would you go about booking them? Would I just go outside the airprot and waive one down? Any tips on how not to get ripped off or address the language barrier?

    Mahalo from Hawaii for your help. I love your site and appreciate what you do.

    -Tai

    Reply
    • November 28, 2016 at 12:12 pm
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      Hi Tai,I Would just join the Taxi Queue at The Airpor,When you get to the front you will be asked at the desk ” Where Do You want to go ?? ” You will then be charged a proper amount THERE & THEN,( To Downtown Bangkok expect to pay NO More than 400 Baht INCLUDING Any Tolls, & You will be allocated a Taxi Driver,The desk will give you A Slip with the Taxi’s Details written on it ( In case you have ANY Complaints ) Do NOT Give the slip to the Driver,Even IF He Demands it THAT is YOUR’E Receipt….It has a phone number on it if you do….He is NOT Allowed to charge you ANY Further Fare,If he even TRIES Phone the number & Report him,He will get pulled in & Fined for ” Trying it On “..But I Would NEVER Use Uber They are NOT Even A Taxi Company ( Even Richad admits that much ) & As such probably NOT Even have the correct Hire & Reward Insurance,Besides that WHY Would you want to pay them a 1,000 Baht for the same distance you’ll be driven for 2/3 LESS at Least ??But It is entirely Up too you,as they say here in Thailand…..

      Reply
  • February 24, 2016 at 12:01 pm
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    Uber ( Safer ) I DON’T Think so……One of their drivers just MURDERED 7 People in Kalamazoo U.S.A….

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    • February 27, 2016 at 12:43 am
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      Yes, no taxi driver has ever murdered anyone…come on.

      Honestly, the taxi/uber drivers are probably in more danger statistically than we are. Not saying you shouldn’t be careful (I try to avoid taxis or ubers alone), but you cannot point to one incident and say uber is worse.

      Reply
      • February 29, 2016 at 11:43 am
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        NOT Just ONE Incident involving Uber, Look at their record in London U.K. Their Drivers have ” Killed ” a number of pedestrians,RAPED or Sexually Assaulted approx 25 Women per WEEK,& Have at least 4 or 5 Traffic Collisions a Week through staring at their Sat-Navs….And THAT’S Only London….

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        • February 29, 2016 at 11:46 am
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          That SHOULD Read 4 or 5 T/C’s Per DAY…..

          Reply
      • February 29, 2016 at 11:54 am
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        NOT Only 1 Incident,Look at their record in London U.K…Their drivers have ” Killed ” a number of Pedestrians, Cyclists, & Other road Users….Raped or Sexually assaulted at least 25 Women or Men Per WEEK,& Have as many as 4 or 5 Traffic Collisions per DAY, Through STARING at their Sat Navs,They constantly travel down One Way Strrets the WRONG Way….They are useless & Don’t know where they’re going…..Is that ENOUGH For you to Digest,& Remember that is ONLY London….

        Reply
  • February 6, 2015 at 7:50 pm
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    I have used uber in a few places already, what I like most is they cannot say no. I went to MBK and tried to get a taxi. All of them would not take me unless I agreed to pay 500 baht to goto fortune town. Its only a 75 baht ride. They prowl on farang’s. Uber was easy a few clicks and within 8 minutes I had my ride. Like Richard says life is about choices. You choose your destiny every day. A taxi that is trying to rip me off of 500 baht for a short ride is crazy. I praise Uber for being honest. I had the same driver 2 times now and he is a good fellow. Gets me to my destination. And for me……. Well my Uber ride was cheaper from ban mall.
    I’m the CEO of a search engine company so I’m a stickler for everything, but I think Uber is great. The regular taxis better clean their act up and respect people who come to visit. I just wish normal taxis can be more honest and friendly.

    Reply
    • June 16, 2015 at 2:09 pm
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      The taxi industry in Bangkok in just a nightmare. Nearly all the taxi drivers in Bangkok I met were all ripoff specialist, and expect you to pay at least ten times more than the original fare. It only took twenty minutes for me to walk from my hotel to Grand Palace. But to go there by taxi, nearly all the taxi drivers all wanted 500 baht for the ride.
      Thanks to Uber, I now have no more worries of going around in Bangkok.

      Reply
  • September 30, 2014 at 9:46 pm
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    As for Uber being safer one of their drivers smashed a guy’s head in with a hammer last week in San Francisco.

    Reply
    • February 28, 2016 at 3:11 am
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      It’s easier to find the guy. If I get into a random taxi, the driver could smash my head with a hammer, dump me in a ditch, and no one would know who did it.

      Reply
  • September 30, 2014 at 9:41 pm
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    In what way is a Camry safer or more reliable than a Corolla? The car you took looks 6-8 years old. Many taxis are newer.
    I could see the point if it was an S-class or 7-series. Incidentally this service is as expensive as taking an E class Benz from the airport in Singapore.

    Reply
  • September 22, 2014 at 6:18 am
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    Three times the price to take a Camry instead of a Corolla to the airport? Sorry, don’t see the value or need for this at all.

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    • September 24, 2014 at 7:29 am
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      I think it is crazy to pay that much to go to the airport. But, some people (obviously with money) feel it is a safer and more reliable way to go that way. Up to them really.

      Reply
  • April 11, 2014 at 2:28 pm
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    Its awfully expensive to pay 1000B for a ride to Bangkok.Not may are going to use this service. Its good to have a choice but should have thought more on the price. Today every tourist try to save as much as possible. Anayway Good luck!

    Reply
    • April 11, 2014 at 4:49 pm
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      I’m not sure why everyone is hung up on the airport price. Around town I think it is an affordable limousine service. I went from Bangkok to Samut Prakan Province for not much more than 300 Baht. Unlike taxis, they cannot pick people up on the way back.

      Reply
      • April 11, 2014 at 5:02 pm
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        That does seem like a good deal, and around town the pricing sounds reasonable.

        I think the hang-ups about the airport price is that it’s out of proportion to the rest of the prices. “A bit more than the price of a taxi”, which is what it seems to be around town, is a lot different from being 4 times the price, which it is to the airport.

        Your Samut Prakan journey, for example, is probably a longer distance than Bangkok to/from the airport would be. But the price you paid is less than a 3rd of the price of the airport journey.

        Reply
        • April 11, 2014 at 5:04 pm
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          I agree the price is high for the airport. It almost feels like a last minute decision which they might later regret.I won’t use them regularly, but it might be nice to use if I want to impress someone 🙂

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          • April 11, 2014 at 5:06 pm
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            It does seem poorly thought out, you’re right. If these responses are anything to go by they probably won’t get much uptake on the airport transfers so that will hopefully prompt them to have a rethink.

  • April 10, 2014 at 10:58 am
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    Given the fact the driver arrived late and didn’t know how to go to the destination despite having GPS doesn’t really make me understand why you’re so positive. I think the idea is great, but the implementation and price for sure need improvement. 1000B to the airport is (very) expensive. Also 3000B to Pattaya is expensive.

    To be fair, I never understood the added value of a limousine service. A limousine isn’t that like a taxi, but then a white or black colored car? I do understand the added value of a minivan.

    Reply
    • April 10, 2014 at 11:05 am
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      I’m always positive, it helps you live longer :-)Joking aside, they are obviously still having teething problems. My first ride had a number of problems as I documented here. But the return journey went much smoother. I would use them for special occasions or when I don’t have the right change for a taxi. But, i definitely wouldn’t use them to go to the airport. Life is about choices isn’t it? Always good to have options.

      Reply
  • April 9, 2014 at 9:52 pm
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    1000 baht from BKK to the airport ?????? That is a rip off. I life in Huai Kwang and it is never more than 250 to the airport!

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    • April 10, 2014 at 8:28 am
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      Well then, take the taxi!

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      • April 10, 2014 at 8:33 am
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        At those prices I think most people will. 1000 Baht might be OK if it’s a 12 seat minivan or similar, but for a normal sized car they’re pricing themselves out of the market.

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        • April 10, 2014 at 8:41 am
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          Out of interest, do you know the price of other limousine services at the airport? I cannot remember. BTW, they are not a taxi service and so I don’t think they are that worried.

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          • April 10, 2014 at 8:46 am
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            From the airport to my place, just turning up (i.e. “walk-in”) it’s 800 Baht from the AOT limo counter. And that’s a deluxe, 12-seat minivan, DVD player, free water for all pax, help carrying all luggage, courteous English speaking driver, etc.

  • April 9, 2014 at 3:34 pm
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    The fixed rate to the airport for 1,000 Baht seems like an odd policy – what if you live close to the airport? For me a taxi to Suvarnabhumi is normally only about 150 Baht. Also does is that price to either airport (BKK or DMK)?

    Reply

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