Patpong's secret toll-booth

William Swanston says:

Exageration. I never have any problem flagging down a meter cab by ignoring the parked cabs and flaging down a meter taxi on Silom road right outside Pat Pong 1. There are lots of them passing by and I have never had to wait more than a couple of minutes.

Bangkok Phil says:

Willy. Baby. You can't fill a satirical website with stories of how easy it is to hail a taxi if you step out on to Silom Road.
"Jostling past burly taxi mafiosos and running the gauntlet of the bum-pinching ladyboys" all adds to the flavor and mystery. It dazzles. It excites.
I bet you're the kind of bloke who shouts "he's behind you!" at pantomimes.

Ras Jahnathan says:

You sure hit that nail on the head, Phil! (Too bad it wasn't Willy "Killjoy" Swanston's head!) BTW, I dig your site almost as much as this one. Just kidding, but I do wish you'd update it more often (since I already knew all of the A-Z stuff). Carry on; you guys make my day!

Willie says:

Get hold of yourself Phil.

Bangkok Tom says:

No police officer in Thailand would ever waste a moment stopping a taxi for a measly 20 to 50 baht. Everyone knows the absolute minimum is 100.

Sir Greg says:

This happened to my friend and I. Luckily, my friend is fluent in Thai and shot back at the driver that he works at the hotel we were picked up at, and that he's never been charged extra. The driver mumbled something about "...oh, they must have changed the law." David never said in his post if he paid the extra fee or not... either way, I doubt it's true.

Mike says:

WHY NO SEATBELTS ?
Everyone must have heard about the carnage on Thai Roads - so why don't taxis have rear seat belts ?
I complain to the driver every time I get aboard but they just grin and go faster!
They may trust their Budda or value death as a entrance to the next level - but I don't and since I always wear a belt I suspect Sod's law says that the one time I don't wear one is the time I get maimed. Last time I made him stop by opening the door and then jumped in the front seat. I think the solution is for everyone to crap in the back seat of non-equiped taxi-meter's and say if was fear! All Agreed ? Anybody know where I can lodge an official complaint?
Mike

s kin mee of says:

This is absolutely true! I was just in Patpong only last month, showing a friend around. I'll be brief because i want to go to sleep now.
If i can recal the time was after 1am, we exited the soi and went onto the main road hassled by the tuk tuk drivers offering to take us to our destination for 300baht when we arrived by tuk tuk for 60baht. A cab pulled up and we jumped straight in. I noticed the meter was of so i didnt speak or argue just instructed my mate to get out. One guy noticed i could speak Thai very well and we had a conversation. He told me that i could not flag down a taxi here because of the police, and i should go over to the other side of the road. Again didnt argue just found it strange went to the other side and got into a taxi that cost us 58baht 2 baht cheaper than the tuk tuk, more comfortable, air con, and even a LCD to watch a movie in the passenger sun visor........Fucking class! But yeah it all true.

Good night.

The Real Mike says:

If you need security, I strongly advise you to go for an 18 year old Tuk Tuk driver, or a motorcycle taxi. They produce the best stunts. And definitely no security there. Besides, do you wear seatbelts for crossing the road here in Bangkok? If you opt for road security, I guess you'll have to go for a revolution; or for another country... As for the meters, try to find a Taxi around Hard Rock who accepts to put the meter... No can do. You have to walk the few meters to Sukhumvit. So, some part of David's story must be true.

James says:

On my last visit to BKK our cab was indeed stopped by police without any reason just before dropping us off. I guess some officers are making some extra bucks or hatch a free ride home after work.

SMILE! ... you're in Thailand.

Andrew Fox-Russell says:

Tip: Just cross the road to Soi Convent and get one near the Xchange. Only problem will be putting up with the whining from your companion for making her walk the 200 yards......

Dana says:

I endorse everything that has been said about the taxi situation in Patpong. The bars and girls of Patpong haven't gotten any of my money in years because it is just too fucking much trouble to get a taxi out of the place. If I do go to Patpong it is because I have checked into a hotel within walking distance. So either the taxis aren't getting my money because I don't even go or they aren't getting my business because I don't need them. I consider their loss of my revenue more than fair considering all of the unbelievable and constant aggressive and stupid bullshit they unload on me. I have met fair minded and pleasant taxi drivers in Bangkok. But the experience is always so rare that is actually spooky. It catches you off quard and you are afraid to be nice in return. And you can't trust the so-called bonded and insured and professionally trained Hotel specific taxi drivers to be any better. The Nana Hotel has full time hotel only taxi staff. They are stunningly incompetant and greedy and stupid. They want TRIPLE rates, they don't know where anything is, they have never made a glancing blow with the concept of customer service, and they always want to take you someplace you didn't ask to go. And this is supposed to be the in-house taxi service to protect the hotel staff from the rapacious and unreliable freelancers. Thailand.

Alan says:

The Patpong taxi situation has been bad for years already. The cops set up a roadblock on Silom every night, well before closing time. Just look down Silom to where Bkk. Christian Hospital is and you'll see the cops, refusing to let unoccupied taxis proceed to pick up waiting passengers at Patpong. Perhaps slipping the cops some baht will get the taxi driver through to where he is needed. Most are forced to make a U-turn. This of course benefits the taxi and tuktuk mafia, who have paid the cops already for their privilege of parking on Silom at Patpong to hassle and hustle those in need of a ride, always asking exorbitant prices and refusing to turn on the meter. It's a typically Thai situation. To avoid it, walk left a short way along Silom to the first zebra crossing. Cross Silom and get a taxi there. If you need to go the other way (north), walk a few meters further to Soi Convent and the taxi will go (with meter on) down this soi to Sathorn, from where it can turn left and go in the direction you want.

dave says:

Many years ago I had my first bite of Patpong me and some foreigners went with two educated thai women in their cars.

Saw a great show downstairs doing Tom Jones and Elvis.

Upstaairs was a disco.