Bangkok’s great in that there are a ton of ways to get around: taxi, tuk-tuk, motorcycle, river ferry, khlong ferry, bus, skytrain, subway… if you can combine methods of transport (train + bike + boat, for instance) you can often leapfrog your way across town surprisingly quickly. But nothing is more ubiquitous than the taxi. There are approximately nine kabazillion of the colorful chariots in Bangkok – some old, some new; some that smell nice, some that reek like death; some willing to help if you’re lost, others willing only to drive you around in circles until you realize something’s up. Lots of good stuff has been written about Bangkok taxis. I remember loving taxi rides in Japan, where all of them are impeccably clean, while the drivers wear a suit, a hat and gloves and are all exceedingly polite. I knew I was back in Thailand when my taxi at the airport was driven by a guy with no shoes, wearing ratty jeans and a wifebeater and munching on a huge bag of grasshoppers.
At any rate, they’re everywhere in Bangkok, and flagging one down often doesn’t work as smoothly as it does at home – it often takes a skilled eye to know which ones are worth your time to hail. Below I’ve written a few quick hints that may help you better navigate the Thai taxi system.

  • First rule – There’s always another taxi. If any of the below issues cause you to not be satisfied with the taxi you’re trying to get, close the door and wait for another one, which should be along in about four seconds.
  • How do you a know a taxi is ready to pick up a fare? There will be a red light in the bottom right corner of the window that says wang (empty) in Thai letters. If the light’s not on, he’s not ready for a fare.
  • Taxis are legally required to use their meter in Bangkok all day, everyday, 7 days a week, 365 days a year – no exceptions. If you hear a driver say it’s a special holiday, a special time of day, or that his meter is broken, etc, he’s lying. See the first rule.
  • Always open the door and see if he’s going where you want to go. It may seem a bit strange at first, but many taxi drivers will refuse to take you. I used to automatically think it was just because they were being lazy assholes (which is still often the case), but other times it’s because they have to return the cab in a few minutes, are nearly out of gas, etc, etc. Don’t fret – see the first rule.
  • Stay clear of taxis who are parked outside of hotels, restaurants or other tourist hotspots. Think about it – if your sole means of making money was driving, would you spend your day parked on the street corner? These guys will often claim point 3 (above) and overcharge you for a ride. Many of these taxis are controlled by a ‘taxi mafia’ who are highly organized and skilled in tricking tourists. My rule: only use a taxi that’s moving when you hail it.
Luckiest. Taxi. Ever.

Luckiest. Taxi. Ever.

Some drivers are incredibly nice and will go out of their way to help you out, some are awful assholes who will drive like an insane stuntman and get angry when you don’t leave a sizable tip. There’s no guarantees – you have to take your chances. In terms of safety, regular rules apply; women should be careful at night when riding alone. If you can, get on a cell phone and start talking to a friend, or pretend to do so if you feel uncomfortable. And if all else fails, just say yoot tee nee! (stop here!), throw the guy some money, get out and follow the first rule.
Keep in mind that most taxi rides/drivers/cars are perfectly acceptable and won’t present any problems. Some may even have divine protection, such as this guy below, who had Buddhist amulets glued to his roof. Praise Jebus.