Phuket official says taxi fares have gone down since the pandemic

Following posts shared on social media on the notoriously high taxi fares amidst Phuket’s reopening under the “Sandbox” model, a provincial transport official is apparently saying the posts are old and the prices do not reflect the current rates. A local transport official says the prices have actually gone down.

The Facebook post from a tourist planning a trip to Phuket said a hotel in Patong wanted to charge her 900 baht to be picked up from the airport. The post prompted local officials to review taxi rates, which are known to be extremely high on the island.

“I know in the past I have not paid that much to get to Patong, same hotel, and I see some people paying 700 through their hotel. Wondering if we can just get the SHA+ ride at the airport and has anyone done that and knows the prices from the airport independent of the hotel?”

Phuket’s land transport office says the claim was an experience from the past and was unrelated to the island’s reopening, despite the reference to the “SHA+” ride, which means it is certified under the Amazing Thailand Safety and Health Administration.

The chief of the local land transport office, Banyat Khantha, told Bangkok Post that his office investigated the post and found that the standard rate is 600 to 700 baht. Banyat says there are 2 “green license plate” taxi companies operating in Phuket. One company is at the airport, while the other operates throughout the province.

From the airport to Patong, the taxi fare has typically been around 800 baht, but since the pandemic, the fare has been reduced to around 650 baht, Banyat says.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post