News from Thailand – January 20, 2015
This page contains a selection from the Thai news. We list headlines from major news sources including: Bangkok Post, The Nation, ThaiPBS, MCOT, etc.
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News from Thailand – January 20, 2015
The Nation opens today with a report that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha reacted angrily to allegations that he ordered impeachment proceedings against former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to be launched. Speaking to journalists at Government House, he strongly denied the allegations: http://goo.gl/qWBp4y
– Thailand wants to import 50.000 tons of crude palm oil to make up for the expected shortage. The country is facing a shortage of palm oil because the palm oil plantations have been affected by the drought. This reduced the production of palm oil, which is widely used for preparing food. In addition, the maximum price for palm oil has also been set at 42 baht for a liter bottle: http://t.co/j2O2GcSnEy
– Two budget airlines in Thailand are having a hard time and have therefore had to lower their ticket prices in order to attract enough passengers. Nok Air and Thai AirAsia (TAA) are both making losses in the fiercely competitive domestic flight market. Nok Air reduced ticket prices by an average of 28% and Thai Air Asia also did the same by an average of 20%: http://t.co/fWjTZobd04
– Thai Prime Minister Prayut has opened a floating market near Government House: http://goo.gl/1OZnai
– Thailand's rice exports reached a record high in 2014: http://goo.gl/U2N7Oy
- Officials at Suvarnabhumi Airport have blacklisted a taxi driver after he charged a Japanese tourist 700 baht for a ride from the airport to Saphan Kwai. The Japanese did not give up and spread his displeasure on social media, after which the taxi driver in question was called to account: http://goo.gl/UaUjuQ
– Is this the end of the ugly electricity cables in the streets of Bangkok? There are plans to run the power cables underground, just like in the Netherlands. The reason for this is the construction of a fiber optic network. The fiber optic cables must not be connected together with electrical cables. Then only one option remains open: underground. This has quite a few consequences because the already busy streets of Bangkok will have to open: http://goo.gl/cmS62F
– You can read more current news from Thailand on our Twitter feed: twitter.com/thailand_blog
the news I read here about palm oil surprised me a bit. According to the “source” there would be a shortage due to the drought. That is not correct at all. The scarcity is because many palm oil farmers simply did not harvest the fruits due to low prices and they suffered losses during harvesting and transport. If the plantation was rented and not owned, they simply could not manage it and were forced to let the fruit rot and fall off rather than harvest it. Last year, due to fraudulent agreements among the processors, they received barely 3.5 Baht/kg. And this is not from “hearsay”, this is from experience.
lung addie
In connection with the taxi driver in Bangkok, my experience with the taxi mafia in Pattaya last week.
A friendly 50-year-old Thai taxi driver, friend of my Thai girlfriend, would take me to Suvarnabhumi. Although the price for a meter taxi anywhere in Pattaya is 800 baht plus +/- 50 baht motorway, I had agreed with him for the round price of 1.000 baht. Half an hour before departure from my hotel, he called me, saying that he was unable to attend due to another ride and that he would send a colleague. No problem for me and a little later I left with his colleague.
After driving for a while he called me, saying the price should be 2.000 baht, with all sorts of fallacies: he missed his ride, his replacement missed other rides, it was a bigger taxi, the replacement had no return passenger, etc. I stayed with the deal: 1.000 baht. After several phone calls and when we had already been driving for 40 minutes, his last threat: 2.000 baht or he would have the taxi return to Pattaya. My fear: 80 minutes lost, looking for a new taxi: I risked missing my flight.
I replied naughtily: I have your name, the number of the taxi, I know your family and I will notify the police in Pattaya. The phone was slammed shut.
Only then did my driver say: I will drive you to the airport. That man is a mafia: he gives rides to other drivers, but wants to earn the same amount himself without driving. And pressured returning tourists to get off their flights often give in and pay more.
So it ended well for me, but what could have happened if they had been waiting for me with superiors when I returned to Pattaya? After 12 years of Thailand, I wonder if I should still comment on this for the sake of other farangs? Do any of the readers have experience with this?
Just got back from Thailand. On arrival at Bangkok, got a number for taxi to Pattaya.
All luggage in taxi he clocks off with only I say meter he says no meter 3000 baht. No way stop everything again taxi again the same ritual also no meter but 1500 baht as we did not feel like doing this a few more times agreed. Back was 1000 baht. Had many taxis even when getting out other people who do not meter. Our opinion has not changed. Bayoki tower writes down the same hotel number but he doesn't want to turn on the meter but wants 400 baht. The ride normally costs no more than 100 baht. And we always tip.
Why lower rates at Nok Air, flown to Roi Et last year, one-way flight barely 1300 Bath, and now with that so-called discount because they are having such a hard time, the price in the first week of February is 1581 Baht.
Mind you, that difference in price doesn't really wake me up, but I'm getting a bit tired of all that complaining by airlines who, despite announced discounts, charge a higher price.
My conclusion….., the airlines are mafia……!
And then know that for 134 bahts you can have a comfortable AC bus ride to and from Suvharnabumi as a Pattaya farang / tourist ... , you can at most cost a taxi in Pattaya to departure point Jomtien ViewTalay 1
http://www.airportpattayabus.com/