Daily driver rates in Thailand (page 2 of 2)

Like an astronomical number of Thais, this driver lost a large part of what he had spent decades building during Covid.

He could no longer pay for his license or the rental of the vehicle he used as a taxi. He also sold his house to move into what can only be described as a cottage and had to sell part of his fields.

Françoise and I were really moved by his story. After that, we can debate for a long time about the choice of hiring one Thai over another.

But I completely agree. I just mean (it’s worth saying to someone who’s asking, right?) that without his license, the passenger is taking risks in case of an accident or a police check. You know I took that risk and decided to do it again during my 3 weeks in Chiang Rai.

Going back to the rate you mentioned, let’s not forget that your price experience was in Chiang Rai and during peak season, so rates were higher.

You meant Chiang Mai, I assume? Slip of the tongue. Since in Chiang Rai, I used the driver I mentioned above.[;]

You meant Chiang Mai, I assume? Slip of the tongue. Since in Chiang Rai I used the driver mentioned above.😉

Exactly! What a relief, isn’t it, to see we’re not the only ones getting older? 🙂

[ You meant Chiang Mai, I assume? Slip of the tongue. Since in Chiang Rai I used the driver mentioned above.😉

Exactly! What a relief, isn't it, to see we're not the only ones getting older? 🙂

Making a slip of the tongue isn’t a sign of aging. Good night, I’m off to bed.

The young woman you met probably hung out with a French guy for a few months, maybe even a year or two... and the first thing they learn is how to count—especially in a karaoke bar 😉

As for university, I have serious doubts in this specific case.

When it comes to the police, they’re always nowhere to be found, especially with tourism down this year. But at the slightest order, the tourist police go overboard near the sites, as you mentioned. Three years ago, during a meal with the consul, he told us about 800 cases of French travelers caught breaking the rules—20% of them didn’t even have enough money left to finish their trip. Everything was paid upfront to fake Thai or farang guides without a license, proper tourist transport plates, or adequate insurance. So I always warn people to be *very* careful with those "kind French guys" or locals who speak French and "offer help" for a fee... .

There’s no correction needed about what I experienced. My wife heard it just like I did. Yeah, well, this young woman learned French at university—it’s not like I said she flew in from the Magellanic Cloud in a flying saucer! 🙂

As for the rest, paying for an entire service upfront abroad means you’ve got to accept the risks. And honestly, it’s still less serious than having an accident without insurance.

I should add that neither the consul nor the authorities would have the means or the information to mention the thousands of cases where everything went smoothly. That said, I rarely use services offered by foreigners, if only because they’re usually significantly more expensive than those offered by Thais—assuming the same quality, of course.

That said, I’ve rarely used services offered by foreigners, if only because they’re usually much more expensive than those offered by Thais. For the same quality, of course.

Totally agree! I boycott all of them—whether it’s hotels, restaurants, travel agencies, or car rentals. This applies in Thailand, India, and probably elsewhere in Asia... and the rest of the world too. When I went to Bali, I heard that these "tourist businesses" were heavily regulated or even banned to prevent them from financially harming local entrepreneurs.

Ah, right—if you actually heard she learned it at university, that’s different. Rare case, but it happens. ...especially in a karaoke. We’ve got 3-4 friends of my wife who did learn French (it’s the 7th language here, after all!) and work as guides or translators. One of her former professors even writes in French... he used to be Thaksin’s translator. But you’ve got to look for them... As for farangs who dare to offer their services, don’t be fooled—off the books, they undercut prices. Some lurk on forums to lowball tourists with their "friendly French-speaking" act... I think there are quite a few around Chiang Mai.

There are some really great ones, and some that don’t have the best reputation—definitely true. I won’t dive too deep into the topic because there’s a legality question involved. Let’s just say I’ve had excellent surprises with less official drivers and less pleasant experiences with some official ones.