I am arriving in Bangkok at 11:30 pm and have to get to korat. You guys know the going rate for a driver to take me there and maybe you have some drivers to reccomend.

thx
iadog

Unless you're in the mood to puke money I'd recommend grabbing a hotel in BKK near the BTS, then heading to the Ekkamai bus station the next morning after a good sleep and shower.

You can find a driver - even commission one at the airport - but the bottom line won't be pretty...

E

I quite by accident stumbled across a great negotiating tactic my last trip. Any kind of negotiation is of course all about leverage. Give yourself all the leverage.

Looking to get to Pattaya, I jumped in line and ask for a meter taxi to Mochit bus station. Driver took my slip I said Mochit and off we went. As we got on the road he ask where I was going from Mochit. I said Pattaya and of course he offered to drive me for 1400 Baht. I said no, the busses are nice. Just fine for me. Lets go to the bus station. We drove on for a while and then I causally said last time it cost me 700 to get back from Pattaya, if he would do it for that I would let him drive. He came down to 1200 and I went back to, "no, that's OK, lets just go to Mochit." And further we went down the road. After a while I said last time to get back cost me 700 but I would pay him 800. He said he couldn't do that but came down to 1000 now. One more time it was "no, Mochit is fine. Busses are nice in Thailand, I don't mind taking the bus." He finally accepted my offer of 800, off the meter went, he called someone in Pattaya on his cell phone to arrange to pick up a return fare and he had a profitable day and I got a 800 Baht taxi ride to Pattaya on one of the busiest days of high season, Jan 2. It wasn't a strategy at first. I really WAS intending on heading to Mochit and the driver knew I was serious. It does give you all the leverage though since a ride to Mochit is 100 Bhat on the meter. To Pattaya the driver pocketed most of the 800 plus he gets 500 out of the 700 the 2nd rd agents charge for the return.

In the future any time I want a long taxi ride I will simply start by asking to be taken to the bus station.

Iadogrules,

You dont need a taxi in Pattaya, unless you absolutely do not want to sweat outside of your hotel room.

In Bangkok, oh yeah, get a cab. Even with mass transit, you have to get to it to ride it, and that means smog and sweat, not to mention lepers begging for money at the foot of the Metro stairs.

Whoretester

IADog is trying to get to Korat. This is nowhere near ANY place most folks outside of Thailand want to go. Best to go there only if you speak Thai/Lao and/or are traveling with your teerak.

Of course, IAS will go there and find all the 100B whores. Good man that IAS...

E

In the realm of completely useless information, AirAsia was flying BKK to Korat until last August and selling tickets for 99 Baht. Alas, apparently there were to few people in Korat who actually possessed 99 baht and the tickets were not selling well. They canceled the flights due to poor ticket sales. I think I need to get up there and spend some 100Baht bills with the local whores. Last summer that would have been enough to get them a plane ride to Bangkok where they could make some real money.

IAS,

I would appreciate reading about such a spot, with a recommendation for a driver or other translator. I can deal with cheap whores without language, but ordering food is another matter.