The airport taxi system is broken
I have travelled regularly for business from a neighbouring country for four years through Suvarnabhumi Airport. This was once a pleasure, thanks to reliable express trains and taxis.
Something has changed. The system is broken. Someone must be made accountable.
The taxi queue snakes inside the terminal. Passengers wait hours (sometimes longer than their flight) for a taxi. Taxi drivers openly complain about “fees” to “service” providers. Are the crooks running these rackets so powerful that nobody can touch them?
The problem is the lack of any system or service. Taxis decline airport fares because they must return without passengers or wait. At the same time, the hitherto perfect train network has been abandoned. There are no express trains (and none planned) and the grubby operational trains are packed to bursting. Like the taxi queue, the ticket line for trains is shameful. The few employees are embarrassed, stressed and pitiful. Arriving in Thailand was once a pleasure. Now it is hell. This is the shocking image that smiling Thailand presents to tourists and other visitors. Somebody needs to take control and fix it quick!
Jan Coates
