News Forum - Thai Taxi Association’s controversial tips for satisfactory rides spark debate

[Thaiger]

The Thai Taxi Association stirred debate by posting six tips to ensure a satisfactory taxi ride. The recommendations include asking before getting in, not forgetting to tip, and calling for a Grab taxi during peak hours or if the location is difficult for a regular taxi to reach. The Thai Taxi Association’s Facebook page recently … …

The story Thai Taxi Association’s controversial tips for satisfactory rides spark debate as seen on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

[irongoat]

I don't smoke..  yet when I get off the BTS and go to the taxi queue the taxi drivers are all standing around smoking and want to smoke right up to when they get in the driver's seat! So when I turn to walk away to hail another taxi that is dropping some one off and the driver is not smoking they get upset!......

Smoking is a in my opinion a dirty smelly habit and I really don't like being exposed to it.....I won't allow durian in my home because of the smell, but I will put up with that smell over a stinky smoker anytime/anywhere!

[KhaoYai]

Jeez!

As long as they are not smoking in the taxi, what's your problem?

Are you aware of all the other crap you're breathing in in Bangkok - yet it sounds like you choose to live there.

Sounds to me like you're simply anti-smoking and one of those that likes to rant at smokers for the sake of it. Do you realise that we have rights too?  We are not allowed to smoke in bars, restaurants and other public places (and I agree with that by the way). Now you complain about people smoking outside - clearly at the roadside in one of the most polluted cities in the world - get a life!

Of course the drivers get upset, they have a queuing system, stop causing trouble.

[Marc26]

19 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

Jeez!

As long as they are not smoking in the taxi, what's your problem?

Are you aware of all the other crap you're breathing in in Bangkok - yet it sounds like you choose to live there.

Sounds to me like you're simply anti-smoking and one of those that likes to rant at smokers for the sake of it. Do you realise that we have rights too?  We are not allowed to smoke in bars, restaurants and other public places (and I agree with that by the way). Now you complain about people smoking outside - clearly at the roadside in one of the most polluted cities in the world - get a life!

Of course the drivers get upset, they have a queuing system, stop causing trouble.

I guess as a smoker you don't realize how disgusting the smell of cigarette smoke is to others.

 

If someone is smoking right up to getting in the car, they can smell like smoke and as a passenger you have every right to not want to smell that

 

You say "get a life" as you impose your addiction onto others.................(but most smokers are selfish ass*les, so that is usually their attitude)

[HolyCowCm]

1 hour ago, KhaoYai said:

Jeez!

As long as they are not smoking in the taxi, what's your problem?

Are you aware of all the other crap you're breathing in in Bangkok - yet it sounds like you choose to live there.

Sounds to me like you're simply anti-smoking and one of those that likes to rant at smokers for the sake of it. Do you realise that we have rights too?  We are not allowed to smoke in bars, restaurants and other public places (and I agree with that by the way). Now you complain about people smoking outside - clearly at the roadside in one of the most polluted cities in the world - get a life!

Of course the drivers get upset, they have a queuing system, stop causing trouble.

This is a hard call. But the fact is cigarettes do permeate and smell the person’s clothes and hands and head and hair up. Now don’t get me wrong , I don’t care so much, but to some it smells just as a person who doesn’t bathe, say like someone who lives on the street.  I draw the line at if the car wreaks of some one smoking in it all the time and have jumped into taxis here that even I can’t wait to fry out of it. And I absolutely don’t care if folks smoke at outside bars as if Fri king enough I might have one myself. But that sort of place to me should be a right of passage. Restaurants no. People riding motorcycles and smoking ticks me off they are subjecting everyone else around them to it. Extremely rude. I myself smell like weed on a good night out, but that’s another story . 

[KhaoYai]

43 minutes ago, HolyCowCm said:

This is a hard call. But the fact is cigarettes do permeate and smell the person’s clothes and hands and head and hair up. Now don’t get me wrong , I don’t care so much, but to some it smells just as a person who doesn’t bathe, say like someone who lives on the street.  I draw the line at if the car wreaks of some one smoking in it all the time and have jumped into taxis here that even I can’t wait to fry out of it. And I absolutely don’t care if folks smoke at outside bars as if Fri king enough I might have one myself. But that sort of place to me should be a right of passage. Restaurants no. People riding motorcycles and smoking ticks me off they are subjecting everyone else around them to it. Extremely rude. I myself smell like weed on a good night out, but that’s another story . 

Never known cigarette smoke to permeate when the smoking is done outside.  And for me that's always - or in my car with the window open and only whilst moving so the smoke is sucked out.  I absoultely do not smoke in my house because as you say, it makes everything smell.

What some non-smokers don't get is that between cigarettes, most smokers like clean air too.

I've never known a taxi or its driver to smell of smoke - they are usually very protective of that.

Edited August 29, 2023 by KhaoYai

[KhaoYai]

2 hours ago, Marc26 said:

I guess as a smoker you don't realize how disgusting the smell of cigarette smoke is to others.

If someone is smoking right up to getting in the car, they can smell like smoke and as a passenger you have every right to not want to smell that

You say "get a life" as you impose your addiction onto others.................(but most smokers are selfish ass*les, so that is usually their attitude)

I am fully aware of how cigarettes smell and I do not impose 'my addiction' on anyone - in fact I go to some lengths to make sure I don't. I don't even 'impose' it on myself - I live alone yet don't smoke in the house.

However, I find it a bit strange that someone who lives in Bangkok should complain about smelly air.  The whole place stinks to me - I avoid it like the plague. I would never live in Bangkok because of the polluted air and find it really odd that so many want to live there - especially those who complain about smoking.

Edited August 29, 2023 by KhaoYai

[Marc26]

30 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

I am fully aware of how cigarettes smell and I do not impose 'my addiction' on anyone - in fact I go to some lengths to make sure I don't. I don't even 'impose' it on myself - I live alone yet don't smoke in the house.

However, I find it a bit strange that someone who lives in Bangkok should complain about smelly air.  The whole place stinks to me - I avoid it like the plague. I would never live in Bangkok because of the polluted air and find it really odd that so many want to live there - especially those who complain about smoking.

I am just speaking personally but I can deal with Bangkok air but despise cigarette smoke

You can obviously disagree with that but if the driver chooses to smoke, I also have the right to tell them I don't want to go into their taxi

 

And if as a smoker and you don't even smoke in the house, then you have to realize how awful the smell is to others that don't smoke, no?

 

 

And good on you for being a considerate smoker, many are not.....

[KhaoYai]

24 minutes ago, Marc26 said:

And if as a smoker and you don't even smoke in the house, then you have to realize how awful the smell is to others that don't smoke, no?

Yes but I'm not selective about what I smell.  I notice the smell in Bangkok when I arrive but as with any smell, you become accustomed to it after some time. That doesn't mean its not there and it is very dangerous. The air in Bangkok is regularly above safety guidelines and on Sukhumvit road, at the side of the BTS you'd be hard pressed to say you can't smell the car/truck exhaust fumes.

Strangely, as I type, there's a report being discussed on TV from some official group or other who have just stated that air pollution is the greatest threat to human health

I very much doubt that anyone would smell the smoke on a taxi driver who has been smoking outside his car - unless that is, they are trying to kiss him/her. I smell smoke on people's breath but only when they are very close - passengers usually sit in the back of a taxi.

[Marc26]

3 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

 

I very much doubt that anyone would smell the smoke on a taxi driver who has been smoking outside his car - unless that is, they are trying to kiss him/her. I smell smoke on people's breath but only when they are very close - passengers usually sit in the back of a taxi.

I really think you are only looking at this as a cigarette smoker and just don't realize how much it smells to non-smokers

 

Of course someone just finishing their cigarette as they get into the car smells like smoke

 

Well, for some reason, some more than others smoke seems to stay on them.

 

 

We can argue that, but the guys point was that taxi driver is making the choice to smoke right before he gets into his taxi, as a customer facing job

So he loses his right to complain that a customer doesn't want to use his services

 

 

 

[Grumpish]

2 hours ago, Marc26 said:

I really think you are only looking at this as a cigarette smoker and just don't realize how much it smells to non-smokers

Of course someone just finishing their cigarette as they get into the car smells like smoke

Well, for some reason, some more than others smoke seems to stay on them.

We can argue that, but the guys point was that taxi driver is making the choice to smoke right before he gets into his taxi, as a customer facing job

So he loses his right to complain that a customer doesn't want to use his services

As an ex-smoker there have been quite a few times over the last few years that I have thought "did I smell that bad?" On the other hand I am often amused at the frantic hand waving away of cigarette smoke in city streets by people that seem to be totally unaware that they are breathing in much worse all the time they are on the street because they can't see it.

[Marc26]

1 hour ago, Grumpish said:

As an ex-smoker there have been quite a few times over the last few years that I have thought "did I smell that bad?" On the other hand I am often amused at the frantic hand waving away of cigarette smoke in city streets by people that seem to be totally unaware that they are breathing in much worse all the time they are on the street because they can't see it.

 

There may be negative effects of breathing the air in a polluted city

 

But there has never been an instance where I can't breath or feel it in my lungs like I do cigarette smoke

 

I just don't think you smokers(you non) really understand how much cigarette smoke effects non-smokers

 

 

Which makes sense because there are so many inconsiderate smokers that either because of their  addiction  they don't care or they truly don't know how much it effects people 

[Marc26]

The other day I got off a flight and there were 3 or 4 smokers in the small area that Uber is for

 

They are either the biggest assh*les in the world or truly can't understand that a non-smoker doesn't want to be surrounded by cigarette smoke

 

 

It's the most intrusive nasty habit that gets thrust upon non-smokers

 

I can't wait until it is banned on public walkways and it will be 

 

 

We wouldn't let meth and heroin addicts shoot up in the street(well my city does)

 

And to be completely honest

I'd much rather walk by a heroin addict than someone rudely blowing smoke onto me

[1234567]

5 hours ago, Marc26 said:

...

It's the most intrusive nasty habit that gets thrust upon non-smokers

I can't wait until it is banned on public walkways and it will be 

...

Maybe the problem is YOU?
I am not a smoker, but I can live with the existing laws and habits of the smokers perfectly fine, and their smoking has just about never bothered me at all; zero, nil, nada!
In these 60 years of my life not a single smoker has yet insisted in blowing his smoke on my face, and they behave themselves perfectly fine.

Take a look in a mirror: I am sure there are MANY things in life that bother you so much and make you bitter. Your opinion is that everybody should live like you order them to live?

Edited August 30, 2023 by 1234567
auto-correction

[Marc26]

1 hour ago, 1234567 said:

Maybe the problem is YOU?
I am not a smoker, but I can live with the existing laws and habits of the smokers perfectly fine, and their smoking has just about never bothered me at all; zero, nil, nada!
In these 60 years of my life not a single smoker has yet insisted in blowing his smoke on my face, and they behave themselves perfectly fine.

Take a look in a mirror: I am sure there are MANY things in life that bother you so much and make you bitter. Your opinion is that everybody should live like you order them to live?

No my opinion is that someone's addiction shouldn't intrude on me

They don't have to live like me but they should be considerate and understand they have a disgusting addiction that intrudes on people 

 

And it is me.....I think most smokers are the most selfish assh*les on the planet 

 

Go to any airport and walk outside

The addicts have to run off the plane and stand smoke on all the sidewalks

They don't care if families need to walk by them with young kids

They just want their fix and don't care who they intrude on 

[HolyCowCm]

11 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

Never known cigarette smoke to permeate when the smoking is done outside.  And for me that's always - or in my car with the window open and only whilst moving so the smoke is sucked out.  I absoultely do not smoke in my house because as you say, it makes everything smell.

What some non-smokers don't get is that between cigarettes, most smokers like clean air too.

I've never known a taxi or its driver to smell of smoke - they are usually very protective of that.

I am not anti cigarette smoking, just anti selfish thick headed not aware of other people in particular places and situations that directly affect people. So again a point I mentioned regarding motorcyle riders smoking and riding their bike then stopping at a light and continue smoking, then so on. This absolutley makes me mad as h e l l. If it is directly on a street that has the public around then just don't do it. Out on a highway or outside road is ok. But say even on an outisde road that is well travelled populated road here say like in CM, it will still have a lot of riders and people on it that are subjected to that smoke hitting them with out choice. The smoker has the choice the public does not if you choise to be selfish. So, in your car with window down that directly hits people, that is not ok. On a open highway then not a problem if in your car as you are here and gone fast and that smoke dissapates. So I am also against people who drive their cars with windows open in a city or town on populated streets and roads here in Thailand. Different in the USA cities as more spread out and less people out and about in most cases that is.

I have literally been in thousands of taxis here over my years as I travel quite frequently. Not all taxi driver who smoke wreak but some or many do and it can be annoying if overpowering. Maybe not the occasional who have a smoke, but the ones who repeatedly smoke.

Maybe you have never known a cigarette to permeate and make someone or yourself wreak is because you smoke and don't catch it as the nose cavity does get desensitized to the smoke if you smoke. I think it gets trapped in your mucus and also has a direct adverstiy to your nose hairs called cilia. Basically speaking smoking alters your sense of smell, and the cigarette's chemicals help greatly to do that. And again, I stay healthy but I actually will have a smoke here and there after heavily drinking, but then I do not drink everyday and so there is only the occasional cigarette as fortunate as do not crave it, But I can tell you otherwise that in public I just don't like it or put up with it unless it is in a bar scenario or a place really away from others in the open. 

Example: If at the aiport and I walk past the smoking area and obviously can catch a whiff, that doesn't bother me. So there is a give and take on this. And no, smokers aren't being picked on, just the smoker needs to be aware and respectful of all situations, even if a taxi driver.

[HolyCowCm]

12 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

I am fully aware of how cigarettes smell and I do not impose 'my addiction' on anyone - in fact I go to some lengths to make sure I don't. I don't even 'impose' it on myself - I live alone yet don't smoke in the house.

However, I find it a bit strange that someone who lives in Bangkok should complain about smelly air.  The whole place stinks to me - I avoid it like the plague. I would never live in Bangkok because of the polluted air and find it really odd that so many want to live there - especially those who complain about smoking.

I quite like the smell of Bangkok. It is a feel and atmosphere. It was one of the best things at the old airport Don Meuang when walking off the plane. You get hit by that, I'mmmm back love it smell.

[HolyCowCm]

11 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

Yes but I'm not selective about what I smell.  I notice the smell in Bangkok when I arrive but as with any smell, you become accustomed to it after some time. That doesn't mean its not there and it is very dangerous. The air in Bangkok is regularly above safety guidelines and on Sukhumvit road, at the side of the BTS you'd be hard pressed to say you can't smell the car/truck exhaust fumes.

Strangely, as I type, there's a report being discussed on TV from some official group or other who have just stated that air pollution is the greatest threat to human health

I very much doubt that anyone would smell the smoke on a taxi driver who has been smoking outside his car - unless that is, they are trying to kiss him/her. I smell smoke on people's breath but only when they are very close - passengers usually sit in the back of a taxi.

Yes but this is different same as CM at some time of the year. I don't like plastic being burned as well.

But air quality is not comparable to a person's choice to smoke in public. But there is a choice to not live in Bangko and places like CM at certain times of the year if you can help it. Smokers can always be courteous and do their best to not wreak. I think it is not the taxi driver who has an occasional in between smoke, but the ones who smoke one after the other. And yes, I can smell the snoke on some driver who just smoked a whoile one and hops into the car. Then I hopefully get desensitized.

[HolyCowCm]

8 hours ago, Grumpish said:

As an ex-smoker there have been quite a few times over the last few years that I have thought "did I smell that bad?" On the other hand I am often amused at the frantic hand waving away of cigarette smoke in city streets by people that seem to be totally unaware that they are breathing in much worse all the time they are on the street because they can't see it.

I think it is more the waft of smoke that hit smacks you dab in the face. Not the act of smoking.

[HolyCowCm]

1 hour ago, 1234567 said:

Maybe the problem is YOU?
I am not a smoker, but I can live with the existing laws and habits of the smokers perfectly fine, and their smoking has just about never bothered me at all; zero, nil, nada!
In these 60 years of my life not a single smoker has yet insisted in blowing his smoke on my face, and they behave themselves perfectly fine.

Take a look in a mirror: I am sure there are MANY things in life that bother you so much and make you bitter. Your opinion is that everybody should live like you order them to live?

Unless it hits me directly from in different public situations, I actually don't care. Just be courteous and try to keep it at a fair distance and not directly where it is going to hit people. It is a give and take.

[KhaoYai]

6 hours ago, Marc26 said:

No my opinion is that someone's addiction shouldn't intrude on me

They don't have to live like me but they should be considerate and understand they have a disgusting addiction that intrudes on people 

And it is me.....I think most smokers are the most selfish assh*les on the planet 

Go to any airport and walk outside

The addicts have to run off the plane and stand smoke on all the sidewalks

They don't care if families need to walk by them with young kids

They just want their fix and don't care who they intrude on 

You've answered my suspicions:

Disgusting addiction, selfish assh*les, addicts, run off the plane, don't care, want their fix.............I think its plain you are just an anti-smoking fanatic.

I do my best to prevent my 'addiction' doesn't 'intrude' on the lives of others. Whilst I accept that many smokers don't - well I'm not a football fan and I hate their singing and chanting but I don't moan about it.  Yes, when people get of a long flight, they want a cig and you wouldn't experience the things you do if the selfish ANTI smoking 'assh*les hadn't closed all the smoking areas at the airport - that was a proper 'own goal'.

I am fully aware what cigarettes smell like, its one of the reasons I roll my own - far less smoke and the smell is nowhere near as bad.  But you anti smokers must bear some of the responsibility for concentrating smokers in one area.  In the UK its virtually impossible to avoid smoke outside city centre pubs because everyone congregates just outside the door for a cig.  As I said earlier - same thing applies at the airport (BKK). Dedicated smoking areas, including one in the centre of the airport that was in a smallish outside garden area - harming non-one but closed by the anti-smoking zealots pressurising the Thai government.

Instead of concentrating people in unofficial areas - there should be designated smoking areas - you might find this difficult to believe but when I arrive at swampy, yes I need a fag but now I have to wait until I've cleared immigration and collected my luggage etc.  When I finally get outside I have to stand with maybe 10 other smokers and it absolutely stinks - between drags I actually like clean air you know? Likewise there should be smoking bars and non smoking bars - people would have their choice.

To be totally honest, I've seen these type of comments all my life and I firmly believe that the majority of anti-smokers do just as much intruding as some smokers do. Although I'd call it imposing rather than intruding.  What the anti-smoking lot actually want is to impose their ways on me and will not rest until smokers are forced to give up.  That's never going to happen.

Overall, what anti smokers fail to understand is that smokers have rights too.

[KhaoYai]

5 hours ago, HolyCowCm said:

But air quality is not comparable to a person's choice to smoke in public.

Its is absolutely comparable - and that was the exact word used by the study group that reported on air quality yesterday - I'll dig it out when I get chance but they were an official group that have been conducting their studies over many years.  What they said, not word for word - was that poor air quality is now comparable with smoking in terms of health risks.

[KhaoYai]

5 hours ago, HolyCowCm said:

I quite like the smell of Bangkok. It is a feel and atmosphere. It was one of the best things at the old airport Don Meuang when walking off the plane. You get hit by that, I'mmmm back love it smell.

You like the smell of heavily polluted air? Odd.

[Mamachigawa]

I do not smoke but people 　who do should be able to smoke outside anywhere

These smokers do smell very bad and do not know it because they are accostmed to their own stench

Not as bad as Africans and Indians body odor

 

[HolyCowCm]

2 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

You like the smell of heavily polluted air? Odd.

Don’t twist what I said to benefit your thought process. This was the old airport back in its hey day and that smell of tropical warm and airplane exhaust was pure joy of like kissing the ground. Nobody like a diesel black stinky exhaust blowing in their face.