News Forum - Chiang Mai red trucks decline as Grab gains ground

[Thaiger]

Chiang Mai’s iconic red trucks, an integral part of the city’s transport network, are facing an existential threat in the wake of declining patronage post-tourist season, with concerns over the future being reduced to mere photographic memories. The rise of international ride-hailing services such as Grab or Bolt has compounded the issue, leading to a … …

The story Chiang Mai red trucks decline as Grab gains ground as seen on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

[Khunmark]

They are particularly useful for transporting large items, or if you want a driver for a whole day. We’ve employed their services for these scenarios many times. But they are a rough ride if you’re looking for comfort. You don’t want to be stuck in one in a traffic jam of which there are many in Chiang Mai.

[ChrisS]

Reading the story it looks like in part at least greed/dishonesty by drivers has played a part in the decline of popularity of these trucks

[Nigel_Farang]

If they would have offered a decent service at a reasonable price, they would not be facing extinction now. Serves them right.

[rattlesnake]

1 hour ago, ChrisS said:

Reading the story it looks like in part at least greed/dishonesty by drivers has played a part in the decline of popularity of these trucks

That's the problem everywhere, the established providers don't want to compromise and end up losing everything.

I was in Vientiane, Laos recently. They have an app there, Loca, which is basically the same as Grab. Book a ride in an air-conditioned sedan over 5 km, it's going to cost you about 60,000 kip (100 baht). A tuk tuk over the same distance is 200 baht.

[ThaiFoodGuy]

On my most recent trip, I would check the price to my destination on Grab first, then negotiate the price for the Rot Daeng or TukTuk based on the Grab price, and ONLY when I wanted the "experience" of that kind of ride instead of an air conditioned car.