In a car park in the Thai capital Bangkok, green shoots sprout from the roofs of colourful taxis. Thailand's tough Covid restrictions have left the city's hectic streets quiet, putting taxi drivers out of work. As fares dried up, many drivers left the city for their home villages, leaving so-called taxi graveyards behind. Now, one company has decided to use the roofs of the idle vehicles as small vegetable plots, which they hope can help to feed out-of-work drivers and other employees.
Workers at the Ratchaphruek Taxi Cooperative built the miniature gardens by stretching black bin liners across bamboo frames and covering them with soil. They then planted a variety of crops, including chillies, cucumbers and courgettes. It is hoped that after helping the drivers, any leftover food can be sold at local markets. DW has the latest. Visit the new DW website Take a look at the beta version of dw. Go to the new dw. More info OK. Wrong language?
Change it here DW. COM has chosen English as your language setting. COM in 30 languages. Deutsche Welle. Audiotrainer Deutschtrainer Die Bienenretter. DW News Abandoned taxis in Thailand turned into vegetable gardens Many taxi drivers in Thailand's capital, Bangkok, have lost their jobs in the pandemic.
There is a downside however, in that mass transit systems in Bangkok are becoming increasingly crowded and unpleasant. For this reason many first-time visitors and expats still opt for one of the easiest modes of transportation: the Bangkok taxi. The drivers are generally courteous and helpful making them an excellent and cost effective way to get around. Their enthusisam however often translates into dangerous road situations. Be mindful of where you decide to hail a cab and pay attention to the traffic conditions around it.
Unlike most western countries, it is generally acceptable to hail a taxi at a bus stop as long as no bus is likely to arrive before or while you are getting into the vehicle. You will know if an incoming taxi is available when you see a glowing red sign in the front window. It is far better to walk out on the street and hail a moving taxi.
Remember your taxi. Check your personal belongings such as mobile phone and wallet before leaving the taxi. If you forget something in the cab you can always call , the call center for lost items. Watch out for motorcycles or motorbike taxis when you get out of your taxi.
They are everywhere. Always use the door nearest to the kerb. Taxis in Thailand are very cheap relative to western countries.
The starting taxi fare is just 35 baht and the meter increases relatively slowly to the distance travelled. Although tipping is not strictly required in Thailand, it is customary to round up the fare to the nearest 10 or 20 baht when you have had a pleasant experience. Before taking a taxi, check if you have smaller bills such as 20 baht or 50 baht notes. It will be easier for the driver to give you a change upon completion of the journey.
If you are coming or going to the airport, the toll booths on the expressway are a good place to change larger bills into smaller bills. There is a law in Thailand that requires taxis to always run on meters and not to decline any customer that hails them when they are available. The government opened a hotline to call in relation to customer complaints against uncooperative taxi drivers. They sometimes turn off the meter and ask for extra cash.
This can leave you with little choice as getting home becomes first priority. If you take the expressway, expect that the toll fee will be added to your bill or you will pay the toll fee directly at the toll booths. When going to or coming from the airport, you should factor in an additional 75 — baht for tolls.
Ensure that the meter is on and that you can see it clearly. It is advantageous to learn a few phrases of Thai like:. You can also use Google Translate on your mobile phone or various Thai language mobile apps for commonly used Thai phrases on transportation. You can play it and let the driver to listen to what you are trying to say to him.
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