WOP: Grab

Words of Praise: Grab

I prefer dealing in cash and paper, therefore in Bangkok I never saw the need to use Grab or similar services. But I installed the app and found that grab is more expensive (20 THB booking fee) than what I would pay by meter.

And when I checked in Pattaya, I found prices are set by taxi mafia (Base Fare THB 160, Per KM THB 12-23).

Price examples:

Malaysia Hotel to Hua Lamphong railway station is 4.7 km.

Grab estimate 84-125 THB plus 20 THB booking fee. (The fare shown in only an estimate of the meter fare and can change depending on traffic conditions. Please pay the meter fare plus and booking fees.)

North Pattaya bus station to Tuk-Com is 4.5 km.

GrabCar (Pattaya) 231 THB.

No thanks. I either wait for a songtheo for 10 THB to Walking Street, or if in a hurry take mocy for 80 THB.

Chiang Mai railway station to Chang Phuak hotel is 5.0 km.

GrabCar 93 THB. Will use this next time I’m in Chiang Mai.

But on a recent trip in Vietnam and Cambodia (hence the long gap since last post) Grab proved very useful.

I loathed taking mocy or taxi in countries other than Thailand; first you have to communicate the destination, then you have to haggle over the price. Up to 3 km, I would rather walk than going through this ordeal.

But in Danang Vietnam, I was in a situation where there was no bus and too far to walk, and I was out of my hotel so I couldn’t ask receptionist to get me a ride. But Grab came to help: you put in your destination, get a price and within a minute the car was there to pick me up (private car). At my destination, pay the amount shown in cash (no booking fee in Vietnam). Awesome!

Later in Saigon, use Grab to get a price estimate for mocy. At a mocy station, the original asking price was 100 kD, but I quickly got him down to 20 kD, the price I saw on Grab. Tip: write down the destination and the price on paper so you don’t have to show or even worse hand your phone to driver.

That has happened to me in 2016 in Saigon. It was night, and the address was in grey on black; the first driver could not read it, but handed my phone to another mocy driver and pass my phone around in their group. Then chat among each other where this place is (and how much to overcharge me?). I felt like an idiot!

In Phnom Penh for tuk-tuk same convenience: no talking about destination, no haggling about price (but I had two drivers who were reluctant with giving change). You pay what is shown on Grab (no booking fee).

Grab does not operate in Siem Reap.

Years ago, a Thai friend First deposited his bag in my room, but then didn't have time to pick it up, so he sent a Grab to my room and I gave the bag to the driver.

Years ago, I forgot a bag in a taxi*. Minutes after getting out of the taxi, I realized. I called the hotline and gave all the details, but didn't get the bag back. With Grab, you would know car and driver's details and can call driver. 

*Simplified. I never forgot anything in a taxi. I had two bags and gave one to a Farang friend so I could get into taxi easier. Farang friend forgot my bag in the taxi.

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