Mercedes-Benz VIP taxis to hit Bangkok roads next week
At least 20 will have features like GPS tracking, credit card readers, panoramic cameras and emergency buttons
By Thodsapol Hongtong
Mercedes-Benz taxis will start appearing on Bangkok streets on May 30, with fares starting from 150 baht (US$4.70), according to the city’s Land Transport Department
Director-general Sanit Phromwong said on Wednesday that All Thai Taxi Co planned to operate 100 Mercedes-Benz C Class sedans in the department’s Taxi VIP project.
Under the project, the department requires each participant to have at least 20 cars equipped with information technology such as GPS tracking, credit card readers, panoramic cameras, emergency buttons, and fare meters connected to a central control system.
The department expected 5,000 VIP taxis would be on the roads by the end of this year, Mr Sanit said.
An employee at All Thai Taxi Co said the fare would be set at 150 baht for the first two kilometres of travel and 16 baht (US$0.50) per kilometre after that.
Each Mercedes-Benz C Class taxi cost 3 million baht (US$93,721), with another 30,000-40,000 baht (US$1,250) for the added equipment. The VIP taxis will initially run in business areas, covering banks, hotels and airports.
The company planned to put its first 15 VIP taxis on city roads on May 30 and the other 85 by the end of August.
