[LivinLOS]

I think the whole problem is spreading like an infection..

The other night my GF came in the house in near tears.. A motorbike taxi had dropped her and wanted 100 baht for a cross town ride (this is a bike taxi not a tuktuk and to a Thai) when she said no way (it was 40 only a little while ago) and would pay 60 he started to become threatening and she thought he was going to beat her up.. I cant remember if she paid him 80 or 100 but as she walked in she was in near tears and by the time I heard the story and got outside he was long gone.

My brothers GF just walked in hot etc.. She just took a motocy from Mae Ubol market to our house, when he got the bottom of sun hill (where I live up behind) he refused to go up the hill for the agreed 40 baht.. was 60 to go up the hill.. again this is a journey of a few 100m and Thai on Thai.. She told him on your bike and he then drove off for 40 baht shouting shit at her and she walked up the hill..

Now just to put this in perspective (its not about the small baht) when I came here it was almost always 20 baht from my old house into town and usually 20 bak (if you spoke thai) sometimes 40.. Same price if 2 people on the bike also I would point out.. To go from 20 baht to 100 baht is a 500% increase in a couple of years.

Secondly while the tuktuks have always been a small problem thats got worse the bike guys have usually been good as gold.. I have always got on with them and used them and apart from the odd one being drunk while riding never ever given attitude or been nasty.. In fact I used to have a good rapport with them. Now it seems like the tuktuk vibe is moving to them too..