Grab Taxi

Had a good day yesterday. Practiced using Grab Taxi and visited the Game Store (Battlefield Bangkok.)

Bangkok has 4 services to use that are not fixed routes like the Metro or Skytrains or busses. Tuk Tuks are expensive 3 wheeled motorized vehicles that are for tourists and they are expensive.

Taxis are really cheap. I can hail one now in a busy area and there are over thousands of them here. However, calling for one is impossible due to the language barrier.

Uber has started. They are still rare, a bit expensive, and currently illegal.

Grab Taxi is working great. They are the ones the Hotel called for when I was there. For now, they are the main reason I got my new phone the day before. You download their app, just like Uber. Instead of special Uber drivers, regular Taxis sign up with Grab Taxi. Your phone is in English, their phone is ion Thai. You mark your origin and destination on their app, which uses Google Earth. You then press Book It. Your desire is broadcast to all Taxis nearby that are signed up. When one agrees, you notified and their picture appears on your phone. You can watch their little Taxi travel to you on the app. Their app shows them where you are and will give voice directions in Thai if they want. It will also map directions to your destination and even give voice directions again if they want. You can even watch your progress on your own phone if you want. You pay regular Taxi prices plus a 20 baht fee (50 cents.)

I used it both to and from the game store yesterday and it worked great! 61 baht + 20 baht fee to the game store (I gave 100 baht even.) So, the whole trip was less than $3.00. Likewise, it was 79 baht home (heavy traffic) plus 20 baht fee. I gave him 120 baht, or about $3.50.

Now I can go to church on Sunday. I already emailed the pastor of the Bangkok Calvary Chapel Church.

Between Church and gaming I can finally make some friends and not feel so isolated. Whoo - hoo!

Namaste from (halfway to) Nepal)