Nam's Taxi Service

[Gonetothedogs]

20 minutes ago, tangotango said:

Damn Nam is booked out for the next week.

anyone else to recommend for a backup?

https://www.thaihappytaxi.com
 

Never let me down, but did have an issue with a driver messing about with his phone when we were bombing down the expressway 

[northwesthandsomeman]

6 minutes ago, Gonetothedogs said:

Same for me for one trip this week. Got the usual email reply confirming booking and she would supply the driver details later, but got an email the next day saying that she couldn’t find a driver and wouldn’t be able to take me that day.

 

Not great mate I know.

[Pabloypablo]

On the one hand, Nam's not being able to meet demand sucks for you guys.

After another datapoint, It sounds like they acknowledge the request, and then go to the reservation matrix to figure out a driver, giving the false impression that a confirmed booking exists, when in fact it does not.

This method probably works 99% of the time, until it doesn't, as you guys have experienced.

On the other hand, this also means that the high season is upon us, and that Pattaya seems to be recovering.  US Thanksgiving week must be big for Nan.  Her reviews here on PA probably have a lot of US customers and drive a lot of the demand.  It could also just be because of the big fireworks show this week.

I just made my booking request for Dec 6.  It will probably be the 20th time or so that I've used her services, and have not had any hiccups ever, knock on wood.

 

[Trevor]

@Encora
 Maybe you would be able to update us on the current situation?

I need to go to Bangkok one morning next week from Pattaya.

Should I book with Nam or look elsewhere? 

Many thanks. 

Edited November 23, 2022 by Trevor

[Jebb]

I think the moral of this story here is to book early for your transport.

[Encora]

Yes, please avoid last minute bookings if you can.

The above mentioned cancellations or being they cannot take your booking, are rare events, indeed more often concerning late bookings, occasionally a result of a glitsch in the schedule, such as a previous pick up being late due to late flight, unexpected road congestion or such.

 

[kd_traveller]

2 hours ago, Encora said:

Yes, please avoid last minute bookings if you can

Given that we are entering the high season and Nam is very busy, might it not be better if Ning or Chanya when they initially reply to late bookings state that they have received the booking and will check availability and get back to the customer asap rather than telling them they will get back to them with the name of the driver later? 

This way the customer does not think they have a confirmed booking only to be disappointed when the get the, "sorry we are full" email. 

[LeoTex]

6 hours ago, kd_traveller said:

Given that we are entering the high season and Nam is very busy, might it not be better if Ning or Chanya when they initially reply to late bookings state that they have received the booking and will check availability and get back to the customer asap rather than telling them they will get back to them with the name of the driver later? 

This way the customer does not think they have a confirmed booking only to be disappointed when the get the, "sorry we are full" email. 

Good idea.

I rather know up front if there will be a chance my request wont be fulfilled so I can start looking elsewhere

Like others I have said when its a busy season, book early, I have for my December trip with Nam.  

[Abracadabra]

8 minutes ago, LeoTex said:

Good idea.

I rather know up front if there will be a chance my request wont be fulfilled so I can start looking elsewhere

Like others I have said when its a busy season, book early, I have for my December trip with Nam.  

I'll be arriving on January 12 and normally I contact Chanya about a week before arrival, but after reading the above I will book mid-December I think.

[semi-retired member]

Usual good transfer back to Swampy at lunchtime (in a Mitsubishi Attrage for B1k) today, but Noina said, they're currently getting up to fifty bookings per day, which must really be pushing it !

This is great to see, until it affects you personally, really a great recovery from the pandemic/lockdown-era for Nam and her ladies. 🙂

[northwesthandsomeman]

Touch wood my latest booking to Bangkok Airport looks OK.

[Encora]

I talked this over with Nam today, she is apologetic , and also a bit frustrated.
A cluster of bookings cancelled these past few days were according to her based on the APEC circus, congestion at the airport with huge influx if APEC delegates, traffic jams in BKK and around the airport getting to a point that the drivers were simply saying “Sorry, I will take a few days off, sitting in a traffic jam for five hours for a trip that should take 90 minutes is simply not worth my while.”

as Nam remarked “This is a free country, I cannot force people to work when they don’t want to.

a bad time for bookings was shown to be middle of the day, and she is reducing the number she accepts round that time.

a lot of problems also centered around the Bangkok-Pattay and vv routes, due to Bangkok traffic jams, she is considering during high season reducing or simply cutting out those trips, so she frees up drivers for the busiest Suvarnabhumi to Pattaya route.

not everyone will be happy with that, but short of finding a bunch of new lady drivers, she does not have too many other options.

 

oh, the bitter price of being successful…..

[mattmoore1965x]

I was bored in front of a computer, so booked my Taxi with her for the end of January - so, 62 days in advance.

Sad I know.......

I was impressed with the speed of the reply though, and now its one less thing I have to think about.

Edited November 23, 2022 by mattmoore1965x

[SlowlyMan]

As a business owner, sometimes there is no good option, just less bad options. It sounds like she has better business sense then most. 

[Kandinski]

On 22/11/2022 at 14:16, tangotango said:

Damn Nam is booked out for the next week.

anyone else to recommend for a backup?

Booked my ride coming Monday with Nam a couple of hours ago. Reply with confirmation in less than 30 min.

[Thomaz73]

1 hour ago, Encora said:

cluster of bookings cancelled these past few days were according to her based on the APEC circus, congestion at the airport

Very understandable. Still think the suggestion by @kd_traveller above is good. 

Btw, just booked to go to Bangkok on Saturday. No worries and all set. 

[LASportsNut]

1 minute ago, Thomaz73 said:

Very understandable. Still think the suggestion by @kd_traveller above is good. 

Btw, just booked to go to Bangkok on Saturday. No worries and all set. 

Actually a good time to leave Pattaya.  Traffic will be crazy this weekend.

[Encora]

Traffic is crazy! Just heard from Nam, huge traffic jam in Pattaya, drivers stuck for hours, her carefully stacked programme collapsing, needing to change drivers. Poor girls sitting in traffic, for hours, not moving.

Not sure if this festival is such a great idea….

she takes it personally, her drivers are losing rides and losing money.

if any of you have a choice, don’t try and travel in or out of Pattaya today until Sunday. And if you have to, please don’t take it out on the drivers…..

[LASportsNut]

49 minutes ago, Encora said:

Traffic is crazy! Just heard from Nam, huge traffic jam in Pattaya, drivers stuck for hours, her carefully stacked programme collapsing, needing to change drivers. Poor girls sitting in traffic, for hours, not moving.

Not sure if this festival is such a great idea….

she takes it personally, her drivers are losing rides and losing money.

if any of you have a choice, don’t try and travel in or out of Pattaya today until Sunday. And if you have to, please don’t take it out on the drivers…..

Well as an expat in Pattaya I hate the fireworks because the traffic.  It also makes me not want to go out after breakfast time.

Hopefully Nam will learn to allow more time with each driver next time they have an event such as this in Pattaya.

She might even have to increase her transportation fees on these days.

[Shaygate]

3 hours ago, LASportsNut said:

Hopefully Nam will learn to allow more time with each driver next time they have an event such as this in Pattaya.

She might even have to increase her transportation fees on these days.

Nan does try and take notice of what is happening in Pattaya and Bangkok and schedules her bookings accordingly. If you remember in previous years she has declined any bookings around the main Songkran day in Pattaya just because the traffic makes it impossible to get in or out of town. Likewise I know New Year's Eve can be a problem as traffic increases and her drivers are sometimes like the rest of us and want to party and celebrate with friends and family.

So for everybody the lesson is, its never to soon to book ! 😁

[GorGuy RIP]

14 hours ago, Encora said:

Traffic is crazy! Just heard from Nam, huge traffic jam in Pattaya, drivers stuck for hours, her carefully stacked programme collapsing, needing to change drivers. Poor girls sitting in traffic, for hours, not moving.

Not sure if this festival is such a great idea….

 

13 hours ago, LASportsNut said:

Well as an expat in Pattaya I hate the fireworks because the traffic.  It also makes me not want to go out after breakfast time.

 

Traffic has always been higher Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday.

After Covid, there is now an even greater push for events to bring Thais to Pattaya at weekends, which I think will become the new norm.

Yesterday was indeed crazy, lucky that I drive a motorbike and know the back-streets, even so, that was a bun fight.

No way today I would drive a car at any time after 2pm.

I will also be sticking to local bars within a short walking distance tonight (more fireworks).

For anyone thinking of travelling to Pattaya, it would be worth considering Monday to Thursday to arrive and depart, if you want and "easy ride".

 

 

 

[Greg_B]

At this point and time, taxi or bus the traffic is going to be a problem and people have to understand it.

It's like getting caught up in traffic because of an accident and it sucks.

I will always give her an "A" for effort

[northwesthandsomeman]

My final journey of the trip-Sukhumvit Bangkok to the Airport with Tammy-went like clockwork.So 3 out of 4 trips with Nam excellent-very efficient .Just the pattaya to Bangkok journey that was an issue Overall bery impressed with Nam and her drivers.

[Downandup]

I've booked earlier than usual, almost three weeks ahead of time due to the reports of Nam being so busy.

[CaribbeanDelight]

Ordered a taxi on wednesday, didn't have my new room number yet. All good.

Once I got the room number I got the driver info on friday. On saturday morning I send a message if it was a problem a 2nd person would be there. Got a quick reply how big the suitcase would be. All sorted

Pickup time driver was there at 20:00 because of traffic jam due to firework festival. But also trying to get out of town. High tempo to the airport.
Get there she drops me off near A. My check-in was at R, so had to walk all the way down.

Paid her 1200 and 200 for still bringing me at the airport with time to spare.