Based on my observation, some taxi drivers tend to take advantage of passengers, and this doesn't happen only in Thailand. As I was reading your blog, I couldn't help but notice how similar the situation is to what we experience here in the Philippines. You really have to ask if they're using the meter because if they don't, they can charge you ridiculously high fares. Of course, foreigners are often charged even more because some drivers take advantage of the fact that they're unfamiliar with the usual rates.

That's why we were also happy when Grab and Uber became available here. It gave passengers another option and made getting around more convenient. It seems Thailand and the Philippines aren't that different when it comes to some taxi drivers taking advantage of passengers.

These are just my personal observations based on my experiences. I'm not trying to put down my fellow Filipinos. I love the Philippines, and I'm proud to be a Filipino. I just want to share what I've noticed.