Grab Extortion 48%?!!

honestly 48% is on the higher end but not unheard of for short rides in bangkok. the shorter the trip the worse the percentage looks because grab has a minimum platform fee that eats into it. on a longer ride to like don muang you'd see the driver getting closer to 70-75%

if it really bugs you just use bolt or flag down a taxi. metered taxis here are still cheap and the driver gets all of it minus a tiny daily fee to the taxi company. grab's convenience fee is basically paying for not having to haggle or stand in the heat

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fwiw the driver doesn't actually get the 38 baht either, grab takes out insurance and a small accident fund fee on top of their cut. i know a few drivers who switched to indrive or just do cash rides on line groups instead. if you really wanna help em just tip cash at the end, they appreciate that way more than the app payment

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yeah that's been the standard for a while now, grab takes around 30-40% from most rides. it's not new and honestly their drivers know it going in. the 38 baht you saw might also have grab taking out insurance and their platform fee, not just pure profit

if you want the driver to get more, just pay cash and tell them to cancel on their end. or use bolt which takes a smaller cut, usually around 15-20%. drivers i've talked to prefer bolt for that reason even though they get fewer rides

the government won't step in because grab is too big and they pay taxes here. it's just how it works in thailand, same as grab in other countries

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Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but I've always found their som tam a bit tame on the pla ra. If you want the real funky version, try the shophouse spots along Soi Udomsuk 26, near the night market end. They pound it fresh with fermented fish that'll clear your sinuses, and it's like 60 baht. Different style from the On Nut places, more Lao-leaning.

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for som tam specifically i'd say the Isaan spots in Chatuchak are underrated, weekdays only though since the weekend crowd ruins the vibe. there's a stall near gate 2 that does tam pa with fermented bamboo shoots, super sour and funky, not something you see much in On Nut. if you're already heading north for Or Tor Kor anyway its worth the detour.

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honestly the som tam at Krua Dok Mai Kao is good but what got me hooked is their nam prik pla raa dip with the raw veggies, that funk hits way harder than the papaya does. think most people sleep on it cuz they just order the som tam and gai yang. also pro tip, go before noon on weekdays, after that teh pla ra gets milder cuz they batch it for the lunch rush

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