Grab commission of 50%?!

honestly the trick with taxis in bangkok is to just use the grab app to see the price then flag down a street taxi and offer 50-100 baht less. works like half the time if youre on a main road. the drivers on grab are getting squeezed hard but they also know the system so some will cancel and ask u to pay cash off app

its also worth noting that during rush hour the bts/mrt is actually faster than any car even if the taxi is cheaper. sathorn to din daeng on the blue line is like 20 mins vs 45 in traffic. the pricing on these apps really only makes sense when its late at night or you have bags

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tbh the fare breakdown is even worse than you think. grab takes 30% from the driver's cut but then adds their own surcharge on top of that, so the total commission can hit 45-50% on short trips. the driver sees 120, you pay 180, and the difference is pure grab margin with maybe 10 baht going to insurance

if you're in sathorn regularly try the khlong saen saep boat instead. it's 15 baht from sathorn to pratunam and then a short walk or motorbike to din daeng. way cheaper than any app and honestly faster during daytime traffic. just watch your bags and keep a mask for the smell

for grab specifically the trick is to toggle between grabcar and grabcar plus. sometimes the plus option is cheaper because fewer people select it and the surge pricing works differently. i've seen it happen a few times where plus was 20 baht less than standard

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Yeah, Grab's commission is brutal, it's been around that 30-50% for a while depending on the trip. Taxi meter is definitely the move if you can find one, just make sure they actually turn it on.

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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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