Most taxi drivers are still charging the old rate and may have to wait for another two weeks before they can actually collect higher fares, which took effect on Wednesday.

Thousands of cabbies waiting for meters to be reset to charge new charges

Bangkok's 65,000 taxis are having to wait to charge new the fares that became effective on Wednesday. The reason - they can't get their meters adjusted.

Many drivers are complaining about the pace of meter adjustment. There are just nine companies and one university certified to do the job. They can't get started for another week to two weeks.

The commercial meter adjusters cannot start work until Mahanakorn University of Technology calibrates the machines they use to alter the meters, and then certifies they meet standards of accuracy.

Bt300 difference

One taxi cooperative boss, Withoon Naewphanich, complains there's a big discrepancy between what the commercial companies and the university are charging - Bt500 and Bt200 per meter respectively. He wants the charges reconsidered and says the government should step in to regulate the recalibration charges.

However, Land Transport Department acting director-general Chairat Sa-nguasue says the university is able to charge less than companies because it's able to use unpaid students to do the adjustments.

University rector Sujate Jantharangsee says it takes time to study the 19 different models of meters taxis use. It has received just 11 from their manufacturers or importers.

When up to speed, the university will be able to adjust between 300 and 500 meters a day.

But Withoon is angry with the government for not having arrangements for meter adjustment in place ahead of the flag-fall and fare changes, which it approved two weeks ago.