Check It Out

I usually refrain from featuring gizmos and tech news on this blog, but there's a new free phone app for rating Bangkok taxi rides that some Still Life readers might find appealing. Designed for both iOS and Android, it was recently launched by the Thai Department of Land Transport and is called DLT Check-In. I downloaded it a few days ago and it's super user-friendly. When you open the application for the first time, all you need to do is choose English or Thai language and enter your phone number. Then, when you want to rate your experience in a Bangkok taxi, you take a snapshot of the taxi license number posted on the passenger door or enter the number manually and evaluate the driver and the vehicle itself. According to a statement issued by the DLT, cabbies who consistently receive bad reviews will be reprimanded, while those who receive positive feedback will be rewarded with a certificate to display in their cab. While the new app is a welcome addition and will hopefully improve the quality of service in Bangkok taxis, the DLT forgot one thing: allowing passengers to rate the Buddha images, sacred decorations, and other trimmings inside the cabs.