The Transport Ministry will consider approving a 5% increase on taxi fares by this year, Deputy Transport Minister Ormsin Chivapruck said.
In 2014, the ministry agreed to raise taxi fares by 13%. However, it only granted an 8% increase, holding back the rest until drivers could prove they had improved their services.
Mr Ormsin said he will discuss the 5% fare increase with Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisit.
The ministry's approval will be based on passengers' satisfaction with the quality of the taxi services they are receiving.
If the number of passenger complaints continues to go down, the ministry would be inclined to grant the taxi fare raise.
Mr Ormsin said taxi drivers are still refusing customers who flag them down, and many are overcharging passengers by modifying or turning off their meters. The fare hike must be considered carefully, even if the overall trend is for the number of complaints to go down, he added.
The ministry has sought cooperation from taxi drivers to help improve the quality of service, he said.
Meanwhile, a source at the DLT said department director-general Sanit Promwong has proposed to Mr Arkhom increases in both taxi fares and surcharges at Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports.
He wants to see the airport surcharge increase from 50 baht to 60 baht for car taxis, and van taxis to charge 90 baht.