This is one that I didn't learn until i left BKK the first trip and saw several taxis dropping off people at departures.
Would like to recommend to everyone arriving and needing a taxi to avoid people offering taxi service outside baggage and arrivals.
For an example if you going to Nana, Sukhumvit they will charge you around 600-700 baht. If you go outside to get a metered taxi, they have to pay an airport tax (surcharge) straight away. This journey can be up to 450 baht.
However by just going upstairs to departures you can easily catch a taxi that just dropped some on off. Just insist on metered and this same trip can be done just under 200 baht. Don't let them try to add on a service charge or airport tax, becuase they didn't have to pay it, by not getting in that que downstairs.
They have elevators as well that you can easily fit a luggage trolley on. You get those trolleys at baggage claim for free.
The escalators are moving sidewalk types, not steps. You can fit you trolley on them easily as well. When you get up top and go outside look to your right and see the metered taxis. They are across the first lane. Keen drivers will actually be looking for you, and be more than willing to assist you with your bags. Just make sure you establish that your on meter rate.
Once I had one try to get an extra 100 baht on top of meter after arriving at my guest house. I asked why and he said for airport tax? I told him he didn't have to pay it, so I'm not either. He was happy to take his meter fare only. For him it was worth a try, thinking the average farang doesn't know any better.
I have done this several times now. Thai governement had recently had a big crackdown against the illegal taxi services that were operating which has helped from what I have heard.
When you get to the top floor which is departures, you just cross these lanes of traffic. you can actually see the taxi's who have just dropped off people sitting with open doors waiting on the suave travellor.
In my case I had a driver searching me out, and on the way to taxi did the usual questioning of meter. 190 baht to Nana. the driver in the center Taxi is actually looking for a suave customer using the departures drop off. I have also used this same principle in Viet Nam (Ho chi Min ) Airport paying about 5 USD instead of $15.
