TAXI SCAMS

[TTChang]

Things are getting tough in Thailand €“ not enough farangs to pay the bills.  

Many businesses are suffering - particularly taxis.  Result: Scams galore!   I advise all BM visitors to beware, while taxis are doing their bit for Tourism (discouraging  it ...TIT).  BTW I'm not talking about the regular moans .... refusing fares, not using the meter, or visiting gem factories and tailors etc.   I have always found the LOS taxis great value for money.  Probably taken more than 200 BKK taxi rides during my 7 years of Thailand visiting.  Have only been scammed three times ............ ALL in the last 10 days  
 
The first one I recently posted about on the new Airport thread, which I will repeat here ..... an overrunning meter from airport to Nana (469 baht).  The second, 3 days later.... a scenic mini tour of Huay Kwang & district.  

But the final straw was :  an out of town market trip ....  correct meter fare: 275 .... this was the fare (after a VERY long detour!)

WTF?  

[Snick]

I hope you got a blow job with that

[TTChang]

Yes, 2 hours 38 f****** minutes!  More to come on that one, how it happened, and what my LB friend did to assist (clue: Thai Rak Thai! ... and no blow job Snick!)  In the meantime, a recap on my previous post about the meter taxi from the Airport.  Skim through if you've already read/replied.



WATCH OUT FOR THE METER SCAM AT BANGKOK AIRPORT !
That is the meter being recalibrated to overcharge!  Never heard of this, but have now searched and it is mentioned on a Lonely Planet thread.

Arrived from Phuket this week. Took the normal meter taxi, received my slip of paper (taking care to retain it), and off we went.  Swampy to Sukhumvit.  Normal meter reading is 220-275 baht I think, depending on traffic.  As not many people wanted to enter Bangkok (for some reason), the highways were clear.  Paid the 70 baht toll fees. If the taxi is clean, driving good, etc -  I usually hand over 350 baht (including the extra 50 baht fee).

BUT .... as we went, I was appalled at the rate the meter was ticking over.  reached 200 baht, and we werent half way to Nana.  Final meter reading at Soi 4 ..... 469 (and we didn't do any detours)  

The bad news is I paid it, without protest, figuring that a scene at my hotel would result in 'Thailand 1 Farang 0'  .... for the sake of 170 baht or so. I had learned from my experience .... TIT etc etc. How was I to dispute the meter, even though the reading was obviously padded?

The (marginally) good news is that I've kept the ticket and will be reporting the cab/driver to the Authorities.  I'm confident of a result ...  'Farang 0  Thailand 1' ..... told you it was only marginally good news  

Actually I don't allow myself to get wound up about certain things in Thailand, especially when scammed, but please be aware if it happens to you.  I think I should have asked for the hotel's assistance, offered 350 baht, and see where it got me.  But what would you have done .... take video of the meter clocking up? (there is a YouTube of just such action).   Refuse to pay?  Phone the Tourist police? Take photos of Khun K. Surachai?  

[TTChang]

The late night scenic tour of Huay Kwang, Suttisan, & Lard Prow was a very minor scam in comparison. 109 baht instead of 75. That's just slightly irritating.

I'm always reluctant to make a fuss in Thailand.  Bit thai-like, eh?  Ok I keep a cool heart in all these situations, cos at the end of the day it's not going to break the TTChang bank, AND more importantly ..... It means i'm not going to get dumped out of a taxi in the middle of Klong Toey at 4am.  I do my best to behave well, and that keeps me both calm and incident-free.  Or am I just ?

[TTChang]

So, off on our €˜half-day' trip to Don Wai market (not quite €˜floating' but it counts cos it's next to a river!)

When I go on a trip, I usually research, get a map printed ... lalala.   But just for a change, this was impromptu.  My regular girl and I like to find good food markets, and she'd told me about this place near Nakhon Pathom.  When I asked how far, she phoned her Aunt who confirmed Don Wai market was about one hour from Bangkok, say 250 baht by taxi.  Sounded good, a three/four hour round trip including meal and shopping, back into BKK before the afternoon traffic!

First taxi driver pulls in.  Looks a bit puzzled when Gae says €˜Don Wai market', but after she said €˜near Nakhon Pathom' he told her he knew it.  Agreed to the meter.  Off we went through the back streets of Lard Prow until we hit the open road.  Surprised that we didn't exit BKK across the Pin Klao Bridge, but Gae told me driver had said they were taking a different route to avoid heavy traffic. Hit the open road, making good progress. Didn't pay too much attention for first 30 minutes, stopped for LPG, then off again ..... on the Samut Songkhran road apparently.  When we passed the BKK-Hua Hin bus, I started asking questions, knowing that we weren't going to end up anywhere near Nakhon Pathom.  Gae said €˜I never been to this market before, but driver said it is between Samut Songkhran & Nakhon Pathom.'

20 minutes later .....'Are we nearly there yet?'  prompted the driver to stop .... €˜ostensibly' to get detailed directions to the market.  I saw the helpful stallholder pointing up ahead, and the driver reassured us €˜not far now'.

After another 20 minutes or so, we turned off on a main road to Nakhon Pathom (47 km away ).  At which point I started getting 'irritated' (and my LB became travel sick).  We were still some 40 minutes away. And my friend came up with the classic line €˜we pay 800 baht ... for what?'  Note the word €˜WE' in that sentence!

After leaving Nakhon  .... on the BKK highway   we saw a sign ... Bangkok 48 km     The market was not far away.  Pulled in (after more LB passenger travel sickness) .... with meter showing 1077 baht.

What did I do next?

[JaiDee]

(TTChang @ Jun. 05 2010,20:16) Note the word €˜WE' in that sentence!


What did I do next?

WE....you mean she didn't reach for some baht??

A] You complained, but paid
B] Thai LB complained, you paid a bit less
C] TT is dead and Thai taxi driver is now using his screen name

[manarak]

Showing them beforehand that you know the way usually helps.

[EyeMahk]

(TTChang @ Jun. 05 2010,20:16) What did I do next?

Agree on a flat 3000 baht if he will wait for you at the market and return you to Bangkok the same way you came?

[JaiDee]

waiting patiently for a TT update!

He must be out dodging raindrops and waiting for the sun to come out

[jimslim]

Taxi drivers are the same the world over the biggest group of chancers around .

From my house to the local airport is £4 by private taxi , to get back again (exact same route ) is £15 , only the local robbing bastards are allowed to work at the airport and the meter usually hits £4 before you have left the compound .

I would sooner carry my case across the car park , over the main road and wait on a train than give money to these shitebags , and I have done on a number of occasions even though it may take a lot longer to get home I go home happy

[azza33]

We would all be complaining if taxi services didn't exist.
By and large they provide an outstanding door to door service.

And before this thread degenerates into a slagging of the industry, just remember how many of us has been ripped off substantially.

I for one have paid and extra one or two dollars by silly drivers in Los - but in the end they forego their tip, so it makes little difference.

I'm interested in how this one played out.

I remember catching a taxi from krabi to kamala beach during songkran a couple of years back, poor bastard got lost, stuck in the water fights in Phuket town, ran over a dog a killed it, and crashed into the back of another car.
I guess it wasn't his day -
my mate felt sorry for him and tipped him 1000baht- go figure

[bangkoksins]

Did you know that traditionally taxi drivers will accept 160 Baht for a 161 Baht fare.

It still happens to this day, and regularly.

There is no guaranteed way to get a good taxi but one way is to get a moving taxi and avoid all taxis that are sat waiting, especially in tourist zones.

[f0xxee]

Agreed with Bangkok Sins. The guys that park outside hotels are the worst, and to be avoided.

Of course they are all hungry at the moment as being true patriots one and all they were busy manning the barricades at Ratchaprasong for the Red Shirts for the last 2 months.

[rxpharm]

It's too bad those red shirt supporting taxi drivers don't understand that they have cut a major source of their income because of their actions.

Keep alert as there will be more scams to come - tourist numbers won't recover for quite some time and these drivers will be hungry!

[pacman]

Agreed. When the drivers can't make money, scams become rife. Expect many more problems.

And Foxxee is correct about the drivers waiting outside the hotels, these guys only want farang customers.

They have had a taste of dumb tourists rewarding them 1000 baht tip "for their trouble" & now they think we are all stupid & they expect us to do the same.

So there they sit outside the hotels, day & night, waiting to prey on unsuspecting tourists. A pox on the bastards.