Bangkok taxi driver berates passenger over travel distance

A taxi passenger in Bangkok shared a harrowing experience where the driver shouted and insulted him, even refusing to stop the car. The passenger complained to the taxi company, only to be told there was no driver by that name.

A TikTok user recently posted a video capturing a distressing encounter with a taxi driver. The driver was seen shouting and cursing at the passenger after a dispute over the correct distance to the destination.

The passenger had marked the location at 8.9 kilometres, whereas the driver insisted it was 15 kilometres. The passenger described the incident with a caption warning others about “mentally unstable taxi drivers,” expressing shock and distress over the encounter.

The passenger, who spoke to a local news outlet yesterday, September 12, recounted their ordeal. They had travelled from a provincial area to Bangkok for work, landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport. Since the hotel they booked did not allow check-in before 2pm, he searched for a nearby café to complete some urgent work. He found a café on Bang Na-Trat Road, 8.9 kilometres away from the airport.

Around noon, after collecting their luggage, the passenger proceeded to the taxi stand on the third floor, at Gate 2. They encountered two taxis: a new white MG EV taxi and a pink taxi. The drivers of both vehicles were arguing over who arrived first. Out of politeness, the passenger chose the white taxi, as the driver claimed he had arrived first.

Initially, the driver seemed polite, helping with the luggage. However, as they started the journey, the driver began complaining about the other taxi, accusing the driver of queue-jumping. The passenger, preoccupied with work-related calls, did not pay much attention.

Distance dispute

The situation escalated when the driver questioned the exact location of the destination. Using his phone’s voice command, he marked the distance as 15 kilometres. The passenger, seeing a different distance on their map, mentioned it was 8.9 kilometres. The driver became agitated, insisting it was 15 kilometres and questioning why the passenger would argue with someone who drives that route daily.

The passenger refreshed their phone map, which then also showed 15 kilometres, so they remained silent. However, the driver continued to use abusive language, calling the passenger names and criticising his intelligence. The passenger, trying to remain calm, acknowledged the 15 kilometres and asked to focus on his work. The driver’s behaviour worsened as he began cursing the passenger’s parents.

The passenger was in shock and unable to react. He inadvertently recorded the incident on his phone. Upon reaching the destination near Central Village, the driver refused to stop initially, eventually pulling over and demanding 125 baht. The passenger, lacking cash, asked to pay via a banking app, which the driver initially resisted, accusing him of trying to evade payment.

After some back-and-forth, the driver provided his bank details, and the passenger transferred the fare. The driver, still hostile, delayed unlocking the car to retrieve the passenger’s luggage. The passenger, exhausted from the journey, struggled to take a photo of the taxi due to shaky hands but the vehicle had already driven away.

The passenger later relayed the incident to his sister, who suggested posting the story on social media. They also searched for the taxi company to lodge a formal complaint, providing the driver’s name from the bank transfer slip. The company responded, stating the vehicle belonged to them but denying any knowledge of the driver, reported KhaoSod.

This incident left the passenger feeling deeply unjust. The abusive behaviour over a minor misunderstanding seemed excessive, and the passenger sensed the driver might have mental health issues.