Chiang Mai baht bus driver condemned for kicking locals off for foreigners

A Thai woman took to social media to condemn the wrongful behaviour of a baht bus driver in Chiang Mai after the driver kicked her off the vehicle to accommodate a group of foreigners. However, the foreigners declined the driver’s service.

The 63 year old victim, Sri, shared the baht bus incident in a Facebook group, @ChiangMai, on August 13. She posted a picture and a video of the baht bus with a caption that read…

“Everyone should definitely avoid this red baht bus. The driver kicked me off mid-journey to pick up foreigners, hoping to get more money from them.”

Sri’s post was later deleted, possibly due to pressure from a representative of the red baht bus drivers in Chiang Mai, urging her to protect their reputation. However, the pictures and video were widely shared by Thai news agencies.

In an interview with ThaiRath, Sri provided further details of the incident. She explained that she and her friend wanted to go to Kom Market in the city centre of Chiang Mai, so they waited for a baht bus at the Nawarat Bridge near their homes.

They flagged down a baht bus driven by an elderly man and informed him of their destination. They then paid the driver 30 baht each for the fare.

Less than five minutes into the journey, the driver stopped in front of a group of four or five foreigners on Kampaengdin Road. The driver then approached Sri and her friend, asking them to leave the vehicle, assuring them he would return their money.

Driver avoids confrontation

Sri immediately realised that the driver intended to pick up the foreigners in hopes of earning more from them. Angered by his unfair actions, she confronted the driver and took a picture and video of the baht bus and the driver, which she shared on social media.

According to Sri, the driver ignored her complaint and quickly offered his service to the foreigners. However, the group declined his service after witnessing how poorly he treated Sri and her friend.

After being rejected, the driver returned to Sri, pleading with her to continue the ride, but she and her friend refused. The driver then asked Sri to delete the picture and video and even attempted to snatch her mobile phone but he was unsuccessful.

Sri added that she had been using the red baht buses in Chiang Mai for more than 10 years but this was her first negative experience.

Boonniam Boontam, President of the Nakhon Lanna Transportation Cooperative, which oversees the red baht buses in Chiang Mai, told MGR Online that the incident tarnished the reputation of the red buses in the province, and he planned to summon the driver in question for a warning.

Boonniam stated that he tried to contact the driver but was unsuccessful. He promised to dismiss the driver if he refused to improve his service standards.