News Forum - Foreigner claims Bangkok taxi driver overcharged on a Thai holy day

[Thaiger]

A Reddit user has posted about an experience of using a Taxi service in Bangkok… “Bangkok Scam on Vesak Day” (the Visakha Bucha Day Buddhist holiday). The user claimed the driver overcharged him and asked for a toll fee for the highway even though the toll was waived on the day. On Monday the aggrieved passenger posted pictures of the taxi and explained how the driver “cheated” on a group called The Bangkok Community on the Reddit website. The passenger said he was picked up by a pink taxi car from Chatuchak for a trip to the MBK shopping mall […]

The story Foreigner claims Bangkok taxi driver overcharged on a Thai holy day as seen on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

[Totoro]

And the news is...?

[Chatogaster]

32 minutes ago, Totoro said:

And the news is...?

The news is that nowadays incidents like this can quickly go viral and also that traditional news outlets more and more try to get a slice of all that attention as well. The publicity is huge and moreover, specific. Until not long ago, the many con men merely caused an entry in the top-10 list of "things to be wary of" (collectively and anonymously). Now, an individual con man may hear from his kids that some people in their school and thousands of other people are discussing him. #nameandshame, #metoo, #hashtag.
 

[Ramanathan.P]

1 hour ago, Totoro said:

And the news is...?

Simple....just use the brain and legs.....public transport system is the best.

[Does]

This was not a licensed taxi but an underground taxi.   The meter was hidden so the police cannot see it.   Look at the license plate on the outside of the vehicle.  It is a license plate for a personal vehicle, not a registered taxi. There is no roof mounted taxi sign to also deceive the police.   Undergound taxi are not license by the government to carry passengers so there are no regulations that protect the passenger.  

[Grumpish]

3 hours ago, Does said:

This was not a licensed taxi but an underground taxi.   The meter was hidden so the police cannot see it.   Look at the license plate on the outside of the vehicle.  It is a license plate for a personal vehicle, not a registered taxi. There is no roof mounted taxi sign to also deceive the police.   Undergound taxi are not license by the government to carry passengers so there are no regulations that protect the passenger.  

The licence plate - well spotted.

[Graham]

And everyone is surprised by this revelation  ? 555

[PapayaBokBok]

Thainess 101

Saw a thai lady today about a room at an old run down GH-asked how much the room was monthly

She says-----6000!!!!! and is a FAN room!!!!  lol   i said said thank u and walked away

[LuckyStrike]

Breaking news: Water is wet.

[HiuMak]

15 hours ago, Thaiger said:

A Reddit user has posted about an experience of using a Taxi service in Bangkok… “Bangkok Scam on Vesak Day” (the Visakha Bucha Day Buddhist holiday). The user claimed the driver overcharged him and asked for a toll fee for the highway even though the toll was waived on the day. On Monday the aggrieved passenger posted pictures of the taxi and explained how the driver “cheated” on a group called The Bangkok Community on the Reddit website. The passenger said he was picked up by a pink taxi car from Chatuchak for a trip to the MBK shopping mall […]

The story Foreigner claims Bangkok taxi driver overcharged on a Thai holy day as seen on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

Buddha is not watching over and taking a break that day.

[ADSUK]

Try getting any taxi to take you more than a small distance when it's raining hard at night . Bangkok taxis are the worst in the world ..no doubt .

Asok to Thong-lor took 2 hrs to get a cab on Tuesday 17 may ..asked 30 plus , not one took the ride..all wanted  300+  Bht for 200 meters !!! ..Theives all of them 

Edited May 19 by ADSUK
Spelling

[KaptainRob]

7 minutes ago, ADSUK said:

Try getting any taxi to take you more than a small distance when it's raining hard at night . Bangkok taxis are the worst in the world ..no doubt .

Asok to Thong-lor took 2 hrs to get a cab on Tuesday 17 may ..asked 30 plus , not one took the ride..all wanted  300+  Bht for 200 meters !!! ..Theives all of them 

BTS quicker 

In BKK, always try to ensure you are on the same side of a major road as direction of travel and when a taxi stops for you, get in BEFORE mentioning the destination.  If the driver refuses the job or fails to use his meter, simply say "ok we ring Transport Police"  #1584 is the number.  Drivers do NOT want to be sanctioned and will usually cave to your requests.  I only had it happen once, in rain, evening rush hour, he didn't get a tip!

[Ivo_Shandor]

4 minutes ago, KaptainRob said:

BTS quicker 

In BKK, always try to ensure you are on the same side of a major road as direction of travel and when a taxi stops for you, get in BEFORE mentioning the destination.  If the driver refuses the job or fails to use his meter, simply say "ok we ring Transport Police"  #1584 is the number.  Drivers do NOT want to be sanctioned and will usually cave to your requests.  I only had it happen once, in rain, evening rush hour, he didn't get a tip!

In Bangkok, I'd strongly advise to do the reverse (as Thais commonly do): ask if the taxi brings you to the destination (no need to specify exactly, just some known place, road, or landmark around there), then if he says yes, get in. If the taxi says no, just wait for another one.  We usually do this and never had a problem. It is useless and time-consuming for everybody (you, the driver, and the traffic around) to ring the police, they don't do anything anyway.

[KaptainRob]

Just now, Ivo_Shandor said:

In Bangkok, I'd strongly advise to do the reverse (as Thais commonly do): ask if the taxi brings you to the destination (no need to specify exactly, just some known place, road, or landmark around there), then if he says yes, get in. If the taxi says no, just wait for another one.  We usually do this and never had a problem. It is useless and time-consuming for everybody (you, the driver, and the traffic around) to ring the police, they don't do anything anyway.

In normal circumstances yes, I agree.   But this was portrayed as a long wait on a rainy night.

That number is not the Police, you are correct the RTP will do nothing.  #1584 is the Transport Department hotline for taxi abuse of terms of carriage.  The mention of calling is sufficient to gain compliance.

[HolyCowCm]

1 hour ago, KaptainRob said:

In normal circumstances yes, I agree.   But this was portrayed as a long wait on a rainy night.

That number is not the Police, you are correct the RTP will do nothing.  #1584 is the Transport Department hotline for taxi abuse of terms of carriage.  The mention of calling is sufficient to gain compliance.

The Asoke area is always a taxi scam area at night. All the entertainment areas. Just the way it is and most of the time one should just agree on a slightly higher price and get on with it or walks away a little bit from the area nd try again. If too far like going over to Silom area and then some of those maggots will ask for a lot being like 600 baht and most of the time non negotiable, but I have been able to talk to others to get something reasonable or even meter at times, but it was with only by speaking Thai with them was the only way. Also agree on the sky train if within reasonable hours and open. For me I would never threaten any taxi driver at night with police or calling the complaint center as these guys can be loose hot head cannons. I just tell them to stop, throw some money at them while getting out. 

[Aak]

Well I think, there is nothing wrong to have a premium fare during public holidays. This is a very common practice across the globe, there will always be a extra fare during public holiday. However asking for toll when it's free is absolutely wrong and should be reported.