Taxi Touts

[ballbreaker]

Arrived from UK on March 28th and to my surprise was confronted by touts on the baggage claim side of customs. I had retrieved my bag from carousel and started walking towards customs when I ran into a couple taxi touts asking the usual question. Has anyone else had this experience lately?

[sriracha john]

I didn't on a recent sojourn through WalMart, but I'm not surprised.

It seems they've infiltrated every nook and cranny in the place. I was, however, touted a limo while using the urinal at Arrivals.

[peter991]

I reckon it's got to be 10x worse at Suvarnabhumi Airport than Don Muang for taxi touts. I am flying into Suvarnabhumi Airport again on 09 April then Don Muang to KKC two days later.

As a regular traveller, I am used to them - but it can be a frightening and unwelcome experience to a first-time traveller to LOS.

Peter

[bendix]

Oh for the love of God. Here we go again. . . .

[taxexile]

I was, however, touted a limo while using the urinal at Arrivals.

i was touted 2 suits , 3 jackets , and 4 shirts whilst trying to get away from a body massage tout when i went to pick up someone at arrivals.

beat that !

[PhilHarries]

I have to admit I've only used Suvarnabhumi twice so far and neither time was bothered by touts. In fact the second time had to go hunting them down as I wanted an AoT limo.

Maybe I'm exceedingly thick skinned and don't notice them or it could be the way I carry the Kalashnikov slung in the crook of my arm, trigger finger twitching.

[sriracha john]

I was, however, touted a limo while using the urinal at Arrivals.

i was touted 2 suits , 3 jackets , and 4 shirts whilst trying to get away from a body massage tout when i went to pick up someone at arrivals.

beat that !

I was touted a taxi-ride from the airport by a guy soliciting rides and walking down the aisle while I was fastening my seatbelt and getting settled on a departure flight to Tokyo....

ok, ok... I haven't had that one.... yet...

but I look forward to something similar to it on my next outbound journey.

In the interim, I will have to defer to your superior tout-ee status...

Edited April 3, 2007 by sriracha john

[jasreeve17]

Oh for the love of God. Here we go again. . . .

As I was reading the first few threads I thought to myself "Bendix should arrive soon." Then, as if by magic...

Touts (conmen?) in the reclaims hall is either a bit much, or an excellent service.

[bendix]

What's the point of reading the threads? The same whiney fatuous 'i can't look after myself and say no' rubbish has been posted a hundred times before.

All this and similar threads do is highlight the difference between those people for whom life is a constant source of worry, nervousness and annoyance, and those who can look after themselves like adults are meant to do.

[cdnvic]

I find them handy sometimes. If I need to make a call just after landing and don't feel like messing around to obtain a phone card I just grab the nearest tout and for a couple bucks I use his cell for a few minutes.

[sriracha john]

It seems the airport and its new Director are finally responding to reasonable complaints by sensible methods:

Airport taxis to change lanes

Taxi stands to move to arrivals on 2nd floor

Suvarnabhumi airport is preparing to relocate public taxi stands to the second floor of the main airport building, on the same floor as the arrivals terminal, pushing out influential private limousine operators. Suvarnabhumi airport director Serirat Prasutanond said yesterday that taxi stands would move up from the frontal road on the first floor of the passenger terminal to the second floor after the Songkran festival ends on April 17. Passengers arriving at the airport exit from immigration and customs checks on the second floor of the airport building. Mr Serirat said ''This may affect some groups but it must be understood for the sake of problem solving.'' Limousine services and vehicles of hotel associations and group tour operators will be relocated from the second floor down to the first floor. Mr Serirat said the illegal but influential groups of limousine service providers were cashing in at Suvarnabhumi and that airport authorities had been catching up to 250 illegal limousine operators every day. A frequent user of the airport, Karunpon Tieansuwan, said that all he ever saw after coming through immigration were signs for limousine services and the loud and brash attempts of their staff trying to coax him into using their services. ''I don't understand why illegal taxi and limousine services are allowed to solicit passengers wanting to go to the city even though there are police and security guards standing right in front of them,'' he said.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/05Apr2007_news10.php

[jasreeve17]

Interesting post SJ.

Seems like a very positive move. Logic is winning. Fantastic.

Taxis will become easy to get, and correctly located, whilst "Limousine services and vehicles of hotel associations and group tour operators will be relocated to the first floor." Excellent news for the vast majority of travellers.

(I'm not sure that some of the more vocal "free market" supporters on this forum will agree.)

[bendix]

(I'm not sure that some of the more vocal "free market" supporters on this forum will agree.)

Do you mean me, by any chance?

It's a great move. Anything that helps simpletons who stumble through life while blaming others for their misfortunes has to be a good thing, doesn't it?

[Shrubbery]

I agree, it sounds like some common sense has been used by moving the taxis to the arrival level.

I just hope the queues wont be too long for them. I never had to queue for long at level 1.

[taxexile]

Mr Serirat said the illegal but influential groups of limousine service providers were cashing in at Suvarnabhumi

i cant exactly see these influential groups just accepting these new regulations and their loss of income ( along with the loss of income to the police who allow them to operate) without making some kind of trouble.

i doubt if much will change.

the sun will rise again tomorrow , and the arrivals hall will be filled with gold toothed , fake rolexed and oily haired limo touts.

Edited April 5, 2007 by taxexile

[Prakanong]

(I'm not sure that some of the more vocal "free market" supporters on this forum will agree.)

Do you mean me, by any chance?

It's a great move. Anything that helps simpletons who stumble through life while blaming others for their misfortunes has to be a good thing, doesn't it?

Even better - why not remove all taxi's and limo's then all hose simpletons who can not find a bus would have problems!

Even better still - remove all forms of transport to and frm the airport then all those simpletone unfit people could not walk to their hotel and should pack lighter!

Putting taxi's where customers are arriving ie the arriving level is just a sensible move - wonder why most airports around the world do it? As I travel through the region a cople of times a month i am amazaed how countries work this out for us simpleton's

[sriracha john]

I agree it will be difficult to regain the ground taken by the limo mafia (the fees quoted in the article are amazing, yet accurate), but the determination voiced by the new airport boss is encouraging. Here's hoping the change actually transpires.

In the article, I found it interesting they quote 2 Thais voicing dismay at the current system, so as to show it's not just foreign tourists put off by these illegal touts.

[onzestan]

Couldn't we all agree on giving it a chance first before we start the usual bashing again plse.

Or is this just a way to revive a dying topic?

Cheers

Onzestan

[bendix]

the sun will rise again tomorrow , and the arrivals hall will be filled with gold toothed , fake rolexed and oily haired limo touts.

Since when has the average farang visitor been allowed to be a taxi tout?

[colino]

what a pain in the arse get off the plane half asleep before you know it ur on your way to krabi or some ping pong show i love it ha ha

[Rinrada]

Just say "mai Ao"...Krup with a bit of confidence and they will simply ......walk away.........

[sriracha john]

It would appear that Khun Serirat's efforts have begun to be effective. A frequent-flyer friend calling from the airport yesterday reported encountering FAR fewer and much less intrusive/aggressive touts than normal.

Serirat Prasutanond

*even his official photo shows him to look like a no-nonsense type of guy*

Edited April 6, 2007 by sriracha john

[cclub75]

Ladies and gentlemen, today we passed the second (monthly) anniversary of the courageous "decision" of our beloved Airport Director, announced on april the 5.

Nothing has changed at Suva.

However, hope will prevail : some committees and/or sub-pannels within AOT must been working hard on this subject.

Airport taxis to change lanes

Taxi stands to move to arrivals on 2nd floor

Suvarnabhumi airport is preparing to relocate public taxi stands to the second floor of the main airport building, on the same floor as the arrivals terminal, pushing out influential private limousine operators. Suvarnabhumi airport director Serirat Prasutanond said yesterday that taxi stands would move up from the frontal road on the first floor of the passenger terminal to the second floor after the Songkran festival ends on April 17. Passengers arriving at the airport exit from immigration and customs checks on the second floor of the airport building. Mr Serirat said ''This may affect some groups but it must be understood for the sake of problem solving.'' Limousine services and vehicles of hotel associations and group tour operators will be relocated from the second floor down to the first floor. Mr Serirat said the illegal but influential groups of limousine service providers were cashing in at Suvarnabhumi and that airport authorities had been catching up to 250 illegal limousine operators every day. A frequent user of the airport, Karunpon Tieansuwan, said that all he ever saw after coming through immigration were signs for limousine services and the loud and brash attempts of their staff trying to coax him into using their services. ''I don't understand why illegal taxi and limousine services are allowed to solicit passengers wanting to go to the city even though there are police and security guards standing right in front of them,'' he said.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/05Apr2007_news10.php

Edited June 6, 2007 by cclub75

[carnival1200]

It would appear that Khun Serirat's efforts have begun to be effective. A frequent-flyer friend calling from the airport yesterday reported encountering FAR fewer and much less intrusive/aggressive touts than normal.

Serirat Prasutanond

*even his official photo shows him to look like a no-nonsense type of guy*

Far fewer , much less - you say.  so you mean he is a some nonsense type of guy

[carnival1200]

Just say "mai Ao"...Krup with a bit of confidence and they will simply ......walk away.........

[/quoten

not necessarily so.  the more determined ones dont give up that easy

[carnival1200]

What's the point of reading the threads? The same whiney fatuous 'i can't look after myself and say no' rubbish has been posted a hundred times before.

All this and similar threads do is highlight the difference between those people for whom life is a constant source of worry, nervousness and annoyance, and those who can look after themselves like adults are meant to do.

thing is, as you so rightly state everyone isnt as clued up as your wonderfull self.  Best just pull the ladder up

- survival of the most selfish, eh!

[sriracha john]

It would appear that Khun Serirat's efforts have begun to be effective. A frequent-flyer friend calling from the airport yesterday reported encountering FAR fewer and much less intrusive/aggressive touts than normal.

Serirat Prasutanond

*even his official photo shows him to look like a no-nonsense type of guy*

Far fewer , much less - you say.  so you mean he is a some nonsense type of guy

as I posted 2 months ...

far fewer touts

much less touting

no-nonsense looking airport director

kao jai mai?

[carnival1200]

It would appear that Khun Serirat's efforts have begun to be effective. A frequent-flyer friend calling from the airport yesterday reported encountering FAR fewer and much less intrusive/aggressive touts than normal.

Serirat Prasutanond

*even his official photo shows him to look like a no-nonsense type of guy*

Far fewer , much less - you say.  so you mean he is a some nonsense type of guy

as I posted 2 months ...

far fewer touts

much less touting

no-nonsense looking airport director

kao jai mai?

I understand perfectly well,  it is you that lacks understanding.  No nonsence means no nonsense.To allow

fewer, or less, or not as many, or get rid of some etc.  does not show a no nonsense approach

Kao jai mai?  Perhaps not

[sriracha john]

*sigh*.... well, I'm glad we got that burning issue sorted.

[bendix]

thing is, as you so rightly state everyone isnt as clued up as your wonderfull self.  Best just pull the ladder up

- survival of the most selfish, eh!

No, not survival of the most selfish.

Survival of the most able.