Thailand 3rd Globally in Taxi Scam Complaints, Survey Reveals

As someone who divides his time amongst Australia, Europe and Thailand, I can definitely state that Thai taxis are crazily cheap compared with taxis in Australia and Europe.

Lived in Mumbai for 3 years and used Fiat taxis daily - never once did I manage to pay the the fare without some nonsense attempt at a minor scam.

- In Bangkok I guess about 25% of my taxi trips involved hassle over the fare and meter. Grab is better, but drivers cancelling is a nuisance.

I’ve seen the recent survey about Thailand ranking high in global taxi scam complaints, but I have to say my own experience has been quite different. Most of the taxi drivers I’ve encountered over the years have been polite, helpful, and genuinely pleasant to deal with.

Taxi fares here are still incredibly cheap compared to many other countries, and that’s something I really appreciate. When you consider the long hours these guys put in, the low margins they work with, and the stress of navigating Bangkok traffic day in and day out, it’s not hard to understand why the job can be tough.

That doesn’t mean the issues highlighted in the survey aren’t real. Thailand listing among the top global hotspots for taxi scams by AllClear, was based on analysing thousands of online complaints. But it’s also important to remember that negative experiences tend to get amplified online, while the countless smooth, honest rides rarely make headlines.

So while improvements are definitely needed, I think it’s only fair to acknowledge that many drivers are doing their best under difficult conditions. My personal experience has been overwhelmingly positive, and I’ll continue giving credit where it’s due.

Disappointing.. Thailand always want to be at the first place

then the analyst never went to Laos for a visa run, those <deleted> charge 4 times as much as anyone in pattaya

Turkish Taxis are horrible.

I have found taxis in Bangkok are fine if you speak Thai. Any nonsense from the driver and you just tell them straight in Thai. That has always worked for me.

Rip off prices without a meter happen in the tourist areas a lot.

Outside that never had a problem.

No mention of Turkey either... many of the taxis there are just lying scamming cheats - and yes that is a sweeping generalisation that can be proven anecdotally flawed, however... in general...

1 hour ago, mstevens said:

I have found taxis in Bangkok are fine if you speak Thai. Any nonsense from the driver and you just tell them straight in Thai. That has always worked for me.

Try taking a taxi from tourist hotspots late at night...

I don't think I've ever had a taxi driver use the meter after 10pm at night, anywhere between PhromPhong and Ploernchit....

Its also not uncommon for them to show complete disinterest as soon as I speak Thai.

A waiting taxi is almost 100% guarantee they will refuse to use the meter.

A taxi driver who pulls up and opens the window is another 'almost 100% guarantee' they will refuse to use the meter.

Getting a GrabCar from those areas, especially Soi 11 can also be tricker.

Outside of the nightlife hotspots - the taxi drivers are usualy fine and using the meter is never an issue.

One of the huge rip offs is after any major event.

i.e. A concert at Rajamangala stadium there - Taxi drivers all have a flat rate rip off - 1000 Baht (for what would be a 100 baht journey).

5 hours ago, Jim Waldron said:

I’ve seen the recent survey about Thailand ranking high in global taxi scam complaints, but I have to say my own experience has been quite different. Most of the taxi drivers I’ve encountered over the years have been polite, helpful, and genuinely pleasant to deal with.

Taxi fares here are still incredibly cheap compared to many other countries, and that’s something I really appreciate. When you consider the long hours these guys put in, the low margins they work with, and the stress of navigating Bangkok traffic day in and day out, it’s not hard to understand why the job can be tough.

That doesn’t mean the issues highlighted in the survey aren’t real. Thailand listing among the top global hotspots for taxi scams by AllClear, was based on analysing thousands of online complaints. But it’s also important to remember that negative experiences tend to get amplified online, while the countless smooth, honest rides rarely make headlines.

So while improvements are definitely needed, I think it’s only fair to acknowledge that many drivers are doing their best under difficult conditions. My personal experience has been overwhelmingly positive, and I’ll continue giving credit where it’s due.

I think thats a very fair comment and outlook... For the most part, taxi's are honest and decent.

The issue of course is that the areas most tourists go to also attract the 'negative' kind of taxi driver.

Then there are the issues highlighed above. Thailand also might rank high in 'scam list' due to the higher numbers of tourists.

10 hours ago, Kinnock said:

Lived in Mumbai for 3 years and used Fiat taxis daily - never once did I manage to pay the the fare without some nonsense attempt at a minor scam.

In India, the price will always be attempted to be negotiated up or down, depending which way the money is going! I found just giving the agreed (eventually) amount and walking off the only solution. But that needs a pocket full of disgusting dirty notes.

Very surprising to see this resultat on Thailand cheating.

I would have thought Thailand to have the 1st place and not the 3rd !!!

29 minutes ago, SingAPorn said:

Very surprising to see this resultat on Thailand cheating.

I would have thought Thailand to have the 1st place and not the 3rd !!!

As much as Thailands Taxi's have a reputation for being rogues - they are far from top of the list.

Places such as Pattaya, Samui and Patong may exacerbate the damage to that image a little more. As might a number of unscrupulous taxis from the airports and hanging around tourist areas - but in general, the Thai taxi scammers are no where near as bad as those in many other area's of the world.

11 hours ago, CygnusX1 said:

As someone who divides his time amongst Australia, Europe and Thailand, I can definitely state that Thai taxis are crazily cheap compared with taxis in Australia and Europe.

Well yes of course, but what’s their salary in Oz/Europe? This is about scamming. Generally find them ok here, but have definitely ridden one of two with dodgy meters. But taxi drivers are not immune to being aholes the world over. Hotel to T5 Heathrow—As a woman in the queue also wanted to go, told her to jump in… only for driver to charge as two fares. Told him he was having a laugh etc but time was tight so we both ended up paying. Can’t remember if I reported the weasel, but like to think these urchins get their comeuppance.

Thailand 3rd Globally in Taxi Scam Complaints

Only 3rd! Must try harder.

I have watched some Tiktok videos made by a Thai police man in Bangkok. He has stopped many taxis breaking the law in different ways. The other day he stopped a pink taxi and nothing were legal on that car. Driver had no taxi license and his driving licence had expired. The taxi had no insurance and had not payed tax. The driver tried different ways to escape the heavy fees and was lying and making stories. He had to bring the car to the police station and park it there.

The police man complained and said he stopped many illegal taxis every week and there are coming new all the time, it doesn't matter how many he stops and fine.

He has some kind of terminal, it looks like the one you put your credit card in when you pay in a shop. He insert the driving licence tap the cars registration number and get all info. He prints out the fine and the driver can then pay using a QR code. Seems to be quite smart.

6 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

No mention of Turkey either... many of the taxis there are just lying scamming cheats - and yes that is a sweeping generalisation that can be proven anecdotally flawed, however... in general...

Huh? No mention?

“The findings reveal that Turkey leads with 4,224 comments about taxi scams, significantly outpacing India, which recorded 2,301 comments”

I wonder if the survey took into account number of visitors/population when counting numbers of complaints? Or maybe number of taxi licenses issued would be a better yard stick.

They are working towards #1.

8 hours ago, Yagoda said:

Turkish Taxis are horrible.

Agree, they are scumbags in Istanbul. I hope never to use a taxi in that city as long as I live, and if I am dumb enough to go back. Once was enough.

14 hours ago, Kinnock said:

Lived in Mumbai for 3 years and used Fiat taxis daily - never once did I manage to pay the the fare without some nonsense attempt at a minor scam.

- In Bangkok I guess about 25% of my taxi trips involved hassle over the fare and meter. Grab is better, but drivers cancelling is a nuisance.

The major problem I see in Bangkok is taxis refusing to accept metered fares in busy tourist areas.

They got their stats from 450 Reddit posts and associated comments? I wouldn't take too much notice of the results of that survey. Just for starters, the Philippines is way ahead of Thailand in taxi scams, but probably because of much higher tourist numbers in Thailand, they are not getting as many posts about it on Reddit.

12 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Disappointing.. Thailand always want to be at the first place

Yeah looks like they need to pick up the pace a bit if they want to be No1. I’m sure they can.

16 hours ago, CygnusX1 said:

As someone who divides his time amongst Australia, Europe and Thailand, I can definitely state that Thai taxis are crazily cheap compared with taxis in Australia and Europe.

Just now, wavodavo said:

16 hours ago, CygnusX1 said:

As someone who divides his time amongst Australia, Europe and Thailand, I can definitely state that Thai taxis are crazily cheap compared with taxis in Australia and Europe.

One has to wonder why an insurance company would want to conduct a poll on taxi services around the world. Are they gonna include taxi scams in their travel insurance policies and policy holders can claim the dodgy taxi fare back ?? I don'know.

Unsurprising!

Even BOLT seems to not control there pricing, twice today told price has doubled!

Of coyrae taxi con artists are all around the World, but Thailand seems to dedicate themselves to scams involving tourists!

47 minutes ago, Pdavies99 said:

Even BOLT seems to not control there pricing, twice today told price has doubled

BOLT Car or BOLT Taxi? Which one "doubled the fare twice" after you accepted the ride? If it was BOLT Car, what was BOLT's response when you complained to them or was the fare increased on the app before you accepted the ride?

12 hours ago, Yagoda said:

Turkish Taxis are horrible.

That is inherent to the people, you cannot do business with them, I speak from experience.

And Prayut, back in the day, who never took a taxi in his whole life most likely, was fighting Grab, Bolt, Uber and whatever-else with hands and feet to protect the poor cabbies of Bangkok. Apparently there are more than 90,000 vehicles registered in Bangkok and in 50% of the time you're getting scammed with an "upgraded" meter, a unnecessary detour due to a non-existing construction site or an obvious hearing problem when asking for taking the elevated highway (coming in from Don Meuang at Din Daeng is a classic "overhearing area") rather than the snail way or "forgetting to run the meter".

Last not least, no change - sorry. Years ago I took a cab in heaviest rain over a short distance, flag fall was 35 Baht and did not inch any higher to destination due to the short distance, as said. No change for a hundred, sorry, was the cabbie's comment. So I offered him three solutions; 1st one drive around the block until we are close to 100, 2nd just wait until the meter inched its was to near hundred or 3rd recheck the change in the various pockets around the driver's seat. Guess what, 10 seconds later - et voila - there was change ;-)

I note only one complaint about London taxis. Yeah, yeah I know the topic is Thailand taxis but London cabs are the most expensive that I know.

A trip from Heathrow to West End of London, a journey of 15 miles costs just shy of £100. A London cab from Leicester Square to Kings Cross station, a journey of less than 2 miles, costs £20.

By contrast, Bangkok cabs are the cheapest I’ve experienced in a lifetime of traveling. The drivers deserve a rise in the meter fare.