No meter or taxi driver refuses fare? Call "Big Joke" on 1155 and he'll get it sorted

[sahibji]

5 hours ago, Dagnabbit said:

Personally, I think they should be able to refuse fares.

I had a taxi in HK refuse to take me to my destination. Apparently, I was standing outside the place I wanted to go...


Sent from my SM-A720F using Tapatalk
come on Dagnabbit

taxi is a public service, it should be available to all and not selectively.

 

[geriatrickid]

5 hours ago, The manic said:

No Taxis in Pattaya have metres and minimum fee is 200 baht. And Phuket is no better. Bangkok is OK and there are no taxi problems at Survanapoom airport.

PHUKET is the worst. In fairness to Pattaya, I found the  taxis to  have common sense. I was able to get a  pickup truck to bring us from  South Pattaya to the ferry for 100 baht.  Impossible on Phuket. Last time I went from HKT airport to Patong was 1000 baht.  Slimy corrupt scum.

[Bluespunk]

6 hours ago, steven100 said:

I called 1155 and got a pizza delivery service 

So you’re ahead of the game then. You actually got a result. 

[Bangkok Barry]

I once called the taxi line, who told me to call the tourist police, who told me to call the taxi line.

[wvavin]

Bunch of clowns on tour!

[lvr181]

7 hours ago, colinneil said:

This is just another big joke..big Joke, so what you gonna do about it????

Maybe you should send for the A team.

Or call Ghost Busters 

[captspectre]

If big joke wants to see what the taxi's are up to all he has to do is go to any hotel and watch taxi after taxi refuse to take a passenger to the airport not using the meter and demanding 700 or 800 Baht!  ANY TAXI parked in front of the hotels, they all say the same thing and there are no cops around!  Pathetic!

[petedk]

6 hours ago, billsmart said:

I wish I had had this number about a month ago when I was in Bangkok at the US Embassy. I had to go through four taxis out front before I found one that would take me to Mochit Bus Station on the meter. The first three wanted from THB400 to THB300.  I knew the meter fare should be around THB150. When I finally got a driver who would take me on the meter, after we arrived I gave him THB300 anyway and told him I appreciated him not trying to "kee-gung" a Farang. 

So now you know why they all ask for 300 Baht.

No Thai would give a 100% tip. The figure or amount is irrelevant.

Edited January 3, 2018 by petedk

[petedk]

1 hour ago, CLW said:

6 hours ago, billsmart said:

I wish I had had this number about a month ago when I was in Bangkok at the US Embassy. I had to go through four taxis out front before I found one that would take me to Mochit Bus Station on the meter. The first three wanted from THB400 to THB300.  I knew the meter fare should be around THB150. When I finally got a driver who would take me on the meter, after we arrived I gave him THB300 anyway and told him I appreciated him not trying to "kee-gung" a Farang. 

I'm doing the same. If I'm at a spot where many taxis refuse to drive by meter I wait calmly for a metered taxi and give him a nice tip for being honest.

So why not take one of the rogue taxis and not give a tip. Still the same amount.

[CLW]

So why not take one of the rogue taxis and not give a tip. Still the same amount.

It's about the principle, not the money

[petedk]

1 minute ago, CLW said:

3 minutes ago, petedk said:

So why not take one of the rogue taxis and not give a tip. Still the same amount.

It's about the principle, not the money

These people only ask for the huge amounts because of people like showing that it is possible to get that amount.

[lvr181]

7 minutes ago, petedk said:

So why not take one of the rogue taxis and not give a tip. Still the same amount.

Why reward mediocrity? 

[observer90210]

Thai authorities who will clean up the Thai taxi cheats ?...

Now, this statement deserves a sextuple..  !!!!

 

(on the other hand if they really do clean up the thaxi cheats nationwide...it will deserve full credit, but no dreaming)

Edited January 3, 2018 by observer90210

[farcanell]

The most surprising thing to me, is that the media get away with calling him “big joke”..... even if he is.

 

having a senior cop known as “big joke” is the joke.... on the entire police force.... 

[Lancelot01]

8 hours ago, The manic said:

No Taxis in Pattaya have metres and minimum fee is 200 baht. And Phuket is no better. Bangkok is OK and there are no taxi problems at Survanapoom airport.

I think that they have meters but don't seem to have the instruction manual for using them.

[CLW]

These people only ask for the huge amounts because of people like showing that it is possible to get that amount.

I tip not more than a grab taxi or uber would cost

[chaihot]

1 minute ago, Lancelot01 said:

I think that they have meters but don't seem to have the instruction manual for using them.

Although I haven't tried to take a taxi in many years, they had meters before ... if not still now.  However, I never found a driver that used them.

 

I remember when we FIRST got taxis.  The taxi driver's association obtained the right to put taxis in and compete against the baht buses because metered taxis would make the "protect" the tourist more, and there would be no confusion about whether the taxi was available or not.  

 

From the FIRST day, boards like this had posts about the drivers not being willing to use the meters.  

[Grumpy Duck]

9 hours ago, ZeVonderBearz said:

No need to take a taxi, BAHT bus or tuk tuk ever again now there is Uber. Hassle free travel and you know what you're getting in advance. 

Tuk tuk? Don't make me laugh. ฿100 just to get in. No meters, no AC as slow as a taxi and more uncomfortable. I would sooner take a MC taxi.

I have had few problems with taxis here.

I have a friend that uses uber prepays by credit card no complaints, but uber is banned in Pattaya. 

[Acemaker]

11 hours ago, o2eZy said:

should go to Platinum and stand at the taxi rank because the taxi drivers pick and choose who they take ..if your destination is too close they say no and if it is too far they say their shift is about to end or they need fuel ..but nothing will change ...same old Bangkok 

 

Just like those Black Cab Tossas in London.

[Just Weird]

12 hours ago, ZeVonderBearz said:

No need to take a taxi, BAHT bus or tuk tuk ever again now there is Uber. Hassle free travel and you know what you're getting in advance. 

You sure do, you're getting an illegal, uninsured ride from an unregistered driver every time.

[Just Weird]

4 hours ago, rickudon said:

Last time i was in Bangkok (apart from at the airport) was 2016 with my son who was visiting. Walked Out and about one day and wanted to get back to town centre - FOUR taxi drivers stopped, then  refused to take us (to PhayaThai), Ended up walking back. When leaving hotel to airport, even the taxi called by our hotel refused to use the meter and was extremely threatening. So 99% of Bangkok taxi drivers are ok? F off.

 

I will never willingly use a taxi in Bangkok ever again.

So 5 out of 80,000 plus turned you down?  And you're complaining?

[Just Weird]

2 hours ago, Grumpy Duck said:

Tuk tuk? Don't make me laugh. ฿100 just to get in. No meters, no AC as slow as a taxi and more uncomfortable. I would sooner take a MC taxi.

I have had few problems with taxis here.

I have a friend that uses uber prepays by credit card no complaints, but uber is banned in Pattaya. 

Uber is banned everywhere in Thailand.

[Scott]

A post containing profanity has been removed.  

[Happyman58]

19 hours ago, colinneil said:

This is just another big joke..big Joke, so what you gonna do about it????

Maybe you should send for the A team.

Its a big joke alright Col The only book they will throw at the taxi drivers is a comic book This is just a big joke alright

[petedk]

There are some users here who say they have lived here X number of years and never had problems with taxis. I believe them. Maybe they use a taxi once a month or something.

 

I use at least one taxi a day and sometimes four or five, so I have experienced good and bad taxis.

 

I would say 95%+ are good and some are very very good. They are friendly, try to speak English (I speak Thai) and some even complain about the bad taxi drivers.

 

I think the taxi drivers that refuse fares or want to turn off the meter are usually grouped in certain areas: Hotels, airport, end of bus lines etc. I use the taxis parked outside Central Rama 9 and I would really love to know why they stop there. I would go as far to say 70% of them refuse fares. I have watched some drivers say "No" to four or five different customers. I travel to different locations from there (Thong Lor, Victory Monument, Ramkhamhaeng and others) and always seem to get refused. I solve the problem by walking to the road and stopping a passing taxi. They rarely refuse, and if they do they are quite polite and give the reason (maybe have to return the car by a certain time).

 

As for those that demand high prices, I simply close the door and take the next one.

 

As I posted before I don't give high tips (100%) but tip about 10% or the rest of the change depending on the journey. Some of the drivers don't expect tips at all and are very pleased when I say keep the change.

 

So, basically it is a small percentage of taxi drivers ruining the overall image, and if they could remove those people all together, Thai taxis would be much more pleasant and ... yes they could increase the fares.

Edited January 4, 2018 by petedk

[Sydebolle]

Sit into the cab and if they then refuse the fare then leave the cab again - and do NOT close the door. They'll hate you for that as everyone else can see that you are not the happiest of passengers and everybody knows why.

You dont drive me there where I want - I do not close the door!

[mike324]

They should just stick big signs saying "Complaint number 1155" at taxi stands. There are also way too many license taxi drivers in Bangkok. Just stick with grabtaxi or uber. 

[BernieOnTour]

23 hours ago, o2eZy said:

if your destination is too close they say no and if it is too far they say their shift is about to end or they need fuel

That's happening even in well regulated Singapore.

I hate it, but in the end, it's a business and it is up to him, how to maximize his profit.

 

However ... not using the meter and overcharging- that's a totally different story.

 

Edited January 4, 2018 by BernieOnTour

[ZeVonderBearz]

12 hours ago, Just Weird said:

You sure do, you're getting an illegal, uninsured ride from an unregistered driver every time.

Driving under the influence is also illegal, doesn't always stop those all above board BAHT bus or tuk tuk drivers though. Yet to have any of those problems with any of the many Uber rides I've taken. An easy time to bust Uber drivers would have been new years when every ride I took over the period was stopped by police at a road block. Guess how many got busted?

[Just Weird]

3 hours ago, ZeVonderBearz said:

Driving under the influence is also illegal, doesn't always stop those all above board BAHT bus or tuk tuk drivers though. Yet to have any of those problems with any of the many Uber rides I've taken. An easy time to bust Uber drivers would have been new years when every ride I took over the period was stopped by police at a road block. Guess how many got busted?

So what?  None of that makes an illegal, uninsured Uber trip a good idea.