Thai taxi driver said his life is being ruined after English teacher posts damning clip

[Chrisdoc]

Farung should have negotiated the fare before-either meter or amount. He has been here for two years must be pretty dumb to not know that. Did he set this up to get his on his youtube as everyone knows thai taxi drivers hate meters? He teaches on youtube for free but would still get paid for hits to his site. He is just saying he doesn't get paid because he probably doesn't have a work permit. I don't have much money but always tip taxi drivers. Is a hard job in any country.

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[robblok]

Just now, Happy enough said:

a power pole isn't quite the same as an individual person. i just think it was unfair to shame the person on social media rather than just the service he claims he got 

I don't think its unfair at all.. taxi drivers should follow the law.. if they don't and plenty of them don't.. refusing you (not allowed), not turning on the meter (not allowed). Now the DLT does almost nothing with those complaints unless they are forced into action.

Do you honestly think this guy would have been invited to the DLT without this clip.. or do you think that without this clip this complaint like so many others would not have any follow up ?

[anon789561]

1 minute ago, robblok said:

I been in the nawamin area a lot.. before (Bungsamran fishing soi 42). The problem was not so prevalent there. As i said tourist area's navamin is not really tourist area and like my area more out of the way.

 

You do know that taxi's by law have to turn on the meter. So you are actually making my point by not turning on the meter they are breaking the law, taxis also by law have to pick up everyone. so by not going where you want to go again they are breaking the law.

 

So your confirming that taxi's are not following the law at all. I have had those problems too not turning on the meter (that is actually what the guy reported) and taxis not going where you want to go.. not so bad if its one .. but after 5 it gets a bit boring. That is one of the biggest reasons i try to avoid taxis now. 

well i tend to use grab anyway as the house is far from the main road but yes i know they are breaking the law but really stopped letting stuff like that bother me long ago. i find it's usually one or 2 that might refuse but generally they're alright

[theguyfromanotherforum]

1 minute ago, Chrisdoc said:

Farung should have negotiated the fare before-either meter or amount. He has been here for two years must be pretty dumb to not know that. 
 

 

What are you on about?

 

I sit in the taxi and the guy puts on the meter. Every single time.

 

The last time I had not someone turn the meter on was when I was a tourist staying in Khao San Road

[mauGR1]

2 minutes ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

 

What are you on about?

 

I sit in the taxi and the guy puts on the meter. Every single time.

 

The last time I had not someone turn the meter on was when I was a tourist staying in Khao San Road

About the same for me, speaking Thai does the trick, tbh

[Scott]

Posts with homophobic slurs have been reported and removed.  

 

[robblok]

7 minutes ago, Happy enough said:

well i tend to use grab anyway as the house is far from the main road but yes i know they are breaking the law but really stopped letting stuff like that bother me long ago. i find it's usually one or 2 that might refuse but generally they're alright

I would not be bothered that much if its one or 2.. quite often 5 or more.. then it gets annoying.. plus the Thais agree its annoying they have the same problem. Here where I live I don't have the problem of many refusing, only when I am more in the center / tourist area's. At mochit area, i have often had to go past 5 or more before one would turn on the meter and go where I wanted to go (and i don't travel during the rush hours I have learned that)

[robblok]

7 minutes ago, mauGR1 said:

About the same for me, speaking Thai does the trick, tbh

I always speak Thai.. often travel with a Thai so that is not really it. Its strange how some people never have trouble while others do. I think it might have to do with location and time. I have often discussed this with Thais too, they face similar problems its not just us foreigners (i could have understood that). I think its a location and time thing.. can't really give an other explanation. 

 

But it really started to piss me off so i started to use them less and less only when I absolutely had too. (now with more and more BTS its easier to avoid taxi's)

[impulse]

If some YouTubers were to film me on a bad day, they'd occasionally catch some cringe worthy behavior. 

 

And I've got some bad news for some of the guys here who think they're jolly, good time joys to be around...

 

[Chrisdoc]

 
What are you on about?
 
I sit in the taxi and the guy puts on the meter. Every single time.
 
The last time I had not someone turn the meter on was when I was a tourist staying in Khao San Road

Im trying to work out what you are on about or whether you haven't been in Thailand long? If you get in a taxi you tell the driver where you are going and tell him to turn on the meter. If he doesn't want to turn it on you get out and get in the next one. If you actually let the driver take off before you say turn on the meter it sounds like you don't know much about taxis in Thailand. This guy has been here for two years-he is either dumb or it is a set-up. Is that simple enough for you?

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[scorecard]

42 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Being called out, and having to take responsibility for one's actions is a really terrible thing. This man child is finding that out, the hard way. So what? Who cares? He screwed up. Kudos to Danny for calling this creep out. I find most taxi drivers to be decent. But there are some who are miscreants, and it is a beautiful day when one is called out and shamed. He was probably totally unconscious, and completely unaware that he was behaving poorly. Now he knows! Lovely, lovely, lovely.

 

He cooked his goose right up front by asking about a flat 500Baht fare. IMHO that labels him immediately as a tricky dishonest unethical taxi driver. 

 

I travel often in Bkk by taxi. Often about 2.5 K from my long-stay hotel to my university. I stand at the mouth of my hotel soi on Ramkhamhaeng road, and stop taxis and get in. I state clearly in Thai where I want to go, the standard fare is between 45 and 51Baht, normally around 5 minutes trip. But many times I instantly get from the drive, often rudely, sam roi, sam roi (300). I ask politely to use the meter, usually refused sometimes with rude comments.

 

Many drivers will start driving immediately, no waiting for the discussion to finish. I tell them to stop and I get out. Over several years a couple of times they have refused to stop so I check if there's any traffic coming up from behind and open the door full open.  That gets their attention immediately.

 

A couple of times I've pointed at a policeman along the route and asked them to stop to talk to the police, suddenly it all reverts to meter and politeness.

 

Worst example of all - last year my uni had a visiting female professor from Germany, probably 40 yo, looks 25 yo. She had never been to Asia or Thailand before, cannot speak one word of Thai. By prior arrangement the hotel sent a private car to pick her up at Swampy.

 

The hotel sent a Thai staff member with her in a taxi on the first morning to go to the uni (5 minute trip,no problems) and wrote a note for her to give to the driver in the afternoon to come back to the hotel.

 

About 5.00 pm she went outside the uni and hailed a taxi and gave the driver the note with destination, detailed address and hotel phone number and mentioned that the normal fare was around 50Baht.

 

Taxi driver said something in Thai which she didn't understand, eventually taxi driver wrote 500 on a piece of paper. She tried to get out of the taxi but driver locked the doors.

 

By chance she notices several of her new students (all speak excellent English and of course Thai) coming out of the uni gate, very close to the cab. She banked on the window and yelled and waved and the students noticed her and came immediately. She yelled that the driver wanted 500baht.

 

Students asked the driver to unlock the door, he refused, two of the male students quickly stood immediately in front of the cab and two behind while another student called a hotline number. Two policemen (seperately) appeared quickly, listened to the students and then spoke to the driver. Within a couple of minutes the police handcuffed the driver, they had also called for a police vehicle to take him away and called the company which owns the taxi to come within 10 minutes and recover their vehicle.

 

One of the students lived quite close, he quickly went home and got the family car and all the students involved went with the lady professor to the police station. Then they took her home to my hotel and stayed with her for a couple of hours. Bottom line she was shocked, felt intimidated and she was frightened.

 

The students found the private number of the dean of the uni, the lady professor called and said she was not prepared to continue the course and would fly back to Europe as soon as possible. The students asked her to stay and complete the course (total time about 20 further days), they offered to have 3 students (always 2 boys and one girl) pick her up at the hotel in the morning and same thing to take her back to the hotel late afternoon, and go with her if sh wanted to go shopping etc. She stayed and flew home late evening of the last day of the course, students took her to the airport along with a senior uni admin' officer and stayed with her until she went into the passport departure area. 

 

Further, the uni had an ongoing agreement with the uni in Europe for student and professor exchange. The uni in Europe cancelled the arrangement immediately. 

 

And yes, there are many good polite taxi drivers, no attempt at cheating.  

 

Edited April 19, 2018 by scorecard

[Oziex1]

The taxi driver is putting his kids through university, that must cost a fair bit. Is it possible to do without overcharging? Just a thought.

[sammieuk1]

31 minutes ago, scorecard said:

 

Is this story located in CM?

Apparently not!! Danny Mac - who runs a YouTube channel teaching English - had made a video about his experience travelling from the airport to his condo after a trip to Chiang Mai on Tuesday.

[mauGR1]

2 minutes ago, robblok said:

I always speak Thai.. often travel with a Thai so that is not really it. Its strange how some people never have trouble while others do. I think it might have to do with location and time. I have often discussed this with Thais too, they face similar problems its not just us foreigners (i could have understood that). I think its a location and time thing.. can't really give an other explanation. 

 

But it really started to piss me off so i started to use them less and less only when I absolutely had too. (now with more and more BTS its easier to avoid taxi's)

You are spot on , it's about location and time.

If it's not convenient to them, they don't take you there.

Actually, i support their right to choose if they are willing to to a job or not.

[impulse]

Just now, robblok said:

I always speak Thai.. often travel with a Thai so that is not really it. Its strange how some people never have trouble while others do. I think it might have to do with location and time. I have often discussed this with Thais too, they face similar problems its not just us foreigners (i could have understood that). I think its a location and time thing.. can't really give an other explanation. 

 

But it really started to piss me off so i started to use them less and less only when I absolutely had too. (now with more and more BTS its easier to avoid taxi's)

 

If you're passing them and they're not passing you, that could explain it.  It doesn't excuse it, but it may explain it. 

 

Imagine you've just sat in a queue for half an hour with other taxi drivers waiting for someone who wants to go to Safari World, or some other juicy fare.  Then, you get an opportunity to get out of the queue for a 35 baht fare.  Or you've paid the hotel people a wad of money to sit out front and have them funnel big spenders to you.  Then you have someone asking to take you around the corner- with the meter.

 

I've learned to never hail a taxi that's standing still unless they're just dropping someone off.  It sucks.  I don't agree with it.  But I do understand it.

[impulse]

9 minutes ago, scorecard said:

He cooked his goose right up front by asking about a flat 500Baht fare. IMHO that labels him immediately as a tricky dishonest unethical taxi driver. 

 

Ya don't ask, ya don't get.  I don't fault him for running it up the flagpole and see if the passenger salutes.  No worse than asking for a tip.  As long as the passenger is free to decline the offer.

 

BTW, what does the much respected and TVF revered Uber charge for a ride from Swampy into town?  Why is it okay for them to get away with it, but not the average legal driver?

 

Edited April 19, 2018 by impulse

[JAZZDOG]

Like criminals everywhere Mac is crying only because he was caught and called out, not because he wasnt guilty. People seem to think just because they have been robbing people for a long time it is alright. Just because I have been having sex with your wife for five years without you knowing doesn't mean it is right.

Edited April 19, 2018 by JAZZDOG
typo

[mommysboy]

Technically Danny Mac needs a work permit.  I wouldn't want to be making waves if my back wasn't covered.

 

Maybe the taxi driver got rough justice, but I can imagine the vlogger is always on the look-out for a new story- if you get my drift.

[Nong Khai Man]

1 hour ago, sammieuk1 said:

I am lost here and maybe wrong but for the last 8 years plus driving in Chiang Mai I have never seen a toll road ?

That's because the incident happened in BANGKOK !!!

[JAZZDOG]

1 minute ago, Nong Khai Man said:

That's because the incident happened in BANGKOK !!!

Plus there would be no story if the driver charged 500baht to drive from BKK to CM!

[Eligius]

23 minutes ago, robblok said:

I would not be bothered that much if its one or 2.. quite often 5 or more.. then it gets annoying.. plus the Thais agree its annoying they have the same problem. Here where I live I don't have the problem of many refusing, only when I am more in the center / tourist area's. At mochit area, i have often had to go past 5 or more before one would turn on the meter and go where I wanted to go (and i don't travel during the rush hours I have learned that)

And I find, Rob, that more and more BKK taxi drivers are simply not stopping when I hail them, even though they've got their 'for hire' light on. I agree with you that such things (and not wanting to use the meter) when they happen repeatedly, one after the other, are VERY annoying!

[Lobber]

1 hour ago, sammieuk1 said:

I am lost here and maybe wrong but for the last 8 years plus driving in Chiang Mai I have never seen a toll road ?

Love the Avatar ,,,one of the best bands ever

[Lobber]

17 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

If you're passing them and they're not passing you, that could explain it.  It doesn't excuse it, but it may explain it. 

 

Imagine you've just sat in a queue for half an hour with other taxi drivers waiting for someone who wants to go to Safari World, or some other juicy fare.  Then, you get an opportunity to get out of the queue for a 35 baht fare.  Or you've paid the hotel people a wad of money to sit out front and have them funnel big spenders to you.  Then you have someone asking to take you around the corner- with the meter.

 

I've learned to never hail a taxi that's standing still unless they're just dropping someone off.  It sucks.  I don't agree with it.  But I do understand it.

or one that pulls up and winds down the passenger window...

[Thian]

23 minutes ago, Chrisdoc said:

Im trying to work out what you are on about or whether you haven't been in Thailand long? If you get in a taxi you tell the driver where you are going and tell him to turn on the meter. If he doesn't want to turn it on you get out and get in the next one. If you actually let the driver take off before you say turn on the meter it sounds like you don't know much about taxis in Thailand. This guy has been here for two years-he is either dumb or it is a set-up. Is that simple enough for you?

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They don't always turn the meter on before starting to drive...even when they didn't try to get the ride for a fixed price...many times i have to tell them to turn the meter on because they seem to forget it...serious.

[Chrisdoc]

You are spot on , it's about location and time.
If it's not convenient to them, they don't take you there.
Actually, i support their right to choose if they are willing to to a job or not.

I have heard that they have really strict shift times and fines if they are back at the depot late. If you ask to go somewhere they need to calculate how long to get there and back to the depot so they will say yes or no depending on time allowed. Don't know if true.

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[chromaflare]

2 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

I am lost here and maybe wrong but for the last 8 years plus driving in Chiang Mai I have never seen a toll road ?

Toll roads around Bangkok dude.

[robblok]

23 minutes ago, mauGR1 said:

You are spot on , it's about location and time.

If it's not convenient to them, they don't take you there.

Actually, i support their right to choose if they are willing to to a job or not.

I don't support that as they get a license from the government to operate.. and by doing so they accept the government rules. These rules say the can't refuse people. 

 

I would have accepted that if grab and uber were allowed to legally operate then the taxi drivers would have competition and would be forced to take rides.. or lose out on money.

[theguyfromanotherforum]

29 minutes ago, Chrisdoc said:

Im trying to work out what you are on about or whether you haven't been in Thailand long? If you get in a taxi you tell the driver where you are going and tell him to turn on the meter. If he doesn't want to turn it on you get out and get in the next one. If you actually let the driver take off before you say turn on the meter it sounds like you don't know much about taxis in Thailand. This guy has been here for two years-he is either dumb or it is a set-up. Is that simple enough for you?

Sent from my SM-G900I using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

 

 

I've been here long enough.

 

I open the door, say my destination, guy says ok, I hop in and he turns on the meter. It's been like this for me for the past 4 years.

 

I find it odd that the first thing out of your mouth is barking an order to turn the meter on. Perhaps that's the way it is if you live in Nana. I dunno

[sammieuk1]

6 minutes ago, chromaflare said:

Toll roads around Bangkok dude.

 Can't keep up with Danny Mac who ever the duck he is he left Chiang Mai without informing me of his very interesting travel plans.

[robblok]

25 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

If you're passing them and they're not passing you, that could explain it.  It doesn't excuse it, but it may explain it. 

 

Imagine you've just sat in a queue for half an hour with other taxi drivers waiting for someone who wants to go to Safari World, or some other juicy fare.  Then, you get an opportunity to get out of the queue for a 35 baht fare.  Or you've paid the hotel people a wad of money to sit out front and have them funnel big spenders to you.  Then you have someone asking to take you around the corner- with the meter.

 

I've learned to never hail a taxi that's standing still unless they're just dropping someone off.  It sucks.  I don't agree with it.  But I do understand it.

That is tough luck for them.. that is what they are legally bound to do and agreed to when they got the right to drive a taxi from the government. 

 

Mind you I don't go for the taxi's that are standing still just like you I avoid them (not always possible at mochit). I am talking about hailing passing taxi's not those standing still. I know you got even less chance with those standing still. 

 

But really I been refused for.. too far.. not far enough... 

 

Now i just use the BTS more and my motorbike or car.