Suwanaphum Taxi ~ Limo

[sriracha john]

srirachjohn thinks its a rip-off. Solution - don't use it.

I don't use the limo... because I know it and recognize it for the scam that it is.

I do, however, wonder about the 15 million tourists they want to attract to Thailand (minus the knowledgeable 40,000 TV members, of course) who are prone to fall for it.

It's simple, really, if AoT knows they are scamming and warn people about to a degree with their signs... why do they not do something more definitive about it?

[mr_hippo]

If the set price of a limo to, say, the Conrad is 1200 Baht and you are charged 1200 Baht, tell me, where is the scam?

[Pattaya_Fox]

In my humble opinion anyone with an ounce of common sense who arrives in a foreign country and who is concerned about getting from an airport to their hotel or final destination would have certainly made some sort of enquiry before setting off on their journey as to the cost.

If they have not bothered to make an enquiry or pre arrange their mode of ongoing transport then when they arrive at the said airport then surely they have a tongue in their head and can agree a fare with the driver.

If they do not do any of the above then they either don`t care what it costs or have to pay the price which is given to them at the end of their journey.

Consider your journey as a purchase.........after all when purchasing goods in the high street you first of all obtain a price and secondly negotiate a final price that both you and the seller are happy with, but you may also see the same goods at differing prices elsewhere in the street that is called competition and the guys at the airport are competing for your business just like the high street.

Edited February 19, 2007 by Pattaya_Fox

[kriswillems]

Peoples opinion very often depends on their moral background. You can't change somebodies background. Everyone is entitled to his own truth. Decisions are often based on the truth as perceived by the majority.

So, why not ask the arriving travellers if they like to have "sellers" approaching them and offering limo services? If travellers like it, keep the current system. If not, move the limo-service sellers behind a desk and remove the walking sellers near the exit-gates.

I think Thai people should be proud about their new airport (despite the cracks) and everything to make it even better is a good thing.

[jasreeve17]

Peoples opinion very often depends on their moral background. You can't change somebodies background. Everyone is entitled to his own truth. Decisions are often based on the truth as perceived by the majority.

So, why not ask the arriving travellers if they like to have "sellers" approaching them and offering limo services? If travellers like it, keep the current system. If not, move the limo-service sellers behind a desk and remove the walking sellers near the exit-gates.

I think Thai people should be proud about their new airport (despite the cracks) and everything to make it even better is a good thing.

A good point. This is really the crux of the matter, but it's not practical to ask the tourists in order to find their thoughts.

But, I like your thinking, because their are two trains of thought here, and people just won't agree. I'm as close to being unbiased and in the middle as possible, although I know for certain that Mr Hippo is wrong. (I've tried to forbid him from continuing those thoughts, but he still wants to buy a new car, even though he doesn't have the means, and I'll end up paying.)

I don't agree with your last paragraph though.

Edited February 19, 2007 by jasreeve17

[mr_hippo]

But, I like your thinking, because their are two trains of thought here, and people just won't agree. I'm as close to being unbiased and in the middle as possible, although I know for certain that Mr Hippo is wrong. (I've tried to forbid him from continuing those thoughts, but he still wants to buy a new car, even though he doesn't have the means, and I'll end up paying.)

Were you sober when you weote this? Are you trying to merge two unrelated threads? Explanation, please.

[tartempion]

This has been discussed ad nauseaum. What happens there is no different to just about any airport in the world. There are official taxi ranks which are very easy to find. There are private operators trying to make a buck. There are limo services. There are buses.

Why is it an issue? Why is it a scam?

Arm yourself with that most precious commodity that a buyer can have - market information - and you will be completely free to make the choice you want.

Some people choose to use the limo services because they don't want to wait in line for the regular taxis. It aint rocket science.

Bendix, ya must be joking right?

In my working years I used to fly monday mornings to most European and many North American airports without ever being lured into some crap non-taxi-limo-scam. (and I guess you don't want to read the list of airports where I jumped into taxis)

Now Dong Muang and Savanaboom are in a different league.

The unaware first time visitor will NOT find a taxi, that's the set-up there.

Sure it is an AOT scam. Power King Dutu free shops also

[ThaiGoon]

srirachjohn thinks its a rip-off. Solution - don't use it.

I don't use the limo... because I know it and recognize it for the scam that it is.

I do, however, wonder about the 15 million tourists they want to attract to Thailand (minus the knowledgeable 40,000 TV members, of course) who are prone to fall for it.

It's simple, really, if AoT knows they are scamming and warn people about to a degree with their signs... why do they not do something more definitive about it?

I read from a Thai newspaper (Thairath I think) that the entire limo operation is run by a group of powerful people, i.e mafia. When the bidding took place, another company who offered better cars and better service should have won it...but they didn't, because they were as well connected or (didn't bribe I suppose.) So it is what it is right now. And AoT probably won't do anything about it for a long time unless the current government tries to crack down on the whole thing. Sad and shameful I know.

[jasreeve17]

But, I like your thinking, because their are two trains of thought here, and people just won't agree. I'm as close to being unbiased and in the middle as possible, although I know for certain that Mr Hippo is wrong. (I've tried to forbid him from continuing those thoughts, but he still wants to buy a new car, even though he doesn't have the means, and I'll end up paying.)

Were you sober when you weote this? Are you trying to merge two unrelated threads? Explanation, please.

It was an attempt at humour, Mr Hippo. I thought that the OP on the other thread was pretty unreasonable, and kept attacking everyone (noticabley yourself). He took suggestions out of context and spun them around. I just did the same as him, in a humourous way (I thought) in support of your good self.

It also has a link that you and I differ in our thoughts regarding the airport limos - just differ, neither one of us is 100% right or wrong. (In this thread, which is going nowhere fast)

Sometimes, things can be taken literally, when read on a forum. I understand that, but I still try to inject some houmour from time to time...

[mr_hippo]

OK point taken

[jumnien]

Wow! Now I'm reading that the taxi-limos might have some connection to some mafia types! Shocking!!! I'm glad that transportation unions in the United States have never been implicated as having any organized crime connections. When will the Thais rise to the farang level of purity and loving kindness?

[IMA_FARANG]

I just want to remind and make sure you warn your family/friends/customers or who ever is coming in to Thailand, that when arriving at the arrival meeting hall, you will be approached by lots of people asking if you need taxi. They will actually tell you yes...yes..taxi..but instead they are Limos..which is a rip-off. Tell everyone just go to the lower floor and you'll see the local taxi meters.

For curiosity I asked for the price to Conrad Hotel....1,200 baht......Town in Town 900 baht. Crazy uh!!! Sometimes they even have those black (maffia Limos).....hope you know which ones I mean. Some are the old Volvos..hahaha.

I suppose it depends upon your point of view.

I work on communications contracts in Greece.

I usually work a night shift on Sunday and leave on the first flight to Athens about 8 A.M. in the morning.

Then I spend the time waiting at the airport in Athens until 4.30 departure of Thai International direct to BKK from Athens.

I usualy fly business class and use the lounge in Athens to relax until the flight leaves.

I arrive about 6.00 A.M BKK time the next day in old SwampyBoom.

Yes, I can sleep in the plane. It's why I choose business class. Still I've been without a shower of change of cloths in well over 36 hours.

The last time I was approached by a Thai woman who wanted to charge me 900 baht to a Sukhumvit hotel that I named for her. I said no, 800 baht. She agreed.

I had an air-conditioned volo, well maintained, the driver spoke good english and was friendly. He admitted he used to drive from Don Mueng.

I am 61 years old and starting to like my creature comforts. I usually spend less than a month in BKK once every six months.

The taxi isn't breaking my budget, and after that long flying the relaxation is nice.

Depends what you want I guess.

[jasreeve17]

I suppose it depends upon your point of view.

I work on communications contracts in Greece.

I usually work a night shift on Sunday and leave on the first flight to Athens about 8 A.M. in the morning.

Then I spend the time waiting at the airport in Athens until 4.30 departure of Thai International direct to BKK from Athens.

I usualy fly business class and use the lounge in Athens to relax until the flight leaves.

I arrive about 6.00 A.M BKK time the next day in old SwampyBoom.

Yes, I can sleep in the plane. It's why I choose business class. Still I've been without a shower of change of cloths in well over 36 hours.

The last time I was approached by a Thai woman who wanted to charge me 900 baht to a Sukhumvit hotel that I named for her. I said no, 800 baht. She agreed.

I had an air-conditioned volo, well maintained, the driver spoke good english and was friendly. He admitted he used to drive from Don Mueng.

I am 61 years old and starting to like my creature comforts. I usually spend less than a month in BKK once every six months.

The taxi isn't breaking my budget, and after that long flying the relaxation is nice.

Depends what you want I guess.

So you don't want to walk the same distance (cars can't park in the terminal) up to a taxi booth and get a well maintained air-conditioned Toyota, with a driver that speaks good English, and is friendly, for half the price that you paid? No extra work at all, just cheaper.

This is of course your choice. To me it's wasting money, but it is your choice to make.

It has, however, got nothing to do with the core subject of this thread. - Are the limo salespeople acceptable touts or are they unacceptable scam artists And, should they be allowed either way.

[jumnien]

Agree with jas, they are not only acceptable but appreciated by some who want a little bit of luxury (really just a bit better than a tired Toyota Corolla with half a trunk) and don't mind paying a bit more for a lot more room. How you get a family of four in one of those Corollas with luggage from a long haul trip I'll never know, or even three for that matter. The cabs are best for one or two people. It would be such a shame to ban them when they provide a better service. Of course, banning all motor vehicles and going back to bicycle rickshaws would be cheaper, but you really have to allow for modern convenience sometimes...

[ballbreaker]

Agree with jas, they are not only acceptable but appreciated by some who want a little bit of luxury (really just a bit better than a tired Toyota Corolla with half a trunk) and don't mind paying a bit more for a lot more room. How you get a family of four in one of those Corollas with luggage from a long haul trip I'll never know, or even three for that matter. The cabs are best for one or two people. It would be such a shame to ban them when they provide a better service. Of course, banning all motor vehicles and going back to bicycle rickshaws would be cheaper, but you really have to allow for modern convenience sometimes...

I thought the whole purpose of the AOT Limo Taxi was to provide what you say.

[Furbie]

A lot of posters here seem to think that they are still living in Podunk, Massachusetts or Podunk St Mary, Wiltshire or Podunka Podunka, NSW, still tied to Mummy's apron strings and expect services to be of the same standard. Before these posters read any further, please go to your coffee pot, pour yourself a nice hot cup of coffee, smell it and wake up!

OK, you are now awake. There are touts at all airports and tourists attractions worldwide and not just confined to BKK airport. Want a ticket for the Superbowl and can't get one? You can buy one off the many touts outside the stadium - illegal? Yes, it is but you are prepared to pay over the odds for it.

Let's say that the fare from the airport to your home is 900Baht - you have previously phoned a limo company to find out or your friends have told you. On arriving back at BKK, you are touted by a limo company and he says "900Baht". Tell me how have you been conned? You haven't, you have paid the going rate.

For the posters who use the word 'scam' for what these touts are doing, look up the word in a dictionary. They are touting for business, not taking part in a confidence trick.

Someone mentioned about inexperienced travellers not knowing the exchange rate or how to get from the airport to their hotel, these people should not be let loose on the public! Haven't they heard of the internet, guide books or travel agents? Do they just decide to have a holiday in Bangkok, book the flight and a hotel without finding any information about the place?

I am upset by the use of the word 'limo', some companies use the Toyota Camry as a limo. It is a good car but, by no stretch of the imagination, can it be classed as a limo.

Face it, what the AOT is doing is allowing unsuspecting passengers to be taken advantage of, in my book, this is a scam. Fine if you are an airport in the middle of nowhere, but NOT if you are going to claim your airport is a HUB. If you want to be a hub, you better not have aggressive touts ripping people off – and let's face it – that is what's happening. Like the first poster said, I always warn visitors to make for the public taxi stand.

The fact that it is condoned, nay, sponsored by the AOT makes it all the more disgusting. Hong Kong and Singapore don't have this problem that I have ever encountered, though once someone discreetly under their breath at HK asked if I needed a taxi. Compare this to Shanghai and you see the difference – you can't even leave the terminal without someone actually grabbing your cart, same with some destinations in the Caribbean. Again, BKK is NOT competing with Shanghai or the Caribbean; they are competing with HK and Singapore to be a hub.

And just to be clear on how it is a scam (or if you prefer, a deceitful business practice designed to target unsuspecting travelers):

1) they lie to the customer by claiming it is a taxi and quoting outrageous fees instead of posting the prices – I have heard them tell unsuspecting people it is 2,000 baht to get downtown. Who said Don Muang was more expensive? This is patently incorrect.

2) the AOT actually tried to station the taxis 3 kilometers from the terminal to make it as inconvenient as possible for travelers to use a metered taxi – when they finally got called on it and had to allow public taxis at the terminal, they were certainly not going to return the massive kickbacks they took from the subcontractors who run the limo services. The compromise, charge as much as you can, be as aggressive as you want.

3) the AOT actually posts signs near the baggage carousels inferring that their transportation option is the only safe option. Most travelers would LISTEN to what a government agency is telling them when they visit a foreign country.

4) the signs urging passengers to use the AOT service have a spot to quote the price in USD, and a spot to quote the price in Baht – yet, NO PRICE is listed – they were probably ordered before the taxis were given permission to pull up to the terminal – see point 2.

Same as when someone buys jewels that are glass – they are being lied to. Same as someone saying the royal palace is closed – they are being lied to. It is a SCAM. You can fault people for being ignorant or too trusting, but then again, people who have their pockets picked should be keeping their wallet in their front pocket, right? People who don't count their change deserve to be short changed, right?

[The Skipper]

The bottom line;

The Limo Drivers are scamming the passengers and sombody in authority is making a profit.

Welcome to Thailand..The ripoffs start "HERE".

[JacknDanny]

But, I like your thinking, because their are two trains of thought here, and people just won't agree. I'm as close to being unbiased and in the middle as possible, although I know for certain that Mr Hippo is wrong. (I've tried to forbid him from continuing those thoughts, but he still wants to buy a new car, even though he doesn't have the means, and I'll end up paying.)

Were you sober when you weote this?

weote??????

Edited February 22, 2007 by JacknDanny