Red Baht buses in Chiang Mai still ripping off passengers despite use of app

[webfact]

Red Baht buses in Chiang Mai still ripping off passengers despite use of app

 

Picture: Sanook

 

Despite looking official and above board the "Red Baht Bus mafia" in Chiang Mai are still ripping off customers, said Sanook. 

 

The Thai media - involved in a series of negative stories about the song thaew drivers in the northern Thai city - cited evidence for their latest bash from a woman who went on Facebook to complain. 

 

"Torterm Pinthuprapa" said she had been quoted a fare of 130 baht for a red bus.

 

The driver accepted the offer via an app then called on the phone to say she lived too far. 

 

He wanted to cancel the deal because it was not enough money. He said he would take another passenger. 

 

However, if she upped the fare to 150 he would pick her up. 

 

When she refused the driver encouraged her to cancel the request so he would not lose points. 

 

The poster said that in using apps she had hoped rip-offs were a thing of the past - but the reality was the red buses were continue to take advantage of customers despite using an app. 

 

Source: Sanook

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-12-21

[Justgrazing]

11 minutes ago, webfact said:

Despite looking official and above board the "Red Baht Bus mafia" in Chiang Mai are still ripping off customers, said Sanook. 

Less than a hr ago there was the story of the Van driver returning 300k bt in Surat Thani .. But as is with most things in life for each and every there has to be an equal and opposite .. 

[cmsally]

I thought one was only ripped off when the money actually left ones hands.

In this case and others reported it is really only a breakdown of negotiation.

All of a sudden with social media etc. one becomes ripped off because one is quoted a price higher than one wants. Simply refuse and look for alternatives or is that too hard.

[KittenKong]

4 minutes ago, cmsally said:

I thought one was only ripped off when the money actually left ones hands.

In this case and others reported it is really only a breakdown of negotiation.

All of a sudden with social media etc. one becomes ripped off because one is quoted a price higher than one wants. Simply refuse and look for alternatives or is that too hard.

The whole point of these apps is that you dont have to negotiate: the app gives you and the driver a fixed price and once accepted by both sides - which happens before the event - that's the end of it. There is no reason for anyone to ask for more at any time, nor for there to be any negotiation at all.

This driver was just trying to get more than he was entitled to and should be punished.

 

[sfokevin]

Curious?... What is the name of this Baht Bus Mafia approved app?

[cmsally]

2 minutes ago, sfokevin said:

Curious?... What is the name of this Baht Bus Mafia approved app?

I think you will find it is also GRAB , there is now GRAB rot daeng which apparently is cheaper than the car.

[cmsally]

Once people start believing that it is necessary to eliminate peer to peer negotiation in the interests of pricing then they will drive consumers to a peer vs institution model.

This model is fairly consistent in raising prices/lowering quality once the competition is knocked out.

[bluesofa]

1 hour ago, Justgrazing said:

Less than a hr ago there was the story of the Van driver returning 300k bt in Surat Thani .. But as is with most things in life for each and every there has to be an equal and opposite .. 

Surely for it to be financially equal and opposite, someone returning 300k Baht would need to be balanced out by 3,000 rip-offs at a 100 Baht each? So need to wait a month or so perhaps?

 

[Justgrazing]

1 minute ago, bluesofa said:

Surely for it to be financially equal and opposite, someone returning 300k Baht would need to be balanced out by 3,000 rip-offs at a 100 Baht each? So need to wait a month or so perhaps?

 

That long .?

[Lungstib]

If an 'app' cant reach out and slap some sense into the cheating drivers head then its as good as a chocolate teapot.  

[balo]

Does this new app actually works ? Any farangs tried it ? 

 

[lordblackader]

I don't know how many times the ops at Thaivisa need to be reminded of this - but there is no such thing as a "baht bus" in Chiang Mai nor has there ever been - it's a Pattaya term only.

 

Officially it's a Songthaew or a Rod Daeng (red car). The name in English in Grab linked in the article to book one is "Rod Daeng" because that's its actual name, not "baht bus."

[sanemax]

4 hours ago, KittenKong said:

The whole point of these apps is that you dont have to negotiate: the app gives you and the driver a fixed price and once accepted by both sides - which happens before the event - that's the end of it. There is no reason for anyone to ask for more at any time, nor for there to be any negotiation at all.

This driver was just trying to get more than he was entitled to and should be punished.

 

Have you used the app that they were using ?

The "app" may have been a telephone call 

[KittenKong]

1 minute ago, sanemax said:

Have you used the app that they were using ?

The "app" may have been a telephone call 

"Torterm Pinthuprapa" said she had been quoted a fare of 130 baht for a red bus.

The driver accepted the offer via an app then called on the phone to say she lived too far.

He wanted to cancel the deal because it was not enough money. He said he would take another passenger. "

 

" When she refused (to pay a higher price) the driver encouraged her to cancel the request so he would not lose points.  "

 

Does that sound like a simple phone call to you, or a pre-arranged price that was known by both parties before it was accepted, and which carried penalties for non-completion? To me it sounds just like Grab/Uber.

[YogaVeg]

I didn't know there was an app for these in CM, but this sounds more like a negotiation than a rip off. 

Hardly Earth shattering news...

 

Sometimes it just ain't worth it for a driver, so what?

[Searat7]

Used Grab in CM 2 weeks ago. Very cheap, good service and nice clean cars

[AlfonsV]

9 hours ago, cmsally said:

I think you will find it is also GRAB , there is now GRAB rot daeng which apparently is cheaper than the car.

And sometimes more expensive according to my own experience

Edited December 21, 2018 by AlfonsV

[AlfonsV]

5 hours ago, balo said:

Does this new app actually works ? Any farangs tried it ? 

 

Yes, via grab app

[ChiangmaiRob]

11 hours ago, cmsally said:

I thought one was only ripped off when the money actually left ones hands.

In this case and others reported it is really only a breakdown of negotiation.

All of a sudden with social media etc. one becomes ripped off because one is quoted a price higher than one wants. Simply refuse and look for alternatives or is that too hard.

Really!!! ????????‍♂️

[balo]

3 hours ago, AlfonsV said:

Yes, via grab app

Name is Grab Rot Daeng? 

[Youlike]

9 hours ago, balo said:

Does this new app actually works ? Any farangs tried it ? 

 

Nope and i'll put Chiang Mai on the same black list as Phuket....they won't see me there and if i don't go the family also won't. I think it's time to discover Bali.

[WonnabeBiker]

A few years ago, all 5 songthaews demanded the  s a m e  outrageous fare from the Old Town to the bus station. 150 THB I think it was. That stank.

 

Yesterday, a colleague used GRAB to go to the #1 hotel in Hat Yai named Lee Gardens. The driver took her to some other place... Amazing Thailand!

[JimmyJ]

16 hours ago, YogaVeg said:

I didn't know there was an app for these in CM, but this sounds more like a negotiation than a rip off. 

Hardly Earth shattering news...

 

Sometimes it just ain't worth it for a driver, so what?

"Sometimes it just ain't worth it for a driver, so what?"

 

The driver should have cancelled (and lost points on his rating apparently) if he changed his mind.

 

Asking for more is chiseling. The app apparently gives a set price like Grab. What he was doing was like a cab saying they want X more than the metered fare or they won't pick you up.

 

He has the option to not use the app and then I guess it's legitimate for him to negotiate with customers.

He agreed to use the app and as I'm understanding it he's then agreed to accept the fare that is set by the app and not negotiate.

 

Edited December 21, 2018 by JimmyJ

[Torrens54]

Belching their stinking fumes, weaving in and out of traffic, most never use indicators correctly, rude Neanderthal Drives (most of them) the sooner they are banned the better !

 

 

 

[rumak]

On 12/22/2018 at 9:26 AM, hyku1147 said:

Yesterday, after a painful sleepless night - which was caused by a delayed onset ankle sprain - I needed to find Tramadol capsules. I hailed a Red Truck, and said "Taladt Worrowat kap". 10 minutes and 30 baht later, I am in the pharmacy. Still in agony, I take 2 capsules before having a meal at a Thai restaurant. The pain was diminishing, so I limped to the market, and stocked up on chicken and vegetables. Then I waved down another Red Truck. Another 30 baht, and I was a block away from my hotel.

 

 

looking at your face in your circle i can understand why you got such a good rate.   driver obviously thought

you were the ghost of a former passenger that he cheated.

[Bill97]

I thought one was only ripped off when the money actually left ones hands.

Increasing confusion between what is and what is imagination or some other thought. Say it often and it becomes real. Immigration threads are full of it.


Sent from my iPod touch using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[fisherd3]

On 12/21/2018 at 8:56 AM, cmsally said:

I thought one w. as only ripped off when the money actually left ones hands.

In this case and others reported it is really only a breakdown of negotiation.

All of a sudden with social media etc. one becomes ripped off because one is quoted a price higher than one wants. Simply refuse and look for alternatives or is that too hard.

Oh Yes You are right . 'Attempted Rip Off'.... correct.