"We can't have Thais taking advantage of tourists", says airport cop as rip-off taxi driver fined

[Percy P]

13 hours ago, TVGerry said:

This taxi rip off thing is serious but they needed 10 policemen for this?

No need for sarcasm . What if you were the tourist being ripped off.

[Percy P]

2 hours ago, nycjoe said:

If you see a guy with a gray rectangular box across his eyes, don't get in his cab.

Don't. Get into any cab if the drive refuse to put the meter on. If you get in you are encouraging the corruption?

[Percy P]

13 hours ago, TVGerry said:

This taxi rip off thing is serious but they needed 10 policemen for this?

Yes.

[30la]

Words, words, words, you have to do something before the disgusting facts happen, it's for the image of your country, even if by now it's largely already destroyed.

[30la]

22 minutes ago, Percy P said:

This taxi rip off thing is serious but they needed 10 policemen for this?

Think, what a photo it would be, a policeman and the trickster alone!

[30la]

2 minutes ago, Kim J said:

Myself and Mrs Kim go to Bangkok regularly, and I have to say in my experience the vast majority of taxis we have used have been OK. Not saying that we have never had problems with them of course.

Right, I did mostly good experiences, but as always they are not the good experiences that are published!

[Dave Dee]

One of the many many reasons i left thailand after staying there 12 years

[Almer]

18 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

How can any Policeman in Thailand keep a straight face when making such a statement !

For money i could keep a straight face no problem

[Russell17au]

This cop must be Thailands version of both Bob Hope and Benny Hill as a comedian because his whole claim is a big joke.

RIP Bob Hope and Benny Hill. I meant no insult to either of you.

[Ctkong]

1 hour ago, johng50 said:

Mmmmm i thought this is the top subject taught in Thai schools. Thai students dont

get a pass unless they are taught to steal, lie, pick pocket, extort, so they can become a

future police officer. ( or any other official job.)

I hope you are posting in jest... students should be instilled correct civic values like honesty and justice. Just because thailand has a system of patronage currently does not make the future generation the scrap goat for all ills. 

[DJ54]

18 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

straight face

10 of them.... maybe concerned if a runner 

[Almer]

1 minute ago, Dave Dee said:

One of the many many reasons i left thailand after staying there 12 years

You left because a taxi driver ripped you off?

[spidermike007]

This is a great example of the kind of deflection that Thailand is currently engaged in. The administration treats tourists like crap, and allows so many to be abused, stolen from, and subject to countless scams. The police are scamming tourists every minute, of every day. Would they ever go after them? Of course not. Why? This administration is dedicated to protecting the corrupt police and those in power, at all costs. In addition, they do nothing to protect any of us on the roads. Nothing. Yet, when one taxi driver is caught overcharging a tourist, it is big news. 

 

Deflect. Lie. Obfuscate. Do anything you can to avoid facing the truth. 

 

 

[Almer]

2 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

L.M.A.O........ Someone should whisper in his ear that ripping off tourists is a National Sport !!!!!.....

Well if you been ripped of thats your problem.

eg..   i had to go to Bangkok for a couple of days and we had arranged to have a new door hung, wooden door wooden frame.

the Chippy quoted the Mrs 650 baht to include new hinges and he would come at lunchtime the next day. True enough 14.00 Mrs rings me o say he is there and im now about an hour from home.

i get back man just finishing and tidy clean job, that will be 1000baht, wife asks why 1000 you said 650, ah but i didn't know it was for falang.

so around to workshop pozi screwdriver and commence removing door, why the chippy says because you can take your hinges and p-ss of 650 is for any colour any shape any body so you just wasted 2 hours and thankyou for marking out for me, he stands and watches and says ok 650 i tell him no because these are now not new hinges, in the end we settled on 650 and the cold water the Mrs gave hime i took back in before he could drink it, childish i know but thats how people would treat me if the roles were reversed, as i said if you are being overcharged, your problem.

 

[BestB]

The only way it will stop is if draconian punishments are introduced instead of small fines .

 

there was a case in Sydney , shop overcharging tourists mostly on bottles of water , he was fined $300 000 

 

never heard of anyone overcharging again .

 

saying that, how do they expect to eliminate this problem when double pricing is government policy ? Hospitals , parks ,etc 

[phkauf]

Just this past Monday from Swampy, once we left the parking area the driver told me 600 baht and he would pay the toll (which meant not using the tollway) for what is normally a 250 baht meter plus 50 airport charge. I immediately said F You and use the meter, which he did. The tourist police should hand out flyers at the taxi lines explaining meters are required and the range of fares to certain major destinations. 

And TAT wonders why the number of higher income Western Tourists is down. People don't like getting ripped off - plain and simple. Same nonsense with the Grand Palace is closed today schemes.

I was just in Tokyo and in Shinjuku where many of the "Hostess Bars" are located, they have loudspeaker announcements in English and Chinese clearly warning about the scams. As always Thailand would learn a thing or two from the Japanese.

[fishtank]

21 hours ago, nev said:

How about making a real example like stripping him if his taxi licence, Will send a better message than a paltry fine.

He did have his eyes scribbled out according to the article.

[bkk6060]

1 hour ago, Guderian said:

Really, the standard of police work in this country has become very slack, not one of them is pointing at the guy.

They probably thought most people have enough common sense to figure out who the perp is....

[eddysmit]

19 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

How can any Policeman in Thailand keep a straight face when making such a statement !

True,in my forty odd years of visiting Thailand it quickly became obvious that many 'Private' taxi drivers were rip off merchants, surely this has not just been discovered ?

[Benmart]

Someone had best tell the Pattaya taxi and songtaew mafia. The taxis refuse to use meters, as required by law and the songtaews, not licensed as taxis, rip off Chinese/Indian/Russian tourists for ridiculously inflated fares.

 

I laugh when I read general hot-air being vented into an environment of greed and corruption.

[tandor]

22 hours ago, nev said:

How about making a real example like stripping him if his taxi licence, Will send a better message than a paltry fine.

..I wonder is there an 'inactive position' for these thugs/mugs to be transferred to like car detailing.  ????

[Lupatria]

23 hours ago, rooster59 said:

"We can't have Thais taking advantage of tourists",

Then shut the whole place down!

[gerritkaew]

22 hours ago, nev said:

How about making a real example like stripping him if his taxi licence, Will send a better message than a paltry fine.

yes,, two new ( farang ) costumers and he got his money back..

[SunsetT]

23 hours ago, rooster59 said:

district officials were pictured with the driver whose eyes were scribbled out

A fitting punishment! He will never drive again now......????.

[Gimino]

We appreciate the sentiment of that officer. Now let it spread to other rip-offs like the over-charging of foreigners at various parks and other attractions where foreigners entry fees are higher than those for Thais. And while we are at it, stop the police from pocketing monies for infringements real or imagined.

 

 

  

[meshborg]

Taxi drivers rip off tourists all over the world.I suffer from taxiphobia because of this.Wont go anywhere near them.haha.

[Jaxxper]

Isn't that why the taxis have meters to prevent this ?

I agree a Thb 500 fine is not a significant penalty. Suspend the licence for 3 months the first time, then subsequent occurrences a year, plus a large fine.

[JulesMad]

20 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

How can any Policeman in Thailand keep a straight face when making such a statement !

Training and/or internship with TAT...

[sambum]

"whose eyes were scribbled out."

 

Now that SOUNDS" like a proper punishment!

[Megascott]

2 hours ago, Percy P said:

Don't. Get into any cab if the drive refuse to put the meter on. If you get in you are encouraging the corruption?

So true, this is what they really need to crack down on. Do not ever get into a taxi that won't turn on the meter, unless the fare is prearranged and reasonable.

 

Before the latest Military Junta took over and "cleaned up" the Don Muang Airport Taxi stand, it was common to hear the Taxi driver charge 1000thb for a short ride to Sukhumvit Marriott, IIRC about ~300thb on the meter.