Taxi Scams Remain Top Complaint Among Foreign Tourists in Thailand

[aldriglikvid]

Immigration is beyond horrific nowadays. 80-90% of applications processed by officers - in daylight - are agent/under-the-table and the rest 10% are normal applications. Old people need to stay outside waiting for 5-7 hours, families see a full day taken of their vacation to make an extension or residence cert, children need to stay with their parents 5-7 hours in line. Truly distasteful. 

When money gets involved we get to see the absolute worst side of Thais.

[A1Str8]

Over the years I never got scammed by them once. 

They can only scam those that have a pea brain. 

[it is what it is]

8 minutes ago, A1Str8 said:

Over the years I never got scammed by them once. 

They can only scam those that have a pea brain. 

 

agree, never been scammed by a taxi driver here, or anywhere else. it's common sense really

[richard_smith237]

26 minutes ago, it is what it is said:

35 minutes ago, A1Str8 said:

Over the years I never got scammed by them once. 

They can only scam those that have a pea brain. 

 

agree, never been scammed by a taxi driver here, or anywhere else. it's common sense really

Its probably misuse of the word ‘scam’ in this context, but refers to the general attempted rip-offs, refusal to use the meter etc.... 

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

37 minutes ago, it is what it is said:

46 minutes ago, A1Str8 said:

Over the years I never got scammed by them once. 

They can only scam those that have a pea brain. 

 

agree, never been scammed by a taxi driver here, or anywhere else. it's common sense really

Depends what you call a scam....

 

I’ve had little choice but to pay a higher rate when all taxi’s in the area are refusing to use the meter and thus end up forced to pay double and triple the going rate to get home. 

 

I’d like to know how your ‘common sense’ avoids this !!!...  

[richard_smith237]

52 minutes ago, A1Str8 said:

Over the years I never got scammed by them once. 

They can only scam those that have a pea brain. 

You have never once had a taxi refuse to use the meter in Thailand ?

Never once had a taxi driver quote a higher than standard fare ?

Never once had repeated taxis in a row refuse the journey ?

 

And how does any of the above make the tourist a ‘pea-brain’ ?

[hotchilli]

10 hours ago, scorecard said:

They've had several years to investigate and fix all of these problems.

Nothing has been fixed, and especially the taxi problems.

Not surprised.

Corruption has always been prevalent in Thailand, it has also been largely accepted as a way of life for most people.

Now it's reached an all time high under this regime who have done nothing to curb it, but reap rewards for themselves.

So from the top down everyone is taking as much as they can while the going is good..

It will as in recent weeks has proved to be the case Thailands ultimate downfall.

 

[Blumpie]

Ah yes... fighting with the locals fresh off a flight.  It's a good indoctrination into Thai life.  Getting scammed.  

High class tourism with shakedowns, scams, and dirty beaches.  

[Artisi]

2 hours ago, Blumpie said:

Ah yes... fighting with the locals fresh off a flight.  It's a good indoctrination into Thai life.  Getting scammed.  

High class tourism with shakedowns, scams, and dirty beaches.  

And that's the better side of it. 

[pomchop]

On 2/3/2023 at 6:41 PM, Sydebolle said:

No meter used:
tell the cabbie to switch on the meter; if not adhered to, wait for the next traffic light and once it flicks to green, get out of the cab and leave the door open - works wonders and you're being blessed with all the nice vocabulary of Khon Thai ............

No change available:
stay in the card and ask the cabbie to look once more again in ashtrays and side compartments of the doors. If still not found, then just wait until the meter has reached the amount you gave him. You would be surprised, how much change can be found all of a sudden! 

Not sure it is a great idea to get out of taxi and leave door open or otherwise do anything to antagonize the driver....better hope your driver is not having a bad day and decides to take his frustrations out on the farang....ask re meter before u get in and if no do not get in....conflicts with taxi drivers by farangs are rarely going to end well for the farang,...

[pomchop]

On 2/3/2023 at 10:05 AM, NanLaew said:

But it's NOT Sydney is it?

 

There's absolutely NO defence for the various government authorities and trade associations continuing to ignore the fact that the Phuket taxis are probably the most egregious and most disproportionate rip off in the whole blighted realm.

Add cruise ship port of laem chabang where a very strong taxi mafia rules with an iron fist and a taxi to Bangkok wants several HUNDRED dollars (can't remember but i think it was $400 usd)...The prices are posted on big signs in US dollars for all to see so it's not exactly a secret gouge. ....it is too far to walk from cruise disembarkation to the road and the mafia does not let any non mafia taxi or even motorcy taxi pick up passengers...as a result a lot of cruise ship passengers are left standing around trying to figure out what to do and many will give up and pay up...not a great impressiom when getting off a cruise ship in the land of smiles..  Been going on forever...no doubt MR BIG who controls it all is well situated with Government officials that control the port and shares a good chunk of baht for their "support".   Story after story posted on cruise sites for years yet it goes on and on and on.  Mr. Big no doubt has some very nice cars/watches/homes and laughs all the way to the bank every time a 3000 passenger ship docks at "his" port.

[Artisi]

2 minutes ago, pomchop said:

Add cruise ship port of laem chabang where a very strong taxi mafia rules with an iron fist and a taxi to Bangkok wants several HUNDRED dollars (can't remember but i think it was $400 usd)...The prices are posted on big signs in US dollars for all to see so it's not exactly a secret gouge. ....it is too far to walk from cruise disembarkation to the road and the mafia does not let any non mafia taxi or even motorcy taxi pick up passengers...as a result a lot of cruise ship passengers are left standing around trying to figure out what to do and many will give up and pay up...not a great impressiom when getting off a cruise ship in the land of smiles..  Been going on forever...no doubt MR BIG who controls it all is well situated with Government officials that control the port and shares a good chunk of baht for their "support".   Story after story posted on cruise sites for years yet it goes on and on and on.  Mr. Big no doubt has some very nice cars/watches/homes and laughs all the way to the bank every time a 3000 passenger ship docks at "his" port.

Couldn't be, the PM was going to stamp out all this sort of thing - guess he's been too busy to get to it so far. 

[pomchop]

10 minutes ago, Artisi said:

Couldn't be, the PM was going to stamp out all this sort of thing - guess he's been too busy to get to it so far. 

maybe they use their earnings to buy a nice 30 day luxury cruise vacation to places that control their ports and not gouge them?

[Blumpie]

1 hour ago, Artisi said:

And that's the better side of it. 

I know.  I know.... ????  

[Blumpie]

1 hour ago, pomchop said:

Not sure it is a great idea to get out of taxi and leave door open or otherwise do anything to antagonize the driver....better hope your driver is not having a bad day and decides to take his frustrations out on the farang....ask re meter before u get in and if no do not get in....conflicts with taxi drivers by farangs are rarely going to end well for the farang,...

That is true.  Don';t antagonize.  I did this - just asked for th meter please, he said no and I said thank you and hopped out.  Then he said he would use the meter.  

Never attempt to get them angry and think that it will end well.  It's the first thing that one should understand going to many asian countries.  

[scorecard]

14 hours ago, Blumpie said:

Ah yes... fighting with the locals fresh off a flight.  It's a good indoctrination into Thai life.  Getting scammed.  

High class tourism with shakedowns, scams, and dirty beaches.  

Fresh off a flight, first time to Thailand. here's an example:

 

- Taxi leaves the swampy airport with passengers. Driver speaks OK English asks 'is this your first trip to Thailand?'  Response 'YES'.

 

Driver shows the card he and passengers received at the airport which mentions 50Baht airport service fee payable to driver on top of meter charges.

 

Driver says 'actually it's a printing mistake, it's really 500Baht on top of meter, not 50Baht.

 

On arrival at hotel driver makes sure luggage out quickly, payment (meter + 500Baht) received quickly and he's gone quickly.

 

 

[scorecard]

2 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Fresh off a flight, first time to Thailand. here's an example:

 

- Taxi leaves the swampy airport with passengers. Driver speaks OK English asks 'is this your first trip to Thailand?'  Response 'YES'.

 

Driver shows the card he and passengers received at the airport which mentions 50Baht airport service fee payable to driver on top of meter charges.

 

Driver says 'actually it's a printing mistake, it's really 500Baht on top of meter, not 50Baht.

 

On arrival at hotel driver makes sure luggage out quickly, payment (meter + 500Baht) received quickly and he's gone quickly.

 

 

Happened to a naive e.mail work colleague / friend from the US. First flight ever, therefore first international flight. Travelling with his US fiancee, equally as naive.  They pay up without questioning the 50/500 item.

Edited February 5, 2023 by scorecard

[Saphan]

On 2/3/2023 at 12:29 PM, Roel said:

Therefore, according to your reasoning, overcharging is acceptable as long as the price is lower compared to the cost back home?

People want consistent prices, dont want to haggle over everything. It is annoying.

[Saphan]

12 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Fresh off a flight, first time to Thailand. here's an example:

 

- Taxi leaves the swampy airport with passengers. Driver speaks OK English asks 'is this your first trip to Thailand?'  Response 'YES'.

 

Driver shows the card he and passengers received at the airport which mentions 50Baht airport service fee payable to driver on top of meter charges.

 

Driver says 'actually it's a printing mistake, it's really 500Baht on top of meter, not 50Baht.

 

On arrival at hotel driver makes sure luggage out quickly, payment (meter + 500Baht) received quickly and he's gone quickly.

 

 

If people believe that they deserve to get ripped off 

[Blumpie]

2 hours ago, Saphan said:

If people believe that they deserve to get ripped off 

Well that's true - Thailand is a rip off asian country, everyone should know that when they book their tickets there.  

[spidermike007]

The taxi unions, or representatives appear to be far stronger than the army, or any of the officials. Reforms are promised, then they go back to their old ways. If only Prayuth were not so weak, feeble and insincere. 

[Saphan]

3 hours ago, Blumpie said:

Well that's true - Thailand is a rip off asian country, everyone should know that when they book their tickets there.  

So why are rooms and meals so cheap? The average Bangkok taxi fare is also very cheap.

 

 

[richard_smith237]

18 hours ago, Saphan said:

22 hours ago, Blumpie said:

Well that's true - Thailand is a rip off asian country, everyone should know that when they book their tickets there.  

So why are rooms and meals so cheap? The average Bangkok taxi fare is also very cheap.

 

 

Would you not agree its a rip off if I get the same room, meal or taxi for much cheaper than you ???

 

Or, would not not agree that its a rip-off if instead of following the legal government rate a taxi driver instead charges you an inflated rate ?

 

 

 

Perhaps because you pay £20 for a 5-10 minute journey in London you think its perfectly acceptable to pay 500 baht for a 5-10 minute journey in Thailand, its still cheaper than London, right ?

 

[Sydebolle]

On 2/5/2023 at 8:34 AM, pomchop said:

Not sure it is a great idea to get out of taxi and leave door open or otherwise do anything to antagonize the driver....better hope your driver is not having a bad day and decides to take his frustrations out on the farang....ask re meter before u get in and if no do not get in....conflicts with taxi drivers by farangs are rarely going to end well for the farang,...

Could not agree more but more than once the driver changed his mind once I was in the cab. Funny enough it never happened to me when the driver was a lady; for me yet another proof of what chauvinist ideas and perceptions rule the dinosaur dungeon! 

[MyFriend You]

On 2/5/2023 at 3:56 AM, scorecard said:

Fresh off a flight, first time to Thailand. here's an example:

 

- Taxi leaves the swampy airport with passengers. Driver speaks OK English asks 'is this your first trip to Thailand?'  Response 'YES'.

 

Driver shows the card he and passengers received at the airport which mentions 50Baht airport service fee payable to driver on top of meter charges.

 

Driver says 'actually it's a printing mistake, it's really 500Baht on top of meter, not 50Baht.

 

On arrival at hotel driver makes sure luggage out quickly, payment (meter + 500Baht) received quickly and he's gone quickly.

 

 

Dozens and dozens of taxi's from Swampy to Hotels over the years, never once happened to me, or anyone else I know..............guess I don't know any first time visitors  to Thailand, and haven''t been told of this by anyone I happened to talk too...........Okay, now come on all the "Just because it never happened to you, doesn't mean it doesn't happen"............. maybe I screw up by speaking Thai to the driver as soon as he shows up.     Peace