Bangkok airport taxi scammers

[dj230]

Lived in bangkok for 2 years and never had an issue with taxis, until today 

 

I always used grab or just got in a taxi and get the meter, but today flew back from Malaysia to Don Mueang Airport and hopped in a taxi, he asked me for 500 baht and said he wouldn’t use the meter, told him no way and he dropped me off 

 

He was pretty nice about it, all things considering. I said I lived here for a while now and can just call grab, he said it would take an hour 

 

As I got out his taxi another taxi driver approached me and said if i need a taxi, I asked yes but will you use the meter he said oh never mind it’s ok just call grab. 
 

 

[JimTripper]

Did the 500 include tollway fees or not?

[dj230]

31 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

Did the 500 include tollway fees or not?

On grab it was 180 baht , I guess I should have mentioned that 

 

I’m assuming it would have included toll fees but I guess we’ll never find out 

[JimTripper]

18 minutes ago, dj230 said:

On grab it was 180 baht , I guess I should have mentioned that 

 

I’m assuming it would have included toll fees but I guess we’ll never find out 

I did a 500 baht from bkk to downtown, no meter. Made sense at the time. I agreed with taking the tollway and he paid two tolls. It came out to about 300 for the fare plus tolls. Plus or minus a few baht (was not interested in wringing every few baht out of the guy).

 

I assumed he had some other back door incentive to not use the meter. It’s probably just easier to use the meter.

[Polar Bear]

Was this an official taxi allocated through their system? I.e., you went through the waiting area, got a ticket, and got assigned a driver by the desk? I've used the airport taxis at Don Mueang many times, and they've always used the meter. I'd have gone back to the desk and asked for another taxi in this case. (When they assign you a taxi, they are always very clear that the fare will be the meter + 50 THB airport fee + any tolls. They have a card with it printed out in multiple languages.)
 

[TheAppletons]

I flew into DMK yesterday from Malaysia (with checked luggage and a carry-on).  

 

A2 bus from DMK was 30 THB and the transfer to BTS at Mo Chit was 50 THB to my hotel.  

 

No scams involved.

[drgoon]

Airport link 45 baht, transfer at Phaya Tai. Cheap and easy.

If I need to use a cab then 500 baht isn't really an issue. In my home town I would pay 4 or 5 times that. 

[buick]

17 hours ago, dj230 said:

I always used grab or just got in a taxi and get the meter, but today flew back from Malaysia to Don Mueang Airport and hopped in a taxi, he asked me for 500 baht and said he wouldn’t use the meter, told him no way and he dropped me off 

what part of bkk were you headed to and what time of day ?  maybe the driver wanted to avoid going there ?  i've never had an issue with the DMK taxi's.  just get the ticket, get in the taxi, and always the meter.  i'm always at the domestic terminal though, maybe international area is different.

[Snugs08]

16 hours ago, TheAppletons said:

I flew into DMK yesterday from Malaysia (with checked luggage and a carry-on).  

 

A2 bus from DMK was 30 THB and the transfer to BTS at Mo Chit was 50 THB to my hotel.  

 

No scams involved.

Can be busy to point of being impractical, if I just missed it, I used to walk through to international and get it from there.. as it picks up there first, but yeah it's a good option if you are  near the BTS and want to save money

[Lemsta69]

17 hours ago, dj230 said:

Lived in bangkok for 2 years and never had an issue with taxis, until today 

Do you go out much, especially late at night and to popular areas? If so then you've been really lucky to have never encountered a taxi driver who won't use the meter. 

[alex8912]

2 hours ago, Lemsta69 said:

Do you go out much, especially late at night and to popular areas? If so then you've been really lucky to have never encountered a taxi driver who won't use the meter. 

I just walk a block from a busy area at night and dont ever use a waiting taxi.  They always use meter no problem. 

[NoshowJones]

20 hours ago, JimTripper said:

Did the 500 include tollway fees or not?

The OP doesn't say where he wanted to go in the taxi.

[Eaglekott]

At Suvarnabhumi use the official terminals to get a Taxi, no scams, you yet a ticket with license plate of the taxi in case you have problem, meeter + 50 Baht and some extra if your bag is very big.

[Lemsta69]

2 minutes ago, Eaglekott said:

At Suvarnabhumi use the official terminals to get a Taxi, no scams, you yet a ticket with license plate of the taxi in case you have problem, meeter + 50 Baht and some extra if your bag is very big.

OP used DMK not BKK.

[Eaglekott]

21 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

OP used DMK not BKK.

Yes I know, I that is why I clearly stated Suvarnabhumi, can be a tip for someone that try to pick taxi on none official taxi stand. IMHO they should to something similar at Don Mueang.

[Lemsta69]

1 minute ago, Eaglekott said:

IMHO they should to something similar at Don Mueang.

Where's the fun in that? ????

[JimTripper]

35 minutes ago, Eaglekott said:

At Suvarnabhumi use the official terminals to get a Taxi, no scams, you yet a ticket with license plate of the taxi in case you have problem, meeter + 50 Baht and some extra if your bag is very big.

When I do that the taxi guy is always waiting at the ticket booth. The ticket is handed to the taxi guy from the desk clerk.

[marin]

16 minutes ago, Eaglekott said:

IMHO they should to something similar at Don Mueang.

They did over 10 years ago.

[DrJack54]

20 hours ago, Polar Bear said:

Was this an official taxi allocated through their system? I.e., you went through the waiting area, got a ticket, and got assigned a driver by the desk? I've used the airport taxis at Don Mueang many times, and they've always used the meter. I'd have gone back to the desk and asked for another taxi in this case. (When they assign you a taxi, they are always very clear that the fare will be the meter + 50 THB airport fee + any tolls. They have a card with it printed out in multiple languages.)
 

Spot on post.

The OP flew into DMK which has an excellent allocated taxi system.

That is meter taxi's.

BKK the same.  

[Polar Bear]

1 hour ago, Eaglekott said:

Yes I know, I that is why I clearly stated Suvarnabhumi, can be a tip for someone that try to pick taxi on none official taxi stand. IMHO they should to something similar at Don Mueang.

They do, except you get given the ticket by a person sat at a desk, not a machine.

[AustinRacing]

Surely he must’ve tried to circumvent the waiting at the official taxi rank by hailing one not in the rank. In that case I have no sympathy for him. 

[Lemsta69]

16 minutes ago, Polar Bear said:

They do, except you get given the ticket by a person sat at a desk, not a machine.

thanks for letting me know. so sounds like maybe the OP bypassed the official queue and took his chances with randoms.

[richard_smith237]

6 hours ago, drgoon said:

Airport link 45 baht, transfer at Phaya Tai. Cheap and easy.

If I need to use a cab then 500 baht isn't really an issue. In my home town I would pay 4 or 5 times that. 

This is the same as those inane responses complaining abut the price of a car here - do guys alway need to be reminded that at they are ’not in Kansas anymore’ ??????? ( a common used response to those who completely miss the point of a thread ).... 

 

In my home town I pay £250 for a taxi back home...  In Bangkok a the taxi’s are charging 500B

Thats 20x less...  the difference is the distances are longer, the vehicles are better, the driver is safer.... and its a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT Country !!!.....      ITs all irrelevant what happens elsewhere. 

 

A Taxi from DM into town probably included 80 bat in tolls... and about 280 to 320 baht on the meter. 

 

Anything else is the driver trying to pocket extra - which is fair enough IF the driver is running a private taxi and that is his quoted fair upon booking. 

 

BUT, a tourist arriving at the airport is expecting to pay the legal metered fee, the face a rip-off at the very first step upon entering Thailand potentially setting the tone for the rest of their vacation. 

 

------

 

Then, with the official Taxi’s....  some, the rear seatbelt doesn't work...  other’s want to take the 50b receipt (so you have no recurse for complaint if they’ve take that slip)...  entitles and Thainess slip through the gaps very quickly and it sends to a substandard service. 

 

I’ve had friends who have drivers fall as sleep and found the cars drifting lanes, pr drivers who want to stop off at the rest room (bathroom break), or need fuel etc....  

I dont want to watching every exit just incase the driver pulls off at the last second without warning thus embedding us into a 30-60m packet of gridlock traffic when we could have circumnavigated it on the toll way. 

 

-

 

No - it costs more - But is AOT limo all the way from me (its 1200 baht) but 99 % of potential issues are avoided...  you get the quickest route and just swtich off...

 

 

[richard_smith237]

On 3/30/2023 at 9:24 AM, dj230 said:

Lived in bangkok for 2 years and never had an issue with taxis, until today 

Thats surprising...    I guess it depends where you are though, for the most part, I’m surprised when I get and there is no some sort of hassle ranging from seatbelt not working, to drivers being disgusting creatures, to brakes or part of the car sounding like its about ti fall apart.... and then there’s the actual refusals etc such as below... 

 

Depending on the area, at most times of day... with strong predictability drivers will:

 

1) Just quote a flat fare (I get back out)

 

2) Pull up (doors locked) and open the window (I won’t even talk with them)

 

3) Pull Op, I open he door and ask (they say cannot)

 

4) Pull up, I get in, they drive off, refuse the meter, I tell them to stop and get out. 

 

5) Pull up, I get, state my direction, try to go a different direction, I have to demand they go in my direction (I’ve been here over 20 years and often know better than them).

 

6) Pull up, I get in, state my direction, driver clearly understands, asks me which route I want to take, and takes it, confirms before taking the exit I want... get to our direction without hassle, driver gets a nice tip. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Eaglekott]

5 hours ago, JimTripper said:

When I do that the taxi guy is always waiting at the ticket booth. The ticket is handed to the taxi guy from the desk clerk.

Last 3 times the driver has been waiting inside their car and go out when they see you approaching it. And I pick the ticket from the ticketing machine by my self. At least at Suvarnabhumi, was so many years ago I flew to DMK so I do not remember.

[dj230]

On 3/31/2023 at 6:22 AM, drgoon said:

Airport link 45 baht, transfer at Phaya Tai. Cheap and easy.

If I need to use a cab then 500 baht isn't really an issue. In my home town I would pay 4 or 5 times that. 

Let me know next time you need a taxi ???? I will drive you a few km for 500 baht any day!

[dj230]

On 3/30/2023 at 2:23 PM, Polar Bear said:

Was this an official taxi allocated through their system? I.e., you went through the waiting area, got a ticket, and got assigned a driver by the desk? I've used the airport taxis at Don Mueang many times, and they've always used the meter. I'd have gone back to the desk and asked for another taxi in this case. (When they assign you a taxi, they are always very clear that the fare will be the meter + 50 THB airport fee + any tolls. They have a card with it printed out in multiple languages.)
 

No it wasn’t, 

 

you’re right actually, there was a taxi system there but I didn’t use it, I just walked out the airport and a taxi driver flagged me down 

 

 

[dj230]

On 3/31/2023 at 6:57 AM, Lemsta69 said:

Do you go out much, especially late at night and to popular areas? If so then you've been really lucky to have never encountered a taxi driver who won't use the meter. 

Not really a night life person but I go out a lot, at least 4-5x a week (sometimes everyday) I’ll use taxis to and from a location, I rarely take public transit because taxis are so cheap here. I lived in pleonchit for 1 year and rangsit for another year and never had an issue

they’ve always used the meter

 

i usually go to malls though, siam paragon, central embassy, central world, future park rangsit, 

[drgoon]

On 4/1/2023 at 10:12 PM, dj230 said:

Let me know next time you need a taxi ???? I will drive you a few km for 500 baht any day!

The comment was with regard to the airport taxis. Most of my trips using those are between 30 - 40 minutes.

[jerrymahoney]

BKK has a revolving gate on the 4th/Departure floor so no one can walk out and flag a taxi that has just dropped off passengers.