Uproar over shameful exploitation by taxi drivers at Muang Thong Thani convention centre

[webfact]

 

Taxi drivers operating at the Muang Thong Thani convention centre during the Thaifex international trade fair have come under heavy criticism on social media for overcharging passengers, rejecting Thai passengers and refusing to use their meters for both Thai and foreign passengers.

 

Some of the drivers have charged up to 5,000 baht for a trip from Muang Thong Thani to the Silom or the Sukhumvit areas.

 

A Thai PBS reporter spoke with Pakpoom, one of those who posted on social media about the actions of the cabbies, who said that a Thai passenger, who tried to hail a taxi to take him from a car park at Muang Thong Thani to the site of the trade fair, a distance of about one kilometre, was asked to pay a 300 baht and the driver refused to use the meter, adding that numerous passengers used the motorcycle taxi service instead.

 

Thai PBS news team went to Muang Thong Thani to investigate and confirmed that the allegations were true. Some cabbies did not switch on the “unoccupied” sign while waiting to pick up foreign passengers, hoping to overcharge them for trips back to the inner city.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/uproar-over-shameful-exploitation-by-taxi-drivers-at-muang-thong-thani-convention-centre/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-05-29

 

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[NemoH]

China syndrome - it started in all the places where the Chinese visit, like Hong Kong and now Bangkok.

Chinese pay lump sum for rides and they negotiate with every taxi man, so all the taxi now expects everyone else to pay lump sum. This happens in Hong Kong every evening after 930pm in the main drinking areas like Central, lan Kwai Fong and also harbour city… 

[sammieuk1]

All sounds normal to me what's all the fuss about ????

[ezzra]

Why do they do it? A. because they can, with no policing and "crackdown" we hear about every day but not where it's needed. B. it is within the nature of Thai service providers to overcharge and price gauging whether be it selling fruits, drinks or taxi fares, been like this foe decades and worse now with the proliferations of supposedly "rich" foreigners into Thailand.

[Classic Ray]

Take photo of licence plate and driver, call taxi bureau and report, or at least say you will and spoil his day.

 

Authorities should deal with this more harshly, have more inspectors and hidden shoppers, and should also raise fares to a living level, they are much too cheap, which is why so many drivers cheat.

 

Or go the whole way and turn them all over to Grab or one of the other ride hailing services. Maybe even have a Govt ride hailing app.

[Nicholas Paul KNIGHT]

The other problem is that these drivers ae probably not socially aware that their actions are hurting the country and what is worse they7 do not care 

[hellohello123]

10 minutes ago, Nicholas Paul KNIGHT said:

The other problem is that these drivers ae probably not socially aware that their actions are hurting the country and what is worse they7 do not care 

Anyone who is willing to do that could not care less,

They are looking out for themselves and themselves only

 

Its just purely greed and selfishness

[StayinThailand2much]

That's why I don't use 'regular' taxis anymore, cause...

 

1. They either want to overcharge you upfront, or cheat you after you're in the cab, announcing to you that they won't use their meter.

2. It is sometimes a pain to get a taxi, cause they don't like longer trips, or only want to go certain routes, don't like it if you have larger bags, etc.

3. They don't speak or understand English (anymore), unlike taxi drivers 10 or 20 years ago.

4. They often don't know how to get to the destination (if it isn't the airport or another landmark)! And a good number don't seem to be able to read properly, and follow GPS instructions.

5. They sometimes use longer routes than necessary, thereby wasting passengers' time and money.

Edited May 28, 2023 by StayinThailand2much

[brucegoniners]

This is my shocked face...

 

Taxi drivers overcharging in Bangkok?

 

Amazing. Just amazing.

 

First time I've ever heard of that happening...

[StayinThailand2much]

27 minutes ago, Classic Ray said:

Take photo of licence plate and driver, call taxi bureau and report, or at least say you will and spoil his day.

 

Authorities should deal with this more harshly (...)

I've been observing the problems, and the measures suggested and taken by authorities over the past 25 years, and it has only gotten worse and worse...

 

Yes, there are 'honest' taxi drivers who just do their job, but, generally, using a taxi in Bangkok (not to mention other places) has become more and more a nuisance...

[Bangkok Barry]

The penalty for not using meters or overcharging passengers is a fine not exceeding 2,000 baht.

 

That's okay then, still a 3000 baht profit for them. Not that anyone ever fines them anyway.

 

The main problem is that when the exhibition centre was built it was provided with no public transport access at all, apart from a local bus route, Only Thailand could build a 10,000 seat arena with no way to get to it except by road and taxi. (I guess though that many sports arenas in the USA are the same, but they don't have gouging taxi drivers who are out of control?) Only now, decades later, are they fixing that little problem.

As for calling the taxi complaints number, I once did. They told me to call the tourist police. I did. They told me to call the taxi complaints number.

[smedly]

did they ship them in from Phuket lol

[scorecard]

34 minutes ago, Classic Ray said:

 

Use BOLT taxi service, app is super easy to use, a little cheaper than GRAB.

 

Bolt has options of car with full taxi branding, motorcycle or 'econo' car, meaning basic car in good condition and very clean, no taxi branding. I use 'Econo' car, about 10 to 15 Baht cheaper than branded taxi. 

 

One item: BOLT curently only accept cash, soon to be changed to have QR code etc. Drivers always have change.

 

Can add extra details of location of pick up in English, their app automatically/immediately changes your message to Thai for the driver. 

 

App shows where the car is all the time. 

 

BOLT driver's courteous and focused.

Edited May 28, 2023 by scorecard

[bignok]

32 minutes ago, Classic Ray said:

and should also raise fares to a living level, they are much too cheap

They were raised but still low. I just use Bolt or Grab.

[h90]

29 minutes ago, Nicholas Paul KNIGHT said:

The other problem is that these drivers ae probably not socially aware that their actions are hurting the country and what is worse they7 do not care 

If I can make a quick 5000 Baht I would not care if it hurts the country

[smedly]

1 hour ago, NemoH said:

China syndrome

how about rip off syndrome - hardly eclusive in Thailand is it ?

[iaminwa]

1 hour ago, NemoH said:

China syndrome - it started in all the places where the Chinese visit, like Hong Kong and now Bangkok.

Chinese pay lump sum for rides and they negotiate with every taxi man, so all the taxi now expects everyone else to pay lump sum. This happens in Hong Kong every evening after 930pm in the main drinking areas like Central, lan Kwai Fong and also harbour city… 

Rubbish, taxi drivers have been doing this for the past 20 years I have lived in Thailand. I just don't use them. Nothing to report here, move on.

 

[StayinThailand2much]

4 minutes ago, brucegoniners said:

This is my shocked face...

 

Taxi drivers overcharging in Bangkok?

 

Amazing. Just amazing.

 

First time I've ever heard of that happening...

Nothing new, but charging 4,000 or 5,000 baht must be from the playbook of the Phuket taxi m̶a̶f̶i̶a̶ organisation...

[quake]

Good to see the country getting back to normal then.

TIT.

[smedly]

6 minutes ago, h90 said:

If I can make a quick 5000 Baht I would not care if it hurts the country

don't know were to begin with a reply to that - how is this     ............

 

you are everything that is wrong in this country and every day every post is just solidifying that position, how about putting your time to better use instead of posting on here 24/7........................go get a ## job

[richard_smith237]

I’m waiting for all the ‘never happened to me’ responses !!!.... 

 

While Bankokians are lucky with the ease of use and availability of taxi’s in Bangkok compared to areas like Pattaya, Samui, Phuket etc... its still a incredibly annoying system where so many times trying to get an honest flag-fall taxi seems like an impossibility. 

 

Some people suggest you don’t need a car in Bangkok.... I argue that one of the reasons we have a car is so that we are not exposed to cheating liars on a daily basis - it makes life less stressful !!!.. 

 

That said: The prices of Grab taxi’s seems to be getting higher and higher and its just difficult to get hold of any BOLT rides.

 

Bring back UBER, bring back competition.... and just sack off all the Police anyway - their apathy to apply any effective policing is an utter blight on the country... 

[quake]

It's never happened to me before.   

 

 

Edited May 29, 2023 by quake

[scorecard]

19 minutes ago, bignok said:

They were raised but still low. I just use Bolt or Grab.

BOLT every time fo me.

[bignok]

1 minute ago, scorecard said:

BOLT every time fo me.

Bolt isnt everywhere.

[David Whitemore]

Taxi drivers in Thailand have always ripped farangs off and they won't stop

[ChipButty]

25 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Use BOLT taxi service, app is super easy to use, a little cheaper than GRAB.

 

Bolt has options of car with full taxi branding, motorcycle or 'econo' car, meaning basic car in good condition and very clean, no taxi branding. I use 'Econo' car, about 10 to 15 Baht cheaper than branded taxi. 

 

One item: BOLT curently only accept cash, soon to be changed to have QR code etc. Drivers always have change.

 

Can add extra details of location of pick up in English, their app automatically/immediately changes your message to Thai for the driver. 

 

App shows where the car is all the time. 

 

BOLT driver's courteous and focused.

I will agree with you here in Phuket BOLT have been superb, I had family here who were staying in Karon and I live in Rawai so I have used a few times and all decent cars, one day was a brand new MG SUV, then another day was a Fortuna, 

Taxi's from the hotel where my daughter was staying wanted 450 Baht, That was 200 baht more than BOLT, 

The hotels are just as bad, for an airport drop off they wanted 2000 Baht normally a 1000 baht 

[David Whitemore]

Only way to make them pay, use  private companies like grab or similar

[ChipButty]

2 minutes ago, David Whitemore said:

Taxi drivers in Thailand have always ripped farangs off and they won't stop

Thai's also if they can, We were in BKK one night with my wife and here friend, it wasn't late we could not get a taxi, about the 5th one would take us, 

[richard_smith237]

3 minutes ago, David Whitemore said:

Taxi drivers in Thailand have always ripped farangs off and they won't stop

Not just farangs... They’ll rip off everyone and anyone wherever there is an opportunity. 

 

We were ‘between cars’ for a couple of weeks...  Wife had a horrible time doing the school run with taxi’s wanting to over charge or simply just refusing to go. 

Grab was better in the mornings... But upon return there were never any Grabs available and taxi after taxi simply refused the journey, this was at 2pm in the afternoon.

 

When needing to regularly rely on taxi’s it quickly becomes apparent that they are not reliable. 

 

I ’try’ to get a taxi every week when I go to play football....  I don't want to ride by like as I’ll be having a few beers afterwards...  getting a Grab or Bolt is impossible at 6pm.....  most of the time the Wife ends up dropping me off.....  attempting to rely on Taxi’s has just become downright inconvenient at times. 

 

[thailand49]

So now the cat is out of bag what is going t be done ? 

NOTHING!????