Phuket Taxi Drivers Asked to be More Polite to Tourists Following Viral Incident

[Rig Pig]

The police asking the taxi drivers to be polite?!? Somehow reminds me of an old saying, "the pot calling the kettle black". 

[scorecard]

49 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

I wouldn't say all around Thailand, Phuket yes

Plenty of taxi app services in Chiang Mai, Incluuding BOLT, good service, fair rates.

 

We've had taxis with meters for quite a few years but 90% of the drivers refused to use the meters.

 

Now, with GRAB, BOLT and more apps, the public ignore the taxis with meters, but some now work for GRAB and BOLT because they now got ignored

 

Previously Taxi with meter my house to BIG C, 200+Baht. (Not by meter, drivers refuse to use meter, the drivers just demand a fare they think they are 'entitled' to.)

Now, GRAB, BOLT unmarked car around 50Baht.

Big difference.

And I find GRAB and BOLT drivers always polite and courteous.

 

And on he BOLT app customer can add more pick up details, in English. e.g. 'Old farang short white hair black shopping bag'. Submit and the BOLT app converts the message to Thai language then sends to driver. Works well. 

[bradiston]

3 hours ago, waders123 said:

If only the government would set a reasonable flat rate to and from the airport in Phuket and enforce it with a strong conviction, then you might be able to get this mafia taxi out of Phuket or at least reduce them.   Meters are great but it is harder to enforce them.  A flat rate with BIG signs everywhere stating the rates, (including on the taxi itself), then there would be less price gouging.   But after this "asking" to be nice business they will go back to their usual monkey business and continue gouging their customers.

The same happens at Trad airport, probably one of the smallest in the country, yet the orange taxis charge 500 a head to the piers/ferries to get to the islands, 20 minutes away. Reported to TAT. Oh, it's the Department of Land Transport's problem, not ours.

[Marco51]

4 hours ago, hellohello123 said:

"Im terribly sorry but the meter is not working due to technical difficulties, would you kindly accept 1500 baht for this 3 minute trip, and have a nice day"

20 years ago my daughter came for a visit and stopped in Phuket for a week to get some beach. She would never ever again travel to Phuket (or Samui, which is very similar in other aspects) . She cannot ride Motorcycle and a large part of her budget went up in exhaust fumes for red taxis charging 1to200 Baht per trip for the short trips from Hotel to beach or restaurant or in to Patong. Apart from all the other liberations of her hard earned Euros. The last time I had been in Phuket, around 35 plus years ago, it was a beautiful, friendly, a little backward island, price for a bungalow 2 km from Patong 500 Baht and empty beaches, friendly islanders,  and only the beginnings of "investors". Ah yes, only a splatter of low class Europeans (although quite a few had run from their local plod and found Pattaya too competitive already) , no Russians on Vodka , running from Putain and definitely no evil empire C's trying to take over both the air bnb and the illegal businesses .

[Chongalulu]

27 minutes ago, Gknrd said:

1 hour ago, nchuckle said:

suggest that should be the minimum expectation in either venue. ????

Thailand the women are easy and a dime a dozen, Mexico much harder and not as petite. Depends what you want. Mexican women are verrrry passionate compared to Thai women. What do you think of that Nchuckie

I think the humour (like coitus interruptus) went right over your head...

[bignok]

4 hours ago, Henkjan2 said:

Bolt in Phuket.  Very good to know !!!

Cheapest option. Bolt is in Phuket, Bangkok, CM and Pattaya. Use Grab elsewhere. Avoid taxis.

[cracker1]

That will fix the problem !

[Skipalongcassidy]

2 hours ago, Gknrd said:

Yeah, I am fixing to head to Mexico. Definitely much more expensive than Thailand. And the women are not all that. But, you can breathe and the beaches and general scenery puts Thailand to shame. But, I hear ya..

But, Cancun and the Mexican Riviera are high end. And way over priced. Problem is most folks don't have transportation in Mexico. I drive down and bypass the tourist areas. But, again the women suck compared to Thailand.

And the cartels are so nice when they shoot up a place...

[Deez]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

asked by officials to be more polite

That should work

[ChipButty]

27 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Plenty of taxi app services in Chiang Mai, Incluuding BOLT, good service, fair rates.

 

We've had taxis with meters for quite a few years but 90% of the drivers refused to use the meters.

 

Now, with GRAB, BOLT and more apps, the public ignore the taxis with meters, but some now work for GRAB and BOLT because they now got ignored

 

Previously Taxi with meter my house to BIG C, 200+Baht. (Not by meter, drivers refuse to use meter, the drivers just demand a fare they think they are 'entitled' to.)

Now, GRAB, BOLT unmarked car around 50Baht.

Big difference.

And I find GRAB and BOLT drivers always polite and courteous.

 

And on he BOLT app customer can add more pick up details, in English. e.g. 'Old farang short white hair black shopping bag'. Submit and the BOLT app converts the message to Thai language then sends to driver. Works well. 

I had to use Bolt a few times a couple of weeks ago, they were spot on decent cars and for me was on time, one thing I liked about the app it would message you saying the driver is 2 minutes away, 

[save the frogs]

3 hours ago, MrJ2U said:

I was there.  Incredibly overpriced.

 

I'm happy in Asia and prefer petite Asian ladies.

 

Mexico is definitely not my cup of tea. 

how did this post end up here?

i posted this in the Mexico thread. 

[Fat is a type of crazy]

Had my first taxi in Phuket in 10 years a couple of weeks ago. He continuously talked about his lack of jobs, his baby, showing me pictures and straight out asking for a tip. Asked 3 or 4 times during the trip. Late at night and he took strange back roads too which made it feel a tad potentially menacing.  At the end I gave him a tip - don't be so pushy about a tip and you might get a tip. 

[tomazbodner]

Do you think it's time to put taxi drivers in Phuket on yellow/red card scheme, with permanent license revocation and a month in a slammer for 2 yellow or 1 red card?

[brucegoniners]

I'm laughing. When I lived in Bangkok the taxis were rude as f&*k.

 

Maybe we should make this nationwide!

[Scouse123]

4 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Been here a while and works good, 

But not at the pier it seems!

[richard_smith237]

8 minutes ago, tomazbodner said:

Do you think it's time to put taxi drivers in Phuket on yellow/red card scheme, with permanent license revocation and a month in a slammer for 2 yellow or 1 red card?

A month in the slammer for ‘over charging some tourists’ ???... a bit excessive...

It seems so many people on these forums want people jailed for minor offensives...  the same folk want foreigners deported for tripping up...  Be realistic !!!

 

That said: What’s good for the goose is good for the Gander and IF Thailand wants to promote the highlight juvenile Red card / Yellow card system, then do so for all concerned (as it is doing - according to recent reports).

 

BUT... has anyone ever tried to use one of the DLT complain lines / Apps ???

One was set up a few years ago... IF you had a complaint with a taxi you could snap a photo, upload it, and list your complaint !!!...

 

... Hailed as forward thinking at the time... a great idea... except in true Thai fashion there were fundamental flaws which made any reporting of a complain impossible....

- Firstly the App it was all in Thai - thus Tourists could not make a complaint.

- Secondly the Photo upload feature did not work at all. 

- As expected, the App died-off within months.

 

The ONLY recourse with this people is when an issue draws sufficient social media attention drawing significant embarrassment that officials announce some sort of action. 

 

It seems the ONLY method to achieve any form of response in Thailand is to rely on social media while walking the thin line of Thailands defamation laws. 

 

 

The apathy of Thailand’s officials to effectively deal with these issues enables continued behaviour. 

Dogs is another issue as is road safety.

 

 

 

 

[soalbundy]

4 hours ago, waders123 said:

If only the government would set a reasonable flat rate to and from the airport in Phuket and enforce it with a strong conviction, then you might be able to get this mafia taxi out of Phuket or at least reduce them.   Meters are great but it is harder to enforce them.  A flat rate with BIG signs everywhere stating the rates, (including on the taxi itself), then there would be less price gouging.   But after this "asking" to be nice business they will go back to their usual monkey business and continue gouging their customers.

Like asking a vampire to eat cornflakes instead of blood. Having said that, the few times I have been to Bangkok the taxi drivers have never been a problem, always switched on their meters. Once a taxi driver wanted to refuse a ride to the main railway station because he didn't want to get in the queue but was ok when I said drop me off outside the station. Speaking Thai probably helps. Many taxi drivers seem to be from Isaan, On one occasion I was driven by one from my own village who I didn't know since he lived in Bangkok.

[ChipButty]

37 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

But not at the pier it seems!

Not at the airport also, you have to walk outside, 

[Almer]

6 hours ago, tandor said:

ORDERED to be more polite...would be more appropriate

Agreed

[Almer]

58 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

A month in the slammer for ‘over charging some tourists’ ???... a bit excessive...

It seems so many people on these forums want people jailed for minor offensives...  the same folk want foreigners deported for tripping up...  Be realistic !!!

 

That said: What’s good for the goose is good for the Gander and IF Thailand wants to promote the highlight juvenile Red card / Yellow card system, then do so for all concerned (as it is doing - according to recent reports).

 

BUT... has anyone ever tried to use one of the DLT complain lines / Apps ???

One was set up a few years ago... IF you had a complaint with a taxi you could snap a photo, upload it, and list your complaint !!!...

 

... Hailed as forward thinking at the time... a great idea... except in true Thai fashion there were fundamental flaws which made any reporting of a complain impossible....

- Firstly the App it was all in Thai - thus Tourists could not make a complaint.

- Secondly the Photo upload feature did not work at all. 

- As expected, the App died-off within months.

 

The ONLY recourse with this people is when an issue draws sufficient social media attention drawing significant embarrassment that officials announce some sort of action. 

 

It seems the ONLY method to achieve any form of response in Thailand is to rely on social media while walking the thin line of Thailands defamation laws. 

 

 

The apathy of Thailand’s officials to effectively deal with these issues enables continued behaviour. 

Dogs is another issue as is road safety.

 

 

 

 

I'm my Issan town I have no sympathy for the local taxis, ring the office, sorry busy, be there in 30 minutes never turns up ring to complain hang up on you. 

Thank goodness for GRAB

[MrJ2U]

4 hours ago, Gknrd said:

Yeah, I am fixing to head to Mexico. Definitely much more expensive than Thailand. And the women are not all that. But, you can breathe and the beaches and general scenery puts Thailand to shame. But, I hear ya..

But, Cancun and the Mexican Riviera are high end. And way over priced. Problem is most folks don't have transportation in Mexico. I drive down and bypass the tourist areas. But, again the women suck compared to Thailand.

Sounds fun.

 

With your own transportation and plenty of cool beach towns you'll never want to leave. 

[Sydebolle]

They violate their very reason for having been granted a "license" to operate a cab. Revoke the license for good, confiscate their driving license for a cab and ensure a juicy fine. 
After 10 - 20 indictments I am sure that the message will get across. All that pussyfooting around the semi-divine Khon Thai has to stop, in the interest of Thailand and its people (of which the visiting tourists can only benefit as well). 

[bristolgeoff]

Be polite to the farang and then rip them off with the cab fare and drive off after dropping them 

[cnx101]

First report I’ve read today, I wonder if the next ones can be any funnier 

[spidermike007]

It is like asking a bear to not maul a tourist. 

 

It is like asking Sean Penn to be nice and funny. 

 

It is like asking an immigration agent here to be fun and humorous. 

 

It just won't happen. 

[geisha]

6 hours ago, Dan O said:

Love how they claim it was not a serious situation only a verbal argument. I can guarantee the lady it happen to was frightened beyo d belief at a gang of thugs yelling and screaming and making her get out of the van and take her luggage out of the van and walk. They should fineall the taxi drivers involved but they won't. It's just a misunderstandingso it's OK. TiT

I was in Kata beach when  the taxi drivers outside the hotel resort opposite attacked a foreign tourist with bars and sticks. They beat him up ! All because the tourist parked his hire car unknowing claimed by taxis on the road leading to the beach where all the many taxis are. He would not have known they were taxis, they’re not marked and there are no signs ! His wife and children screaming and crying looking on as this happened. There were many witnesses. I believe nothing was done.  That’s when I left Phuket. 

[Dan O]

14 minutes ago, geisha said:

I was in Kata beach when  the taxi drivers outside the hotel resort opposite attacked a foreign tourist with bars and sticks. They beat him up ! All because the tourist parked his hire car unknowing claimed by taxis on the road leading to the beach where all the many taxis are. He would not have known they were taxis, they’re not marked and there are no signs ! His wife and children screaming and crying looking on as this happened. There were many witnesses. I believe nothing was done.  That’s when I left Phuket. 

Exactly my point. They act without regard and no much of anything ever happens to them because "it was just a misunderstanding". 

[richard_smith237]

24 minutes ago, geisha said:

I was in Kata beach when  the taxi drivers outside the hotel resort opposite attacked a foreign tourist with bars and sticks. They beat him up ! All because the tourist parked his hire car unknowing claimed by taxis on the road leading to the beach where all the many taxis are. He would not have known they were taxis, they’re not marked and there are no signs ! His wife and children screaming and crying looking on as this happened. There were many witnesses. I believe nothing was done.  That’s when I left Phuket. 

In the news a number years back (and reported on this forum)...  A lady was was not permitted access to a Rawai hotel and was blocked by aggressive taxi drivers banging on her car window. They wanted the friend she was supposed to be picking up to use their taxi service instead. 

 

It turns out the lady in question was the Irish Honorary Council in Phuket

The response of the governor was "call me if it happens again” !!!!....   what a lazy useless sack of... 

 

The Swiss Honorary Council in Phuket, also spoke up and highlighted that this was not an uncommon issue.

 

These thugs have been out of hand for decades....  Thai authorities are overwhelmingly corrupt and underwhelmingly effective at their jobs - effectively authorities enable this exact behaviour. 

 

 

 

 

https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-honorary-consul-tells-of-threatening-taxi-driver-tales-43094.php

 

Edited June 6, 2023 by richard_smith237

[moonraker1]

I am sure that they will comply if asked nicely?!!

[ChipButty]

Over the years I have know of many incidents and bad attitude from taxi drivers, one couple want to get from the airport to Yanui beach but the driver took them to Nai Harn beach and dropped them there and said you get taxi from here, 

I think it's time to set up a Hotline for tourist to call and complain,

 

Edited June 6, 2023 by ChipButty