American TikToker condemns Bangkok taxi driver for trying to rip him off

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

2 hours ago, Nickcage49 said:

BREAKING NEWS!!!!!

 

That's not even news. Happens literally hundreds of times a day in Bangkok, lol

Yes, and it's against the law, a law the police are supposed to enforce, but rarely do.

 

Your comment suggests just how broadly the law is flouted by taxi drivers in BKK, and how little the police do about it.

 

[impulse]

Quick tip for any TikTok'ers wanting a video of a cheating taxi driver for their Bangkok holiday feed...

 

Approach a stationary taxi, especially one sitting in a queue in front of a touristy hotel.  

 

I rarely had a problem flagging down a moving taxi.  Rarely found a stationary taxi who wanted to turn on the meter.  Almost never in front of tourist hotels.  I get the sense that they pay the hotel bellhops or security for permission to be in the queue, but that may not be true.

 

 

[JimTripper]

Brilliant video. Defaced (I mean defamation ????????‍♂️).

[actonion]

I  thought these  drivers were so honest  being that they return Hundreds of Thousands Baht left on their back seats  so often !!!

[freeworld]

Informing the taxi driver he will be on TIK TOK, as if that will change his mind. Just move on to the next taxi.

[Jonsin]

On 9/25/2023 at 4:53 PM, Lorry said:

I was going to add to my post "except stopping swimming"

 

[Ludzilla]

This vlogger must be making half million usd/year and still manages to make money publishing a vid exposing someone that is probably less greedy than he is. Hopefully he will be arrested and deported.

[paulbrow]

5 hours ago, dpeti73 said:

The driver not fraud this idiot social media jerk. It was a clear statement 300B like or walk away.

I guess you like paying twice the price. Metered taxis are supposed to use the meter by law.

[thecyclist]

5 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Is there any need to cause such a song and dance? get the next one you clown, we all kow how it works in BKK 

Not, if you want to be a Tiktok star and influencer. 

 

[Jackbenimble]

6 hours ago, dsj said:

I once took a taxi from Sukhumivt Soi 11 to 22 and the first taxi said no meter, so I took the taxi right behind him and followed him all the way to Soi 22 with nobody in his taxi.

 

No you didn't.

[Jackbenimble]

34 minutes ago, paulbrow said:

I guess you like paying twice the price. Metered taxis are supposed to use the meter by law.

his price is the opening gambit in a negotiation. You either counter or you walk away........it isn't complicated and it isn't a scam. Just say No Thanks. It's a standard element of business and the driver isn't there in his spare time - he's working!!! This TikTok BS is just this generations attempt at being famous..........or infamous. Pathetic. 

[kwak250]

If you ask for meter they say yes ok.

 

When you start going you still need to remind him because if you forget he will not always put it on.

 

Once we took a taxi and it was about 110 baht.

When we got out he said 200 baht and I said it's 110 baht but wife paid and didn't get change .

He just drove off .

Not worth getting 10 of his friends to jump on your head but annoying as fu7k.

I tend to avoid Bangkok unless I have to go.

 

[SbuxPlease]

In the beginning of my Thailand life I was a bit like this TikTokker. This problem annoyed me in ways that is impolite to say.

• "But it's the law to use the meter!"
• "He should get in trouble for this, he HAS to use the meter and can't decline my ride!"
• "I'm going to complain! This kind of scam hurts tourism and hurts the country. Somebody should take action against this ScAmmEr!!1!"

Finally, two crucial "aha" moments hit me and I've been chill about it ever since:

 

1) Many of these taxi drivers and service workers are, using the kindest words I can muster, not yet educated and appear to operate with what we would consider to be "13 year old brain" in my home country. You just cannot expect any more from someone who's coming from this position and that's why they only make a few bucks an hour on their best days.

 

2) It's just $10. I'll blow that amount on my first drink at the bar when I get there. I have serious things to stress about in my life, and this just ain't worth the heartache. I get to choose what I allow to bother me and what I don't, and that choice directly impacts my happiness.

 

I appreciate that some people will say "no s**t sherlock" about my aha moment, but I'd like to think that I came here to grow and learn, and that's what I'm trying to do.

[Liverpool Lou]

9 hours ago, still kicking said:

I often wonder why they call them taxi meters they never use their meters 

The majority of them do use the meters, that's why.

[Digitalbanana]

Whats wrong with SM today. Some idiot taunts a taxi driver with a mobile phone camera and there are pages and pages of discussions about it the world over. I haven't even bothered watching the video!

[Liverpool Lou]

7 hours ago, HappyExpat57 said:

Can't this kid get nailed for defamation?

Kid?

[CecilM]

3 hours ago, bob smith said:

wrong.

How could I be wrong when I am quoting from my experience with countless taxi rides?

Like I said, experiences may vary at tourist traps or night life districts. (Maybe you tend to only frequent those?) 

[Liverpool Lou]

7 hours ago, USNret said:

7 hours ago, HappyExpat57 said:

Can't this kid get nailed for defamation?

Yes

No.

[Liverpool Lou]

6 hours ago, dallen52 said:

Can't the taxi driver get nailed for defrauding a tourist and the taxi company he works for?

No meter.

Straight in the pocket. 

Yes, but the money he earns is all his to put straight into his pocket, anyway!  He just has to pay the daily rental fee to the cooperative if the taxi is not his own.

[Liverpool Lou]

6 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Is there any need to cause such a song and dance? get the next one you clown, we all kow how it works in BKK 

Hear, hear!   There's something like 60,000 taxis to choose from.

[bob smith]

6 minutes ago, CecilM said:

How could I be wrong when I am quoting from my experience with countless taxi rides?

Like I said, experiences may vary at tourist traps or night life districts. (Maybe you tend to only frequent those?) 

these are the places that tourists tend to frequent the most, and so the locals should be on their BEST behavior, as a representative of the country.

 

If they are always trying to cheat tourists then don't be surprised if they end up on tik tok or youtube or whatever. These scoundrels need to be publicly shamed as what they are ultimately doing is giving Thailand a bad name!

[Liverpool Lou]

6 hours ago, HappyExpat57 said:

6 hours ago, dpeti73 said:

The driver not fraud this idiot social media jerk. It was a clear statement 300B like or walk away.

What the taxi driver did is illegal. Full stop.

So what?  Full stop.  There was no journey, no payment, no fraud.  Full stop.

[NoshowJones]

6 hours ago, 2baht said:

I'm glad he called the taxi driver out, they all think tourists are fair game! As someone already said, taxi drivers are not the brightest!

Taxi drivers, not necessary owners, in most cases are people with little brains who are not qualified to do anything else. This applies as much in the UK as in Thailand. This does not necessary mean that part time taxi drivers are thicko's. my main income most of the time was from being a musician, I was licensed to drive PSV and HGV vehicles also.

[metisdead]

Some posts in violation of our Community Standards have been removed.

[NoshowJones]

5 hours ago, 2baht said:

The laws....yeah, yeah.....! ????I firmly believe that Thai's follow their own individual laws, every ones different!

That's true, just like Immigration offices, banks, Government departments of all kinds. ie driving tests and license renews departments all have their own rules.

[Liverpool Lou]

5 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

And this is a scam how ?

 

these deadbeat tiktok <deleted> need to <deleted> right off.

Quite right.  The TwitTokker didn't use the taxi and didn't pay anything.

[swimmer]

5 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Whether something is illegal or not has no relevance in Thailand. Full stop.

Thats' the sum of it. There is a difference between law and standard operating practices.Tourist or expat-Do your research keep your wits about you and avoid conflict. Let it and move on.

[Liverpool Lou]

5 hours ago, recom273 said:

Has the situation drastically changed in BKK? When we used to live there getting a decent taxi driver wasn’t difficult, I think maybe 75% chance. You would ask politely and the guy driving would give you a strange look to say “of course I will use the meter. Why not?” - never take a standing taxi unless it’s at an issan food stall and the guy is just finishing lunch.
 

But I read on Reddit, tourists constantly bemoaning taxi drivers.

 

I don’t know or care, but this guy has gone out of his way to catch a taxi driver, he’s already got the phone out with the intention of catching him out to make a video, the phone is in his hand, it’s pretty shady. Maybe we see the guy at the police station, but I hope we see Mr jason too, making a video to purposely damage Thai tourism.

i checked his feed, he does have another video with a guy where he negotiates 20B discount on a tuktuk, but videos of a guy saying ‘yes I use the meter ever day’ dont generate likes. 

Well said.

[NoshowJones]

4 hours ago, Cory1848 said:

In the video, the American starts out speaking Thai, so he probably knows his way around. If anything, he was maybe trolling for a dishonest cabbie to get a good video.

He certainly would not have far to look.

[Cardinalblue1958]

7 hours ago, RT555 said:

Just grab the next taxi............walk away.......Bangkok taxi drivers are dumb. They usually drive off in the same direction WITH NOBODY $$$$$$$ IN THE BACK SEAT.......LMAO.

Here is more defamation calling taxi drivers dumb…I believe deportation is mandatory in this type of case