Pattaya —Pattaya Mayor Poramase Ngamphichet has instructed the Pattaya police to conduct a serious investigation into an alleged motorbike taxi driver who charged a passenger over 1,600 baht for a brief transit to the Pattaya International Fireworks Festival on Friday, November 24th.

 

Mr. Chumpol Meesri, a 35-year-old musician, filed a report with the police, claiming he took a motorbike taxi service from the Esso gas station in South Pattaya to Pattaya Beach, where the fireworks event was held. The driver, believed to be an out-of-town driver, charged Mr. Chumpol over 1,600 baht for two services.

 

The distance was measured at only 8 kilometers, meaning the driver charged Mr. Chumpol 200 baht per kilometer traveled. When Mr. Chumpol confronted the driver about the clearly unreasonable price, according to him, the driver justified that it was a normal fare during a festival. Mr. Chumpol did not believe the driver’s excuse and filed a report with the Pattaya police.

 

On November 25th, Pattaya Mayor Poramase was informed of the matter and immediately coordinated with Pol. Col. Thanaphong Phothi, superintendent of Pattaya Police Station, to urgently investigate.

 

By Tanakorn Panyadee

 

Full story: THE PATTAYA NEWS 2023-11-27

 

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what else could he say

So the rider did not confirm the price prior to the ride?  Stupid.

That's the thing, any caricature can be a moto taxi now days, scammers, swindlers, criminals and all, so no wonder that theses kind of occurrences are happening...

Maybe the motor bike taxi operators are the ones who should be filing 90 day reports. As there appears to be all sorts of dregs hitting Pattaya to make quick money.

2 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

So the rider did not confirm the price prior to the ride?  Stupid.

no... stupid was paying the money and then letting the driver go before calling the police. after the fact is alot harder to prove once the transaction was made. I would have told the driver to wait while i had someone bring the money to me and then called the police to come instead... 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

When Mr. Chumpol confronted the driver about the clearly unreasonable price, according to him, the driver justified that it was a normal fare during a festival. Mr. Chumpol did not believe the driver’s excuse and filed a report with the Pattaya police.

Should have called the police and asked them before paying out.

13 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Should have called the police and asked them before paying out.

Calling the police would have been a total of time, especially on that night with the huge crowd. Beach Road fireworks are right at the police station. An invitation for the driver to attend at the station to sort it out would have been sufficient to send him scurrying on his way. A simple, "Sorry I don't have the cash to pay you as I don't carry that much cash" would have been quite helpful.

Wow , not any old probe but a serious probe  !

Opportunists the lot of them. You have to be on your guard at all times here

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Pattaya Mayor Poramase Ngamphichet has instructed the Pattaya police to conduct a serious investigation

as opposed to the usual humorous ones?

.The driver....believed to be an out-of-towner.......

Of course he was. Pattaya local wins would not do such a thing.

2 hours ago, JoePai said:

Wow , not any old probe but a serious probe  !

as opposed to a silly probe

Is there an official rate schedule for motor-bike taxis? I remember seeing a posted list with prices by destination @ the taxi stand across from VT2a. Only place in Pattaya I ever saw one.