6 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Soft power to atrack tourists, another example of the taxi scams, but a failing government policy to solve this problem. Strict rules and enforcement are needed.

 

"This Japanese man, only identified as X who has been living in Thailand for a long time" 🤦

2 hours ago, lordgrinz said:

The reason I bought a car here was because of the dangerous taxi drivers and bus drivers I encountered while here in my first 3 months. It's bad enough to have every Thai driver driving like laws don't apply to them, and like their life and yours means nothing to them, but being in a taxi or bus driven by one of these lunatics is even more dangerous. 

 

Agreed - the primary reasons for having both a car and motorcycle here is so that I don't have to rely on someone else driving.

 

Some say they wouldn't want to drive here because its dangerous - I want to be the one in control of my safety. 

 

 

3 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

I agree with avoiding conflict - but disagree with the implication that you are always going to lose in Thailand as we are foreign. 

 

Thats not been my experience here. 

 

 

 

What I meant, is that if you get in a fight with a local, more than likely the crowd will join in, against you, or you will take the blame for starting the fight. Best to avoid it.

15 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Thats a convenient oversimplification Mike...    

 

Its not always easy to tell if the driver is intoxicated, especially if intoxicated yourself.

 

If a driver pulls up and 'doesn't' open the window, its usually a good sign, 'cos, if they pull up and open the window, its either to negotiate a fare, or to decide yay or nay.

Thus, if a driver pulls up and stops (no open window), you get in an tell him the destination... all good so far, then he pulls off and instead of switching on the meter, states an elevated fare - you're already locked in and want the driver to stop.

 

Or... Taxi driver appears drunk only once you are on your way...  so you want the driver to stop so you can get out.

 

Or... Taxi driver decided he wants to watch a movie with his phone on the dash... you ask the driver not to, he won't, so you ask him to stop so you can get out...

 

 

It's not so easy as you point out to avoid the total ayhole of a taxi driver... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If he does not open the window, I open the door, and ask if he is willing to use the meter. That really is quite simple.

Whenever I have to get a taxi close to Nana bts on a Friday night, I expect that they will try to not put the meter on. The last time I was there, I had a driver who tried to kill me... through shock. He actually put the meter on without me even having to ask. 

At the end of the journey I gave him the usual cost without the meter. Sometimes it pays to be honest. 

Just now, spidermike007 said:

4 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

I agree with avoiding conflict - but disagree with the implication that you are always going to lose in Thailand as we are foreign. 

 

Thats not been my experience here. 

 

 

 

Expand  

What I meant, is that if you get in a fight with a local, more than likely the crowd will join in, against you, or you will take the blame for starting the fight. Best to avoid it.

 

Agree...  best to always avoid any form of conflict here...  not always possible. 

 

 

I recall being in a nightclub here...  Sat at the bar with a good Thai mate...  (a Thai nightclub, not many foreigners there at all)

 

Thai guy next to me suddenly punches the waitress in the face...   before I know it, I'm on top of the guy, he's face down on the floor and I have his arms behind his back...   Bouncers running over...  I think I'm about to get a kicking.

 

Bouncers take the guy outside...    I go outside with him, I want to know who he is and where is friends are in the club.

His friends are all wet and apologetic for their friend, turns out the guy is just a normal guy, the waitress (very attractive) had been stringing him along and he'd been giving her money, he'd had enough of being ripped off...   

 

That was that... I wasn't worried about the guy coming back and causing a problem with me...  And that was my concern, the guy switches with big loss of face switches his attention to get involved....   I was fortunate. 

 

5 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

If he does not open the window, I open the door, and ask if he is willing to use the meter. That really is quite simple.

 

Over simplified again...  But up to you if you are going to have a conversation from the street with a taxi driver.

 

With the 'good taxi' drivers...  You just get in and tell them where you want to go...   its quieter inside away traffic or other noise so its easier for them to understand your direction and easy for you to hear them if they have a question.

 

 

If you open the door and then ask before you get in... you are already sending the message to the taxi driver that its a negotiation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9 minutes ago, bfc1980 said:

Whenever I have to get a taxi close to Nana bts on a Friday night, I expect that they will try to not put the meter on. The last time I was there, I had a driver who tried to kill me... through shock. He actually put the meter on without me even having to ask. 

At the end of the journey I gave him the usual cost without the meter. Sometimes it pays to be honest. 

 

Same...  in that area its a massive certainly that no taxi driver will use the meter...  for what is usually an 80-100 baht journey they will try and charge 300 baht to my area...

 

The amount is not a big deal, is the issue that they're all at it trying to rip us off... 

 

I'll usually object to 300 baht on principle and go for someone if they charge 200 baht.

 

If though surprise a driver goes straight to meter - they'll get 200 baht and with that they are very thankful... I explain the tip is for their honesty not like other taxi drivers. 

 

 

 

 

For any of you thinking to mess with taxi drivers you might want to think again. This man lost his life over 50 Bhat!! 

 

https://www.nydailynews.com/2013/07/08/thai-taxi-driver-hacks-american-passenger-to-death-with-machete-police/

 

I've had more than my fair share of taxi drivers trying to change the price half way through a journey but after the above I NEVER argue with them. All I do is get them to take me to my condo, get out, pass the original fare and walk into my apartment. Granted I've got security gaurds to deter any trouble but the point is I never get in a situation where I am close enough to be harmed. If though I was in this situation where I couldn't be somewhere safe and could be 'got', I think I'd just pay the 150 THB. It really isn't worth losing your life over such small amounts.   

 

 

Well I must say in my 30 years here I have never had any kind of problem with taxi drivers - probably because I have taken the trouble to learn the culture and speak fluent Thai.

 

Thought I'd post this just in case Mr "well I must say I have never had that problem" hadn't posted yet.

 

 

I went to Pattaya and thailand for the first time and got invited by two american guys to go to a bar in soi 3 the baht bus turned into the soi and there was a dispute between the yanks and the two thai's in the front and short samurai swords were drawn, I was alarmed of course but i gave them 30 baht much to the disgust of one of the yanks who by the way was halfway down the soi while i was dealing with the confrontation I mean 30 baht ffs.

10 hours ago, Pique Dard said:

...for sure, he isn't elon musk! that said, it depends on the distance, of course, but i would have paid the 150 without question. life is worth more than that and i wouldn't risk my life for 150 baht  

The real point is why do all these taxi drivers carry weapons, knives, iron bars etc??  Because its Thailand and they get away with it most of the time!!

14 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Soft power to atrack tourists, another example of the taxi scams, but a failing government policy to solve this problem. Strict rules and enforcement are needed.

Absolutely.

 

Just offer visa free travel. That'll paper over the cracks and avoid admitting that people are at the mercy of this scum.

 

 

I was once told by a Thai hotel receptionist that all over yellow cabs are predominantly run by mafia types and I have to say that has been my experience at the airport

I don’t live in Bangkok but often visit for a long weekend and Christmas and New year week. I’ve had problems while in Phuket , but not Bangkok, only once over charged at the airport. I use taxis often from my hotel, and they’re always meter taxis , working. Evenings too when I go out for a meal , and I’ll arrange a pick up, or one called by the restaurant staff. Am I lucky, don’t know. Bangkok Pattaya taxis I reserve asking for good driver, not using phone while driving, and I’ll tip ok when I’m happy . They work hard, I appreciate it. 

On 2/9/2024 at 3:18 AM, liddelljohn said:

Had same thing happen in BKK back in 2016 my Thai wife asked the driver to put the meter on when we hailed a taxi  at lumpini park to go to Pakret, next moment he went ape and  produced a knife ,, but i got the jump on him and the cops came and beat him up again and took him to jail, he also lost his taxi and license  and a 5 year jail term .. its not unusual  in Bangkok .

It is unusual in Bangkok...very unusual.   

On 2/9/2024 at 7:59 AM, alex8912 said:

Also if the cab pulls up and pulls down his window only why even bother to get in?

Well said.  If the driver wants a conversation through the passenger window before letting you in, wave him on, he will want to discuss and negotiate the trip.  There's another 60,000 to chose from.

On 2/9/2024 at 10:24 AM, john donson said:

a wai and 500 baht fine and up for new clients tomorrow?

Gawd...

On 2/9/2024 at 10:26 AM, khunjake said:

BKK taxis. They have mostly all gone completely mental and have become very dangerous to hire and ride with.

A nonsensical over-generalisation.

On 2/9/2024 at 1:27 PM, johnnybangkok said:

For any of you thinking to mess with taxi drivers you might want to think again. This man lost his life over 50 Bhat!! 

 

https://www.nydailynews.com/2013/07/08/thai-taxi-driver-hacks-american-passenger-to-death-with-machete-police/

It wasn't just B50 in that 11-year old incident, the daft American threw a cup of coffee in the driver's face.

On 2/9/2024 at 6:18 AM, liddelljohn said:

Had same thing happen in BKK back in 2016 my Thai wife asked the driver to put the meter on when we hailed a taxi  at lumpini park to go to Pakret, next moment he went ape and  produced a knife ,, but i got the jump on him and the cops came and beat him up again and took him to jail, he also lost his taxi and license  and a 5 year jail term .. its not unusual  in Bangkok .

Yes it is. After 100 rides non pulled a knife

7 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

It wasn't just B50 in that 11-year old incident, the daft American threw a cup of coffee in the driver's face.

The American was stupid then.

On 2/10/2024 at 12:11 AM, Jimjim1 said:

I was once told by a Thai hotel receptionist that all over yellow cabs are predominantly run by mafia types and I have to say that has been my experience at the airport

World's poorest mafia then.

On 2/9/2024 at 5:59 PM, paul1804 said:

The real point is why do all these taxi drivers carry weapons, knives, iron bars etc??  Because its Thailand and they get away with it most of the time!!

How many drivers pulled weapons on you? How many weapons have you seen?

On 2/9/2024 at 5:25 PM, Mickboy said:

I went to Pattaya and thailand for the first time and got invited by two american guys to go to a bar in soi 3 the baht bus turned into the soi and there was a dispute between the yanks and the two thai's in the front and short samurai swords were drawn, I was alarmed of course but i gave them 30 baht much to the disgust of one of the yanks who by the way was halfway down the soi while i was dealing with the confrontation I mean 30 baht ffs.

Biden supporters?

These taxi drivers are rotten to the chore - they really ruin the reputation of this country. 

On 2/9/2024 at 6:27 AM, richard_smith237 said:

 

Same...  in that area its a massive certainly that no taxi driver will use the meter...  for what is usually an 80-100 baht journey they will try and charge 300 baht to my area...

 

The amount is not a big deal, is the issue that they're all at it trying to rip us off... 

 

I'll usually object to 300 baht on principle and go for someone if they charge 200 baht.

 

If though surprise a driver goes straight to meter - they'll get 200 baht and with that they are very thankful... I explain the tip is for their honesty not like other taxi drivers. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You continue the problem by paying them 200 Baht or even attempting to negotiate a non meter fee. Just get out and don't use them.

Thai taxis drivers are probably my least favorite people in the world.

For me anytime a taxi in bkk i ask for a meter,no meter no ride.Never get in the cab that says no.So many cabs just drive on for me until i find a metered ride