Popular Post MichaelJackson Posted Friday at 02:32 AM Popular Post Share Posted Friday at 02:32 AM A few days ago, I was visting around Samut Prakan with one of my friends. And in the afternoon I decided to take a fare taxi nearby. At first it was all normal, the driver looks fine and all. But we both didn't pay attention to one thing... that is the meter box that tells how much it is costing! We both are just talking and didn't care much about the driver. After some time, we arrived at our destination (Bangkok), and when we were about to pay, the taxi driver opened the meter box in his car box while also smiling. The cost was about 700 baht! Usually it cost about 300 baht. As we don't have any evidence at the moment, we had no choice but to pay! The moral of the story is always to check the meter box of the taxi driver when starting. Some drivers started their meter box long ago, even before a customer was there. 1 1 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post FritsSikkink Posted Friday at 03:06 AM Popular Post Share Posted Friday at 03:06 AM 33 minutes ago, MichaelJackson said: The moral of the story is always to check the meter box of the taxi driver when starting. Some drivers started their meter box long ago, even before a customer was there. Really, never knew that. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post 2baht Posted Friday at 03:18 AM Popular Post Share Posted Friday at 03:18 AM Damn meter box Mafia! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Lorry Posted Friday at 03:43 AM Popular Post Share Posted Friday at 03:43 AM (edited) 1 hour ago, MichaelJackson said: A few days ago, I was visting around Samut Prakan with one of my friends. And in the afternoon I decided to take a fare taxi nearby. At first it was all normal, the driver looks fine and all. But we both didn't pay attention to one thing... that is the meter box that tells how much it is costing! We both are just talking and didn't care much about the driver. After some time, we arrived at our destination (Bangkok), and when we were about to pay, the taxi driver opened the meter box in his car box while also smiling. The cost was about 700 baht! Usually it cost about 300 baht. As we don't have any evidence at the moment, we had no choice but to pay! The moral of the story is always to check the meter box of the taxi driver when starting. Some drivers started their meter box long ago, even before a customer was there. The way to handle this: Ask (better have your Thai friend ask) innocently "Oh, that's expensive? Is it more expensive than normal because ... (add something stupid, like "it's a holiday")?" Then friendly offer 350 baht. He probably will agree. You can also, in the meantime, take a picture of the yellow sign with his name and of the taxi number, usual written on the side door (inside the car). And you can discuss with your friend - for the driver to hear - that the number 1584 speaks English, right? (I would be too lazy to actually call them, but the drivers fear 1584) Of course, when starting you should have checked that the meter is running and starts at 35. Starting the meter much earlier than the trip would be a very unusual scam in Samut Prakan, where most customers are Thai. Or did you start at a popular tourist spot? In that case, that was your original mistake. Edited Friday at 03:44 AM by Lorry 3 1 2 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1FinickyOne Posted Friday at 05:48 AM Share Posted Friday at 05:48 AM This happened to me once in Bkk many years ago - the meter kept clicking like a clock... we mentioned it but he said nothing - at the end of the ride we paid the usual fare and he did not complain... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liverpool Lou Posted Friday at 06:09 AM Share Posted Friday at 06:09 AM 3 hours ago, MichaelJackson said: The moral of the story is always to check the meter box of the taxi driver when starting. Some drivers started their meter box long ago, even before a customer was there. The moral of the story is do not get into a taxi unless the red or green "For hire" sign is illuminated, which goes off as soon as the meter is activated, if the meter was already running, the light would not have been showing. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Liverpool Lou Posted Friday at 06:15 AM Popular Post Share Posted Friday at 06:15 AM 3 hours ago, MichaelJackson said: when we were about to pay, the taxi driver opened the meter box in his car box What's all this "box" stuff..."meter box", "car box"? A taxi's meter is not in "a box", neither is the "meter box" kept in "a box" in the taxi, they're fixed to the dashboard. The OP reads like a box of cobblers. 1 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwill Posted Friday at 06:17 AM Share Posted Friday at 06:17 AM And some of them have switches that jumps the meter up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post CecilM Posted Friday at 06:35 AM Popular Post Share Posted Friday at 06:35 AM This really shouldn't be news to anyone anymore. Like the tourist complaining that the 100 Baht Ray-Ban sunglasses were fake. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Grumpy one Posted Friday at 07:08 AM Popular Post Share Posted Friday at 07:08 AM Who would have thought a taxi driver would rip off his passengers 1 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbra Posted Friday at 07:18 AM Share Posted Friday at 07:18 AM 56 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said: What's all this "box" stuff..."meter box", "car box"? A taxi's meter is not in "a box", neither is the "meter box" kept in "a box" in the taxi, they're fixed to the dashboard. The OP reads like a box of cobblers. My last taxi ride from CW immigration had a digital meter small enough to attach to the sun visor. I was surprised that the fare was lower than normal,as the display was so small I could not read it easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wuvu2 Posted Friday at 08:50 AM Share Posted Friday at 08:50 AM 6 hours ago, MichaelJackson said: The moral of the story is always to check the meter box of the taxi driver when starting. So it's your first visit to Thailand. Welcome. Enjoy 😄 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john donson Posted yesterday at 03:33 AM Share Posted yesterday at 03:33 AM check for the magical button that increase your fare... 2024 and there are no fare calculators, well bolt has , but they went up so much in price compared to honest taxis, I mean, that use the meter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan O Posted yesterday at 03:39 AM Share Posted yesterday at 03:39 AM On 6/28/2024 at 9:32 AM, MichaelJackson said: A few days ago, I was visting around Samut Prakan with one of my friends. And in the afternoon I decided to take a fare taxi nearby. At first it was all normal, the driver looks fine and all. But we both didn't pay attention to one thing... that is the meter box that tells how much it is costing! We both are just talking and didn't care much about the driver. After some time, we arrived at our destination (Bangkok), and when we were about to pay, the taxi driver opened the meter box in his car box while also smiling. The cost was about 700 baht! Usually it cost about 300 baht. As we don't have any evidence at the moment, we had no choice but to pay! The moral of the story is always to check the meter box of the taxi driver when starting. Some drivers started their meter box long ago, even before a customer was there. the meters are clearly visible on the dash and not inside some box or hidden from view. They some times cover them with a cloth but never inside a box. If you felt you were cheated then you could have copied his taxi card id and made a complaint. If the meter was hidden from view or inside a box then it was not a real metered taxi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fondue zoo Posted yesterday at 04:11 AM Share Posted yesterday at 04:11 AM It's a rite of passage here. I like the one where they "accidentally" don't hear or see you gesturing wildly from the rear seat in an attempt to let them know "turn left here, here! sai sai" It's an Oscar-worthy performance every time. the look of fake confusion "what, waaaaaa? sorry I not hear you for last 2 minutes, sorry, we have to go all around again." cheeky rascals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garygooner Posted yesterday at 04:40 AM Share Posted yesterday at 04:40 AM Had a few 'very fast meters' in Bangkok. Each time told the driver in Thai that I know the distance & cost of the journey as I take it often. I tell him how much I will give him & to stop the meter. They always accepted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowgard Posted 19 hours ago Share Posted 19 hours ago On 6/28/2024 at 9:32 AM, MichaelJackson said: A few days ago, I was visting around Samut Prakan with one of my friends. And in the afternoon I decided to take a fare taxi nearby. At first it was all normal, the driver looks fine and all. But we both didn't pay attention to one thing... that is the meter box that tells how much it is costing! We both are just talking and didn't care much about the driver. After some time, we arrived at our destination (Bangkok), and when we were about to pay, the taxi driver opened the meter box in his car box while also smiling. The cost was about 700 baht! Usually it cost about 300 baht. As we don't have any evidence at the moment, we had no choice but to pay! The moral of the story is always to check the meter box of the taxi driver when starting. Some drivers started their meter box long ago, even before a customer was there. No!!! You can write the day, time, way, taxi no. etc. down & report it to the police. Specialy if you know the normal fare is just 300THB. Police know the fares to. They try to catch the taxi driver and will check the taxi meter for manipulation. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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