I got scammed by a taxi driver!

[MichaelJackson]

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.

[FritsSikkink]

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.

[2baht]

Damn meter box Mafia! 

[Lorry]

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 June 28 by Lorry

[1FinickyOne]

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...

[Liverpool Lou]

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.

[Liverpool Lou]

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.

[rwill]

And some of them have switches that jumps the meter up.

[CecilM]

This really shouldn't be news to anyone anymore. Like the tourist complaining that the 100 Baht Ray-Ban sunglasses were fake. 

[Grumpy one]

Who would have thought a taxi driver would rip off his passengers  

[norbra]

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.

[Wuvu2]

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 😄

[john donson]

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

[Dan O]

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

[fondue zoo]

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

[garygooner]

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. 

[snowgard]

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.

[problemfarang]

 

i would call the police right away.

police would know he altered it or not. Most likely he opened night shift in your case or he has a trigger which can play with the fare. 

if i will have a drink i dont take my car and use Grab. I hate Bolt because drivers can cancel at anytime when you are still waiting for him.

also when i start to talk in thai with the driver he knows he cannot cheat. 

What happened to me is one driver asked me if i need a woman.. then asked for a tip at the end of the drive. He got rejected both 🙂