Bangkok taxi driver berates passenger over travel distance

[snoop1130]

 

A taxi passenger in Bangkok shared a harrowing experience where the driver shouted and insulted him, even refusing to stop the car. The passenger complained to the taxi company, only to be told there was no driver by that name.

 

A TikTok user recently posted a video capturing a distressing encounter with a taxi driver. The driver was seen shouting and cursing at the passenger after a dispute over the correct distance to the destination.

 

The passenger had marked the location at 8.9 kilometres, whereas the driver insisted it was 15 kilometres. The passenger described the incident with a caption warning others about “mentally unstable taxi drivers,” expressing shock and distress over the encounter.

 

The passenger, who spoke to a local news outlet yesterday, September 12, recounted their ordeal. They had travelled from a provincial area to Bangkok for work, landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport. Since the hotel they booked did not allow check-in before 2pm, he searched for a nearby café to complete some urgent work. He found a café on Bang Na-Trat Road, 8.9 kilometres away from the airport.

 

Around noon, after collecting their luggage, the passenger proceeded to the taxi stand on the third floor, at Gate 2. They encountered two taxis: a new white MG EV taxi and a pink taxi. The drivers of both vehicles were arguing over who arrived first. Out of politeness, the passenger chose the white taxi, as the driver claimed he had arrived first.

 

 

 

 

Initially, the driver seemed polite, helping with the luggage. However, as they started the journey, the driver began complaining about the other taxi, accusing the driver of queue-jumping. The passenger, preoccupied with work-related calls, did not pay much attention.

 

Distance dispute

 

The situation escalated when the driver questioned the exact location of the destination. Using his phone’s voice command, he marked the distance as 15 kilometres. The passenger, seeing a different distance on their map, mentioned it was 8.9 kilometres. The driver became agitated, insisting it was 15 kilometres and questioning why the passenger would argue with someone who drives that route daily.

 

The passenger refreshed their phone map, which then also showed 15 kilometres, so they remained silent. However, the driver continued to use abusive language, calling the passenger names and criticising his intelligence. The passenger, trying to remain calm, acknowledged the 15 kilometres and asked to focus on his work. The driver’s behaviour worsened as he began cursing the passenger’s parents.

 

The passenger was in shock and unable to react. He inadvertently recorded the incident on his phone. Upon reaching the destination near Central Village, the driver refused to stop initially, eventually pulling over and demanding 125 baht. The passenger, lacking cash, asked to pay via a banking app, which the driver initially resisted, accusing him of trying to evade payment.

 

After some back-and-forth, the driver provided his bank details, and the passenger transferred the fare. The driver, still hostile, delayed unlocking the car to retrieve the passenger’s luggage. The passenger, exhausted from the journey, struggled to take a photo of the taxi due to shaky hands but the vehicle had already driven away.

 

The passenger later relayed the incident to his sister, who suggested posting the story on social media. They also searched for the taxi company to lodge a formal complaint, providing the driver’s name from the bank transfer slip. The company responded, stating the vehicle belonged to them but denying any knowledge of the driver, reported KhaoSod.

 

This incident left the passenger feeling deeply unjust. The abusive behaviour over a minor misunderstanding seemed excessive, and the passenger sensed the driver might have mental health issues.

 

By Puntid Tantivangphaisal

Photo courtesy of KhaoSod

 

Source: The Thaiger

-- 2024-09-13

 

 

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[impulse]

10 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Around noon, after collecting their luggage, the passenger proceeded to the taxi stand on the third floor, at Gate 2. They encountered two taxis: a new white MG EV taxi and a pink taxi. The drivers of both vehicles were arguing over who arrived first. Out of politeness, the passenger chose the white taxi, as the driver claimed he had arrived first.

 

Is that a legal taxi stand?  I've always gotten a ticket from the machine and walked over to a numbered taxi so there has never been an argument over who got there first.

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

That's what often happens when you try to be clever and avoid using the taxi rank to save 50thb.

 

I got one from the departures area at DMK years ago, and he didn't want to take me to my destination on the meter, so he tried to intimidate me into paying 1,000thb. He tried doing this by taking me to the underground car park en-route back to the terminal where he picked me up.

 

The intimidation didn't work, and I got out and got another taxi easily.  

 

In those days this kind of behaviour was common, more recently I have had no major issues.

 

 

[hotchilli]

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The passenger later relayed the incident to his sister, who suggested posting the story on social media. They also searched for the taxi company to lodge a formal complaint, providing the driver’s name from the bank transfer slip. The company responded, stating the vehicle belonged to them but denying any knowledge of the driver,

Evading responsibility again.

[metisdead]

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[Foek]

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The company responded, stating the vehicle belonged to them but denying any knowledge of the driver

So who is the official registered driver from the taxi company then?

[impulse]

14 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

That's what often happens when you try to be clever and avoid using the taxi rank to save 50thb.

 

Pre-Covid, I occasionally considered getting a rogue taxi on that floor just to avoid the long official queue.  Gotta give props to Swampy management.  They've organized the taxi area and eliminated the queues.  Well done.

 

[steven100]

17 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The abusive behaviour over a minor misunderstanding seemed excessive, and the passenger sensed the driver might have mental health issues.

There's alot of nut case taxi drivers out there,  that's for damn sure.  

 

 

 

[Liverpool Lou]

On 9/14/2024 at 9:56 AM, Foek said:

On 9/13/2024 at 5:00 PM, snoop1130 said:

The company responded, stating the vehicle belonged to them but denying any knowledge of the driver

So who is the official registered driver from the taxi company then?

How would having that information assist anyone as he wasn't involved in the incident?

[richard_smith237]

29 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

On 9/14/2024 at 9:56 AM, Foek said:

On 9/13/2024 at 5:00 PM, snoop1130 said:

The company responded, stating the vehicle belonged to them but denying any knowledge of the driver

So who is the official registered driver from the taxi company then?

How would having that information assist anyone as he wasn't involved in the incident?

 

Someone was driving the taxi.... 

 

... Either it was someone else approved by the Taxi company, and they know who it is but are avoiding responsibility. 

... Or, it was another additional driver that the taxi company knew nothing about, but the registered driver knows who it is. 

... Or, the tax was stollen and no one has any idea who it is.

 

I think the latter is not really a probability...  Either the original registered driver knows who the driver was, or the taxi company - either way, someone is lying.

[Liverpool Lou]

1 minute ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Someone was driving the taxi.... 

 

... Either it was someone else approved by the Taxi company, and they know who it is but are avoiding responsibility. 

... Or, it was another additional driver that the taxi company knew nothing about, but the registered driver knows who it is. 

... Or, the tax was stollen and no one has any idea who it is.

 

I think the latter is not really a probability...  Either the original registered driver knows who the driver was, or the taxi company - either way, someone is lying.

They know who the driver was, they have his details from the app used to collect the fare.  It is most likely that it was sub-leased by the official driver; it is not unusual for a group of drivers to share a rented taxi.

[richard_smith237]

23 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

They know who the driver was, they have his details from the app used to collect the fare.  It is most likely that it was sub-leased by the official driver; it is not unusual for a group of drivers to share a rented taxi.

 

Yup... I suspect the same...

 

Usually, there is a photo of the driver at the front of the taxi (passenger side on the dash), its common to see that Thai Licence ID photo does not match the driver we get (in the regular taxi's)... 

 

... I wonder if this voids the insurance the Taxi's carry. 

 

Or... if they are legitimate taxi drives, who share, but have not bothered to switch over the licensing plaque / display thingy (or whatever its called).

 

I agree with the comments - they know who the official driver was supposed to be and he subleased, in which case, the 'official driver' knows who the other driver was, but is refusing to give up the info - the taxi company is protecting their practices of 'unofficially allowing' subleasing, as this voids their insurance - it also means they have to hold drivers accountable and this is just 'effort'... in an industry were regulation is minimal at best.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Liverpool Lou]

6 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

I agree with the comments - they know who the official driver was supposed to be and he subleased, in which case, the 'official driver' knows who the other driver was, but is refusing to give up the info

They know who the unofficial driver is also - he provided his bank details  when he accepted the fare  payment by transfer to his account.

[richard_smith237]

25 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

They know who the unofficial driver is also - he provided his bank details  when he accepted the fare  payment by transfer to his account.

 

Ah.. I get your point...   So, its the usual story... no one can be bothered to make the effort to do something about it. 

 

 

[Liverpool Lou]

9 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Ah.. I get your point...   So, its the usual story... no one can be bothered to make the effort to do something about it. 

 

 

No, that was not my point, that was your point.

[richard_smith237]

10 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

20 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Ah.. I get your point...   So, its the usual story... no one can be bothered to make the effort to do something about it. 

 

 

No, that was not my point, that was your point.

 

OK... So your point is the passengers know who the driver is because of the digital transaction.

 

The fact is the taxi company is stating they know the car, but not the driver.

 

My comment is... "its the usual story... no one can be bothered to make the effort to do something about a mentally deranged driver picking up passengers in a taxi registered to a different driver'.

 

 

--------

 

By day you find yourself starting arguments with your own shadow and by night with your reflection ?  

 

 

[BangkokReady]

On 9/15/2024 at 1:17 PM, Liverpool Lou said:

How would having that information assist anyone as he wasn't involved in the incident?

 

He could explain why he was allowing another person to drive the car that only he is licenced to operate?