Report Bangkok Cab Incident Sparks Debate on Passenger Rights

[hotsun]

Seems like shes in the wrong place. Shes probably been to the west

[JonnyF]

Depends on the traffic.

 

Heavy traffic - I'd side with the driver. 

No traffic - I'd side with her.

 

You can't expect the driver to sit in traffic for an hour to save you 50 Baht. Likewise, he shouldn't expect her to pay extra for no reason if there is no traffic on the roads.

 

For the sake of an easy journey and not having to listen to the driver say "Oooooeeeee Lod Thit maak maak" 200 times I normally go with the highway.  

 

 

[daejung]

Check that link :

6 hours ago, DarthChuckler said:

Taxis charge per mile

 They should take the fastest route. Going slow to site see cost the driver lost income. The calculations should require tolls.  If we fight to be treated fairly, we should also treat the drivers fairly.

Check that link :https://thaiest.com/thailand/bangkok/taxi

The taxi meter price for the distance covered usually isn’t the only part of taxi fare in Bangkok. As traffic conditions in Thai capital are complicated and traffic jams here is a norm, for every minute the taxi cannot move by more than 6 km/h speed you will have to pay extra fare of 3 THB per minute (was 2 THB/minute).

[NoshowJones]

On 5/29/2025 at 8:19 AM, DarthChuckler said:

Taxis charge per mile

 They should take the fastest route. Going slow to site see cost the driver lost income. The calculations should require tolls.  If we fight to be treated fairly, we should also treat the drivers fairly.

The biggest majority of Bangkok taxi drivers are cheating scumbags.

[NoshowJones]

On 5/29/2025 at 1:32 PM, fredwiggy said:

I'm speaking in general. They always ask you if you want to take the tollways, as it's faster. The faster they get you there, the more fares they can get daily. Especially the fares with a set price.

I would never let a taxi driver use the meter, especially in Bangkok. First there are the traffic jams, then there are the ones who take longer routes to up the fare. I think it's best to know what the fare is before you jump in a taxi.

[Photoguy21]

On 5/29/2025 at 1:50 PM, Harrisfan said:

Drivers have more experience. Whingeing over a toll road to gain more followers. Its pathetic these tik tok people.

Many Bangkok taxi drivers you have to tell which way to go.

[fredwiggy]

12 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

I would never let a taxi driver use the meter, especially in Bangkok. First there are the traffic jams, then there are the ones who take longer routes to up the fare. I think it's best to know what the fare is before you jump in a taxi.

If you know about what a fare should be to a certain place, a set price is okay. If not, using a meter is a safe bet. In a city during rush hour, a meter can cost you, but on the highway during regular times it's okay. 

[Harrisfan]

2 hours ago, NoshowJones said:

I would never let a taxi driver use the meter, especially in Bangkok. First there are the traffic jams, then there are the ones who take longer routes to up the fare. I think it's best to know what the fare is before you jump in a taxi.

Meters are cheaper

[NoshowJones]

5 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

Meters are cheaper

Probably yes, but I would not want to take the chance of hitting a large traffic jam or risk the driver taking a longer route. Don't forget, we are talking about Bangkok taxi drivers here.

[richard_smith237]

She's right... She told the taxi driver not to take the toll way and he did...    His fault. 

 

Whenever I get in a Taxi, a GRAB, a BOLT etc... I always tell the taxi driver which route to take - thats because:

 

a) I've lived here and been driving in Bangkok probably longer than most taxi drivers have.

b) I know the short cuts and where traffic is worse.

c) I can also see the area's of congestion on Google Map.

 

Once I had the taxi driver disagree with me, he wanted to take a route that I know would be heavier traffic.

We hadn't moved off by that point, so I simply got out.

 

 

[richard_smith237]

On 5/29/2025 at 1:04 PM, BexMan said:

No doubt the driver is wrong, but personally I wouldn’t feel comfortable making the driver sit in a Bangkok traffic jam for the amount of money they earn from the ride. Unlike the “hail” taxi’s they don’t charge more for sitting in traffic. They also have to pay a slice of the earnings to the app.

 

If an app based driver gets caught in a long traffic jam I usually up the tip at the end to compensate. Some extra baht will mean a lot more to them, than me.

 

Perfectly reasonable...    If the flag-fall taxi uses the meter without any hassle, drives well etc...  then he'll always get a tip...  as will a GRAB or BOLT IF the journey is longer in a more congested area than I anticipated.

[richard_smith237]

On 5/29/2025 at 1:32 PM, fredwiggy said:

I'm speaking in general. They always ask you if you want to take the tollways, as it's faster. The faster they get you there, the more fares they can get daily. Especially the fares with a set price.

 

True...   Regular Taxi's, BOLT, GRAB etc...  I always have to specify when I want to use the Expressway as it seems the 'default' is not to use it... 

 

...  So, is there more to this story...  or did the driver just make an assumption as the Express/tollway was the best route and he simply ingored the instruction from the woman ?....

 

 

---------

 

Slightly of topic, but it may give some reasoning:  At night, when both my Wife and I were drinking, I always used to be the one to speak with the Taxi driver - I found that some just 'take instruction' better from a man than a woman, especially at night....    thats perhaps the inner nature of some of these characters not to give any credence to a females directions / instructions - perhaps a facet of this anyway, as had this been a male passenger, its far more likely the driver would have followed his instructions to the letter.

 

Then again, this woman is clearly after 'views' too... so she's looking for the drama...