Pictures courtesy of Daily News

 

A Thai woman pretending to be a foreign tourist has exposed the steep overcharging by Bangkok taxi drivers. Her social experiment, captured on video, shows taxis refusing to use meters and quoting fixed rates between 200 and 700 baht for a short trip to Siam, a popular shopping area.

 

This revelation comes alongside demonstrations by taxi groups, led by Woraphon Gamkhuntod, demanding fair treatment from the government.

 

Their protest was directed at the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister to address the issues plaguing taxi services.

 

The video, shared widely on social media, highlights the ongoing issues with taxi services in Thailand, notably the refusal to use meters.

 

The highest quoted fare of 700 baht left viewers outraged, with many netizens calling for stricter regulation on taxi practices to protect passengers from being overcharged.

 

VIDEO: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1CV3xHcVvu/

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Daily News 2025-05-30

 

 

No stricter regulations needed. Just enforce what already have. All taxi drivers must use meter. If they refuse, they can get reported and face a fine of 10000 baht, up to 3 month in jail depending the severity of the scam.

Why not just increase the standing fare and the mileage rate, so that taxi drivers can earn more money?  Bangkok taxis are ridiculously cheap.Why not just increase the standing fare and the mileage rate, so that taxi drivers can earn more money?  Bangkok taxis are ridiculously cheap.Why not just increase the standing fare and the mileage rate, so that taxi drivers can earn more money?  Bangkok taxis are ridiculously cheap.

44 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Why not just increase the standing fare and the mileage rate, so that taxi drivers can earn more money?  Bangkok taxis are ridiculously cheap.Why not just increase the standing fare and the mileage rate, so that taxi drivers can earn more money?  Bangkok taxis are ridiculously cheap.Why not just increase the standing fare and the mileage rate, so that taxi drivers can earn more money?  Bangkok taxis are ridiculously cheap.

Agree - bring them in line with Grab, Bolt etc

There are just too many taxis in Bangkok... Regulate them, register them and the good ones can stay and the ones with complains are not allowed ever in their live to register as taxidriver... Why is Bolt and Grab able to do proper fares while the metered taxis always have problems?? copy their system

2 hours ago, JoePai said:

Agree - bring them in line with Grab, Bolt etc

 

If by that you mean make the drivers polite, not have body odour, never refuse a reasonable fare, don't take a long diversion to bump up the cost, keep the cabs clean and not stink of cigarette smoke, and don't drive drunk, then I'm all for it.  Until then, I'm sticking with Grab.

That is why I always use bolt or grab 

Good. They've been pulling this crap forever. It should be a simple rule, refuse to abide by the meter and you lose your license for 30 days. Do it twice and it's suspended indefinitely.

What to expect if the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister need to address the issues plaguing taxi services. 

Enforce existing laws, if caught breaching them - license gone. Like everything else here; laws are here to be bent, circumvented, flatly ignored and when caught, a little contribution to the tip box = problem solved. 

Amazing though is, that Thais normally just swallow the manure instead of addressing the problem to be fixed once and for all. Excellent news also for the tourism front as there are two more traps; one is - in most cases - the language inability of the cabbie and secondly the route chosen by the cabbie.

I remember vividly, some 20+ years ago, the story of a Japanese tourist en route from Tokyo to Paris with a lay-over in Bangkok of a few hours. Somchai, a cabbie, took him from Don Meuang airport to the Amari Airport hotel, literally opposite the airport on the other side of the highway, linked with a walking bridge. 
Some four hours later he arrived at the reception of the hotel and asked the reception staff, why it was called an airport hotel sooooooo far from the airport. The staff asked the Japanese to turn around to see ........ the airport building.
To top it off, the gentleman from the Land of the Rising Sun shelled out a fare of 8,000 Baht for the taxi ride. The cabbie, meanwhile having disappeared into thin air, was never reprimanded for that little tourism promotion beauty! 

If taxis in Bangkok were fair, honest, decent service, then Grab and Bolt could not compete. Taxi rules need enforcing, drivers better trained, then they can get business.

TIT.

 

Foreigners are to be exploited.

3 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Why not just increase the standing fare and the mileage rate, so that taxi drivers can earn more money?  Bangkok taxis are ridiculously cheap.Why not just increase the standing fare and the mileage rate, so that taxi drivers can earn more money?  Bangkok taxis are ridiculously cheap.Why not just increase the standing fare and the mileage rate, so that taxi drivers can earn more money?  Bangkok taxis are ridiculously cheap.

They would still try and scam customers no matter how much the basic charge was.

I would encourage her to test more and have these photos sent to my home address.

I use Taxis and Grab daily. In case you're not aware, Grab is usually much higher than the metered Taxi.  

4 hours ago, webfact said:

A Thai woman pretending to be a foreign tourist has exposed the steep overcharging by Bangkok taxi drivers. Her social experiment, captured on video, shows taxis refusing to use meters and quoting fixed rates between 200 and 700 baht for a short trip to Siam, a popular shopping area.

And they wonder why tourists are finding better places to holiday

In KL, Malaysia the taxis are worse or similar to those in Bangkok. That is why I hate going to KL on business. The KL taxis have signs  on their door saying meter only and they still demand higher fares. This activity is high on the list for tourists hates about Bkk. Police do you job!. I seldom have a problem because I know the route and speak enough Thai to have the meter on. No meter no go, Tuk Tuks are even worse, so never use

14 minutes ago, Jeffrey346 said:

I use Taxis and Grab daily. In case you're not aware, Grab is usually much higher than the metered Taxi.  

 

I hailed a cab on Silom on Wednesday. Got in, and told the driver my destination, in Sathorn. He said THB200, so I got out. I walked a few metres to Thaniya Plaza, called GrabCar and a Toyota Camry (usually used for Grab Car Premium) arrived within 8 minutes. Total fare, including Ride Cover and Card fee THB100. The choice is an easy one.

 

(The usual "normal" taxi fare, with traffic from Silom to Sathorn would be around THB70.) 

4 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Why not just increase the standing fare and the mileage rate, so that taxi drivers can earn more money?  Bangkok taxis are ridiculously cheap.Why not just increase the standing fare and the mileage rate, so that taxi drivers can earn more money?  Bangkok taxis are ridiculously cheap.Why not just increase the standing fare and the mileage rate, so that taxi drivers can earn more money?  Bangkok taxis are ridiculously cheap.

Being a Little Repetative there M8.....

10 hours ago, webfact said:

Pictures courtesy of Daily News

 

A Thai woman pretending to be a foreign tourist has exposed the steep overcharging by Bangkok taxi drivers. Her social experiment, captured on video, shows taxis refusing to use meters and quoting fixed rates between 200 and 700 baht for a short trip to Siam, a popular shopping area.

 

This revelation comes alongside demonstrations by taxi groups, led by Woraphon Gamkhuntod, demanding fair treatment from the government.

 

Their protest was directed at the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister to address the issues plaguing taxi services.

 

The video, shared widely on social media, highlights the ongoing issues with taxi services in Thailand, notably the refusal to use meters.

 

The highest quoted fare of 700 baht left viewers outraged, with many netizens calling for stricter regulation on taxi practices to protect passengers from being overcharged.

 

VIDEO: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1CV3xHcVvu/

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Daily News 2025-05-30

 

 

I wont use taxi meter taxis, cowboys.. ive been using Bolt for a couple of years now, taxi and motorbike, never had a problem and always fair price. Happy to leave a decent tip.  As for the lazy overcharging waste of spaces that sit outside hotels, they wont do short distance, only where they can charge big money. Will they take you. 

This is exactly why I find alternative means rather than use the taxis that are totally rip off if you’re foreigner they’re gonna charge a double pretty much like you know if you go to a national park or stuff like that you’re foreigner they’re gonna charge a TTIT

24 minutes ago, Purdey said:

I would encourage her to test more and have these photos sent to my home address.

You Perve !!!!

23 minutes ago, Jeffrey346 said:

I use Taxis and Grab daily. In case you're not aware, Grab is usually much higher than the metered Taxi.  

Well DON'T Use Grab then,I Certainly Would'nt !!

34 minutes ago, Jeffrey346 said:

I use Taxis and Grab daily. In case you're not aware, Grab is usually much higher than the metered Taxi.  

 

Yes , but Grab are very trendy plus you get to use an app  Pretty cool eh ?   Bit like Air B&B.  Why use a hotel when you can sleep in someone elses property.

4 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Why not just increase the standing fare and the mileage rate, so that taxi drivers can earn more money?  Bangkok taxis are ridiculously cheap.Why not just increase the standing fare and the mileage rate, so that taxi drivers can earn more money?  Bangkok taxis are ridiculously cheap.Why not just increase the standing fare and the mileage rate, so that taxi drivers can earn more money?  Bangkok taxis are ridiculously cheap.

That would not really change anything.  The taxi drivers do not overcharge because they are starving, but because they can.  White collar criminals are mostly also not starving, but they do whatever they do because they think they can get away with it.

 

 

3 hours ago, JoePai said:

Agree - bring them in line with Grab, Bolt etc

You cannot bring them in line with Grab and Bolt because those two intentionally price themselves a little higher.  So if normal taxis get more expensive, Grab and Bolt will accordingly

4 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Why not just increase the standing fare and the mileage rate, so that taxi drivers can earn more money?  Bangkok taxis are ridiculously cheap.Why not just increase the standing fare and the mileage rate, so that taxi drivers can earn more money?  Bangkok taxis are ridiculously cheap.Why not just increase the standing fare and the mileage rate, so that taxi drivers can earn more money?  Bangkok taxis are ridiculously cheap.

 

4 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Why not just increase the standing fare and the mileage rate, so that taxi drivers can earn more money?  Bangkok taxis are ridiculously cheap.Why not just increase the standing fare and the mileage rate, so that taxi drivers can earn more money?  Bangkok taxis are ridiculously cheap.Why not just increase the standing fare and the mileage rate, so that taxi drivers can earn more money?  Bangkok taxis are ridiculously cheap.

Maybe for you the fares are cheap.

 

But 99% of passengers are Thai, many taking a taxi to go direct to home because of thugs, pickpockets etc., and other circumstances, but the reality is that for these folks the fare is quite expensive. 

It's a mixed bag.  Cabs at Mochit Bus Terminal may or may not use meter.  Cabs outside tourist hotels are always going to quote a high fixed price.  

 

I've found a few really go ones.  Went to a temple the guy said no problem he will park, sleep in the car, round trip was 300 baht.  Motorbike taxi wanted 200 baht each way.

 

Again I think for tourist sometimes the language and explaining the destination address is to burdensome and they would rather use Grab/Bolt.

 

If Bangkok had good easy to use Mass Transit with Air Con Buses running more frequently in certain areas it could reduce the need for as many taxis.

57 minutes ago, kevin612 said:

That is why I always use bolt or grab 

Bolt/grab are getting to be almost as bad. Last couple of times out of BKK airport it took 5 or 6 tries to get a driver that would accept the website's quote. 

51 minutes ago, JimHuaHin said:

TIT.

 

Foreigners are to be exploited.

No locals too..

4 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Why not just increase the standing fare and the mileage rate, so that taxi drivers can earn more money?  Bangkok taxis are ridiculously cheap.Why not just increase the standing fare and the mileage rate, so that taxi drivers can earn more money?  Bangkok taxis are ridiculously cheap.Why not just increase the standing fare and the mileage rate, so that taxi drivers can earn more money?  Bangkok taxis are ridiculously cheap.

maybe taxi fare in Bangkok is cheap for you, but not for other, expecially thai people, where salary is far away lower than european salary, maybe will be good if they increase yours bill and tax, how is that