Well before we were on the express way, the driver explained that the Rama 9 access to the airport was blocked as a trailer truck had gone over the rail. What he wanted to do was to take the long way around through Bang Na. I asked how he know this and he said that it was on the news. I agreed and said that it was up to him.

May I suggest that you not get taken in like I was. The best thing to do is to have the driver pull over and get out and get another taxi that doesn't pull that bs. This is sometimes inconvenient so (in this case) you must insist on the shortest route which is essentially via the Rama 9 expressway.

If you are not sure of how to explain this in Thai, have a friend explain it to you and then write it out phonetically. It is not very difficult.

Siki

If you can understand the driver explain the details of a traffic accident then Iam sure you will know how to say "Rama 9 expressway"

You agreed and said that it was up to him.

If you had got stuck in traffic you might of missed your flight so I hope you gave him a good tip on top of the fair.

The incessant references to the evidently hundreds of "mafia" groups ('beggar' mafia, 'taxi' mafia, 'moto-taxi' mafia, 'tuk-tuk' mafia, not to mention the 'litter police' mafia, and lest we forget, the ever heinous 'rabid soi dog' mafia or the equally subversive 'blind karaoke singer beggar' mafia) becomes a very tedious read after a while.

I doubt most posters could spot a 'mafia character' if they stood beside you.

Another mindless paranoid post about the injustice of it all, oh the humanity. .. ... .

Thank you!

Spot on.

I mentioned this too in another thread the other day (Mafia Police.....).

There is an Inflation in the word mafia here on TV.

In regard to the rip-off, the story that was used to sucker me in was, in fact, true (according to my neighbor). However, it was true 5 or 6 weeks ago not when it was told to me. If any of you hear this kind of story in relation to a trip to the airport, chances are nil that it’s true. There aren’t that many accidents on the Rama 9 route to the airport.

This thread seemed to get a little silly at times. I hope this doesn’t discourage other people from sharing their experiences. After all, it allows those people who know everything there is to know about Thailand to impress us with their amazing insights and knowledge and allows the rest of us to learn from someone else’s experience.

Sorry OP, but you are making presumptions that he was scamming you - you have no idea if that was the case at all. What if he would have taken you along Pra Rama IX Road and it was blocked - would you then create a post bitching about cabbies who make you late for your flight on purpose?

Jeez, makes me feel even more fortunate for every single nice cabbie I've met. People it's because I'm nice/polite to them in the first place?

A taxi driver going the long way is hardly a new scam.

And it's hardly good business for him either.

He'd much rather drop you off as fast as possible and get another fare.

I'm inclined to think the taxi driver was being straight in this particular incident.

In regard to the rip-off, the story that was used to sucker me in was, in fact, true (according to my neighbor). However, it was true 5 or 6 weeks ago not when it was told to me. If any of you hear this kind of story in relation to a trip to the airport, chances are nil that it's true. There aren't that many accidents on the Rama 9 route to the airport.

This thread seemed to get a little silly at times. I hope this doesn't discourage other people from sharing their experiences. After all, it allows those people who know everything there is to know about Thailand to impress us with their amazing insights and knowledge and allows the rest of us to learn from someone else's experience.

I still think this is <deleted>. In acutal fact, if your stupid enough to be making this claim 6 weeks after it happened and your relying on your "honest to god" knowledgable neighbor then I hope you get scammed again........... accidents happen anywhere anytime. Tail backs can be kilometers long. For all we know you might have been and hour in traffic and missed your flight! Get better proof when you using the word "scam".

BTW_ I have requested Taxi's to use this route on a number of occasions when I could see the other options were not as easy to access. Some have argued with me and pleaded to use the direct route up Rama 9..........

I use several taxis , a lot of them have cards so you can call them. I call one of the 2 I use have them pick me up at my condo. I know them they speak english OK. I always know what I get .I never had a problem.