Taxi Scam!

[petercr]

Not sure if this is typical in the present climate but the wife & I had trouble with an airport taxi when returning to Bangkok.

Firstly the car was not fit for purpose......

Next my wife noticed the meter was increasing at an alarming rate and challenged the driver .......Driver responded by saying that he had a flat battery, therefore the meter was not reading correctly. That statement was obviously B..s..t, but suddenly the meter slowed down to a normal rate

The driver then said that as his meter was not working correctly he would only charge us Bhat 300 to town...negociated down to 200

On arrival in town he attempted to charge is the metered fare!!!

Next issue was........no change for 1,000 note

Eventually found change, gave him Bhat 200......and listened to the abuse because we had not given a tip!!!!

[awayfoe]

Not sure if this is typical in the present climate but the wife & I had trouble with an airport taxi when returning to Bangkok.

Firstly the car was not fit for purpose......

Next my wife noticed the meter was increasing at an alarming rate and challenged the driver .......Driver responded by saying that he had a flat battery, therefore the meter was not reading correctly. That statement was obviously B..s..t, but suddenly the meter slowed down to a normal rate

The driver then said that as his meter was not working correctly he would only charge us Bhat 300 to town...negociated down to 200

On arrival in town he attempted to charge is the metered fare!!!

Next issue was........no change for 1,000 note

Eventually found change, gave him Bhat 200......and listened to the abuse because we had not given a tip!!!!

very big news !!!!!! and than ??????

[joskydive]

Not sure if this is typical in the present climate but the wife & I had trouble with an airport taxi when returning to Bangkok.

Firstly the car was not fit for purpose......

Next my wife noticed the meter was increasing at an alarming rate and challenged the driver .......Driver responded by saying that he had a flat battery, therefore the meter was not reading correctly. That statement was obviously B..s..t, but suddenly the meter slowed down to a normal rate

The driver then said that as his meter was not working correctly he would only charge us Bhat 300 to town...negociated down to 200

On arrival in town he attempted to charge is the metered fare!!!

Next issue was........no change for 1,000 note

Eventually found change, gave him Bhat 200......and listened to the abuse because we had not given a tip!!!!

Thanks for the heads up on that! I didn't know that they could adjust their meters to suit their purpose. I thought it was set by the authorities and couldn't be adjusted. Silly Me!

Edited December 23, 2008 by joskydive

[dumball]

Not sure if this is typical in the present climate but the wife & I had trouble with an airport taxi when returning to Bangkok.

Firstly the car was not fit for purpose......

Next my wife noticed the meter was increasing at an alarming rate and challenged the driver .......Driver responded by saying that he had a flat battery, therefore the meter was not reading correctly. That statement was obviously B..s..t, but suddenly the meter slowed down to a normal rate

The driver then said that as his meter was not working correctly he would only charge us Bhat 300 to town...negociated down to 200

On arrival in town he attempted to charge is the metered fare!!!

Next issue was........no change for 1,000 note

Eventually found change, gave him Bhat 200......and listened to the abuse because we had not given a tip!!!!

Thanks for the heads up on that! I didn't know that they could adjust their meters to suit their purpose. I thought it was set by the authorities and couldn't be adjusted. Silly Me!

Where there's a will there's a way and there's lots of 'Wills' in Thailand .

[jeffer]

They get the meter passed by whichever department approves these things, then it gets fiddled afterwards. Heard this from a couple of drivers recently including one of my regulars. Wasn't very common for a while but it's becoming popular again they say. The old way was to control it by some hidden switch.

[2008bangkok]

Firstly the car was not fit for purpose......

Next issue was........no change for 1,000 note

the old fit for purpose...nah it proberly wasnt

1000 baht note..taxi driver...change....

You new in town??

[Briggsy]

Thanks. We haven't had an airport taxi mafia rip-off scam thread for a bit so this was well overdue.

Did you get said taxi from departures or did you get it from the official queue having got a ticket and paying the 50 Baht airport surcharge? If you got it from departures, then I feel your chances of a dodgy ride are much increased.

You must be unfamiliar with Bangkok taxis if you think they carry change for a 1000 Baht note. Anyone, Thais or foreigners know to have change when catching a Bangkok taxi.

Did you take the number of the taxi? I believe there is a complaint line you can call.

[petercr]

Taxi was taken from the official airport departure area @ 50baht surcharge

Has anyone here ever had a result after making a formal complaint about similar incidents??

[samiinjapan]

formal complaint

This is Thailand

Dont worry you did well for your self

[Fore Man]

A bit off topic, but I learned a useful little trick in Bangkok when the taxi driver can't produce change for say, a THB 50 fare when presented with a THB 100 note. I simply tell, him, "OK, I take a nice nap now...wake me up when you get to 100". When he figures out what I mean as I lie back and close my eyes, he invariably finds his change has mysteriously become available [this may not work in these days of rigged meters]. If he doesn't react to this ruse, I tell him, "OK, I get out now and go find change ['laek ngun'] and come back and pay you very soon". Funny how fast they dig out those missing coins!

[H2oDunc]

Oh how it makes me smile. You arrive here and are charged.........................................................................

...............................................

Wait for it............................................................................ A whole 4 pounds to get into town !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The sheer rip off of it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JEEZ man get a life !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! try flying into heathrow and getting charged up to a hundred pounds to get into town now that's what I call a rip off. Even the short train into town is 35 pounds now. I would not consider 200 baht a rip off for anything. No doubt it has NOTHING to do with the money but all to do with the principle ??????????????

[petercr]

You got it right in one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[syd barrett]

A bit off topic, but I learned a useful little trick in Bangkok when the taxi driver can't produce change for say, a THB 50 fare when presented with a THB 100 note. I simply tell, him, "OK, I take a nice nap now...wake me up when you get to 100". When he figures out what I mean as I lie back and close my eyes, he invariably finds his change has mysteriously become available [this may not work in these days of rigged meters]. If he doesn't react to this ruse, I tell him, "OK, I get out now and go find change ['laek ngun'] and come back and pay you very soon". Funny how fast they dig out those missing coins!

Cute idea but dangerous.

Taxi drivers will not hesitate to murder farang in a variety of ways and dismember your body and dispose of you in landfill sites or else your cut your head and hands off to hinder identification and dump you in Pattaya Bay.

I'm not making this up, it happens every day.

Even Thai folk know not to expect change for large denomination notes. This is a third world country, life is cheap. Police don't care. Murder and assassination cost next to nothing. The rich fear the poor. This is a seriously bad country unless you have your wits about you 100% and stay out of trouble......

Enjoy the sunshine, the girls, and keep away from mad taxi drivers.........

[Norrad]

The meter can be rigged, often when the wife and I get a taxi from the airport, the driver will play a special music radio station and the meter goes up very fast. The minute the wife and him start discussing life in rural isaan, he will change the station and the meter will go down to a more regular rate.

[mijan24]

You got it right in one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wrong - If that is youre outlook then be prepared to pay additional for all things - of course if that is no problem then my friend you are trolling.

[3billygoats]

I do not believe for one nano-second that the meter's rate depends on the radio station! I'm a right tight-arse and regurlarly get taxis, including from both airports and have never known them go up too fast or have a special switch. The easiest way to cheat like this is to put smaller wheels on the car.

1,000B is a stupid note to give them, expecially nowadays with the fakes around. The poor bugger isn't likely to have a UV scanner in his cab, is he?

[kurnell]

A bit off topic, but I learned a useful little trick in Bangkok when the taxi driver can't produce change for say, a THB 50 fare when presented with a THB 100 note. I simply tell, him, "OK, I take a nice nap now...wake me up when you get to 100". When he figures out what I mean as I lie back and close my eyes, he invariably finds his change has mysteriously become available [this may not work in these days of rigged meters]. If he doesn't react to this ruse, I tell him, "OK, I get out now and go find change ['laek ngun'] and come back and pay you very soon". Funny how fast they dig out those missing coins!

Cute idea but dangerous.

Taxi drivers will not hesitate to murder farang in a variety of ways and dismember your body and dispose of you in landfill sites or else your cut your head and hands off to hinder identification and dump you in Pattaya Bay.

I'm not making this up, it happens every day.

Even Thai folk know not to expect change for large denomination notes. This is a third world country, life is cheap. Police don't care. Murder and assassination cost next to nothing. The rich fear the poor. This is a seriously bad country unless you have your wits about you 100% and stay out of trouble......

Enjoy the sunshine, the girls, and keep away from mad taxi drivers.........

that's a good one

[JUDAS]

Oh how it makes me smile. You arrive here and are charged.........................................................................

...............................................

Wait for it............................................................................ A whole 4 pounds to get into town !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The sheer rip off of it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JEEZ man get a life !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! try flying into heathrow and getting charged up to a hundred pounds to get into town now that's what I call a rip off. Even the short train into town is 35 pounds now. I would not consider 200 baht a rip off for anything. No doubt it has NOTHING to do with the money but all to do with the principle ??????????????

Are you not the same guy who started a thread about being "ripped off" for 300 Baht worth of gasoline?

[tartempion]

I do not believe for one nano-second that the meter's rate depends on the radio station! I'm a right tight-arse and regurlarly get taxis, including from both airports and have never known them go up too fast or have a special switch. The easiest way to cheat like this is to put smaller wheels on the car.

1,000B is a stupid note to give them, expecially nowadays with the fakes around. The poor bugger isn't likely to have a UV scanner in his cab, is he?

3 months ago from Swampy to Dong Muang, meter was at 300B at motorway intersection downtown/Ding Daen, usualy 200B there, was at 400B arriving Dong Muang, definitely tampered meter.

Had 3 taxi drivers NOT taking the road I told them to take using different pretexts. One refused to drive to Ploenchit from Asoke(to Swampy), went East to Rama IV, took the expressway East again., refused to head towards Bagna-Trad, went East again to make a full circle around down town Bangkok. Told with in no uncertain words he was an assh*ole. He was driving very fast just to make a lot of kms.

I now loathe Bangkok taxi drivers. Will deploy Bangkok map next visit and show them road to take before departing

[mrtoad]

Oh how it makes me smile. You arrive here and are charged.........................................................................

...............................................

Wait for it............................................................................ A whole 4 pounds to get into town !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The sheer rip off of it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JEEZ man get a life !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! try flying into heathrow and getting charged up to a hundred pounds to get into town now that's what I call a rip off. Even the short train into town is 35 pounds now. I would not consider 200 baht a rip off for anything. No doubt it has NOTHING to do with the money but all to do with the principle ??????????????

Give the OP a break, it isn't London Heathrow, and some of those Taxi drivers at the airport are a complete pain in the arse. Meter Taxi's are there for a reason, to reduce the scams.

Oh, and I'm happy to sell you a can of Coke for 200baht.

[bkkjames]

I do not believe for one nano-second that the meter's rate depends on the radio station! I'm a right tight-arse and regurlarly get taxis, including from both airports and have never known them go up too fast or have a special switch. The easiest way to cheat like this is to put smaller wheels on the car.

1,000B is a stupid note to give them, expecially nowadays with the fakes around. The poor bugger isn't likely to have a UV scanner in his cab, is he?

smaller wheels you give them too much credit mate. if they did this, it would be purely by accident / ignorance - just as likely to f it up and put bigger wheels than normal on the cab.

[yogi]

i think its ok for 200 baht,as far as driver's behaviour is concern,get use to it they always try to create loud seen to get some extra money,its a small issue,get over it pal

[tuky]

Oh how it makes me smile. You arrive here and are charged.........................................................................

...............................................

Wait for it............................................................................ A whole 4 pounds to get into town !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The sheer rip off of it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JEEZ man get a life !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! try flying into heathrow and getting charged up to a hundred pounds to get into town now that's what I call a rip off. Even the short train into town is 35 pounds now. I would not consider 200 baht a rip off for anything. No doubt it has NOTHING to do with the money but all to do with the principle ??????????????

Get off ya high horse mate. If you are going to compare the cost in soap dodger land with the cost in Thailand then do it correctly.

ie

Standard cost of airport to BKK vs Standard cost of airport to London.

Then compare that with the ratio that BKK taxis rip one off compared to the same ratio if it was in your soap dodgerland.

Once you have done this and paid the extra in London then see if you are still whinging...oh forgot you are a pom so it is in your nature to whinge.

[MJP]

I have a friend pick me up at the airport now. I need neither the hassle nor the cost.

[tuky]

Apologies for the above post.

Just had some bad news and it appeared easier to take my frustration out on Khun Dunc.

Sorry about that mate. I humbly ask your understanding.

[neverdie]

Cute idea but dangerous.

Taxi drivers will not hesitate to murder farang in a variety of ways and dismember your body and dispose of you in landfill sites or else your cut your head and hands off to hinder identification and dump you in Pattaya Bay.

I'm not making this up, it happens every day.

Even Thai folk know not to expect change for large denomination notes. This is a third world country, life is cheap. Police don't care. Murder and assassination cost next to nothing. The rich fear the poor. This is a seriously bad country unless you have your wits about you 100% and stay out of trouble......

Enjoy the sunshine, the girls, and keep away from mad taxi drivers.........

You've been told 3000 trillion times not to exaggerate SYD BARRETT. Are you working for the Autralian Govt "Australia will not be effected by the world recession" OR George W Bush "Saddam has weapons of mass destruction" ???Get real about the taxi drivers chopping people up please

Everyday FARANGS go missing from Bkk Taxis.....is the the bermuda triangle or something?

[syd barrett]

I just hope that you live upto your posting monicker. Take a taxi at your peril......

[junkofdavid2]

You're a fool, "Neverdie".

Syd is totally correct, and you may ignore him at your own risk.

I've gone missing in a Bangkok taxi myself.

Luckily, my wife didn't find me.

[neverdie]

Seems strange to me, I've been catching Bkk taxis for about mmm 20 years....never been chopped up and put into landfill yet. Perhaps you chumps need to learn to communicate with these people a bit.

Naturally if there was a farang being chopped up everyday, thats 365 per year going missing, don't you think that it would of drawn a bit more attention by now?

You blokes are

JUNKOFDAVID, perhaps you & syd could get together and knock up a survivors guide for stupid travellers....after all the pair of you would have a phd in that? As for your wife....she actually has to be looking for you to find you

[petercr]

Phew!!!!!!! How relieved I am not to have posted anything contentious!!!

Wearing a 'Kiss me Quick' Hat and TV sweatshirt before taking a cab from Heathrow to town next month

Will also be carrying a bag of fake £50 notes & no change!!!!