Taxi Mafia Still Ripping Off Tourists On Koh Samui

[Boater]

At a time when Thailand's tourism industry should be putting on its best face, it is disturbing that Koh Samui's taxi mafia is still operating outside the law. It was reported last June that the Koh Samui Taxi Meter Operators' Association had instructed members to switch on their meters after complaints from tourists about demands for extortionate fares. This promise has proved to be hollow, as I discovered on a recent holiday on the island.

After arriving on Bangkok Airways' last flight of the day from the capital, I was told that the Bt150 minibus service would not be available to me because I was the only person travelling to Lamai. Two female Israeli backpackers were also stranded because the minibuses to nearby Chaweng were full.

At the taxi stand I was quoted Bt800 for the 10-kilometre journey to Lamai. I refused to pay such an outrageous fare. The Israelis were quoted Bt300 each for the short ride to Chaweng. They decided to walk and I phoned a friend to ask him to collect me.

PETER HILL

BANGKOK

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/02/26...on_30096612.php

Edited February 26, 2009 by sbk
1st 3 sentences and a link only for bkk post articles--sbk

[james24]

I totally agree

[neverdie]

^that mafia mob wouldnt of got away with that sort of behaviour if that Alf guy was in town.....he's a boxer of 14 years and probably would of just dished out a couple of round house kicks and a few jaw breaking punches & it would of all been over......the lamai ninja

[Boater]

^that mafia mob wouldnt of got away with that sort of behaviour if that Alf guy was in town.....he's a boxer of 14 years and probably would of just dished out a couple of round house kicks and a few jaw breaking punches & it would of all been over......the lamai ninja

.......

[highdiver]

mafia..

that usually refers to an "organized" mob.

Never use a taxi that does not turn on the meter.

[Boater]

Never use a taxi that does not turn on the meter.

but the trouble is THEY NEVER DO

[Rooo]

Never use a taxi that does not turn on the meter.

but the trouble is THEY NEVER DO

I started another thread a while ago regarding the 90 Bht surcharge & use of meters, seems to have gone out of the window.

[neverdie]

Never use a taxi that does not turn on the meter.

but the trouble is THEY NEVER DO

I started another thread a while ago regarding the 90 Bht surcharge & use of meters, seems to have gone out of the window.

You'd be much better off spending 90B and getting that poor cat a haircut, crikey!

[mattias33]

mafia..

that usually refers to an "organized" mob.

Never use a taxi that does not turn on the meter.

In other words, never use a taxi on Samui. Wich i have not in the last 3 years. But for us expats with our own vehicles, it is easy to choose not to use this service, even if i personaly would if they were as good as for instans Bangkok. However, for a tourist, it is not so easy. They kind of have no choice. Even though they know it is completely wrong to pay 800 baht from the airport to lamai, what can they do when they arrive 10 in the evening? It is a organised mob and maffia is the absolute correct word to describe Samui taxi. Have no illussion.

And they do scare tourists away. Have no illussion of this either. As late as today i recieved an e-mail from a friend who are in Bangkok. He is not coming to samui because he "dont want to be ripped off by those taxiscammers one more year", and will be going to krabi instead. . (He did mention Bkk airways scam as a secondary reason but i got the oppinion the taxi thing was the big reason. He dont drive anything and is totally depending on taxi.)

[limbos]

Mattias,

Did you spell that email out for your friend?

[mattias33]

Mattias,

Did you spell that email out for your friend?

One could think so, but fact being that he is not the first one that spell out those 2 reasons for me. And most lightly not the last. .

[Boputed]

Mattias,

Did you spell that email out for your friend?

why would he have too ..everyone, except the naive tourists (whom are our financial lifeblood and whom they do scare away) already know that is two of reasons Samui sucks ....em, like Mattias' friend

[mattias33]

Mattias,

Did you spell that email out for your friend?

why would he have too ..everyone, except the naive tourists (whom are our financial lifeblood and whom they do scare away) already know that is two of reasons Samui sucks ....em, like Mattias' friend

And highdiver and limbos, not to forget!

[highdiver]

Mattias they are not an organized mafia they are just scamming tourists.

taxi drivers world wide, once seeing you are a tourist will quote an inflated price, or take roundabout routes to increase their fares and find other creative ways to charge customers extra.

every country in the world has the same problem with taxi scams so your friend better stay home. where no one will rip him off.

even your own lovely Sweden has a problem with that

http://www.thelocal.se/16868/20090112/

nice reading makes you think twice before you use the Swedish taxi service. or maybe we should not go to Sweden because they have a taxi mafia there :lol

[PoorSucker]

Mattias,

Did you spell that email out for your friend?

why would he have too ..everyone, except the naive tourists (whom are our financial lifeblood and whom they do scare away) already know that is two of reasons Samui sucks ....em, like Mattias' friend

Are you referring to me?

[livinthailandos]

Gee another post about the taxi mafia, , I hate to say this but all bad articles about samui have NO affect of anything being fixed or done on this island

1. money talks and someone is always getting paid under the table

2. I'm still waiting for the day when the roads are actual roads and without finding potholes everywhere

3. How about actual planning for the future ( oops forgot this is thailand )

4. When thai logic, common sense, and actual education come in to play I might have hopes for samui

5. Thai society = Thai Soap operas

6. rules and regulations or lack of them or enforced allow things like this to happen

7. 500 million baht thats supposed to be spent for the great firewall of thailand

8. Look how easy it was to take an airport for 8 days

now with all of this going on or has happened I expect nothing to change. so complain, moan, groan, whatever just realize thailand is thailand that land of everything, just like a circus

Last but not least of all I might have hopes for samui when pigs start to fly

[UmpaLumpa]

it is a 'mafia'. anynobody in power that tries to change their scam will be a target. it is one of those activities that will remain ungoverned for a long time, same as speedboating, cement supply, supermarkets (before lotus), etc..

[mattias33]

Mattias they are not an organized mafia they are just scamming tourists.

taxi drivers world wide, once seeing you are a tourist will quote an inflated price, or take roundabout routes to increase their fares and find other creative ways to charge customers extra.

every country in the world has the same problem with taxi scams so your friend better stay home. where no one will rip him off.

even your own lovely Sweden has a problem with that

http://www.thelocal.se/16868/20090112/

nice reading makes you think twice before you use the Swedish taxi service. or maybe we should not go to Sweden because they have a taxi mafia there :lol

First of all, Sweden has nothing to do with a thread about Samui taxi. Secondly, you know, wether you admit it or not, that we are not talking about taxis taking a little extra route with tourists here. We are talking about a group of proffession, were 100 % agreed upon that the law of Thailand is nothing they follow. You can find scams in every kind of buisness in every part of the world. Agreed highdiver. But the unique part in samui is that you can NOT find ONE taxi that uses the taximeter, wich infact is the law in this country. Thats not something you see in many places of the world. Or even in Thailand. It is quite unique for Samui. And it does scare tourists away. Beleive it or not.

[pokerface1001]

mafia..

that usually refers to an "organized" mob.

Never use a taxi that does not turn on the meter.

In other words, never use a taxi on Samui. Wich i have not in the last 3 years. But for us expats with our own vehicles, it is easy to choose not to use this service, even if i personaly would if they were as good as for instans Bangkok. However, for a tourist, it is not so easy. They kind of have no choice. Even though they know it is completely wrong to pay 800 baht from the airport to lamai, what can they do when they arrive 10 in the evening? It is a organised mob and maffia is the absolute correct word to describe Samui taxi. Have no illussion.

And they do scare tourists away. Have no illussion of this either. As late as today i recieved an e-mail from a friend who are in Bangkok. He is not coming to samui because he "dont want to be ripped off by those taxiscammers one more year", and will be going to krabi instead. . (He did mention Bkk airways scam as a secondary reason but i got the oppinion the taxi thing was the big reason. He dont drive anything and is totally depending on taxi.)

I feel sorry for the taxi drivers of Samui. They have clearly received a substandard education due to the fact they were schooled on Samui. Unfortunately for them they do not possess the educational background to understand that they are racists. Ignorance is bliss.

[Birdman]

mafia..

that usually refers to an "organized" mob.

Never use a taxi that does not turn on the meter.

In other words, never use a taxi on Samui. Wich i have not in the last 3 years. But for us expats with our own vehicles, it is easy to choose not to use this service, even if i personaly would if they were as good as for instans Bangkok. However, for a tourist, it is not so easy. They kind of have no choice. Even though they know it is completely wrong to pay 800 baht from the airport to lamai, what can they do when they arrive 10 in the evening? It is a organised mob and maffia is the absolute correct word to describe Samui taxi. Have no illussion.

And they do scare tourists away. Have no illussion of this either. As late as today i recieved an e-mail from a friend who are in Bangkok. He is not coming to samui because he "dont want to be ripped off by those taxiscammers one more year", and will be going to krabi instead. . (He did mention Bkk airways scam as a secondary reason but i got the oppinion the taxi thing was the big reason. He dont drive anything and is totally depending on taxi.)

I feel sorry for the taxi drivers of Samui. They have clearly received a substandard education due to the fact they were schooled on Samui. Unfortunately for them they do not possess the educational background to understand that they are racists. Ignorance is bliss.

Not all taxi drivers are from Samui.

[PoorSucker]

Only the taxi owners are born on Samui.

Do you really think someone can bring a taxi here from the mainland without permission from the "Taxi owners mafia".

Edited February 28, 2009 by PoorSucker

[Birdman]

Only the taxi owners are born on Samui.

Do you really think someone can bring a taxi here from the mainland without permission from the "Taxi owners mafia".

it is possible to own a taxi here, but not to be a samui born human being.

It's hot tonight - too hot for talking...

[Mark Wolfe]

I think it is opportunism. I met a lad last night who rented a Suzuki Shitbucket vehicle just off the Nathon pier and was nicked 1,100 baht a day. So it's catch what catch can here in Samui.

[limbos]

Only the taxi owners are born on Samui.

Do you really think someone can bring a taxi here from the mainland without permission from the "Taxi owners mafia".

it is possible to own a taxi here, but not to be a samui born human being.

It's hot tonight - too hot for talking...

Tell us birdman, what superior race or tribe do you belong to?

Edited March 1, 2009 by limbos

[limbos]

I think it is opportunism. I met a lad last night who rented a Suzuki Shitbucket vehicle just off the Nathon pier and was nicked 1,100 baht a day. So it's catch what catch can here in Samui.

Mark,

that kind of behaviour is not restricted to Samui, happens everywhere in the world. Mind you, not condoning it, but somethimes Samui is depicted here as the worst place in the world to be, by picking on one or two things that aren't even exclusive to Samui.

Edited March 1, 2009 by limbos

[Jambo]

Hi Limbos,

I think Birdman meant that you can own a taxi here on Samui but also come from another part of Thailand.

Its not just Samui born Thai's that own taxi's on Samui.

Or at least i really hope that's what he meant??

[Birdman]

Hi Limbos,

I think Birdman meant that you can own a taxi here on Samui but also come from another part of Thailand.

Its not just Samui born Thai's that own taxi's on Samui.

Or at least i really hope that's what he meant??

right, what else??

anyway, thanks for the explanation

[Mark Wolfe]

Yes Limbos. My point was just to say that profiteering and cheating is not the exclusive domain of taxi drivers here.

[limbos]

Yes Limbos. My point was just to say that profiteering and cheating is not the exclusive domain of taxi drivers here.

Too bad actually, it would make life so simpel and easy!

[limbos]

Hi Limbos,

I think Birdman meant that you can own a taxi here on Samui but also come from another part of Thailand.

Its not just Samui born Thai's that own taxi's on Samui.

Or at least i really hope that's what he meant??

right, what else??

anyway, thanks for the explanation

Just checking.................