"crows" At Suvarnabhumi

[Xangsamhua]

Walking out from Arrivals to the controlled taxi rank at Suvarnabhumi the other day, my wife and I were shocked to see and hear people shouting at us desperately from across the road. The effect was much like the loud cawing of crows in the morning.

We asked our driver what was going on and he explained that they are "taxi pee", i.e. phantom (unlicensed) taxis touting for fares to Pattaya. The impression these people gave us as arriving passengers was awful. They sounded like crows and looked like the dam..d in h.ll, crying out from across the fence that separated legitimate taxis from themselves.

We are old Bangkok hands and not much surprises us, but this was freaky. Nothing like the relatively restrained touting that happens inside the terminal.

We asked our driver why nothing was done about it, given the ghastly impression it would have on visitors who are not familiar with Bangkok. He said there was nothing that could be done. The "mafia" wanted them there and what the mafia wants it gets, apparently. He also said they often quote a price of, say, 1500B to Pattaya and, on arrival, insist on collecting this amount from each passenger!

Does anyone have another explanation for the presence of these people? How long has it been going on? I don't remember it from my last arrival in October.

[Maigo6]

my wife and I were shocked to see and hear people shouting at us desperately from across the road. The effect was much like the loud cawing of crows in the morning.

Does anyone have another explanation for the presence of these people?

Says a guy coming from a country with a social security system that will pay money to people with no jobs.

And you reckon you're and old Asia hand ?

lol....

Jeez mate.................... get a fawkin grip on reality !!!!

[Xangsamhua]

my wife and I were shocked to see and hear people shouting at us desperately from across the road. The effect was much like the loud cawing of crows in the morning.

Does anyone have another explanation for the presence of these people?

Says a guy coming from a country with a social security system that will pay money to people with no jobs.

And you reckon you're and old Asia hand ?

lol....

Jeez mate.................... get a fawkin grip on reality !!!!

Fifteen years all up in Thailand and Laos over a 40 year period and haven't seen anything quite like this. (Mind you, we've managed to avoid Pattaya apart from the odd day trip.) Wife's a local (well, from Vientiane). It's not just a matter of social security, poverty, corruption, etc. We know all about these things. It's the fact that something as desperately in-your-face as this is allowed at Thailand's new "showpiece" airport.

Edited April 25, 2009 by Xangsamhua

[tartempion]

You are absolutely right:

I flew into Bangkok Wednesday morning and the touts shouting at me when exiting domestic and walking towards the luggage holding service is a disgrace. Same scenario walking outside towards the taxi stand.

I spent the day with a friend and went back to Swampy later afternoon to collect my luggage at arrivals floor, being agressed again by touts proposing their services asking "WHERE YOU GO?" when I clearly was ARRIVING. Would you wonder?

To be attacked again leaving the luggage service and heading upwards towards level 4 for check in.

One positive note where the nice ladies waiting under the departure screens ready to help you around, wished one or two could have joined me on my trip out of the country.

It's a disgrace security can't keep these people out, not a nice image for arriving tourists, but the officials do care getting quality tourist into the country isn't? The whole place is a joke, I'm happy to take a break from Thailand.

[The Snark]

Are they violating a law, or just giving a bad impression? Would you prefer Bali, where the touts follow you to your hotel and camp on your porch, sometimes overnight? How about Darwin? No touts, but almost every person you meet after 8 PM is near staggering drunk? Maybe LA? Nameless, faceless, concrete jungle with the personality of a fresh corpse. (Same goes for most other major American cities.)

The touts are there because they are trying to make money. The airport cannot ban them from public venues. It is a good introduction to Thailand if you think about it. Each tourist packing more loose cash to spend on frivolities that many of the touts make in a month or more. Reality sucks! Get it out of my sight!

Edited April 25, 2009 by The Snark

[brahmburgers]

You can expect more of those sorts of things. More people without jobs, tourism industry near life-support.

TAT focusing their advert dollars only on high-end golfers types.

Roving bands of rowdies wearing shirts of various colors - causing grief and havoc in touristed cities.

Legislators in BKK can't legislate.

Tens of thousands of hill tribe folks in northern Thailand with no ID card, no nationality. If they can get their kids to school, they've got to pay about Bt.4,000/kid for new books, new clothes, new shoes, new backpack - for each kid. So much for 'free' education.

Those are just a few reasons why the poor in Thailand will keep getting poorer. People trying to make a few baht will get increasingly desperate. Taxi drivers calling out from across the street - that's just a preview siren call for worse things to come.

[syd barrett]

I think it is much better than the old airport. At least you can ignore them and go down to the lower level. I seem to recall at Donne Muangue the touts grabbed your bags and forced you into a clapped out taxi cab, that went the long way taking four hours for 2000 baht.

Compared to arriving at Manila, it's a dream.

[Shah Jahan]

\

Compared to arriving at Manila, it's a dream.

Manilla aint bad these days. they keep all the regular taxis out of arrivals. Walk right out across the road to the pre-paid stand, overpay slightly and to your hotel with no hassles

[jeffer]

It's been happening since at least the first week of March. I'll guess that anyone not concerned about it hasn't encountered it as when you do it really seems to confirm you've arrived in a third world country. Makes you wonder what first time visitors must think. Manilla is nothing as Shah says. The only major airport in SEA I've found worse for aggressive taxi touts recently is Jakarta.

[hhgz]

"Walking out from Arrivals to the controlled taxi rank at Suvarnabhumi the other day, my wife and I were shocked to see and hear people shouting at us desperately from across the road. The effect was much like the loud cawing of crows in the morning....They sounded like crows..."

OK, we got the hint, they sounded like crows. Did they threaten you? Did they make any untoward advances to your wife? Did they make any offensive utterances in your general direction? Did you ever consider calling the Tourist Police? Did you ever consider filing a complaint with AOT?

How about drinking some decaf, and ignoring them?

[Briggsy]

More and more these days, Thailand finds itself compared to The Philippines. This is not a positive development as The Philippines has long been considered a basket case.

The situation you described sounds exactly like the time I arrived at Manila airport and there was a line behind which the touts had to stand and shout at you from.

We are old Bangkok hands and not much surprises us, but this was freaky. Nothing like the relatively restrained touting that happens inside the terminal.

I also am an old Bangkok hand.

[raylo]

More and more these days, Thailand finds itself compared to The Philippines. This is not a positive development as The Philippines has long been considered a basket case.

The situation you described sounds exactly like the time I arrived at Manila airport and there was a line behind which the touts had to stand and shout at you from.

We are old Bangkok hands and not much surprises us, but this was freaky. Nothing like the relatively restrained touting that happens inside the terminal.

I also am an old Bangkok hand.

Try changing hands and accept the reality of life in an Asian country. If aspects of life here bother anyone that much don't come to Thailand.

[bubba]

\

Compared to arriving at Manila, it's a dream.

Manilla aint bad these days. they keep all the regular taxis out of arrivals. Walk right out across the road to the pre-paid stand, overpay slightly and to your hotel with no hassles

For the taxis across the driveway at MNL Terminal 1, you announce your destination to the counter, they give you a slip of paper with the destination and price, then you pay the driver on arrival. Of course, they never have change.

A cheaper option has been available at Terminal 1 for about six months now. Rather than cross the driveway, turn left as you walk out the arrivals door and there are new white meter taxis. Rates are higher than city taxis, but they are still cheaper than the fixed price stand across the driveway. Of course, they never have change either.

All that said, Manila Terminal 1 is a dreadful experience, particularly on departure. It's overcrowded, in bad condition and there are long queues at every point: first the x-ray machine at the front door, then overcrowded checkin counters, then queuing to pay the departure tax (collecting US$15/passenger and they cannot even staff all the booths), then queuing for the slowest departures immigration in SE Asia, queuing again for another x-ray machine and metal detectors (while you remove your shoes and walk across a filthy carpet that must not have been cleaned in months). Last time I was there, it took me 55 minutes from the front door to the gate, so allow yourself plenty of time. Without doubt, the worst airport terminal of any capital city in Asia that I have encountered.

[davejonesbkk]

Why are so many people having a go at the OP? What is this forum for? Oh yeah sorry I forgot 'if you dont like it you can leave, shut the door on your way out' lalalalalalaa zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Btw, If I ever saw behaviour like this from taxi drivers at any UK airport I would be disgusted and ashamed.....

[Xangsamhua]

Why are so many people having a go at the OP? What is this forum for? Oh yeah sorry I forgot 'if you dont like it you can leave, shut the door on your way out' lalalalalalaa zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Btw, If I ever saw behaviour like this from taxi drivers at any UK airport I would be disgusted and ashamed.....

Thanks davejonesbkk for your support.

People are welcome to attack me or my comments if they think I'm being insensitive or patronising or unrealistic or whatever. But in my view they've missed the point on this occasion.

The point was that (1) the shouting from across the road gave a very bad impression; (2) it was something new - I hadn't seen anything like it at Bangkok (old or new) airport over 40 years - and it would be better stopped; (3) I was told that the "mafia" wanted it that way and no one could do anything about it (which may or may not be true).

I must say I haven't seen anything like this at Vientiane, Hanoi, Saigon, Phnom Penh, Manila, Penang, Singapore, Delhi, Colombo, to name some in the region. I haven't been to Jakarta for many years, but do remember, as one poster pointed out, the touts in that and other Javanese cities, so it may still be bad.

As a poster pointed out, the phenomenon sends a clear signal to the visitor that he or she is now entering a third world country. However, Bangkok and Thailand do not need this. We didn't have it before. A message to AOT or TAT would probably be a good idea, though in my previous experience they don't respond.

Is it still going on? For all I know it may have been stopped by now.

[Maigo6]

Btw, If I ever saw behaviour like this from taxi drivers at any UK airport I would be disgusted and ashamed.....

You'd put that much effort into it ?

Do you think well off people are standing there screaming for you to get a Taxi hoping for a few crumbs ?

No, in UK people get Social Security and everything else that should prevent this, but this is SE Asia, NOT UK !!!!!

Take away the Social Security in UK and see how the society acts, I mean its a shambles already, but take away that safety net, and watch out !!

An Idiot straight off the boat may be shocked, but well seasoned travellers, give me a freekin' break!!!

This thread reminds me of the fools that go to The Cambodian Border and complain about the limbless beggars bothering them.....<deleted>, they'd swap lives with you anyday of the week, would you be willing to do the same !!!!

You're too spoilt mate.