Airport Authorities Going After Dishonest Taxi Drivers

[sriracha john]

AIRPORT SCAM

AoT goes after taxi rackets

Suvarnabhumi airport authorities are going after dishonest taxi drivers, rogue officials, and illegal tour guides operating at the airport following a string of complaints in recent weeks.

Airport Director Serirat Prasutanond yesterday said he was investigating allegations airport officials had demanded bribes from cab drivers picking up passengers at the airport.

It was reported extortion had forced taxi drivers to overcharge passengers by refusing to either use the meter or by raising the minimum metered fare to 95 baht.

Continued:

-- Bangkok Post 2009-05-05

[john b good]

AIRPORT SCAM

AoT goes after taxi rackets

Suvarnabhumi airport authorities are going after dishonest taxi drivers, rogue officials, and illegal tour guides operating at the airport following a string of complaints in recent weeks.

Airport Director Serirat Prasutanond yesterday said he was investigating allegations airport officials had demanded bribes from cab drivers picking up passengers at the airport.

It was reported extortion had forced taxi drivers to overcharge passengers by refusing to either use the meter or by raising the minimum metered fare to 95 baht.

Continued:

-- Bangkok Post 2009-05-05

Is this a joke

The taxi drivers (and airport officials) in Bangkok have been running scams for decades and some one say's we're gonna clean things up.

This post should have been put up on 01 April

[sriracha john]

but the authorities really, really mean it this time...

[beano2274]

How about starting up an "Airport Taxi service" am sure we could do a fine Job, and if in partnership with AOT, could be worth a goldmine.

Farang drivers or drivers in decent uniforms, representing AOT and TV, am sure we could get over 90percent of the Tourists in our cars. No Airport surcharges, just the meter and the Expressway charges. Big signs in the Arrival areas, clean well presented, English speaking people ushering tourists to the taxis, must be worth a try.

[MJo]

How about starting up an "Airport Taxi service" am sure we could do a fine Job, and if in partnership with AOT, could be worth a goldmine.

Farang drivers or drivers in decent uniforms, representing AOT and TV, am sure we could get over 90percent of the Tourists in our cars. No Airport surcharges, just the meter and the Expressway charges. Big signs in the Arrival areas, clean well presented, English speaking people ushering tourists to the taxis, must be worth a try.

Right... good idea but who's gonna pay for it ? Say farang driver you need to pay 40k per month (hire those english teachers that are dropped out from schools) and he only works average 21 days per month and as it stands now most of the airport taxi drivers can get only one fare per day. Maybe two if they are lucky. So you are looking between 1000 to 2000 baht cost per trip just for the driver salary. Add cost of cars, uniforms, payments to AOT your english speaking people ushering customers.... So good idea as long as you find farangs willing to work for free and someone to donate cars and uniforms to you not to mention thai government allowing all the farangs to work without salary and work permits.

Actually this service you describe already exists, called limo service. And i mean the official AOT one that has nice stands, signs all over the airport and cars are nice and drivers do not ask extra. Works well but you have to pay for the service...

[Crushdepth]

The last two times I've arrived at Suvarnabhumi the taxi mafia were blatantly hoiking tourists from directly in front of the official taxi desk. There is absolutely no way anyone could have failed to notice because they were grabbing people out of the official line. The staff just sat there and watched.

Worst part was, because they were doing this in front of the real taxi desk and staff it gave them a certain amount of credibility.

[Zpete]

but the authorities really, really mean it this time...

I will really, really, really believe it when I see it.

[dalmatian]

The last 4 times I have caught a ride from the public taxi rank it is obvious back handers have been paid. The girls give you a ticket which you then give to the seated guy who then designates a queuing taxi driver as your ride. I am escorted to the taxi, get in then notice the driver going back to the sitting guy and handing over a note (looks like a hundred), he then comes back and we depart. Works probably only for province rides as Bangkok should be on meter. There is no price board on the taxi stand. I have been charged 1400/1500/1400/1500 (in that order) over my last 4 trips. It is obvious that the journey should be 1400 but the backhander must be paid by the farang not the taxi driver.

Obviously they know it goes on and it would be so easy to stop it, catch the culprits and offer a decent service to tourist and residents alike. The problem is whether, like so many things in the LOS, this is just a PR exercise and nothing more will be done. Maybe the prices will go down to 1400 baht for a while.

I don't think the girls (who write out the tickets) are receiving the backhanders directly but probably they benefit from the scam by way of the guy who designates the drivers. They will get away with it as long as the authorities turn a blind eye.

[BigSnake]

It's about time somebody did something about these guys, my friend, his wife and daughter flew in to Bkk for a Medical Check up, couldn't believe the hassle they receive from the Taxi Drivers, he and wife(Thai) long time resident in Los and as they said to me they can only image how the first time visitor feel when he or she set foot at this airport andhave to deal with these Devils.

[Navalator]

Pure and simple: the taxi drivers are thugs.

[Absingjul]

I think the bribes were mostly for cabs that wanted to queue upstairs at departure gate, not so much at the real queue.

[sriracha john]

Nearly 300 illegal taxi drivers, tour guides nabbed at Suvarnabhumi Airport

BANGKOK, Aug 16 (TNA) – Police arrested nearly 300 unlicensed taxi drivers and tour guides in the two-week crackdown on crime at Suvarnabhumi Airport, said Piyapan Champasut, who chairs the board of directors of Airports of Thailand (AoT), the private corporation which oversees all operations there.

Police and AOT security personnel have worked together to crack down on illegal taxi drivers and tour guides at Suvarnabhumi Airport since July 31. Two hundred and five unlicensed taxi drivers and 83 illegal tour guides have so far been arrested, Mr. Piyapan said.

More than 100 officials work daily at the airport and more 30 surveillance cameras were installed to capture the footage of scammers.

Regarding baggage theft, Mr. Piyapan said that AOT will meet with representatives of two companies – Bangkok Flight Services (BFS) and Thai Airways International (THAI) -- to consider improved policies on preventing baggage theft. The two companies are service providers at the airport.

Revised policies are expected to be implemented by September1, he said adding the policies include installing more surveillance cameras, and requiring baggage handlers to wear uniforms without pockets.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Saturday ordered airport officials to resolve malpractice problems at Suvarnabhumi Airport and restore confidence among foreign tourists.

After inspecting airport facilities and talking with AoT officials in problem-areas, including duty-free shops, unlicensed taxis, baggage theft and civil servants representing themselves as higher, well-connected officials, Mr. Abhisit said guidelines would be laid out so that transparency and tourist confidence could be restored at the airport.

An international news reports recently said that a number of international – British, Danish and Irish in particular – reported they were falsely accused of shoplifting at Suvarnabhumi airport and some reported being taken away from the airport where they were intimidated and gave thousands of dollars in scams they said were to avoid arrest and prosecution.

-- TNA 2009-08-16

[Tywais]

Topic continued here > http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Abhisit-Asks...Ma-t289290.html