A Sure Way To Get Rid Of Taxi Touts

[skippybangkok]

.... as they chase and walk next to you...... just "accidently" cough in their face............

They are not impressed

[tw25rw]

Civilised...

I just shake my head and have had no problems. I walk through to the taxi table and ignore anyone along the way.

[cdnvic]

.... as they chase and walk next to you...... just "accidently" cough in their face............

They are not impressed

Isn't this how people get the crap kicked out of them while on holidays? Aside from being extremely rude, it could prove dangerous.

[Hunkpati]

Why not just say no?

[phetaroi]

A terse "Mai ow", or if you want to be more polite, "Mai ow, khrap," works wonders and doesn't make you look low class like coughing in one's face does.

[tartempion]

Who was that American general who said "nuts" to the Germans in Bastogne winter 1944?

do you think a Bangkok cab driver will get the nuts?

I usually hit them with my luggage cart

Edited July 11, 2009 by tartempion

[TheWalkingMan]

I just say, "No thank you." Usually to a few different touts.

TheWalkingMan

[EnhancePlus]

I just say," No habla espanol mai coa jai."

[salty]

Being Irish I say "Pog ma Hon". I am waiting to be corrected on spelling by a Gaelic Scholar.

[Mighty Mouse]

Taxi touts, Indian tailors, beach vendors, time share operators, anxious bar girls, market stall owners, flower girls, lolly kids etc. are only trying to make a living.

Yes, they are often a pain in the proverbial, but it only takes a smile and shake of the head to get your message across.

....with the exception of the 'anxious bar girls.'

[Samuian]

Why not just say no?

Exactly, I always reject clear and friendly any of their offers and yes,

of course does it help to speak Thai - one phrase and off they are!

And it's not only at the airport!

But don't forget, as pestering as they sometimes might be, they just try

to earn a living!

Some might find them helpful!

[chiang mai]

The easiest way is to completely ignore them, don't look, don't speak and just keep walking - not impolite and requires no thought or effort.

[cpofc]

Wonderful behaviour! Your mother must be so proud of you!

Answering the touts, sellers, hawkers etc., politely, smiling, not loud, not abrubt, in perfect street thai, 'mai ow krab', almost always (99.9%) works for me. Most will have alot of respect for that and will immediately stop pestering you and even give you a polite reply.

My dear old grandmother always said, good manners cost nothing, and you will catch more flies with honey than you will with vinegar.

[chiang mai]

Wonderful behaviour! Your mother must be so proud of you!

Answering the touts, sellers, hawkers etc., politely, smiling, not loud, not abrubt, in perfect street thai, 'mai ow krab', almost always (99.9%) works for me. Most will have alot of respect for that and will immediately stop pestering you and even give you a polite reply.

My dear old grandmother always said, good manners cost nothing, and you will catch more flies with honey than you will with vinegar.

I'm not sure if that was directed towards me, but: I walk down Beach Road in Patong almost daily and guess that probably thirty traders speak and try to sell me something or other. I find that saying mai ow krab fifty or hundred times a day to such folks is soul destroying, most don't expect any answer at all and make their propositions out of habit rather than anything else - it's also true that any form of eye contact or acknowledgement (even if the answer was no thank you) of their existence seems to spur them on with new enthusiasm so these things are to be avoided.

Same with the tuk tuk drivers who sit around on the side of the street. I know a couple who work outside the hotel where Mrs CM works who, despite seeing me every day and knowing full well that I own a car, always ask me if I want a tuk tuk! Same is true at the airport, the touts make their calls mechanically but I don't feel inclined to give a mechanical response, it's pointless and not bad manners as far as I can see. Now, if I lived in the sticks or a less tourist oriented destination my attitude might be different.

[cpofc]

Yes, you are probably correct. I have not set foot in Phuket since September 1986, when my Thai wife was pregnant with our now 22 YO son, and I seriously doubt I ever will again.

Anyway, thank you for confirming why I stay away from the place.

[balo]

Just dont open your mouth , works for me every time.

[maichai40]

Wonderful behaviour! Your mother must be so proud of you!

Answering the touts, sellers, hawkers etc., politely, smiling, not loud, not abrubt, in perfect street thai, 'mai ow krab', almost always (99.9%) works for me. Most will have alot of respect for that and will immediately stop pestering you and even give you a polite reply.

My dear old grandmother always said, good manners cost nothing, and you will catch more flies with honey than you will with vinegar.

I'm not sure if that was directed towards me, but: I walk down Beach Road in Patong almost daily and guess that probably thirty traders speak and try to sell me something or other. I find that saying mai ow krab fifty or hundred times a day to such folks is soul destroying, most don't expect any answer at all and make their propositions out of habit rather than anything else - it's also true that any form of eye contact or acknowledgement (even if the answer was no thank you) of their existence seems to spur them on with new enthusiasm so these things are to be avoided.

Same with the tuk tuk drivers who sit around on the side of the street. I know a couple who work outside the hotel where Mrs CM works who, despite seeing me every day and knowing full well that I own a car, always ask me if I want a tuk tuk! Same is true at the airport, the touts make their calls mechanically but I don't feel inclined to give a mechanical response, it's pointless and not bad manners as far as I can see. Now, if I lived in the sticks or a less tourist oriented destination my attitude might be different.

My wife worked in hotel in Patong for a couple of years too, and i used to pick up her every day. And every <deleted>*@#ing day the indian tailor asked me "how are you today sir? Nice t-shirt..." and so on and this went on hundreds and hundreds of times. So i do same like you do, no answer to anybody and when i take a walk alone usually use my IPOD. It works! Nobody boring me since they see i listen music.

[PeaceBlondie]

Ignoring is best.

It was a slow day at the pyramids of Teotituacan, late in day. The jewelry vendor harassed us constantly. 28 'no gracias' refusals fell on deaf ears. Explanatians in Spanish, likewise. Even a Mexican version of 'which part of NO do you not understand?' He shoved the trinkets toward my clenched hand, and I reflexively hit back, which caused 13 trinkets to fall to the grand causeway. He cursed and retrieved his stuff, but might have attacked me.

Like one above poster recommended, now in Thailand I sometimes give the hawker 28 words of Spanish, insisting that his mother was not a whore.

[Datsun240Z]

The easiest way is to completely ignore them, don't look, don't speak and just keep walking - not impolite and requires no thought or effort.

Sir I salute you.

[jamesjdaly]

Salty, Póg mo thóin is the Irish for kiss my arse. Or Go gcuire sé sconna siar síos ort Racht scaoilte ort, Go gcuire sé buinneach ort, Gur é a chuire sciodar ort, Go gcuire sé sciodar buinní ort will suffice in Irish for telling the swampy touts to f... off.

Edited July 11, 2009 by jamesjdaly

[Zpete]

Since my first trip to BKK, Don Muang, I simply smile shake my head.

Polite and other touts seem to see my head shake and never approach me.

At DM, I always headed to the departing passenger drop off, cheaper taxis, and NO touts.

[Farma]

Usually a blank ignore or a polite “Bor” would do the trick. Obviously business is dropping as a month ago I had one pattaya illegal taxi pest follow me all the way from international arrivals up to domestic departures. He wouldn’t take no for an answer. He only left when I entered the domestic check-in area.

A little cough works. I cleared my throat as I approached the customs official in Bahrain the other week. He was checking the passports of all departing passengers before me but quickly said “Go go go” to me on hearing my cough.

[phetaroi]

Usually a blank ignore or a polite "Bor" would do the trick. Obviously business is dropping as a month ago I had one pattaya illegal taxi pest follow me all the way from international arrivals up to domestic departures. He wouldn't take no for an answer. He only left when I entered the domestic check-in area.

When I have a real pest, like that, I stop, look them directly in the face, hold up my finger and say in an extremely firm manner, "Mai ow!" Frankly, the ones who make me most angry are those who are trying to also sell me a companion. I find it highly insulting that someone assumes I want a prostitute. Similarly, when I go into Pantip and the touts try to force prono videos on me. I was so firm, yet formally polite with one, I actually got what seemed to be a sincere apology with lots of embarrassment.

[benton]

Usually a blank ignore or a polite "Bor" would do the trick. Obviously business is dropping as a month ago I had one pattaya illegal taxi pest follow me all the way from international arrivals up to domestic departures. He wouldn't take no for an answer. He only left when I entered the domestic check-in area.

A little cough works. I cleared my throat as I approached the customs official in Bahrain the other week. He was checking the passports of all departing passengers before me but quickly said "Go go go" to me on hearing my cough.

Coughing int heir face...a little cough in the face of an official..what are you guys doing here..luck you were not apprehended by Health Officials trying to stop any form of Influenza virus from entering the country in such a nervous time..wake up..you don't need to do anything..perhaps you chose to enter the wrong country

.

[xen]

I usually find "Mia Ow Krup" works very well except for Indian Tailors in Pattaya where it is intrepted as "yes please, pester/ insult/irritate /piss me off because then i will cetainly buy something i never had any intention of buying ".

Indian Tailor Logic.!!!!!!

[salty]

Salty, Póg mo thóin is the Irish for kiss my arse. Or Go gcuire sé sconna siar síos ort Racht scaoilte ort, Go gcuire sé buinneach ort, Gur é a chuire sciodar ort, Go gcuire sé sciodar buinní ort will suffice in Irish for telling the swampy touts to f... off.

Jimmy, I suspect there is a lot more water under the bridge since my school days than yours. Go neiri an bothar leat.

[khunyod]

A terse "Mai ow", or if you want to be more polite, "Mai ow, khrap," works wonders and doesn't make you look low class like coughing in one's face does.

Yang mai ow, khrap is even more polite.

[thailandfan]

I usually find "Mia Ow Krup" works very well except for Indian Tailors in Pattaya where it is intrepted as "yes please, pester/ insult/irritate /piss me off because then i will cetainly buy something i never had any intention of buying ".

Indian Tailor Logic.!!!!!!

Haha. Yes, you've gotta love the million or so Indian tailors in Pattaya. I guess there are some dummies who continue to buy their shi*.

[skippybangkok]

Well.. agreed, usually todally ignore the normal ones.......not bothered by them..... but regularly have them walking so close to me non stop for a long distance putting things infront of my face that they get in the way of your feet.....seriously......

Had one so close to me, and looking at me constantly pushing his price list in my face, walked past a concrete column leaving him no space, and he walked stright into it.

I travel quite alot of late, and its annoying to have the pushy a-holes as you come out of the terminal.

[Navalator]

.... as they chase and walk next to you...... just "accidentally" cough in their face............

They are not impressed

Is shooting them against the law in Thailand?