Crackdown On Illegal Taxis Begins At Suvarnabhumi Airport Friday

[george]

Crackdown on illegal taxis begins at Suvarnabhumi Airport Friday

BANGKOK: -- Illegal taxis at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport will be targeted in a crackdown by the authorities from Friday, according to Deputy Director of the Department of Land Transport Chairat Sanguansue.

Speaking in his capacity of chairman of the sub-committee to regulate public transport at Suvarnabhumi, Mr. Chairat said intensified crackdowns on unauthorised taxis will start Friday July 31.

Notices have been issued and posted at the airport and a public relations campaign has been initiated to warn offenders, he said.

Meanwhile, police officers and security guards patrolling airport premises on Thursday began warning unlicensed tour guides before beginning to arresting those who are unlicensed from August 9.

-- TNA 2009-07-30

[Lost in LOS]

another one, huh

the real one might be on a friday but not this century

[thaibkk]

scamming since the opening but they still only give warning for another 2 weeks to scam tourists and start their bad experience right for the start...

i guess it is tea money again... saw those nice man in brown stop motorcycles and other people... about 2 times per month around pay day, strange, isn't it...

[skettios]

Quit warning people and start cracking skulls already.

Also I'm so tired of the officially mandated AOT Limousine service being in your face every time you try and get off a plane. What a train wreck.

[Trickcyclist]

pity they don't crack down on the shoplifting scam as well!!!!!!!

[jeepholt]

I just wonder - What does an "illegal taxi" look like? Does anyone know if the cars used by the private airport taxi services we use to go to the airport from Pattaya would be considered as "illegal"?

[Lancashirelad]

No doubt they will concentrate on drivers collecting outbound fares at departures drop off instead of concentrating on those annoying touts by the luggage claim belts.

Edited July 30, 2009 by Lancashirelad

[a10ams]

I'm flying into BKK on the 31st.

Watch this space.

[pepi2005]

This makes it even worse for regular tourists as they won't have a chance to escape the overpriced organized taxis anymore. I found the so-called "illegal" Taxis generally best value, as long as they understand you know the real price and know that there is a meter they have to use. :-)

Of course, for the first- and one timers, the "crackdown" might be an advantage - but then TIT and who knows.

Most probably, within 2-3 weeks from now, everything will be 'same same but different' anyway.

[Bunnycoat]

Came through the international airport terminal on Tuesday night and it looked like the cleanup had already happened. Only hotel transfer reps and tours allowed inside the terminal, and no one hassling you outside. The odd hopeful cry of "taxi?" from behind the road barriers on the other side of the road, but otherwise it was quiet as a church..

(Had to double check it was Bangkok I had landed in!)

[h90]

Crackdown on illegal taxis begins at Suvarnabhumi Airport Friday

BANGKOK: -- Illegal taxis at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport will be targeted in a crackdown by the authorities from Friday, according to Deputy Director of the Department of Land Transport Chairat Sanguansue.

Speaking in his capacity of chairman of the sub-committee to regulate public transport at Suvarnabhumi, Mr. Chairat said intensified crackdowns on unauthorised taxis will start Friday July 31.

Notices have been issued and posted at the airport and a public relations campaign has been initiated to warn offenders, he said.

Meanwhile, police officers and security guards patrolling airport premises on Thursday began warning unlicensed tour guides before beginning to arresting those who are unlicensed from August 9.

-- TNA 2009-07-30

It is not (only) the illegal taxis who scam the tourists. The legal taxis and the official counter where you get the official ticket are scam. Every time they try to scam me different.....

[ScubaBuddha]

Came through the international airport terminal on Tuesday night and it looked like the cleanup had already happened. Only hotel transfer reps and tours allowed inside the terminal, and no one hassling you outside. The odd hopeful cry of "taxi?" from behind the road barriers on the other side of the road, but otherwise it was quiet as a church..

(Had to double check it was Bangkok I had landed in!)

That's because they announced this "crack down" days ago, and they are announcing it again in case any of the "illegal" taxi's weren't aware, and for the PR value of course.

Other than in Thailand, I have never heard of this practice of warning the folks you plan to try to catch BEFORE a crackdown. Normally the announcement is made AFTER the bust. Standard operating procedure fro Thailand really. Pure madness.

[slim]

Illegal taxi's?

What are they?

I always walk outside to the public taxi rank and get a ticket for a metered taxi - no meter - no ride.

I always ignore the countless offers for taxi's inside the airport.

These public taxi's cant be illegal as there's a notice inside the airport pointing them out? Which are the illegal ones?

I guess this wont be an issue when the rail link opens (when is that by the way? - not soon enough as far as I'm concerned)

[alex_aka_P]

Crackdown on illegal taxis begins at Suvarnabhumi Airport Friday

What is "illegal" about those taxies?? They got car, licence, meter, driver....they are fully legal just across the airport's borders. <deleted> they call'em "illegal"? Someone point me to the difference with a "legal" ones (except the prices&fares of course...) ?

Just another fun @ the Land of No Logic... Enjoy the show, pals.

Edited July 30, 2009 by alex_aka_P

[fred2007]

And what time does it start on Friday? I missed that

[paahlman]

So no taxis at all on Friday then..?

[pattaya_girl]

I am glad about this news anyway. I am sick and tired of being approached as I am waiting for the shuttle bus to take me to the Airport Bus Station.

These guys will come up with any excuse to get custom. From the moment I walk through I get followed.

Its not on after a long flight.

[MrJohnson]

What I would really like to see at the airport right now are some trolleys. I came in a flight on 21 July and there was scarcely a trolley in sight. Pity the aged tourists with heavy bags or families with young kids. When I asked one of the attendants about the whereabouts of all the trolleys I was met with a shrug of the shoulders and a stupid grin. In an almost new airport this makes my blood boil that something as simple as a trolley to carry your bags is unavailable. There, I've got that off my chest, I feel a lot better.

[Hermanus]

Its such a pity that they don't take a crackdown on the legal (I think TOA) taxi's who are scamming you each time again and again. I have my own private taxi every time for only 1.000 baht from Bangkok/Pattaya. He also pick me up with the same (private) car. Is that also not allowed anymore??? We are waiting for the next exiting story !!!!!!! Tomorrow everything is different again????

[dude007]

and what about the tuk-tuk mafia in Phuket! Can they go on with their overpriced system of 200 THB starting price no matter how close you want to go or is this perhaps "legal" since only farangs are using them?

Why the so-called-legal airport-taxis at Phuket can charge you 700 THB instead of a normal 250 THB for a drive to Patong beach? Which VIP or Bonze is this tuk-tuk-mafia feeding in Phuket that nobody distrubs them (for sure not the men in brown) and that they can go on undisturbed cheating farangs and ripping-off tourists?

There is much more to do than catching the (already escaped and disappeared) illegal taxis in Suvarnabhumi to re-establish the confidence of the tourists in this country. The shoplift scam is in my opinion much a worse case to worry... but it doesn't seem to bother the authorities. Even the PM had an explanation to this scam!

[stevenl]

Crackdown on illegal taxis begins at Suvarnabhumi Airport Friday

What is "illegal" about those taxies?? They got car, licence, meter, driver....they are fully legal just across the airport's borders. <deleted> they call'em "illegal"? Someone point me to the difference with a "legal" ones (except the prices&fares of course...) ?

Just another fun @ the Land of No Logic... Enjoy the show, pals.

Those are the legal ones that will be allowed to continue to operate.

[alstaxi]

Its such a pity that they don't take a crackdown on the legal (I think TOA) taxi's who are scamming you each time again and again. I have my own private taxi every time for only 1.000 baht from Bangkok/Pattaya. He also pick me up with the same (private) car. Is that also not allowed anymore??? We are waiting for the next exiting story !!!!!!! Tomorrow everything is different again????

same, same , but different.

[kitjohnson]

As far as I know, the 'illegal taxis' are the ones that get new passengers from the departures level, instead of arrivals. At arrivals they whip you with a 50 baht ticket (at least the last time I went they did), plus arguments about whether they'll "let" you use the meter or not. I always get taxis from departures, because they're just regular taxis: no (official or otherwise) price increases just because you're at the airport. They are always happy to sneak you into their taxi because everyone knows it's officially against the rules.

Put it this way. I used to work at AOT (Suvanaphoum airport). If I wanted a taxi, the legal route meant I had to go up to arrivals and pay 50 baht extra. Did I ever do that? No.

So let's just hope this crack-down is as efficient as most things in this country.

Oldmankit

[Jimjim]

Ok, airport isn't new anymore, been around a few years now. The missing trollies wer.e shown to be a whole other scam as well in previous stories, with a lot of them going missing and some wayward employees somehow benefiting from this, I forget how. I think they were selling parts from the trollies they stole as spare parts, or something.

I too, though, am always curious as to what they mean by "illegal" taxis. I don't think they're talking about taking taxis from departures, which I told they are already making harder to do so I just avoid it altogether. I think they are talking about taxis touts that harass you in to taking their taxis (though legal ones do this too) but don't have the proper papers and permits for the touts or the taxis or the drivers, etc. I guess...

[tutone]

When I first started coming to Thailand I would just go to a taxi and ask how much and would usually pay around 500Baht. Then I discovered the meter. Since then my average taxi fare is around 250 Baht to the other airport or downtown. I think this is a great bargain compared to the states. So what is an illegal taxi? I was overcharged due to my own ignorance. At the time I thought 500 was a fair price. I've been to Suvi 3 times the last 4 months and have never been hassled. Just ask for a meter taxi and no problem. This sounds like some kind of publicity stunt to make tourists think they are not being scammed. Is anyone's arm really being twisted to make them pay more than the regular fares?

[Viper]

And about ruddy time to - You cant get in or out of the airports for the congestion of unnecessary taxi traffic! Its a total shambles for an airport supposed to be the hub of Asia. In my opinion there are far to many taxi's in Thailand, and they just add to the every day pollution and congestion in and around the city. They are a menace and a nuisance pulling out on you and stopping where ever and when ever they feel. Taxi's in Thailand are overkill much the same as mobile phone shops!!

[hardy1943]

scamming since the opening but they still only give warning for another 2 weeks to scam tourists and start their bad experience right for the start...

i guess it is tea money again... saw those nice man in brown stop motorcycles and other people... about 2 times per month around pay day, strange, isn't it...

If you ever notice the never stop the rich in their fancy car like me.

The poor working smuck is always fair game.

Tried this scam on me at the airport, told them to take the sunglasses off and look at my tan,

been living in Chiang Rai the last 6 years , down came the price.

[sunnymarky]

And what time does it start on Friday? I missed that

Its hilarious . I can't think of another "government or police force in the world that would announce so far in advance they were planning a crackdown. Clearly they don't want to find anything illegal. And surely they could warn their buddies who give them the kick backs they were going to do this without a public announcement.

COSMETIC EXERCISE. LoS=Land of S**t

[farangpattaya]

Crackdown on illegal taxis begins at Suvarnabhumi Airport Friday

BANGKOK: -- Illegal taxis at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport will be targeted in a crackdown by the authorities from Friday, according to Deputy Director of the Department of Land Transport Chairat Sanguansue.

Speaking in his capacity of chairman of the sub-committee to regulate public transport at Suvarnabhumi, Mr. Chairat said intensified crackdowns on unauthorised taxis will start Friday July 31.

Notices have been issued and posted at the airport and a public relations campaign has been initiated to warn offenders, he said.

Meanwhile, police officers and security guards patrolling airport premises on Thursday began warning unlicensed tour guides before beginning to arresting those who are unlicensed from August 9.

-- TNA 2009-07-30

It is not (only) the illegal taxis who scam the tourists. The legal taxis and the official counter where you get the official ticket are scam. Every time they try to scam me different.....

Correct, flew in on the 1st of May this year and wasn't really bothered in shopping around for a taxi.

Took the first and the 'best' I met and that was AoT Limousine service in the luggage claim section.

I 'bought' a taxi-ticket from Swampy to Amata Nakorn for THB 1,500, a bit overprised, but what the heck.

After I passed the customs there was another AoT boot and one of them took me out with my luggage.

The guy there checked my voucher and started to yell to the guy who came with me outside: THB 1500 no good, THB 2000 is the price. Anyway, they discussed and phoned back and forth for about 10 minutes until I said (with a read headed face): "I want my money back and I want it now!!!!" They forced me to start calling for a BiB and after my first attempt of catching a BiB's attention, they saw that I wasn't bluffing (in fact I was) and they called for the cab.

[alex_aka_P]

Crackdown on illegal taxis begins at Suvarnabhumi Airport Friday

What is "illegal" about those taxies?? They got car, licence, meter, driver....they are fully legal just across the airport's borders. <deleted> they call'em "illegal"? Someone point me to the difference with a "legal" ones (except the prices&fares of course...) ?

Just another fun @ the Land of No Logic... Enjoy the show, pals.

Those are the legal ones that will be allowed to continue to operate.

Yes, but I asked to point me to the differencies. May I remind you that the airport has a "state object" code and a PUBLIC place - being regulated by the federal laws, but not a private mafia's ones as in Phuket\Pattaya\etc? Can you point me to the federal law saying that THIS taxi is legal, and THAT taxi is not (where they are equal)?

The same fun about "private beach" for all the beach destination's hotels in Thailand, as said on ads. Sorry, beaches are PUBLIC in this country, and MUST be opened to everyone willing to walk on. It is a law. Should we wait for the "tempura vendors crackdown"? I have already seen a few.

Staying too long in this country to believe in LOGICFILL decisions....

Edited July 30, 2009 by alex_aka_P