Taxi Scam Alert - Genuine Taxi, Won't Use The Meter

[needforspeed]

Don't get it here i am traveling every 2-3 weeks true Suvarnabhumi airport when you arrived there are signs "TAXI stand" all around the place after you go true customs, one level down to gate if i am right gate 10, cant miss it.

Taxi cost you 50 baht more than the meter will show you and tollway fees.

Maybe next time you advice your friend how to travel from Airport to a location in Bangkok as it seems this is his first time in Thailand, if not he paid the right price for being stupid and/ or lazy as he maybe didn't want to wait for a few minutes in the queue at the taxi stand.

[Meridian007]

Girl and driver telling him that 1,200Baht is the price to go to Suk 24, and that 1,200 is a very special price for Japanese people.

How do people who fall for these simpleton scams even manage to get on the right plane?

Most scams in Thailand are so half-baked and transparent that it's like getting outwitted by a soi dog.

If you don't know the currency, and come from somewhere with a severely inflated cost of living, you might not know better. I would have found a way to let this guy know he was being fleeced. We are all foreigners here, the Japanese are just the latest flavour. They may be inflating prices for the rest of us, but I get the feeling that it is not because they enjoy throwing money around, they just don't know better yet. Give them time to realize that they are being fleeced, and they'll be more careful as well. Helping your fellow farang, helps you too.

This is why the express train is going to make a difference for me. I'll happily not use the taxis merely on the principle of it alone. Even if the express line from Suvarnabhumi to Makkasan is only 80 Baht cheaper.

There will be two services using that line, the express (with no stops between Makkasan and the airport), and the local line (from the airport to Phya Thai Skytrain station). The local line will only be 40 Baht per person (unlike the 150 Baht for the express), will only take 15 minutes longer than the express train, and ends at a skytrain station. Even if I come in to the airport with a lot of luggage, I'll take the local line 1 or 2 stops away from the airport, and take a taxi from there. I think they'll be less likely to really push a scam, (although any taxi will try, if you have luggage and don't look Thai, they will try to not use the meter), and will be happier to get a fare.

[torrenova]

Japanese taxis are very expensive. It was about Y650/690 or so to open the door the last time I was there. Japanese taxi drivers are so professional with their peaked caps and gloves and they are respected. However, that does not mean that Japanese people are easy picking for this scam as most Japanese travellers come armed with a guide book to put all western guide books to shame. In depth, up to date and full of useful things such as taxi scams.

Back at Swampy, I haven't seen any evidence of rip offs from the taxi desk but of course, the limo mob will rip anyone off, including the Japanese.