More Tuk-tuk Trouble In Phuket

[moskito]

THANKS TO the POLICE in Kathu, obviously they have bigger balls as their collegues in Chalong, when they refused to let this guy out on bail.

Its still not clear to me why Chalong Police let the assaulter of this French family out on bail after he assaulted them with a metal bar and broke the arm of a 68 old tourist in front of his wife, children and grandchildren

[JusMe]

Like others here, I can't defend the actions of the driver.

But the tourist was the one who "negotiated" the fare, agreed to it, and then tried to renege.

A number of years ago, in Chumphon if I remember correctly, I negotiated with a samlor driver to take me to a named hotel. He seemed a bit reluctant, but I thought that was a bargaining ploy. However, all agreed, and we went up the railway line, crossed at a legitimate road crossing, and then back down the railway line to the hotel, not much more than a hundred metres across the railway tracks from where we had started.

I know my face showed everything from astonishment to befuddlement to minor disgust (with myself).

I pointed across the tracks, he nodded, I laughed and paid him whatever baht we had negotiated. After all, even after he'd been reluctant, I'd agreed to that particular fare.

And that Phuket tourist should have done the same thing!

[Roachiebkk]

Not defending the actions of the driver by any means but didn't the guy agree to 150 then offer 100. Probably not a good idea in any foreign country over 50 baht.

Well the pasengers obviousy didnt know it was one minute away otherwise they would have asked for a better price and may have walked.

I am by no means defending the driver punching the guy, but when we go to bargain for something, shouldn't we know what we are bargaining for? Didn't Mr. Anwar have a tourist map that showed some relative distances? I mean, he had decided on where he wanted to move to somehow. He made a deal, reneged on the agreed upon price after the transport was provided, and trouble ensued. All that for 50 baht?

Might of had all his suitcases, maps can be deceiving at best of times. No excuse for violence sorry.

[Reasonableman]

It's great we are all entitled to our own opinion and are given the opportunity to express it. Well, if you pay up to extortion every time, it perpetuates it, don't you think? In my opinion, those who pay up and skulk away in humiliation are cowards. IMHO

Not defending the actions of the driver by any means but didn't the guy agree to 150 then offer 100. Probably not a good idea in any foreign country over 50 baht.

I'd have to agree here. Anwar and the driver agreed to 150 baht for the ride, and then after services were rendered, Anwar wanted to offer less. And if it's true that he escalated the situation further by being rude and kicking the driver, then I'm not surprised at the eventual outcome.

I'm sort of happy that people like Anwar won't be returning to Thailand for their holidays.

what kind of idiot are you to suggest the tourist is wrong to query what is in a reality a complete rip off of a fare and then gets assaulted for doing so - you've been in LOS way to long if you agree with tuk tuk driver - they all lie blind and cheat and rob at every chance - so i doubt anything that they say bears any truth

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Agreement between 2 parties 150 baht. Then onesided the paying side decide to NOT honour the agreement he just made.

There is no defending whatsoever with violence, But agree with someone, and you shall pay fullstop

Then I think you are not an idiot if you think this Canadian guy has been acting stupid like hel_l. That is my opinion.

Glegolo

[Stjohnm]

I have never taken a Tuk Tuk on a journey that I haven't 1st taken in a Meter Taxi at some point, in my opinion a Tuk Tuk should charge about 80% of what a Meter Taxi Charges.

Not all Taxi & Tuk Tuk drivers are Rip off merchants, I had a Tuk Tuk driver Cheuiffer me round Bangkok for 1/2 a day & at the end he only wanted 60 Baht, and another Taxi driver Helped me move apartments after which he Charged me 500 Baht and then insisted he charged me too much so gave me a lift home free of charge for a week. Granted they spent their time parked outside my workplace so knew it was better not to rip off people they see regularly but decent guys none the less.

[Ta22]

simple ,

alot of people when their in here feel that their better or above law .

" image you got on a Taxi in your Country . even if move for just 1 min . you still had to Pay for the fare - by Law .

-- So you telling me is a 1 min ride , Why would you take the Tuk tuk in the first place ?

and you did had the choice of not taking the tuk tuk at 150b . and waited for another .

-

so for a Mere 50b .this guy trying to Save he got injury .

-----------------------------

advice , if you going some where , alway get someadvice . or get a mini map if you do not know the place , or call up the place you are going to help .

this would had all been avoided for a mere 50b

-----------------------------

i am not there when it happen so i do not know who is right who is wrong .

i had seem many grumpy farang which is very unreasonable in my more then a decade here .

let hope those who suffer recover soon .

is a good lesson for all

------------------

i know many tuk tuk driver's friends myself .. and taxi driver . once my car broke down a tuk tuk came to help me .. he send me to a workshop -

after that he just leave without asking for money .

Edited January 6, 2010 by Ta22

[Roachiebkk]

I don't see it matters, he hired the Baht Bus for an exclusive ride, 100 or 200 baht he should honour his agreement. It's not the driver's fault the customer hasn't researched the distances involved. However, that doesn't excuse the cowardly violence on the part of the driver.

But it certainly is the driver's fault for belting the crap out of the bloke. What gives him the right to do that????

[h90]

Agree to 150 Baht...pay 150 Baht...so simple is it.

If it is unexpected short than you can try to talk the tuk tuk driver into a discount but just not paying him is bad.

At this: “The Canadian guy was rude and swore and also kicked him [Mr Tassanarit] first,” said Mr Chaowana."

Don't know about the kicking but I have no problems to believe the rude and swore. I heard many times farangs swore and insulting the country the complete ethnic (if not complete Asia) and even the royal family at a 50 Baht dispute......

[jokinha]

Not defending the actions of the driver by any means but didn't the guy agree to 150 then offer 100. Probably not a good idea in any foreign country over 50 baht.

Agree, the fare had been negotiated so be it, there are two sides to the story. The fact that the driver had been refused bail indicates he is known to the police, that could favor the complainents story.

Same one that assauled the French family in Kata/karon(!??) not long ago?? Or any of his friends already known by the police!!

It is getting worse...thats all about greed..set fare (in between places in patong) for tuk tuk service in 200 Bath....a real joke if you don´t know the place you hotel is located a few hundred meters away and feel ripped off...

Wouldn t you guys tell the driver that you were being RIPPED OFF ??!!!

[Roachiebkk]

Like others here, I can't defend the actions of the driver.

But the tourist was the one who "negotiated" the fare, agreed to it, and then tried to renege.

A number of years ago, in Chumphon if I remember correctly, I negotiated with a samlor driver to take me to a named hotel. He seemed a bit reluctant, but I thought that was a bargaining ploy. However, all agreed, and we went up the railway line, crossed at a legitimate road crossing, and then back down the railway line to the hotel, not much more than a hundred metres across the railway tracks from where we had started.

I know my face showed everything from astonishment to befuddlement to minor disgust (with myself).

I pointed across the tracks, he nodded, I laughed and paid him whatever baht we had negotiated. After all, even after he'd been reluctant, I'd agreed to that particular fare.

And that Phuket tourist should have done the same thing!

If he was such a nice guy why didn't he just point you across the tracks?

[spacebass]

I believe that in English law he would be liable to pay the amount he contracted for if the Tuk Tuk driver did not mislead him.

He made a mistake, he should swallow and honour his word, all the rest is emotional claptrap. There is not a lot of emotion in Thailand.

[pacovl46]

it's unbelievable!!! those f*ckers deserve a whipping like the one in passion of the christ.

the indian guy made one mistake, though. he should've told the tuk-tuk driver to ef off immediately when he was asking for 150 baht instead of taking the ride and then trying to renegotiate.

[stevenl]

Same one that assauled the French family in Kata/karon(!??) not long ago?? Or any of his friends already known by the police!!

It is getting worse...thats all about greed..set fare (in between places in patong) for tuk tuk service in 200 Bath....a real joke if you don´t know the place you hotel is located a few hundred meters away and feel ripped off...

Wouldn t you guys tell the driver that you were being RIPPED OFF ??!!!

If that is the case, the Canadian guy even got a discount.

[Jingthing]

I have never taken a Tuk Tuk on a journey that I haven't 1st taken in a Meter Taxi at some point, in my opinion a Tuk Tuk should charge about 80% of what a Meter Taxi Charges.

Not all Taxi & Tuk Tuk drivers are Rip off merchants, I had a Tuk Tuk driver Cheuiffer me round Bangkok for 1/2 a day & at the end he only wanted 60 Baht, and another Taxi driver Helped me move apartments after which he Charged me 500 Baht and then insisted he charged me too much so gave me a lift home free of charge for a week. Granted they spent their time parked outside my workplace so knew it was better not to rip off people they see regularly but decent guys none the less.

Phuket ain't Bangkok, mate.

[cosmont]

Beware TUK TUK !

It's dirty, It's noisy and make polution :D

Last time I took a Tuk Tuk in BKK, I had no choice on new year eve and he charged me double price than a safe and confortable taxi with Air Cond. and meter.

Ripped Off.

[Ta22]

let see ,

walk into a agreement , and then give Yourself a happy 33.333% discount when the deal is complete . and when the other party disagree kick him and use rude words on him ...

gosh .. if i am there i would kick the shit out of you first and teach you a good lesson and be happy to go pay the Fine at the police station ..

cos i get the kick out of it ..

Edited January 6, 2010 by Ta22

[MyphuketLife]

he agreed and he should have paid, that said, it does not give the TUK TUK scam artist the right to hit him, the SCUM tuk-tuk driver should have called police to settle the dispute.

I from the last post about the french have stopped shopping anyplace I know that has ads on the tuk-tuks, one of the mini ma/pa stores in my area I always shopped at for coke, cigs, snacks they own and operate a tuk-tuk, I refuse now to shop there.

I am really considering starting a website that allows people to add names/upload pictures of tuk-tuks with business ads on them, so we will all have a complete list of places to boycott.

[Roachiebkk]

ALL Tuk Tuks in Thailand are a rip off and its particularly bad in Phuket when even a ride of 300 yards are not quoted less than 100 baht. And when its raining double everything. Contrast that with a licenced taxi meter where you can go many multiples of the distance for 50 baht. Its the same in Bangkok where fares are 2 or 3 times those of licenced taxi meters.

Outside of Bangkok there are few taxi meters so the operators exploit the opportunity for the scam.

Tuk Tuks are unregulated and should have meters installed which would eradicate the problem.

I don't agree that all Tuk Tuk drivers are bad or a rip-off. As I have stated before our local tuk tuk drivers in sleepy Dusit have always been polite and honest. We even had one guy that was at the gate every morning and afternoon to do my daughter's school run. Violence is violence though and if the driver felt disenfranchised then he should have complained to the police not belt the crap out of the guy with an accomplice holding the victim so he can't even defend himself.

[Fore]

50 B for 5 punches (FOC).

[MyphuketLife]

let see ,

walk into a agreement , and then give Yourself a happy 33.333% discount when the deal is complete . and when the other party disagree kick him and use rude words on him ...

gosh .. if i am there i would kick the shit out of you first and teach you a good lesson and be happy to go pay the Fine at the police station ..

cos i get the kick out of it ..

Do you honestly believe the tourist kicked the tuk-tuk driver first? and the tuk-tuk driver and his friend where just acting in self deffense? PLEASE, These guys are low life scum

[Ta22]

well , i am not there , and you are not there ,, and by saying .. Their ow life Scum when you do not even know them ?

i am sure you are Better

[Roachiebkk]

let see ,

walk into a agreement , and then give Yourself a happy 33.333% discount when the deal is complete . and when the other party disagree kick him and use rude words on him ...

gosh .. if i am there i would kick the shit out of you first and teach you a good lesson and be happy to go pay the Fine at the police station ..

cos i get the kick out of it ..

The tourist DIDN'T REALISE IT WAS SO CLOSE! I hope you do kick the shit out of some defenceless tourist with one of your mates holding his arms, I'll come and visit you in prison, what a scumbag, do you also drive a tuk tuk in Phuket?

[samuidave]

"The guys an idiot. He agreed to a price, he should pay a price. Done. "

Look, there is no information as to what was agreed to other than a price for a trip of some distance. Would anyone knowingly agree to a $5 fee for a one minute ride? No, so obviously what was agree to was not a meeting of the minds, so to speak.

Is it worth getting into an encounter over? No. But the details are short, and before you know it another tuk-tuk thug shows up and becomes the muscle. This is total crap, and is eroding the appeal of Thailand. But, hey, if that is they way they want to run this country, what can you say? Too bad the trip warrants a 20 baht fee, but there are still apologists for the assailant who is trying to claim the 150 baht was the deal and was willing to bite the hand that feeds it over what was, in the end, 50 baht.

[zigistar]

That all tuktuks in Thailand are a rip of if you dont know the real prices is a fact,i in the years i lived here i traveled the country in every direction multiple times but never never saw the rudeness and unpolite agresive way the tuktuks in patong operate and last time i been there was years ago.It deeply surprise me that in one of the most notorius tourist spots this behaviour is stil tolerated by the authority's.I hope this stop soon either by just make them iligal and just work with bathbusses(where the price is openly projected to the costumers or by meter taxi's...

For the guy that like to see farangs beat up a tuktuk driver,thats a real bad idea ...you going to jail and will pay the guy a ton of money for his ever lasting "faked" braindamage so you better dont touch them because then you fuc_ked up for sure.

THIS HAVE TO STOP!!!!!!!!

[Ta22]

50 B for 5 punches (FOC).

he did get a great discount 5 punches for the price of 10b each

Edited January 6, 2010 by Ta22

[MyphuketLife]

well , i am not there , and you are not there ,, and by saying .. Their ow life Scum when you do not even know them ?

i am sure you are Better

I am better, I don't steal and rip off unsuspecting tourists, I don't call friends to come help me hit some one, I don't drink and drive, that can't be said about TUK TUK drivers...

From your defending them I take it you are one, or one of your family members is one.

[mrdome]

Mature readers of this forum realize that you should only approach tuktuk drivers with caution and you take your life in your hands if you try to renegotiate a deal after arrival at your destination.

Confucious say: You cannot change Siam but Siam may change you

Edited January 6, 2010 by mrdome

[Ikon]

Not defending the actions of the driver by any means but didn't the guy agree to 150 then offer 100. Probably not a good idea in any foreign country over 50 baht.

Well the pasengers obviousy didnt know it was one minute away otherwise they would have asked for a better price and may have walked.I would suggest very few of us havnt had a bad experience with one of these guys The behaviour of Tuk tuk drivers in Phuket is completly out of control.It wouldnt be hard for the police to find and charge him for assault ,lets hop they do ???

Once the same had happened to me in Bangkok. We were at Khao San Road, to visit local places we hired a tuk tuk and he said it's 200 Baht for all the tourist places @ Khao San but on the way he will take us to a jewellery showroom and if we like we can buy something from the shop and he would get some commission; he was so polite. It wasn't hard and fast. We went to the shop after visiting couple of places, the things were worth but real expensive. we glimpsed and came back, asked him to go to the next place but he refused. I told him ok you don't to go further, even we don't want it. I will only pay you when you drop me to the pick up point. Luck, he agreed. Rest of the days we hired a car and happily roamed.

Keep it Cool,

Ikon

[Ta22]

From my View - The Tuk Tuk culture in Phuket is really the Fruit the Farang experience ther eget over the years and added up ..

the karma of the past meet the result of Now .

While i do agree that alot of Tourist business that end up in bad hand . there is alot of decent and nice Tuk tuk out there .

So do not simply say ALL is bad . just cos you had a Bad experience .

alot of time the trouble is also self invited .

--

like i said i am not there when it happen . i am also refer to if it happen to be abd if i am the tuk tuk driver i would sure beat the hel_l out of you if you rip me off 33.3333% of profit and kick me first .

tell me what would you do if someone rip you off 33.333% profit and kick you and insult you .

....

[Jingthing]

Phuket is a major international tourist destination. For now. Transport for tourists needs to be REGULATED by law. Fares should be posted and it should be illegal for a tuk tuk driver to try on such a scam, 150 baht for a one minute ride is highway robbery, preying on the ignorance of tourists is indeed scummy behavior. Violence over a complaint is of course a crime, I hope they see the light and start really throwing these crims in jail with major time. Their mafia needs to be broken by Thai national authorities. The locals are all part of the stink. Of course this won't happen. It will just get worse. The bad reputation that the transport mafias give Phuket is well deserved. The only good thing about it I can see is that it makes Pattaya look good!

Edited January 6, 2010 by Jingthing