New Crackdown At The Airport

[dom samui]

The airport management recognizes that these people are causing a nuisance to passengers and also damaging the reputation of Thailand abroad. In the past one year, 5,454 illegal taxi drivers and 9142 guides at Suvarnambhumi have been arrested & fined 500-1,000 baht. However, as the fine was so small, many of them are repeat offenders. The new Act of 2010 will help greatly with this problem. If illegal taxi drivers or guides are caught for the second time at the airport, under Section 364 of the Penal Code, they can be imprisoned for a period of time not exceeding one year and or a fine not exceeding 2,000 baht. However, under Section 365, if they are arrested at night, they could be imprisoned for a period not exceeding five years and or a fine not exceeding 10,000 baht.

Read more: http://www.paknam.com/latest-news/new-crackdown-at-the-airport.html#ixzz0v9AbxSsG

[PattayaParent]

A way to remove a nuisance to passengers and damage to the reputation of Thailand?

OR

A way to remove competition from the TAT taxi service available as you depart bagage claim which costs considrerably more?

OR

Am I just being cynical?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

A way to remove the corrupt King Power monopoly would also be most welcome. Sadly it goes to the top of the current Thai government. (And the previous ones, to be completely honest)

[CanInBKK]

What's the definition of "illegal taxi driver"?

[elliss]

A way to remove the corrupt King Power monopoly would also be most welcome. Sadly it goes to the top of the current Thai government. (And the previous ones, to be completely honest)

i agree , i will not enter that place ,,

and seeing the few customers / if any they have ,

most people are giving them a miss ..

[rogercw]

A way to remove a nuisance to passengers and damage to the reputation of Thailand?

OR

A way to remove competition from the TAT taxi service available as you depart bagage claim which costs considrerably more?

OR

Am I just being cynical?

Probably all three are correct.

[robblok]

What's the definition of "illegal taxi driver"?

The guys that wont wait in the line and charge crazy prices for their rides and refuse to turn on the meter. They hassle you too and are hard to ignore.

[THAILIBAN]

A way to remove a nuisance to passengers and damage to the reputation of Thailand?

OR

A way to remove competition from the TAT taxi service available as you depart bagage claim which costs considrerably more?

OR

Am I just being cynical?

there are no illegal drivers inside the baggage-claim area, so what's your point actually ?

apart from that, I find it perfectly okay for TAT to offer that service inside the baggage-claim area.

it is YOUR decision to make use of those services or not. if you don't like it, just leave the arrival area and go downstairs to get a metered cab.

after all, the TAT has to EARN MONEY as every other airport in the world has to.

otherwise their managers will get the boot.

so what's all the moaning and whining......

[Chunky1]

I always take the TAT taxi service. It only costs 900 baht for a taxi to Bangkok. After a long flight, the last thing I would want to do is rough it with a local taxi driver who may or may not be tired/angry/drunk. I had too many bad experiences taking local meter taxis from the airport to ever do it again.

[Chunky1]

What's the definition of "illegal taxi driver"?

The guys that wont wait in the line and charge crazy prices for their rides and refuse to turn on the meter. They hassle you too and are hard to ignore.

Wrong. They are talking about the touts offering rides in private cars, not Taxi drivers trying to not use the meter.

[robblok]

What's the definition of "illegal taxi driver"?

The guys that wont wait in the line and charge crazy prices for their rides and refuse to turn on the meter. They hassle you too and are hard to ignore.

Wrong. They are talking about the touts offering rides in private cars, not Taxi drivers trying to not use the meter.

Wrong they are talking about taxi drivers picking up clients there instead of waiting in line. Sure they will catch privat cars too. But the point is not private car or taxi its about hasseling people there instead of using the official taxi waiting line. Do you have any idea why that was created ? I don't think it was created so others could bypass it !!

I know because the GF is a guide and has to go to the airport often to pick up clients. They find new things all the time to block this kind of behaviour but the guys just bribe them or try not to get caught.

[THAILIBAN]

A way to remove a nuisance to passengers and damage to the reputation of Thailand?

OR

A way to remove competition from the TAT taxi service available as you depart bagage claim which costs considrerably more?

OR

Am I just being cynical?

there are no illegal drivers inside the baggage-claim area, so what's your point actually ?

apart from that, I find it perfectly okay for TAT to offer that service inside the baggage-claim area.

it is YOUR decision to make use of those services or not. if you don't like it, just leave the arrival area and go downstairs to get a metered cab.

after all, the TAT has to EARN MONEY as every other airport in the world has to.

otherwise their managers will get the boot.

so what's all the moaning and whining......

of course I wanted to say AOT, not TAT

[Forethat]

I arrive at BKK more or less once every week and always take my taxi from departure level. Never been scammed or hassled. Usually ~220 baht to lower Sukhumvit.

Who are these people who get scammed...?

[robblok]

I arrive at BKK more or less once every week and always take my taxi from departure level. Never been scammed or hassled. Usually ~220 baht to lower Sukhumvit.

Who are these people who get scammed...?

I have been in the past but since the new rules were in place i haven't. According to the gf now guides and others have to leave identification if they want to go to the first floor.

[Shipwreck]

Who are these people who get scammed...?

I was wondering this myself.

Every time I get out of the airport I just get in the line, and add the 50 baht to my fare. Besides occasionally getting an old car, everything has been fine for years..

[zzaa09]

What's the definition of "illegal taxi driver"?

The guys that wont wait in the line and charge crazy prices for their rides and refuse to turn on the meter. They hassle you too and are hard to ignore.

Free market? Whatever a competitive market will bare? Caveat emptor? Defined reality: A controlling mafia/government suppression.

[robblok]

What's the definition of "illegal taxi driver"?

The guys that wont wait in the line and charge crazy prices for their rides and refuse to turn on the meter. They hassle you too and are hard to ignore.

Free market? Whatever a competitive market will bare? Caveat emptor? Defined reality: A controlling mafia/government suppression.

The thing is first timers are just not aware of the normal prices. So its a good thing they are cleaned up. Also the other taxi drivers who do wait in line and are registered loose clients this way. A free market only works if you know the prices and if things are clear.. they are not when you come here for the first time. I wont get scammed because i know the score.

[zzaa09]

What's the definition of "illegal taxi driver"?

The guys that wont wait in the line and charge crazy prices for their rides and refuse to turn on the meter. They hassle you too and are hard to ignore.

Free market? Whatever a competitive market will bare? Caveat emptor? Defined reality: A controlling mafia/government suppression.

The thing is first timers are just not aware of the normal prices. So its a good thing they are cleaned up. Also the other taxi drivers who do wait in line and are registered loose clients this way. A free market only works if you know the prices and if things are clear.. they are not when you come here for the first time. I wont get scammed because i know the score.

Yes, all true statements.

[IanForbes]

Who are these people who get scammed...?

I was wondering this myself.

Every time I get out of the airport I just get in the line, and add the 50 baht to my fare. Besides occasionally getting an old car, everything has been fine for years..

Same here. It usually costs about 300 to 400 baht for a meter ride into the city... depending on traffic. That includes the tip on top of the meter.It used to be about 200 baht from the old Don Muang airport to the Sukhumvit area. I've had rides from the western bus terminal to Suvarnabuhm airport for under 400 baht, and that is right across the entire city from east to west.

But, it's still up to the traveler to choose what they want. The wait for a meter ride seldom takes more than 10 minutes at most. All they do is add 50 baht on top of the meter reading. It just helps to have some previous knowledge of travel costs in Thailand. That is where the travel books like the Lonely Planet earn their cost.

[PattayaParent]

A way to remove a nuisance to passengers and damage to the reputation of Thailand?

OR

A way to remove competition from the TAT taxi service available as you depart bagage claim which costs considrerably more?

OR

Am I just being cynical?

there are no illegal drivers inside the baggage-claim area, so what's your point actually ?

apart from that, I find it perfectly okay for TAT to offer that service inside the baggage-claim area.

it is YOUR decision to make use of those services or not. if you don't like it, just leave the arrival area and go downstairs to get a metered cab.

after all, the TAT has to EARN MONEY as every other airport in the world has to.

otherwise their managers will get the boot.

so what's all the moaning and whining......

I'm not moaning or whining and not saying that the TAT / AOT taxis in the baggage claim area are illegal.

In fact the OP is talking about 'illegal taxis' OUTSIDE in the arivals hall.

My point is that by removing access to these 'illegal taxis' that the TAT / AOT is 'encouraging' the use of their more expensive services.

And that's why I'm cynical as to it being a benefit to arriving passengers.

It's maybe more like changing a private company scam to a government sponsored scam.

Edit: rather than just having an information counter posting available transport options which other countries do.

Edited August 1, 2010 by PattayaParent

[Chunky1]

lol at AOT taxi service being a scam. Every airport in the world has the exact same thing. seasoned travelers know that it is more expensive than a meter taxi. if you are in a safe country like singapore, go ahead and take the metered taxi. in bangkok, no thanks, i will take the AOT any day of the week.

[Jimi007]

I always take the TAT taxi service. It only costs 900 baht for a taxi to Bangkok. After a long flight, the last thing I would want to do is rough it with a local taxi driver who may or may not be tired/angry/drunk. I had too many bad experiences taking local meter taxis from the airport to ever do it again.

I'm sure you have had many bad experiences, it seems you like to make them for yourself.

I thought it was cos they double park eh Chunky1. Sorry, sorry.

Nice one... LOL! To be continued??

[robblok]

lol at AOT taxi service being a scam. Every airport in the world has the exact same thing. seasoned travelers know that it is more expensive than a meter taxi. if you are in a safe country like singapore, go ahead and take the metered taxi. in bangkok, no thanks, i will take the AOT any day of the week.

Say Chunky, you were wrong before in this thread but you never admitted it, you just ingored it when you knew you were wrong. Seems your not really a big man who can admit that he is wrong.

I have had only a few bad experiences with taxi's, (so it does happen)so i cant say your wrong her. But you do seem to attract bad luck. Maybe your just that kind of guy they know they can take advantage of.

Anyway if your happy spending more and if your sure its woth it for you then why not.

[PattayaParent]

lol at AOT taxi service being a scam. Every airport in the world has the exact same thing. seasoned travelers know that it is more expensive than a meter taxi. if you are in a safe country like singapore, go ahead and take the metered taxi. in bangkok, no thanks, i will take the AOT any day of the week.

The scam being that you are forced to use their service if all other taxi operators are not allowed at the airport.

Whatever happened to the good old airport bus service like what used to operate from Don Muang?

[powderpuff]

The scam being that you are forced to use their service if all other taxi operators are not allowed at the airport.

That only happened in your imagination.

[p_brownstone]

On a recent trip to the Airport I noticed that an area of the approach road which suddenly - and, to me, inexplicably - widens, about 250 meters from where it separates to go to Arrivals and Departures, has now been closed off with barriers (so the main road remains the same width). Previously I used to see a dozen or more cars parked there and I believe these were private vehicles waiting there for their "contact" in the Arrivals Area to snare an incoming passenger - the contact would then telephone for the car to come and collect their victim.

I believe it has now been cordoned off to prevent people parking there as part of this new crackdown. (Although, as I say, I can see no reason why this wide area was constructed in the first place - it must have added millions to the cost of that road).

Patrick

[Familyonthemove]

I've used the AOT limo service (well it was an MU7 service rather than a limo, but no complaints) and the normal taxi and both have been good. After a long flight the AOT service with their GPS and clear pricing is worth the extra cost in my view. I seem to need to direct the normal taxi's turn by turn to get to my destination.

But we did have an issue with the touts a couple of weeks ago when a visitor from the UK was met by our driver holding a name sign and taken to to the exit area .... then when the driver was going to get his car the passenger was approached by a lady working for the illegal taxi touts who used the passenger's name (taken from the name card) and directed him into a private car that took him from the airport. Lots of hassle and 3000 THB later it was sorted out .... but a big inconvenience.

I hope that this type of scam is what they are trying to sort out.

[The Professor]

People who are new to the country can get scammed by these taxis. Also, what is problem with King Power. I get my Baileys there for dirt cheap

Edited August 2, 2010 by The Professor

[Chunky1]

lol at AOT taxi service being a scam. Every airport in the world has the exact same thing. seasoned travelers know that it is more expensive than a meter taxi. if you are in a safe country like singapore, go ahead and take the metered taxi. in bangkok, no thanks, i will take the AOT any day of the week.

The scam being that you are forced to use their service if all other taxi operators are not allowed at the airport.

Whatever happened to the good old airport bus service like what used to operate from Don Muang?

the option would be metered taxi or AOT. no scam imo.

[Chunky1]

I always take the TAT taxi service. It only costs 900 baht for a taxi to Bangkok. After a long flight, the last thing I would want to do is rough it with a local taxi driver who may or may not be tired/angry/drunk. I had too many bad experiences taking local meter taxis from the airport to ever do it again.

I'm sure you have had many bad experiences, it seems you like to make them for yourself.

I thought it was cos they double park eh Chunky1. Sorry, sorry.

Nice one... LOL! To be continued??

What other bad experiences have I ever alluded to on forum?

As for my bad experiences in Taxis from the airport (or anywhere for that matter). Let's see:

air condition not cold enough

driver not driving safe enough

old car that might break down at any moment (once you queue up you have no choice of which taxi you drive home in)

driver won't shut up

driver smoking

etc.

That is why I have a personal vehicle and arrange for a more expensive, but BS free taxi service for long distances when I do not want to use my vehicle.

As for you Robo, please show me in the article linked where it calls metered taxis who try to negotiate a flat rate as being "illegal taxis", that terminology is reserved for private vehicles illegally selling a taxi service from the airport. in the past they used to stand across the street and wave signs.