Physical Assault By Bangkok Taxi Driver

[TomTao]

To the O.P. & other posters all I can say is if you think the taxis here are bad,don't ever,ever go to Manila,Philippines!

I heard about a couple who went to the Philippines for a holiday about twenty years ago, they got a taxi from the airport in Manilla, on the way to the hotel the taxi took a detour to a side street and said it was a shortcut, a police car was parked down the street, as the taxi approached the police got out of the police car and motioned for the taxi to stop, after the taxi stopped the driver got out and spoke to the police, the police approached the taxi, drew thier weapons and pointed them at the tourists, when the police were finished the tourists had no money, passports or luggage and no taxi.

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

[PoodMaiDai]

Welcome to Thailand. You lose.

Sooner or later everyone comes across a nutter.

[jackr]

My longest taxi ride was from Patong Beach, Phuket to BKK Airport. Nearly a thousand miles and it cost me £200, I paid him 2000 baht tip and he was the best taxi driver ever.

Just in case you're not trolling, you were ripped off, my friend. The driver would probably have made 7-8k in such a scenario - after fuel there and back - for perhaps 24hrs driving. In any case, there is actually an airport in Phuket with flights from around 2k... for 12k you could have sat up front with the pilot!

Btw, Patong-Swampy is around 550 miles. One thousand miles would put you in Chiang mai - have done it myself a number of times.

[PoodMaiDai]

To the O.P. & other posters all I can say is if you think the taxis here are bad,don't ever,ever go to Manila,Philippines!

About 5 years ago I literally got into fight at the airport with my Manila taxi driver at the airport (when he dropped me off). Unlike Thais, Filipinos usually don't gang jump you, so until security came, I put this a-hole on the ground and choked him half to death from behind until I was pulled off. The police came, everyone told them he attacked me first, and they sent me on my way. Lots of witnesses. All over a few pesos that he added to the fare that I refused to pay.

In Thailand, even though he attacked me, I would have had to not only pay him, but would have had to pay all the other idiots who jumped in to help him, and I would have been arrested AND beaten severely with sticks, rocks, bottles, and maybe even knifed. But at least I don't live in Manila. What a filthy crap hole that place is.

[PoodMaiDai]

In any case, there is actually an airport in Phuket with flights from around 2k... for 12k you could have sat up front with the pilot!

How much to fly the plane?

[mistitikimikis]

There are lots of good and nice taxi-drivers but also a lot of crap amongst them. Once somewhere I was reading the advice to take the back seat just behind him. Lots of Thai women aren't using a taxi when they are alone.

Isn't it an idea to inform TAT (Tourist Organization of Thailand) when you have a bad experience?? They are (mostly) very vulnerable and afraid to lose tourism.

I "adapted" these six years by not being nice and smooth but by letting them feel that I'm not accepting bad behavior.

I learned in the mean time that I must not take a taxi in lower Sukhumvit for a bit more distance, I go by BTS (Ekkamai or On Nut) nearest to my home or walk when the traffic-jam is more or less over later in the evening to Asoke Montri, and even there one has a change to be refused.

No meter? No ride! But the "no meter" trick happens very rare.

I don't flag down a taxi (anymore) who was just before refusing people and I even don't ask anymore when one opens the left-front window to ask where I want to go.

I take as much as possible the ones which are recognized as "belonging" to companies as the blue or yellow cabs.

I correct the driver as much as possible when I see that he don't know the direction too much or when he is taking me for a "ride". Once I took a cab and instead of turning to take the shorter way he wanted to go around. After I asked him his answer was "mai pai" (I don't go) and I left the cab.

I take always care that I have enough small money with me and never pay with 500 or even 1.000 Baht notes to avoid that he "cannot change". BTS-stations and the toll-boots are perfect chances to change into small money when I forgot.

My "adaption"? When I go home in the evening I take always two times a taxi to avoid being rejected or sometimes saddled with a driver who starts groaning at the end "klai mak mak" (very far), so, after about twenty kilometers of the forty I let him stop and take another one at a place where they know me already.

[TerryWhatsisname]

There are lots of good and nice taxi-drivers but also a lot of crap amongst them. Once somewhere I was reading the advice to take the back seat just behind him. Lots of Thai women aren't using a taxi when they are alone.

Isn't it an idea to inform TAT (Tourist Organization of Thailand) when you have a bad experience?? They are (mostly) very vulnerable and afraid to lose tourism.

I "adapted" these six years by not being nice and smooth but by letting them feel that I'm not accepting bad behavior.

I learned in the mean time that I must not take a taxi in lower Sukhumvit for a bit more distance, I go by BTS (Ekkamai or On Nut) nearest to my home or walk when the traffic-jam is more or less over later in the evening to Asoke Montri, and even there one has a change to be refused.

No meter? No ride! But the "no meter" trick happens very rare.

I don't flag down a taxi (anymore) who was just before refusing people and I even don't ask anymore when one opens the left-front window to ask where I want to go.

I take as much as possible the ones which are recognized as "belonging" to companies as the blue or yellow cabs.

I correct the driver as much as possible when I see that he don't know the direction too much or when he is taking me for a "ride". Once I took a cab and instead of turning to take the shorter way he wanted to go around. After I asked him his answer was "mai pai" (I don't go) and I left the cab.

I take always care that I have enough small money with me and never pay with 500 or even 1.000 Baht notes to avoid that he "cannot change". BTS-stations and the toll-boots are perfect chances to change into small money when I forgot.

My "adaption"? When I go home in the evening I take always two times a taxi to avoid being rejected or sometimes saddled with a driver who starts groaning at the end "klai mak mak" (very far), so, after about twenty kilometers of the forty I let him stop and take another one at a place where they know me already.

Why on earth would you travel a round trip of 80 km per day without buying a car?Please don't tell me it's because the rent in cheaper!

[mistitikimikis]

There are lots of good and nice taxi-drivers but also a lot of crap amongst them. Once somewhere I was reading the advice to take the back seat just behind him. Lots of Thai women aren't using a taxi when they are alone.

Isn't it an idea to inform TAT (Tourist Organization of Thailand) when you have a bad experience?? They are (mostly) very vulnerable and afraid to lose tourism.

I "adapted" these six years by not being nice and smooth but by letting them feel that I'm not accepting bad behavior.

I learned in the mean time that I must not take a taxi in lower Sukhumvit for a bit more distance, I go by BTS (Ekkamai or On Nut) nearest to my home or walk when the traffic-jam is more or less over later in the evening to Asoke Montri, and even there one has a change to be refused.

No meter? No ride! But the "no meter" trick happens very rare.

I don't flag down a taxi (anymore) who was just before refusing people and I even don't ask anymore when one opens the left-front window to ask where I want to go.

I take as much as possible the ones which are recognized as "belonging" to companies as the blue or yellow cabs.

I correct the driver as much as possible when I see that he don't know the direction too much or when he is taking me for a "ride". Once I took a cab and instead of turning to take the shorter way he wanted to go around. After I asked him his answer was "mai pai" (I don't go) and I left the cab.

I take always care that I have enough small money with me and never pay with 500 or even 1.000 Baht notes to avoid that he "cannot change". BTS-stations and the toll-boots are perfect chances to change into small money when I forgot.

My "adaption"? When I go home in the evening I take always two times a taxi to avoid being rejected or sometimes saddled with a driver who starts groaning at the end "klai mak mak" (very far), so, after about twenty kilometers of the forty I let him stop and take another one at a place where they know me already.

Why on earth would you travel a round trip of 80 km per day without buying a car?Please don't tell me it's because the rent in cheaper!

Yes, Terry, you are right BUT, although I like(d) driving during my whole life very much (felt lost without a car in Europe) and I can say I wasn't a bad driver, made in between 40.000 and 70.000 kms a year I was (am )afraid to drive in these crazy and dangerous circumstances. I know: baba (idiot). Plus the risk that when occurs an accident (proven) caused by a Thai a farang is always the loser. I didn't had never any fear in London, Barcelona or Paris but.................