Got Scammed, Taxi Out Of The Airport

[etherael]

Well, that was pretty surreal. I'm now in a (semi-legit, offered a 500baht flat fee or meter fare, the fare on the way over taught me it should be around 340.) cab on the way back to my apartment.

I don't know how they pulled it off but somehow the police were able to summon the driver to the station at the airport. He said he searched for the item and was unable to find it, so the police took me through this quite strange process of sitting with this guy and filling out a police report about the activities of this guy (while he was sitting there talking to them) and the tout, signed statement video recorded testimony, all that kind of thing. And that's where we left it. I assume by now he must have pawned it off so it's probably a lost cause but they told me to check back on the 7th for any extra news, failing that they would call me.

By the by, I kinda sorta halfway just happened to notice the perps phone number from his rap sheet and kinda sorta have a weird memory that won't let me forget things I probably shouldn't know. Too much?

[Scully]

about 250 and he pays the tolls

Never Never Ever agree to let the taxi driver pay the tolls! Always say you will pay the tolls.

I got caught by that once when I was a newbie.. Wondering why it took 5 hours to get from downtown Bangkok to Pattaya when my mate that was waiting for me said it would take 2 hours.

It was simple.. we used no toll roads!

Never pay tolls, never tell driver that before you start. Just jump into meter cab and say where you want to go. Some never bother to ask for tolls, if they do, just smile and say no and point to the meter. Please note -- the smile is MOST important....

It is the passenger that pays the toll not the driver, I have always been asked for toll money and have always been happy to pay.

How does he see your smile when he's driving ?

[Travel2003]

Never pay tolls, never tell driver that before you start. Just jump into meter cab and say where you want to go. Some never bother to ask for tolls, if they do, just smile and say no and point to the meter. Please note -- the smile is MOST important....

Yeah....right.

[rattler]

Usually, when they transfer you from one car to another, that is for a long haul drive, certainly not for a 100 baht trip! (at least that is the way it used to be a few years ago)

The thing with the airports, both of them, is that they have taxi services where you queue up for them. Seems that you didn't use this service, and as such saved yourself 50 baht (service charge to make sure you're not ripped off!)

As this is your 1st trip to Thailand, sorry to hear about your misfortune, including the loss of your camera gear.

Even that doesnt always work, got taxi recently from the queue and I know the way I go home is 23km dead.......straight down On nut road, his way started off ok down the expressway then he left it at the wrong point and we ended up down back alleys finally coming out on sukhumvit in Asoke. 30km

[cooked]

about 250 and he pays the tolls

Never Never Ever agree to let the taxi driver pay the tolls! Always say you will pay the tolls.

I got caught by that once when I was a newbie.. Wondering why it took 5 hours to get from downtown Bangkok to Pattaya when my mate that was waiting for me said it would take 2 hours.

It was simple.. we used no toll roads!

Never pay tolls, never tell driver that before you start. Just jump into meter cab and say where you want to go. Some never bother to ask for tolls, if they do, just smile and say no and point to the meter. Please note -- the smile is MOST important....

In rush hour Bangkok not taking a toll road will result in your creeping along at walking pace, if that. Taking the toll road means that the driver has extra costs that don't appear on the meter. What do you mean you refuse to pay them? If I were a taxi driver with a customer like you I'd throw you out.

[chrisinth]

Usually, when they transfer you from one car to another, that is for a long haul drive, certainly not for a 100 baht trip! (at least that is the way it used to be a few years ago)

The thing with the airports, both of them, is that they have taxi services where you queue up for them. Seems that you didn't use this service, and as such saved yourself 50 baht (service charge to make sure you're not ripped off!)

As this is your 1st trip to Thailand, sorry to hear about your misfortune, including the loss of your camera gear.

Even that doesnt always work, got taxi recently from the queue and I know the way I go home is 23km dead.......straight down On nut road, his way started off ok down the expressway then he left it at the wrong point and we ended up down back alleys finally coming out on sukhumvit in Asoke. 30km

Yeah, agree it is not 100% but better for a novice instead of bartering. I see the OP still hasn't learned from what he says in post #62.

No such thing as semi-legit deals with taxis, insist on the meter!!

[bangkokburning]

I smell a troll.

18 posts - but he knew what forum to come to and raise the issue.

[stag4]

I routinely use the airport touts. I am taken by taxi to another point and transferred to a private car. If the private car doesn't suit me I ask for another car. They always have a number of private cars waiting for a passenger. The private cars have always been nice enough to suit me and the drivers have always been good. I should add that this is from the airport to Jomtien. I pay 1,200 baht to Jomtien and they pay the tolls. Just make sure that the price is negotiated before you leave the airport. Of course they will quote an inflated price and you just start to walk away. They will always come after you. You then tell them how much you are willing to pay.

If I am going to Bangkok, I wait at the taxi stand and take a metered taxi. I do pay the tolls and the cost is always less than 300 baht including the tolls. It's not worth going to a pickup point to save 50 baht. I once left a camera in a taxi and considered it gone. It was gone. Fortunately it wasn't an expensive camera.

With all due respect -- you are part of the problem.......

What problem?

I, also like Gary, have, outside arrivals, negotiated a price to go to Jomtien,(usually pay 1200bht).

Sometimes they change cars down the highway for a newer model.

Better than getting charged 3000 Bht by AOT Limousines for the same journey!

Only scam I can see here is that the OP was way overcharged, as he was green & was taken advantage of.

Unfortunate that he left his camera in the car, I hope he gets it back but it is looking unlikely.

[etherael]

I smell a troll.

18 posts - but he knew what forum to come to and raise the issue.

Like I said, I did a little research, I have a copy of the police report if you need photographic evidence.

And of course, as mentioned, the perp's phone number.

*ahem*

Edited November 3, 2012 by etherael

[etherael]

Usually, when they transfer you from one car to another, that is for a long haul drive, certainly not for a 100 baht trip! (at least that is the way it used to be a few years ago)

The thing with the airports, both of them, is that they have taxi services where you queue up for them. Seems that you didn't use this service, and as such saved yourself 50 baht (service charge to make sure you're not ripped off!)

As this is your 1st trip to Thailand, sorry to hear about your misfortune, including the loss of your camera gear.

Even that doesnt always work, got taxi recently from the queue and I know the way I go home is 23km dead.......straight down On nut road, his way started off ok down the expressway then he left it at the wrong point and we ended up down back alleys finally coming out on sukhumvit in Asoke. 30km

Yeah, agree it is not 100% but better for a novice instead of bartering. I see the OP still hasn't learned from what he says in post #62.

No such thing as semi-legit deals with taxis, insist on the meter!!

When I said he offered a flat 500 baht rate, I didn't mean to imply that I *took* it.

400 baht back to apartment (bout same for base fare + 45 baht toll)

Also, in examination of the responses here, can I just say I really don't get this whole pennypinching over 100 baht or less amounts? Frankly I felt kinda sorry for the driver who ripped me off. If I could just give him a few thousand baht and get my camera back I'd consider it a fee for lesson well taught. Maybe it's just me, and maybe I'm crazy, but I don't think these people deserve to be nickel and dimed by prosperous foreigners, is it any wonder that they sometimes resort to subterfuge to get ahead?

Edited November 3, 2012 by etherael

[jpinx]

I smell a troll.

18 posts - but he knew what forum to come to and raise the issue.

Like I said, I did a little research, I have a copy of the police report if you need photographic evidence.

And of course, as mentioned, the perp's phone number.

*ahem*

Post the touts number here - or somewhere !

[etherael]

I smell a troll.

18 posts - but he knew what forum to come to and raise the issue.

Like I said, I did a little research, I have a copy of the police report if you need photographic evidence.

And of course, as mentioned, the perp's phone number.

*ahem*

Post the touts number here - or somewhere !

It was the driver whose number I accidentally remember, not the touts.

What purpose would posting it in a public forum serve? Should I really even know it? I feel like I should try harder to forget it.

Edited November 3, 2012 by etherael

[jpinx]

I smell a troll.

18 posts - but he knew what forum to come to and raise the issue.

Like I said, I did a little research, I have a copy of the police report if you need photographic evidence.

And of course, as mentioned, the perp's phone number.

*ahem*

Post the touts number here - or somewhere !

It was the driver whose number I accidentally remember, not the touts.

What purpose would posting it in a public forum serve? Should I really even know it? I feel like I should try harder to forget it.

Ah -- ok -- my bad - I thought it was the tout's number you had

[arthurwait]

I smell a troll.

18 posts - but he knew what forum to come to and raise the issue.

Like I said, I did a little research, I have a copy of the police report if you need photographic evidence.

And of course, as mentioned, the perp's phone number.

*ahem*

Post the touts number here - or somewhere !

It was the driver whose number I accidentally remember, not the touts.

What purpose would posting it in a public forum serve? Should I really even know it? I feel like I should try harder to forget it.

Because he has most likely pawned your camera and is now enjoying laos khao on the profits.

Of course I wouldn't suggest writing it on a toilet door in Silom soi 4 or giving it to a ladyboy around sukhumvit soi 4 and telling them it's yours.

[etherael]

Because he has most likely pawned your camera and is now enjoying laos khao on the profits.

Of course I wouldn't suggest writing it on a toilet door in Silom soi 4 or giving it to a ladyboy around sukhumvit soi 4 and telling them it's yours.

This pawn thing was my initial assumption actually. Is it just flat out impossible to track it down in a bangkok pawn shop?

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Has anyone mentioned yet that unless you've got a lot of bags, if you're headed downtown you should just take the airport shuttle skytrain to Phayathai BTS?

[etherael]

Has anyone mentioned yet that unless you've got a lot of bags, if you're headed downtown you should just take the airport shuttle skytrain to Phayathai BTS?

Thanks for the tip, turns out I'm about 3k from Surasak BTS.

[jpinx]

Has anyone mentioned yet that unless you've got a lot of bags, if you're headed downtown you should just take the airport shuttle skytrain to Phayathai BTS?

I've seen people on that link with insane amounts of bags - to the point of being downright unsociable

I use it as far as Hua Mak and then jump on a 145 bus to the nice 350Baht rooms near the Mall BangKapi, but I travel very light.

[CP3]

Most of the tourists get this scam. Just that OP is unlucky to leave his camera behind..The camera is as good as gone and doubt police can do something bcaz the person can just deny seeing it. But I wonder what the police will do to the person who charge the trip for 1k THB

[besth]

To the OP, as you say yourself, put the taxi scam (you were overcharged, it happens all over the world) down to experience and enjoy the rest of your stay in Thailand.

Shame about the loss of the camera, but that wasn't scam/theft, You admit that you forgot it in the first car. Very tempting (and dishonest) for them to keep it and not trying to get it back to you, but it probably wouldn't have been that easy to find you even if they had thought about it, which I doubt. The taxi driver taking it to wherever he dropped you off would probably have been told "oh, yes, he is not here now but leave it with us and we will give it to him" and quite likely you still would never have got it back, just other people would have made the money. Not much different if he had taken it to the police.

Even if the police got the right guys, they probably had already pawned it and spent the money, so wouldn't dare to confess to it, another passenger might have found the camera and taken it, almost impossible that you will ever know. It was your mistake, take it as a good excuse to buy a new and better one

About not paying tollways (not from the OP but other posters), it is wrong, unfair and I actually don't believe it is true. Smile as much as you want, driver will not smile back. It is stated in the paper they give you at the official taxi stand that you have to pay the 50 Baht surcharge and if tolls are used the passenger pays that as well. Tolls aren't expensive anyway. Why try to scam them out of a few Baht???

You can negotiate a closed price but that is a bad idea. As someone already said, that will often take you on slow, busy roads. Even if you are not going to Bangkok, going for a longer distance, it is good to negotiate the price down to a fix amount but offer to pay the tolls separately. Then you are sure that the driver will take you the fastest way.

[etherael]

To the OP, as you say yourself, put the taxi scam (you were overcharged, it happens all over the world) down to experience and enjoy the rest of your stay in Thailand.

Shame about the loss of the camera, but that wasn't scam/theft, You admit that you forgot it in the first car. Very tempting (and dishonest) for them to keep it and not trying to get it back to you, but it probably wouldn't have been that easy to find you even if they had thought about it, which I doubt. The taxi driver taking it to wherever he dropped you off would probably have been told "oh, yes, he is not here now but leave it with us and we will give it to him" and quite likely you still would never have got it back, just other people would have made the money. Not much different if he had taken it to the police.

Even if the police got the right guys, they probably had already pawned it and spent the money, so wouldn't dare to confess to it, another passenger might have found the camera and taken it, almost impossible that you will ever know. It was your mistake, take it as a good excuse to buy a new and better one

About not paying tollways (not from the OP but other posters), it is wrong, unfair and I actually don't believe it is true. Smile as much as you want, driver will not smile back. It is stated in the paper they give you at the official taxi stand that you have to pay the 50 Baht surcharge and if tolls are used the passenger pays that as well. Tolls aren't expensive anyway. Why try to scam them out of a few Baht???

You can negotiate a closed price but that is a bad idea. As someone already said, that will often take you on slow, busy roads. Even if you are not going to Bangkok, going for a longer distance, it is good to negotiate the price down to a fix amount but offer to pay the tolls separately. Then you are sure that the driver will take you the fastest way.

I just had a long discussion with my landlady about it, she said she'll follow up on 1584 on the legit cab whose ID card I have on the slim chance that something will turn up, but not to get my hopes up, she called the tourist police / airport police etc. Anyway, she took me out for pad thai and to have a look around and I'm good with it, basically. We pay for our experiences, one way or another, some are just more expensive than others.

I didn't need such a big camera anyway. Thanks to all for your help, on the off chance I meet you, I owe you a drink. Mai pen rai eh?

Edited November 3, 2012 by etherael

[Cobalt60]

picking up the language quickly there for a first timer, well done.

[whybother]

e) that was the fare forward and backward from pantip plaza to current location which is roughly the same amount of time as it took to get from airport to same location, Satupradit 20.

It's distance not time (supposedly) you will travel a lot further on the expressway than you will in central Bangkok in the same time.

One must be at least 5 times the distance of the other. But yes 1000 is too much. Always insist on the meter.

It sounds like none of the cabs you've (etherael) used have used the meter.

[etherael]

e) that was the fare forward and backward from pantip plaza to current location which is roughly the same amount of time as it took to get from airport to same location, Satupradit 20.

It's distance not time (supposedly) you will travel a lot further on the expressway than you will in central Bangkok in the same time.

One must be at least 5 times the distance of the other. But yes 1000 is too much. Always insist on the meter.

It sounds like none of the cabs you've (etherael) used have used the meter.

Except the first two, they all used the meter? I have not had any problems with any other drivers except the first two, they can't speak english but I just show them the address on the map and they are fine.

[krisb]

Man that sux.....

On a brighter note, least you didnt forget your wallet or passport.

Coulda been worse. Least you can say that.

[Rsquared]

Sad to hear of your misfortunes......but sounds like you are accepting the fact that there are really bad people out there.....and sometimes when we are not paying attention...ie "holiday mode", the predators do what they do best.

I know it leaves a sour taste in one's mouth.....but that is the world we live in, and you my friend have just added another page to your book of life's experiences.

Have Fun and enjoy life.

Cheers.

[Basil B]

I do hope you get your camera back.

I think we all get the hard sell all over the world, they know you have probably been in transit without any sleep for a long time.

Probably the worst for me was when I went to the states, I had pre-booked a rental car to be picked up at the airport, real hard sell trying to get me to upgrade and all I wanted to do was get to my rented villa, he just was not going to release the car until I agreed to an upgrade.

[shamus]

Hi,

I'm going to Jomtien for the first time in 3+ years soon.

Last time I went I just bartered the first guy down to something like 1300 baht (between 2 of us this was cool).

Now I've read this thread it seems I'm feeding the scammers...Where do I go to get a taxi this distance?

I always get the metred taxis in BKK but who do I approach to get one to Jomtien from Suv airport??

[Estrada]

Hi,

I'm going to Jomtien for the first time in 3+ years soon.

Last time I went I just bartered the first guy down to something like 1300 baht (between 2 of us this was cool).

Now I've read this thread it seems I'm feeding the scammers...Where do I go to get a taxi this distance?

I always get the metred taxis in BKK but who do I approach to get one to Jomtien from Suv airport??

At Suv Airport take a metered taxis they have a fare chart usually hanging in front of you. There is a standard charge shown by law for destinations all over Thailand. There is also a notice stating that the passenger must pay any toll charges. Jomtien is around B1,300.

[chrisinth]

Hi,

I'm going to Jomtien for the first time in 3+ years soon.

Last time I went I just bartered the first guy down to something like 1300 baht (between 2 of us this was cool).

Now I've read this thread it seems I'm feeding the scammers...Where do I go to get a taxi this distance?

I always get the metred taxis in BKK but who do I approach to get one to Jomtien from Suv airport??

First floor at gates 6 & 7 (I think) are the metered taxi ranks. It will be more than 1300 baht though.

Alternatively, at gate 8 there is a bus service to Pattaya (never used this)

Alternatively, there is the shuttle bus to the Bus terminal at the airport and I would guess you could get a bus direct from there. Occasionally I get the bus to Ban Chang from Mor Chit, and all the busses are now stopping there, so I would guess the ones to Pattaya would do the same.

Alternatively, go to the Suv. forum on TV.........

Edit: Try this link:

Edited November 4, 2012 by chrisinth