Bangkok Taxi Passenger Dragged Out Of Car By Driver

[robblok]

There's so many taxis in this town, I don't really mind when one won't take my fare.

They'll either make more money that way or not I guess and if cherry picking fares makes someone some extra $$$, then that's fine with me. I don't feel entitled to get into any particular taxi, especially as they are so prevelant here.

I actually question how much more money they can make. I see some of them gathered for hours waiting for a customer while the other guys with the meters on keep picking and dropping off passengers. At best I think they make the same but just are working less but am sure some nights they don't even get a bite from a customer with their meter off.

I agree with you. I don't think it gets them any more money. That goes double when they park somewhere like Suk 11 or Silom late at night with 300 other taxis. I would imagine there's someone to pay just to stop and wait there. I think it's just their perception.

I routinely pay 200 Baht to get home from town to Saphan Sung - the meter fare is usually about 120-150 depending on where in town I'm leaving from. My tip is a few dollars and is given to every driver that is nice and that drives OK. I find that most drivers are actually OK both in terms of their driving and their manners.

The funniest one was a mechanic that picked me up. He had repaired the taxi and was out giving it a run to make sure it was OK. He figured he may as well pick up a fare along the way. My wife thought it hilarious.

Its not a problem when one does not take my fare, i have had that happen near my home an other will be there quite soon and off you go. Its more bothersome near the tourist places where its not one but 5 or 6 or more that wont turn on the meter or go. Even the ones driving past wont always turn on the meter, i refuse it when they dont want to turn ont he meter.

If it was just once i could live with it but many people experience its not just once its much too often that was why that law came to effect. But like all laws... you know the story.

[Arkady]

It is outrageous she was assaulted but I am not sure how street wise this tour guide was in trying to get cab from a night life venue like Soi 11. Near all these places like Patpong, Cowboy, RCA you have to walk to the main road away from the taxis who are targeting people spilling out of the bars and pubs. In RCA they behave in exactly the same way, even though the patrons are mainly Thai.

Foreigners can't be blamed for overpaying, if they don't know the system. The police have to be blamed for not enforcing it.

It is quite obvious what needs to be done but no one has the balls to do it. They need to increase the taxi fares for time and distance to a more reasonable level but leave the flagfall at B35 to discourage them from trying to do very short trips only. Then rigorously police the system with fines and licence suspension and jail for driving while suspended, followed by the some well publicised cases.

Edited January 7, 2013 by Arkady

[Time Traveller]

I live in sathon and it amazes me the number of taxi's I sometimes have to flag down before one is willing to take me where I want to go. As for the popular tourist areas (I.e sukhumvit, patpong) i have seen them queuing up, yet refusing to take passengers unless they pay up. Unfortunately sooner or later someone will pay over the odds generally out of drunken desperation to get home, which the taxi drivers know only too well. it's not right and rather annoying.

It's an open market auction.

[Payboy]

The fundamental problems are that the government keeps taxi fares artificially low because it isn't politically expedient to increase them but at the same time neglects to enforce the laws which are supposed to protect both operator and consumer.

In most countries (that do enforce laws) either the taxi fares would have to keep up with inflation or there wouldn't be enough taxis on the road. However in Thailand, the combination of low fares and lack of law enforcement means that the best option for a taxi driver is to seek other ways of increasing income. I think that the police know this and are reluctant to take much action.

Realistically, taxi fares in BKK could double and they would still be cheap by most standards.

Absolutely agree - I've been here 15 years and there has been very little change in taxi fares. Unlike fuel costs.

Guess the LPG conversion did help them a bit though.

[Nisa]

So how does one complain and to whom, when a taxi driver refuses to pick one up for no apparent reason.

There is a taxi hotline (not sure of number) and supposedly they were supposed to set up it online (www.thaitrafficpolice.com) too to file complaints. After 3 complaints the driver supposedly get fined. But you can also flag down or make a report directly with the police and believe they will be fined instantly. My guess however is that the time it will take to make a police report and do what is needed to make sure the driver is fined 1000 baht that you will have spent more time than the combined time you would wasted in 20 years finding another taxi to give you a ride after being refused.

[oldsailor35]

Guess she didn't use her real name. Understandable that cab drives were not in the mood....

I am sick and fed up with these bird-brain fools who just have to use either Thaksin or Yingluck to prove some axe that they have to grind ! It is neither clever or funny. But just makes you look a fool.

[airconsult]

The question is why didn't she exit the cab respectfully when he refused to take her. What a dingbat. It's not like he's obligated to take her. He's running a business and needs to earn a proper buck.

If a taxi stops for you, they're legally bound to take you wherever you want (within reason, of course).

No they are not. Where did you get this from?

Legally they are since 1 September 2012, if they have the red "Wang" light on and stop for you, they are obligated to take you and charge only the metered fare (within the city) or agreed fare. But of course that is just words on a paper. In most other countries taxis do have the right to charge extras - for example if the place you go to requires a toll road use then you must pay for the cab to go back on the same toll road, if the place you are going to is far away you may have to pay 25 to 50% surcharge to allow for the taxi to return to its origin, or peak hour surcharges, late night surcharges, airport surcharges or out of city surcharges - these are normal and accepted in most countries, but mention them in Thailand and every foreigner starts bleating about taxis ripping them off. Please think, $10 to go from one of the busiest airports in the world to the 3rd most visited tourist city in the world by a reasonable, clean, air-conditioned taxi. Is that a rip off? 3am taxi asking for more than the meter? I think he should be allowed to charge double the meter and you should be able to prove that you aren't going to vomit in his cab and can pay for the fare. NOt all taxi drivers are good, nor safe, not all tourists are good, nor safe to be with. Taxi activity isn't racism, they are equal opportunity rip-off merchants, they will rip off Thais just as quickly and easily as foreigners. My friend told me a story, When it comes to the golden goose, Americans and Europeans will go looking to see if there aren't more of them, Singaporeans will make sure that it has laid all the golden eggs then will pluck it, cook it and eat every morsel, Thais will pluck and cook it, and never know what the golden egg was because they only see the goose, not what it could give them. (yes I am generalising)

The part saying they have to accept the fare has been in the Land Traffic Act at least as far back as 1979 (2552) http://www.bkkriders.com/law/landtraffic.html#12

The bit with September 1 2012 was handing over the reporting and enforcement of that section to the police formally - although they previously had the required power under the Act - until recently you were supposed to report it to the complaint line run by the taxi companies themselves.

[lumply]

Thailand's future, becoming reality.

Phuket will not be alone for much longer.... It is the future of most places in Thailand where there are numbers of Westerners.

So... you are saying it is the tourist's fault that the taxi driver(s) concerned had no respect for the laws and regulations? Interesting argument....

I think it's more to do with the fact that they understand they won't be caught as 99.999% of people will not lodge a complaint - so no fine....

I did interpret the last comments in such a way that suggested that it is the fault of tourists. Anyway, taxi drivers in most countries appear to consider it their right to rip off tourists/foreigners. It is a regrettable fact of life.

[DocN]

I have never had a problem getting a taxi in Bangkok in my years living here unless you consider sometimes having to wait 5 minutes or sometimes needing to walk up to the main road a problem. I think they are incredibly cheap and the vast majority of the drivers keep clean cars, are pleasant to deal with and take you on the quickest route to get you where you want to go.

Not sure how people can make general complaints about a service that is very abundant and incredibly cheap. They don't even expect a real tip here.

You either are really lucky or full of B.S. I have had plenty of cabs refuse me or refuse Thais that were with me. Especially near tourist area's, near my home i almost never get refused.

Got to be careful, robblok ... Nisa never said taxis do not refuse him, he just said he has never had a problem

Not, that is not exactly what she says.

She says, she never had a problem, just waited for a few minutes or walked a little bit!

Because that is the problem: us pesky farang, who think we should get a taxi WHERE WE ARE and if a taxi comes up with a red, illuminated and widely visible sign that indicates a "free" taxi, ready for "action", that we are just stupid and wrong!

Who are we, coming to Thailand, from the safety and warmth of our own country and ask for "service"!

Good joke!

Just walk a bit or wait a bit...until a merciful brother of the driving companionship of public transport is willing to heed your call!

Sarcasm aside: I said it many times- if a taxi- driver can not take me, because the shift ends TURN THE <deleted> SIGN OFF!

That indicates you are off service.

Otherwise you are on and so be so kind and take me, where I want to go!

It is your JOB!

[pacovl46]

I live in sathon and it amazes me the number of taxi's I sometimes have to flag down before one is willing to take me where I want to go. As for the popular tourist areas (I.e sukhumvit, patpong) i have seen them queuing up, yet refusing to take passengers unless they pay up. Unfortunately sooner or later someone will pay over the odds generally out of drunken desperation to get home, which the taxi drivers know only too well. it's not right and rather annoying.

Take a camera and take pictures of everyone who doesn't want to take you where you wanna go, report them and let them be fined. It's the only way!!!

[sandhurstmolonski]

1,000 Barht fine ..Seriously what an absolute Joke . Surely there are no stupid Foreigners left who other than the Value that is Shown on the Meter ? I can understand her difficulty , getting a Cab in the evening from Ram Impra to Asok Sky train station takes an effort and this is quite a resonable Fare ...Rarely will the first Cab take men , generally it takes 3 or 4 Goes .quite incredible really . I never even bother with Shorter , as they just never say " Yes " ..So I just walk .

But this " punishment " will mean absolutely nothing and as others have said he basically assalted her .

[airconsult]

I think the fine they are talking about there is because the driver refused to take her to the destination - yes, in theory, they *must* accept the fare.

The matter of assault I don't think the police were considering until after the hospital examination for evidence of injury.

You don't have to have injuries to constitute assault.

assault means the direct or indirect application of force by a person to the body of, or to clothing or equipment worn by, another

person where the application of force is without lawful excuse. placing someone in emotional fear of being physically assaulted also constitutes an assault.

I understand what you say - but right at that moment the police had her statement and nothing else. Possibly they wanted to see if there was physical evidence to back up her statement before proceeding further?

Probably, oh and I wasn't having a dig at you either I don't know this area, but it sounds like a busy one so I guess there would be plenty of CCTV footage that may capture her being pulled from the cab. If there is then the cabbie doesn't have much of a leg to stand on. Refusing a fare is unlawful so pulling her out of the cab because he is refusing her, then that is an unlawful assault as well even without physical injuries. I actually charged a cabbie in Melbourne with this. Yes I know 2 different places. .

The laws are actually very strict in how the driver must dress and behave (the law even mentions not speaking in a threatening manner) http://thailaws.com/law/t_laws/tlaw0140_5.pdf

Of course traffic laws tend to be overwritten by customs here - like stopping to let people do a u-turn - officially they have to wait for 150m clear road.

This is the section I love the most - (cannot be impolite)

Section 99 (1000B)

Driver, while driving a taxi, shall not

1. Smoke, play a radio or act in any manner that is a nuisance to the passengers

2. Extend a hand, arm or any part of the body out of the vehicle, except in displaying signals pursuant to Section 37

3. Control the steering wheel with only one hand, except when necessary

4. Use sound signals when entering into the area of a hospital, office or educational institute

5. Use horn sound signals to press other vehicles

6. Overtake or dash in front of other vehicles haphazardly and dangerously

7. Drive into other person's house area

8. Pick up a passenger in an area prescribed by the traffic officer with a traffic sign prohibiting picking up of passengers

9. Use impolite word, speak sarcastically at, insult, abuse or act in such manner to the passengers or other persons.

[Nisa]

The part saying they have to accept the fare has been in the Land Traffic Act at least as far back as 1979 (2552) http://www.bkkriders...traffic.html#12

The bit with September 1 2012 was handing over the reporting and enforcement of that section to the police formally - although they previously had the required power under the Act - until recently you were supposed to report it to the complaint line run by the taxi companies themselves.

Thanks for the clarification.

[Baerboxer]

The question is why didn't she exit the cab respectfully when he refused to take her. What a dingbat. It's not like he's obligated to take her. He's running a business and needs to earn a proper buck.

No - he is obligated to take her. Taxis are supposed to accept fares and not turn them down. Doing so risks a THB 1k fine.

[Neeranam]

I have never had a problem getting a taxi in Bangkok in my years living here unless you consider sometimes having to wait 5 minutes or sometimes needing to walk up to the main road a problem. I think they are incredibly cheap and the vast majority of the drivers keep clean cars, are pleasant to deal with and take you on the quickest route to get you where you want to go.

Not sure how people can make general complaints about a service that is very abundant and incredibly cheap. They don't even expect a real tip here.

You cannot possibly mean this. On a normal working day, I take three taxis, starting at 5:30AM on Srinakharin Rd. At that time I very rarely have a problem, but I have had a taxi refuse me because (a) he didn't know the way to the BTS - so I told him I could direct him; and then ( because it was the end of his shift. I got another taxi very quickly and was able to watch the original taxi travelling slowly along until picking up another passenger.

I lived in Bangkok for ten years and never had any problems getting a taxi unless right in a tourist spot. Now, When I visit, I always have a laugh as I speak Isarn with the drivers. The last time I was there I took a Taxi for a 59 ride and the driver said to make it a round 50.

I wonder if most of those complaining are tourists who expect the drivers to speak English.

Maybe they don't want you as you are linguistically challenged.

[pedro01]

The fundamental problems are that the government keeps taxi fares artificially low because it isn't politically expedient to increase them but at the same time neglects to enforce the laws which are supposed to protect both operator and consumer.

In most countries (that do enforce laws) either the taxi fares would have to keep up with inflation or there wouldn't be enough taxis on the road. However in Thailand, the combination of low fares and lack of law enforcement means that the best option for a taxi driver is to seek other ways of increasing income. I think that the police know this and are reluctant to take much action.

Realistically, taxi fares in BKK could double and they would still be cheap by most standards.

Absolutely agree - I've been here 15 years and there has been very little change in taxi fares. Unlike fuel costs.

Guess the LPG conversion did help them a bit though.

You gotta love eye rolling smart ar$es

Taxis have been running on LPG since the late 90s and of course CNG/NGV is being fitted to new vehicles

LPG shot up what? 33% in 2008?

Fuel prices have been rising, along with cost of living, yet taxi earnings have pretty much stood still.

I eagerly await the next eye roll.

[Neeranam]

The question is why didn't she exit the cab respectfully when he refused to take her. What a dingbat. It's not like he's obligated to take her. He's running a business and needs to earn a proper buck.

No - he is obligated to take her. Taxis are supposed to accept fares and not turn them down. Doing so risks a THB 1k fine.

Maybe he had been waiting there for hours to get a decent fare and she wanted to go round the corner and he'd life his place. Leave the poor Taxi drivers alone.

[Payboy]

The fundamental problems are that the government keeps taxi fares artificially low because it isn't politically expedient to increase them but at the same time neglects to enforce the laws which are supposed to protect both operator and consumer.

In most countries (that do enforce laws) either the taxi fares would have to keep up with inflation or there wouldn't be enough taxis on the road. However in Thailand, the combination of low fares and lack of law enforcement means that the best option for a taxi driver is to seek other ways of increasing income. I think that the police know this and are reluctant to take much action.

Realistically, taxi fares in BKK could double and they would still be cheap by most standards.

Absolutely agree - I've been here 15 years and there has been very little change in taxi fares. Unlike fuel costs.

Guess the LPG conversion did help them a bit though.

You gotta love eye rolling smart ar$es

Taxis have been running on LPG since the late 90s and of course CNG/NGV is being fitted to new vehicles

LPG shot up what? 33% in 2008?

Fuel prices have been rising, along with cost of living, yet taxi earnings have pretty much stood still.

I eagerly await the next eye roll.

Late 90's - thats about 15 years then.

[DocN]

The question is why didn't she exit the cab respectfully when he refused to take her. What a dingbat. It's not like he's obligated to take her. He's running a business and needs to earn a proper buck.

No - he is obligated to take her. Taxis are supposed to accept fares and not turn them down. Doing so risks a THB 1k fine.

Maybe he had been waiting there for hours to get a decent fare and she wanted to go round the corner and he'd life his place. Leave the poor Taxi drivers alone.

And that he waited there for hours instead of going around town, trying to pick up customers elsewhere, is clearly her fault, isn't it?

[Nisa]

No excuse for the taxi driver refusing a fare as it is the law but sounds to me like the passenger was asking for it by refusing to exit the taxi and I believe a taxi, store owner or private home/vehicle owner has the right to use force to get somebody off or out of their property regardless of the reason they have asked the person to leave and they have refused. The fact the taxi driver didn't beat down the passenger for taking his necklace seems like he was not out of control. In a perfect world taxi's should not refuse a ride to somebody based on where they are going but have no problem with them refusing to take loud mouth argumentative and demanding drunks or anyone else that isn't showing them respect.

I am glad taxi's are regulated even though there are drivers that don't care but can also understand their point of view. They basically work for themselves (business owner) but instead of being able to set prices based on demand and pick and choose what they sell, they are forced to charge a very low rate and sometimes deliver services they don't want to and that causes them to lose money. So, it maybe not right but I really can understand them having enough of a passenger who is quoting law and/or telling them how and what they need to be doing or simply not showing respect and telling them to get the heck out of their taxi and then forcibly removing somebody who refuses..

[MaxYakov]

As grueling as the effort is, I use a bicycle for all my routine travels, sometimes the bus if the trip is untenable by bike. I moved to Din Daeng and had much difficulty getting taxis to go there from Sukumvit except during off hours. Incidentally, I wear a motorbike helmet and a high-quality, dust-fume mask. Air pollution in Bangkok, however, is the least of the risk biking in Bangkok. Of course, biking is not for the late-night, early-morning drinkers and the weak or faint-of-heart (and other reasons), which eliminates about 99.99% of the farangs in Bangkok. My observations on the road, support this estimate.

If a farang wanted to report a taxi driver for fare refusal, does anyone here believe it would be anything less than a super hassle and maybe even dangerous to one's health?

Edited to change 99.9% to 99.99%.

Edited January 7, 2013 by MaxYakov

[petedk]

Taxis play games with us so I play it with them....

I open the back left door and ask if they are willing to take me, when they refuse I gently shut the door so its not closed all the way and walk on

Its a serious stretch for them to reach the back left door to shut it

I used to do the same but I have noticed that more and more taxis lock the doors and just wind down the front window. Nowadays when they do that I don't even bother talking to them because I am almost certain that they'll refuse the fare.

[HardenedSoul]

I lived in Bangkok for ten years and never had any problems getting a taxi unless right in a tourist spot. Now, When I visit, I always have a laugh as I speak Isarn with the drivers. The last time I was there I took a Taxi for a 59 ride and the driver said to make it a round 50.

I wonder if most of those complaining are tourists who expect the drivers to speak English.

Maybe they don't want you as you are linguistically challenged.

The sheer, unbridled idiocy of that "more-Thai-than-thou" post will NOT be topped this month.

So, by your logic, if a passenger doesn't speak Isaan with the drivers, he/she shouldn't expect to be picked up or taken to where they want to go in safety and comfort?

Unbelieveable

[dluek]

Taxis play games with us so I play it with them....

I open the back left door and ask if they are willing to take me, when they refuse I gently shut the door so its not closed all the way and walk on

Its a serious stretch for them to reach the back left door to shut it

I like that - will give it a try.

[sms747]

I have never had a problem getting a taxi in Bangkok in my years living here unless you consider sometimes having to wait 5 minutes or sometimes needing to walk up to the main road a problem. I think they are incredibly cheap and the vast majority of the drivers keep clean cars, are pleasant to deal with and take you on the quickest route to get you where you want to go.

Not sure how people can make general complaints about a service that is very abundant and incredibly cheap. They don't even expect a real tip here.

You cannot possibly mean this. On a normal working day, I take three taxis, starting at 5:30AM on Srinakharin Rd. At that time I very rarely have a problem, but I have had a taxi refuse me because (a) he didn't know the way to the BTS - so I told him I could direct him; and then ( because it was the end of his shift. I got another taxi very quickly and was able to watch the original taxi travelling slowly along until picking up another passenger.

I lived in Bangkok for ten years and never had any problems getting a taxi unless right in a tourist spot. Now, When I visit, I always have a laugh as I speak Isarn with the drivers. The last time I was there I took a Taxi for a 59 ride and the driver said to make it a round 50.

I wonder if most of those complaining are tourists who expect the drivers to speak English.

Maybe they don't want you as you are linguistically challenged.

Thats odd my Thai mrs spoke 'Isarn' to 9 drivers the other week outside central world wanting to go to dem monument, none would use the meter and the highest fare quoted was 500 baht. She had to get the bus in the end.They must think you are a handsome man!

[yasorab]

This kind of thing should be stamped out. It should cost the b*****d his job not 1000Baht fine. He is a service provider is he not ?

[scorecard]

As grueling as the effort is, I use a bicycle for all my routine travels, sometimes the bus if the trip is untenable by bike. I moved to Din Daeng and had much difficulty getting taxis to go there from Sukumvit except during off hours. Incidentally, I wear a motorbike helmet and a high-quality, dust-fume mask. Air pollution in Bangkok, however, is the least of the risk biking in Bangkok. Of course, biking is not for the late-night, early-morning drinkers and the weak or faint-of-heart (and other reasons), which eliminates about 99.99% of the farangs in Bangkok. My observations on the road, support this estimate.

If a farang wanted to report a taxi driver for fare refusal, does anyone here believe it would be anything less than a super hassle and maybe even dangerous to one's health?

Edited to change 99.9% to 99.99%.

Appreciate what your saying, but go backwards 20 years, to make a complaint about a taxi driver you had to:

- Go to the Transport Ministry buildings opposite Jatujuk Park with a signed copy of the back and the front of the drivers Thai ID card and a

- Signed copy of the road tax book for the vehicle (blue book for private cars).

- Complete, in Thai only, a complaint form.

Needless to say, impossible to obtain.

So, some improvement.

[chrissables]

As of 1 September 2012 it was illegal for a taxi to refuse a fare, but nothing has changed, the law is not even worth the paper it is written on despite all the propaganda at the time it was announced. My wife works on Sukhumvit way out towards Bang Na and no taxi will pick her up to bring her to our house because they have no clue that if they just get on the expressway at Soi 62 it only takes 15 minutes to get to Sathorn, so she drives and I take taxis. Living on Sathorn Road and having to go to the airport I find no problem to get a cab to take me for the meter fare (but I always pay more because they are going almost 50km with not that much chance of a return fare so 50 baht on top is reasonable - in Singapore you have to pay add-ons to go to/from the airport, add-ons for peak periods and after hours and more in other places, time we all got real and let these guys make a decent living). Conversely when trying to get a taxi to bring me from my office at Ratchaprasong to Sathorn they all refuse, I normally have to walk over to Langsuan and get a taxi there to avoid the greed of the taxis around Erawan area near my office. I took a photo of a taxi with his "fai wang" (little red sign saying he was available) after he refused me and told him I would report him to the police hot line, he got out of the car, berated me in some pretty nasty Thai profanity, threatened me and drove off. The staff of the hotel lobby I was standing at did nothing to assist and were next to useless (a 5 star hotel in the Ratchaprasong area where I have my office and spend oodles on noodles and more). So the consumer continues to have no rights in this lovely country unless you can buy them and even then the thugs control it. Taxis in Bangkok are becoming more and more like mafia thugs similar to their Phuket cousins, it will be a wonder if Thailand can maintain any kind of tourism popularity except for Chinese (who don't know any better). However, in their defence (The Taxis'), when I arrived in Thailand in 1991 the "flag fall" to start the meter was not much less than the current 35 baht, and the price per 200 meters (or whatever) hasn't much changed, yet the price of fuel has gone from 6.8 baht in those days to over 45 baht nowadays (as a comparison, I know they use gas mostly but don't know the price of gas in those days). So... cut them some slack, pay over the meter if you can because frankly if you were in London, Sydney, New York, or pretty much any other city you could never get a taxi from the airport to the city for under $10... Singapore, KL, Jakarta - also cannot - only Manila are the taxi prices about the same but there you end up in a dirty smelly old corolla or similar with bad airconditioning and taxi drivers who do not know the way around, but mostly at least they are polite. I travel frequently, in and out of the country on business at least weekly and sometimes twice in one week I am making my way back and forth from the airport, 90% of the taxis are in reasonable condition, drivers pretty much know where they are going and drive reasonably carefully (for taxi drivers - try Moscow if you want to be scared as hell, ripped off or mugged). Of the other 10% either the driver is new and doesn't know how to get to Sathorn, or the car is smelly without good air con or the driver appears to be over stimulated (if you know what I mean). Any cheap skate that pays only whats on the meter better avoid New York where the drivers expect to get at least 10% above it if not 20% and will give you heaps of crap if no tip offered. But to the point of the article, a taxi driver cursing a passenger and physically assaulting them should be banned from holding a license for life, definitely the crime committed is under penalised in Thailand, which is why in our last election some HiSo types were quite willing to go around slapping the faces of others knowing it would only end in a 500 baht fine... be careful Farangs, if you think getting into a fight and hitting someone will only get a small fine, its still a criminal offence even if the fine is small and that means instant deportation once you serve your sentence (eg pay the fine).

So you think we should pay more than the government set rate? Why? And why compare prices with New York?

[BirdsandBooze]

My wife and I were in Chinatown on New Years Eve and called a taxi over. We asked to go to Central World and were answered with a Frenchman`s wave. The next taxi was driven by a gentleman only too happy to take a fare and who on arrival at our destination wished us a happy new year and shook my hand. He got a 100 baht tip.

[yougivemebaby]

Foreign passengers pay what is written on the meter ..... unless they are stupid enough to pay what the taxi wants but that is another story , more and more it seems taxi in Bangkok have too much money as they refuse to bring you if they are not in the mood. This happen all the time.

I wouldn't call them stupid. Being in a big city thinking they have no other options.

I learned rather quickly when in these big tourist areas that you can just walk a block or two away and flag down a taxi. Watch for them to turn on the meter and be on your way. This is one person trying to fight something that's been going on forever. Since there have been tourists AND taxis around the world. Ripping of tourists.