Taxi Scam

[StreetCowboy]

@mrtoad, just because the sun shines when you are somewhere does not mean that reports of other people in an other time having some rain is false. Id expected someone with your post count to know that.

The point is this, they often get a bad press, and a lot of it is deserved. These two were good, so I tried to add a bit of humour to the post. I am sorry it was lost on you, I would have expected someone with your post count to have known that.

Heaven forbid that you should add a little humour to any subject. Many here would not know humour if it hit them in the face.

You're living in the past, mate. That sort of humour went out with Laurel and Hardy.

SC

[smokie36]

What about the Krankies?

[robblok]

@mrtoad, just because the sun shines when you are somewhere does not mean that reports of other people in an other time having some rain is false. Id expected someone with your post count to know that.

The point is this, they often get a bad press, and a lot of it is deserved. These two were good, so I tried to add a bit of humour to the post. I am sorry it was lost on you, I would have expected someone with your post count to have known that.

I must have still been touchy from arguing this subject with Nisa who said it did not happen and everyone who said it happened was a liar. So i read your story differently then it was intended. Sorry for that, i don't doubt that there are good ones have had those one more often then not. But the bad ones are on the increase.

[mrtoad]

@mrtoad, just because the sun shines when you are somewhere does not mean that reports of other people in an other time having some rain is false. Id expected someone with your post count to know that.

The point is this, they often get a bad press, and a lot of it is deserved. These two were good, so I tried to add a bit of humour to the post. I am sorry it was lost on you, I would have expected someone with your post count to have known that.

I must have still been touchy from arguing this subject with Nisa who said it did not happen and everyone who said it happened was a liar. So i read your story differently then it was intended. Sorry for that, i don't doubt that there are good ones have had those one more often then not. But the bad ones are on the increase.

The easiest way to deal with Nisa is to find the block function, it works quite well.

[StreetCowboy]

...the bad ones are on the increase.

Allegedly.

Things have been getting worse since before the dawn of history, but when you actually do the comparison, you'll find we've never had it so good.

How accurate do you think your statistics are? How rigorously do you record them?

SC

[mrtoad]

...the bad ones are on the increase.

Allegedly.

Things have been getting worse since before the dawn of history, but when you actually do the comparison, you'll find we've never had it so good.

How accurate do you think your statistics are? How rigorously do you record them?

SC

It's another nail in the coffin for Thailand, etc, etc.....

Funny though, still a lot of People still here.

[robblok]

...the bad ones are on the increase.

Allegedly.

Things have been getting worse since before the dawn of history, but when you actually do the comparison, you'll find we've never had it so good.

How accurate do you think your statistics are? How rigorously do you record them?

SC

Worse enough for the Thai government to hold a crackdown and do "act like" they do something about it.

So i assume im right but please if you feel otherwise that is ok, i just get argumentative when people deny its happening. Anyway most of the time now i got my own transport.. so no problem.

[robblok]

...the bad ones are on the increase.

Allegedly.

Things have been getting worse since before the dawn of history, but when you actually do the comparison, you'll find we've never had it so good.

How accurate do you think your statistics are? How rigorously do you record them?

SC

It's another nail in the coffin for Thailand, etc, etc.....

Funny though, still a lot of People still here.

I go crazy about those posts too.. no i dont see it as a nail in a coffin as the Thais themselves are hurt most by it. I find it more a problem that the taxis minivans and busses are blocking parts of the road.

[GreenSnapper]

I have had taxis refuse to use the meter around Soi 4, but usually only have to wait a minute or so to catch one who uses the meter.

Recently In early evening at lower Suk, I had 4 taxis refusing us (GF did the negotiation). Then I took the BTS for free. A farang girl gave me a BTS day pass when I was about to buy a ticket.

The number of a*hole taxi drivers is increasing in the last few years. Was never as bad as now.

[richard_smith237]

@mrtoad, just because the sun shines when you are somewhere does not mean that reports of other people in an other time having some rain is false. Id expected someone with your post count to know that.

The point is this, they often get a bad press, and a lot of it is deserved. These two were good, so I tried to add a bit of humour to the post. I am sorry it was lost on you, I would have expected someone with your post count to have known that.

Heaven forbid that you should add a little humour to any subject. Many here would not know humour if it hit them in the face.

I don't think there is anything humorous about being hit in the face, especially by a toad...

[StreetCowboy]

@mrtoad, just because the sun shines when you are somewhere does not mean that reports of other people in an other time having some rain is false. Id expected someone with your post count to know that.

The point is this, they often get a bad press, and a lot of it is deserved. These two were good, so I tried to add a bit of humour to the post. I am sorry it was lost on you, I would have expected someone with your post count to have known that.

Heaven forbid that you should add a little humour to any subject. Many here would not know humour if it hit them in the face.

I don't think there is anything humorous about being hit in the face, especially by a toad...

I know I was a bit unkind to Laurel and Hardy, but with a toad? Now that WOULD be funny. Though not from the toad's perspective, I doubt...

Would one caption that "BOINNGG!!!!" or "SPLAAT!" ?

Perhaps to add to the humour, a toad could pop up in a trifle, which would then end up in the face of the person who found it funniest. Amongst a group of taxi-drivers loitering outside a night club, to keep it on topic...

SC

[richard_smith237]

Some posters are saying that getting a Taxi in Bangkok is getting worse over the last few years... I tend to agree.

Since it was announced that the Law would / could be enforced (I've no idea how) that taxi dirvers could not refuse a fare if they stop I have found more taxi drivers refusing my fare than ever. Its almost as if the announcement has created a stubborness or some form of rebellion and taxi now a more inclined to reject a fare than before.

It seems daft, however I have defnately faced more refusals by taxi's in the past year than previously. It is annoying when its hot and you are in a hurry.

That said - It also provids a good filter, as those taxi drivers who do agree tend to be the more honest ones.

[mrtoad]

I know I was a bit unkind to Laurel and Hardy, but with a toad? Now that WOULD be funny. Though not from the toad's perspective, I doubt...

Would one caption that "BOINNGG!!!!" or "SPLAAT!" ?

Perhaps to add to the humour, a toad could pop up in a trifle, which would then end up in the face of the person who found it funniest. Amongst a group of taxi-drivers loitering outside a night club, to keep it on topic...

SC

It sounds like the basis for a Thai soap, all you need is to throw in a dwarf or a ghost and you're away.

[mrtoad]

Some posters are saying that getting a Taxi in Bangkok is getting worse over the last few years... I tend to agree.

Since it was announced that the Law would / could be enforced (I've no idea how) that taxi dirvers could not refuse a fare if they stop I have found more taxi drivers refusing my fare than ever. Its almost as if the announcement has created a stubborness or some form of rebellion and taxi now a more inclined to reject a fare than before.

It seems daft, however I have defnately faced more refusals by taxi's in the past year than previously. It is annoying when its hot and you are in a hurry.

That said - It also provids a good filter, as those taxi drivers who do agree tend to be the more honest ones.

I don't spend that much time in Bangkok these days, maybe a couple of days a month. I don't actually doubt what some are saying about Taxi drivers, and refusing fares, and it is a pain. Anyway, for a change I had two good taxi drivers in a day. The one I had last night in Chantaburi made up for that, by charging a rip off fee. A little stupid, as he could have had a load of repeat business.

[smokie36]

I needed a taxi from the Centara Grand the other day and after failing to hail one over several minutes, the hotel guy came over to me and asked how much I was willing to pay.

Ended up shelling out 300 Baht to go out near Hua Mak.

These guys will take full advantage especially if you are not on a main road.

Its fairly easy around lower Sukhumvit simply because of the sheer volume of taxis....even if its the fifth or sixth who will use the meter its only a delay of a couple of minutes.

As for the hotel staff of the Centara....they are hopeless for not calling us a cab.

[yourauntbob]

I actually only once got ripped off and that was my very first naive choice of taxi in Thailand at the airport, 900 baht for 15 minutes of transportation to my hotel(from the Taxi provider within the airport, how horrible is that?).

After that, I've always experienced honest taxi drivers with their meter on.

I was refused trips several times, but I wouldn't care because the next taxi might take me to my destination.

Overall "most" Thai drivers are polite and do not intend to rip you off, I've encountered really fun drivers too.

had a friend take a taxi a few days ago to my place from the airport. I told him to go downstairs to the taxi stand which he did. i told him to insist on the meter which he did. the taxi refused to turn it on, and this being his first time in thailand gave him 600 baht for a 250 baht trip before he even got out of the cab. i called the airport taxi stand and reported him (i took a picture of his license plate), they shook their finger at him for not turning on the meter and then business as usual continues.....

[7by7]

What's the Thai for "I'm not going south of the river at this time of night?"

(Anyone who has lived in or visited London will know what I mean.)

[smokie36]

What's the Thai for "I'm not going south of the river at this time of night?"

(Anyone who has lived in or visited London will know what I mean.)

In the ten years I lived in Clapham this never happened to me once.

Just as many urban myths in the West.

[7by7]

When I lived in Streatham it happend a lot.

Same when I lived in Wanstead, even though that's north of the river. "I'll never get a fare back from there at this time of night."

[smokie36]

When I lived in Streatham it happend a lot.

Same when I lived in Wanstead, even though that's north of the river. "I'll never get a fare back from there at this time of night."

Understandable in Streatham....knife capital of London.

Wanstead must have seemed a diffwrent world by comparison!

I guess I was just lucky...as I have been in Bangkok with the turbo meters.

[7by7]

Understandable in Streatham....knife capital of London.

This was 25 years ago, when you were more likely to be accosted by a Tom on a street corner than by a knife weilding yob!

[smokie36]

Understandable in Streatham....knife capital of London.

This was 25 years ago, when you were more likely to be accosted by a Tom on a street corner than by a knife weilding yob!

I remember my first week in London in 1994 a guy was shot dead in my local...the Valentine in Long Lane in the Borough.

[candypants]

My rule of thumb...

Never get in taxi's that hang around hotel or clubs, they are taxi mafia and always hail a cab from the street (never been ripped of this way).

never get into a taxi that is not moving and actively looking for a passenger.

if it is sitting parked waiting for a passenger, walk right by and hail the first moving taxi you see

[smokie36]

My rule of thumb...

Never get in taxi's that hang around hotel or clubs, they are taxi mafia and always hail a cab from the street (never been ripped of this way).

never get into a taxi that is not moving and actively looking for a passenger.

if it is sitting parked waiting for a passenger, walk right by and hail the first moving taxi you see

This is the definitive answer.

[DiNiro]

My rule of thumb...

Never get in taxi's that hang around hotel or clubs, they are taxi mafia and always hail a cab from the street (never been ripped of this way).

You won't go far wrong with that rule of thumb.

The taxies that are parked outside a hotel or tourist spot are criminals, posing as taxi drivers.

(If there was a beach nearby they would be renting out jet skis...)

They sit there all day, refusing regular business, only interested in a novice traveler they can lie to & defraud.

These scamming drivers pay the police a monthly 'fine' to be in control of this valuable scam turf.

This happens at EVERY tourist hotel.

The hotel managers, for some reason, (either fear them or receive financial gains,) never inform their guests letting their guests walk right into the hands of a professional tourist scammer.

I usually stay at Sukhumvit Soi 18 or 20 and it is almost impossible to gat a ride these days, forcing us to walk all the way to Sukhumvit to hopefully catch a legitimate taxi.

(the pink taxies seem to be particularly bad)

[ayayay]

I have had taxis refuse to use the meter around Soi 4, but usually only have to wait a minute or so to catch one who uses the meter.

But why do they do it? It is because they can get away with it. this whole scam thing that some taxi drivers tries to pull on us is getting annoying.

[YipYipYa123]

I'd suggest taking up a sport, charity work or online dating ...

id suggest the op buys a lottery ticket .........a thai taxi driver knowing about the history of uk politics is a first for me !

[mrtoad]

I'd suggest taking up a sport, charity work or online dating ...

id suggest the op buys a lottery ticket .........a thai taxi driver knowing about the history of uk politics is a first for me !

I didn't get any luck with the lottery ticket though

[pxlgirl]

Taxis... I hate them, and so do most Thais I know, b/c they also get/got ripped off.

[StreetCowboy]

Taxis... I hate them, and so do most Thais I know, b/c they also get/got ripped off.

Not me. I love taxis. Stick you're hand out, and there's one, just like your wristwatch. Take you anywhere in the city and they're cheap as chips. Marvelous. Leave something in the back, and there's a good chance it'll come back. Bangkok taxis are Tops.

SC