AT 2AM stuck at the Airport as Taxis want 1000 Bt. to take you back to Lad Yao

[jpeg]

Are you taking the pish?

Is that YOU McNally?

[sms747]

Is anyone around at the airport now? The two ladies are peacefully seated inside waiting for the first train. Probably in four hours!

This is what my wife wrote about the Mafia just now....

They told me all of them have they same price and if we do not want to pay we can walk!! the audacity!! they can all fly a kite!!

Who had similar experiences?

Unfortunately I am in Germany right now and cannot help. We have a car parked in the Garage in Chatuchak, but for many reasons they decided to use a Taxi.

It's against Thai law not to use the meter or to refuse a fare, so why not phone up and report these criminals?

[lemoncake]

Is anyone around at the airport now? The two ladies are peacefully seated inside waiting for the first train. Probably in four hours!

This is what my wife wrote about the Mafia just now....

They told me all of them have they same price and if we do not want to pay we can walk!! the audacity!! they can all fly a kite!!

Who had similar experiences?

Unfortunately I am in Germany right now and cannot help. We have a car parked in the Garage in Chatuchak, but for many reasons they decided to use a Taxi.

It's against Thai law not to use the meter or to refuse a fare, so why not phone up and report these criminals?

May be because phone call may cost an additional 10 baht

[Chicog]

Airport taxis at the Public Taxi stand cannot refuse a fare and they cannot refuse to use the meter.

If you get in a taxi and they try and stiff you, call the police, and take a photo of their badge.

Everyone who knows this can get a taxi to Bangkok at the metered rate.

A few dozy splitarses that don't know the rules and choose to wander around the airport all night have no-one but themselves to blame for not understanding the law.

And if I ever travel to a new country, I always do some research online to find out the rules as well, it only takes a few minutes and it saves embarrassing whinges like this.

And if you're going to come up with the excuse that "they're poor women and they're vulnerable", then next time don't let them out on their own.

[lemoncake]

Airport taxis at the Public Taxi stand cannot refuse a fare and they cannot refuse to use the meter.

If you get in a taxi and they try and stiff you, call the police, and take a photo of their badge.

Everyone who knows this can get a taxi to Bangkok at the metered rate.

A few dozy splitarses that don't know the rules and choose to wander around the airport all night have no-one but themselves to blame for not understanding the law.

And if I ever travel to a new country, I always do some research online to find out the rules as well, it only takes a few minutes and it saves embarrassing whinges like this.

And if you're going to come up with the excuse that "they're poor women and they're vulnerable", then next time don't let them out on their own.

Exactly and if principal is an issue, one can always take the taxi then have a few options either call the police or write down the badge and lodge the complaint the next day.

Doing that would teach driver a lesson, but wondering around the airport all night because of "principal" does not teach anyone a lesson, only takes away your own health.

Another alternative was to take meter to central BKK, and then change for another taxi, i am sure they would have used meter as they know they can get other fares, where as Lad Yao is in the middle of nowhere with no potential customer and an empty ride back.

Not saying it justifies their (taxi) actions but it does make sense for wanting 1000 to Lad Yao

[Morakot]

Would it be safe to assume that the gentleman's family will have departed from the airport by now?

[David48]

Would it be safe to assume that the gentleman's family will have departed from the airport by now?

We can but hope ...

BTW ... good to have a chat with you again.

I sort of know where your friend lives ... do you ever have an issue getting a metered Taxi from Swampy to the place?

They are sort of the opposite ends of the City.

.

[Lakegeneve]

I realize it's a silly question, but why not pay 1000 and go relax at home instead of siting up all night

Principal? Principle?

Confusion? Unfamiliarity?

The OPs wife/daughter might have felt overwhelmed, confused. Understand his challenge as he is in another country.

Completely agree. This sort of request tends to show the best and worst of people.

Those making idiotic statements perhaps need to reflect on the fact that not everywhere in the world is an easy place to navigate at all times for all people. Everyone is different and reacts to different situations differently. Clearly, they themselves have never been taken advantage of in an unfamiliar situation or location and always know lucidly what to do when such arises.

Obviously, they all know what it is like to be a women with a daughter travelling at night and to have to factor in safety issues which are gender specific. Context is important.

"He was intimidating us and we were feeling a bit harassed by his attitude, so much so that we didn't even trust the taxis at level 1 and couldn't find the courage to try again."

In any event, waiting 5 hrs until 6am for the first ARL train was perhaps not a bad option in the circumstances when one feels that there is no helpful assistance available and is not aware of the AOT taxi stand rules. Another option could have been to take the Airport Shuttle bus to the Transport Center and catch the 24 hr 555 bus which many thai staff do but that would have been an unlikely option in this context.

[Morakot]

do you ever have an issue getting a metered Taxi from Swampy to the place?

They are sort of the opposite ends of the City.

.

I actually got taxis on many occasions from Swampy to Nontaburi, never had any problems. But than again it was mostly during the day and I went through the official taxi queue.

[lemoncake]

I realize it's a silly question, but why not pay 1000 and go relax at home instead of siting up all night

Principal? Principle?

Confusion? Unfamiliarity?

The OPs wife/daughter might have felt overwhelmed, confused. Understand his challenge as he is in another country.

Completely agree. This sort of request tends to show the best and worst of people.

Those making idiotic statements perhaps need to reflect on the fact that not everywhere in the world is an easy place to navigate at all times for all people. Everyone is different and reacts to different situations differently. Clearly, they themselves have never been taken advantage of in an unfamiliar situation or location and always know lucidly what to do when such arises.

Obviously, they all know what it is like to be a women with a daughter travelling at night and to have to factor in safety issues which are gender specific. Context is important.

"He was intimidating us and we were feeling a bit harassed by his attitude, so much so that we didn't even trust the taxis at level 1 and couldn't find the courage to try again."

In any event, waiting 5 hrs until 6am for the first ARL train was perhaps not a bad option in the circumstances when one feels that there is no helpful assistance available and is not aware of the AOT taxi stand rules. Another option could have been to take the Airport Shuttle bus to the Transport Center and catch the 24 hr 555 bus which many thai staff do but that would have been an unlikely option in this context.

You right, some people value their time and health above $20 others would live through crap to save a few bucks, all in the name of principle.

[Lakegeneve]

^^^Which is why you have taken your valuable "time and health" to make your 6th or 7th post laboring on the same point............It was fairly clear what your priority was in the first post.

Everyone is different and reacts to different situations differently.

Edited October 24, 2013 by Lakegeneve

[uptheos]

OP you are in Germany and I'm sure you worry about your wife and would want her to get home ASAP. Why not just offer to pay the fare and get her to the safety of her own home, sometimes principles mean very little and it's only her that suffers. It's not as if it's a recurring thing and I'm sure your mind would be more at ease knowing that your wife is tucked up in bed, instead of wandering around dog tired somewhere.......wouldn't it?

[singa-traz]

I realize it's a silly question, but why not pay 1000 and go relax at home instead of siting up all night

Principal? Principle?

Confusion? Unfamiliarity?

The OPs wife/daughter might have felt overwhelmed, confused. Understand his challenge as he is in another country.

Completely agree. This sort of request tends to show the best and worst of people.

Those making idiotic statements perhaps need to reflect on the fact that not everywhere in the world is an easy place to navigate at all times for all people. Everyone is different and reacts to different situations differently. Clearly, they themselves have never been taken advantage of in an unfamiliar situation or location and always know lucidly what to do when such arises.

Obviously, they all know what it is like to be a women with a daughter travelling at night and to have to factor in safety issues which are gender specific. Context is important.

"He was intimidating us and we were feeling a bit harassed by his attitude, so much so that we didn't even trust the taxis at level 1 and couldn't find the courage to try again."

In any event, waiting 5 hrs until 6am for the first ARL train was perhaps not a bad option in the circumstances when one feels that there is no helpful assistance available and is not aware of the AOT taxi stand rules. Another option could have been to take the Airport Shuttle bus to the Transport Center and catch the 24 hr 555 bus which many thai staff do but that would have been an unlikely option in this context.

You right, some people value their time and health above $20 others would live through crap to save a few bucks, all in the name of principle.

"The amount is dismal, but its the matter of principal paying someone who is a thief." ...

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/658731-staff-caught-stealing-what-is-the-law-regarding-the-wages-also-law-about-unpaid-trial/page-3

[lemoncake]

"The amount is dismal, but its the matter of principal paying someone who is a thief." ...

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/658731-staff-caught-stealing-what-is-the-law-regarding-the-wages-also-law-about-unpaid-trial/page-3

Again, principal did not stop any driver, principal did not punish them and principal did not help to stop it in the future.

The only achievement principal had in this case was to waste all night sitting around and the next day sleeping, ie principal only hurt its originator.

For me, life is too short to waste a day and a half on principal which does not achieve anything and only hurts me.

[mrtoad]

It is because of ones like Lemoncake who would pay any price the drivers ask, that they are what they are today....ripping off the foreigners arriving at late times. The ladies are still alive and kicking even after a five hour wait for the train.

I doubt Lemoncake has even been to Thailand.

[whybother]

I don't believe a taxi driver would have gone through the public taxi rank (where they have to pay 50 baht - or most of it) and then dropped the passenger back at the airport for no charge.

Are you sure they went through the desk at the public taxi rank?

[lemoncake]

It is because of ones like Lemoncake who would pay any price the drivers ask, that they are what they are today....ripping off the foreigners arriving at late times. The ladies are still alive and kicking even after a five hour wait for the train.

I doubt Lemoncake has even been to Thailand.

Where is Thailand? is it not next to UK?

[sarathjay]

Thanks to all who contributed to this issue immensly like Lemon cake.....who is still wondering how a principal (my wife was one in a Primary school) who probably did not want to spend ten Baht on a phone call and 1000 on a ten km BKK Taxi ride which usually cost 200 due to a PRINCIPLE. My wife is her own person, and if she decides not to pay the one thousand, its her business.

I hope Lem.Cake will get the hint. and stop repeating the same thing like some silly child. BTW, my wife would have paid the one thousand with pleasure, if the trip to the airport really cost that much.

She finally took the first train from the airport without any suffering,

[kurnell]

25 years travelling in and out of Thai airports, probably over a hundred times in total and never had a problem finding a taxi. I must be some kind of genius

[lemoncake]

25 years travelling in and out of Thai airports, probably over a hundred times in total and never had a problem finding a taxi. I must be some kind of genius

Or do not have silly principles.

Ops sorry OP I am just a silly child, the real grown ups sit around in airport all night long in the name of principal and then instead of taking some useful actions such as reporting drivers, goes onto thaivisa to cry about it.

[kurnell]

25 years travelling in and out of Thai airports, probably over a hundred times in total and never had a problem finding a taxi. I must be some kind of genius

Or do not have silly principles.

Ops sorry OP I am just a silly child, the real grown ups sit around in airport all night long in the name of principal and then instead of taking some useful actions such as reporting drivers, goes onto thaivisa to cry about it.

If one pea brained taxi driver won't use the meter, there are a dozen following that will. Point your camera phone at their rego number and they will soon change their tune.

[snake24]

Is anyone around at the airport now? The two ladies are peacefully seated inside waiting for the first train. Probably in four hours!

This is what my wife wrote about the Mafia just now....

They told me all of them have they same price and if we do not want to pay we can walk!! the audacity!! they can all fly a kite!!

Who had similar experiences?

Unfortunately I am in Germany right now and cannot help. We have a car parked in the Garage in Chatuchak, but for many reasons they decided to use a Taxi.

It's against Thai law not to use the meter or to refuse a fare, so why not phone up and report these criminals?

May be because phone call may cost an additional 10 baht

Lord the principle of paying 10 baht