Thailand's FDA warns passengers of new taxi 'scam'

[webfact]

FDA Warns Passengers from a New Taxi ‘Scam’



The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has warned passengers who use taxi services to be cautious as a number of passengers were looted by taxi drivers after the driver had put some chemical that will make you unconscious.

BANGKOK – November 1, 2013 [PDN]; The FDA has warned both Thai citizens and foreigners that they should be cautious of an activity that has been going on for quite some time now. But the rate of this activity has increasingly risen, making the FDA decide to warn tourists and Thais.

This activity is when the taxi driver puts a chemical in to A/C system that will make you go unconscious , after that the culprit will plunder your bags and pockets.

The chemicals used that are being used by the taxi drivers hasn’t been confirmed yet, but it was suspected that Chloroform was being used.

FDA officials suggested that if you suddenly feel nauseous while using the services of a taxi cab, you should roll down the taxi’s windows.

Source: http://www.pattayadailynews.com/en/2013/10/31/fda-warns-passengers-from-a-new-taxi-scam/

-- Pattaya Daily News 2013-11-01

[whybother]

It becomes all the more obvious when the driver puts on a gas mask.

Sent from my HTC Desire HD A9191 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[yooper2001]

WARNING do not get into a taxi when the drive in wearing a hazmat suit and a oxygen mask

[arthurboy]

Ok, I'll bite.

To state the bleedin' obvious, why isn't the driver affected?

sent from my hippo phone

[ChrisY1]

Is this serious or a joke..??? Chloroform....<deleted>!

Talk about transport problems in this place....trains out....busses definately out....tuk-tuks always out....now <deleted>' taxis !!.....

[patekatek]

This is most likely a ploy by the government to instill great fear in the general public. Then, magically, there will be a fleet of Government Taxi's that have official emblems on the doors that will be safe to use. The public will flock to these safe vehicles regardless of the price they charge and the government will start recouping the millions of baht lost by tourists who use the medical services here.

[virtualtraveller]

Another disingenuous report. It's an April Fools joke right?

[whybother]

FDA officials suggested that if you suddenly feel nauseous while using the services of a taxi cab, you should roll down the taxi’s windows.

I think I might have been in one of these taxis the other morning. I was going home from Cowboy at 5am and was sure I was going to throw up.

[ezzra]

'This activity is when the taxi driver puts a chemical in to A/C system that will make you go unconscious , after that the culprit will plunder your bags and pockets....

Will the 500 baht cover this issue as well or it's going to be another fee to cover scams

in this country?

[Habs]

______________________________________________ _______________________________________ _________________________

[prighas]

This is most likely a ploy by the government to instill great fear in the general public. Then, magically, there will be a fleet of Government Taxi's that have official emblems on the doors that will be safe to use. The public will flock to these safe vehicles regardless of the price they charge and the government will start recouping the millions of baht lost by tourists who use the medical services here.

you must be watching too many movies!

[klubex99]

Ok, I'll bite.

To state the bleedin' obvious, why isn't the driver affected?

sent from my hippo phone

Badly skimmed journalism again.

This was on the Thai news websites about 5 days ago. It was reported that if the driver opens his own window and turns on the A/C, then chances are you are being drugged.

[NomadJoe]

Ok, I'll bite.

To state the bleedin' obvious, why isn't the driver affected?

sent from my hippo phone

I think it is pretty obvious the driver steps would find some excuse to step out for a moment while you are gassed. Why that wasn't mentioned as one of the warning signs I don't know.

[NomadJoe]

FDA officials suggested that if you suddenly feel nauseous while using the services of a taxi cab, you should roll down the taxi’s windows.

I think I might have been in one of these taxis the other morning. I was going home from Cowboy at 5am and was sure I was going to throw up.

And let me guess, you were also short a lot of money you had earlier in the evening!

[furyrider]

FDA officials suggested that if you suddenly feel nauseous while using the services of a taxi cab, you should roll down the taxi’s windows.

I think I might have been in one of these taxis the other morning. I was going home from Cowboy at 5am and was sure I was going to throw up.

I think that the nauseous feeling may have been from drinking all night sir.

[dangman]

i think that was the joke, sir.

[UncleJ]

A warning like this could make Thailand look bad.

They would never do this unless some greedy official would benefit some way.

50,000 arrivals a day are now being told the regular taxies are unsafe? Hmmm.

Is this possibly some more AOT Limo Co bullsh*t?

The AOT Limo operation at the airport for years have been trying to discourage the use of regular taxies.

They even let the scammers run rampant to encourage the AOT Limo use.

Remember when the airport was opening?

They didn't even want taxis at arrivals. They wanted passengers & luggage to use the AOT Limos or cue up for a bus ride to the remote taxi area!

After the outrage, they put the taxies on another floor with inadequate signs and they had a AOT Limo/Taxi desk just outside customs to mislead tourists to thinking the AOT Limo was the only option.

[NanLaew]

Well, to be perfectly honest, the AoT limo is the only SAFE option. You don't have endless threads here about how to beat their scams, catching them at Arrivals, negotiating fares, insisting on meters, watching for 'fast' meters and all that other horsesh!t.

[soi41]

Ready for the ride!

[JoeThePoster]

I smelt strong gas in a taxi once and suspected the driver. Then I remembered I had tacos.

[jackr]

Is this serious or a joke..??? Chloroform....<deleted>!

Talk about transport problems in this place....trains out....busses definately out....tuk-tuks always out....now <deleted>' taxis !!.....

I'd avoid the planes and boats, too.

Seriously, I think some Thais should undergo training in the real virtues of Buddhism.

[rogerdee123]

A fair number of taxis don't need chloroform with the exhaust fumes coming into the cabin between the seat back and seat bottom. A ride to or from swampy in these taxi's is like smoking two packs of cigarettes and sniffing glue at the same time.

[jpduggan]

Maybe the minibus drivers are at it too and thats why there are so many accidents because they're falling asleep at the wheel too??

[Ulysses G.]

Ok, I'll bite.

To state the bleedin' obvious, why isn't the driver affected?

sent from my hippo phone

Badly skimmed journalism again.

This was on the Thai news websites about 5 days ago. It was reported that if the driver opens his own window and turns on the A/C, then chances are you are being drugged.

If the driver opened his window, the gas would escape from the cab. There is no way that this report is true.

[klauskunkel]

It's just a fart....uhm, farce, sorry about that...

[trainman34014]

So; what else are they plundering from unconscious Thai women ?

[petedk]

About six years ago, a girl I knew was in hospital for 4 days with "some kind of poisoning."

She said it started when she was in a taxi from Chidlom to Ramkhamhaeng, but she was clever enough to call a friend and tell her that she felt drowsy and sick. They kept talking until (and i don't know how) the friend met her at some point and got her out of the taxi. She was admitted to hospital where they said that she had inhaled something poisonous and it was most likely from the taxi as they had also had other similar cases.

Before there are any stupid comments about what she inhaled I will say that she was well educated (MA and studying PhD) so i firmly believe her story. Also her colleagues visited her in hospital.

I also asked as to why the driver wasn't affected but she didn't know. She couldn't remember if his window was open or not.

So, yes it seems to have been happening for some time.

[boomerangutang]

Well, to be perfectly honest, the AoT limo is the only SAFE option. You don't have endless threads here about how to beat their scams, catching them at Arrivals, negotiating fares, insisting on meters, watching for 'fast' meters and all that other horsesh!t.

I took an AOT limo once and the driver wouldn't take the luggage out of the trunk unless I tipped him beforehand. That was a last time for me.

[sungod]

FDA officials suggested that if you suddenly feel nauseous while using the services of a taxi cab, you should roll down the taxi’s windows.

I think I might have been in one of these taxis the other morning. I was going home from Cowboy at 5am and was sure I was going to throw up.

This must be more widespread than they originally thought, the same happened to me on the way home from Silom too, I woke this morning with my pockets most definitely 'plundered'

I think rohypnol on the nipples was a much more fun way to get robbed though

[spidermike007]

This is most likely a ploy by the government to instill great fear in the general public. Then, magically, there will be a fleet of Government Taxi's that have official emblems on the doors that will be safe to use. The public will flock to these safe vehicles regardless of the price they charge and the government will start recouping the millions of baht lost by tourists who use the medical services here.

Yes, this is indeed a bizarre story. How can the driver not be affected? If this happened to me, I would roll down the windows immediately, ask the driver to stop, then proceed to slash every tire. Of course, I run the risk of getting slashed up by a machete, which is produced by the same driver that just tried to drug and rob me.

Honestly, I have had so few problems with taxis, in the many years I have been in Thailand. I always ask about the meter first, and refuse them if they do not want to use the meter. But, I find most taxi drivers to be either quite pleasant, or at least quiet and neutral.