DLT: Over 10,000 complaints against Thai cab drivers received in past 5 months

[3SoiDogNight]

Taxis are the very reason so many Thais will spend every baht they have to own a car. Contrary to what some know-it-all, do-gooder farangs claim, it has nothing to do with status or showing off. It's for their own safety and piece of mind.

Many (not all but a lot) of taxi drivers are the lowest form of human on the face of the earth. I HATE 'em!

Any farang that says they've never had a problem with them is lying and pretending to be the acceptable Thaier-than-though farang. Get over yourselves!

Those who claim to have never had a bad experience with a taxi probably only had to take them a short distance from one heavy traffic area to another heavy traffic area. Those of us that live on the outskirts of town have had miserable experiences getting taxis too & from the city. Even for those of us that speak Thai.

If your only taxi experience is from Q-Bar or Thong Lo soi 10 to the closest BTS stop, then your experience really doesn't count.

BTW, I happen to know of two different women that have been raped or assaulted by a taxi driver on the outskirts of town (Prawet and Rangsit). Both of these women are Thai so this has nothing to do with a misunderstanding of language or culture.

Taxis are the main reason I am biting the bullet and paying the high price of owning a car.

Yes I rather sit in my own car in traffic rather than stand out in the rain begging for a ride or riding in a taxi with a driver hopped up on drugs driving in 3rd gear on the highway jerking the car by stomping on & off the accelerator!

Ugh! I can't stand them!

Ok rant over.

I must be a know it all, do gooder faring because if you believe that Thai's do not buy car because of status or showing off you are being delusional.. of course they do, they are obsessed with "face" and appearance. It is absolutely nothing to do with them hating taxis, if that was really the case why don't they just have a motorbike? (A lot of Thai's do). Its quicker, easier and cheaper then a car and you don't need taxis,, why? because a motorbike is not as impressive as a car thats why.

I have seen many shiny 4 wheel drive vehicles sitting outside of poor quality housing,, many,, and it has been published many times that the car scheme and cash back has created a lot of defaults where locals just cannot afford the repayments on the new cars. all to avoid taxis? I don't think so.

Anyway, rant over,

That didn't take long.

You mean to tell us you can't tell the difference between a motorcycle and a car? Really?

A motorbike is limited in it's capacity and far more dangerous. Totally useless in the rain. Haven't you seen families of 4 piled on to one little motorbike? Often times with little babies?

Sure there is a small (probably less than 1% of the entire Thai population) that you see driving expensive cars like Porsches & Ferraris but that is a TINY minority that isn't a representative sample of the Thai population. As I stated in another post, many Thais will keep an old car running ducted taped together (I mentioned chicken wire in the previous post) just to have 4 wheels.

Sure there are some that are proud to have bought their first car just as I was proud when I bought my 1st car (1974 Ford Pinto) when I was 16 years old in 1989. Nothing wrong with that.

There is absolutely NO status in driving a 25 year old Nissan Sunny, Mitsubishi Tredia or old beat-up Toyota pickup truck. Those old cars are far more safe than a motorcycle and YES, many do buy cars to avoid dealing with taxi drivers. That is a FACT!

If you ever step outside your protective bubble on Sukhumvit and see the real Thailand, you'll have an understanding of this.

Oh and stop relying on "whats been published" because local media is a joke.

Folks I think GAZZPA needs a crash-course in Thailand 101.

(I say that with affection and good will to a newcomer)

These discussions would be less hostile over a few beers.

Also, those "shiny 4 wheel drive vehicles" don't have the oppressive tax like the cars (sedans & coupes) do. That "poor quality housing" has more to do with Thais lack of interest in maintaining their property. It may look poor to you and I but it's paid for and they pay no taxes on it. Also it could very well be a relative or friend that stopped by to visit. Hard to believe but many wealthy Thais let their old properties deteriorate just as the poor do. (that is another can of worms that belongs in another thread)

That said, I at least agree with you that the incentives by the government to buy new cars was total B.S.! All the government needed to do is repeal the oppressive car tax!

Problem solved!

Go to a market driven economy with automobiles, wine & cheese! Improve infrastructure roads; BTS/MRT and even expand/resurrect the abandoned klong system used decades ago.

As far as the 2 victims I know that were raped/assaulted by taxi drivers, both were excited to tell me when they bought their cars. My friend who was raped 8 years ago in Rangsit even called me all the way in San Francisco just to tell me that she bought a car. It was a 1993 Toyota Corona. Nothing special but she felt safe as well as for her two children. This was in 2008 by the way when she bought her car.

I really don't like to bring that story up but I just had to point out that avoiding taxis is a HUGE influence on buying cars here in Bangkok - particularly the outskirts not served by BTS/MRT or for those that work late after those rail lines close.

[Tomtomtom69]

I know people will disagree with this, but despite what the rules may or not may say about taxi drivers having to take passengers, I can sympathize with them on choosing not to take some persons to where they want to go.

Many taxis have to be returned to the depot by specific times of the day for another driver to take over. If for example a cabby had to return his car at 4 pm on a Friday to its depot around Rama 4, and he was working Sukhumvit area at around 2pm, so 2 hours to play with. Some person stops him and asks him to take them to KSR or Pinklao, there is a very distinct possibility given the traffic on a Friday evening, that he would be unable to get there and back in 2 hours, and therefore does not want to go. What should he do? give up stopping for people and waste 2 hours of fare time on the of chance that someone asks him to take them miles away? My personal opinion is that taxis should have the right to pick and choose who they take, and where they take them, especially if they have a genuine reason that does not allow them to take them.

In 6 years or so, i could count the number of minor issues i have had with taxis on one hand.

Of course not agree .Your statement not make any sense . If they have to return the car then they do not have to stop and do not put the red sign on that they are free .It is quite simple you free or you are not free I tried to take a taxi from Sukumvit tot Nasa Vegas hotel not so far 20 minutes .All taxis stop but ask 200 bath instead meter .It is a real shame in Bangkok .Yes you have good drivers but they should kick the bad ones out. If you are a taxii and you not want to take passengers because traffic jam or to far you should be taken off the road that will solve the traffic jam a bit. So now result we not go anymore spending money in bangkok we go somewhere else

Wouldn't it be faster just to use the skytrain? From Sukhumvit you can easily reach the Nasa Vegas hotel much quicker and more cheaply by heading to Phayathai, then catching the airport link to Ramkamhaeng, which is right next to Nasa Vegas. Or catch the MRT from Sukhumvit station to Makkasan and then it's just one stop to Ramkamhaeng.

The number of taxis in Bangkok should really be reduced since there is no need to use them where you have a skytrain/MRT/airport link line. Plus now with more extensions to the skytrain, taxis are really only needed to go places where there is no skytrain/MRT service or if you're elderly, pregnant or disabled.

[Tomtomtom69]

Taxis are the very reason so many Thais will spend every baht they have to own a car. Contrary to what some know-it-all, do-gooder farangs claim, it has nothing to do with status or showing off. It's for their own safety and piece of mind.

Many (not all but a lot) of taxi drivers are the lowest form of human on the face of the earth. I HATE 'em!

Any farang that says they've never had a problem with them is lying and pretending to be the acceptable Thaier-than-though farang. Get over yourselves!

Those who claim to have never had a bad experience with a taxi probably only had to take them a short distance from one heavy traffic area to another heavy traffic area. Those of us that live on the outskirts of town have had miserable experiences getting taxis too & from the city. Even for those of us that speak Thai.

If your only taxi experience is from Q-Bar or Thong Lo soi 10 to the closest BTS stop, then your experience really doesn't count.

BTW, I happen to know of two different women that have been raped or assaulted by a taxi driver on the outskirts of town (Prawet and Rangsit). Both of these women are Thai so this has nothing to do with a misunderstanding of language or culture.

Taxis are the main reason I am biting the bullet and paying the high price of owning a car.

Yes I rather sit in my own car in traffic rather than stand out in the rain begging for a ride or riding in a taxi with a driver hopped up on drugs driving in 3rd gear on the highway jerking the car by stomping on & off the accelerator!

Ugh! I can't stand them!

Ok rant over.

I must be a know it all, do gooder faring because if you believe that Thai's do not buy car because of status or showing off you are being delusional.. of course they do, they are obsessed with "face" and appearance. It is absolutely nothing to do with them hating taxis, if that was really the case why don't they just have a motorbike? (A lot of Thai's do). Its quicker, easier and cheaper then a car and you don't need taxis,, why? because a motorbike is not as impressive as a car thats why.

I have seen many shiny 4 wheel drive vehicles sitting outside of poor quality housing,, many,, and it has been published many times that the car scheme and cash back has created a lot of defaults where locals just cannot afford the repayments on the new cars. all to avoid taxis? I don't think so.

Anyway, rant over,

That didn't take long.

You mean to tell us you can't tell the difference between a motorcycle and a car? Really?

A motorbike is limited in it's capacity and far more dangerous. Totally useless in the rain. Haven't you seen families of 4 piled on to one little motorbike? Often times with little babies?

Sure there is a small (probably less than 1% of the entire Thai population) that you see driving expensive cars like Porsches & Ferraris but that is a TINY minority that isn't a representative sample of the Thai population. As I stated in another post, many Thais will keep an old car running ducted taped together (I mentioned chicken wire in the previous post) just to have 4 wheels.

Sure there are some that are proud to have bought their first car just as I was proud when I bought my 1st car (1974 Ford Pinto) when I was 16 years old in 1989. Nothing wrong with that.

There is absolutely NO status in driving a 25 year old Nissan Sunny, Mitsubishi Tredia or old beat-up Toyota pickup truck. Those old cars are far more safe than a motorcycle and YES, many do buy cars to avoid dealing with taxi drivers. That is a FACT!

If you ever step outside your protective bubble on Sukhumvit and see the real Thailand, you'll have an understanding of this.

Oh and stop relying on "whats been published" because local media is a joke.

Folks I think GAZZPA needs a crash-course in Thailand 101.

(I say that with affection and good will to a newcomer)

These discussions would be less hostile over a few beers.

Also, those "shiny 4 wheel drive vehicles" don't have the oppressive tax like the cars (sedans & coupes) do. That "poor quality housing" has more to do with Thais lack of interest in maintaining their property. It may look poor to you and I but it's paid for and they pay no taxes on it. Also it could very well be a relative or friend that stopped by to visit. Hard to believe but many wealthy Thais let their old properties deteriorate just as the poor do. (that is another can of worms that belongs in another thread)

That said, I at least agree with you that the incentives by the government to buy new cars was total B.S.! All the government needed to do is repeal the oppressive car tax!

Problem solved!

Go to a market driven economy with automobiles, wine & cheese! Improve infrastructure roads; BTS/MRT and even expand/resurrect the abandoned klong system used decades ago.

As far as the 2 victims I know that were raped/assaulted by taxi drivers, both were excited to tell me when they bought their cars. My friend who was raped 8 years ago in Rangsit even called me all the way in San Francisco just to tell me that she bought a car. It was a 1993 Toyota Corona. Nothing special but she felt safe as well as for her two children. This was in 2008 by the way when she bought her car.

I really don't like to bring that story up but I just had to point out that avoiding taxis is a HUGE influence on buying cars here in Bangkok - particularly the outskirts not served by BTS/MRT or for those that work late after those rail lines close.

I bought a car simply out of convenience and because I do a lot of up-country driving (I also happen to live outside the city not in Sukhumvit or Silom like most foreigners in Bangkok seem to). Also because I want to drive into Thailand's neighboring countries like Laos and Malaysia, but unfortunately the damn bank wants me to pay my loan off before I'll be given permission to do that, so I'll probably just have to throw the rest of the money at them as soon as I can come up with it as I really, really want the freedom to drive to these other countries using my own car, just like in Europe or North America.

I didn't realize that the safety of taxis had any influence on car buying habits in Bangkok. I simply thought it was convenience and showing off.

[forumuser10]

In most recent years, many taxi drivers has behaved really bad. It gets worse and worse every year. I use taxi on a daily basis, and I would say, probably 40% of the times, the taxi driver drives really bad and are not friendly. It usually takes 3 or 4 taxis before some one picks me up.

I am very happy to see that the reported complaints are taken seriously, and actually results in a fine for the cab drives.

Lets hope they will gradually change and behave a little more friendly towards their customers.

[celso]

It is annoying when a taxi refuses to take you somewhere, but is it really worth calling the police about?

First, its their loss, they're the ones without a customer.

And second, there are loads of other taxis!

Even in Asok at 2am, I might get a couple of taxis refuse to take me home, or try to scam me, but by the third or fourth, I always find a honest taxi driver.

[ingvar]

Yes My taxi drivers always take me to a Thai silk shop and then to a jewelry shop and then the seafood restaurant. I am very happy for this because I get to see all the thing that I do not care to purchase and do not care to eat.

Thanks all you dedicated taxi drivers in BKK for delivering the utmost in world class services!

[Old Man River]

I take taxis all the time when I am in Thailand and have few problems. The biggest issue is taxi drivers not wanting to take me to where I want to go, but apart from that it has been (mostly) smooth sailing......

If taxi drivers in NY are smooth sailing, then yes it is the same.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[DLP]

I think most taxi drivers take me for a ride.

[shrimpythailand]

yes cabs are very cheap here - but some attitudes are too much... the cng gas is cheap and I live in Rangsit - but now have a good buddy cabbie i can call to go anywhere.. give him a good tip and bang he is there for any trip... can smoke in his cab with him.... 5 5 5 so no more flagging a cab from downtown if I have to go down and back....

[harleyclarkey]

Is there a complaint form online?

[mercman24]

i was with a thai lady last christmas, she stopped a taxi , taxi driver stopped - conversation took place - he would not take us, he saw i was a Farang, i think he made some derogatory remark. about me, anyhhow she went absolutely ape shit, i thought she was going to dive in the taxi and clock him one, i didn't have clue what was going on, but i made a note note not to mess with her in the future, ha ha !!

[mercman24]

got a job to beat the taxi we had in Tunisia some years ago, 4 of us decide to go to the market,(mrs two friends in the back) me in the front, the guy was driving like an idiot, and had a manic laugh, he said what your problem, i said you madman, drive like idiot, he said you drive, with that he opened the door and let go of the steering wheel, and said "ok, you drive" so there was me reaching over steering this dam taxi and this crazy man working the pedals. he thought it was hilarious, the three in the back were having heart attacks, it was unbelievable, anyhow we made it to the market, but made dam sure he didnt take us back to our hotel .

[cyborgx]

I know people will disagree with this, but despite what the rules may or not may say about taxi drivers having to take passengers, I can sympathize with them on choosing not to take some persons to where they want to go.

Many taxis have to be returned to the depot by specific times of the day for another driver to take over. If for example a cabby had to return his car at 4 pm on a Friday to its depot around Rama 4, and he was working Sukhumvit area at around 2pm, so 2 hours to play with. Some person stops him and asks him to take them to KSR or Pinklao, there is a very distinct possibility given the traffic on a Friday evening, that he would be unable to get there and back in 2 hours, and therefore does not want to go. What should he do? give up stopping for people and waste 2 hours of fare time on the of chance that someone asks him to take them miles away? My personal opinion is that taxis should have the right to pick and choose who they take, and where they take them, especially if they have a genuine reason that does not allow them to take them.

This has all been discussed here before, and once again I agree on this, but the complaints department is a totally seperate issue.

The last time I tried to complain, the people answering the switchboard had little idea of what I was talking about (in Thai with 20 years experience reading and writing it). Had to go through about 2 transfers to get to someone who would even take the complaint detalis! Previously it had not been such a problem, but lat time (about 6 months ago) was awful..

The increased numbers are also very likely because of the IOS app "Taxi Reporter" they now have for making complaints!

Edited March 24, 2014 by cyborgx

[cyborgx]

I know people will disagree with this, but despite what the rules may or not may say about taxi drivers having to take passengers, I can sympathize with them on choosing not to take some persons to where they want to go.

Many taxis have to be returned to the depot by specific times of the day for another driver to take over. If for example a cabby had to return his car at 4 pm on a Friday to its depot around Rama 4, and he was working Sukhumvit area at around 2pm, so 2 hours to play with. Some person stops him and asks him to take them to KSR or Pinklao, there is a very distinct possibility given the traffic on a Friday evening, that he would be unable to get there and back in 2 hours, and therefore does not want to go. What should he do? give up stopping for people and waste 2 hours of fare time on the of chance that someone asks him to take them miles away? My personal opinion is that taxis should have the right to pick and choose who they take, and where they take them, especially if they have a genuine reason that does not allow them to take them.

In 6 years or so, i could count the number of minor issues i have had with taxis on one hand.

I have a hard time believing the 3 or 4 taxis that denied myself and a friend in a row to go somewhere (on multiple occasions) that they were on their way to the depot mid-day. It's seems to me that it's more the selfishness of wanting X amount of money in the least amount of driving time. It's not a huge deal but it is illegal nonetheless.

Yes its the one's that smugly sit in their nice air conditioned cabs while you are struggling with 10 bags of shopping, telling you they wont go because its a traffic jam, or ask for high fixed, that should get and deserve the fines!

[cyborgx]

What can be said to the taxi drivers that refuse to take you? Nothing, I suppose.

My best guess would be just to take a photo of their ID# in the back and report them.

Just leave the back door open if they refuse the request to take you and move on, and or only half close it. They hate having to get out and close it themselves...

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE 8.2 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Yes good advice, I've done it myself, and certainly satisfying, but careful where and when you do it,... don't want to be suddenly surrounded by irate taxi drivers with tyre irons....

[cyborgx]

If everyone in Bangkok who encountered a taxi refuisng a fare actually called in .. the number would be over 10 000 per day ... minimum

True the complaints procedure should be better publicized.

[cyborgx]

The problem is they already start to manipulate the meter counting time when riding or count more km.

Yes I've had a few comparatively different fares for the same trip. Doesn't seem to be very prevalent, but there are the usual scams like changing wheel size to effect meter readings, and I'm sure there are a few add-ons to do similar if the taxi wants to risk it.

[cyborgx]

The biggest complaints should be about the taxis that smell because the cabbies sleep in their cars or the fact that their trunks are mostly full because of the natural gas tanks and their own personal items. Sucks when going to the airport with your suitcase on your lap.

The trunk issue is just a fact that some of the taxis are run by individuals and hence use the cars for personal stuff too, and the gas tanks have to go somewhere......

But on the smell and quality of taxi's I totally agree, and after getting into one of the big flip door taxis today, and having a very nice comforatable ride, I'd certainly be prepared to pay for a "premium" class of taxis that perhaps cost the drivers more to run and maintain, but at least are kept to a certain monitored standard, and don't stink of Ya-Dom!

[cyborgx]

What can be said to the taxi drivers that refuse to take you? Nothing, I suppose.

My best guess would be just to take a photo of their ID# in the back and report them.

You report take their cab number and car registration and report them to the complaints section, or use the IOS app I mentioned above.

Edited March 24, 2014 by cyborgx

[cyborgx]

Without a doubt, meter taxis in Bangkok give you the best value for money compared to any big city worlwide. In New York you better have the right skin colour waving down a taxi at night. In London they will take you at night if the target is on their route home. In most European countries moving 10m costs the same as a medium trip in Bkk. In African and South American countries you may not arrive at all.

In Bkk, after leaving a popular place, a long queue of taxis are waiting for prey. You just walk along the line asking for metered trip. Number 5 or 6 will comply. Those, that are denied a trip should check their appearance, attitude, soberness, smells etc.

Bkk meter taxis are one of Thailand's best features. Bash other features.

You obvioulsy don't have enough knowledge on this subject so I suggest you get more before suggesting that all the Bangkok Taxi problems can be solved by dressing well and smelling nice LOL

[cyborgx]

A lot of these taxi drivers are Red Shirts and they have disgusting attitudes especially when they are drunk.

Agreed. 90% assume all we want to talk about is sex, and that they can ask you about your personal life like they've known you for years! This is not restricted to Thailand, but I can live without the constant questions every time I get into a cab asking me if I like Thai girls, if I have a Thai girlfriend, blah blah blah....

[cyborgx]

Not surprising considering that anyone with a driver's license can drive taxi's as no background checks are done. Your taxi driver could be a convicted sexual offender for all we know. Main problem is there is no limit on the number of taxi's out there and the oversupply is overheating the competition to the point that only short routes within a certain radius of their stations are considered profitable so they refuse routes that are considered not to be worth it.

Solution:

1. Limit the number of taxi's operating in the city.

2. Do criminal background checks on taxi drivers.

3. Anyone who refuses a hire should be given a strike and fine. 3 strikes and your out.

Yes your 3rd idea interesting, but does anyone know if the complaints system does have any kind of similar system, or just continuous fines and never have theor licence rescinded over complaints?

[cyborgx]

i have lived in pattaya 15 years...........................................................................................i have been druged ,robbed,beatup,..and i still know...after all that ,my worst experiences in thailand have been in either a taxi or a scooter taxi....i would rather wlk 10 miles over broken glass than use a taxi ....

Should be used in a government Ad campaign ROFL!

[Donnie Brasco]

Are Bangkok taxis not the world's cheapest taxis ;-?

Outside of a refusal to accept a fare, has anyone ever had a problem eventually finding taxi ?

Does one actually expect a neophyte taxi driver to have any concept of the map of Bangkok or its traffic patterns ?

Rarely have a problem.

Take lots of taxis.

Cheapest nation-capital taxi you'll find.

Anyway, aren't you guys all hooked up with Chinese-Thai, Benz driving heiress's with MBA's who have a thing for balding, paunchy retirees ;-?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[cyborgx]

Bangkok taxi's ..... don't get me started

Sent from my TR736 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Sadly it did get me started .....

Sorry about my rants

[cyborgx]

The number of taxis in Bangkok should really be reduced since there is no need to use them where you have a skytrain/MRT/airport link line. Plus now with more extensions to the skytrain, taxis are really only needed to go places where there is no skytrain/MRT service or if you're elderly, pregnant or disabled.

Or perhaps just like getting to your destination appointment NT soaked head to foot in sweat (yours or the people around you)!

wonderful for those who live next to and work next to a station, the rest of us still take taxis....

[cyborgx]

It is annoying when a taxi refuses to take you somewhere, but is it really worth calling the police about? First, its their loss, they're the ones without a customer. And second, there are loads of other taxis! Even in Asok at 2am, I might get a couple of taxis refuse to take me home, or try to scam me, but by the third or fourth, I always find a honest taxi driver.

Yeah, and do this twice a day every day for a few years and see what you think then ........

[cyborgx]

Is there a complaint form online?

As already sated, try the IOS app called Taxi Reporter

[cyborgx]

i was with a thai lady last christmas, she stopped a taxi , taxi driver stopped - conversation took place - he would not take us, he saw i was a Farang, i think he made some derogatory remark. about me, anyhhow she went absolutely ape shit, i thought she was going to dive in the taxi and clock him one, i didn't have clue what was going on, but i made a note note not to mess with her in the future, ha ha !!

HAHA! yes I had a similar premonition of things to come when first meeting a lady friend, sadly it slipped my mind and it took another few years for her true Bitch colours to show through and for me to be on the other end of her rants!

[nithisa78]

It more years than can recall. Had one Taxi driver BKK, take the long road. I let him keep the money rounded up on the meter. I kept the additional 20bh he would have also gotten. He ended up with about 12bh loss. My sympathie having to push that hack for who knows how many years and hours.