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

[cyborgx]

Living on the outskirts of Bangkok I have often been refused and in some cases from a string of taxis. I am totally fed-up with them. They pretend not to know the place or just say No!. I now very rarely go into the city just because it is a pain to get back or I have to leave early so as to get public transport and that takes ages or I have to stand all the way. They are shameless and are totally incompetent. They don't know their routes unless it is on Sukhumvit. They are uneducated and robbers. I know from experience and from reports when they have robbed passengers. They need more regulation and knowledge tests of locations.

Hey man.

Lighten up, you're not paying downtown Bangkok rents.

You chose to "save money" on rent or a roof by living in the 'burbs. Don't turn around and blame that on some poor taxi driver who'd give his left testACKle to live 10%'as well as you live.

LEARN the BUS ROUTE TO your suburban palazzo.

OR

If it's a late night of brothel creeping that's brought you into the heart of the city, scout out a 500 baht flop and stay there.

OR

Learn the name of the biggest landmark, temple, shopping mall or intersection close to your place and get him to take you there.

Get creative ;-$

Damn! were you a Bangkok Taxi driver in a previous life?! LOL

People can see in my posts in previous threads similar to this that I have much sympathy for Thai taxi drivers, and believe things can be changed to make things better from both driver and customer's sides, but we are talking about complaints about Taxi drivers here, the answer is not to let them carry on, ignore it and get the bus, or stay in town overnight because you can't stand another taxi driver refusing to take you home or trying to over charge you...... I can just see the bus driver's face now as a farang in a wheelchair tries to get on his bus!

I've been living in BKK for more than 20 years, speak read and write Thai, have had both good and bad experiences with Thai Taxi drivers, but the bottom line is there are a large number of complaints (and not just from foreigners) and therefore its pretty obvious that there are problems, that neither bottles of water nor burying your head in the sand are going to solve.

[cyborgx]

the pooint is, a lot of them do NOT deserve the LICENSE required for dealing with the public.

junkies shouldnt be taxiing people around

rapists shouldnt be given licences (to teach OR to drive taxis)

sleep deprived/caffeine addicted dangerous drivers should have their licenses revoked.

the problem is fair enforcement of laws already in place.

instead of 200bt(so called 1000bt) slap on the wrist fines for abusive taxi drivers.

just like the lunatics who have taken over the asylum here, a thorough auditing needs to be done!!

Actually you remind me of a scheme they tried a few years ago that seems to have fizzled out like most of them, If I remember correctly, drivers could get a certification that allowed them to display that they were capable or trained to handle tourists better than the average driver. Didn't seem to come to much but at least it was an effort...

IMHO the only schemes likely to have any kind of impact are those that hit drivers where it hurts, in their pockets or their faces. e.g. getting premium fares for a premium service, tipping well those that are polite and helpful, fines that are more effective, an escalating system for repeat offenders etc.....

Oh and don't get me started on their insistance to tailgate the car in front when their poor passenger's seatbelt is hidden under the seat!

[cyborgx]

Is there a complaint form online?

As already sated, try the IOS app called Taxi Reporter

Thanks Cyb....but what about us with the far superior Android OS?

Not sure if there's one for that too, or any plans. Sorry not my decision.

I'm no dreamy eyed Apple chanter, but I do find their products usually work well. As opposed to their Customer Support which stinks more that the attitude of the bad taxi drivers we are talking about here LOL Yes they are polite, yes they smile when they talk, yes, they seem to have a drug induced cultist glassy eyed glow about them, no they are not helpful, no they don't usually have any idea about the products they support, no they don't have any decent training in customer support, no they are not really interested in helping you, just getting their product discounts. Sorry, but every time I have to call Apple Customer support I expect to waste at least 2 hours before I can get to talk to a NORMAL person, who can answer my question. Oops went off topic a bit HAHA!

[cyborgx]

Is there a complaint form online?

As already sated, try the IOS app called Taxi Reporter

Stop pushing this APP to a mostly English-speaking/reading audience, would you?

It's a mostly Thai-language application which requires you to divulge your list of Facebook contacts/friends as well as, presumably sending spam to them. If you have an ounce of personal ethics you won't allow your friends to be spammed just to receive a free service you can't read half of it anyway.

I'm not "pushing it" I've mentioned it all of twice I think, but it is HIGHLY relevant to the topic, and mentioning it a few times so that more complaints get through to the right place is a CONSTRUCTIVE thing, and I'd do it as much as I think is helpful.

The fact that some of it is in Thai and you can't read it, is not my problem it's yours

I agree that using a facebook login is not a good thing, and I don't like it either, but it's an option to use or not at your own discretion. I personally find Facebook an awful program, so creating an account with no information just to login to the Taxi Report, is just about the same as registering with Taxi Reporter, but once again, to make sure you understand and don't rant more about it, I AGREE, the Facebook login is not the way I would get my users to register.

As for your slant on my ethics, I can assure you my ethics are fine, and in much better shape than your manners it seems. Peoples choice to use the app is just that, their choice, the choice to register using another system like Facebook with its awful and ever changing privacy agreements, is for them to understand what they are doing, and again their choice.

It's just a quick and convenient way to make a complaint (as opposed to the phone call where you would also have to speak and understand Thai). Use it or don't up to you, but I also guess that one of the reasons for the increased number of complaints is the implementation of the app, Just don't shoot the messenger for trying to make more people aware of its existence.....

[impulse]

Exactly why l use chauffer cars when coming and going to airport. I want to make my destination

Last time I used a chauffeured car from BKK to DM, I had to change my shorts and my fingers took an hour to unclench.

[Lakegeneve]

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.

Your example is moot as the MOT/DLT regulations applicable to taxis already provide for a driver refusing a fare due to an impending shift change. Complaints will generally not be accepted if the period of the refusal is proximate to a shift change and this is the reason the driver has given. Most thai pax understand this and thus do not complain if they believe that this is the reason, The regs account for this reality as much as they also account for refusal based on a request to a distant, out of BKK province trip.

Drivers using company taxis typically work 12 hr shifts and change over between 3-4 am & pm, Owner drivers (about 20% of taxis) will often work different shifts as they have more flexibility though many also hire out their taxi to another driver for the period that they are not working. It is not unusual to see thais be refused 2-3-4 times before obtaining a taxi.

The current regulations barring cherry picking fares is appropriate even if the practice is currently widespread. Taxis having the absolute right to pick and choose would result in some geographical areas & specific classes of people being under serviced, if not avoided altogether. Suk soi 11 after 9pm is a good example of what would exist in a much more widespread manner.

[Donnie Brasco]

@cyborgx

This is going to seem a bit harsh.

Twenty two years ago I grew tired of being bullied by people of your mindset.

Their constant whining and their unsightly ramps, their tax funded special transport vehicles and drivers, the blasé attitude with which they proceeded to handicap everyone around them with their affliction and their woe.

The grouchy, angry, ill-tempered selfish, passive aggressive insinuation of their situation permeates every level of my native country.

You insist on living here and you wish to impose your relativist, crutch-waving rants on a developing city.

I live in Bkk. I have

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[cyborgx]

@cyborgx

This is going to seem a bit harsh.

Twenty two years ago I grew tired of being bullied by people of your mindset.

Their constant whining and their unsightly ramps, their tax funded special transport vehicles and drivers, the blasé attitude with which they proceeded to handicap everyone around them with their affliction and their woe.

The grouchy, angry, ill-tempered selfish, passive aggressive insinuation of their situation permeates every level of my native country.

You insist on living here and you wish to impose your relativist, crutch-waving rants on a developing city.

I live in Bkk. I have

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Blah Blah blah.... a horrible mess of English with little actual meaning in your sentences other than to berate me for having an opinion (and perhaps the odd finger fumble whilst typing that you didn't read back before posting?)

It is not only my rant's it's 10,000 people's rants! they can't all be wrong! I would also be very surprised if more than 10% of them are from foreigners, since most don't know how to, so it's mostly Thai's complaining about the service in their own country. Is that not allowed either in your Utopian world for Expats who have run away from their home country to find somewhere where they can just stick their head in the ground and ignore what the people want in their own country? Something tells me it's you that is trying to impose your own lack of standards on a country that actually wants to improve theirs.

If you want to ignore the problem you are totally entitled to do so, but don't tell everyone else that had the bad experiences and complained (which this thread is about) do not deserve their right to complain, and expect a reasonable service.

The fact that people are experiencing a wide variety of problems with BKK taxis from refusing to turn on meter, refusing a destination (not my rules Thailand's rules!), disgusting smelly dirty taxis, offensive and sometimes crazy or violent attitudes, all the way up to actual rape at knife-point, are not resolved by your childish suggestions of 1) Live with it (TiT) and be grateful for what you have, 2) Don't go home get a room, or 3) get the bus!

Since I don't think I'll ever get anything constructive or helpful from anything you say in the future, guess I'll ignore you now

Edited March 31, 2014 by cyborgx

[AryanicAristocrat]

Whenever my company does any charity acts like scholarships or free foods, school supplies to poor kids etc , we make sure that the kids of taxi drivers, along with the other scum in thailand like kids of police, army and governement officials are not included.

Also, I have thai firends who work in hispitals and when a taxi driveer or his relative comes, they make sure they give the wprst possible treatment.

As far as I am concern, taxi drivers are just scum and never even help them if ever they are in trouble. Let them die!

Use the bts or mrt trains if not buy a car in thailand, its cheap these days but never contribute to the earnings of these taxi scum.