Phuket airport meter taxi mafia on video.....

[FireMedic]

Not that you have all the time in the world...but here are the videos I took last night. Meter taxis refused to run meters and were charging 3x the already inflated rate. None of you will be surprised at all, but at least I can document what happens for everyone to judge for themselves. I asked to have a metered taxi and was moved aside to wait. All the taxis were parked in the lot and waiting for the lady to call them over for the fair and were only called for the fixed price.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e41TSLoS6E the incident

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKqww1Gfwo0 my side of the story to police and lack of enforcement

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaRi0sx9Juc the police drove me home..

If the taxi mafia pay the police, and the police take me home for free...I guess I just got a ride from the airport to my house for free courtesy of the taxi mafia.

YES I KNOW MY HTC CAMERA SUCKS..... sorry about that.

[LivinginKata]

Yes, we who live here on Phuket Island know this scam. Have to admit I did not know the price was so high for 'off meter'. Not so sure that I would have gone through the charade that FireMedic videoed. But then again I am fortunate enough to not be forced into using the Airport Taxi mafia.

[starkey_rich]

Nice one FM.

I hope this goes viral nothing but scum the lot of them.

What with this lot and the black stinking beaches why anyone lives or visits this place amazes me.

You know what they say.

Never trust anyone who smiles all the time.

[FireMedic]

Usually I have an older lady who takes me back and forth for 600....She said she was unable to get me from the airport but didn't give a reason. I have a strong belief that she was well aware of what was going on and would not be welcome there. I was really tired after working for 4 days straight in Singapore and lost my mind. I probably just signed my own death warrant for posting this stuff.

[grumpyoldman]

Not exactly flying under the radar.....................

I'm sort of like Mickey Rourke in "Barfly" (great movie, film noir), Faye Dunaway asks him "so you don't like police?", he responds "it's not that I don't like them, I just feel better when they are not around".

[eezergood]

Usually I have an older lady who takes me back and forth for 600....She said she was unable to get me from the airport but didn't give a reason. I have a strong belief that she was well aware of what was going on and would not be welcome there. I was really tired after working for 4 days straight in Singapore and lost my mind. I probably just signed my own death warrant for posting this stuff.

Good man - good effort!

[andre47]

I will never understand, why people wants to visit Phuket....

A boring, dirty and overpriced place. A lot of scam and rip off.

[grumpyoldman]

I will never understand, why people wants to visit Phuket....

A boring, dirty and overpriced place. A lot of scam and rip off.

Yea, some 10 million or so tourists per year, all obviously misunderstood........

[NomadJoe]

You're right, I am not surprised. I am still hearing the same thing from people coming through the airport. I am not looking forward to having to come through there in a few days. Despite all the promises of change and enforcement, this is still gong on regularly. Captain Ekkai clearly wanted nothing more than to resolve the immediate issue and would not address the root of the problem which is why he gave up and offered you a free ride so quickly. No doubt any action on that will have to come from a place well above him, as the Taxi mafia are well above him in the hierarchy here. I shudder to think how this could have ended had you not had your police identification with you. It's probably good you're moving.

[madmitch]

Usually I have an older lady who takes me back and forth for 600....She said she was unable to get me from the airport but didn't give a reason. I have a strong belief that she was well aware of what was going on and would not be welcome there. I was really tired after working for 4 days straight in Singapore and lost my mind. I probably just signed my own death warrant for posting this stuff.

Maybe had something to with the fact it was Songkran yesterday.

Also holiday prices in the taxis yesterday. Taxis raise their prices just like they do at Christmas and New Year in the West. Three times is a bit excessive though.

[NamKangMan]

Nice piece of investigative journalism FireMedic. Full credit to you.

On my last couple of visa runs, a friend dropped me off and picked me up in his car. The deal was dinner and drinks, in a decent restaurant, were on me. (yes - technically illegal)

Prior to that, several months ago now, my usual guy did the run for 800 baht each way.

About a year ago, it was 550 baht each way.

As I suspected, at 1500 baht to Patong, the price has risen sharply, and I suspect will rise again in the future as more package holiday makers have their coach buses.

On my last visit to Pattaya, I paid 1500 baht from Don Muang Airport to Pattaya Central. That's about a 170km trip and takes around 2 hours, a lot longer in the traffic sometimes, and includes the toll fees. I have been told this has since risen to 1600 baht.

1700 baht to Karon Beach is ridiculous. If one was to come to Phuket for a one week holiday, and stay in a cheap guest house at 500 baht per night, the total is 3500 baht for their accommodation, which includes room cleaned everyday, electric, movie channels, wifi etc, and these guys want practically the same, at 3400 baht, for two hours driving, and you haven't even spoken to a tuk-tuk driver yet to go out exploring or get home after a night out.

Whilst many farang are trying to make a few baht selling alcohol, food and accommodation, have a look who is make more money, to the detriment of small businesses here - transport operators. They are killing tourism here.

A Phuket Airport taxi driver is charging more than your average Thai doctor and lawyer.

I can only wonder just how bad the authorities will allow this to get.

[Chainsaw]

Well done and respect to you FireMedic. You're a brave man.

I hope everyone who reads this in TV shares it on Facebook etc. This really does need to go viral.

[hagler]

. I probably just signed my own death warrant for posting this stuff.

yep

[NamKangMan]

. I probably just signed my own death warrant for posting this stuff.

yep

I don't think so. They operate with such impunity here, they probably couldn't care less. They just carry on with business as usual.

[FireMedic]

. I probably just signed my own death warrant for posting this stuff.

yep

I don't think so. They operate with such impunity here, they probably couldn't care less. They just carry on with business as usual.

Just for the record.... I'm not depressed or suicidal, I have a job, plenty of money to live, my girlfriend and I are fine, I'm not drinking, I don't do drugs, and I'm not leaving my house for Songkran. So if someway, somehow there is a story about me jumping off Patong Tower, I overdose on drugs, I have a motorbike accident because I was drunk, or any other event short of a comet falling on my house, I hope everyone makes sure to look into it a bit more.

[hagler]

. I probably just signed my own death warrant for posting this stuff.

yep

I don't think so. They operate with such impunity here, they probably couldn't care less. They just carry on with business as usual.

Just for the record.... I'm not depressed or suicidal, I have a job, plenty of money to live, my girlfriend and I are fine, I'm not drinking, I don't do drugs, and I'm not leaving my house for Songkran. So if someway, somehow there is a story about me jumping off Patong Tower, I overdose on drugs, I have a motorbike accident because I was drunk, or any other event short of a comet falling on my house, I hope everyone makes sure to look into it a bit more.

well at least the cops know where you live. lucky they aren't in cohoots with the taxi scam ripoffs or else you would probably would have a bit of a problem....

[YaiJung]

Very well done!! ... those scumbags at the airport. I wish I had my phone camera recording when the POS immigration officer tried to get "a tip" out of me last yr when I was coming back to Thailand from KL.

Arriving at Phuket airport is a nightmare and absolutely pathetic on part of the Thais. The only way this will change is if more people make videos and post them to youtube. The Thais are in for a rude awakening when google glasses become common place.

[FireMedic]

Very well done!! ... those scumbags at the airport. I wish I had my phone camera recording when the POS immigration officer tried to get "a tip" out of me last yr when I was coming back to Thailand from KL.

Arriving at Phuket airport is a nightmare and absolutely pathetic on part of the Thais. The only way this will change is if more people make videos and post them to youtube. The Thais are in for a rude awakening when google glasses become common place.

Since I travel in and around Thailand every week, maybe I'll do a Fundme.org and see if I can get a Google Glass so I can post all the BS I see. It really is the only way things are going to change. Everyone has to be brave enough to take video and post it or else is does no good sitting around bitching about it. Thais will have to understand the power of social media and we should be more than willing to introduce them.

[Somtamnication]

Forward it to the governor. He will be interested in it, especially once it is up on youtube.

[CiaranO]

Forward it to the governor. He will be interested in it, especially once it is up on youtube.

Na - he will just splash some water on his face and tell you everything is fine

[simon43]

Today (Monday) the 'usual' price from the airport to Patong has risen by 100 baht to 1,000 baht, according to the taxi-meter company from which I had to order a taxi for a customer this morning.

Simon

[FireMedic]

Forward it to the governor. He will be interested in it, especially once it is up on youtube.

I'm fresh out of his email address. I have forwarded it to local media and we will see what happens.....likely nothing.

[KarenBravo]

I applaud the sentiment, but, posting this on Youtube will do nothing.

There are umpteen very clear videos on the jet-ski scams which have been up a long time. Has it stopped the scamming?

I feel for the tourists, but, for residents, there is no way you have to go through this hassle. My local taxi driver picks me up inside the terminal, or at my house and charges 600 Bt from airport to Wat Chalong.

Even if tourists numbers drop dramatically, the price will just go up to make up for lost revenue. Thai Economics 101.

The only way things can/will change is if ordinary Thais take to the streets, block a few roads and demand change.

[falkan]

you send a email already to phuketwan,thephuketnews and gazette about vids??

maybe put up a subtitle and upload at Youlike ?

[keestha]

Usually I have an older lady who takes me back and forth for 600....She said she was unable to get me from the airport but didn't give a reason. I have a strong belief that she was well aware of what was going on and would not be welcome there. I was really tired after working for 4 days straight in Singapore and lost my mind. I probably just signed my own death warrant for posting this stuff.

Maybe had something to with the fact it was Songkran yesterday.

Also holiday prices in the taxis yesterday. Taxis raise their prices just like they do at Christmas and New Year in the West. Three times is a bit excessive though.

Correct. Because of special occasions like for instance Songkran, not only taxi prices but also for example ferry prices can go up.

[luk AJ]

Congrats! Maybe the video itself will not change the world, but the fact that you resisted these scumbags does make a difference. Phuket does not deserve all these tourists, terrible road from the airport to the centre, very expensive, ugly city overcrowded beaches etc. etc. But ok, same can be said from Pataya...

[FireMedic]

you send a email already to phuketwan,thephuketnews and gazette about vids??

maybe put up a subtitle and upload at Youlike ?

Yes, local media outlets have it, but since it's a broken record of a story, I don't think they will do much.

[FireMedic]

http://legacy.phuketgazette.net/issuesanswers/details.asp?id=1495

I just found this.... I guess the local PLTO didn't get the memo for the adjusted holiday rates...

[thepool]

The video's should be forwarded to the Governor.

The "offense" of refusing to accept metered fares is not a criminal act and therefore there is little the Police can do.

Accusing the Police of malfeasance in this situation is disingenuous.

You are lucky the Police did not insist on you walking !

[Fookhaht]

Very well done!! ... those scumbags at the airport. I wish I had my phone camera recording when the POS immigration officer tried to get "a tip" out of me last yr when I was coming back to Thailand from KL.

Arriving at Phuket airport is a nightmare and absolutely pathetic on part of the Thais. The only way this will change is if more people make videos and post them to youtube. The Thais are in for a rude awakening when google glasses become common place.

Sadly, the current slang in the UK or Europe right now, is to "Thai" someone--meaning to cheat or lie to someone; usually the phrase is expressed by the victim, as in, "Don't Thai ME, you scumbag!"

Apparently word is getting around.