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

[NamKangMan]

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.

I agree. There is so much negative publicity on the internet about this issue, and what do they do here, just target tourisst from non-english speaking emerging economies. Many can't read, speak or write english, therefore, are quite oblivious to the scams here.

These tourists keep the numbers up, and the price rises for everyone else who can not get on a coach bus.

In the past, I have suggested a peaceful march down Bangla Road and along Beach Road in protest, with the media on hand - a real public loss of face for Phuket.

What surprises me most, is Bangkok's reluctance to intervene, which says to me, the money trail leads all the way to the Capital.

[FireMedic]

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 !

He was very clear with me here was nothing he could do. He admitted several times the airport bosses pay bosses well above his head to get away with it. In no way did I mean him specifically, and he knows that. But for anyone to say there is little or no "malfeasance" going on here at any level, would also be disingenuous.

If anyone has the good Governor's email, please post it so we can all send it to him, making sure it was addressed. The more people who send it, the sooner it will be looked at.

[NamKangMan]

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.

That's funny. I can see that one catching on.

I notice TAT's the "Land of Smiles" (LOS) is more commonly known as "Land of Scams" (LOS) these days.

The problem with transport isn't the naievity of tourists, or their lack of research before coming here.

Transport is an essential service, and a tourist needs it.

Common sense says that if you allow drivers to operate, unregulated, with no law enforcement, they are going to do the wrong thing, and that's what we have seen here, for a long time, with it continually going from bad to worse, across the whole industry.

It's sad that these guys are the first contact, and first financial transaction, tourists have with locals, upon arriving on Phuket.

Edited April 14, 2014 by NamKangMan

[Somtamnication]

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.

Send it to Claire and thephuketnews. She is always looking to rock the boat.

[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.

Send it to Claire and thephuketnews. She is always looking to rock the boat.

I did already. She's pretty good about it, but I'm afraid no one will want it because of the bad quality. But, it's all we got.

[Fookhaht]

Excellent amateur investigative journalism. Well-expressed, and he caught all the key players in the act.

Unfortunately, foreigners who try to rock the boat never win here. They are either ignored, disgraced, face trumped-up charges (defamation laws are very wide-reaching and draconian here), or worse.

The boat-rocking has to come from the inside to be effective. Chances are, that will never happen.

Why?

Unfortunately, the last recent survey on Thai ethical perception revealed that 73% of Thai people said corruption is okay as long as "no one gets hurt." My guess is that the percentage is even much higher in tourist traps, where greed has gone over the top.

Despite all this, I wish the OP well for at least trying.

[NamKangMan]

Excellent amateur investigative journalism. Well-expressed, and he caught all the key players in the act.

Unfortunately, foreigners who try to rock the boat never win here. They are either ignored, disgraced, face trumped-up charges (defamation laws are very wide-reaching and draconian here), or worse.

The boat-rocking has to come from the inside to be effective. Chances are, that will never happen.

Why?

Unfortunately, the last recent survey on Thai ethical perception revealed that 73% of Thai people said corruption is okay as long as "no one gets hurt." My guess is that the percentage is even much higher in tourist traps, where greed has gone over the top.

Despite all this, I wish the OP well for at least trying.

"Thai ethical perception revealed that 73% of Thai people said corruption is okay as long as "no one gets hurt." - it's been my belief, for a long time, that people on Phuket are in fact being hurt, and even killed, due to the transport issue here. It's not just a financial loss.

Look at the terrible road toll here, because everyone, including tourists hiring bikes, have to have access to a vehicle, or face being ripped off. The result is more traffic, more accidents, and therefore, more injuries and death.

[Fookhaht]

Excellent amateur investigative journalism. Well-expressed, and he caught all the key players in the act.

Unfortunately, foreigners who try to rock the boat never win here. They are either ignored, disgraced, face trumped-up charges (defamation laws are very wide-reaching and draconian here), or worse.

The boat-rocking has to come from the inside to be effective. Chances are, that will never happen.

Why?

Unfortunately, the last recent survey on Thai ethical perception revealed that 73% of Thai people said corruption is okay as long as "no one gets hurt." My guess is that the percentage is even much higher in tourist traps, where greed has gone over the top.

Despite all this, I wish the OP well for at least trying.

"Thai ethical perception revealed that 73% of Thai people said corruption is okay as long as "no one gets hurt." - it's been my belief, for a long time, that people on Phuket are in fact being hurt, and even killed, due to the transport issue here. It's not just a financial loss.

Look at the terrible road toll here, because everyone, including tourists hiring bikes, have to have access to a vehicle, or face being ripped off. The result is more traffic, more accidents, and therefore, more injuries and death.

Yes, the "as long as no one is being hurt" Thai perception is also self-deception. But the self-deception is as rampant as the corruption.

[simon43]

Don't forget to send the video/report to Drummond...

[NamKangMan]

Excellent amateur investigative journalism. Well-expressed, and he caught all the key players in the act.

Unfortunately, foreigners who try to rock the boat never win here. They are either ignored, disgraced, face trumped-up charges (defamation laws are very wide-reaching and draconian here), or worse.

The boat-rocking has to come from the inside to be effective. Chances are, that will never happen.

Why?

Unfortunately, the last recent survey on Thai ethical perception revealed that 73% of Thai people said corruption is okay as long as "no one gets hurt." My guess is that the percentage is even much higher in tourist traps, where greed has gone over the top.

Despite all this, I wish the OP well for at least trying.

"Thai ethical perception revealed that 73% of Thai people said corruption is okay as long as "no one gets hurt." - it's been my belief, for a long time, that people on Phuket are in fact being hurt, and even killed, due to the transport issue here. It's not just a financial loss.

Look at the terrible road toll here, because everyone, including tourists hiring bikes, have to have access to a vehicle, or face being ripped off. The result is more traffic, more accidents, and therefore, more injuries and death.

Yes, the "as long as no one is being hurt" Thai perception is also self-deception. But the self-deception is as rampant as the corruption.

So true.

[NamKangMan]

Don't forget to send the video/report to Drummond...

I've sent it to the Honorary Consul of my home country, voicing my disgust, yet again, and so it can be bought up at the next meeting. Unfortunately, the same way it's been bought up at every other meeting, with nothing ever changing.

[nedkellylives]

Picked up my son in law and family from the airport at 4.15 PM today wife told me they now want

2000 baht to Patong

In other countries taxis do charge a surcharge on some holidays and after certain hours but their

prices are the same as normal apart from the surcharge

Over charging results in the loss of taxi drivers license and can also involve a fine and loss of

taxi plares which in some places are worth 250k dollars or more

Meter taxis should use their meter if no they are not meter taxis and should loose the right to operate as such

[watcharacters]

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.

If some one doesn't take a stand at some point, what will ever change?

Most people are sheep or mice or a variant of one.

I applaud the man for his bravado and hope he reaches total success.

If I read about the Taxi Mafia in the obit section, it would be fine for me.

[surangw]

lets hope for your sake that the adage "all farangs look alike" holds true if the taxi mafia start viewing the video.

[Showbags]

How much is a hire car from the airport these days ?

[evadgib]

How about an informal arrangement where friends/neighbours/colleagues pick each other up using SMS messages to orchestrate a 'flypast' <a lightning swoop that doesn't involve parking fees, whistles or semaphore>? It's worked for me for years!

HTH

[falkan]

thais don't care about this as long as more and more tourist is coming every year and they don't really use taxi , either park their own car or having friends picking them up or taking the local 120 baht bus..

[fatdrunkandstupid]

Good job FM.

Very good job.

You are lucky in one sense as you only had a short flight from Singapore. What about all of the exhausted tourists arriving on their long haul flights. If I stepped off a 15 hour plus flight and had to deal with this...I would probably be up on murder charges.

My solution is that I just never, ever, use a Phuket Taxi or Tuk Tuk. I have one old clunker motorbike and a length of chain. I leave the bike in the carpark (no charge for bikes) chained to the fence...and then it is there for my return.

As I posted on the recent Patong Tuk Tuk thread...Tuk and Tuk and Taxi prices are now rising sharply in line with the Thai (raise your prices if you have no customers) business model.

The sharks are now feeding on themselves.

Watch this space.

And again...good job...

[FireMedic]

These are all very good points and I'll be sure to bring up when the Governor calls me to the office to fix the problem.

[seabear]

I arrived from Singapore on 11.04.14 at around 6 pm.

Paid the Meter Taxi woman 100 Baht.

The driver turned the meter on.

In Kata the meter showed 690 Baht.

The driver was good and polite.

He said his name was Gipsy.

[falkan]

I arrived from Singapore on 11.04.14 at around 6 pm.

Paid the Meter Taxi woman 100 Baht.

The driver turned the meter on.

In Kata the meter showed 690 Baht.

The driver was good and polite.

He said his name was Gipsy.

700 baht with LPG, that is a good profit!

[NomadJoe]

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 !

According to multiple previous news articles quoting officials, it is illegal.

You must be very new to Thailand if you think the Thai police are not rewarded handsomely for letting the tuktuk taxi mafia do as they please. Charging 1700b for a journey that would be about 275b in metered taxi in any other part of Thailand is disgracefull.

Edited April 14, 2014 by NomadJoe

[wellred]

Fair play to the OP for filming this. It's a shame that these things never get the attention they deserve. Worry not folks as there will come a day and time when they people of Thailand will look back and realise they have made a mistake. At least you can say you tried.

Were the inflated prices due to Songkran?

[FireMedic]

Fair play to the OP for filming this. It's a shame that these things never get the attention they deserve. Worry not folks as there will come a day and time when they people of Thailand will look back and realise they have made a mistake. At least you can say you tried.

Were the inflated prices due to Songkran?

The prices here for the meter are already inflated triple what the rates are in Bangkok. The mafia here will seize any opportunities to pack on extra charges. For example, they will ask how many people. If it's one person, they charge more because "you go by yourself, waste of space". If you have 3 people the charge is more because "car heavy, use more gasoline". So it really doesn't matter what day it is, they are supposed to use the meter regardless.

[FireMedic]

I arrived from Singapore on 11.04.14 at around 6 pm.

Paid the Meter Taxi woman 100 Baht.

The driver turned the meter on.

In Kata the meter showed 690 Baht.

The driver was good and polite.

He said his name was Gipsy.

That is usually how it supposed to be. I'm reading in other places it started on the 12th.

[keestha]

Watched about half of the videos yesterday. They would have been more interesting if the person doing the talking would have slowly spoken simplified English. At a taxi rank in Paris they would also have understood just a fraction of what he said.

[nedkellylives]

I arrived from Singapore on 11.04.14 at around 6 pm.

Paid the Meter Taxi woman 100 Baht.

The driver turned the meter on.

In Kata the meter showed 690 Baht.

The driver was good and polite.

He said his name was Gipsy.

700 baht with LPG, that is a good profit!

Its very a reasonable price for a hours ride in a taxi, you could always ride your Bicycle and save the fare

[seabear]

I arrived from Singapore on 11.04.14 at around 6 pm.

Paid the Meter Taxi woman 100 Baht.

The driver turned the meter on.

In Kata the meter showed 690 Baht.

The driver was good and polite.

He said his name was Gipsy.

700 baht with LPG, that is a good profit!

Would you drive 98 km , 2 hrs+, for 700 Baht? I would not.

My wife would have picked me up with her car. But I would not do that to her.

Did you ever calculate the cost for 1 km with your car ?

[FireMedic]

According the to pics I took of the posted fairs inside the taxis in Bangkok (which I can't figure out how to attach yet)... For 1700 baht I should be going somewhere around 225km.

[fiddlehead]

Came through the airport last night around 8PM.

Although I had my motorbike parked around the corner, when bugged by the so-called "limo" guys in blue shirts, I was quoted 2,000 baht to Rawai.
Over at the metered taxi stand, I asked how much and the lady told me 100 baht plus meter and for Rawai, it would probably run around 800-900 baht for the meter.

Yes, overpriced compared to many places in the world and especially anywhere else in Thailand.
But, not as bad as the video.
I assume it was a very busy time and prices go up accordingly.

Yes, it sucks that there is no standard.
But, those of us who live here know this and do our best to not get stuck without transport there.

Those who don't have a choice, will most likely go somewhere else, or rent a car I imagine.
Or pay of course.