How common are black taxi robberies?

[Hal65]

I was just informed that so-called "black taxis" will target tourists and foreigners, take them to a private location, and then rob them. Something I'm surprised to hear about it country like Thailand, but I suppose all countries have their scams.

Have you ever heard of this happening to anyone?

[Soutpeel]

Can it happen yes , does it happen yes....and even in some cases if you try to short change their fare, they will take a samurai sword to you...

[David48]

What area do you think the 'Black Taxis' work in?

Phuket?

[Hal65]

I've heard Bangkok as well.

[Eliot Rosewater]

That is why I only go in the brightly colored ones

[Seastallion]

How would a driver react if, before you got in, you pointedly took a photo of the taxi/driver with your phone and sent it into the ether?

[Soutpeel]

How would a driver react if, before you got in, you pointedly took a photo of the taxi/driver with your phone and sent it into the ether?

Samurai Sword to the testicles ?

[kurnell]

In 20 years I have never reliably heard of this happening. When I say reliably, I mean a direct story from someone who has been robbed. Conservatively I know/have known roughly 500 people in Thailand, who have taken taxis at least a couple of times a week, so that is in the hundreds of thousands with no robberies. I say it happens less than deaths in a plane crash...of which I have know one.

[NeverSure]

How would a driver react if, before you got in, you pointedly took a photo of the taxi/driver with your phone and sent it into the ether?

Samurai Sword to the testicles ?

His or yours?

[David48]

How would a driver react if, before you got in, you pointedly took a photo of the taxi/driver with your phone and sent it into the ether?

Actually ...

My sister can to vist with me in Thailand recently.

Twice she had to go in taxi without me (in Bangkok).

Twice I photographed the Taxi Drivers ID.

No problem ...

[mca]

Half the taxis I take the ID card isn't the dude who's driving. Once it was the guys dad and I had to tell him how to get from Sathorn to Central Rama 9. I'd only been living in Bangkok for a fortnight myself....

[marko kok prong]

Don't know about here but try getting a black cab in London,that really is daylight robbery.

[AhFarangJa]

are you allowed to say Black Taxi....I mean surely somebody will jump up any minute and shout "racist remark"...

[CharlieH]

Happens with Tuk Tuk too, drive into quiet soi at night, no lights and a group is waiting to welcome you!

[Soutpeel]

are you allowed to say Black Taxi....I mean surely somebody will jump up any minute and shout "racist remark"...

If you said white taxi, you would certainly get people frothing at the bit

We have Miss black American

We have Black Police officers association

Etc

Pretty sure Black Taxi would be ok...

but don't say a sloping taxi....they will have the lynch mob onto you....

[medisasean]

Never heard it. Only more expensive.

[Emilp]

I haven't heard about that, but crime can happen everywhere. Take care yourself.

[wow64]

Just get a yellow, pink or blue taxi. Stay out of the black ones and you are fine.

Sent from my c64

[CharlesHH]

By "black taxi" do you mean a car service provided by an unlicensed person or unlicensed taxi vehicle? Like "black op"?

I lived traveled this Smiling Land a whole lot and never saw a real licensed taxi painted black.

If I felt threatened, which I never do, in a taxi, I would call a wife or friend and give them the taxi number; photo of it all helps too, but the photo needs to be emailed somewhere to get it out of just your phone.

The one scary taxi ride I have in BKK is when the driver takes off down little alleys and goes thru hotel driveways, but always it is just a driver who knows the back way and faster way to your destination. BTW, I will pay the meter, even if it is slightly larger than it should be because the driver save me and him time.

[ATF]

are you allowed to say Black Taxi....I mean surely somebody will jump up any minute and shout "racist remark"...

I thought it was about blacks robbing taxis. Where are the black taxis? Surely not airport limos?

[somchaismith]

There have been quite a few serial rapist taxi drivers in Bangkok, but I think they were all Thai drivers.

[cgphuket]

This exact thing has been in the news. Normally it is female passengers (tourists mostly, but also Thais). Not read about any new cases this year.

[LennyW]

TV should open a separate forum for regularly perpetuated urban myths.

[lopburi3]

The "black" was used as "black plate taxi" many years ago when normal private car plate was black and off-duty Air Force men drove such vehicles to transport passengers from airport into town. It was illegal and police would try to stop but an accepted mode of transport. It later became slang for illegal scalper operations, often from airport, using non commercial vehicles. As is true for any such service there is a small percentage of incidents. So yes it is best to avoid as they are no longer required but no it is not normally a real danger.

[somchaismith]

TV should open a separate forum for regularly perpetuated urban myths.

Yes, there are a few myths perpetuated on TV. However, the Bangkok taxi drivers have a lot of scum in their ranks. Here, are a few of the top hits from google,

[YipYipYa123]

This exact thing has been in the news. Normally it is female passengers (tourists mostly, but also Thais). Not read about any new cases this year.

i remember reading a young japanese girl was picked up at the airport i think and the taxi driver raped or tried to rape her

wasnt very long ago so it still happens for sure

even a rescue medic volunteer who was supposed to bring a thai girl in distress to hospital raped her instead of taking her to hospital

and she was found dead the next morning having drowned in suspicious circumstaces or something

a lot of scumbag rapists in thailand ,even a policeman raped a young girl in a toilet when she went to the station to complain about another crime ?