We drove to Surat Thani yesterday, needing to renew the GF’s passport in preparation for her visiting the States. But since no one at the government office felt it necessary to answer a business phone over a three hour period, we finally stopped for directions from total strangers.

*sigh*

Sure enough, no one knows where a Thai could possibly go to get a passport (for what? they all wanted to know), so I’m backing out to burn another half a tank of gas searching every Surat street and soi, when a m/c taxi driver taps on the window.

Big grin that says, trust me, I only want to help you.

“Where you go?”

JJ (the GF) told him.

The guy says, no problem, he can lead us there. JJ practically begs, please, just tell us where it is. His grin gets bigger and he claims, no, not easy. But, he can show us.

It’s getting late, black clouds rolling in, dirt kicking up. JJ closes her eyes and says, how much.

Guy says, 50 baht.

I say no thanks, with just as big a grin on my face as he has on his.

But as I ease back into traffic, both our grins vanish. Cool, you should just pay, it’s only a few baht and the guy’s probably got hungry kids and you’re just gonna get lost and JJ’s just gonna get pissed and—

After going 50 meters, JJ laughs and points to the right and says, there it is.

nothing free in thailand lol

ive seen motorcycle taxis reluctant to give me directions if i was walking somewhere

as well as they oly wanted to bring me ,eve if i was across the road from somewhere

and taking a taxi would have meant entering a 1 way system and making a uturn to get

to the other side when i could just hop over the barrier and be there in 30 seconds

You may find post #10 useful:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/98300-important-faqs-for-the-islands-samui-phangan-tao

HTH

Edited May 23, 201412 yr by evadgib

Only 50? He must have been feeling generous that day.

What a thief, report him.

What a thief, report him.

Who to the Army.

What a thief, report him.

Who to the Army.

Try the new taxi complaints number.

And?

And?

They have their ways and the means.