Taxi mafia clean out at Suvarnabhumi airport

[apalink_thailand]

Nice plan, then they can also look into the kickback given to a certain person for the car park concession.

Not gonna happen ;-)

[stevehaigh]

Excellent. As I said before, this general and the NCPO have done so much more good in the past few weeks than the politicians bunch of clowns, rogues, bullies and thieves over the past 50 years.

Keep it up, sir!

maybe that's true, but remember you only get to hear about what they let you hear about.

[Gonzo the Face]

It is amazing what a single man can do when he has balls the size of boulders and an M-16 to back em up.

Good going General.

Great new name for the Good General

" General Boulder Balls "

Good one BBT

[unanimosity]

The first time I came to Bangkok, one of these scabs tried to charge me 2500B from the airport to the Embassy on Wireless Rd.

"I would say that we seek their cooperation, but if they do not cooperate, some soldiers may be stationed at the taxi queue counter...”

Now that's better!

Sad state of affairs that it has come to that...

How does the new system prevent a scab from trying to charge 2500 to Wireless?

[Emptyset]

As much as I wish this to be true, this dictatorship seems to announce a new major policy or cleanup at the rate of 2 or 3 a day. After the announcement and the photo session, how much will really be done?

I know the military has neither the resources or expertise to fix these issues at the rate being announced or some of these issues would have been resolved the other 19 times they tried.

Fool me once, shame on you,fool me 19 times and show you are a blind supporter of dictatorships

Military govts and authoritarian govts generally are good at doing things like this. And they can be very effective, at least at first. Problem comes further down the line when complacency sets in and they don't have to be accountable to anyone.

Edited June 19, 2014 by Emptyset

[Tycoon]

I will continue to wait at the 4th floor while having a Leo and a cigarette, plenty of available taxis at the cheapest prices.

You have a beer waiting for a taxi after landing ? Freak, just the tourist advert we all talk about

[Tycoon]

I had the misfortune of getting a taxi at Swampy in 2008 to take me to Don Muang.

I had almost 3 hours to make my flight.

I missed it

The fool of a pig farmer / rice grower got lost, he took me to a hotel miles from where I was going and wanted me to pay for his stuff up

After the police came he just smiled and said sorry

I think it would be great if some education was given to the taxi drivers so they know where they are going

97% know the city very well, you were just very unlucky

[ginjag]

Meter taxi Jomptien 850 Baht to BKK swampy.+ tolls extra (50 baht) fee for the journey price advertised.

swampy BKK meter taxi 50 baht fee, 1750 baht meter taxi ?? price given at the DESK no meter for long runs. explain anyone, people saying it was fair before----sounds like a mini Phuket/Samui job to me.

Why would the journey from Swampy be 900 baht more-----head wind or something. ???

[finnomick]

The military seem intent on getting rid of a lot of bad apples, but what will happen when Thailand returns to Thai style democracy?

Sent from my GT-N5100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

...just where will all these ' bad apples ' end up, that's my worry ?

[empireboy]

Get's my vote!

[ginjag]

People saying " I have never had a problem" are the ones that do not care about a lump sum put on the fare by the DESK, having money to burn, easily said, never mind.

Any one on a budget does not want to pay above the norm as this is taken out of their holiday spending money.

My first trips to Thailand were high flight fees, and little to spend here, but the excitement was brill even if you had to watch your pennies. Fair price for transport, is what tourists want, BUT safe. No airport fees, or desk mafia.

Kings Cross station UK never has problems, queue, first come first serve, A desk in the UK---people would knock the desk over- no way.

[hawker9000]

As much as I wish this to be true, this dictatorship seems to announce a new major policy or cleanup at the rate of 2 or 3 a day. After the announcement and the photo session, how much will really be done?

I know the military has neither the resources or expertise to fix these issues at the rate being announced or some of these issues would have been resolved the other 19 times they tried.

Fool me once, shame on you,fool me 19 times and show you are a blind supporter of dictatorships

Military govts and authoritarian govts generally are good at doing things like this. And they can be very effective, at least at first. Problem comes further down the line when complacency sets in and they don't have to be accountable to anyone.

And the fact that the coup finally took place, as peacefully as it did, and now with the support of so many, speaks volumes about the depths to which the PTP-driven thaksinocracy had sunk.

[Yann55]

HORAAAAAY !!!!!!

[Sigurris]

You can please some of the people all of the time, all of the people some of the time but you will never please all of the people all of the time. I applaud the military for making an effort to drive this country forward positively. They are following standard management practice of getting a few visible quick wins under their belt so that people can see that they mean business. Do we know what is going on in the background? And what about the message this is sending to the big crooks? Clean up or pack up.

In a few short weeks they are making a difference. Lets not expect miracles too soon.

[biplanebluey]

As much as I wish this to be true, this dictatorship seems to announce a new major policy or cleanup at the rate of 2 or 3 a day. After the announcement and the photo session, how much will really be done?

I know the military has neither the resources or expertise to fix these issues at the rate being announced or some of these issues would have been resolved the other 19 times they tried.

Fool me once, shame on you,fool me 19 times and show you are a blind supporter of dictatorships

I take it you don't support the Thaksin Shinawatra dictatorship. In fact I suspect you enjoyed it.

" you don't support it" then "you enjoyed it"------------ Got me beat

[impulse]

Meter taxi Jomptien 850 Baht to BKK swampy.+ tolls extra (50 baht) fee for the journey price advertised.

swampy BKK meter taxi 50 baht fee, 1750 baht meter taxi ?? price given at the DESK no meter for long runs. explain anyone, people saying it was fair before----sounds like a mini Phuket/Samui job to me.

Why would the journey from Swampy be 900 baht more-----head wind or something. ???

Airports all over the world have published fixed “Point A to Point B” long distance fares that exceed the meter.

It’s an acknowledgment that the driver is going to have to do a round trip for a single fare, and also eliminates the possibility of passing the same landmark 3 times on the way to a destination or getting cheated by a rigged meter.

Other airports have higher, fixed prices for short trips because the driver had to wait in line for an hour to haul my miserable butt just 2 miles and $5.00 just won't cut it in a high cost city.

Edited June 19, 2014 by impulse

[Larry001]

Thumbs up

[Maggusoil]

It is amazing what a single man can do when he has balls the size of boulders and an M-16 to back em up.

Good going General.

and AND, . . . the interests of the country and the people in mind. Unlike the thieving, scheming, rotten excuses for politicians.

Methinks democracy has to reinvent itself, in many places.

All those foreign pollies and heads of state complaining about the Thai military are nearly as bad, which is why they complain so much.

[OOLEEBER]

Never had a problem catching a taxi on level 4 or level 1

We used to be able to catch a taxi on L4 but they stopped that a year or so ago by installing one way swinging gates and posting a guard at each one.

The L1 system has always worked fine for me for short trips to Suk. Soi 4 etc.. Never been refused. For long trips to my home in Sukhothai I always use the same guy. Charges 4000 incl the tip. Happy for me to down a few changs before I have a kip. He often brings his wife so she does the drive back. If anyone wants his number just PM me. Highly recommended and safe.

[joejai]

It's about time their doing something about the terrible and abusive service from taxi drivers at Suvarnabhumi. It's just too bad they waited so long, which has damaged the perception of many tourists regarding travel to Thailand. It took an imposition of Marshal Law to decide on cleaning up the taxi mafia.

[kamahele]

I've never even thought of getting a taxi at the departure level. I've always gone to the arrival level and dealt with the taxi dispatcher at the curb. No problems. I'm glad however that something will be done about those cabs upstairs for those who need to get a ride from upstairs.

[ginjag]

Never had a problem catching a taxi on level 4 or level 1

We used to be able to catch a taxi on L4 but they stopped that a year or so ago by installing one way swinging gates and posting a guard at each one.

The L1 system has always worked fine for me for short trips to Suk. Soi 4 etc.. Never been refused. For long trips to my home in Sukhothai I always use the same guy. Charges 4000 incl the tip. Happy for me to down a few changs before I have a kip. He often brings his wife so she does the drive back. If anyone wants his number just PM me. Highly recommended and safe.

Good for you that you have this guy.

But for some the 4,000 baht can give them a return flight from Udon to Phuket 2 nights in a hotel and transfers. Just to give an idea that on a budget holiday 4000 bht can give you 8 days in a guest house breakies included.

A large notice board at the airport giving prices to long distance and short trips, all tourist then would have an idea how much their destination would be..

In Jomptien at a taxi stand /office all prices are shown to most destinations. no problems. Queue without fee mafia thank you.

[jmccarty]

The airport charge for a taxi that has had to wait for a fare is not unusual at an airport. If they don't have to wait because they are sent off if no fare waiting, then it is hard to justify that added charge.

[Rimbuman]

The military seem intent on getting rid of a lot of bad apples, but what will happen when Thailand returns to Thai style democracy?

Sent from my GT-N5100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

The overall thought is that it will start all over again and normally I'd agree.

But this whole operation has a different feel to it and I'm sure the military is aware of this as well so maybe they'll install obstacles like laws and institutes to prevent this from happening.

Let's see what happens.

[seajae]

I have always gone downstairs to the desk and told them where O wanted to go, they call for someone to drive you there at an agreed price that was always pretty good, the only problem were the ones on the arrival levels.

[FraBi]

Am I missing something? Where are the taxi mofia there? There is the AOT taxi desk by the luggage carousel, which is the only licensed and insured private cars and then there is the metered taxi cue outside where one pays a standard airport fee plus the meter charge, I have never heard of them turning down destinations. Buses, mini vans and sky train downstairs. If people cannot do some simple research before arriving at the airport I have no sympathy for them as there are taxi touts at every airport in world. Suvarnabhumi is not like what Don muean was like, or how Phuket airport is now. Seems like just another day where the junta is trying to put out their positive daily spin.

They should try cleaning up the Tuk-Tuk mofia around the tourists areas, they are the real problem.

Correct...I use the normal arrival service since years frequently and never encountered any issue...the way to the taxi desk is shown clearly, you queue up and the driver in the driver queue gets the job..and they usually on the meter and that's it..the rest here discussed is absolute nonsense...maybe the smart" I know better" types who try to get a taxi somewhere else because only newbies queue at the taxi desk right ? You all know Thailand so well...

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Edited June 19, 2014 by FraBi

[TimCM]

As much as I wish this to be true, this dictatorship seems to announce a new major policy or cleanup at the rate of 2 or 3 a day. After the announcement and the photo session, how much will really be done?

I know the military has neither the resources or expertise to fix these issues at the rate being announced or some of these issues would have been resolved the other 19 times they tried.

Fool me once, shame on you,fool me 19 times and show you are a blind supporter of dictatorships

I take it you don't support the Thaksin Shinawatra dictatorship. In fact I suspect you enjoyed it.

" you don't support it" then "you enjoyed it"------------ Got me beat

I assumed that was a typo so let it go

[ginjag]

Am I missing something? Where are the taxi mofia there? There is the AOT taxi desk by the luggage carousel, which is the only licensed and insured private cars and then there is the metered taxi cue outside where one pays a standard airport fee plus the meter charge, I have never heard of them turning down destinations. Buses, mini vans and sky train downstairs. If people cannot do some simple research before arriving at the airport I have no sympathy for them as there are taxi touts at every airport in world. Suvarnabhumi is not like what Don muean was like, or how Phuket airport is now. Seems like just another day where the junta is trying to put out their positive daily spin.

They should try cleaning up the Tuk-Tuk mofia around the tourists areas, they are the real problem.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

What do you expect in less than a month WONDER WOMAN???

[ChoakMyDee]

Good news buts lets not wet our panties yellows. Keep looking for the bigger picture...You will see it eventually but it requires research of other media sources

What the hell does this mean? You have a secret but you aren't going to tell anyone. You want us to try and figure out what you are not going to tell us? Just tell us or piss off.

[spidermike007]

I always just walk up to the 4th level, walk out and there are dozens of taxi drivers very happy to see me! Easy, and simple. Always find one willing to use the meter. They know they will not have to wait on that horrific que. I guess all that will end. Oh well.