Phuket Airport Taxi Mafia

[arunsakda]

Got a friend arriving HKT tonight, first time in Thailand. Going to Patong with newlywed Farang blondie. Heard the good news the Taxi Mafia had been decimated by the Junta but honestly have no idea what he could expect. What is the current situation?

Edited July 29, 2014 by arunsakda

[LivinginKata]

No real change as yet out at the airport.

[falkan]

avoid taxis and even meter taxi isn't even meter it spinns a bit faster than those in bangkok...

rent car at avis or take local bus to patong 120baht..

[simon43]

The army and police check every car that leaves the car-park exit. All licenced taxis (obvious by colour of car registration plate or taxi stickers etc), have to sign their name in a book before leaving the car park.

Any car that is driven by a Thai with foreign passengers, and which is not a taxi, is jumped on and the driver arrested on the spot if there is not a valid reason for him/her to be driving ==> so no unlicenced taxis can operate at the airport.

Of course, your friend may still get shafted on the taxi fare to Patong, but he can be comforted in the knowledge that he is being shafted by a licenced taxi, not an unlicenced 'black' taxi.

[steelepulse]

I came through last week and the number of touts and louts yelling " taxi taxi" were minimal, which was a pleasant surprise. I was parked out at the farthest row away from the terminal, so did not have to pass through the police checkpoint, but the police were definitely there stopping vehicles and checking things.

[arunsakda]

Just got facebook message from my Friend. Said Army manning taxi rank despatch table, they got a ride to Kamala for 650 with a little haggling. (not Patong, sorry.)

Edited July 29, 2014 by arunsakda

[patongphil]

Just got in tis afternoon and believe it or not was approached by a taxi driver in the toilets.

Must be their new undercover operations room.

[simon43]

Just got in tis afternoon and believe it or not was approached by a taxi driver in the toilets.

Are you sure what he was offering was a ride in his taxi, or some other sort of ride?

[Kopitiam]

Took a taxi meter taxi from Phuket airport to Kata last week. I paid for the airport surcharge (100 THB) and the driver used the meter. For the 45km ride, the meter reading was 790 THB. I was quite sure the meter was running faster than it should.

[Shot]

Just got in tis afternoon and believe it or not was approached by a taxi driver in the toilets.

Must be their new undercover operations room.

You hansum man you.

[falkan]

Took a taxi meter taxi from Phuket airport to Kata last week. I paid for the airport surcharge (100 THB) and the driver used the meter. For the 45km ride, the meter reading was 790 THB. I was quite sure the meter was running faster than it should.

well phuket meter always spinning faster than bangkok meter somehow...

[Thaiberius]

My days of visiting Phuket are finished regardless of what the military have achieved. Once they've gone all the old scams will be back. In the past few years I've seen things deteriorate rapidly - taxi mafia not just at the airport but within the island, extremely aggressive tuk-tuk and taxi drivers, yes some farangs who have been killed or seriously injured by them may have opened their mouth too much but murder is no remedy. The place is ridiculously expensive. The notorious jetski scam. I was last there in around July last year and there were regular fights on Bangla between farangs/ladyboys/bargirls - a very unpleasant place.

[Kopitiam]

Took a taxi meter taxi from Phuket airport to Kata last week. I paid for the airport surcharge (100 THB) and the driver used the meter. For the 45km ride, the meter reading was 790 THB. I was quite sure the meter was running faster than it should.

well phuket meter always spinning faster than bangkok meter somehow...

If the revised taxi fare is correct in this article (see link)

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/670311-phuket-transport-council-agrees-to-36-jump-in-taxi-fares/

The fare should have been 556 THB. There was no traffic jam during the trip.

Somehow the "creativity" goes on in another form. lol

[NomadJoe]

I find it funny you originally wrote "Ferengi". Because that is exactly how the taxi and tuk tuk drivers are here. Trekkies will get it.

[Dario]

Took a taxi meter taxi from Phuket airport to Kata last week. I paid for the airport surcharge (100 THB) and the driver used the meter. For the 45km ride, the meter reading was 790 THB. I was quite sure the meter was running faster than it should.

most probably in overdrive ...

[glassdude007]

have them use...

http://phuketshuttle.com/

Book online very easy process, no credit card required pay cash to driver end on trip

Agent meets you at airport arrival with card and your name on it.

When you arrive they summon the car (not taxi) for you. Great service

I always use this service to and from the airport.

Never deal with the taxi touts...

[midnightsun]

so my missus and her friend (driving her own car) picks me up at the airport. is this a problem now?

[LivinginKata]

so my missus and her friend (driving her own car) picks me up at the airport. is this a problem now?

As long as she can convince the army that she is your 'missus' then there will be no problem. All cars are stopped before the exit. I was there last night picking up a friend and his wife. Guard just looked at me and waved me on.

[simon43]

Guard just looked at me and waved me on.

Yes, it seems that if you are driving and have a white face, the army checkpoint just waves you through.

Here is a great business opportunity for 'farang' to operate their own taxi business from the airport - pick up your passengers, doff your Trilby to the army guy with a 'Toodle Pip what what?!" and away you go

[Pinot]

My days of visiting Phuket are finished regardless of what the military have achieved. Once they've gone all the old scams will be back. In the past few years I've seen things deteriorate rapidly - taxi mafia not just at the airport but within the island, extremely aggressive tuk-tuk and taxi drivers, yes some farangs who have been killed or seriously injured by them may have opened their mouth too much but murder is no remedy. The place is ridiculously expensive. The notorious jetski scam. I was last there in around July last year and there were regular fights on Bangla between farangs/ladyboys/bargirls - a very unpleasant place.

Ridiculous.

Never seen a fight on Bangla in the street or a bar in five years here. Never had a problem with a tuk-tuk driver. Prices similar to Bangkok nightlife areas. Still the fun place it always was but it's changing, getting more subdued if anything.

[inzman]

My days of visiting Phuket are finished regardless of what the military have achieved. Once they've gone all the old scams will be back. In the past few years I've seen things deteriorate rapidly - taxi mafia not just at the airport but within the island, extremely aggressive tuk-tuk and taxi drivers, yes some farangs who have been killed or seriously injured by them may have opened their mouth too much but murder is no remedy. The place is ridiculously expensive. The notorious jetski scam. I was last there in around July last year and there were regular fights on Bangla between farangs/ladyboys/bargirls - a very unpleasant place.

Ridiculous.

Never seen a fight on Bangla in the street or a bar in five years here. Never had a problem with a tuk-tuk driver. Prices similar to Bangkok nightlife areas. Still the fun place it always was but it's changing, getting more subdued if anything.

So many others have had those experiences. But if you didn't then it never happened. How totally naive. Get your head out of the sand.