Crackdown on Bangkok taxi drivers who refuse to accept passengers

[forumuser10]

Saturday evening, Sukhumvit near Soi 7 . . . 5 drivers in a row refused to take me to near On Nut BTS . . . and this was with a Policeman standing right beside me who (even though I told him they were refusing to take me) acted dumb and ignored me and eventually moved away . . . doubt much is going to change.

I live near On Nut BTS too and it's almost impossible to get them to take you in that direction from Nana as they are generally blocked in traffic as far as Asok/Phrom Phong on a busy Saturday and then it's almost impossible for them to get a return fare. Probably a good 40 minute round trip for what is generally 70-80 baht tip. My record for stops was 8 drivers in a row just past the corner of Soi 3.

I have better luck getting a taxi on the opposite side, near McDonalds on the corner of Soi 4, they turn left and then left again along the road that runs parallel to Suk road, then onto Rama 4 and get back on to Sukhumvit around Prakanong. Also offering 100 baht off the meter usually appeases them, if it's going to be 80 anyway what's a 20 baht tip.

Great, you are offering them a tip for being dishonest, and doing something illegal! Very smart indeed!

[thairastawoman]

Once a year crackdown about taxi. The new people in charge are as ridiculous and the previous ones. TIT <3

[ukguyinthai]

I would love to get a team of 60+ expats backed up with a couple of army officers per expat. Go out and do sting operations on these taxi drivers.

When the taxi drivers are caught they should have their telephones removed and taken away for the day to be given special training. They should not be able to warn others the sting is in operation.

Not just Bangkok city but the suburbs as well.

If a driver uses the meter, accepts the fair let him drive around the corner tell him you have changed your mind and pay him 100 baht (also take his name and number for a record of a good driver)

If not…

Fine them 1000 baht (paid instantly or go to jail) 100 to the expat and 700 to pay for more officers 100 baht each to the army officers, to enforce the rules.

I think it would be easy to catch 1 every 15 mins in a 4 hour period that could be 1000 taxis

After the 4 hours, release all the drivers, pretend the sting is over, change the Expats for 60 + Thais and start all over again.

Nothing anyone has said here justifies taxi drivers being rude not using meters and over charging.

One problem is end of shift time (often just used as an excuse) and another driver waiting for his car. Customers should be allowed to sit in the air conditioned taxi while HE radios for another taxi to take the customer, then it’s still his problem while the customer is found transport.

[quidnunc]

"The cabbies, he added, must use meters and must not refuse to accept Thai passengers or they will face stern action from the authorities."

So it's ok to reject non-Thai passengers? Got to say prejudice isn't hidden from sight in the LOS

I actually do think cabbies should have a choice in whether or not to accept a fare, but this policy is clearly borne out of paranoia. The perseption being foreigners are never turned down and accept the metre not being used.

If you had carefully read the entire article, you would have noted that the problem is taxi drivers rejecting thai passengers for foreign ones. Obviously, with an eye to overcharging easy marks which foreigners are more likely to be. Maybe you are being a bit over eager to feel sorry for yourself?

[ZigZagMan]

Taxi thugs running Soi Nana will stop an honest taxi from picking up a fare. If an outsider taxi picks up a fare on Soi Nana, they will actually blockade the taxi, threaten the driver and force the farang out and into a their scam taxi.

These scum lease the street from the police so they feel justified and they also know the police protect them.

Welcome to the Nigeria of Asia.

[ZigZagMan]

"The cabbies, he added, must use meters and must not refuse to accept Thai passengers or they will face stern action from the authorities."

So it's ok to reject non-Thai passengers? Got to say prejudice isn't hidden from sight in the LOS

I actually do think cabbies should have a choice in whether or not to accept a fare, but this policy is clearly borne out of paranoia. The perseption being foreigners are never turned down and accept the metre not being used.

If you had carefully read the entire article, you would have noted that the problem is taxi drivers rejecting thai passengers for foreign ones. Obviously, with an eye to overcharging easy marks which foreigners are more likely to be. Maybe you are being a bit over eager to feel sorry for yourself?

The article is wrong then. They reject anybody, farang or Thai that is clued up.

They are criminals posing as taxi drivers, that pay the police to troll the hotel district, looking for first time visitors to scam.

[kannot]

Huh like many things so easily fixed, half the police could be reassigned to wear no police clothes and wait for taxis, rainy days would be good, only a few days ago i saw taxis at On Nut bts refusing thai passengers 3 times the first car twice the second car in the queue.

[rideride]

When in dire situation I might consider approaching them with my phone aiming at them, obviously recording.
Donot like that, as I can see it is often times a relatively serious business decision they got to make and some do actually refuse me quite friendly. Also it is introducing a lack of civility.

On the other hand I asked a Taxi driver lately how much it is to rent a taxi for 24h and I think it was something like 250-400 baht.
With a bit of planning ahead it should not be impossible to make a acceptable living from that.

3*50 baht trip customers an hour should not be illusory, right?

10h a day, 26 days a month makes like 25-30 k.

[easybullet3]

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This old clampdown again. The taxi drivers will continue to bare their naked behinds and fart in the face of authority. They will continue to laugh at this constant toothless crackdown and it will be business as usual.

They need to look into the taxis on Sukhumvit road. I was refused by at least 8 drivers around 2-00 pm yesterday . I don't know what there game is it's a 120 fare.

rejecting passengers in favour of foreign passengers

Many time I have been rejected and I am foreigner.....

I have called the TAXI REPORTING HOTLINE before "1197", but its awful. you wait about 5 to 10 minutes before any phone is answered and then they cant speak any English.

and how are foreigners supposed to be able to report a taxi when the taxi licence number has some thai alphabet in it ?

How about putting a Mandatory Sign (which is part of the Visible Licence number) with the REPORTING HOTLINE PHONE NUMBER visible for all passengers to see ? surely this in itself would be a deterrent ?

Edited August 14, 2014 by easybullet3

[Bluespunk]

"The cabbies, he added, must use meters and must not refuse to accept Thai passengers or they will face stern action from the authorities."

So it's ok to reject non-Thai passengers? Got to say prejudice isn't hidden from sight in the LOS

I actually do think cabbies should have a choice in whether or not to accept a fare, but this policy is clearly borne out of paranoia. The perseption being foreigners are never turned down and accept the metre not being used.

If you had carefully read the entire article, you would have noted that the problem is taxi drivers rejecting thai passengers for foreign ones. Obviously, with an eye to overcharging easy marks which foreigners are more likely to be. Maybe you are being a bit over eager to feel sorry for yourself?

If you read all my post you would see I have no problem with taxis refusing fares. I don't like it but it's their cab, their choice.

Also the article specifically mentions refusing Thai passengers. If they are going to crack down then it should be on refusing all passengers, not just specific nationalities.

It is wrong to assert that only Thais are refused. The taxis refuse everyone. To just be concerned about Thais is discriminatory.

[zyphodb]

Just to add my thoughts to the proceedings unless it's very late or very early why on earth would you want to take a taxi anywhere from central Bangkok? I always use the skytrain as far as it will take me in whatever direction I want to go, & if that doesn't get me there I then take a bus, Song kraw or, wait for it... a taxi to get me the rest of the way. Much quicker, cheaper & if you do need to go farther, no problems with city centre taxis, once you're out of there the taxis are all to happy to take you where you want to go, with the meter on, so ok you might get a little squished in the skytrain at rush hour but it's still got air con & will get you out of the city centre in a fraction of the time that a taxi will take...

[Bangel72]

There's a few interesting comments on this old topic. I feel a bit sorry for the driver heading off his shift and looking for a couple of fares going in his rough direction of home and being forced to take someone in the opposite direction.

The no meter element and taxi's leaving the old local lady standing in the rain in favour of picking up a tourist is partially the fault of the visitor, if you are willing to accept no meter then you are encouraging it, if you are tipping more than the locals you are in effect creating prejudices. Some people fail to grasp the latter element and often feel it is a bad thing to tip lower than they may would in their own country, but it helps to be culturally aware of the country you are in and decide if you want to create an environment that leaves a wee old lady standing in the rain as you skip into her taxi.

I'd also warn against the tourist vigilante on this one, arguing the law or blatantly filming a taxi ignoring the law is hassle you just don't need.

[ZigZagMan]

Huh like many things so easily fixed, half the police could be reassigned to wear no police clothes and wait for taxis, rainy days would be good, only a few days ago i saw taxis at On Nut bts refusing thai passengers 3 times the first car twice the second car in the queue.

The Police mafia ARE the problem. They have complete control.

These taxi thug gang members actually sign in every day. Every taxi gang outside every hotel pays.

A big General owns the pink taxies I was told. They are the worst.

If police didn't want criminal taxis scamming tourists, they would put the word out.

Overnite it would stop.

[csabo]

Saturday evening, Sukhumvit near Soi 7 . . . 5 drivers in a row refused to take me to near On Nut BTS . . . and this was with a Policeman standing right beside me who (even though I told him they were refusing to take me) acted dumb and ignored me and eventually moved away . . . doubt much is going to change.

I live near On Nut BTS too and it's almost impossible to get them to take you in that direction from Nana as they are generally blocked in traffic as far as Asok/Phrom Phong on a busy Saturday and then it's almost impossible for them to get a return fare. Probably a good 40 minute round trip for what is generally 70-80 baht tip. My record for stops was 8 drivers in a row just past the corner of Soi 3.

I have better luck getting a taxi on the opposite side, near McDonalds on the corner of Soi 4, they turn left and then left again along the road that runs parallel to Suk road, then onto Rama 4 and get back on to Sukhumvit around Prakanong. Also offering 100 baht off the meter usually appeases them, if it's going to be 80 anyway what's a 20 baht tip.

Offering 100B off the meter is exactly what they want. By contributing to this, actually in your case promoting it, you are causing problems for everyone else by training cabbies to cheat. Nice work ace!

9 times out of 10, they refuse to use meter and their flat rate is 300 baht, no negotiation.

I don't know what point your trying to make but yes that too is unlawful and should be reported. Contributing to corruption because it costs less is not an excuse.

[carter1882]

Try this....always open the back door to ask and if the driver refuses leave the door open. He will be furious and have to get out of the taxi. While he does this nip round the other way and get into the driver's seat and away you go. Remember to turn off the meter before reaching your destination.

[bkkgooner]

They need to look into the taxis on Sukhumvit road. I was refused by at least 8 drivers around 2-00 pm yesterday . I don't know what there game is it's a 120 fare.

Their game is simple - they are uneducated and fairly lazy folk. They think some farang is going to give them a 500 baht fare and then they take a break and get another 500 baht fare later on before they go home. Taxis that refuse customers are thick as pigshit.

[penco]

I just got back from LOS and in particular BKK recently. My experience with taxi drivers varied from OK to poor. I was refused lots of times (I was always in the company of Thais) and the excuse was that the traffic was so bad they weren't interested in making the journey i.e. they couldn't make a decent profit. The vast majority of drivers refused to use the meter and rather than have to wait for another taxi to come along and do the same I just caved in and paid an agreed fare which was usually at least 200-300% more than the metered fare would have been. My experiences in BKK with taxi drivers left me feeling stressed as it seemed that it was an almost unending struggle not to get ripped off every time.

Having said that I did come across a handful of taxi drivers who were honest, fair and very helpful. It's just a shame that they were the memorable exception rather than the rule.

Motorcycle taxis and taxis in Pattaya were a little better but not much. Even Baht Buses seemed to arbitrarily charge double with the excuse that I'd travelled a long way on it (e.g. from just near the Dusit Thani Resort to the beginning of Walking Street)

It's hard not to conclude from such experiences that in the LOS Farangs are just considered legitimate targets for rip-off merchants and cheats :-(

[Chao Lao Beach]

This old clampdown again. The taxi drivers will continue to bare their naked behinds and fart in the face of authority. They will continue to laugh at this constant toothless crackdown and it will be business as usual.

How many times we heard this.... you are right, biz as usual.

[EBlair48]

The problem is exacerbated by the habit of passengers opening the front door to tell drivers their destination. This gives drivers the easy option of declining. I don't know why people just don't get in the back and then tell the driver where they want to go ( probably because of fear of being kicked out with menace? ).

I was visiting Bangkok last week and twice was refused to be driven where I wanted to go, and I had gotten into the back. First time was in the afternoon about 3 PM and was only going about a mile. I was told " No can do, get out.. " I slammed the door a bit hard in anger and the driver got out as if to make a case out of it. Fortunately, I guess he figured I was the one with a case, not him, so he just left,

Second time was at 10:30 Friday night and was hailing a cab along with many others after a concert, taxi after taxi went by and finally I was left alone and then one stopped I got in It was to be about a 15 minute drive traffic was minimal at that time, no reason to refuse but he did, I had to offer 300 baht, which to me was not that much, as in Phuket I paid twice that for a 15 minute journey, but it was extortion and I meant to complain but forgot the taxi number.

The hotel staff told me to take the BTS , next time I will listen to them and plan accordingly.

[Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere]

Saturday evening, Sukhumvit near Soi 7 . . . 5 drivers in a row refused to take me to near On Nut BTS . . . and this was with a Policeman standing right beside me who (even though I told him they were refusing to take me) acted dumb and ignored me and eventually moved away . . . doubt much is going to change.

I live near On Nut BTS too and it's almost impossible to get them to take you in that direction from Nana as they are generally blocked in traffic as far as Asok/Phrom Phong on a busy Saturday and then it's almost impossible for them to get a return fare. Probably a good 40 minute round trip for what is generally 70-80 baht tip. My record for stops was 8 drivers in a row just past the corner of Soi 3.

I have better luck getting a taxi on the opposite side, near McDonalds on the corner of Soi 4, they turn left and then left again along the road that runs parallel to Suk road, then onto Rama 4 and get back on to Sukhumvit around Prakanong. Also offering 100 baht off the meter usually appeases them, if it's going to be 80 anyway what's a 20 baht tip.

Offering 100B off the meter is exactly what they want. By contributing to this, actually in your case promoting it, you are causing problems for everyone else by training cabbies to cheat. Nice work ace!

9 times out of 10, they refuse to use meter and their flat rate is 300 baht, no negotiation.

If the BTS and MRT ran 24 hours the taxis like the dogs can stay in the shade.

[scorecard]

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All you moaners should be transported back 30 years when there were no meters and no air con..each trip had to be price bargained before leaving. I do occasionally get refused by taxi driver but dont see it as a problem. I have come across 2 taxis in the last 20 years who didnt turn on their meters. Both forgot and suggested i pay whatever i thought was reasonable which i did.

Old timer that things were bad before does not make the current problems right. They are breaking the law.

Well here's a few more 'old timer' (35 years +) contributions:

- On one of my very early trips to Thailand my Thai colleague from my company office negotiated a fare (no meters). The driver put a cassette tape in his player and played some nice Thai music. On arrival at our destination 'plus 10Baht for music'. We didn't pay.

- When the 50Baht airport surcharge was introduced at Don Muang airport one driver tried to tell me (in Thai, I speak advanced Thai) that there was a printing error on the card, and it should read 500Baht airport charge, not 50Baht. I insisted he return to the airport so we could clarify the price with the police and I quoted the name of the then president of AOT. He instantly went quiet.

- When samak was PM there was a short period of time when some cabbies said 'Khun samak has made a law that foreigners have to pay 100Baht charge on top of the amount shown on the meter.' I ignored it and paid the exact amount on the meter. (Meaning regular trips, not meaning airport charges),

Edited August 14, 2014 by scorecard

[jcisco]

start revoking licences ..... this should also be done on Samui etc ..impound the taxi or scrap it......that will soon stop them

I like your poor economic, environmental and constructive suggestions! and I mean poor accross all those points. Maybe they can kill a family member or cut an arm off.... or like go and mess their house up.

Just set the taxi on fire right there, on the street, Thais might be missing it from the scenery...and tourists gotta feed facebook somehow....

[Old Man River]

I live only a block or so in a residence from one of the areas mentioned in the article where I often catch a taxi.

I've had the problem of taxi drivers refusing me often on long trips in Bangkok.

I'm just passing on this info for Farangs who have been refused service.

Sometimes they may be refusing you, but often you are there at the wrong time.

Many taxi drivers do not own the taxi they drive, they RENT the taxi from the owner or owner's company. An 8 hour shift is often how they rent it. Quite often that 8 hour shift they have the taxi for is from 6 a.m. to 2.p.m. .... the peak time for people going to work.

Someone else has the shift after their shift finishes.

Often the OWNERS will fine the divers if they do not return the taxi on time when their shift ends because the next shift driver is waiting for the taxi to be returned for him to start his shift.

That is why between 1 p.m. and 3 p,m. is the WORST time to try to catch a taxi at those choke points the article mentions.

The 50 or 100 Baht fine the owner charges the driver for not returning the taxi on time may be a small matter to you, but to the driver it means a big cut in what he makes in his 8 or 12 hour shift.

Sukhumvit road and the traffic there is one of the places the drivers hate to go ESPECIALLY lower Sukhmvit (the " Farang Ghetto" area).

That is often what you as a "Stupid Farang" just don't understand, and you are the one who often the one who causes the problems.

Instead of waiting at a taxi queue, and getting rejected, walk down the street a block or so and try to flag down a taxi there.

You might be surprised how much easier it goes to do that.

Shift changes aside, it is still hit and miss. Drivers can make more money on short trips (THB 35 range) than one long trip. If I am taking a short trip, I never have a problem getting a cab.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[pepi2005]

So they are still allowed to refuse foreign passengers?

By the way, what was the name of the little Android app one can use to report Thai taxi drivers?

Edited August 14, 2014 by pepi2005

[exalll]

The stupidest rejection I ever had was standing outside Panthip Plaza on Phetburi, wanting to take a taxi on the very short hop to Rathjathewi BTS (normally an easy walk but I was carrying a bulky purchase). Traffic was heavy, a taxi stopped, asked where I wanted to go, and when I told him, he shook his head, mumbled "rot tit", and off he went, passenger-less, in the traffic jam towards Ratjathewi BTS!

(Edited to correct BTS station!)

Edited August 14, 2014 by exalll

[NRGF]

The problem is exacerbated by the habit of passengers opening the front door to tell drivers their destination. This gives drivers the easy option of declining. I don't know why people just don't get in the back and then tell the driver where they want to go ( probably because of fear of being kicked out with menace? ).

I think this goes back to the day when there were no meters and you had to haggle the fair before you got in, then haggle again because all the lights were red or the traffic was too heavy. Yeah the good old days.

[zydeco]

Just to add my thoughts to the proceedings unless it's very late or very early why on earth would you want to take a taxi anywhere from central Bangkok? I always use the skytrain as far as it will take me in whatever direction I want to go, & if that doesn't get me there I then take a bus, Song kraw or, wait for it... a taxi to get me the rest of the way. Much quicker, cheaper & if you do need to go farther, no problems with city centre taxis, once you're out of there the taxis are all to happy to take you where you want to go, with the meter on, so ok you might get a little squished in the skytrain at rush hour but it's still got air con & will get you out of the city centre in a fraction of the time that a taxi will take...

Because you might be carrying a lot of things with you that wouldn't fit on a BTS, bus, or van ride.

[Tatsujin]

9 times out of 10, they refuse to use meter and their flat rate is 300 baht, no negotiation.

I don't know what point your trying to make but yes that too is unlawful and should be reported. Contributing to corruption because it costs less is not an excuse.

Perhaps I wrote in Thainglish, that's why you didn't understand the point . . . the point is that no matter what the "law" is, it only works if it is enforced, and as I've said before, when the Police are standing right beside me when they refuse to take you or charge off the meter and won't get involved, what are you supposed to do? Walk home?

[ZigZagMan]

Like to pay 500bt to go 4 kilometers? Go to Patyaya.

Meter taxies in Pattaya never use a meter even though they were specifically brought in to combat the baht bus monopoly.

Funny thing, the monopoly owns both company's. Scam scam scam.

Thanks Mayor.

[Cuchulainn]

.......here are about 160,000 taxies operating in Bangkok.......

What are taxies?