Crackdown on Bangkok taxi drivers who refuse to accept passengers

[noddy77]

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? ).

Have done that a few times but when they say no I have to get out anyway. Better to hold the door open and tell them where you want to go. If they say no just walk away. Leaving the door open of course.

[jimbeam1]

"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.

One afternoon a few months ago, while waiting for a bus, we watched two Thai guys trying to get a ride in a taxi. My g/f said they will not stop for them because they are frightened that they will be beaten up and robbed.

Surely the first thing to do is get rid of the non licensed was first. Which will never happen.

jb1

[jimbeam1]

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

What are taxies?

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/taxies.

jb1

[forrwhat]

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? ).

Ha you can do this and still be rejected. They just say no.

[nontabury]

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? ).

Because when you just get in and tell the driver to go, the same driver who would have refused you in the first place is now refusing you after you are inside his cab.

I have had it happen many times while trying to tell the cab driver it is only a 50 to 60 Baht distance and not far way and the traffic is no more backed up than anywhere else he would be going anyhow....but ...nope ...he does not want to go.

All in Thai language and no misunderstanding.

Then I get out of the cab and someone else asks him to go to another destination and he refuses them also.

About 10 percent of the cabbies come with an attitude, so forget them.

Here is some advice also:

If you are in a cab and the driver does get into an accident ....walk away from the accident.

Pay the guy the fare and or more and do not wait for change...just walk away.

Why...because if you do not, the cab driver ( not all, but most ) will blame you for the accident with the following logic that all the other Thai people will agree upon....including the police.

You instructed the cab driver to go to where the accident happened...so therefor it is your fault.

Cheers

"Here is some advice also:

If you are in a cab and the driver does get into an accident ....walk away from the accident.

Pay the guy the fare and or more and do not wait for change...just walk away.

Why...because if you do not, the cab driver ( not all, but most ) will blame you for the accident with the following logic that all the other Thai people will agree upon....including the police.

You instructed the cab driver to go to where the accident happened...so therefor it is your fault."

Total, total, bogwash.

I think he's trying to explain Thai logic, therefore not total bogwash.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere]

People fearful of change and the future spend much of their final years reminiscing "The Good Ole Days" We work our ass off, saving and investing and surviving every situation just so we can enjoy our golden years not bathe in the past. Now we should live each day like there is no tomorrow. We complain but 400 baht to the airport ain't beans? Come on! Try taking a taxi from lax to Riverside, California no less than $100 plus and that's if you lucky not to hit a traffic jam.

[nontabury]

People fearful of change and the future spend much of their final years reminiscing "The Good Ole Days" We work our ass off, saving and investing and surviving every situation just so we can enjoy our golden years not bathe in the past. Now we should live each day like there is no tomorrow. We complain but 400 baht to the airport ain't beans? Come on! Try taking a taxi from lax to Riverside, California no less than $100 plus and that's if you lucky not to hit a traffic jam.

Is't this thread about taxies in Thailand, therefor what happens in California is simply irrelevant.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Shaunduhpostman]

It's hardly like you cannot get a taxi. At most it's an incovenience to have the first few cab drivers you hail decide they don't want to go where you want to go. The cab drivers have to maximize the amount of fares they collect in their time on the road or they don't make good money or any at all. I'm cool with it or whatever their reason.

As for Mor Chit, a few months back, they were already forcing drivers to take people and that is much more of a problem than taxis refusing people. If you think being refused by a cab driver is inconvenient, then you haven't ever been taken by cab driver who was forced to accept you, as I have recently.

I was tired from a long bus journey into Bangkok and did not follow my instincts and choose another cab when the driver sat silently scowling when I asked to be taken to Sukhumvit Soi 19. After I repeated where i wanted to go, he gave me some sort of gruff signal of consent to go to Suk however and I hopped in. He clearly didn't want to take me and I knew that but didn't think anything would come of it. I assumed he was free to refuse me, so he must have a hair up his ass about something else, it's not my business.

But, once we were on the tollway going into central Bangkok from Mor Chit, the cabbie wouldn't bear left where the road forks to go into the Suk area and he continued in the lanes that take you straight on into south downtown/Silom area. As soon as he missed the turn, I asked incredulously, "Where are you going, that was the way into Sukhumvit back there?" He told me point blank, "Because I don't want to go to Sukumvit. I'm taking you to Sathorn BTS and you can take the sky train." I asked him, "If you didn't want to go there, why did you agree to do so at Morchit? I'm sure I could have gotten someone else who would take me." "Because the rule at the Mor Chit taxi stand is that I cannot refuse to take passengers." Great. Then he blew the turn to Sathorn BTS and got us into a huge jam on lower Silom and after 15 minutes of going hardly 1 block, I asked to be let out so that I could walk to the underground MRT a kilometer or so up the road at the Rama 4-Silom intersection luggage and all. Perhaps to his credit, he refused 110 baht and asked for 100 only.

I'm not sure I blame him 100 percent for what he did. But if they are going to force cab drivers to take customers, I'm sure what happened to me isn't the worst that could happen. Now, I'm going to have to use my mind reading skills to suss out whether cabbies really actually want to go where i want to go or not in order to avoid 30 minute micro-kidnappings or what have you.

Edited August 14, 2014 by Shaunduhpostman

[petedk]

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 have tried that but it is a bad idea.

I was waiting at a bus stop late in the evening but decided to stop a taxi. I got into the taxi and he seemed reluctant to go to the destination but started to drive slowly. After about 200 metres he stopped at a very quiet place and decided to make me get out. I then had to walk back to the bus stop as no taxis wanted to stop in that area.

Now I always ask before getting in.

Actually it can be quite annoying for the taxi drivers. I slowly open the front door, slowly move forward and wait a few seconds before asking. The cars behind start to get impatient and often beep their horns. Then when the driver refuses to take me I close the door slowly and as he drives off I smile to the cars behind.

[petedk]

We all know when the cab stops, the window slides down and you get that "look", he ain't gonna take you. He'll gaze for a moment down the road and with a slight shake of the head say, "Mai pai." This crackdown, like all the previous crackdowns, will accomplish nothing. And we all noted the following: "must not refuse to accept Thai passengers" so once again, Thailand sanctions discrimination against foreigners just as double pricing, refusing legal residence over 60 to get the senior discount on the BTS. Thailand shows its distain for us.

haha slightly off topic but I was surrounded by four security guards at a BTS station for trying to top up a senior card. They didn't give any explanation but kept asking my Thai ID card and of course I don't have one. I offered them my passport. The manager came out and all they kept saying was "farang no ID"

After a few minutes of confusion I started to speak. "What's the problem?" (in Thai) Oh I knew all along what the problem was but pretended not to know. They then said to me that Senior Cards were for Thai people only. I pretended to be surprised and asked why was it that MRT offered a senior card to foreigners. They kept on saying "No farang.. Thais only."

I couldn't hold myself any longer and gave a big smile and said "Oh I am topping up for my wife..... and her she comes." as she had grown tired of waiting for me and showed them my BTS card.

[gemguy]

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? ).

Because when you just get in and tell the driver to go, the same driver who would have refused you in the first place is now refusing you after you are inside his cab.

I have had it happen many times while trying to tell the cab driver it is only a 50 to 60 Baht distance and not far way and the traffic is no more backed up than anywhere else he would be going anyhow....but ...nope ...he does not want to go.

All in Thai language and no misunderstanding.

Then I get out of the cab and someone else asks him to go to another destination and he refuses them also.

About 10 percent of the cabbies come with an attitude, so forget them.

Here is some advice also:

If you are in a cab and the driver does get into an accident ....walk away from the accident.

Pay the guy the fare and or more and do not wait for change...just walk away.

Why...because if you do not, the cab driver ( not all, but most ) will blame you for the accident with the following logic that all the other Thai people will agree upon....including the police.

You instructed the cab driver to go to where the accident happened...so therefor it is your fault.

Cheers

"Here is some advice also:

If you are in a cab and the driver does get into an accident ....walk away from the accident.

Pay the guy the fare and or more and do not wait for change...just walk away.

Why...because if you do not, the cab driver ( not all, but most ) will blame you for the accident with the following logic that all the other Thai people will agree upon....including the police.

You instructed the cab driver to go to where the accident happened...so therefor it is your fault."

Total, total, bogwash.

Ok...you know better.

You be the smart one and stay around after you are in an accident in a cab and learn what happens.

Find out for yourself.

[petedk]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

rejecting passengers in favour of foreign passengers

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

Yes, when I am calling a cab in the same area as a Thai person, often the taxi will go to the Thai person. I am not complaining about this, the reverse happens as well. I am only repeating your quote because of the number of Thai people I hear say that the cabbies pick up farangs and not Thais.

There are loads of reasons for preferring a Thai or farang passenger, we don't need to go over the reasons.

On another point: Those cabbies have a pathetically low salary. Shouldn't they have to right not to pick someone up? I'm not talking about based on Thai or non-Thai, but about distances. If they don't want to get stuck in nasty traffic or go drive way out of their way, I think they out to have a right to decline. I know it's frustrating when we're trying to get somewhere, but they are independent contractors. I am a freelancer, and I refuse jobs that I think are undesirable all the time. It would suck to have to do every stupid job request that people send me... how is it different for the cab drivers?

I have lived in Bangkok for about 15 years and had never experienced that until about six months ago.

Now it seems to happen very often. I can flag a taxi and he will slow down for me but then he'll see some Thai 10 - 20 meters further along and go past me and pick them up.

This has happened maybe 20 times in the last six months. No idea why. No remarks about appearance as I often wear a suit or jacket.

[gemguy]

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? ).

Because when you just get in and tell the driver to go, the same driver who would have refused you in the first place is now refusing you after you are inside his cab.

I have had it happen many times while trying to tell the cab driver it is only a 50 to 60 Baht distance and not far way and the traffic is no more backed up than anywhere else he would be going anyhow....but ...nope ...he does not want to go.

All in Thai language and no misunderstanding.

Then I get out of the cab and someone else asks him to go to another destination and he refuses them also.

About 10 percent of the cabbies come with an attitude, so forget them.

Here is some advice also:

If you are in a cab and the driver does get into an accident ....walk away from the accident.

Pay the guy the fare and or more and do not wait for change...just walk away.

Why...because if you do not, the cab driver ( not all, but most ) will blame you for the accident with the following logic that all the other Thai people will agree upon....including the police.

You instructed the cab driver to go to where the accident happened...so therefor it is your fault.

Cheers

"Here is some advice also:

If you are in a cab and the driver does get into an accident ....walk away from the accident.

Pay the guy the fare and or more and do not wait for change...just walk away.

Why...because if you do not, the cab driver ( not all, but most ) will blame you for the accident with the following logic that all the other Thai people will agree upon....including the police.

You instructed the cab driver to go to where the accident happened...so therefor it is your fault."

Total, total, bogwash.

Ok...you know better.

You be the smart one and stay around after you are in an accident in a cab and learn what happens.

Find out for yourself.

[petedk]

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.

Uhm not a good idea. Driving taxis is one of the "restricted" jobs.

[gemguy]

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? ).

Because when you just get in and tell the driver to go, the same driver who would have refused you in the first place is now refusing you after you are inside his cab.

I have had it happen many times while trying to tell the cab driver it is only a 50 to 60 Baht distance and not far way and the traffic is no more backed up than anywhere else he would be going anyhow....but ...nope ...he does not want to go.

All in Thai language and no misunderstanding.

Then I get out of the cab and someone else asks him to go to another destination and he refuses them also.

About 10 percent of the cabbies come with an attitude, so forget them.

Here is some advice also:

If you are in a cab and the driver does get into an accident ....walk away from the accident.

Pay the guy the fare and or more and do not wait for change...just walk away.

Why...because if you do not, the cab driver ( not all, but most ) will blame you for the accident with the following logic that all the other Thai people will agree upon....including the police.

You instructed the cab driver to go to where the accident happened...so therefor it is your fault.

Cheers

"Here is some advice also:

If you are in a cab and the driver does get into an accident ....walk away from the accident.

Pay the guy the fare and or more and do not wait for change...just walk away.

Why...because if you do not, the cab driver ( not all, but most ) will blame you for the accident with the following logic that all the other Thai people will agree upon....including the police.

You instructed the cab driver to go to where the accident happened...so therefor it is your fault."

Total, total, bogwash.

I think he's trying to explain Thai logic, therefore not total bogwash.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

How do I know about the Thai logic.

One time I did get into a small fender bender and when I was leaving the cab the driver was grabbing at my shirt, around the shoulder area, trying to keep me from leaving while I was saying in Thai language: "Not my concern"....but he was insisting it was my concern.

But if you want you can stay around and learn what happens.

Cheers

[Strangebrew]

Only place I ever had issue with taxies is the airport he wanted me to pay flat rate I said meter only. He used meter fare was 120 baht I gave him 150 said keep the change. He was happy with that then about a week later same guy dropped passenger off at my condo I hopped in said meter please no problem.took his card and when I needed cab called him.even had him drive me to Pattaya on meter he offeted flat rate but when we got there his flat rate was cheaper than meter .then said see you would have loss money

[BernieOnTour]

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.

Btw

That's similar in other SE Asian countries also, eg. in heavily regulated Singapore

[Deacon Bell]

Deja vu.

Happened less than one year ago.

[MarkCyr]

Most of the complaints against taxi drivers deal with their use of rude language with passengers and rejecting passengers in favour of foreign passengers.

Yeah, but that's because cabbies are still openly charging ridiculous off-meter fares to foreigners in high-traffic areas. Good luck getting a cab to use the meter on Soi 11.

When the police enforce the set fares for ALL passengers, drivers won't care who they pick up and all of the problems in this article should disappear. Of course it will never happen though lol

[Absolut]

Too many people above can't read correctly. It said the drivers often refuse Thai passengers in favor of Foreigners. There's never been much problem with getting a taxi as a foreigner because foreigners give tips and don't always insist on using the meter. But Thais correctly insist on using the meter and rarely tip so they get rejected by drivers.

The ongoing clampdown is hitting all the right spots.

Many like to read between lines that aren't there so they can jump on the bandwagon of never ending supposed prejudice. You're post is spot on.

I don't live in Bangkok but over the last 7 days have not once been refused and using the meter has not been a problem every trip, perhaps I've just got lucky.

Edit to add: even on soi 11 last Saturday night

Edited August 14, 2014 by Absolut

[Yann55]

"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.

Read all the article. It said not accepting Thai passengers in favour of foriegners. Translated that means they accept a foriegner before a Thai.

LOL such a perfect example of absurd misunderstanding and lack of attention when reading. Bluespunk's reaction is perfectly coherent with the content of the article, which means he did read it thoroughly. You're the one who has a reading problem, rethaier.

The perception that Bangkok taxis prefer foreigners to Thais is not only false, it is indeed tinted with paranoia and racial prejudice, Bluespunk is absolutely right about that. Any white foreigner who has spent a lot of time in Bangkok will agree.

I'm a white guy and I have often been refused by Bangkok taxis. Surely in some instances they do have a good reason, but it's also obvious that in most cases the reason is simply that they don't like where you're going (too near, too much traffic) so they prefer to try their luck with the next guy. Well, in this kind of profession , such policy is not acceptable, even though it is widely practised. Restaurants don't like small orders, doctors don't like long-winded patients, but when you're selling a service the understanding is that you serve everyone including the 'undesirables'.

Acting on this problem is therefore logical coming from a regime which vowed to make things right in many fields, but reducing/twisting it into a racial problem is intellectually dishonest, demagogical and worrying. Demagogy was the main strategy under the Thaksin regime, with the result that democracy ended up being ridiculed and hijacked. Crackdown on demagogy should be a true priority.

[ZigZagMan]

Any taxi driver that rolls down the window and tries to interview the customer is a scammer.

Any taxi parked outside your hotel is a scammer.

Taxi drivers agree to take all fares when they sign up for the job.

Get in and inform the driver of your destination and pay what the meter says. Simple.

Just be sure to watch the meter.

Drivers have a secret button that can run the meter up. If you see this, change your destination to the police department.

[NativeSon360]

First, there are not enough "foreigners" in Bangkok (even during the peak tourist season) to make a significant "availability" impact on the local Thai passenger market. So the "cry-baby" complaints are, as usual, quite ludicrous. Besides, a taxi driver (world-wide), is a self-employed person, and has "the right" to refuse service to anyone, for any reason. A Police crackdown on taxi drivers for determining their own market demographic, is a blatant human rights violation.

Thai passengers don't tip. Foreigners do. Its simple math, especially when you consider that the 35 baht meter start fee, is the exact same fee from 25-years ago. Has anyone (of the powers-that-be) considered the 25-year rate of inflation? Huh? I suppose taxi drivers are not considered to be a significant part of the Thai society "pecking rder".

The comment, re: the 20% illegal taxi drivers issue, was totally off-topic. Chow,

Edited August 15, 2014 by NativeSon360

[ukguyinthai]

Stop using them where possible. Use trains and buses.learn the routes and how to use them.They are much cheaper and much faster than a taxi.It does take a little planning,but its a better experience than trying to work with mafia,scamming,rude,overcharging taxi drivers.

[toybits]

A company of soldiers should be deployed near Platinum (Phetburi Road). We were refused by no less than 10 taxis there. They were asking for 400 baht for a trip that costs around 80 baht with the Meter.

[NativeSon360]

Any taxi driver that rolls down the window and tries to interview the customer is a scammer.

Any taxi parked outside your hotel is a scammer.

Taxi drivers agree to take all fares when they sign up for the job.

Get in and inform the driver of your destination and pay what the meter says. Simple.

Just be sure to watch the meter.

Drivers have a secret button that can run the meter up. If you see this, change your destination to the police department.

Taxi drivers agree to take all fares when they sign up for the job, you say? Wrong, wrong and wrong again. I don't know what planet you've been living on, but welcome to the planet called "Earth". Taxi drivers (world-wide) are NOT company employees. They are (in fact) "independent" contractors. Its a hustling person's business, and a taxi driver waiting for "prospective" passengers, from outside of a busy hotel, is not a scam artist. He's a wise businessman. Taxi drivers (world-wide) will first interview prospective passengers, agree upon the rate (meter or flat fee, if the driver is also the taxi owner) prior to beginning the livery service trip. That standard holds true for London, New York, Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Berlin, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, Budapest, Bucharest, Tel Aviv, etc. Capiche?. Even if the Thai drivers do "cheat" a bit, so what? The Bangkok taxi fares are some of the lowest fares on the planet. If you were an experienced traveler, you would have already known the facts, and probably would not have posted those absurd remarks. Thailand is real easy, in that regard. Don't believe it? Then take a taxi (Teksi) trip in the city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Then compare the differences, especially with regards to the secret meter button. For heaven sake, lighten up, sir! Have a nice one.

Edited August 15, 2014 by NativeSon360

[NativeSon360]

A company of soldiers should be deployed near Platinum (Phetburi Road). We were refused by no less than 10 taxis there. They were asking for 400 baht for a trip that costs around 80 baht with the Meter.

Welcome to the planet called "Earth"

[gringo99]

Lol yes maybe they are not so good taxi driver but the price of taxi is very low guy .compare to me in France . From my condo to on nut bts abt 4 km cost me only 52 baht when no traffic . From platinum amari water gate wre my gf work when l go take her cost me under 80 baht . Cost of taxi is really cheap . Compare to France . Its really hurt ur ass take taxi in Paris from airport Charles de Gaulle de gentilly cost me 50€ .hell not more than 30 km .its wat l pay for go Bkk to Pattaya. Deal its easy dad of my exgf is police who buy taxi car & rent . In 2009 he rent taxi for 500 baht 12 hour . Taxi driver must pay ngv . So 500 b plus ngv he win nothing . Imagine he take u platinum day time he will lose all his time in July 2014 l was waiting my Thai friend in platinum she was near siam . Guy l wait her 1 hour she not arrive . Yet then l call her & l told l walk to u . & l find her in big c near siam imagine taxi drive drops customer there hw long its take for he out this bullshit area .better to walk from siam to platinum than use bus or taxi

[gringo99]

I think best thing to do is report a taxi driver . Almost all we have smartphone just put scan inside a taxi . So if u have any problem u have his information in ur phone . So u can report him so easy than try look at his PIC with name

Edited August 15, 2014 by gringo99

[tropo]

"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.

I was refused several times by taxis outside Baiyoke Sky Hotel last month. One guy picked me up and then dumped me about 100m down the road when I refused his "offer". The ONLY taxis which would take me anywhere without a negotiated fare were the ranked taxis outside the hotel which were supervised by hotel security staff. All others would only accept negotiated fares.

I gave up on taxis and started using the motorcycle taxis and tuk-tuks instead.

A 1000 baht fine is ridiculous and no disincentive whatsoever. That's only 3 or 4 small negotiated fares from foreigners. They can pay that off in a few hours.

Edited August 15, 2014 by tropo