Crackdown on Bangkok taxi drivers who refuse to accept passengers

[thatguy]

Posts #16 & 18 saved me a lot of typing

[louse1953]

"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.

Paranoia right from the start,well done.Do you actually think that everything the "govt." say is concerning non Thai's.We are a small minority here with no voting rights,they cant think of us in every bloody issue and statement.Ive been knocked back a few times,but not long before i get one.Straignt away i tell him thanks,and there is a tip in it.Leave on friendly terms.

[ZigZagMan]

For years, I've stayed on Suk Soi20 and have had to pass 20 taxi scammers & trudge all the way to Sukhumvit for a taxi.

These guys actually lease the scam turf from the police.

[zydeco]

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? ).

Or hacked to death with a machete.

I am in no way condoning what you are referring to but that's only been reported once, when a passenger disputed the metered fare on arrival at the destination and threw a coffee cup in the driver's face. As you know.

Why try to scaremonger?

It's more than just the one samurai taxi driver. Just in the last few days, there was this: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/749843-bangkok-cab-driver-admits-robbing-american-tourists-at-gunpoint/

They work over Thais, too, not just foreigners. The taxis in downtown Bangkok appear to be the most menacing. The guys in my suburb are usually much more mellow.

[muffy]

1. When I get a good driver that takes me by the meter without asking he gets a good tip . I tell them good job , good tip .

[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? ).

Or hacked to death with a machete.

I am in no way condoning what you are referring to but that's only been reported once, when a passenger disputed the metered fare on arrival at the destination and threw a coffee cup in the driver's face. As you know.

Why try to scaremonger?

How do you know a cup of coffee was thrown, did the murdered victim tell you.?

[zydeco]

1. When I get a good driver that takes me by the meter without asking he gets a good tip . I tell them good job , good tip .

Yesterday, when I was refused by a taxi for a 100 baht trip, I went to the guy right behind him (had seen them all huddled in a group) and he took me right away. On arrival at my destination, I intentionally gave him a 50 baht tip and told him to tell the guy in front of him what he missed. And, no, this was not at shift change.

[louse1953]

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.

And they are cruising down Suk.anyhow.I just duck in and say meter off if going short way.I know the fare and a cashie for the driver.Only at night though,were its unlikly to be owner.

[zig]

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? ).

Simple, really - it is because it is tiring to climb into the taxi, only to be refused and have to climb out again, few times in a row. It is easier to ask first...

[mebkk]

"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.

They don't say it's OK to reject foreign passengers. Actually they said: "and rejecting passengers in favour of foreign passengers."

As for the right of a cabbie to refuse a fare - they don't have that riigt as they are public transportation meaning belong to the public. I was a cabbie in Melbourne many years ago and as long as we did't display the "not for hire" sign we were obliged to accept all passengers. The only acceptable reasons to refuse a fare was fear to the cabbie's safety.

[no deal]

last month i have two friend coming from france in vacation, i told theme told the taxi driver to turn the meter on , no one want to do that,for 3 week in bangkok whit different taxi every days! they charge theme about 300 bt even for short distance,so yes, this is going to be hard to make this taxi driver to change the bad habit...

[Zeegator]

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.

"Thailand shows its distain for us." Thailand certainly does not.

"And we all noted the following: "must not refuse to accept Thai passengers" so once again, Thailand sanctions discrimination against foreigners..."

I'm sure we all did note that, but not all of us chose to deliberately misunderstand what was obviously meant. The suggestion was not that it is ok to refuse non-Thai passengers but that Thais must not be rejected in favour of foreigners and what was probably lost in the translation was that no passengers should be rejected in favour of a more lucrative fare.

"...refusing legal residence [sic] over 60 to get the senior discount on the BTS."

If that is true, you have to bear in mind that that is the policy of a private company, it is not a policy dictated by the government and that policy is clearly intended to make travelling around the city easier and a lot less expensive for the less well off. Frankly, if you are a foreigner here so skint that you cannot afford to pay the normal BTS fare, and you have to whinge about it on a forum, maybe you should be somewhere where you can claim all your social security benefits including a free bus pass.

[daveAustin]

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.

Ah, I see, so it's the foreigners' fault for not understanding how it all works and not the fact that the system is all to cock. What about aged visitors staying in those busy areas, would they be expected to walk too? The whole system needs to change--as do Thais, this is the 21st century--and everyone knows it. I'd like to see these 'taxi drivers' try all that malarkey in a real country like Singapore and see what happens.

[SupermarineS6B]

The old story continues.... Try catching a taxi on Sukhumvit after two in the morning, i've got used to the fact that nine times out of ten, as soon as that window comes down it means no, (Mai bai). So my policy is, window comes down, walk on. Then recently i've had the 200 bht trick, i live in Ratchada, Sukhumvit to Ratchada is generally 70 bht, normally i give a 100 bht......... Problem is, these taxi drivers have been spoilt for so long that they think that this little gravy train is going to continue. I've got news for these boys, Thailands becoming more and more expensive, and as we all know, a lot of people are taking their custom to neighbouring countries. I had two taxi drivers ask me on the same night, "where is everybody"? And i must say i've happily replied, they've all gone to Laos,Cambodia,Malaysia,Burma,,,,,,,,,,, Not 100% true, but it definetley was payback time...... I'm coming into my third decade in Thailand, and tell you the truth, "It's not what it was ".........I wish they'd just stop trying to be Singapore ( Boring dump) and just revert back to being the happiest little wh--- house in SE Asia......... (Just my opinion)

[Zeegator]

Its a sad state of affairs when a country needs to impose martial law to get the taxi drivers to switch their meter on!

That's wasn't quite the reason for the imposition of martial law.

[luk AJ]

In a free trade ,better taxi services will out-compete the current amateuristic situation. Army should support new initiatives not impose laws which will never work. The solution is so simple, let competition do the work.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Zeegator]

That's right. Tell the delinquent taxi drivers where the officers will be so that they are forewarned! Whatever happened to spot checks?

What difference would it make? Taxis are equipped with radio communication, within 10 seconds of them being set up every driver in Bangkok would know were the checks were being made.

[Bluespunk]

Why are so many posters jumping on the racism card? Only once in the story (2nd last paragraph) is there mention of "Thai passengers". Only once. The rest of the story references "passengers". It also goes on to explain that many taxi drivers reject Thai passengers in favour of foreigners - which does happen occasionally, I guess (though I've seen only a little of this over the years).

Dump the racism towards foreigners angle. After all haven't a lot of TV posters to this thread just stated how they have been rejected? Ummm ... errr ... run that by me again, genius!

I think the authorities saying that they will punish those taxis refusing Thai passengers has more than a sniff of a discriminatory attitude about it.

The perception amongst those behind this crackdown is that foreigners are not being refused or do not protest if the meter is not used, at the expense of Thais.

That this perception is wrong does not make the rational behind this latest crackdown any less discriminatory.

Edited August 14, 2014 by Bluespunk

[spidermike007]

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.

Also, Soi 4 Sukhumvit. Some of the worst offenders in Bangkok.

[Zeegator]

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.

[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.

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

Yes? How does my post contradict that? It's not true. I'm often turned down and insist on meter fares only.

[razer]

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? ).

Tried this. Doesn't work. The taxi driver will sit there until Hell freezes over or until you get out. That's why you ask the taxi driver if your business is convenient for him.

And I, like many others, believe the taxi drivers think they have more power than the police, the Land Transport Department and even the NCPO. They will continue this arrogant attitude until they suffer real penalties. The good guys have nothing to worry about except the taxi mafia that herds them away from certain areas.

Suggestions: 1 complaint, call the driver to appear at the police station and hear his side of the story. 2nd complaint, the same. 3rd complaint, a 3,000 baht fine. 4th complaint driver loses his taxi license if he has one. I think that is fair.

[Zeegator]

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.

That wasn't his point, kid.

[catweazle]

Figthing windmills, again

[sonofjoyce]

I recently stayed in Bangkok for a couple of weeks at a hotel down Sukhumvit Soi 4. Because I am a smoker I have my breakfast outside in the designated area, whilst doing so I was amazed to witness the actions of the Taxi drivers who were parked (in a no parking area) opposite the Hotel. These drivers were touting for business from people staying at the Hotel and at passing tourists,and were only interested in long haul journeys, refusing short journeys. To my amazement I witnessed on a couple of occasions where a Police Motor Cyclist stopped and tried to move them on but to no avail. While dealing with the Taxi drivers, one of them had called somebody? the Taxi driver hand the phone to the policeman, words were said and the only movement was of the Policeman leaving?

I believe the NCPO is doing a decent job but to stamp out corruption it's the bigger fish that need to be cleaned out.

A Policeman trying to do his job only to be told by somebody with more authority to move on??????????

[Bluespunk]

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.

You've clearly been very lucky. I've had taxis refuse to take me where I want to go unless I agree to an off meter fare.

I never do.

[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.

It is quite the opposite from what you say about prejudice towards foreigners. The reason they talk about rejection of Thai passengers is because...quote from above.....

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

I know what the article said.

It's wrong.

[rwhoov]

How about getting Pattaya "Meter" Taxis to use their meters.

[Zeegator]

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?

"It would suck to have to do every stupid job request that people send me... how is it different for the cab drivers?"

Because there is a law they have to comply with, as a freelancer you don't have that requirement.

[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.

I think you will find that it was rejecting Thai passengers in favour of tourists....

I think you'll find that's what I said.

The perception is paranoia and incorrect.