Thai taxi drivers explain why they reject you

[kannot]

They must be rseholes as they are talking out of them.........however this is the sort of ridiculous response i sometimes hear from other Thais always pleading "not fair"

WANT THE MONEY DONT WANT THE WORK

[Bluespunk]

I have lived in Bangkok for 15 years and at the moment I take 2 or more taxis a day, so I have had plenty of experience with the drivers.

Most are good but there are many (and I mean many) who refuse to take me to the destination I want. Ok I just wait for the next one.

Some try asking 200 Baht for a 50 baht trip, and one even wanted a blow job!

Today, however, I have just experienced the worst.

I wanted to go from Bangkok Hospital to Thong Lor (near Camillian Hospital). It's not far but I had two or three big boxes. I thought about taking a motorbike but didn't like the idea of holding the big boxes.

I asked the security woman to get me a taxi to Thong Lor. He drove in but when he saw me he said he wouldn't go. I asked why. (In Thai) and he said the traffic was too bad (15.15 in the afternoon). I told him rubbish and that the traffic was ok. He then asked for 300 Baht. The security woman was taken back too and I saw her write something in her book. I said I would complain but he sped off before I even got his number.

A few minutes later I got another taxi. Cost ... 45 Baht . Time .. about 5 minutes

Not sure about that being the worst.

Don't get me wrong it's bad, but it wouldn't compare to being asked for a blow job as the worst experience.

[kannot]

Meters should be calibrated to measure time and distance. So if Thailand's taxi meters are only measuring distance, I've got to agree with the cabbie's concerns. But their gripe should be lodged with the government agency that regulated taxis. If the metering scheme is unfair, lobby the government to change it. Don't get all bent out of shape at the customers.

Thai taxi meters ARE calibrated to measure time and distance. These details are displayed in front of you in most taxis.

But the fares, particularly the starting fares or flagfall, are too cheap. I can't for the life of me understand why flagfall hasn't increased from 35 Baht to at least 50 Baht, with 50% extra charged at night for fares between say 10pm and 5am?

And then is it only after the first km that fares start increasing? It used to be after 2km, another world record low and very unfair for the drivers.

Every other country in the world has seen taxi fare rises over the years, why not Thailand?

No wonder taxi drivers here are so frustrated, many of them refuse to use the meter or refuse the destination. Isn't it obvious? You can't make a living if you have to deal with such extremely low fares. If taxi fares were more reasonable, there would be less need for the drivers to cheat. There would probably also be fewer fare refusals.

A lot of this is obvious. Increase flagfall to 50 Baht, 60-75 minimum for nighttime fares. Also the fares should rise faster than they currently do - and even then taxi fares wouldn't be all that much more expensive than they are now.

They know the prices when they start the job.......................dont like it ,bugger off do another job

[malc419]

"We don't reject passengers, we just reject your destination," the taxi admin wrote"

Classic twisted Thai logic.

"We earn THB100 from you, but do you know what we have to pay for it?"

Your Local Mafia Extortionist?

"Do you think it is worth our time?”

It had better be you lazy <deleted>. Or, get a real job.

"The status claims taxi drivers should be able to file complaints against bad customers."

More Classic twisted Thai logic.

The Thai really have a knack for endearing others with their Foot in The Mouth approach.

And they love to always blame the customer. Absolutely BIZARRE.

Minds of children...

You sound like some one who has an answer for every thing and I bet you are never wrong.

[kovaltech]

You have to admit, the taxi driver speaks the truth. Just saw a post where a farang was complaining about a 100 baht fare. Really.

That you saw a post does not mean you know the truth...

Taxi drivers are not allowed to reject a faire. period.

They knew that from the moment they started as a taxi driver... so taxi drivers, stop whining... and make an honest living...

[sambum]

There is another reason, and perhaps the drivers do not want to "lose face" by telling a dumb Farang this, but I don't care.

One thing many Farangs don't understand is that many drivers RENT their taxis from an owner.

They have definite hours they can drive that taxi, and if they keep the taxi too long, past their allotted hours, they have to pay a fine for late return of the taxi.

Therefore, if you ask them to go to a destination that is on the opposite side of Bangkok, they may know perfectly well that will make them late returning the taxi to the owner (who has it rented out again to someone else for that person's shift).

The taxi driver will have to pay a late fee, and often that can cost him the entire day's profit on driving an 8 hour shift right there.

The taxi driver may not be willing to tell you this, again because he will "lose face" to tell a foreigner this fact.

Some of you may already know this, some of you don't.

But now, anyway, I've told you the facts, so at least you can't say you "didn't know".

Another problem caused by "losing face"? I can understand the taxi driver not wanting to be late to hand his taxi over, but I have been accompanied by my Thai girlfriend many times and got the silent shake of the head and off! To me that is downright rude! They should at least explain the reason for not taking the fare, and another sore point (which has already been covered many times) is the "meter no work" answer once you ask some drivers to turn it on. My answer to that is "No meter, no tip", and if I offer a 100 baht tip for an airport run (at the right time of day) it usually has the desired effect of magically fixing the broken meter!!!

[SOTIRIOS]

....so it's the paying customer's fault......???

[sambum]

At least it is possible to find a taxi that will use the meter in BK. In Chiang Mai it is impossible to get them to use the meter. Locals and expats that don't drive mainly use black smoke spewing songthaews for reasonably priced transport, adding to the already lovely air quality here.

Same in Koh Samui, but at least we have the sea breezes to dispel the carbon monoxide!

[Travelman868]

Yes. There are those drivers. And I kind of underdtand his point. But there are also loads of taxis just hanging around waiting for foreigners to pay tripple the usual fare. Is that fair?

Some areas like oratunam and sukhumvit can be really hard to find a cab that will go for the right price by meter. Especially at night (when there is no traffic jam to blame things on...)

The Taxi meters should be calibrated so that waiting time returns a proper cost for miles and time.

[jackh]

Let me see if I have this right. I fly into BKK and get a taxi. The driver is upset because my destination involves too much traffic. Like "I" am supposed to know BKK intimately enough to know the city's traffic flow? That makes me the bad guy?

Thais can take this face saving BS and put it where the sun don't shine! Along with the Chinese, Laotions, whomever else uses this "face saving" mentality to rule their lives. What a load of rubbish. I'm worn out about this whole concept.

Thais don't about you or anybody else but themselves. Self centered and selfish the lot of them. And don;t chime in about "I know a lot of Thais that are not this way." There are always exceptions, but the majority are this way.

If you cannot do your job as simple as driving a taxi is, then go do something else. Stop whining! And shut the f%$k up when I'm in your taxi. Your job is to drive and pay attention, not make stupid smalltalk.

I have no sympathy for these lame drivers. Buck up and do your job.

[Guitar God]

The taxi drivers want to be able to report bad customers? How's that going to work since passengers don't wear license plates, farang numbers or have their travel license taped to their body.

"Dispatch, Yeah, I just dropped off a farang on the way to Chit lom, he wanted me to stop a block away. Tall, light skin, big nose".

"Roger that, I'll log it in the complaint file".

Edited December 1, 2014 by Guitar God

[bangon04]

If taxi driving in Bangkok is such a bad deal, then why are there so many cabs lined up outside expensive hotels all day?

Surely if there were fewer taxis, then the drivers would get more fares and make more money...

Putting up the fares will surely mean that there are even more taxis on the streets looking for a fare.

[jackh]

If a taxi says no to me then I always say thank you and look for another taxi... not worth stressing about.

Yea, I do the same except before I go I leave the door open.

[gbswales]

That is an issue between them - the taxi owners or their employers and as far as the fares are concerned - the government. Punishing passengers is wrong. If they want to protest go on strike (oh of course they wont get paid!)

Sorry lads and lasses.You took the job you should be aware of the problems.

Let's be fair a number of these taxi's are better described as fecal matter on wheels, drivers who don't have a clue as where they are going and a number of them are no more than cheap pimps for the sex trade.

However to be fair it is a minority of these taxi drivers those categories..,

Most of them "took the job" years and decades ago, when fares were a reasonable reflection of the costs and remuneration expectations.

They've seen costs go up. Costs of fuel. Costs of the cars. Cost of feeding their family. Cost of real estate to live in. Costs of sending their kids to decent schools.

When was their last significant fare increase?

[schnazzy]

I have rarely met a taxi driver that owned his own car. About 20% of those I asked would be at the top end. It makes no difference if they raise the meter rate or not. If they do, then those that really own and then rent them out to the drivers (the ones doing the work all day), will just raise the rent. It's the same as why tipping (at restaurant's etc.) never benefits the majority of staff, but it lines the pockets of the restaurant owners. I digress.

The idle time should probably be increased. Uber, sure, competition should right-size the industry and look what it has done to the medallion prices in America. WOW.

Most of the drivers (vast majority) are really nice. Some have said no to driving me all the way across town at the end of their shift when they have really no way to get another fare and it is the opposite way they are going.

I don't like it but I feel for the guys. I guess in the end, if the rates do go up moderately and they enforce the taxi rules (like you gotta take the fare), it might move some people out of the industry and make it a bit more equitable for the guys at the bottom. maybe...

[Bkungbank]

it's just excuses given by the driver all the road are same in Bangkok in big city where 10 Millions populations, Since decided to take up the job it's service job to transport passangers around.

[jlwilliamsjr18]

I'm going to say this without reading the above. The taxi problem is not the laws, it's the taxi mafia, that pinches their fat shares from their drivers. It's a closed system, that does not allow the lone entrepreneur to venture out as an independent taxi or the consequences will be staggering if not fatal. So... Thai. Gov. come down on taxi mafias, and encourage open and fair competition...then watch how "happy" the taxi's and customers are.

[sambum]

You have to admit, the taxi driver speaks the truth. Just saw a post where a farang was complaining about a 100 baht fare. Really.

i think it is because almost EVERY taxi in foreign countries must take you where you want to go. they can not say no. and they dont complain. many other cities in the world also have traffic too. (so foreigners expect this from any taxi because they used to it from their travelling around the world).

to tell the truth,, i live in Pratunam a VERY busy traffic area during the afternoon.

i often have to ask about 4 or 5 taxis before i finally get accepted. and usually I am going to sukhumvit or paragon or something.

i dont really understand why they say no (because EVERYWHERE in the area is busy around my home... if they go straight forward, left, right or u-turn... its ALL traffic).. so why say no to sukhumvit (less than 3 km) or paragon,, (just 2km). because no matter where they go, they will have traffic in my zone of bangkok.

its like a waiter in a restaurant not serving certain customers because he thinks they wont give him a good tip !!

the ONLY time I agree with Taxi Drivers is when they must finish their shift and return their car and they dont have time to take me. This is ok and fine.

but I disagree with taxi drivers that dont do their job. BUT: this is thailand... I see staff in department stores sleeping and picking their nose and squeezing their spots and chatting on the phone and ignoring customers! 5555

.. and when I ask for the location of a product in a department store or supermarket, the staff just point in the direction and they are lazy to walk with me to show me where is the product. so I understand that thai people are not the same as most other developed countries of the world. so with this knowledge of Thai staff, i can understand the taxi drivers. they just want an easy day. they dont want to do the hard part of their job. (so,, yes I understand).

i wonder how it will be when ASEAN community opens and hundreds of thousands of HARD WORKING Burma and Filipino people come to work here? i imagine that many employers will hire them,, and many thai people might lose their jobs.

what is your opinion ?

" i wonder how it will be when ASEAN community opens and hundreds of thousands of HARD WORKING Burma and Filipino people come to work here? i imagine that many employers will hire them,, and many thai people might lose their jobs."

It would be pointless to try to explain that to them. Sorry, going a bit off topic, but a similar situation is ongoing in the UK, and it is all due to the number of legal and illegal immigrants coming into the country. Who can blame an employer for taking on "foreigners/farangs" to do a job that a local either doesn't want or wants twice the wages for? And who can blame an employee for being upset for being replaced by a foreign worker who is doing his job for half the wages? Result - thousands of illegal immigrants working for peanuts, and thousands of legal immigrants being given millions of pounds in benefits because they can't get a job! To get back on topic, yes, I think that many Thai people will lose their jobs, I think that many Thai people have lost their jobs already. They are being/have been replaced by Burmese who are here illegally, and paying out millions of baht to corrupt officials who we hopefully are beginning to see being prosecuted for their part in a scam that once again will hopefully end when "ASEAN community opens". Then we will see the Thais on the streets with banners saying "Thai jobs for Thai people!"

[iReason]

"We don't reject passengers, we just reject your destination," the taxi admin wrote"

Classic twisted Thai logic.

"We earn THB100 from you, but do you know what we have to pay for it?"

Your Local Mafia Extortionist?

"Do you think it is worth our time?”

It had better be you lazy <deleted>. Or, get a real job.

"The status claims taxi drivers should be able to file complaints against bad customers."

More Classic twisted Thai logic.

The Thai really have a knack for endearing others with their Foot in The Mouth approach.

And they love to always blame the customer. Absolutely BIZARRE.

Minds of children...

complete absence of understanding that fares have not increased at all while the cost of doing business skyrockets. i would refuse to go too.

I would have found another job.

Especially, if I had a family.

And, I'll bet the times that they rob you, more than make up for it.

[Jonmarleesco]

Oh, dear, oh, dear. I would ask whether the comments and claims are serious, but it is Thailand so I doubt I need to. Few will complain about a reasonable increase but will expect it to go hand in hand with quality cars, quality drivers, and NO scamming the passenger.

Perhaps the writer should try plying his trade in, say, London. Yes, he would be charging much more, but the costs he complains of would also be higher, and traffic often nose to tail, yet should he refuse a passenger without sound reason, he would be at risk of losing his licence. Try refusing to use the meter, and his 'career' would be over.

Edited December 1, 2014 by Jonmarleesco

[Luxfare]

I always tip well (mainly because my step father was a taxi driver and I understand their expenses). Quite frankly how anyone can complain about service when paying a 60thb fare that would cost 8quid in England is beyond my comprehension, you get what you pay for and in 4 years of living here I've never treat a taxi driver disrespectful and have never had a problem in return. And when I say I tip well I'm talking about 50-100thb not heaven and Earth.

[SunsetT]

To be fair, taxi fares should go up and the amount of baht the meter jumps during a traffic jam should be increased. It doesn't make sense to be stuck in traffic for an hour and only see the meter jump a few baht.

That being said, nobody likes people who whine about being 'oppressed'. I wish they'd legalize Uber soon and get more drivers. That will teach these idiot taxi drivers.

I dont get it! I know the meter goes up at the same rate whether the cab is moving or stationary. I recently watched it go up 12bt just waiting at traffic lights. So if the meter functions on time and not distance then the only difference is that the car is using more fuel when stuck in a traffic jam. But surely this is offset by the fact that the driver is actually earning money for a longer time while stuck in a jam, and not running around using fuel looking for a fare or sitting somewhere waiting for a fare and earning nothing. I do not get it.

[wabothai]

I have never seen a city with so many taxis, seems like an allright paying business. Or is it they want a hamog on wheels? Why are they driving taxis when they don' t make enough money?

[wabothai]

Hogwash !!!

[slapout]

If the taxie adminstration had tried to justify their rational with only one word it may be better received......because......

[jamiesilver]

Ill say it and ill say it again... Get rid of 50% of Bangkok taxis - The traffic will be far less, they wont be stuck in traffic and neither will we. There will be less Taxis so they can have their fair increase, They will earn more because they are not fighting 100 taxis per 1 customer every day. What could be easier than just getting rid and cleaning up Bangkok. Also for anyone who refuses to put on a meter, the police should be called because it is blatent theft and blackmail. there should be a prison sentence for it.

[Jonmarleesco]

I always tip well (mainly because my step father was a taxi driver and I understand their expenses). Quite frankly how anyone can complain about service when paying a 60thb fare that would cost 8quid in England is beyond my comprehension, you get what you pay for and in 4 years of living here I've never treat a taxi driver disrespectful and have never had a problem in return. And when I say I tip well I'm talking about 50-100thb not heaven and Earth.

Good for you. And others tip, too. But not when the driver has tried to screw them. The modest fare vs London is totally irrelevant. We're not in London; we're in Bangkok, and the problem is that for too many taxi drivers, screwing the passenger is part of the culture. Increase the fares to a realistic level, but in so doing, get rid of the bad apples.

[Alwyn]

There is another reason, and perhaps the drivers do not want to "lose face" by telling a dumb Farang this, but I don't care.

One thing many Farangs don't understand is that many drivers RENT their taxis from an owner.

They have definite hours they can drive that taxi, and if they keep the taxi too long, past their allotted hours, they have to pay a fine for late return of the taxi.

Therefore, if you ask them to go to a destination that is on the opposite side of Bangkok, they may know perfectly well that will make them late returning the taxi to the owner (who has it rented out again to someone else for that person's shift).

The taxi driver will have to pay a late fee, and often that can cost him the entire day's profit on driving an 8 hour shift right there.

The taxi driver may not be willing to tell you this, again because he will "lose face" to tell a foreigner this fact.

Some of you may already know this, some of you don't.

But now, anyway, I've told you the facts, so at least you can't say you "didn't know".

Well thanks for clearing that up. Perhaps (as you seem to be in the know) you can explain why they refuse to turn on the meter, why they overcharge, why their taxis smell of monkey food and why they don't know where the hell they're going? The concierge in a hotel stopped a taxi in Sukhumvit for me, way back in 2001. I told him I wanted to go to the Ministry of sound. He told me 500, I told him 100 and we settled on 300 baht. I got in the taxi and started asking "where"? - he asked me 10 times in case I didn't understand "where"? I told him again Ministry of sound.. He had no idea where it was and had never heard of it yet was negotiating the fare. How does that work too please oh wknowledgable one?

[gemguy]

Hmmmmm...Once again we are subjected to the Thai mentality and the difficult to understand Thai logic

The price will go up, as does many such services, while the service from the all too many ( as in not all, but all too many ) surly taxi drivers with attitude, will not improve...not one bit.

Meantime if you get in a cab there is a 20 percent chance you will get a cab driver with attitude, especially if it is morning rush hour traffic or evening rush hour traffic.

We all understand they are trying to make a living ...so is everyone.....but the attitude is what has to change.

Having said that...I will point out that most of them are fine....just fine .....and take you where ever you want to go with no complaints and no problems.

I usually have long conversations with them and practice my Thai language skills.

Meantime, We use their services and they make money off the public ( Thais and Foreigners alike ) but all too many of them think like what was said by the Head Honcho.

I have told many people before: If you get in an accident in a Thai taxi cab and you are not hurt and you can walk away ...it is best to do so.

Why?'..... Because too many cab drivers would blame the accident on the passenger ( a foreigner more so than a Thai ) with the same or similar logic expressed in the Original Post.

Near guaranteed, that man, who said what was said, for the record, having that sort of logic would try to hold the passenger accountable for the accident while the mentality and logic says it was the passengers fault because the passenger Told the cab driver to go There ......to where the accident happened...so the passenger should be responsible for the accident that happened

He would be amongst the percent that would try to blame you for the accident.

I had it happen to me 1 time when an accident happened out of 3 times over the years I was in a cab and had a minor accident while a friend had it happen to him many years ago while in a Tuk Tuk.

I had to more or less get out of there fast as the driver did not want me to leave and was grabbing at my arm to keep me from getting out of the cab while I was paying him more than the fare and saying : Not my concern.....while exiting the cab.

Anyhow...the story is included as an example of the logic and mentality of many Thais....as in not all, but all too many.

Cheers

[ggt]

I personally take any other available form of transportation when possible and avoid taxis like the plague...whiners...

You do not reject me...I reject you...

Edited December 1, 2014 by ggt