Me Vs The Thuk-thuk Drivers

[Donz]

Ive never been scammed on a tuk tuk yet. Ive taken them all over BKK, Phuket. I find them being on them when your pissed, although nearly got hit by a truck once, but lucky I was pissed because i probaly wouldnt of thought as funny being straight.

[Thaddeus]

Ive never been scammed on a tuk tuk yet. Ive taken them all over BKK, Phuket. I find them being on them when your pissed, although nearly got hit by a truck once, but lucky I was pissed because i probaly wouldnt of thought as funny being straight.

Did I read that right? .... when you are drunk, you turn gay?

[Scott]

I've always had better luck with Tuk-Tuk drivers than with Taxi drivers. One of the local Tuk-tuk drivers even takes me shopping--I tell him what I need and away we go!

Taxi drivers are a real pain--they also always want to talk to me and I don't want to talk to them.

[Mossfinn]

being straight.

Did I read that right? .... when you are drunk, you turn gay?

[mai loo khrap]

I hate both taxi and tuk tuk drivers.Nothing but bad experiences with them.They are rip off merchants. ''Hello my friend. Where are you going?''

F u c k off.

I dont live near the bts so im not too familiar with the route.

I needed to go to On Nut from the ksan road area.

200baht [ORIGINALLY 250]in a tuk tuk and the c u n t left me at stop near siam square but he insisted it was on Nut.Then drove away!!

He took advantage of my stupidness.

Hate them

[mai loo khrap]

I hate both taxi and tuk tuk drivers.Nothing but bad experiences with them.They are rip off merchants. ''Hello my friend. Where are you going?''

F u c k off.

I dont live near the bts so im not too familiar with the route.

I needed to go to On Nut from the ksan road area.

200baht [ORIGINALLY 250]in a tuk tuk and the c u n t left me at stop near siam square but he insisted it was on Nut.Then drove away!!

He took advantage of my stupidness.

Hate them

[dantilley]

I hate both taxi and tuk tuk drivers.Nothing but bad experiences with them.They are rip off merchants. ''Hello my friend. Where are you going?''

F u c k off.

I dont live near the bts so im not too familiar with the route.

I needed to go to On Nut from the ksan road area.

200baht [ORIGINALLY 250]in a tuk tuk and the c u n t left me at stop near siam square but he insisted it was on Nut.Then drove away!!

He took advantage of my stupidness.

Hate them

Bad though that was, at least from Siam Square it's about 30 Baht (I think, no more than 40 anyway) to On Nut by BTS, hence still less than the original price of 250 Baht. Also, to do that stretch of the journey in the BTS is much quicker than crawling down the length of Sukhumvit Road...

[The Dude]

The Dude knows exactly what the OP is talking about. The infamous gang of 'em on Soi 11 outside the Grand Prez are especially annoying and The Dude don't dig 'em. Walked by them 1000 times and they still try and capture The Dude for a ripoff fare. One time for fun I negotiated with one on Soi 5 who was trying to do the massage/jewelery scam. He said 20 baht, The Dude says too much, 10 baht, too much, 5 baht, too much, all the way down to 1 baht. But one thing is for certain, they aint worth getting verbal with. They, as has been said, are looking for those people just off the plane in BKK for the 1st time. These people seem to dig the Tuk Tuk ride around Sukhumvit with driver doing Tuk Tuk wheelies. I always chuckle when I see farangs in the area riding in them cause you know they just got here

Edited September 1, 2006 by The Dude

[The Skipper]

The Dude knows exactly what the OP is talking about. The infamous gang of 'em on Soi 11 outside the Grand Prez are especially annoying and The Dude don't dig 'em. Walked by them 1000 times and they still try and capture The Dude for a ripoff fare. One time for fun I negotiated with one on Soi 5 who was trying to do the massage/jewelery scam. He said 20 baht, The Dude says too much, 10 baht, too much, 5 baht, too much, all the way down to 1 baht. But one thing is for certain, they aint worth getting verbal with. They, as has been said, are looking for those people just off the plane in BKK for the 1st time. These people seem to dig the Tuk Tuk ride around Sukhumvit with driver doing Tuk Tuk wheelies. I always chuckle when I see farangs in the area riding in them cause you know they just got here

The Tuk Tuks and Taxies that troll the Tourists spots/Hotels are ripoffs, almost all of them.

It's the "turf" for thugs and lowlife scammers, involved in a loose knit tourist ripoff union.(mafia).

An honest, hard working driver can't get near those places.

The ONLY reason they learn to speak English is to, "lie to Farang".

Just go to any Hotel, interview any "first time" tourist and just about 100% will tell you they were scammed by the Taxi/Tuk Tuks guys or helpfull people at the Tourist spots.

I know, I was in the tour business and heard it all the time.

I personally know them thru my business and they are scum, believe me.

TAT is aware of this and does nothing.

I personally believe some TAT officials are involved in Thia Gem Scam.

This ripoff nets million a day. Millions.

[Donz]

Its all about money these days

[t.s]

thuk thuk, thats funny.

If i think they are too expensive, ie asking 40 baht for something i can do in a taxi for 35, i hust remid them that a taxi is cheaper and has a/c. then i get into one and leave them standing.

best rule of thumb i ever recieved when i first came to bangkok, is to never accept a ride from a taxi or tuk tuk that isn't moving around looking for business.

if they are parked and doing nothing, they are often scamming.

Always negotiate the price up front.

[Donz]

I think there too scared to try and rip me off

[cwilliam]

Hmm, I never had any problems with them, but, I’m a cool dude!

In Chiangmai (and KSR) they are a bit noisy,

anyway, it’s a tough job I don’t wanne do, lots off hours, “niknoi money”!

No problem with them,I don't use them,cheaper to take the air-con cab.I knew one and on a boring day for both I jumped in his Tuk Tuk for free.We went around to all the rip off joints and I acted interested,bought nothing and he got gas etc. for bringing a farang in.In a gold shop I said I wanted a 30 baht 99.99% chain now as I was heading to the airport ,they called all over and couldn't find one.Pleasant day a Thai and Farang screwing rip-off Thais.

Edited September 6, 2006 by cwilliam

[jdinasia]

TAT is aware of this and does nothing.

I personally believe some TAT officials are involved in Thia Gem Scam.

This ripoff nets million a day. Millions.

So true. The people that claim these scams are infrequent or uncommon must live on Mars. In Banglamphu these scams are commonplace.

There was a plan to ban tuk-tuks from Bangkok altogether. Does anyone remember? Unfortunately it never happened. It would have meant an end to the gem scam/tailor scam (otherwise known as the 20 Baht city tour) almost overnight and an end to these vermin being a blight on Thailand's reputation.

re-read the thread

[Huckenfell]

Bit harsh isnt that and to be honest I think your behaviour might be a tad bit dangerous, you might end up on the wrong side of a bashing.

Never had an issue with a Tuk Tuk - pleasant/painless. Negotiate up front and if you don't like their price don't use them. Not hard is it?

Dont use them , i like to see out the front !

[Huckenfell]

Well, since the vast majority of people who take tuk-tuk are tourists looking for an "authentic" bangkok trip, I am with martin on this one. The fact that these tourists will leave Thailand with a bad experience to report back home does Thailand no good.

SBK

I don't think the vast majority of people that take tuktuks ARE tourists. Though I do think that the majority are probably tourists close to the areas I mentioned above (Suk/Silom and the Grand Palace/KSR). I don't think that MOST get scammed either with the exception of paying a bit too much (say 100 baht when the fare should have been around 40 baht)

In the areas I lived in BKK the VAST majority of the people riding in tuktuks were Thais ... and doing grocery runs or school children getting to/from school!

Granted I am working from My PERSONAL experience.

SBK--- Maybe you could do a poll and ask people's PERSONAL experience with TukTuks in BKK?

<I did my poll for the day already!>

mmmmmmmm! a tourist getting charged 100 bht when it should have been 40 bht.......does anyone really think that tourist would notice, or even care come to that. They would probably think "that was bloody cheap"

[jdinasia]

TAT is aware of this and does nothing.

I personally believe some TAT officials are involved in Thia Gem Scam.

This ripoff nets million a day. Millions.

So true. The people that claim these scams are infrequent or uncommon must live on Mars. In Banglamphu these scams are commonplace.

There was a plan to ban tuk-tuks from Bangkok altogether. Does anyone remember? Unfortunately it never happened. It would have meant an end to the gem scam/tailor scam (otherwise known as the 20 Baht city tour) almost overnight and an end to these vermin being a blight on Thailand's reputation.

re-read the thread

re-read the thread

Why? So I can read your ridiculous suggestion I move to a non-touristy area to avoid these criminals?

No ... so you would realize that they serve a useful purpose throughout Bangkok outside of your tiny part of the city Since you seem to be in favor of banning them entirely. Yes I understand some people just NEED to live with the tourists! Sorry but that is YOUR issue! Have you written to TAT or the Tourist Police? Have you written to the English language newspapers? <better yet would be the Thai language papers ... a well written piece to them might actually have some people upset!>

Tuk Tuks city-wide serve a purpose ... the lazy scammers that do exist don't deminish the service that the rest do!

[Lacoste]

re-read the thread

Why? So I can read your ridiculous suggestion I move to a non-touristy area to avoid these criminals?

So you have had the misfortune of meeting

[jdinasia]

There are sois that taxis will NOT fit in 2 abreast .... They cost less ...

There are areas that taxis don't patrol that do have tuktuks etc etc etc

[dantilley]

And how could you have massive inter-tuk tuk waterfights during Songkran when locked up in boring, sealed, airconned meter taxis?

[jdinasia]

And how could you have massive inter-tuk tuk waterfights during Songkran when locked up in boring, sealed, airconned meter taxis?

Cheers to that too!

[The Skipper]

There are sois that taxis will NOT fit in 2 abreast .... They cost less ...

There are areas that taxis don't patrol that do have tuktuks etc etc etc

Someone making an honest living operating a Tuk Tuk should be Ok.

The Tuk Tuks drivers that are in the business of ripping off tourists, day after day, year after year operating form the same spot should be thrown in jail.

Like I said, if you want to get the real scoop, just ask any first time tourist to Bangkok about the ripoffs.

Happens all day, every day. Nothing is done about it.

Tourism is a major industry and these parasites should be eliminated.

If some insect attacks a rice field, they spray like heck, but some tourist gets ripped off, its Ok, just a Farang. Fair game.

[OlRedEyes]

Interesting comments. Including one:' It's all about money these days'.

I've travelled all over SEA for many years, never had a problem. I think the problem is that travellers are on the extremes. One side is the group that falls for every scam, other side is the group that expects people eking out a miserable living with absolutely no hope of improving their situation to serve relatively 'rich' travellers like reliable, friendly and helpful dogs, in the hope of being thrown a measely tip which will, in the end, make no difference to their miserable lives.

If I had to eke out such a crummy living, I'd be looking to make a few bucks too. And after a while, my smile might just wear a bit thin, and my gratitude for the crummy tip will wane ever so slightly. I may just lose my great respect for the great white bwana. Not neccesarily his fault, but he expects too much.

Understand the guys crummy position, his lack of hope, be fair and friendly, and if he responds, tip fairly, and you should have very little problems.

Edited September 7, 2006 by OlRedEyes