Thai transportation officials doubt over farang family dumped by taxi

[webfact]

Officials doubt over farang family dumped by taxi
By Coconuts Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- Transportation officials raised doubts over a viral story about a tourist family traveling with a baby being dumped by a taxi along a highway last week.

Investigators dispatched by the Department of Land Transport spoke to toll booth attendants on the Si Rat Highway, who said the family did not seem distressed when they approached on March 16 to ask how to reach the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s head office on Petchburi Road.

After landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport, the family is believed to have approached the Asoke 4 toll booths for help, at which point officers took them off the highway and put them in a taxi, department Deputy Director Suchart Klinsuwan told Matichon Saturday.

They reportedly wanted to go to the authority to get information about travel arrangements. [read more...]

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2015/03/23/officials-doubt-over-farang-family-dumped-taxi


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2015-03-23

[Somtamnication]

Of course not! These farangs are lying! We love to walk on elevated tollways just for the fun of it. Even more fun when we have a baby to carry.

[DM07]

"After landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport, the family is believed to have approached the Asoke 4 toll booths for help"

Aha...they walked there! Right!

[benbear]

They can try and spin this but come on.

[PatOngo]

Yes, I often ask to be dropped on the expressway too so I can admire the breathtaking views and breathe the lovely fresh air.

[Artisi]

Of course not! These farangs are lying! We love to walk on elevated tollways just for the fun of it. Even more fun when we have a baby to carry.

and carrying what looks like about 25 / 30Kg backpack plus the other od's and sod's - bet they haven't had such fun in ages.

[Bluespunk]

Investigators dispatched by the Department of Land Transport spoke to toll booth attendants on the Si Rat Highway, who said the family did not seem distressed when they approached on March 16 to ask how to reach the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s head office on Petchburi Road.

And how did they end up there? It's not as if it's walking distance from the airport. Is it?

[Bluespunk]

""We're investigating the fact. We cannot give any answer at the moment,” Natthapong said. “However, we should leave out the idea that they were left by their taxi because we didn't even know if it was a taxi or which vehicle dropped them there.”"

Yeah, right.

[JOC]

Give the poor guy a break!!

His brother, the Czech busker/beggar didn't send him taxi money!!

[drand11]

Lord forbid you believe the words of a Farang, wife and kid on the side of a highway.

Them taxi cab drivers are honest!

And why in the world would a family be looking to goto the Transportation Dept. for travel info?

Makes no sense. Anyways.. I am sure they got rid of a bad taxi and found a good one. That's

what is important here.

[Laughing Gravy]

Not the Óld chestnut a Thai wouldn't do anything like this. Get to the real world. Taxis are a hit and miss. affair. They are untrained, lack many basic skills in customer services and some are dam right crooks and thieves. I really despise those who at all costs defend something when there is obviously some fault here. More responsibility and accountability is required.

Edited March 23, 2015 by Laughing Gravy

[Johnsen]

Is anyone surprised by this reply. You could have put your house on it.

Its difficult to work out what's more disgusting, leaving them on the tollway or the reply to the situation.

[JOC]

>>They reportedly wanted to go to the authority to get information about travel arrangements. <<

As an alternative to walking on the Tollway, it sounds like an excellent idea.................

[Commerce]

However, where are they? What's their side of the coin?

[Thian]

I still guess they argued about the toll.

If taxidrivers could speak any english they (or the 50 baht taxi office at the airports) could inform them that the passengers have to pay for the tollway.

Tourists are so nervous about cheating taxidrivers that they might argue about it at the tollbooth. Or maybe they didn't have any thai baht yet and wanted to change money in the city where you get a much better rate.

Taxidrivers have to learn english though. They are the fist Thai that a tourists will meet.

[peptidebomber]

All you posters love jumping on the Thai taxi bashing bandwagon.

They weren't even in a taxi, they voluntarily got out of a mini van, haha now you all look like fools!!

[Commerce]

All you posters love jumping on the Thai taxi bashing bandwagon.

They weren't even in a taxi, they voluntarily got out of a mini van, haha now you all look like fools!!

All?

FAIL.

[Laughing Gravy]

All you posters love jumping on the Thai taxi bashing bandwagon.

They weren't even in a taxi, they voluntarily got out of a mini van, haha now you all look like fools!!

All?

FAIL.

Taxi, Minivan still paying for a service. Both sectors equally poor in service.

[toybits]

Yes, yes, fresh air and entertaining noise from speeding vehicles is very good your babies in backpack carriers. Why did I not think of that. It was for the baby - dummy!

[peptidebomber]

All you posters love jumping on the Thai taxi bashing bandwagon.

They weren't even in a taxi, they voluntarily got out of a mini van, haha now you all look like fools!!

All?

FAIL.

Taxi, Minivan still paying for a service. Both sectors equally poor in service.

They got in a mini van going from Sa Kaeo to KSR, when asked to get dropped off at Suk 71 the driver said not possible but they could get taxi from KSR. They decided to get out during a toilet stop. Where is the bad service?

Oh that doesn't fit the popular Thai bashing theme in this forum!

[Johnsen]

Where in the article does it say they were in a mini van.

Toilet stop on a tollway??? That doesn't sound right either...

[kkerry]

As usual there is an article in the BP that gives an explanation of what happened. No taxi involved. They decided to leave a van en-route to KSR after it made a rest stop on the tollway, then make their own way to Sukhumvit 71. End of story.

[Bluespunk]

All you posters love jumping on the Thai taxi bashing bandwagon.

They weren't even in a taxi, they voluntarily got out of a mini van, haha now you all look like fools!!

Where does it say that in the OP?

[Bluespunk]

All you posters love jumping on the Thai taxi bashing bandwagon.

They weren't even in a taxi, they voluntarily got out of a mini van, haha now you all look like fools!!

All?

FAIL.

Taxi, Minivan still paying for a service. Both sectors equally poor in service.

They got in a mini van going from Sa Kaeo to KSR, when asked to get dropped off at Suk 71 the driver said not possible but they could get taxi from KSR. They decided to get out during a toilet stop. Where is the bad service?

Oh that doesn't fit the popular Thai bashing theme in this forum!

Nothing in the OP fits what you are saying. Where's all this from?

[DM07]

As usual there is an article in the BP that gives an explanation of what happened. No taxi involved. They decided to leave a van en-route to KSR after it made a rest stop on the tollway, then make their own way to Sukhumvit 71. End of story.

It made a rest stop on the tollway and they wanted to take little stroll from there, with all their luggage, the guitar, the baby...aha....sound legit!

NOT!

[peptidebomber]

Many other news sites have reported what really happened. It will disappoint taxi driver haters!

[Bluespunk]

Many other news sites have reported what really happened. It will disappoint taxi driver haters!

Which sites....

[casindonet]

From another news source, they were from Sa Kaeo to Khao San road in a passenger van.....so which is which?

[Basil B]

Sweep it under the carpet, no Bangkok Taxi Driver would do that...

[eggers]

The pic has been taken from passenger side window of taxi or other signed vehicle.

According to article in Khaosod, "Surachai said he received the photo from a traffic police officer who eventually hailed another cab for the family".

Why would a cop give the pic to this Surachai guy?

How come Surachai was at the scene?

Why wasn't vehicle from which pic taken used to get travellers off the Tollway?

Also the guy & young child look vaguely familiar.......wsan't guy w/ child busting in Khao San??????

More questions to article than answers!!