34 taxis rounded up for rejecting passengers

[asdecas]

555, wait and see, normal service will be resumed shortly. This little crackdown is more about hitting the Reds' supporters where it hurts; nobody in power gives a monkey's about the customer being refused a ride.

You could count on the fingers of one hand the number of countries where taxi drivers do NOT have little scams.

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

Good.

Now go cleanup all the other Sois.

I stay on Suk Soi 20 when in Bangkok and have not gotten a ride in years. Have to walk all the way to Sukhumvit to get a ride.

Every one of them is a criminal posing as a taxi driver.

If this happens to you, you can contact the Land Transport Department Hotline on 1584.

You need to make a note of the license plate or the number painted on the door, taxi colour and the time and place of the incident.

The driver will receive a 1,000Bt fine for every complaint when he renw=ews his yearly permit.

But last time I called, this hotline was only in Thai, they referred me to call tourist police who then referred me back to the 1584 hotline, maddening!!!

Other then that, it is a step in the right direction, soi 11 is ridiculous with these clowns. They want 400 baht just to go to Ploenchit.

I hope we see a lot more of this. I will definitely start reporting these guys. Instead of opening the door and asking if they will take me I will just get in and tell them like I used to do.

If they refuse I will report every time, even if I have to get a Thai to do it. Fed up with these guys!!

[Yann55]

Quote : Artchayachon said the operation was carried out in line with the government’s policy to promote tourism and the policy to make 2015 the year of Thainess tourism.

What on eaaaaaarth is the meaning of 'Year of Thainess Tourism' ??? Does anyone here have a clue ? Has anyone actually heard it before ?

[gemguy]

Yes this is positive...no doubt about it.....but .......are there not far more important matters to be taken care of first and foremost ???....I ask in all seriousness.

Other, far more important matters that would easily supersede this not at all important matter being of no urgent concern whatsoever.

Is this kind of enthusiastic police enforcement supposed to endears us to the new government and gain everyone's support and loyalty while the police officials and government officials load heaps of praise upon themselves.

"Get those criminal taxi drivers"...... with a righteous vengeance ...the well known main source of all evil and corruption in Thailand....lol

Cheers

Edited April 23, 2015 by gemguy

[AlQaholic]

Good job, but there's some points here that surprises me has never been addressed:

1. From my understanding something like 99% of taxis are rented by the day from taxi rental companies (often called cooperatives but in reality they are not cooperatives at all), and the taxi rental companies seem to be allowed to raise the daily rental fees as they please.

Taxis get a rise in flagfall, baht per kilometer etc., and the taxi rental companies put the daily rental fee up. In other words the only winner is the taxi rental company.

2. Shift changeover time. It seems to be a standard time for all taxi rental companies, e.g. 4:00pm in the afternoon. Surely this should be:

- Different change over time for every taxi rental company.

- Say around 2 pm instead of 4 pm, in other words change over in a very non peak timing.

It would be so easy to solve this problem at the root, agree with scorecard. Also change the shift change over system so only when the driver repeatedly comes in late say like 10 times should he be forced to pay a penalty fee.

Punishing the drivers instead is the usual "Thainess" way of solving it, go for the small guy, they can't fight back.

Edited April 23, 2015 by AlQaholic

[Chao Lao Beach]

Good.

Now go cleanup all the other Sois.

I stay on Suk Soi 20 when in Bangkok and have not gotten a ride in years. Have to walk all the way to Sukhumvit to get a ride.

Every one of them is a criminal posing as a taxi driver.

If this happens to you, you can contact the Land Transport Department Hotline on 1584.

You need to make a note of the license plate or the number painted on the door, taxi colour and the time and place of the incident.

The driver will receive a 1,000Bt fine for every complaint when he renw=ews his yearly permit.

You actually think most have permits and licenses ?

And how do you know they get a 1000fine ?

Concidering attacking, robbing

and stabbing a innocent person is a 500b fine.

[Yann55]

This will REALLY motivate cabbies to deal with alien customers if they are fined for something they don't understand. Thainess at its best; I wanted to flag down a car and he passed with open window "no farang"! Must have been among those fined lately I guess....

If you follow the Thai social media, taxis rejecting passengers is a hot topic with the locals. They hate it as much as we do.

They do indeed. And they have this persistent paranoid notion in their heads that taxis reject them because they prefer farangs (more easy to cheat), but as a farang I have been rejected by Bangkok taxis innumerable times. So forget the paranoia, the real reasons for rejecting passengers are :

1/ You're not going far enough,

2/ You're going to (or through) a heavily congested area,

3/ The guy has almost finished his time and taking you to your destination would considerably extend it.

The 3 reasons are, I would say, pretty universal, and definitely not limited to Bangkok taxis.

[winstonc]

This will REALLY motivate cabbies to deal with alien customers if they are fined for something they don't understand. Thainess at its best; I wanted to flag down a car and he passed with open window "no farang"! Must have been among those fined lately I guess....

"Thainess at its best".........................stupid comment. This is to do with arrogant taxi drivers picking the best customers as far as they are concerned and giving the rest a snub.

That's all. If you are basing the Thai population on the attitude of taxi drivers it does not say much for you.

WRONG it says much about this country ...... you must be house bound not to know that mikey lad..

[slipperylobster]

There will always be the tourist who shrugs off the high fare as part of the territory. Easy pickings. Big important man who comes to Bangkok, hits the bars for a week, and spends double that he would doing the same thing in Newcastle..or Perth

Wish they would do some homework... and nail down some kind of limit on what is good deal for those who live here.

Edited April 23, 2015 by slipperylobster

[jamesjohnsonthird]

Good.

Now go cleanup all the other Sois.

I stay on Suk Soi 20 when in Bangkok and have not gotten a ride in years. Have to walk all the way to Sukhumvit to get a ride.

Every one of them is a criminal posing as a taxi driver.

If this happens to you, you can contact the Land Transport Department Hotline on 1584.

You need to make a note of the license plate or the number painted on the door, taxi colour and the time and place of the incident.

The driver will receive a 1,000Bt fine for every complaint when he renw=ews his yearly permit.

You actually think most have permits and licenses ?

And how do you know they get a 1000fine ?

Concidering attacking, robbing

and stabbing a innocent person is a 500b fine.

I believe the owner of the meter is liable for the 1,000bt. fine for every complaint.

[rodknock]

another dog and pony show!

it will be over in a week.

do the drivers really have a drivers license?

every time they refuse a customer and it is reported take away the taxi for a week.

the only way you will get any change is to hit them where it hurts, in the pocket!

a 1000.00 baht fine, what a joke!

same old Thailand all talk and the action is only temporary.

the brown bag will be past around and that will be the end.

[greenchair]

Ooooohhhh leave them alone. I remember reading the lonely planet before came to Thailand. It talked about the broken down taxis and hair raising ride I would have to bkk. It warned of some taxis by the meter and some could be negotiated. To me it was all part of the excitement. I negotiated my fare and got the hair raising experience. It was wonderful. If you are not happy with one, move on to the next taxi. Now there is no fun experience. I might as well be getting in a taxi as in Singapore. Except for a few old farts, most people enjoy thailand just the way it is. If I wanted to live in a perfect policed state, I would have gone to Singapore.

Bless the broken down taxi with over the top fare.??

[Monkeyrobot]

Just use grab a taxi in BKK. I use the all the time metered , clean and you can track them on arrival.

[Dannyboy666]

Ok now we re talking , 3 yesterday, ah Progress

[spermwhale]

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Seems this government is doing something about problems.. never seen the previous one do anything like this. At least its progress.

The government is systematically taking away revenue from their political enemies.

All these crackdowns are hitting the Police and political opponents in the pocketbook.

Doing the right thing for the wrong reason. Very Thai approach.

While I am no fan of this military dictatorship, I disagree with you on your jaded point of view. I do believe that they are really trying to right many wrongs that have been keeping this country from entering the modern age of civilization. Look at its swift reaction to the human rights downgrade and the recent threats by the EU to ban fish from Thailand if it doesn't start better controlling its fisheries. That's god nothing to do with political enemies.

[kennw]

Well, those taxis that used to park illegally in Soi Jai Samarn (connects soi 4 to soi 6), and refused to take you unless it was for all day excussions are gone ! Best news in a long time. At times 10 taxis would be lined up, reducing this one way soi width to narrow and dangerous levels especially when motorbikes came in the wrong direction. Hope it lasts. Thank you

[gigman]

"Taxi's" drivers explanations are just simple crap about meeting deadline or petrol or anything similar.

If he is to finish work simply should switch off "Available" then do not stop just go to his destination.

I think "plain clothes police " could do much better work but BKK could be paralysed with not much real taxi's left..

[Si Thea01]

Seems this government is doing something about problems.. never seen the previous one do anything like this. At least its progress.

The government is systematically taking away revenue from their political enemies.

All these crackdowns are hitting the Police and political opponents in the pocketbook.

Doing the right thing for the wrong reason. Very Thai approach.

Please let us all know who the political enemies are that you refer to and what proof do you have to make such a strong, defaming statement. And if a crackdown on police and the so called political opponents hurts them in the pocket then does that not suggest that there may be some type of corruption involved? If not, then how does it affect those who you have mentioned?

So for the government to come down on those who are not adhering to the rules in place then they are doing the right thing for the wrong reason. Can you please elaborate what the right reason would be for the government to come down on the law breakers? I cannot understand you logic or maybe there isn't any and your just trying to confuse us.

[jackanapes]

most of the time these taxi drivers reject passengers because they don't think theres enough money to be made or its too far for them .

[bkkgooner]

I never thought I would defend taxi drivers, BUT, it seems a valid reason to reject a customer if they have to return the taxi and fear they will miss the deadline (assuming its the truth). I for one would support financial help such as a lease to buy system for taxi drivers to purchase their own cars and eradicate such excuses and at the same time reduce the number of wealthy individuals/firms who own fleets of taxis, one would hope you would also see a drastic improvement in driving if they actually own their vehicle.

If they are scared of missing the deadline why are they stopping and asking the passengers where they want to go?

Taxis need to be cleaned up big time if the government is serious about improving tourism in this country, let them up the starting meter price to 50 baht under the caution that if they refuse a passenger they will lose their license for a month each time they do it.

[gyrosman]

Wake-up fine? Impound the cars and fine the owner directly, so simple.

[KunMatt]

This will REALLY motivate cabbies to deal with alien customers if they are fined for something they don't understand. Thainess at its best; I wanted to flag down a car and he passed with open window "no farang"! Must have been among those fined lately I guess....

If you follow the Thai social media, taxis rejecting passengers is a hot topic with the locals. They hate it as much as we do.

They do indeed. And they have this persistent paranoid notion in their heads that taxis reject them because they prefer farangs (more easy to cheat), but as a farang I have been rejected by Bangkok taxis innumerable times. So forget the paranoia, the real reasons for rejecting passengers are :

1/ You're not going far enough,

2/ You're going to (or through) a heavily congested area,

3/ The guy has almost finished his time and taking you to your destination would considerably extend it.

The 3 reasons are, I would say, pretty universal, and definitely not limited to Bangkok taxis.

Is this was the case then they wouldn't stop their car and roll down their window to ask you where you want to go and then say they won't go. The real reason that most of them reject you is probably cuz you are not a tourist and you won't pay the extortionate off meter price they asked for. They know that 5 or 10 minutes later they will find a naive tourist to pay them 300 baht for a 40 baht fare instead of wasting time with you.

I've only been rejected by taxis around tourist areas, ie. Soi 11, MBK, Panthip etc and it happens pretty much every time I am flagging down a taxi there. The rest of the time when I am not in a tourist area then I've almost never had any taxis stop and then refuse to take me wherever I wanted to go.

So all the excuses that it's because the route is inconvenient for them or they are about to go off shift are just the usual BS excuse for their lazy greedy behaviour that finally they are being called out on.

Taje the proper action and use a service like GrabTaxi so these selfish cretins get none of your money and hopefully it gets to the point where they either change their ways or change their jobs.

[Afook]

These taxi drivers need to be warned, and logged on a government site, if 3 or more offences, to lose their driving/taxi permits!

If this can be done, they will learn that they put thier jobs at risk........this will also spread around their working circles and maybe this situation will get better?

I hope that the government/police can keep up the pressure........if only a stakeout once or twice, they will not take this seriously :-)

[cgphuket]

They will eb able to arrest basically every taxi parked on Sukhumvit, or in front of a hotel.

[Dumbastheycome]

As far as I have been told, the driver gets the flag call. So long or slow trips are undesirable. Passenger turnover is the way the driver wants to go. Or "off meter". But once in a taxi I have found the majority are ok. The minority scare the bejeepers outa me!

[mikemac]

This will REALLY motivate cabbies to deal with alien customers if they are fined for something they don't understand. Thainess at its best; I wanted to flag down a car and he passed with open window "no farang"! Must have been among those fined lately I guess....

"Thainess at its best".........................stupid comment. This is to do with arrogant taxi drivers picking the best customers as far as they are concerned and giving the rest a snub.

That's all. If you are basing the Thai population on the attitude of taxi drivers it does not say much for you.

WRONG it says much about this country ...... you must be house bound not to know that mikey lad..

Not house bound at all winstonc, but obviously living in a different Thailand to the one some of the other TV posters are living in.

By the sounds of it, you can have the one you see, and I will keep the one I see. No argument from me.

[jamesjohnsonthird]

This will REALLY motivate cabbies to deal with alien customers if they are fined for something they don't understand. Thainess at its best; I wanted to flag down a car and he passed with open window "no farang"! Must have been among those fined lately I guess....

If you follow the Thai social media, taxis rejecting passengers is a hot topic with the locals. They hate it as much as we do.

They do indeed. And they have this persistent paranoid notion in their heads that taxis reject them because they prefer farangs (more easy to cheat), but as a farang I have been rejected by Bangkok taxis innumerable times. So forget the paranoia, the real reasons for rejecting passengers are :

1/ You're not going far enough,

2/ You're going to (or through) a heavily congested area,

3/ The guy has almost finished his time and taking you to your destination would considerably extend it.

The 3 reasons are, I would say, pretty universal, and definitely not limited to Bangkok taxis.

Silly excuses.

What about their work agreement, license and the law? It is clear. You get in and they take you to your destination for the meter price.

When they roll down their window to "interview" the customer, you KNOW it's a scammer. They are hoping you are a tourist they can rob.

We are talking about 2,000 or more professional scammers, paying the police, posing as taxi drivers, trolling the hotel district, ripping off visitors.

Not only overcharging them on fares but hopefully to run them thru a gem scam or some other scam they all are in on.

[gyrosman]

I never thought I would defend taxi drivers, BUT, it seems a valid reason to reject a customer if they have to return the taxi and fear they will miss the deadline (assuming its the truth). I for one would support financial help such as a lease to buy system for taxi drivers to purchase their own cars and eradicate such excuses and at the same time reduce the number of wealthy individuals/firms who own fleets of taxis, one would hope you would also see a drastic improvement in driving if they actually own their vehicle.

Drink some more whiskey Dean and keep riding the buses. Improve driving, first get a license. April Fools Day has passed.

[ICECOOL]

I never thought I would defend taxi drivers, BUT, it seems a valid reason to reject a customer if they have to return the taxi and fear they will miss the deadline (assuming its the truth). I for one would support financial help such as a lease to buy system for taxi drivers to purchase their own cars and eradicate such excuses and at the same time reduce the number of wealthy individuals/firms who own fleets of taxis, one would hope you would also see a drastic improvement in driving if they actually own their vehicle.

Those excuses are worldwide..might be true in 1 in 50 cases

[ngern]

I am on the other side of this issue, though my position could change if I had a couple bad experiences. I really like Bangkok taxi drivers (but if you want to get my blood boiling, talk about the motorcycle taxis). Perhaps I have fewer problems because I speak Thai. Living a year and a half on Sukhumvit Soi 22, taking a taxi at least twice a day, I have been rejected only 3-4 times, and I am pretty sure those times were because of serious traffic jams in the direction I wanted to go. Probably I was better off walking 20 or 30 minutes to my destination. I was able to engage in communication about this with the driver once, at least. It would be better if the taxi drivers were trained to communicate their reasons - in English - before driving off. Another time a driver told me he hadn't time to take me because he had to meet the deadline for returning the car. Also, if drivers are driving with their red "wang" signs lit, they should turn them off if they haven't the time or petrol to pick up the next traveler. On the other hand, I agree that many late night taxi drivers try to extort double or triple fairs, and they ought to be prosecuted. Once on the corner of Sukhumvit Soi 23 - a few minutes from Soi Cowboy - I refused to pay a Tuk Tuk driver 100 baht to take me home. I was impressed with his argument that I (presumably) was willing to spend a thousand baht on Soi Cowboy, and was so stingy with him. I felt his pain. The fares being so low, in general, he probably really needed the money. Still, different services have different fees (and I did not happen to be coming from Soi Cowboy). But I would not want the Tuk Tuk driver prosecuted. He has no meter.