34 taxis rounded up for rejecting passengers

[jamesjohnsonthird]

EVERY scamming taxi driver that parks near a hotel is paying off the police. It's gong to be impossible to stop it.

Taxi driver lease these prime scam zones from police and prey on first time visitors with no intention of operating a legitimate taxi service.

They are criminals posing as taxi drivers, colluding with police to defraud visitors.

Call 1584 every time a taxi driver refuses the fare. Report the taxi colour, time and number painted on the door.

Where did you get this information from ? According to a taxi driver we know for a long time (he leaves nearby our house and we call him each time we need to go somewhere for the past year and half) the hotel scam is organized by the hotel doormans. I even asked once the hotel manager of an international chain about it, he admitted being aware of the problem but was advised against doing anything about it as it was part of the local custom.

The hotel doormen do not control the street or lease it out to taxi scammers.

The police THINK they own the street and lease it to these scammers. EVERY taxi parked in front of a tourist hotel is paying the police. This is prime scam turf.

Although the hotel doorman doesn't control the taxi mafia, he is genuine scumbag that should be warning the guests about these chronic scammers parked in front of his hotel, but he smiles and will get a piece of the action.

[siam2007]

taxis are scum ..... try to catch one on Sukhumvit after 3.00pm and ask to go to Ramkhanpeng or Bang na ... no chance.

Start revoking licenses ..... put some plain clothes police on Sukhumvit , MBK , Rama IV and have them ask for taxis ..

good work BIB

this is what they actually do now.

plus everyone, invcluding foreigners, should download the APP provided by the transport authority to report bad drivers

[siam2007]

EVERY scamming taxi driver that parks near a hotel is paying off the police. It's gong to be impossible to stop it.

Taxi driver lease these prime scam zones from police and prey on first time visitors with no intention of operating a legitimate taxi service.

They are criminals posing as taxi drivers, colluding with police to defraud visitors.

Call 1584 every time a taxi driver refuses the fare. Report the taxi colour, time and number painted on the door.

Where did you get this information from ? According to a taxi driver we know for a long time (he leaves nearby our house and we call him each time we need to go somewhere for the past year and half) the hotel scam is organized by the hotel doormans. I even asked once the hotel manager of an international chain about it, he admitted being aware of the problem but was advised against doing anything about it as it was part of the local custom.

The hotel doormen do not control the street or lease it out to taxi scammers.

The police THINK they own the street and lease it to these scammers. EVERY taxi parked in front of a tourist hotel is paying the police. This is prime scam turf.

Although the hotel doorman doesn't control the taxi mafia, he is genuine scumbag that should be warning the guests about these chronic scammers parked in front of his hotel, but he smiles and will get a piece of the action.

I found this confirmed when I went to the LUNCH BUFFET at the GRAND MAJESTIC HOTEL in lower Suk a few weeks ago. The smiling young doorman wanted to make other clueless tourists to use the services of those scam cabs parked in front of the hotel ( it is about 400 meters walk to Suk from down the Soi, so many tourists do not want walk back to Suk).

I yelled at that guy (the first time I yelled in Thailand for many years, usually I am good and keeping CHAI YEN CHAI YEN ^^) and called him a thief and a disgrace for Thailand in both Thai and English language (so all the tourists as well as the Cabbies in front of the Hotel would be able to get my message)

[MaxYakov]

Only 34 in one night? I can get rejected by 34 taxi drivers single-handedly in under 2 hours.

This is a problem that will never go away. After being rejected by about six drivers while trying to get to Bangkapi from Sukhumvit one night,

I took a photo of the next taxi's license plate and showed it to the driver as I got into the car.

He seemed quite angry and reminded me that I didn't need to do like that because he would never turn down a passenger.

I wouldn't be doing a lot of that particular tactic if I were you.

Why didn't you take pics of the taxis that rejected you instead and report them? I know, I know, too much trouble.

[MaxYakov]

EVERY scamming taxi driver that parks near a hotel is paying off the police. It's gong to be impossible to stop it.

Taxi driver lease these prime scam zones from police and prey on first time visitors with no intention of operating a legitimate taxi service.

They are criminals posing as taxi drivers, colluding with police to defraud visitors.

Call 1584 every time a taxi driver refuses the fare. Report the taxi colour, time and number painted on the door.

Where did you get this information from ? According to a taxi driver we know for a long time (he leaves nearby our house and we call him each time we need to go somewhere for the past year and half) the hotel scam is organized by the hotel doormans. I even asked once the hotel manager of an international chain about it, he admitted being aware of the problem but was advised against doing anything about it as it was part of the local custom.

The hotel doormen do not control the street or lease it out to taxi scammers.

The police THINK they own the street and lease it to these scammers. EVERY taxi parked in front of a tourist hotel is paying the police. This is prime scam turf.

Although the hotel doorman doesn't control the taxi mafia, he is genuine scumbag that should be warning the guests about these chronic scammers parked in front of his hotel, but he smiles and will get a piece of the action.

I found this confirmed when I went to the LUNCH BUFFET at the GRAND MAJESTIC HOTEL in lower Suk a few weeks ago. The smiling young doorman wanted to make other clueless tourists to use the services of those scam cabs parked in front of the hotel ( it is about 400 meters walk to Suk from down the Soi, so many tourists do not want walk back to Suk).

I yelled at that guy (the first time I yelled in Thailand for many years, usually I am good and keeping CHAI YEN CHAI YEN ^^) and called him a thief and a disgrace for Thailand in both Thai and English language (so all the tourists as well as the Cabbies in front of the Hotel would be able to get my message)

So, basically, you created a scene in front of the Grand Majestic Hotel over your disdain for "scam cabs".

A few questions:

1) How did you know the "tourists" were "clueless"?

2) How did you know the "tourists" were even tourists and even if they were "clueless" tourists?

3) How did you know where exactly the potential passengers were going?

4) When did you self-appoint yourself as an undercover anti-cab-ripoff agent in Thailand?

5) Do you have medical insurance?

Edited April 25, 2015 by MaxYakov

[siam2007]

Only 34 in one night? I can get rejected by 34 taxi drivers single-handedly in under 2 hours.

This is a problem that will never go away. After being rejected by about six drivers while trying to get to Bangkapi from Sukhumvit one night,

I took a photo of the next taxi's license plate and showed it to the driver as I got into the car.

He seemed quite angry and reminded me that I didn't need to do like that because he would never turn down a passenger.

I wouldn't be doing a lot of that particular tactic if I were you.

Why didn't you take pics of the taxis that rejected you instead and report them? I know, I know, too much trouble.

a much better, faster and more reliable way to report scam cabs is to download the new APP provided by the Transport Authority and report them via the APP. they take action quickly

[MaxYakov]

They should introduce WHEEL CLAMPS here, if they refuse a fare, clamp the car for 24hrs on the spot ! then fine them on release.

There has to be a real consequence to their action or it will never change.Stupid 200 baht fine or 1000 baht fine is nothing to these scam artists and will extract that rapidly from customers.

Disable the vehicle from any kind of use and they lose rental payment and income. A real consequence.

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They do use wheel clamps in Bangkok, but I've seen only these low-budget, re-bar types in use. And, BTW, I've never seen one on a taxi and probably never will. The only time I've seen effective clamps were those put on by the vehicle's owner to prevent theft.

Edited April 25, 2015 by MaxYakov

[jamesjohnsonthird]

Where did you get this information from ? According to a taxi driver we know for a long time (he leaves nearby our house and we call him each time we need to go somewhere for the past year and half) the hotel scam is organized by the hotel doormans. I even asked once the hotel manager of an international chain about it, he admitted being aware of the problem but was advised against doing anything about it as it was part of the local custom.

The hotel doormen do not control the street or lease it out to taxi scammers.

The police THINK they own the street and lease it to these scammers. EVERY taxi parked in front of a tourist hotel is paying the police. This is prime scam turf.

Although the hotel doorman doesn't control the taxi mafia, he is genuine scumbag that should be warning the guests about these chronic scammers parked in front of his hotel, but he smiles and will get a piece of the action.

I found this confirmed when I went to the LUNCH BUFFET at the GRAND MAJESTIC HOTEL in lower Suk a few weeks ago. The smiling young doorman wanted to make other clueless tourists to use the services of those scam cabs parked in front of the hotel ( it is about 400 meters walk to Suk from down the Soi, so many tourists do not want walk back to Suk).

I yelled at that guy (the first time I yelled in Thailand for many years, usually I am good and keeping CHAI YEN CHAI YEN ^^) and called him a thief and a disgrace for Thailand in both Thai and English language (so all the tourists as well as the Cabbies in front of the Hotel would be able to get my message)

So, basically, you created a scene in front of the Grand Majestic Hotel over your disdain for "scam cabs".

A few questions:

1) How did you know the "tourists" were "clueless"?

2) How did you know the "tourists" were even tourists and even if they were "clueless" tourists?

3) How did you know where exactly the potential passengers were going?

4) When did you self-appoint yourself as an undercover anti-cab-ripoff agent in Thailand?

5) Do you have medical insurance?

Easy to spot the clueless tourist.

They are taking advice from a Bangkok doorman and using the mafia taxi service that is parked in front of the hotel.

Only an idiot or clueless tourists would talk to those lowlifes.

[scorecard]

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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.

And even with the several recent 'raids' many still demand the passenger tell them the destination then the driver decides go or no go.

I'm aware of several recent incidents when female passengers (alone and in couples) have just got in and sat down and they told the driver their destination, only to be told by the driver they are rude and told to get out.

Still some way to go.

I know that at one university (maybe more) there are many signs, obviously in Thai saying:

- Lady passengers (students and staff) never travel alone in a taxi.

- More than one lady, never get in a taxi after dark, find some other way to get home with friends, etc. And the signs encourage those with cars to offer rides to other students and staff.

- Never challenge a taxi driver, however do try to get a photo or video but be sure you can get out of the car (make sure he hasn't locked the doors).

- At least get the vehicle number on the small yellow plate on the inside of both back doors, and if possible write down the drivers name from the sign on top of the dashboard, and call police or the LTO hotline immediately.

Edited April 25, 2015 by scorecard

[MaxYakov]

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 ?

It's probably a reference to the TAT declaration of: "2015 the Year of Thainess"

Google: "Year of Thainess" (including the quotes)

[Si Thea01]

EVERY scamming taxi driver that parks near a hotel is paying off the police. It's gong to be impossible to stop it.

Taxi driver lease these prime scam zones from police and prey on first time visitors with no intention of operating a legitimate taxi service.

They are criminals posing as taxi drivers, colluding with police to defraud visitors.

Call 1584 every time a taxi driver refuses the fare. Report the taxi colour, time and number painted on the door.

Where did you get this information from ? According to a taxi driver we know for a long time (he leaves nearby our house and we call him each time we need to go somewhere for the past year and half) the hotel scam is organized by the hotel doormans. I even asked once the hotel manager of an international chain about it, he admitted being aware of the problem but was advised against doing anything about it as it was part of the local custom.

The hotel doormen do not control the street or lease it out to taxi scammers.

The police THINK they own the street and lease it to these scammers. EVERY taxi parked in front of a tourist hotel is paying the police. This is prime scam turf.

Although the hotel doorman doesn't control the taxi mafia, he is genuine scumbag that should be warning the guests about these chronic scammers parked in front of his hotel, but he smiles and will get a piece of the action.

I found this confirmed when I went to the LUNCH BUFFET at the GRAND MAJESTIC HOTEL in lower Suk a few weeks ago. The smiling young doorman wanted to make other clueless tourists to use the services of those scam cabs parked in front of the hotel ( it is about 400 meters walk to Suk from down the Soi, so many tourists do not want walk back to Suk).

I yelled at that guy (the first time I yelled in Thailand for many years, usually I am good and keeping CHAI YEN CHAI YEN ^^) and called him a thief and a disgrace for Thailand in both Thai and English language (so all the tourists as well as the Cabbies in front of the Hotel would be able to get my message)

And from what hospital are you sending this post. If you're not, then you are a very lucky boy to be getting of Scott free after playing the farang hero and calling someone a thief. Chai yen, Chai yen, what are you trying to say here, this refers to cold tea. I think maybe you mean Jai yen, which means calm or cool headed and normally used to describe someone as being calm and collected (Lit. cool heart). This is your description of yourself, yet you yelled at someone and denigrated him in front of other Thais and, as you describe, clueless tourists. You certainly have a way with words don't you?. Have you ever read the book," How To Win Friends And Influence People?" If not, then maybe you should before you get yourself into too much trouble.

Edited April 25, 2015 by Si Thea01

[Si Thea01]

Where did you get this information from ? According to a taxi driver we know for a long time (he leaves nearby our house and we call him each time we need to go somewhere for the past year and half) the hotel scam is organized by the hotel doormans. I even asked once the hotel manager of an international chain about it, he admitted being aware of the problem but was advised against doing anything about it as it was part of the local custom.

The hotel doormen do not control the street or lease it out to taxi scammers.

The police THINK they own the street and lease it to these scammers. EVERY taxi parked in front of a tourist hotel is paying the police. This is prime scam turf.

Although the hotel doorman doesn't control the taxi mafia, he is genuine scumbag that should be warning the guests about these chronic scammers parked in front of his hotel, but he smiles and will get a piece of the action.

I found this confirmed when I went to the LUNCH BUFFET at the GRAND MAJESTIC HOTEL in lower Suk a few weeks ago. The smiling young doorman wanted to make other clueless tourists to use the services of those scam cabs parked in front of the hotel ( it is about 400 meters walk to Suk from down the Soi, so many tourists do not want walk back to Suk).

I yelled at that guy (the first time I yelled in Thailand for many years, usually I am good and keeping CHAI YEN CHAI YEN ^^) and called him a thief and a disgrace for Thailand in both Thai and English language (so all the tourists as well as the Cabbies in front of the Hotel would be able to get my message)

So, basically, you created a scene in front of the Grand Majestic Hotel over your disdain for "scam cabs".

A few questions:

1) How did you know the "tourists" were "clueless"?

2) How did you know the "tourists" were even tourists and even if they were "clueless" tourists?

3) How did you know where exactly the potential passengers were going?

4) When did you self-appoint yourself as an undercover anti-cab-ripoff agent in Thailand?

5) Do you have medical insurance?

Easy to spot the clueless tourist.

They are taking advice from a Bangkok doorman and using the mafia taxi service that is parked in front of the hotel.

Only an idiot or clueless tourists would talk to those lowlifes.

So everyone who speaks to and takes advise from a Bangkok Doorman and then uses a mafia taxi, is a clueless tourist?. And, according to you, if one speaks to these so called lowlifes, they fall into one category or the other, an idiot or clueless tourist, is that correct? Well you spoke to him albeit yelling as you stated, so which category do you fall into?

[windas]

OH WHY, OH WHY, do the forum subscribers insult each other. Everone has an experience to tell and an opinion to voice.

This forum is best used to inform each other and others of the ongoing events so that we can all benefit from the information.

There are good, bad and indifferent taxi drivers. But with the booking of taxis online, things are changing. In my experience so far, it is decidedly better and hopefully in the future the chance of a bad experience will slowly disappear.

Please think before you write and be tolerant of other subscribers.

[hawker9000]

"My question is - if it is such a bad place populated by such bad people, what the heck is keeping these foreigners in Thailand ?"

So now I suppose we're going to play the "that's-not-what-I-meant" game...

How sad, that you are trying to post comments on an English language based forum, and you have such a poor grasp of the language. Either that or you are just deliberately twisting my words, again.

That comment does not come close to telling people to leave if they don't like it, it is in fact a legitimate question - as in "What good do they see in the country to keep them there." There must be something they like about the place and I want to know what it is.

I doubt if too many other posters would take that question the wrong way, except for a desperate troll like yourself.

So I will ask you again to show me a comment I have made telling people to leave the country if they don't like it. You made the claim, now back it up with proof.

If you cannot I will report you for telling lies and bs about me and twisting my words.

Mikemac. I know this is going off topic but if I may say.

Don't waste your time on a fool. I no longer respond to his unintelligible murmurs . He tried his little tricks with me and I, like you, responded but this gives him some sort of gratification and away he goes into overdrive in an effort to garner an angry response. One tries to respond sensibly but I don't think he knows the meaning of the word because he just carries on with his agenda; won't answer any questions, twists your words and changes your quotes in his attempts to garner that angry response. I think he does this in an attempt to get a sense of power. Not real power but perceived power and control, and if you get angry then it is your opinion that's discredited, not his.

He definitely has a problem, so every time he carries on with his diatribes, just laugh, never respond, therefore not lowering yourself to his level. Just watch his posts, and you will see his modus operandi. He selects some one he thinks he can better, changes things to suit his agenda and also twists your words and puts them out there as if they are direct quotes. Just look how far of track he has taken this original post, which is about taxis. Don't encourage idiots, just walk away from them..

ROFLMAO. Yeah, whatever puts a sock in the love-it-or-leave-it thing... Maybe now we can get back to these abuses by taxi drivers instead of badgering those with complaints about them to explain what they're doing in Thailand, eh? (Too much to hope for, I know.)