Cabbie Fined 1,000 Baht for 'Malfunctioning' Meter
By Teeranai Charuvastra
Staff Reporter


Taxis wait at Suvarnabhumi Airport in an undated file photo. Photo: Matichon

BANGKOK — A taxi driver was punished today for using a broken meter that charged passengers by the second, officials said.

Thawatchai Pansu was ordered to pay a 1,000 baht fine after the agency received complaints via social media, the Department of Land Transport announced Monday, including a video showing his meter racing ahead every second.

“I just realized that meters these days go up every one second. Fine, if you want to cheat me like this, just take my damn money,” Facebook user Jam Atilal wrote in a caption for the video posted Friday.

Answering a friend’s question in the comments section, Jam said she ended up paying almost 400 baht for the ride, an unusually expensive fare for taxis in Bangkok.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1454327079


-- Khaosod English 2016-02-02

Where money is concerend some peoples interrity will always be challenged,

Now a rush on of returning wallets and purses etc,

He should have been charged by the second as well.

Starting from the time the video was posted.

Next case please.......

1000 baht? Pathetic.

Should have calculated how much he probably made with this scam. Then multiply that figure by 25 for his fine.

Then take away his license (if he has one) for five years.

Then gaol him for, oh I don't know, 18 months for fraud.

1000 baht . Poor soul, Heart bleeds. .

A thpusand baht is no deterrent. He should pay 5 times that and loss of vehicle for a month. Certainly one taxi driver who gets punished severely for basically robbing a passenger will show others it could happen to them. Something seriously needs to be done about the taxis in BKK!

Bt1,000 and that's it.

No doubt his meter will ' malfunction ' less obviously from now on.

Bt1,000 and that's it.

No doubt his meter will ' malfunction ' less obviously from now on.

And we shall see more malfunctioning in many other taxis. It's lucrative...

Totally counter-productive. They're basically sending the message that there's no real consequence to cheating. A shame.

Where does everyone on here get their taxi's from? I have had only one taxi that tried to rip me off in 30 years, the rest have been fine. From the airport I have always had good taxi's with properly functioning meters.

Totally counter-productive. They're basically sending the message that there's no real consequence to cheating. A shame.

A shame? Its damn well meaningless. A message to Land of Scammers...keep going!

I'm sure some kind taxi driver will hand in someone's

lost millions in the next few days to counter this story

Where does everyone on here get their taxi's from? I have had only one taxi that tried to rip me off in 30 years, the rest have been fine. From the airport I have always had good taxi's with properly functioning meters.

There always has to be one, what do you do in your spare time, admire yourself in the mirror?

Where does everyone on here get their taxi's from? I have had only one taxi that tried to rip me off in 30 years, the rest have been fine. From the airport I have always had good taxi's with properly functioning meters.

We had a whole thread about why some people seem to experience more taxi problems than others. A lot of people got quite touchy about it, but location did seem to be a major factor. Nana/Soi 11, MBK and one of the bus terminals emerged as some of the main trouble spots as I recall. But there's always the chance of the odd rogue anywhere as this story shows, and a fine like that is not going to stop them.

He should be charged with theft.

Hmm 1,000 baht fine and still the passengers got taken for a ride and no compensation ... Hmm Amazing Thailand at it finest ?

Edited February 2, 201610 yr by metisdead
Bold font removed.

Agree with most here. he will hardly be sh**ing himself with that fine. Taxis here are hit and miss. I use them when going into town and around 50% are crap, offer poor service and really don't care. Last week at Asoke I stopped two taxis who refused to take me and wanted no meter. Whilst politely pointing out that it was illegal, I was told to go and tell the Police. This I did as two Police where 5 metres away. They just looked and me and turned away. Says it all really. Things will never change here. People don't want it too. I accept that.

broken ..... malfunctioning .....another stupid euphemism

Why don't they call it manipulated

and give him the deserved punishment that will deter him a well as others in the future?

"Malfunctioning". Don't they mean tampered with.

Where does everyone on here get their taxi's from? I have had only one taxi that tried to rip me off in 30 years, the rest have been fine. From the airport I have always had good taxi's with properly functioning meters.

Where does everyone on here get their taxi's from?

Koh Samui maybe, in Samui no meter at all

Nathon pier to Lamai 23km 600 Baht...day time not raining...otherwise ??

In the West would think this was a pretty good return on investment. 10,000 baht return on a 1000 baht investment.

Who says crime does not pay,who knows how long his meter was

"malfunctioning " for,some of the fines handed down here do not

deter anyone.

regards Worgeordie

Where does everyone on here get their taxi's from? I have had only one taxi that tried to rip me off in 30 years, the rest have been fine. From the airport I have always had good taxi's with properly functioning meters.

I suspect you always travel wearing your police general's uniform.

I don't know what is worse, the taxi rigging his meter or the fact that it takes social media to bring his fraud to the attention of authorities and have anything done about it.

If they had a proper complaint line (because 1584 is a complete waste of time) which provided the complainant a follow up report on their complaint, then it might seem like they were serious about addressing this growing problem of rip off taxi's.

I have lodged a complaint with Grab taxi as the driver kept trying to contact my gf, their follow up was immediate and thorough. I use them every chance I get as I am tired of dealing with the taxi's around Sukhumvit.

It's these kinds of things that really tarnish Thailand's image.

1,000 baht fine is a joke too!!

1,000 Baht only? That's ridiculous. I bet he made a few TENTHOUSAND with this scam! This is JUSTICE for Thais. Try this as a foreigner and you end up in prison and pay a hundredthousand Baht to compensate. TIT

The 1000 B fine was not the real punishment.

The real punishment was his 'loss of face'.

The 1000 B fine was not the real punishment.

The real punishment was his 'loss of face'.

I don't see his face, where can i see the picture?

Anyone know if the B1,000 is for a first offence and the fines/punishments get more severe for further offences?

When will this country ever punish people whom have done wrong?

The man is a thief, nothing more , nothing less....A THIEF.

One thousand baht, he could earn that in one hour.

This country is going to hell in a handcart, and its totally deserved and self inflicted.

Totally counter-productive. They're basically sending the message that there's no real consequence to cheating. A shame.

It is systematic fraud with intent.

The penalties are ridiculous here for multiple, intentional theft and fraud.

Morally and ethically, this type of crimes are not convicted here.

They should instead expel these fraudsters generally to work as a taxidriver.

Who robs a bank here is stupid.

Being a taxi driver is worth more, coz penalties with consequences for fraud here not really exist.

Edited February 2, 201610 yr by tomacht8