Taxi driver arrested for abandoning elderly foreign tourist on Bangkok highway

[lostinisaan]

Judging by the words on the wall to the left, these policemen are Liverpool fans and possibly requested the taxi driver to give a rendition.

mySuperLamePic_5c4f33b08e277068a193c836cbce210d.jpg

I found a website where they know what exactly happened. And I have to agree, they're really hard to understand.

[lostinisaan]

Filipinos speak English, Spanish and Tagalog, So I find it hard to believe that the old man had an issue with communication, I think it was just another typical Thai taxi driver who can only speak an embarrassing version of Thailish.

All Filipinos who travel abroad will be fluent in English.

I suspect this problem has been caused by Thailand's refusal to accept that English is the World's de facto common language. Something to do with being the only country never colonised apparently. Actually in this case the Filipino gentleman got off lightly, he could have been charged with lese majeste due to faulty translation into Thai.

Agree Filipinos speak English, just thought Four Aces post funny, as I'm on Phuket and there are many from France (especially), Germany and the Scandie countries (mostly elderly same this guy) who can't speak English but seem to be able to muddle along, usually with the aid of a map of some kind so am assuming this eighty year old guy was a tad befuddled and didn't have one or even a card pointing to where he wanted to go. Hence frustrated taxi driver jettisoning him. But good on the other drivers for coming to his aid

Se Chermaans speek se besth Englisch onn se worlt.

[Jonmarleesco]

'In his defence, Mr Witoon said that he told the other taxi driver to drive Mr Reyes to a local police station ...' Why the hell would the other driver have done that? That was down to 'Mr.' Witoon.

[carmine]

Bangkok taxis strike again.If he could not understand the passenger why pick him up in the first place.

Take his license off him, that is what should have happened to the bloody moron.

ahhh I should have remember, take his license away too

And exactly what would be wrong with having his license taken away?

Taxi drivers with his attitude serve no purpose to anyone and give other honest taxi drivers a bad name.

[tonypace02]

If the taxi was a legal pick up at the airport, the starter should not have let him leave until she was sure the driver knew where the passenger wanted to go.

[pgrahmm]

One time I had visitors here from US-PI....Enough that we needed 2 cabs to go to BKK from the Chatrium....The rate was fixed/quoted....

About halfway to the airport the lead cab stopped on the freeway.....The burly/fat driver walked back to our cab demanding either 300-400 baht more or he'd leave the people in the freeway....

Me and a Thai blew up - he wasn't prepared for someone standing him down......He got back in his cab and drove to the airport....Our cab stopped - we paid the correct fare+tip and our driver was courteous and happy.....

The lead driver made sure to park far ahead after our cab had pulled in so I couldn't get there before he'd pulled away....He'd demanded and gotten the higher fare from the women in the cab....I should have swapped cabs in the freeway....

The actions of this driver does not surprise me at all.....

Also - doesn't the cab queue desk provide cab cards or written info to the drvers when that cab is commissioned/used/taken....

[gilbreth99]

Bangkok taxis strike again.If he could not understand the passenger why pick him up in the first place.

Take his license off him, that is what should have happened to the bloody moron.

Actually, its the responsibility of the passenger to be able to communicate where you want to go. For example, if I was in china, I would have the address in chinese on a business card or something. To come into a foreign country and expect everyone (including issan taxi drivers) to understand english or mis prounouced Thai words is just asking for trouble.

[CoreanoOzzie]

Filipinos speak English, Spanish and Tagalog, So I find it hard to believe that the old man had an issue with communication, I think it was just another typical Thai taxi driver who can only speak an embarrassing version of Thailish.

This is Thailand where Thai is the national language. The taxi driver does not need to know English. If you do not like it, then go somewhere else where it suits you.

[john davis]

Welcome to Thailand great way to treat tourists, should have had his licence taken away

[Asheron]

"In his defence, Mr Witoon said that he told the other taxi driver to drive Mr Reyes to a local police station so they could provide assistance and not just leave the man on the roadside."

That's his defence?

He told a driver who hadn't picked him up from the airport to take the elderly man to the police?

Stupid as well as callous then, if he thinks that makes sense.

What... did you expect anything smart from a thai taxi driver?

[lleveal]

I will consult my wife

[Asheron]

Bangkok taxis strike again.If he could not understand the passenger why pick him up in the first place.

Take his license off him, that is what should have happened to the bloody moron.

Actually, its the responsibility of the passenger to be able to communicate where you want to go. For example, if I was in china, I would have the address in chinese on a business card or something. To come into a foreign country and expect everyone (including issan taxi drivers) to understand english or mis prounouced Thai words is just asking for trouble.

Filipinos speak English, Spanish and Tagalog, So I find it hard to believe that the old man had an issue with communication, I think it was just another typical Thai taxi driver who can only speak an embarrassing version of Thailish.

This is Thailand where Thai is the national language. The taxi driver does not need to know English. If you do not like it, then go somewhere else where it suits you.

Here is the mentality that thais in general have and one of the main reasons why Thailand will forever be a third world nation.

[Bluespunk]

He pbly picked a loose taxi and not have used the Kiosk and got a ticket, they always write down the destination on the ticket, I'm looking at mine now and it says "Soi 4 Sukumvit" winder where that is???

Don't know where you got your ticket from but they don't even ask whenever I'm there. Main concern seems to be ensuring the taxis that can carry larger groups don't end up with a solitary passenger.

[Transporter]

Unbelievable in Thailand, a Taxi driver is finally punished!

I wonder what the punishment would have been if the passenger had been struck by a passing vehicle whilst walking on the highway?

Suicide I expect!

Edited February 25, 2016 by Transporter

[Bluespunk]

Filipinos speak English, Spanish and Tagalog, So I find it hard to believe that the old man had an issue with communication, I think it was just another typical Thai taxi driver who can only speak an embarrassing version of Thailish.

All Filipinos who travel abroad will be fluent in English.

I suspect this problem has been caused by Thailand's refusal to accept that English is the World's de facto common language. Something to do with being the only country never colonised apparently. Actually in this case the Filipino gentleman got off lightly, he could have been charged with lese majeste due to faulty translation into Thai.

Agree Filipinos speak English, just thought Four Aces post funny, as I'm on Phuket and there are many from France (especially), Germany and the Scandie countries (mostly elderly same this guy) who can't speak English but seem to be able to muddle along, usually with the aid of a map of some kind so am assuming this eighty year old guy was a tad befuddled and didn't have one or even a card pointing to where he wanted to go. Hence frustrated taxi driver jettisoning him. But good on the other drivers for coming to his aid

I thought the BIB came to his aid

From OP

"Police were alerted a short time later by concerned motorists who reported seeing an elderly man walking along the side of the highway."

Edit: to be fair the other drivers did alert the BIB, so plaudits all round.

Edited February 25, 2016 by Bluespunk

[louse1953]

Bangkok taxis strike again.If he could not understand the passenger why pick him up in the first place.

Take his license off him, that is what should have happened to the bloody moron.

He doesn't have to understand him,it's written out by a women at the desk.I couldn't imagine the old boy walking up to Arrivals and getting a slightly cheaper taxi.

[tropo]

Filipinos speak English, Spanish and Tagalog, So I find it hard to believe that the old man had an issue with communication, I think it was just another typical Thai taxi driver who can only speak an embarrassing version of Thailish.

A slight correction if I may. A very small number of Filipinos speak Spanish. Also, it's quite possible the 80 year old Filipino spoke poor English if any at all. You'd be surprised to learn how many Filipinos can't speak any English at all other than a few words here and there. Most of my wife's family can't speak any English and they also don't speak Tagalog (can understand it fine).

The very first thing my Filipino wife said when I told her this story: "kawawa (pity), the old guy probably couldn't speak English".

More to the point here, you'd also be surprised to learn how many Thais hate Filipinos. As I've been living in Thailand for 10 years with my Filipino wife, I have quite an insight into this relatively unknown aspect of life in Thailand. They don't like the rest of us much either, but the more money you have they more tolerance they will show. I would say the "respect" Thais have for Filipinos would be similar to what they have for Cambodians, Laotians and Burmese.

The taxi driver probably figured he was unlikely to score a tip from the old Filipino so decided he didn't want to bother with him and dumped him.

Edited February 25, 2016 by tropo

[louse1953]

I read all these incidents people have with the taxi's from the airport and to be honest I have never had a bad one. It may help that i can speak Thai and converse with the driver but I cant say I have had a bad experience

Exactly Gandalf, any Filipino should arrive in Thailand speaking fluent Thai otherwise he may well be dumped on the highway. Something to do with Thai hospitality I am told. Speak the local language or get out of my car.

In China Beijing the government there made a huge effort to get the taxis into English before the Beijing Olympics because English is the language of the Olympics. No such effort will be made in Thailand in the foreseeable future.

Unless they get the Olmpics or The Tour de France.

[louse1953]

From Asheron,Here is the mentality that thais in general have and one of the main reasons why Thailand will forever be a third world nation.

From Me,Is that why the Philippnes is going ahead in leaps and bounds.

[metisdead]

Off topic posts and nonsense posts and replies have been removed.

[tropo]

From Asheron,Here is the mentality that thais in general have and one of the main reasons why Thailand will forever be a third world nation.

From Me,Is that why the Philippnes is going ahead in leaps and bounds.

I have no idea how you came to that conclusion... Thailand, for all it's warts, is most certainly not "3rd world". The Philippines is.

[Mousehound]

Ho Hum. Time to change the subject?

[tropo]

Ho Hum. Time to change the subject?

So go ahead and change it then... perhaps you have something intelligent to add....

In the meanwhile I'll add something...

Thais are often bamboozled when they come in contact with SE Asian people (Thai lookalikes) who don't speak Thai. They just can't comprehend it. Yes, it seems ignorant, but it is a reality. My wife, for example, can tell them (Thais) that she doesn't speak Thai, but they still keep going... even at the police station and among a more educated crowd. On occasions she has had to tell them many times before they finally get it.

Edited February 25, 2016 by tropo

[Jim walker]

That will be another one on the to do list for the Junta ensure that every global alien that arrives in Thailand can speak fluent Thai as to allow them to have a conversation with a taxi driver and give any / all directions in Thai.

[Shadychris]

@ happy joe

You

No. He laughs of you and your total lack of humor.

Good choice

Miserable Me

Yep, that's me.

Finding absolutly nothing humourous about an elderly man being dumped on the side of the road.

What a curmudgeon I am, eh.

I shouldn't have to explain, but guess I will... I wasn't implying that an old man being dumped on the side of the highway was a good thing. I wasn't making light of his predicament and I wasn't defending all things Thai... what I was doing was making light of this forum and how they call for any 'criminal' to be executed, locked away for life etc. I really shouldn't have to explain it, but I guess this being TV I should have know better

Seeing the number of your posts, you can't have been on this Forum for very long, M, and that probably explains why you were surprised by the pomposity and lack of humor in some reactions to your post.

The brutality of some comments, the vulgar anti-Thainess, the calls for revenge, murder, the propensity to blame the victims and to equate 'accused' with 'guilty' ... yep it's all here, recurrent, heavy-footed, often repulsive, and not about to change, obviously. As for 'second-degree' humor, you will find that in 99% of cases, it is met with a total lack of understanding and a number of posters will immediately jump on their high horse. Lots of high horses parked downstairs.

But, but, but ... every now and then, you will also read a post that is hilarious, an idea that offers a fascinating perspective, an opinion that is worth remembering and pondering about. And you'll think "mmmh, OK, then, I'll stay for another hour and see what happens".

It's a kind of virtual pub, really, where you may be enjoying an unforgettable conversation with some stranger sitting next to you, while the table nearby is full of inebriated old farts who compete for who will make the loudest and most vulgar comment while watching the news on TV, who make smutty jokes about ladies and gays, and who make sure, most importantly, that everyone in the pub knows they're NOT socialists.

I hasten to add that all the above strong adjectives do not apply to our dear old curmudgeon Mr Bluespunk (please note, it's Blues Punk, not Blue Spunk), whose comments do tend to lack a certain sense of humor and border on pomposity, yes, but are nevertheless, and most of the time, very interesting, relevant, and challenging.

TV has lots of different characters - Blue Spunk, or Blues Punk or just Bluespunk, whichever way you want to call it, comes across as the ThaiVisa equivalent of Victor Meldrew - and he was a very funny character indeed.

[sawadee1947]

hmmmh, a week in prison would have done good work either

[springheeled jack]

in his defence mr witoon told the other taxi driver to take the passenger to the police station why didn't mr witoon take him it was his passenger .

[smudger1951]

I have been picked by drivers in wedding white Toyota Camry at suvabumi only to be offloaded into a banged out Vios size wreck to pattaya. I hope this poor man kept his luggage. What a bunch of twisters !

[seedy]

Troll / Flaming post removed

Keep the personal attacks off this Forum

[harleyclarkey]

Why did this heartless creep not drive the 80 year old himself to a police station?

No......he just dumped him.