Taxi driver arrested for abandoning elderly foreign tourist on Bangkok highway

[atyclb]

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.

though a much higher % speak some english theres still many many that dont. IMO a minority speak spanish and those typically hi-so with spanish blood. cannot expect a thai taxi to understand spanish or tagalog or ilocano.

[sabaii69]

Just another example of the 'new thai' tradition. Screw the old people.

[hawker9000]

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.

No, "Bangkok taxis did not strike again", one taxi driver let the other 80,000 who didn't dump anyone on the highway down.

Yes. This poor fellow was unlocky enough to get the single, one, only BKK taxi driver who would ever fail to:

- use the meter

- accept a fare

- treat a passenger courteously

- ensure the passenger's arrival at, and ONLY at, the requested destination

- drive safely & responsibly

- handle the passenger's belongings & baggage with care

Yeah. How unlucky was that, huh! Imagine. Just his bad luck to catch the ONLY bad apple in, what did you say, 80,000? Thank god all the other 79,999 are the little angels you assure us they are! Whew!

[Canuk23]

If he didnt understand where he wanted to go

why did he leave the airport???

I'm sure he would of had a better chance to find someone that would of helped him

[hawker9000]

@Demnis: And just as you didn't bother with the police, I don't assume for a minute that all, or even most, thai taxi driver shenanigans ever get reported. And plenty enough are! I consider the ones you read about, in your own language, only a representative sample.

@Canuk: Yes, if the DRIVER didn't know where he was going, why DID he leave the airport!! Just how much mind-reading is a foreign passenger expected to be able to do ?

Edited February 25, 2016 by hawker9000

[falang khinok]

well welll another taxi story....

raises some questions:

why pick him up in the first place ?

I think he did not want to use the meter and as the old guy did not agree he got dumped....( very likly ) or the old man knew the way into the centre of BKK and was astounished when he founds that he is heading direction other end of town.....maybe he did not feel to be taken for the super sightseeing ride..( for the super extra high rise price ).....

well if a honest misunderstanding occurs along the way ( maybe the old guy wanna change direction etc....) that can not solved verbally ...why not call the taxi call centre ( maybe where they have someone to spk. philipino or to assist him in any other positive way )...

or drive him off to police station himself....

or set him off where some puplic transport is available ...

dumping an old man with his luggage right on the highway , in BKK , this could qualify for attempted murder....

I mostly had positive experiences with bkk taxis but I can understand that anything can turn quickly to the worse when u meet the wrong guy...

[crankshaft]

As we all know the more likely truth is that this sleazebag decided the shakedown wasn't going to work and decided to cut his losses and get back to the airport to look for a different victim.

Same thing happened to me in Greece.....kicked out of a taxi on the divided highway heading into Athens from Greek International airport because I insisted the driver to start using his meter. Of course before even getting in the taxi I asked the driver if he used his meter and he replied yes of course....but once in and going the driver refused to turn it on...kept saying no meter, no meter....$50usd.

Most airport Taxi drivers are the scum of the earth.

[ChoakMyDee]

The story of the driver is absolute bullshit. The people who run the taxi que at Suvarnabhimi get your destination and relay it to the driver before you even leave the airport.

[lvr181]

"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.

Begs the question, why didn't the current driver take him to the Police station?

Just another lame excuse having been caught out doing wrong.

I was threatened to be dropped off on the freeway/motorway one evening about two years ago while travelling from Suvarnabhumi (with my issued ticket) - the driver decided he wanted a fixed higher price. A standoff for a few minutes, I refused to get and and told him ok. When I arrived at my hotel I took my time to get out, allowing two hotel doorman to come to the taxi, unload my bags and while doing so paid the driver less than what he had "demanded" and I walked off.

[abitmiffed]

"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?

I think it's quite funny to see, intelligent cab written on the side of some newer taxis.

We can make cars and phones smart but not people..

[Bluespunk]

If he didnt understand where he wanted to go

why did he leave the airport???

I'm sure he would of had a better chance to find someone that would of helped him

Maybe the taxi driver is lying...

[Bluespunk]

The story of the driver is absolute bullshit. The people who run the taxi que at Suvarnabhimi get your destination and relay it to the driver before you even leave the airport.

Not always they don't.

[Maestro]

A troll post and the 27 replies to it have been hidden.

[Kiwisailor]

The story of the driver is absolute bullshit. The people who run the taxi que at Suvarnabhimi get your destination and relay it to the driver before you even leave the airport.

My last couples of trips through Swampy saw the intro of the "new improved" ticket system. No more desk or assistance, just a ticket machine to allocate your taxi

[Artisi]

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.

Yeah, you could count on one hand the number of Bangkok taxi driver who can't speak Spanish and Tagalog.

you forgot and English!

Why should they speak English, do NY, London, Paris, Sydney, Moscow, drivers speak Thai?

Sure it is great if they do have some understanding of English, or Swahili or Tibetan if that's your only spoken language - but you as a tourist chose to travel Thailand, learn to live with it.

But a very low act dumping him the way he did, could have dumped him somewhere convenient, ie shop, garage, bus station.

Edited February 28, 2016 by Artisi

[Asheron]

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.

Yeah, you could count on one hand the number of Bangkok taxi driver who can't speak Spanish and Tagalog.

you forgot and English!

Why should they speak English, do NY, London, Paris, Sydney, Moscow, drivers speak Thai?

Sure it is great if they do have some understanding of English, or Swahili or Tibetan if that's your only spoken language - but you as a tourist chose to travel Thailand, learn to live with it.

But a very low act dumping him the way he did, could have dumped him somewhere convenient, ie shop, garage, bus station.

English IS de facto the "language of the world" (thai is not). "Everyone" use it all the time when two parties who otherwise can't communicate with each other. It even happens with very closely related languages such as norwegian and swedish, in my previous work we used english in the meetings (norwegian and swedish businesses) as some norwegian words are not easy to decipher as a swede and vice versa.

And Thailand is a tourist country, even bigger reason to know basic english.

[Artisi]

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.

Yeah, you could count on one hand the number of Bangkok taxi driver who can't speak Spanish and Tagalog.

you forgot and English!

Why should they speak English, do NY, London, Paris, Sydney, Moscow, drivers speak Thai?

Sure it is great if they do have some understanding of English, or Swahili or Tibetan if that's your only spoken language - but you as a tourist chose to travel Thailand, learn to live with it.

But a very low act dumping him the way he did, could have dumped him somewhere convenient, ie shop, garage, bus station.

English IS de facto the "language of the world" (thai is not). "Everyone" use it all the time when two parties who otherwise can't communicate with each other. It even happens with very closely related languages such as norwegian and swedish, in my previous work we used english in the meetings (norwegian and swedish businesses) as some norwegian words are not easy to decipher as a swede and vice versa.

And Thailand is a tourist country, even bigger reason to know basic english.

Thailand might be a tourist country, doesn't mean every Thai has to speak English.

[Asheron]

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.

Yeah, you could count on one hand the number of Bangkok taxi driver who can't speak Spanish and Tagalog.

you forgot and English!

Why should they speak English, do NY, London, Paris, Sydney, Moscow, drivers speak Thai?

Sure it is great if they do have some understanding of English, or Swahili or Tibetan if that's your only spoken language - but you as a tourist chose to travel Thailand, learn to live with it.

But a very low act dumping him the way he did, could have dumped him somewhere convenient, ie shop, garage, bus station.

English IS de facto the "language of the world" (thai is not). "Everyone" use it all the time when two parties who otherwise can't communicate with each other. It even happens with very closely related languages such as norwegian and swedish, in my previous work we used english in the meetings (norwegian and swedish businesses) as some norwegian words are not easy to decipher as a swede and vice versa.

And Thailand is a tourist country, even bigger reason to know basic english.

Thailand might be a tourist country, doesn't mean every Thai has to speak English.

Of course not but if you work as a taxi driver in Bangkok, especially at Suvarnabhumi, one requirement should be that you know basic english.

[Artisi]

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.

Yeah, you could count on one hand the number of Bangkok taxi driver who can't speak Spanish and Tagalog.

you forgot and English!

Why should they speak English, do NY, London, Paris, Sydney, Moscow, drivers speak Thai?

Sure it is great if they do have some understanding of English, or Swahili or Tibetan if that's your only spoken language - but you as a tourist chose to travel Thailand, learn to live with it.

But a very low act dumping him the way he did, could have dumped him somewhere convenient, ie shop, garage, bus station.

English IS de facto the "language of the world" (thai is not). "Everyone" use it all the time when two parties who otherwise can't communicate with each other. It even happens with very closely related languages such as norwegian and swedish, in my previous work we used english in the meetings (norwegian and swedish businesses) as some norwegian words are not easy to decipher as a swede and vice versa.

And Thailand is a tourist country, even bigger reason to know basic english.

Thailand might be a tourist country, doesn't mean every Thai has to speak English.

Of course not but if you work as a taxi driver in Bangkok, especially at Suvarnabhumi, one requirement should be that you know basic english.

So extending your hypothesis, every tourist arriving in Thailand needs to speak English so the taxi drivers will understand them.

That's good - problem now solved.

[Asheron]

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.

Yeah, you could count on one hand the number of Bangkok taxi driver who can't speak Spanish and Tagalog.

you forgot and English!

Why should they speak English, do NY, London, Paris, Sydney, Moscow, drivers speak Thai?

Sure it is great if they do have some understanding of English, or Swahili or Tibetan if that's your only spoken language - but you as a tourist chose to travel Thailand, learn to live with it.

But a very low act dumping him the way he did, could have dumped him somewhere convenient, ie shop, garage, bus station.

English IS de facto the "language of the world" (thai is not). "Everyone" use it all the time when two parties who otherwise can't communicate with each other. It even happens with very closely related languages such as norwegian and swedish, in my previous work we used english in the meetings (norwegian and swedish businesses) as some norwegian words are not easy to decipher as a swede and vice versa.

And Thailand is a tourist country, even bigger reason to know basic english.

Thailand might be a tourist country, doesn't mean every Thai has to speak English.

Of course not but if you work as a taxi driver in Bangkok, especially at Suvarnabhumi, one requirement should be that you know basic english.

So extending your hypothesis, every tourist arriving in Thailand needs to speak English so the taxi drivers will understand them.

That's good - problem now solved.

Basic english, not to be able to have a academic discussion about Higgs boson. And by basic english i mean very basic, like a few hundred words... which is easily enough to be able to communicate where you want to go.

[ChoakMyDee]

The story of the driver is absolute bullshit. The people who run the taxi que at Suvarnabhimi get your destination and relay it to the driver before you even leave the airport.

My last couples of trips through Swampy saw the intro of the "new improved" ticket system. No more desk or assistance, just a ticket machine to allocate your taxi

Oh I see, they've changed it recently I guess. I've been having a driver from Hua Hin pick me up at Swampy the last few months as the taxi queue can be brutal there.

[outsider]

Told other taxi drivers to take the man to the nearest police station. Why didn't YOU do it, Mr. Witoon. Idiot.

However, this brings to light the bigger problem with the auto queue system at Swampy's taxi stand. When it used to be manned booths, at least the staffers at the booth also acted - unwillingly and mostly with a sour face I must add, second only to the immigration officers' unsmilling way of greeting arriving guests to the Land of Smile - as 'translators'. At least they asked where the passengers were going and informed the waiting driver of the destination.

The new system puts the customers in direct contact with the taxi drivers who, for some reasons, expect everyone arriving from every corner of the world to speak Thai the moment they land. Do these cabbies know that there is a great chance they'd pick up a foreigner who speaks no Thai at all, given this is an international airport and all?

Something should be done to bridge this gap. For a start, cabbies plying the Swampy route should learn basic English, at least. On the other hand, some form of service/aid/tool/whatever should be put in place to help tourists communicate with taxi drivers.

[SunsetT]

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.

Quote "English is the language of the Olympics".

Actually French and English are the official languages of the Olympics.........

Absolutely Sanuk and correct. English and French are the official languages of the Olympics but at the Beijing Olympics the common language that was used in restaurants bars taxis and so on was English. I was there as an English trainer. That was the language the Chinese chose for the occasion. French is a wonderful language but almost all the visitors from France on that occasion were speaking English and were almost offended when I greeted them in French. You will find if you travel widely that with the exception of Thailand, English is the de facto common language between people of different races. I am a native of New Zealand where Maori language is an official language, few speak it because there is a difference between " official " and what folk actually speak. I imagine the same goes for lots of countries such as Canada and French. I have met a huge number of Canadians who speak English as opposed to French. But the 80 year old Filipino was really unlucky and could not be expected to know that the language spoken by Thai taxi drivers at the International Airport are versions of Thai and Lao ( also known here as Thai Isaan).

There is nothing special about English. For better or worse it just happens to be the 2nd language of the World.

[SunsetT]

The story of the driver is absolute bullshit. The people who run the taxi que at Suvarnabhimi get your destination and relay it to the driver before you even leave the airport.

My last couples of trips through Swampy saw the intro of the "new improved" ticket system. No more desk or assistance, just a ticket machine to allocate your taxi

Really! So now the driver's dont get the written destination? A retrogade step if this so.

[SunsetT]

Of course not but if you work as a taxi driver in Bangkok, especially at Suvarnabhumi, one requirement should be that you know basic english.

But it isnt! Anyone can come into Bangkok from the sticks;villages and rent and work a taxi for the day.......Ive had a couple who havent a clue where they are going let alone speak English. Had one bring us back from Bam Phe after taking someone from Swampy to go to Samet. At every major highway junction he was asking me through my Esaan missus which way to go, and once in Bangkok we had to stop and ask for directions a couple of times to find our hotel. Pleasant friendly driver though, and it was all done in good humour.

[AdamRich]

Happened to me and some friends before. The taxi driver put us out on the side of a dark road because we didn't want to go where he wanted to take us.

[ableguy]

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.

More money.