Swiss businessmen fleeced by Suvarnabhumi taxi - but Thailand restores some pride!

[Dogbreath]

And the taxi driver? Happily back at the airport?

Yes. But remember, he was probably given a stern warning and told not to do it again. That will fix things. Personally, I think he should be horsewhipped, but probably too much to ask unless his victim had been a hi-so or other protected class.

[English 1]

I have lived here for 12 years and because I am White ( I dislike that F word ) I would say I have a 50% chance of getting a Taxi without any of the Bullshit and Hassle.

i.e.: 1. A quote about 4 times what the meter would be, 2. Actually accept where I want to go and not say 'NO' if it doesn't suit the driver. 3. Not drive a long route. 4. Not put the Meter on.

On one trip we went over the SAME railway track 3 times! Over, Along, Over, Along and Over Again!

Beware at The Paragon Taxi Rank because one day I got in a tatty old Taxi and then noticed NO METER --- NO NUMBER and LETTERS on the doors inside..... NO LICENCE/PHOTO DISPLAYED.

They use Paragon because they cannot show a FOR HIRE sign as they don't have one!

2 days later exactly the same thing but a different Taxi.

I was looking out for it and I didn't get in.

I told the guy controlling the queue but he was disinterested and just told me to get another Taxi.

Corruption here is inbred and sickening that one has to be continually looking out for scams. Yea here comes another Sucker!

[Thian]

And what action is being taken against the crook who drove the taxi?

He has recieved attitude ajustment therapy from the airport, he also has promised to leave the Mafia and change his ways, "Thank God for government reforms in LOS".

On the other hand nothing has changed in years, first time I came here16 yrs ago the scammers were plentifull at Don Muang asking 4000 to the city, only because I was forwarned did i ignore them and walk outside and get a taxi metre for , 400 or so can't remember, but soon learnt where to go at airport for taxi.

Just a few weeks ago I flew into Don Muang and went upstairs for a Taxi, a scammer aproached me and said I show you where to go for Taxi 2000, I ignored him and just went to the taxi rank and got Taxi Metre.

This problem at the airports was supposed to be cleaned up and never has been--- surprise ,surprise.

Well it has improved by the years. 16 years ago they would start harassing you while you were standing at the luggagebelt. After the customs they would all jump on any tourist to scam him. Then you had to walk along those limoservices who all yelled and asked "where you go?".

That's all over now which is great! Then we got the taxi-desk with that sleeping girl who always put her had on the table to sleep, after waking her up she would call the taxi.

But now it's so overregulated that there are long qeueu's again, even when you pay the 60 baht. And i also want to pick my own taxi so i get a new one, not an oversprayed old one with many failures because i have to sit in it for an hour or so.

Once i had a taxi from the airport and it didn't even have any doorpanels inside, the metre had cables go in/out everywhere and they were hanging loose over the half demolished dashboard.

Now i just walk to the departurehall, go through the turning gate and take my own taxi. I speak (a little) Thai and know the route very well. They always used to metre.

[phantomfiddler]

Ever heard of the phrase "When in a foreign country beware of your own" ? The thai will charge you 100 Bht for a 10 Bht taxi ride, but it will be one of your own countrymen lurking in the shadows waiting for the opportunity to relieve you of your life savings ! Beware

[Patsycat]

It's difficult to sort out colours of foreign notes. Especially if you are tired etc. The Swiss guy did make a mistake, or misunderstood.

The taxi driver should have pointed that out to guy.

6000 baht is 160 Swiss Francs. If i got a taxi from Geneva Airport to my home, it would cost at least 100 francs. And that is not far.

So the guy may have been thinking in Swiss Francs.

[JHolmesJr]

The thais that service the tourist industry (taxi, tuk yuk, motocy, bargirls etc) are basically functioning on neanderthal brains.

You have to give them a clue that you are not here for the first time.

Many farangs simply launch into perfect english…the thai neanderthal brain translates this as 'sucker'.

Just by saying "Pai Sukhumvit"…."Meter Khap"….you can get 99% of them to turn on the meter.

However when you go…."hello, good afternoon, could you take me to sukumvit road please"…you are inviting trouble.

[mrrizzla]

I have conflicted feelings.

Not that I think the taxi driver is in any way right. But at the offence, then the fact he still kept 600 baht, but when he was caught and apprehended the absolute sheer hilarity of his lie. I am angry and laughing at the same time.

He accidentally overpaid me over 140 Euros officer! And I tried to give it back! Honest!

[TKDfella]

Wouldn't be surprised if it was twisted to 'Honest Taxi driver returns money to tourist who mistakenly gave 6,000 B instead of 600 B...'

[Tchooptip]

And the taxi driver? Happily back at the airport?

His driving licence was confiscated for 3 months, he was not working for a company but owned the car, so 3 month without working.

Because the hotel put the story on FaceBook and guess what, the police is reading FaceBook every days, and they found it...Happier now?

[phoenixdoglover]

Nice to see the taxi driver was fined and had his permit suspended.

When I first came to Thailand, I was on my own, but armed with decent knowledge due to my "Google Skillz". I knew the going rate for airport taxis, and I knew about Tuk Tuk scams. I managed to avoid gross overcharges.

Now, I am typically accompanied by my Thai wife, formerly a resident of Bangkok for 23 years. Most of our taxi rides start out OK; but in about 25% of them, a discussion between my wife and the driver will escalate into an argument. Usually, this is due to the driver not really knowing how to get to our destination.

Once, after exiting the taxi following a heated diatribe by my wife, I asked her what she said to him. "I told him he was stupid, and he should go back to the farm!", she said. I laughed. My wife is from a village in Isaan. She knows these guys well.

Edited March 29, 2016 by phoenixdoglover

[mysticpaki]

The staff of U Sathorn Hotel are truly wonderful caring people.

[mrrizzla]

And the taxi driver? Happily back at the airport?

His driving licence was confiscated for 3 months, he was not working for a company but owned the car, so 3 month without working.

Because the hotel put the story on FaceBook and guess what, the police is reading FaceBook every days, and they found it...Happier now?

That is a good first step. However, I think he should be banned from collecting passengers at swampy and Don Mueng for life.

[gyrosman]

A smart Swiss businessmen first time anywhere I think. If he flew Business class or First class he knew how to travel. He was not in Hong Kong on NY by Bangkok.

6,000 for a taxi ride in all of Thailand would of got you coast to coast in private Van.

I would fire my travel dept. if he has one. Small timers trying to be big in the LOS: Land of Surprises!

[yooyoo]

Welcome to Thailand.. the land of sly

[dotpoom]

How lucky we are that this never happens in our home country (says a man driving a Taxi for 28 years back home,.... ... on and off)

[greenchair]

Aw leave the taxi drivers alone. One of the highlights of my trip was learning how not to get ripped off. Great learning experience.

[bark]

600 baht is still too much

The driver maybe asked for 600 bt. And the tourists thought he said 6,000. When they gave him the money and got out the Taxi driver, just thought it was his lucky day. Tourist then did the calculation after getting out of the Taxi and realized they were charged 150 Euro, and complained.

600 is close to the normal price, so 6000, easy to misunderstand.

[greenchair]

Aw leave the taxi drivers alone. One of the highlights of my trip was learning how not to get ripped off. Great learning experience.

[mydee]

And the taxi driver? Happily back at the airport?

Yes. But remember, he was probably given a stern warning and told not to do it again. That will fix things. Personally, I think he should be horsewhipped, but probably too much to ask unless his victim had been a hi-so or other protected class.

No THE TAXI DRIVER WAS FINED 3000 BAHT HAD HIS TAXI LICENCE REVOKED. As was posted here at 15:26 I hope the capitalization makes it clear enough for you as you either

1 Haven't read the update

2 Couldn't understand the update

3 Chose to ignore the update.

Now I realize that the punishment wasn't quite as harsh as you would have like, perhaps death by firing squad or castration may have mollified you, but it does mean that he is proscribed from driving a cab and hence earning a living. And given his claim of a misunderstanding a perfectly reasonable decision by the Thai Transport authorities.

All in all a good outcome, don't you agree?

[Bluespunk]

Aw leave the taxi drivers alone. One of the highlights of my trip was learning how not to get ripped off. Great learning experience.

so you said earlier.

You didn't convince me then either.

[Bluespunk]

600 baht is still too much

The driver maybe asked for 600 bt. And the tourists thought he said 6,000. When they gave him the money and got out the Taxi driver, just thought it was his lucky day. Tourist then did the calculation after getting out of the Taxi and realized they were charged 150 Euro, and complained.

600 is close to the normal price, so 6000, easy to misunderstand.

600 is nowhere near the normal price.

[mydee]

And the taxi driver? Happily back at the airport?

Yes. But remember, he was probably given a stern warning and told not to do it again. That will fix things. Personally, I think he should be horsewhipped, but probably too much to ask unless his victim had been a hi-so or other protected class.

No he wasn't He was fined 3000 baht and had his taxi licence revoked by the Transport Authority as was reported here at 15:36. Perhaps this isn't the punishment you had hoped for, such as execution by firing squad, but given that the taxi driver did claim there was a misunderstanding it is a reasonable outcome. It will his him in the pocket and he is denied making a living.

Unfortunately the outcome may disappoint the Thai bashers and their confected outrage.

Congratulations to the Transport authorities.

Edited March 29, 2016 by mydee

[SCARLETIBIS1]

I truly believe most Thai people are just hard working, honest folks who would help anyone in need. But the business people will rob you blind if they can. And that is the point. They can and do because like everything else here there is no accountability. This cab driver should have been arrested and lost his job but instead he was probably praised by the cops or a government suit for returning the money.

Thailand is like a Chinese water torture: Someone cuts you up a little bit each day whether its the cops, the landlord, the restaurant, the bike shop, the taxis, Immigration or your gf. At first you just let it go. You don't even notice the blood. A little blood here and little blood there.

NO big deal. You get pissed off but someone says to you mai been rai. Let it go, it's Thailand.

Suddenly, three, five or ten years later you wake up one day bleeding to death. You look at yourself and you have a hundred stab wounds on you. So you go to the best hospital in the city and they steal your possessions to use as collateral for the bill which they have charged you five to ten times the going rate for Thais.

I think TV did a survey that show the average sucker foreigner lasts three years and packs it up.

Yeah,you can move out but maybe you have a gf or a wife or kids even or a business or two motorbikes or a car or God forbid maybe a house which of course is in the girl's name which in due time you will also lose.

And the Tourist police for the most part is a PR sham. The stories abound of how inept they are. I know of a guy who did nothing more than take a walk down a street that was private property (unknown to him) and was brutally attacked by some idiot owner with a cane pole and the tourist police told him if he pressed charges he would go to jail for five years for trespassing.

I myself had my phone stolen by a Thai. I had left it on a bench outside of a 7-11. The idiot made three phone calls to someone. I had the phone company call the person he called and he gave up the guy's phone number. The thief promised to return the phone. But he never showed up. He also never pulled the sim card though. So I finally went to the tourist police who did call him and the guy comes in with the phone. I wanted the guy arrested. The cops just laughed at me said the guy was a government employee and never intended to steal the phone. Yeah then why did he take it? He could have and should have just given it to an employee at the 7-11. When I asked him why he didn't do that his response was he was in a hurry to leave. Flucking incredible. So now the Tourist police want to see my original passport. I had a copy on me. They told me no good. So then I gave them my Thai driver's license but again no good they said. Finally, after an hour of haggling someone said ok. Then we all have to take pictures together (including the purp) holding the phone. It was a joke. So they hand me back the phone and as I start to walk out they tell me to wait for a report which took another hour and then they asked me to sign it which was all in Thai. So I had the girl read it to me in English. I assumed it said I stole the phone from the Thai guy but I signed it anyway.

I repeated I wanted the guy arrested. They said since it happened in Chiang Doa I would have to go there. So on the way out I told the thief I was on my way to CD to have him arrested and he gives me the finger. LOL

Just last week a guy told me his air con broke in the condo yes condo he lives in. They refused to fix it. When he continued to complain they gave him 30 days to move out.

My view is foreigners get ripped off here because culturally it's ok to do so. Didn't I read just last week the BKK cops arrested or fined 5700 (?)taxi drivers for not taking fares? Of course that didn't happen.

No, Thailand will never change in my view. It is what it is. Deal with it fools and enjoy the stab wounds. LOL

PS: The fine for no helmut now in Chiang Mai is 500 baht up from 400 baht up from just 200 baht a year or so ago. Good news it is still possible to ask the kindly cop to pay the fine for you and give him 200 baht to do so. LOS

Edited March 29, 2016 by SCARLETIBIS1

[Chalard]

Could you please print the tag number and color of that taxi?

I'm very curious.

Read post # 45

[scorecard]

A smart Swiss businessmen first time anywhere I think. If he flew Business class or First class he knew how to travel. He was not in Hong Kong on NY by Bangkok.

6,000 for a taxi ride in all of Thailand would of got you coast to coast in private Van.

I would fire my travel dept. if he has one. Small timers trying to be big in the LOS: Land of Surprises!

Wow so many assumptions about other people should do.

Did you get out of bed on the wrong side today?

[kingalfred]

Ok

[HerbalEd]

Even so, he still was overcharged.

[Chicog]

Restores some pride my behind, they only responded (as usual) because of the embarrassing publicity.

If they had any pride at all they'd be all over bent taxi drivers like a cheap suit, and especially airport ones.

Edited March 29, 2016 by Chicog

[Myshkin]

For the sake of this Swiss company I just hope that the employees are smarter than their president.

[chrisinth]

Driver no mean cheating. Him know falang have money big so him GIVE face to falang. 6000 thb bill him big, him high on feudal ladder, Wai khrap. Falang should feel honoured but no understand because first time him Thailand........ Not ripoff but misunderstanding Thai customs. Solly solly...

Have you enrolled in a basic English course yet? When you do ask them to pay special attention to differentiating the letters "l" and "r", the use of capitals and sentence construction. Believe me it will pay dividends, in no time you will be able to communicate without belittling people. If you intended to be humorous you are about as funny as a dose of Dengue fever. .

My O My.

Any idea how you spell "The sarcasm just went right over my head" in Thai?

Dose of dengue? I'd look that one up as well. In English........................