Rogue Bangkok taxi driver filmed fleecing Thai woman and foreign husband

[greenchair]

No, he told them 900 baht at the airport. She agreed. Then when she got there, she changed her mind and said she will only pay 500 or call the police.

Usually passengers must wait downstairs and cue for taxi. Those taxis are always on the meter.

But some like to jump the cue and go upstairs to arrivals and negotiate with the taxi by themselves. The passenger enters a verbal agreement, or decline and get another taxi.

She jumped the cue, and reneged on her agreement. As she admitted in the video. We as customers do not have to get in an unmetered taxi. We can get another. It's his taxi, he can negotiate what he wants. Negotiated taxis are all over the world. It's no different from negotiating a tuk tuk.

She did not keep her agreement and should be arrested.

He can't negotiate anything. He has a metered taxi and has to use the meter

Negotiating fare is an age old tradition, not only in Thailand, but other Asian countries also.

She chose to cut the cue, I imagine she was having trouble getting a taxi upstairs. She quickly negotiated a deal, then changed her mind. She is wrong on all counts. It's his car, if he and the passenger are agreeable to a negotiated fare, it's nobody else's business. That rotten witch made a mountain out of a mole hill.

[greenchair]

This is hardly newsworthy is it? Happens hundreds of times every day in Thailand

That's right. Things are done differently here.

[BookMan]

No, he told them 900 baht at the airport. She agreed. Then when she got there, she changed her mind and said she will only pay 500 or call the police.

Usually passengers must wait downstairs and cue for taxi. Those taxis are always on the meter.

But some like to jump the cue and go upstairs to arrivals and negotiate with the taxi by themselves. The passenger enters a verbal agreement, or decline and get another taxi.

She jumped the cue, and reneged on her agreement. As she admitted in the video. We as customers do not have to get in an unmetered taxi. We can get another. It's his taxi, he can negotiate what he wants. Negotiated taxis are all over the world. It's no different from negotiating a tuk tuk.

She did not keep her agreement and should be arrested.

He can't negotiate anything. He has a metered taxi and has to use the meter

Negotiating fare is an age old tradition, not only in Thailand, but other Asian countries also.

She chose to cut the cue, I imagine she was having trouble getting a taxi upstairs. She quickly negotiated a deal, then changed her mind. She is wrong on all counts. It's his car, if he and the passenger are agreeable to a negotiated fare, it's nobody else's business. That rotten witch made a mountain out of a mole hill.

Doesn't matter what happened in the past.

It is a metered taxi, so the meter should be used. That's the law here.

No negotiation needed.

From reading the article the driver didn't put the meter on, demanded 900 baht, the woman offered 500 baht, probably because she was fearful of the driver at that stage.

She should have asked for the police to be called and paid zero baht.

Edited April 22, 2016 by BookMan

[texan1800]

I hate to take the other side here, but 255 baht for a ride that probably took an hour if not two (I couldn't figure out what time this happened) is not a sustainable price. I'll bet the fuel alone cost 100 baht if not more given that every taxi I've ever seen here has a check engine light which probably means the emission system and fuel metering are screwed up. Double that for cost of ownership of the vehicle. Cars aren't cheap here or anywhere else in the world. No wonder taxi drivers are always trying desperately to get more money than they would from the meter alone. Most anywhere else in the world that I've been it would cost eight to ten times that.

Edited April 22, 2016 by texan1800

[Baerboxer]

Good to see the hotel guys not allowing him to assault the guests.

They were firm without adding to the aggression.

[thaihome]

...

His wife has a remarkable ability to argue without losing her screws and keeps using the appropriate 'ka', which is very clever of her. Apparently she's the one doing the filming, which is even more clever. In the argument, she stands her ground and is physically assisted by two hotel staff members, who are also quite apt at being effective without resorting to violence, kudos to them, so the matter remains between Thais and that is the exact right way to handle it, cowboy.

Have to agree. They way both the wife kept her cool and particularly the one staff that eased into position just before the taxi driver charged is amazing. Have seen this ability to defuse a situation that has all the signs of going violent before and I am always surprised how it turns out.

This may happen "hundreds" of times, but while this was going on thousands of others were using Bangkok taxis with absolutely no problems. In the thousands of times I have taken Bangkok taxis in past 18 years or so, I can only recall maybe 3 or 4 incidents.

I do admit I don't use taxis from the airport as I either have a car waiting or I take the AOT limo.

TH

[2fishin2]

No, he told them 900 baht at the airport. She agreed. Then when she got there, she changed her mind and said she will only pay 500 or call the police.

Usually passengers must wait downstairs and cue for taxi. Those taxis are always on the meter.

But some like to jump the cue and go upstairs to arrivals and negotiate with the taxi by themselves. The passenger enters a verbal agreement, or decline and get another taxi.

She jumped the cue, and reneged on her agreement. As she admitted in the video. We as customers do not have to get in an unmetered taxi. We can get another. It's his taxi, he can negotiate what he wants. Negotiated taxis are all over the world. It's no different from negotiating a tuk tuk.

She did not keep her agreement and should be arrested.

He can't negotiate anything. He has a metered taxi and has to use the meter

Negotiating fare is an age old tradition, not only in Thailand, but other Asian countries also.

She chose to cut the cue, I imagine she was having trouble getting a taxi upstairs. She quickly negotiated a deal, then changed her mind. She is wrong on all counts. It's his car, if he and the passenger are agreeable to a negotiated fare, it's nobody else's business. That rotten witch made a mountain out of a mole hill.

You are 100% WRONG. It is ILLEGAL to negotiate fares in a metered taxi. You are acting just like the taxi driver....are you him?

[metisdead]

Inflammatory posts as well as threatening posts and replies have been removed.

[ardokano]

No, he told them 900 baht at the airport. She agreed. Then when she got there, she changed her mind and said she will only pay 500 or call the police.

Usually passengers must wait downstairs and cue for taxi. Those taxis are always on the meter.

But some like to jump the cue and go upstairs to arrivals and negotiate with the taxi by themselves. The passenger enters a verbal agreement, or decline and get another taxi.

She jumped the cue, and reneged on her agreement. As she admitted in the video. We as customers do not have to get in an unmetered taxi. We can get another. It's his taxi, he can negotiate what he wants. Negotiated taxis are all over the world. It's no different from negotiating a tuk tuk.

She did not keep her agreement and should be arrested.

Wrong.... he has to use his Taxi Meter. Taxis are officially not allowed to refuse a customer. Hell, you don't even have to ask anything before you enter the taxi. Just get inside and tell where you want to go.

This is rules(laws) Thailand( Bangkok taxi)?

Edited April 22, 2016 by ardokano

[djayz]

What a husband he is! He takes care of the luggage but doesn't try to protect his wife as the taxi driver approaches her in a threatening manner...!?! Leaves it up to the holet staff... ? Useless s**t.

[ardokano]

No, he told them 900 baht at the airport. She agreed. Then when she got there, she changed her mind and said she will only pay 500 or call the police.

Usually passengers must wait downstairs and cue for taxi. Those taxis are always on the meter.

But some like to jump the cue and go upstairs to arrivals and negotiate with the taxi by themselves. The passenger enters a verbal agreement, or decline and get another taxi.

She jumped the cue, and reneged on her agreement. As she admitted in the video. We as customers do not have to get in an unmetered taxi. We can get another. It's his taxi, he can negotiate what he wants. Negotiated taxis are all over the world. It's no different from negotiating a tuk tuk.

She did not keep her agreement and should be arrested.

He can't negotiate anything. He has a metered taxi and has to use the meter

Negotiating fare is an age old tradition, not only in Thailand, but other Asian countries also.

She chose to cut the cue, I imagine she was having trouble getting a taxi upstairs. She quickly negotiated a deal, then changed her mind. She is wrong on all counts. It's his car, if he and the passenger are agreeable to a negotiated fare, it's nobody else's business. That rotten witch made a mountain out of a mole hill.

You are 100% WRONG. It is ILLEGAL to negotiate fares in a metered taxi. You are acting just like the taxi driver....are you him?

I'm just curious.And guess not gust me.

Can You tell Article laws ?

PSIn Thailand many illegal things can see often every day.

[2fishin2]

What a husband he is! He takes care of the luggage but doesn't try to protect his wife as the taxi driver approaches her in a threatening manner...!?! Leaves it up to the holet staff... [emoji13] Useless s**t.

That was a very smart guy. There would have been NOTHING he could have done better than what he did.

At least he isnt a keyboard warrior....

[ardokano]

What a husband he is! He takes care of the luggage but doesn't try to protect his wife as the taxi driver approaches her in a threatening manner...!?! Leaves it up to the holet staff... [emoji13] Useless s**t.

That was a very smart guy. There would have been NOTHING he could have done better than what he did.

At least he isnt a keyboard warrior....

If have deal for 900B... Yes.. what he can do if wife wrong and start scandal.. Just change wife.. may be...

[Chicog]

No, he told them 900 baht at the airport. She agreed. Then when she got there, she changed her mind and said she will only pay 500 or call the police.

That isn't what the OP said:

He had not indicated he was not using the meter and after a short while demanded 900 baht for the journey.

An unpleasant journey followed after the passenger said she would only pay 500 with Pornpan saying that she felt they were in danger and threatened by the driver's behaviour.

I've never had a problem saying hello in Thai, asking them to turn on the meter, telling them to take the tollway and giving them the change for the tolls.

Not once in 20+ years.

I got fleeced the first and only time back in the day and sent the card off, and got a reply back in my home country months later saying the driver had been fined Bt1000.

[siamcrut]

What a husband he is! He takes care of the luggage but doesn't try to protect his wife as the taxi driver approaches her in a threatening manner...!?! Leaves it up to the holet staff... [emoji13] Useless s**t.

That was a very smart guy. There would have been NOTHING he could have done better than what he did.

At least he isnt a keyboard warrior....

...he could have at least pushed their baggage car down the stairs...

Now that would have make this little dwarf rotate and the vdo viral.

[katana]

In the linked Thairath article she says she had just flown in from Ranong with her husband to Don Meuang airport and they hailed a taxi from the first floor of the airport building.
She told the taxi driver her destination and they got in the taxi and after they set off he announced the fare would be 900 Baht off the meter.
She immediately tried to bargain down the price but he became evasive and refused to negotiate, talking into his phone and opening and shutting the car window for some reason.
She felt pressurised, uneasy and in danger since it was late at night. When they got to their destination they alighted from the taxi and she offered to pay 500 Baht which led to the events in the video unfolding.
At 1 min 20 she says to the driver in Southern Thai dialect: "Do you always speak to women, the same sex as your Mother, like this?" which seems to enrage him and he makes towards her only for the hotel staff to intervene.
She said she was grateful to the hotel staff for stepping in helping.

[Tawan77]

I don't understand why they didn't just hand the driver 300 baht and walk away. They had their bags at this point, no?

[cpofc]

Moral of the story. Get the rules sorted before you start playing the game. Settle any negotiations before getting in the vehicle.

After a long flight all I want to do is get home as quickly as possible. I don't mind paying a bit extra for a good, non stressful, direct to the door, no hassle service from a cheerful and competent driver. I always get him to put the meter on, but then, at the end of the journey I give a decent, worthwhile tip.

Just recently I had a mate from Australia pass by my place on his way home. I told him to call me as soon as he got the cab at the airport and to put the driver on the phone. There are two ways to get to my place from Swampy, the fast direct way, and the 'scenic route'. After a brief discussion, directions given, a price agreed upon, everyone was happy. My mate arrived in very good time, happy with no stress.

The bloke featured in this article, IMHO, is more the exception than the rule. There will always be bad apples who deserve to have their photos in the paper, like this bully!

[cyberfarang]

Taxi drivers are the same everywhere, scum.

I`ve had taxi drivers try the crap on me in London, Madrid, Paris and Amsterdam. Here in Thailand I get all the haggling over first before I step foot in a taxi. There are no proper systems here and never take anything for granted.

[greenchair]

No, he told them 900 baht at the airport. She agreed. Then when she got there, she changed her mind and said she will only pay 500 or call the police.

That isn't what the OP said:

He had not indicated he was not using the meter and after a short while demanded 900 baht for the journey.

An unpleasant journey followed after the passenger said she would only pay 500 with Pornpan saying that she felt they were in danger and threatened by the driver's behaviour.

I've never had a problem saying hello in Thai, asking them to turn on the meter, telling them to take the tollway and giving them the change for the tolls.

Not once in 20+ years.

I got fleeced the first and only time back in the day and sent the card off, and got a reply back in my home country months later saying the driver had been fined Bt1000.

If you listen carefully, he says "you agreed to the 900 hundred baht " she stumble a couple of seconds with how to reply. She has him on camera and trying to direct the dialogue in her own favour. She replys "yes, I did because you wouldn't go on the meter " she jumped the cue and used the taxi by mutual negotiation. She had every right to turn his taxi down and find a metered taxi. He's running a business. It's his duty to get as much as he can for his vehicle. She wanted a taxi from the arrival and tried to get the cheapest ride she could without waiting for a metered or cueing.

At the hotel she changed her mind. Even the hotelier asked her if it was true. she said yes. The hotelier asked her to pay and she did. The full 900.

She tried to cheat him

[djayz]

What a husband he is! He takes care of the luggage but doesn't try to protect his wife as the taxi driver approaches her in a threatening manner...!?! Leaves it up to the holet staff... [emoji13] Useless s**t.

That was a very smart guy. There would have been NOTHING he could have done better than what he did.

At least he isnt a keyboard warrior....

Another bloke who picks his "girlfriends" up off side walks.

If he made a move like that towards my wife, I wouldn't need a keyboard.

You'd stand by and watch her being attacked?!

What a loser...No wonder you have to come to a third world country to get a night's company... sad man.

I'm pretty sure there are a lot of blokes here who would STAND UP for their wives/families/loved ones.

Edited April 22, 2016 by djayz

[ardokano]

In the linked Thairath article she says she had just flown in from Ranong with her husband to Don Meuang airport and they hailed a taxi from the first floor of the airport building.

She told the taxi driver her destination and they got in the taxi and after they set off he announced the fare would be 900 Baht off the meter.

She immediately tried to bargain down the price but he became evasive and refused to negotiate, talking into his phone and opening and shutting the car window for some reason.

She felt pressurised, uneasy and in danger since it was late at night. When they got to their destination they alighted from the taxi and she offered to pay 500 Baht which led to the events in the video unfolding.

At 1 min 20 she says to the driver in Southern Thai dialect: "Do you always speak to women, the same sex as your Mother, like this?" which seems to enrage him and he makes towards her only for the hotel staff to intervene.

She said she was grateful to the hotel staff for stepping in helping.

SO...

Its woman cheating?

[Tawan77]

No, he told them 900 baht at the airport. She agreed. Then when she got there, she changed her mind and said she will only pay 500 or call the police.

That isn't what the OP said:

He had not indicated he was not using the meter and after a short while demanded 900 baht for the journey.

An unpleasant journey followed after the passenger said she would only pay 500 with Pornpan saying that she felt they were in danger and threatened by the driver's behaviour.

I've never had a problem saying hello in Thai, asking them to turn on the meter, telling them to take the tollway and giving them the change for the tolls.

Not once in 20+ years.

I got fleeced the first and only time back in the day and sent the card off, and got a reply back in my home country months later saying the driver had been fined Bt1000.

If you listen carefully, he says "you agreed to the 900 hundred baht " she stumble a couple of seconds with how to reply. She has him on camera and trying to direct the dialogue in her own favour. She replys "yes, I did because you wouldn't go on the meter " she jumped the cue and used the taxi by mutual negotiation. She had every right to turn his taxi down and find a metered taxi. He's running a business. It's his duty to get as much as he can for his vehicle. She wanted a taxi from the arrival and tried to get the cheapest ride she could without waiting for a metered or cueing.

At the hotel she changed her mind. Even the hotelier asked her if it was true. she said yes. The hotelier asked her to pay and she did. The full 900.

She tried to cheat him

If she agreed to the fare, you're right. Doesn't mean he's a saint, asking an extortionate fare, but he'd be in the right if she agreed to it. Consumers need to know market value and negotiate clearly as others have said.

[Moonmoon]

Don't really know DM that well but are taxis supposed to pick up from the "smoking area" there?

No they're not, that is meant to be a controlled area to stop taxis from dropping off and picking up on exit by-passing the taxi queues. The method is generally used by taxi drivers without permission to pick up from the airport and cheap charlies wanting to save 50 baht from the taxi rank.

The normal excuse from these people is to avoid the queues, which, depending on the time of day do form. However, it has been my experience that these queues move pretty rapidly and the waiting time isn't really that long.

I use the taxi rank at DM a lot, probably about 20 times a year and have never had a problem with any of the drivers from the rank, 50 baht well worth paying.........................

I agree. Better than to be charged 900 baht more.

[steve654]

When I visited BKK with my wife last year, one taxi driver did not turn on the meter, so my wife asked to turn it on and he did. Another taxi driver did not turn on the AC and my wife asked him to turn it on and he did. Lucky for me my wife is Thai! We also had one really crazy driver that was downright scary in his manner. But, out of using a taxi about 50 times during our stay, only three or 4 times were questionable.

Edited April 22, 2016 by steve654

[greenchair]

In the linked Thairath article she says she had just flown in from Ranong with her husband to Don Meuang airport and they hailed a taxi from the first floor of the airport building.

She told the taxi driver her destination and they got in the taxi and after they set off he announced the fare would be 900 Baht off the meter.

She immediately tried to bargain down the price but he became evasive and refused to negotiate, talking into his phone and opening and shutting the car window for some reason.

She felt pressurised, uneasy and in danger since it was late at night. When they got to their destination they alighted from the taxi and she offered to pay 500 Baht which led to the events in the video unfolding.

At 1 min 20 she says to the driver in Southern Thai dialect: "Do you always speak to women, the same sex as your Mother, like this?" which seems to enrage him and he makes towards her only for the hotel staff to intervene.

She said she was grateful to the hotel staff for stepping in helping.

SO...

Its woman cheating?

According to the dialogue in thai not in print, she agreed before she got in the taxi. That's why when the hotelier asked her for the full 900, she paid up. She knew the game was up. She probably realised after they were on the way, that she had been too hasty with the agreed 900. Too late. She agreed. Pay up lady.

[glassdude007]

Yes she tried to beat the cue got this driver with a wave down and agreed price..

Then tried to pull a switch a rooo not very smart.

The driver seemed a bit mow to me in the video.....

For sure if this guy out on the street This lady and farang hubby should

Watch thier back easy to find them through the facebook post...not very smart to post this on the book..

and i'm sure the driver is still pissed off and would be happy to see them again some day..

Edited April 22, 2016 by glassdude007

[geisha]

Another thing to bear in mind is when you are a lady traveller. Gone are the years when I used to just hop in a taxi and have a friendly conversation on the way to the airport ! Now I order my taxi from a company I know, or the hotel. Costs much more, but ....

[jspill]

When he said the meter was not working they should have told him to stop and got out. I had one taxi from DM who said the meter was not working so I told him I would pay him as the sign said at the airport i.e. meter plus baht 50. He suddenly fixed the meter

He didn't just say the meter isn't working, he said it isn't working and the price would be an extortionate 900 baht. If you understand Thai, from the video all their suitcases were already in the boot by the time he said both these things.

Sure the safe play is to still get out with all your bags, if you don't want to get machete'd.

But every now and then an absolute hero comes along and takes a stand and gets it on camera. I think she knew that she was going to a major hotel with security and cameras outside, and the driver woudn't be able to go crazy. Plus she's a female speaking his language and holding a camera, she had him by the balls. She probably also knew exactly where to share the video to get it to go viral and make a difference. She's a hero.

I'd love to buy this lady a drink.

[jspill]

No, he told them 900 baht at the airport. She agreed. Then when she got there, she changed her mind and said she will only pay 500 or call the police.

Usually passengers must wait downstairs and cue for taxi. Those taxis are always on the meter.

But some like to jump the cue and go upstairs to arrivals and negotiate with the taxi by themselves. The passenger enters a verbal agreement, or decline and get another taxi.

She jumped the cue, and reneged on her agreement. As she admitted in the video. We as customers do not have to get in an unmetered taxi. We can get another. It's his taxi, he can negotiate what he wants. Negotiated taxis are all over the world. It's no different from negotiating a tuk tuk.

She did not keep her agreement and should be arrested.

Where's the proof it wasn't at the metered taxi rank? In the video all she says is all her suitcase were already in the boot by the time he finally said 'my meter isn't working, how does 900 baht sound'.

The apologists for this thug driver make me sick.