Bangkok taxi driver fined top whack for having a dodgy meter filmed on Facebook

[rooster59]

Bangkok taxi driver fined top whack for having a dodgy meter filmed on Facebook

Image: Thairath.

BANGKOK:-- A passenger who filmed a taxi driver who he thought was overcharging him with a faulty meter got a result.

The taxi driver was fined 5,000 baht after tests were done on his car and a field test was carried out, reported Thairath.

The clip of the journey had done the rounds of Facebook under the moniker of 'Taxi Meter Turbo". The poster who was taking a foreign friend to Suvarnabhumi airport from the W Hotel in the Sathorn area of Bangkok noticed irregularities.

First the flagfall was 45 baht but he put that down to the driver turning on the meter before the bags were loaded. But when they had only just got on the expressway at Rama 4 and the meter said over 200 baht alarm bells started ringing. So he started filming and claimed that he caught the driver touching a button on the steering wheel that he had heard was activated in overcharging meter cases.

On arrival at the airport he reported the matter to police who said they would do nothing because he had already paid. So he went to the ground floor desk where the officials on duty found the driver was registered at the airport and contacted the land department.

Driver Pramuansak Thonburi was called in Friday evening and his cab underwent checks. The checks first showed that the meter seemed to be working normally so they went to do a field test on the actual route. When the distance of the journey was compared with the actual rate that should have been charged according to the official tables he was found to be overcharging.

He was given the top fine of 5,000 for the offence and it was put on his record along with a warning that a subsequent repetition of the violation would result in suspension of his license to operate a taxi or its removal altogether.

Source: Thairath

-- 2016-05-14

[ezzra]

Here's a brilliant idea I just come up with all by my self, how about a random meter spot check

of taxis all over BKK and specially at the airports and in front of hotels? you think it will happened?

probably not, too complicated and too much work......

[MROLL320]

Is it a criminal matter? Sounds like prosecution under civil rules....

[lemonjelly]

Quote: "On arrival at the airport he reported the matter to police who said they would do nothing because he had already paid."

This needs explaining

[monty1412]

Quote: "On arrival at the airport he reported the matter to police who said they would do nothing because he had already paid."

This needs explaining

Easy..... as the fiscal transaction between the driver and the passenger had concluded their seemed to be no easy way for the police to insert themselves for any sort of monetary gain.. no monetary gain.. no interest .... explanation done....

[Familyaffairs]

Ok, so airport police didn't do anything because he paid already. If he had refused, the driver with his kind -hearted friends, might hsve beaten him up, or maybe have a metal object Inserted. The BIBS are too busy playing and showing off on their.Sedgways.

[arrowsdawdle]

Reading this headline and so many others lately suggests that it is time for somebody to start an English language expat site, like Thaivisa used to be.

[williamgeorgeallen]

Quote: "On arrival at the airport he reported the matter to police who said they would do nothing because he had already paid."

This needs explaining

cops will use any excuse to do nothing. i had some goods stolen from my shop by an ex employee. i managed to find out where the guy lived and i got the good back. i went to the police station with a photo copy of the thiefs ID card. cops said i already had my stuff so there was no need to do anything more.

[arrowsdawdle]

The thing to watch for on Thai taxis is the wheel size. Many use smaller wheels for less aggressive but constant fudging on the fares.

[razer]

"On arrival at the airport he reported the matter to police who said they would do nothing because he had already paid. "

I needed police help two times (nothing life threatening) and each time they found an excuse not to do anything. Not the least bit interested.

Got to go viral on social media to get their attention. Keep it up Thailand.

No need to say more about the DO NOTHING RTP.

Edited May 14, 2016 by razer

[Rob13]

Quote: "On arrival at the airport he reported the matter to police who said they would do nothing because he had already paid."

This needs explaining

Cop code for "where's my tea money?'

[mesterm]

Quote: "On arrival at the airport he reported the matter to police who said they would do nothing because he had already paid."

This needs explaining

They were lazy. That's the explanation for most of the mind-boggling incidents in this country.

[Dibbler]

There has been enough cases of Bangkok taxi drivers ripping off Thais and foreigners alike that I question why one would consider using public taxis at all when there are cheaper alternatives like Uber and All Thai Taxi that also offer a more honest and professional service.

[mesterm]

Wow... so high tech! Leading the way for innovation and resourcefulness

[trainman34014]

Another example of the only kind of 'Innovation' Thai's understand !

[gandalf12]

Here's a brilliant idea I just come up with all by my self, how about a random meter spot check

of taxis all over BKK and specially at the airports and in front of hotels? you think it will happened?

probably not, too complicated and too much work......

Be jobs for the boys and would make money. Good idea

[Scouse Twoccer]

The thing to watch for on Thai taxis is the wheel size. Many use smaller wheels for less aggressive but constant fudging on the fares.

Nonsense, complete nonsense.

To do that would involve the taxi owner investing in a complete set of 5 new wheels, and tyres, an expense that most taxi drivers would not want. Not only would the change make precious little difference to the fare (unless the wheel diameter was so dramatically reduced to a size that was ridiculously obvious) but it would also make the taxi more expensive to run by the use of more fuel offsetting any fraudulent gain.

But just in case I am wrong let's see some evidence of the "many" (or any, come to that) taxis that do this. I won't hold my breath.

Edited May 14, 2016 by Scouse Twoccer

[Scouse Twoccer]

There has been enough cases of Bangkok taxi drivers ripping off Thais and foreigners alike that I question why one would consider using public taxis at all when there are cheaper alternatives like Uber and All Thai Taxi that also offer a more honest and professional service.

"...when there are cheaper alternatives like Uber and All Thai Taxi..."

How much cheaper are Uber and ATT than other taxis?

[sanukjim]

Here's a brilliant idea I just come up with all by my self, how about a random meter spot check

of taxis all over BKK and specially at the airports and in front of hotels? you think it will happened?

probably not, too complicated and too much work......

And it would cut into the BIB's time on their brown envelope pick up route.

[Bangkok Barry]

Here's a brilliant idea I just come up with all by my self, how about a random meter spot check

of taxis all over BKK and specially at the airports and in front of hotels? you think it will happened?

probably not, too complicated and too much work......

Taxis in front of hotels have meters?

[HLover]

Bangkok taxi driver fined top whack for having a dodgy meter filmed on Facebook

cab.PNG

Image: Thairath.

BANGKOK:-- A passenger who filmed a taxi driver who he thought was overcharging him with a faulty meter got a result.

The taxi driver was fined 5,000 baht after tests were done on his car and a field test was carried out, reported Thairath.

The clip of the journey had done the rounds of Facebook under the moniker of 'Taxi Meter Turbo". The poster who was taking a foreign friend to Suvarnabhumi airport from the W Hotel in the Sathorn area of Bangkok noticed irregularities.

First the flagfall was 45 baht but he put that down to the driver turning on the meter before the bags were loaded. But when they had only just got on the expressway at Rama 4 and the meter said over 200 baht alarm bells started ringing. So he started filming and claimed that he caught the driver touching a button on the steering wheel that he had heard was activated in overcharging meter cases.

On arrival at the airport he reported the matter to police who said they would do nothing because he had already paid. So he went to the ground floor desk where the officials on duty found the driver was registered at the airport and contacted the land department.

Driver Pramuansak Thonburi was called in Friday evening and his cab underwent checks. The checks first showed that the meter seemed to be working normally so they went to do a field test on the actual route. When the distance of the journey was compared with the actual rate that should have been charged according to the official tables he was found to be overcharging.

He was given the top fine of 5,000 for the offence and it was put on his record along with a warning that a subsequent repetition of the violation would result in suspension of his license to operate a taxi or its removal altogether.

Source: Thairath

-- 2016-05-14

Taxi driver should have been a policemen, they get filmed doing wrong and the camera wielder gets potential punishment, while fellow officers rally around the accused.

But, by all means - call them first when your 'wronged'.

Numpty aliens.

[sweatalot]

"On arrival at the airport he reported the matter to police who said they would do nothing because he had already paid. "

I needed police help two times (nothing life threatening) and each time they found an excuse not to do anything. Not the least bit interested.

Got to go viral on social media to get their attention. Keep it up Thailand.

No need to say more about the DO NOTHING RTP.

Unfortunately if they do something it could be devastating for you - you never know on whose side they will be

(remember the guy in Phuket last year whose telephone was stolen. When he went to the police station to report he ended up in jail for weeks without any arrest warrant)

Edited May 14, 2016 by sweatalot

[sweatalot]

Reading this headline and so many others lately suggests that it is time for somebody to start an English language expat site, like Thaivisa used to be.

you mean native speakers only?

[Autonuaq]

WOW finally they are getting to look at it.

have traveled many times with the taxi and have been overcharged for the same trip. Up to 300%.

every time when it happen i refuse to pay more then 5% difference with the other trips.

I never put my bag outside the reach of me. also not due the the possible messing up and problems one can get when flying.

you can see the average distance in google maps and in each care the has to be the cost distance table.

just stay in the car and start dialing the taxi office number 1722 AOT or 1584 Taxi Passenger Protection Center.

Problem is solved in a few seconds.

Also works very well when they not want to bring you to you location. just report taxi number

[elgordo38]

Here's a brilliant idea I just come up with all by my self, how about a random meter spot check

of taxis all over BKK and specially at the airports and in front of hotels? you think it will happened?

probably not, too complicated and too much work......

Yeah your right ezzra. They might dust off the old Computer Crimes Act and silence this person with intimidation. Its the usual modus operendi in these cases. The act is a really big club and they are wielding it. If they say your guilty its game over you have no defense.

[taony]

My usual route is 5.5k. You can see the distance, the small number next to the fare on the meter.

One morning I noticed the fare was much higher than usual. At the destination, the distance read 9.7k. I told the guy and said I won't pay more than the usual amount. He started apologizing a lot and said he only used the car since the day before and had no idea.

I reported him to 1584 and he got some sort of fine a while later. Or maybe it was the owner that got fined.

[apalink_thailand]

WOW finally they are getting to look at it.

have traveled many times with the taxi and have been overcharged for the same trip. Up to 300%.

every time when it happen i refuse to pay more then 5% difference with the other trips.

I never put my bag outside the reach of me. also not due the the possible messing up and problems one can get when flying.

you can see the average distance in google maps and in each care the has to be the cost distance table.

just stay in the car and start dialing the taxi office number 1722 AOT or 1584 Taxi Passenger Protection Center.

Problem is solved in a few seconds.

Also works very well when they not want to bring you to you location. just report taxi number

Ya, give that a try on Sukhumvit between Soi 1 and Asoke late at night. Trust me, it doesnt work and the cabbies arent scared.

[hobobo]

Quote: "On arrival at the airport he reported the matter to police who said they would do nothing because he had already paid."

This needs explaining

Quite right: does that also mean that the police wouldn't investigate a murder because the victim was already dead?

[mikebell]

Quote: "On arrival at the airport he reported the matter to police who said they would do nothing because he had already paid."

This needs explaining

Quite right: does that also mean that the police wouldn't investigate a murder because the victim was already dead?

Thai police will do nothing unless there is money in it. Wife's sister had her car stolen and sold on. The female culprit was spotted in Ban Amphur & police called who took her to station. The BIB wanted 10K to set wheels/<deleted> in motion. The sister had to continue paying her bank car loan for 3 years. The culprit is still out & about.

[SunsetT]

Here's a brilliant idea I just come up with all by my self, how about a random meter spot check

of taxis all over BKK and specially at the airports and in front of hotels? you think it will happened?

probably not, too complicated and too much work......

Wot?...Spot checks?....Like they dont do with crash helmets........!

I have found that most taxi drivers who use the meter are actually honest so there'd be no tea money in it for the police.