Phuket Airport Limousines

[madmitch]

I own a guesthouse in Karon. Yesterday I received a phone call from one of those tour offices where the limos and minibuses stop on the by-pass road to help the unsuspecting tourist find accommodation or ask directions!

I do not have a contract with these offices, therefore I am certain that the passengers specifically asked for my place. I was asked how much commission I would pay and said nothing because I don't deal with agents. Then how much would I give the taxi driver. I said, as I was not completely certain that these were my own clients, that I would give him a small tip reluctantly. I don't know what conversation then took place between the agent and the custoimers but these people never did arrive.

Today one of my staff took a similar phone call and gave a similar response. I was in the middle of typing this when the customers turned up in a minibus (an hour and a bit later for a half hour journey!) who has just driven off without taking a commission, but they are certainly trying it on. These customers had emailed me yesterday and asked for here by name. I'm surprised they turned up after yesterday.

I was of the belief that this scam was being stopped as part of the reviewed concessions for the airport limos. I advise all my pre-booked clients not to use the limo service or minibus (though the minibus at least arrived!) and to take a meter taxi or arrange a pick-up.

Has anyone else out there had similar problems recently? Is there a body that this can be reported to?

[Chantal]

Has anyone else out there had similar problems recently? Is there a body that this can be reported to?

Happens often to us all the time, even though, to all my email enquiries I warn people against this and recommend the meter taxis. The worst thing about this scam is that the tourists land up having a longer trip on top of a long flight.

Also in peak high season these "tour operators" tell the tourists that there is no accommodation available in Kata/Karon areas in order for them to go to the establishments in Patong where the higher commissions are paid.

Sometmes the limo drivers walk into my shop demanding commission (some of them very aggressive) for bringing the customers to us. Of course I will not pay since these people have already booked over the internet.

Nice try!!!

[thaigerd]

It happened to me once when I came back to Phuket and left my car at home.

With me some tourists in the van, so they stopped and all of us had to leave the car.

I said that I don't need a hotel but they just pulled me out.........

Very annoying for all and the right first impression for tourist who arrive in Phuket.

Gerd

[kasi]

Someone should report this scam.

I ran into it recently. The first time I decided to try the van ride.

The driver raced to tour office like a madman on speed.

When he slammed on the brakes and stopped at this office I was very surprised.

When two ladies approached the van an ordered everyone out of the van I became outraged. They tried to explain the driver needed to get directions to the hotels.

I called "bullshit" and accused them of just tying to get everyone in the office and sell their tours.

I announced to the full van that no one needed to disembark unless their wanted to buy a tour. No one got out. I told the ladies they better get the van back on the road or I would call the tourist police as I reached for my phone. We were back on the road in short order.

If looks could kill I'd be dead. Those ladies wanted to kill me.

I didn't realize they're also trying to scam the guest house owners

.

Some complaints need to be filled as it seems this is a regular practice for these scammers. I pisses me off but I've only ridden on them once and won't ever do it again.

I RECOMMEND NO ONE RIDE THESE VANS. But they rope in many with the cheap 150 baht ride into town. Usually they just get the unsuspecting tourists.

I'm glad to hear the meter taxis are at the terminal now, that will take the wind out of their sales.

[donna]

i was up at the 'bypass mafia' agents the other day. did you know that the driver actually gets 70% of the commissions for the rooms they sell? and they get around 300thb for each tour booked.

i couldnt believe that the driver gets such a high commission. so, on a 2500thb room for one week, there is a 1750thb commission owed to 'someone' (assuming that they only mark up the room 10% - they do this on a case by case basis). the driver gets 1225 of this and the other 525 goes to the agent.

you can see why they are so pushy!

[madmitch]

Having spoken to the guests who arrive yesterday, I found out that they didn't come from the airport but were travelling on an inclusive Koh Tao to Phuket trip including boat and minibus. The minibus stopped at the by-pass road office anr the passengers were told that that was where their trip ended.

The ladies in the office then offered to find them accommodation and my customers were told that they didn't know my guesthouse and would they like alternatives. They refused to let them use the phone, of course. The passengers then allpaid an unexpected 150 baht to get taken to their resort areas/hotels/guesthouses. There was no other transport option from there.

So it's not just the airport drivers.

[LadyinRed]

DISGUSTING!

Can someone highlight this to the media?

[donna]

no its not just the drivers. the agent are the ones who push and push. believe me, some of those women are rough as guts.

i parked my car over the driveway last week and i thought they were going to cut my throat!

i believe that they open and close like anything and end up not paying the hotels half of the time.

but having said that, i did meet just one agent who seemed to be very nice, and after hearing him speak with clients, he was not pushy at all and appeared decent.

[ozymandious]

DISGUSTING!

Can someone highlight this to the media?

I will forward on this forum to two of my friends high up in the Phuket Post.

I didn't know all about the scamming, I've only had experience with their kamikaze, road hogging, light flashing, high speed reckless driving behavior.

[keestha]

Tourcounters and drivers using every possible means to take a commission will always remain a problem. Many guests of my resort in Khao Lak arrive by taxi from Phuket Airport. When they reserve a room through the internet, I always warn them the driver might try to convince them to go to another place, because he earns a commission doing so.

[Welsh John]

Same thing happened to me when I came over in June. Went to the Airport Limo counter at the Airport & told them I wanted to go to my house in Kathu. Got in the car & away we went.

During the trip I read a Laminated Card from the pocket on the back of the passenger seat stating that the limo's will stop at a nominated Tour Shop so that they could HELP the Customer with any arrangements during their holiday Blah Blah!!

Just as I finished reading it the driver pulled over into the Tour Shop,got out & walked in without a word. A woman came out & asked me where I was staying.

I thrust the card with my address on it into her face & replied gruffly "AT MY HOUSE"

She walked away,the driver came back & took me home.

The Limo Company justify these stops in the literature they have in their cars thereby implying that you should expect the stop & its authorized by the authorities.

Taximeter from now on I think.

[khall64au]

Words are getting around... any self-educated traveller will soon be wise of the scams!

[Steph1012]

Should be pushing this on the lonely planet and rough guide etc. Most of their readers take note of these scams.

The only bus to use should be the Government ones, but most of these backpackers are actually very clingy and nieve. Instead of going to Thon Buri station they let themselves be led like sheep all over the country on shit buses that stop in out of the way places then get their mini bus or taxi driving mates to finish the journey for an extortionate fee. 150baht per head last I heard from the tour shop just up from Tesco.

Most of the tours from Khao San Road end up dumping customers there or out in the middle of nowhere.

I got caught with it as well when I feel back in last month.

Believe me the Authorities know about this and my first experience with that very shop was about 5 years ago. They won't do anything though even with the pleas from on high to behave with honesty and morality etc, this really shows many of them up for the cowardly scum they are when they wear the yellow shirts of support for HM the King, then behave like this. Money first morals later!

[intoxicajun]

You know, I love reading posts like this. I admire those who brave the snowy winters, and the hustle and bustle, and come down to Thailand expecting anything different. This is a country, like many, that has absolutely zero structure. Why, some of the roads don’t even have lines on them. Traffic cops are too busy stopping farangs to care about the locals. You can see what I mean by going to any intersection in Thailand and observing, for a few moments, the way Thai's interact with each other. Scams you say? This is not the Land of Smiles (LOS) it is the Land of Scams. Here I sit, on a drilling rig, somewhere in Thailand, with a man, who is Thai, and is very well educated in Petroleum Geology. He read this post along with me, and agrees with me in the sense that people who get on the internet and book a vacation to a place like Thailand, should know, before reading the forums, or even leaving the house, that the people there are poor, and will do what it takes to make a living. You shouldn't warn people of the scams! The scams are what make this place so wonderful. It’s like haggling when shopping. When someone gets scammed, it’s because they allowed themselves to. You're not victims, you are suckers. Deal with it. You sell a house, the buyer is smarter than you, he gets it cheaper than you would have liked, he didn't scam you, he outsmarted you. I say, don't tell anyone about anything, because Jesus, if you are too stupid to travel, stop! The flights are crowded enough. Any of you feeling like trying Thailand for the first time, especially Phuket, if someone asks you for your wallet, would you give it to them? I got scammed the first trip I made here. And I felt stupid. But Thais need to earn a living too. If you don't like it, go to Paris, or Berlin, or Tokyo. There are no scams there. For those who live here, and call Phuket home, get off the forums, and go play in the surf, and let the tourists part with their money, as it should be. Thailand is beautiful, and wonderful, and heavenly, but love it or leave it. They do not want us here. My opinion.

[Chantal]

You shouldn't warn people of the scams!

Like anywhere else in the world I most certainly will warn customers, friends and families of scams.

In fact I warn people of the jet ski rip off's as well, especially since a customer was forced to pay 30 000 baht (conveniently at the beginning of the low season) to a jet ski operator and his friend in uniform who claimed that he damaged the vehicle. Needless to say he did not damage it (the dents had already rusted from previous use) and when he refused to pay, his wife and children were threatened. So eventually he had no choice but to pay up.

The result? He cut his holiday short due to unexpected expenses and a rotten feeling in his stomach. This guy was a regular tourist to Phuket, over the years spent a lot of money and unfortunately he will now because of this incident will never return to Thailand again. Pity I did not have a chance to warn him about this scam before he rented the jet ski. So yes again, I will warn people of scams especially since the Thais depend so much on tourism in order to make a living.

Now back to the surf .... wait a minute - no waves?

[smartecosse]

so you are syaing that cos you got "bent over" everyone else should as well??

You know, I love reading posts like this. I admire those who brave the snowy winters, and the hustle and bustle, and come down to Thailand expecting anything different. This is a country, like many, that has absolutely zero structure. Why, some of the roads don’t even have lines on them. Traffic cops are too busy stopping farangs to care about the locals. You can see what I mean by going to any intersection in Thailand and observing, for a few moments, the way Thai's interact with each other. Scams you say? This is not the Land of Smiles (LOS) it is the Land of Scams. Here I sit, on a drilling rig, somewhere in Thailand, with a man, who is Thai, and is very well educated in Petroleum Geology. He read this post along with me, and agrees with me in the sense that people who get on the internet and book a vacation to a place like Thailand, should know, before reading the forums, or even leaving the house, that the people there are poor, and will do what it takes to make a living. You shouldn't warn people of the scams! The scams are what make this place so wonderful. It’s like haggling when shopping. When someone gets scammed, it’s because they allowed themselves to. You're not victims, you are suckers. Deal with it. You sell a house, the buyer is smarter than you, he gets it cheaper than you would have liked, he didn't scam you, he outsmarted you. I say, don't tell anyone about anything, because Jesus, if you are too stupid to travel, stop! The flights are crowded enough. Any of you feeling like trying Thailand for the first time, especially Phuket, if someone asks you for your wallet, would you give it to them? I got scammed the first trip I made here. And I felt stupid. But Thais need to earn a living too. If you don't like it, go to Paris, or Berlin, or Tokyo. There are no scams there. For those who live here, and call Phuket home, get off the forums, and go play in the surf, and let the tourists part with their money, as it should be. Thailand is beautiful, and wonderful, and heavenly, but love it or leave it. They do not want us here. My opinion.

[patongpanda]

You know, I love reading posts like this.

Don't be an arse.

For every scammer there are hard-working honest people who take care of the tourists. That's why people come back here.

[womble]

The real problem here is not the scammers, it's the authorities who do absolutley nothing about it.

By allowing these mafia rackets and taxi/tour scams to continue they are showing very clearly just how much they care for their foriegn tourists.

They couldn't give a toss about your welfare, only interested in taking all your baht.

[intoxicajun]

so you are syaing that cos you got "bent over" everyone else should as well??

You know, I love reading posts like this. I admire those who brave the snowy winters, and the hustle and bustle, and come down to Thailand expecting anything different. This is a country, like many, that has absolutely zero structure. Why, some of the roads don’t even have lines on them. Traffic cops are too busy stopping farangs to care about the locals. You can see what I mean by going to any intersection in Thailand and observing, for a few moments, the way Thai's interact with each other. Scams you say? This is not the Land of Smiles (LOS) it is the Land of Scams. Here I sit, on a drilling rig, somewhere in Thailand, with a man, who is Thai, and is very well educated in Petroleum Geology. He read this post along with me, and agrees with me in the sense that people who get on the internet and book a vacation to a place like Thailand, should know, before reading the forums, or even leaving the house, that the people there are poor, and will do what it takes to make a living. You shouldn't warn people of the scams! The scams are what make this place so wonderful. It’s like haggling when shopping. When someone gets scammed, it’s because they allowed themselves to. You're not victims, you are suckers. Deal with it. You sell a house, the buyer is smarter than you, he gets it cheaper than you would have liked, he didn't scam you, he outsmarted you. I say, don't tell anyone about anything, because Jesus, if you are too stupid to travel, stop! The flights are crowded enough. Any of you feeling like trying Thailand for the first time, especially Phuket, if someone asks you for your wallet, would you give it to them? I got scammed the first trip I made here. And I felt stupid. But Thais need to earn a living too. If you don't like it, go to Paris, or Berlin, or Tokyo. There are no scams there. For those who live here, and call Phuket home, get off the forums, and go play in the surf, and let the tourists part with their money, as it should be. Thailand is beautiful, and wonderful, and heavenly, but love it or leave it. They do not want us here. My opinion.

Bent over? Not likely. I just mean ifyour an idiot, you will be treated as such. If you don'tlike it, go somewhere else. But I can see where your mind is.

[intoxicajun]

You know, I love reading posts like this.

Don't be an arse.

For every scammer there are hard-working honest people who take care of the tourists. That's why people come back here.

I was refering to the scammers. Try to pay attention. sure there are hard work.....blah blah ....whatever. I love it here. No complaints. I just wish there weren't so many back seat critics. Most threads I have read are written by people who don't live here. So, seeing Phuket a few days a year means you miss so much. But everyone is a critic. I love this forum. So dynamic.

You spelled ass wrong.

[bonello]

10 trips a year from and to the airport in phuket always take a metered taxi never ever had a problem, fast and cheap

[sssteve]

10 trips a year from and to the airport in phuket always take a metered taxi never ever had a problem, fast and cheap

So how much should the ride cost from the airport to Patong beach in a metered taxi?

[johnsonspot]

Thailand is beautiful, and wonderful, and heavenly, but love it or leave it. They do not want us here. My opinion.

So, what, they just want tourists to fly in, leave their money and then depart?

[SanukJoe]

10 trips a year from and to the airport in phuket always take a metered taxi never ever had a problem, fast and cheap

So how much should the ride cost from the airport to Patong beach in a metered taxi?

550 baht only..., paid at the airport, not to the driver.

I agree with bonello, no problems when taking a metered taxi. IF you have an address available. So book through internet, pay for it, show the taxi driver the address and that's it.

BTW scamming (or trying to earn extra money) only in Thailand? Come on guys, it's everywhere. If you're not clever enough to find out where you want to stay, eat or dance, don't blame the taxi driver.

[niagarekoja]

10 trips a year from and to the airport in phuket always take a metered taxi never ever had a problem, fast and cheap

So how much should the ride cost from the airport to Patong beach in a metered taxi?

Metered taxi 350 baht no more than 400. You pay driver!!!

[bino]

So book through internet

Which website for this?

[SanukJoe]

10 trips a year from and to the airport in phuket always take a metered taxi never ever had a problem, fast and cheap

So how much should the ride cost from the airport to Patong beach in a metered taxi?

Metered taxi 350 baht no more than 400. You pay driver!!!

550 baht is a fixed price you pay at the airport, the number of the taxi is written down and an assistant helps you to get the right taxi. A great system, no scam, no problem. Those who want to save 150 baht (unbelievable) take the risk to be scammed....

Funny how guys who spend 2000-4000 baht a day in Patong want to save 150 baht on the taxi... wake up!

Joe

[niagarekoja]

10 trips a year from and to the airport in phuket always take a metered taxi never ever had a problem, fast and cheap

So how much should the ride cost from the airport to Patong beach in a metered taxi?

Metered taxi 350 baht no more than 400. You pay driver!!!

550 baht is a fixed price you pay at the airport, the number of the taxi is written down and an assistant helps you to get the right taxi. A great system, no scam, no problem. Those who want to save 150 baht (unbelievable) take the risk to be scammed....

Funny how guys who spend 2000-4000 baht a day in Patong want to save 150 baht on the taxi... wake up!

Joe

Well I for one have had problems with the limo hire (Thats the 550/600 baht to Patong)in the airport over many years.IE; Drunk, rude,not knowing where they were going and not listening to directions and driving far to fast.Trying to sell you something you dont wont.

I have always found the Meter taxis on the rank outside to be helpful polite and considerate drivers.Unlike the limo`s.

And as for saving a 150 baht or similar.Thats what allows me and others to travel. Saving money.

My money is very hard earned. I dont see why I or others should be ripped of by so called limo`s in the airport.Or any one else for that matter helping themselves to my money. If I want to give it away fine.

150 baht is nearly a days way to some Thai`s. It`s all relative!

And I am very wide awake thank you. Merry Christmas!!

[SanukJoe]

10 trips a year from and to the airport in phuket always take a metered taxi never ever had a problem, fast and cheap

So how much should the ride cost from the airport to Patong beach in a metered taxi?

Metered taxi 350 baht no more than 400. You pay driver!!!

550 baht is a fixed price you pay at the airport, the number of the taxi is written down and an assistant helps you to get the right taxi. A great system, no scam, no problem. Those who want to save 150 baht (unbelievable) take the risk to be scammed....

Funny how guys who spend 2000-4000 baht a day in Patong want to save 150 baht on the taxi... wake up!

Joe

Well I for one have had problems with the limo hire in the airport over many years.IE; Drunk, rude,not knowing where they were going and not listening to directions and driving far to fast.Trying to sell you something you dont wont.

I have always lways found the Meter taxis helpful polite and considerate drivers.Unlike the limo`s.

And as for saving a 150 baht or similar.Thats what allows me and others to travel. Saving money.

My money is very hard earned. I dont see why I or others should be ripped of by so called limo`s in the airport.Or any one else for that matter.

And I am very wide awake thank you. Merry Christmas!!

Don't get upset, no need to, just read what I wrote. I'm talking metered taxis, not limo service or vans. Arriving at Phuket airport I go to the taxi stand, tell them where I want to go, pay them 550 baht, get a paper with the number of the taxi and am helped to find that taxi. Absolutely great. Show the taxi driver the address and he brings me nicely there, not selling anything, not drunk, not driving too fast.

Last time during my stay, my wife and I took the taxi driver who was always parking in front of the hotel to take us around on Phuket Island. He drove us all day, showing wonderful places, gettting us to a good restaurant, everything. You know how it ended? I asked him how much is it and he said: I leave it up to you..... great guy, no scam, metered taxi.

Joe

[niagarekoja]

Its this bit I dont understand

tell them where I want to go, pay them 550 baht, get a paper with the number of the taxi and am helped to find that taxi

That`s booking taxis in arrivals hall not going to the taxi rank outside. Where the meter goes on and you pay when you get to your destination.No paper!!! Just get in tell the driver where you are going and away you go.Well thats always been my experience.If it`s busy there may have been a discussion with other drivers.

Are you sure you got a metered taxi (red and yellow or odd purple and yellow) because they dont usually park outside hotels.The tuk tuks or the private/black taxis would chase them off. They certainly will not pick up in Patong.Only drop off.They value there lives too much. They work 12 hour shifts if they did one job an hour from the airport they would take at least 4800 baht. Thats the whole idea of meter taxis,the meter goes on.You say he took you all around the island then said up to you what you pay.Dos not sound like a meter cab to me.

I can get a car to take me around for no more than a 1000 baht a day (7 hours or so)

Apologies for getting a little hot.I just get tired of some people making excuses for Thai people ripping you off.

I agree with the first poster some thai`s just dont like you in their country. Tough !!