Taxi Pattaya

[kangeroo]

Hello Everyone .

Arrived at Aiport from Australia early morning , took a limo brand new and agreed on price 2ooo bht all up everything was ok .

BUT 20 klm into the trip driver tells me company needs car : annoyed: ok so we go behind condo ( safe enough) swap car for a old heap of shit and new driver .

Arrived Pattaya ok but just a warning to all .

bye Oh yes there was a heated argument when i gave him 1500 bht but i was in a familar place with some support from some friends.

[popshirt]

1500 baht is still a good fare for him. You did the right thing!

[chingching]

Maybe 200 baht would have been more fair. Ask him to drop u off in front of police station

[kangeroo]

yes no problem but it could worrie someone thats not sure bye

[Soju]

Maybe 200 baht would have been more fair. Ask him to drop u off in front of police station

I wouldn't have paid the driver a single baht and if he didn't like it tell him I'll call the cops and report his fraud. I really don't understand why people reward crooks and fraudsters like this. It only encourages them to continue pulling their scams. Out of curiosity, I'm wondering if this limo was an AOT or another company. By all means I'd report this incident to the airport authorities. Absolutely no excuse for these sort of scams to be allowed to continue.

[PhilHarries]

Happens all the time and from the most surprising of places.

First trio to Thailand in '92 I needed a taxi from the Amari Orchid Lodge in Pattaya to Esso refinery Sriracha a distance of 25km. Went to the hotel taxi desk, OK sir, 600 Baht. I didn't know any better, besides which on expenses didn't really care. Nice new cab showed up and off we went round into the back streets of Naklua and a car change to an old rattle trap.

Then the driver didn't know where the Esso refinery was and wanted to take me to ThaiOil. Fortunately they are both close by and I guided the guy in using the Esso logo as a target.

Complaints to the taxi desk at the hotel were wasted breath, one more experience to add to the list.

The airport crooks rely on the fact that a lot of people arriving have spent 10+ hours on a plane and all they want to do is get to the hotel whatever the price. It is really the job of AoT to sweep the riff raff out of the terminal and have official taxi/limo booths displaying prices but flying pigs will have a snowball fight in hel_l before that happens.

[TheAceFace]

This is also common from the new airport to BKK, don't pay until you see the limo. There are some dodgy car companies there.

[dvk1951]

This is also common from the new airport to BKK, don't pay until you see the limo. There are some dodgy car companies there.

No, don't pay until you have exited the same limo at the agreed destination.

[Mighty Mouse]

This has happened to me too. It only seems to happen when I travel alone.

The problem is that the first driver travels off the expressway and into the back streets. I don't know where I am or where he is taking me. If I cause too much of a scene I may not see the light of the next day, so I just shut my trap and change cars.

These days I arrange for my hotel to pick me up at the airport. It may cost a little more but I can rest easy all the way to Pattaya.

[The Coder]

If the status quo is to just accept the bait and switch and pay in full like the OP did, I have to think this will become quite common. Don't forget you can take a bus from Ekkamai station in Bangkok to Pattaya for 120 baht.

[jingjoe]

If the status quo is to just accept the bait and switch and pay in full like the OP did, I have to think this will become quite common. Don't forget you can take a bus from Ekkamai station in Bangkok to Pattaya for 120 baht.

The OP didn't pay in full, read it again.

It's a good scam, and a timely reminder, don't pay ONE BAHT until you are at your destination in the manner agreed.

[enyaw]

Thanks for the warning! Bloody beggers the lot of'em.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Thanks for the warning! Bloody beggers the lot of'em.

agreed

[cdnvic]

If I cause too much of a scene I may not see the light of the next day, so I just shut my trap and change cars.

Oh spare us the melodrama. People complain about taxis and limos everyday. How many have you heard of being killed over it?

[Mighty Mouse]

Oh spare us the melodrama. People complain about taxis and limos everyday. How many have you heard of being killed over it?

Not many, but I have read about a few. I don't want to be the subject of the next news story.

In another current thread is the story of a Welshman being stabbed over an apparent fare dispute with a tuk tuk driver.

Arguing over the difference between a limo seat and a taxi seat is not worth the effort. Either seat will get you to the destination in exactly the same amount of time.

[cdnvic]

Oh spare us the melodrama. People complain about taxis and limos everyday. How many have you heard of being killed over it?

Not many, but I have read about a few. I don't want to be the subject of the next news story.

In another current thread is the story of a Welshman being stabbed over an apparent fare dispute with a tuk tuk driver.

Arguing over the difference between a limo seat and a taxi seat is not worth the effort. Either seat will get you to the destination in exactly the same amount of time.

...and that's exactly why they do it.

[Mighty Mouse]

...and that's exactly why they do it.

So, you're suggesting that we should all stand our ground, refuse to get out of the limo and demand that the driver take us to our destination.

The driver then goes to his boot, removes our bags, throws them onto the ground whilst you remain defiant in the rear seat, refusing to get out.

He gets back into his limo and drives back to the airport. What are you going to do now? Your bags are back there...somewhere...remember, you don't know the area.

Maybe he'll drive to some other destination where his limo will be surrounded by a number of Thai heavies who drag you out of the limo and..........(who knows?)

I can tell you, after being up all day packing etc. then heading to the airport in the afternoon, a nine hour flight and with eyes hanging out of my head, the last thing I need is a physical altercation upon arrival in Thailand, with a limo driver over a car swap.

As I said in my original post for this thread, I now arrange to be picked up, so in the long run, the limo driver loses customers and I don't need to risk my safety with an aggressive Thai driver.

You are in good company though, there are a lot of other tough, brave (?) men just like you......in the cemetery.

[cdnvic]

I'm hardly some chest thumping web warrior, but I'm not going to wet myself in fear imagining that a simple disagreement with a limo driver is going to turn into a scene from goodfellas either.

[bkkmadness]

I'm hardly some chest thumping web warrior, but I'm not going to wet myself in fear imagining that a simple disagreement with a limo driver is going to turn into a scene from goodfellas either.

Exactly, the Thais really play on that fear that they seem to have put into many of the foreigners on this board.

I would have got out the Limo, called the company, found out what was going on. If they said I needed to take another car I would have told them I need a much cheaper fare or that'd be me off down the road to grab a taxi without paying a single baht.

[khunyae]

If the status quo is to just accept the bait and switch and pay in full like the OP did, I have to think this will become quite common. Don't forget you can take a bus from Ekkamai station in Bangkok to Pattaya for 120 baht.

Fare from Ekkamai to Pattaya is 117 baht.

Save 3 the baht for a rainy day!

[actiondell4]

This happened to me several years ago,driver quoted 1800 baht to pataya,i jumped in he took a few blocks to a limo company told me to pay him 200 baht and change cars,i told him where to go and walked back to the road and got a taxi.

yesterday arrived at airport,phoned adams taxi sevice in Day night,1200 baht includes tolls but i gave the driver 1400 baht as he had really good english and gave me a drink.

[PattayaParent]

This bait and switch was happening all the time at the old airport. Now I just arrange to be picked up at the airport by any one of the many many taxi services to be found in Pattaya. No hassles.

[geriatrickid]

Happens in Phuket too. They usually collect the money for the grey car "limo" , then you wait, and wait and then they say, sorry, no cars, here take minivan with 5 others.

Classic scam especially when it rains or when 2 jets arrive same time.. I got snagged last November. In Dec. I waited patiently at the taxi stand and told the blackmarket limo touts when they came by to sell their jalopy services, ?He, no comprendre senor. Por favor, espanol.......