Taxi Scamming

Despite what we read in the news today, the Taxi's at Swampy are still trying the old meter scam.

Arrived at 6pm yesterday, with 2 Thai friends and acquired a taxi from the rank on the ground level. Hidden by a cloth was the meter reading 127 baht as we pulled away!!!!

Couple of quick words from my friends....lots of apologises and it was reset to the standard start of 37. Then he wondered and asked for a tip....is the guy real.

We posted the taxi slip this morning to the authorities......but not holding my breath.

Wonder if this deployment of officers etc will stop the practise....even if for a few days.

standard start is 35 baht

I got caught with that scam once. Only once though. They are robbing bastards any chance they can get.

23,000 complaints in the past two months. Perhaps twice as many who didn't post a formal complaint...you think its going to get any action? Forget it!

I read 160,000 taxi's in Bangkok alone.

There is a dedicated phone number for complaints against taxi drivers, I forget what it is though.

I have complained two or three times about taxis, due to aggressively bad manners and
refusal to pick up.

Months later I received text messages from the complaints department informing me that the drivers had been fined 500b when they attempted to renew their annual permits.

Most people just dont bother to complain.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pseudolus

I got caught with that scam once. Only once though. They are robbing bastards any chance they can get.

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Best to cut your own pre-set price beforehand....and one can, even out there along the public rank at Swampy - regardless of the officialdom.

Had a BIL try taxi driver in Bangkok as a way to make a living. He lasted about a year before he gave it up - could not make any money, barely enough to feed the family and he was working 12 hour shifts every day. In his words, when they use the meter, they are "breaking even" not making any money, losing money when the traffic is at a snails pace.