Suvarnabhumi rip-offs: Airport vultures still circle prey

[StrontiumDog]

Airport vultures still circle prey | Bangkok Post: news

Airport vultures still circle prey

• Published: 29/09/2012 at 03:42 AM
• Newspaper section: News

Illegal tour guides and taxi drivers are still preying on both Thai and foreign passengers at Suvarnabhumi airport six years after its opening.


A file photo shows licensed taxis queueing up to wait for passengers at Suvarnabhumi airport, but the problem of unlicensed operators inside the terminal persists. SOMCHAI POOMLARD

When Suvarnabhumi airport was opened on Sept 28, 2006, illegal tour guides and taxi drivers moved from Don Mueang airport to the new airport.

They still frequent the passenger terminal and departure floor.

Illegal tour guides and taxi drivers are often in league with each other. Tour guides bring travellers from inside the passenger terminal and send them to taxi drivers outside the building.

The guides receive 100 baht to 500 baht per passenger from taxi drivers, who then charge fares that are five to 10 times higher than standard fares. Drivers also take travellers to guesthouses, hotels and shops where they receive commissions. They even drop en route passengers who try to bargain for lower fares.

Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) started serious suppression on Aug 9, 2009. Punishment was intensified from a fine of up to 1,000 baht to 2,000 baht and one-year imprisonment as culprits are now also charged with trespassing. If wrongdoers coerce or threaten travellers, they will be liable to five years in jail and fines of up to 10,000 baht.

Serious suppression saw the mobilisation of police from Region 1 Provincial Police, tourism police, local police, land transport officials and AoT guards. They initially formed three teams of 39 officials who took turns to stand guard at Suvarnabhumi airport around the clock.

There were also rapid movement teams of AoT who arrested culprits swiftly. AoT installed more surveillance cameras to monitor crimes at the passenger terminal.

In the first four months of the suppression, more than 4,000 illegal tour guides and taxi drivers were arrested.

Despite the campaign, Suvarnabhumi airport director Somchai Sawasdipol admits the presence of illegal guides and taxi drivers continues at the six-year-old airport.

He said the wrongdoers mainly target foreigners.

Suppression brings down their number but the rip-off merchants manage to move from the arrival area on the second floor to departures on the fourth floor of the terminal, where some arriving passengers exit.

AoT plans to install one-way gates by the end of this year to block passengers from exiting on the fourth floor.

Kittipong Kittikachorn, acting director of AoT's special operations centre, said one-way gates were tentatively installed at Gate 5 on the fourth floor of the passenger terminal. When such doors are completely installed, there will be more legal and registered taxis on the first floor because more arriving passengers will wait for taxis there.

Since the suppression started, 16 people have been charged with trespassing. About 10 people are arrested daily for being illegal guides and taxi drivers at the airport.

Illegal taxi services at the airport are often run by organised operations backed by influential people. But there are also individuals who drive their own cars to the airport and pose as taxis.

They not only operate during the day - many prey on foreigners from 11pm to 2am when many flights arrive from Europe and only three security officials are on duty.

They even operate on the first floor where there are registered taxis. They stand among passengers when queues for legal taxis are lengthy and offer services in person. Some passengers follow them in the belief that they are registered taxi drivers.

Pol Lt Col Piti Trikalnont, deputy director of AoT's special operations centre, said authorities was first alerted to illegal guides and taxi drivers in 1989. That was when a honeymooning Japanese couple were lured by an illegal taxi driver at Don Mueang airport. They were robbed and attacked in Pathum Thani province. The husband was killed and his wife survived.

Mr Kittipong said the illicit business continues as an illegal taxi driver can make 2,000 baht to 3,000 baht a trip.

For example, they charge 1,300 baht to 1,500 baht for a ride from Suvarnabhumi airport to Pattaya where they also receive commissions from the hotels and shops they bring tourists to.

[Breny]

It doesn't mention the feckers (security guards) who try to pin a shoplifting charge on you if you walk out of a shop after buying a product and even have the reciept to prove it.
I had this done to me in 2006. I didn't pay, I think that they are aware that you have a plane to catch and just want to go home. Me, i did have a plane to catch but didn't want to go home, so i asked to see the footage of me stealing. Twenty minutes later i was free to go. Buggers.

[The Big Fella]

Every time I have flown into Swampy I simply come out through arrivals. Go up a floor and walk out at the deparetures level and get a cab that is dropping someone off. I have never had one refuse to put the meter on and they are more than happy to take you into townas they don't have to wait.
The last time I flew into Heatrow the train journey into London, all 16 miles of it cost twice as much as the limosine taxi that took me to the airport, waited till I had checked in and took my wife the 300kms back home.
Now that,s a rip off

[Mid]

The last time I flew into Heatrow the train journey into London, all 16 miles of it cost twice as much as the limosine taxi that took me to the airport, waited till I had checked in and took my wife the 300kms back home.

want to have another go at this one ?

[The Big Fella]

The last time I flew into Heatrow the train journey into London, all 16 miles of it cost twice as much as the limosine taxi that took me to the airport, waited till I had checked in and took my wife the 300kms back home.

want to have another go at this one ?

NO ! The last time I flew home the taxi from HH was 1000 Baht and I was getting 72 to the pound. The ride into London cost me over 30 pounds. 36 if I remember right.
A taxi into the heart od BKK costs a few hundred Baht a taxi into London and you are looking at 60 - 80 pounds
Just fed up of people always complaining about Thailand when their own countries are no better for having tourists over.

[Mid]

good deal then , 30 quid for that Taxi ride .

[ShrewedPunter]

Fuck the taxies!! Just go downstairs to the airport rail link and get the fast train for 150 baht into town

[Dillinger]

^ Then walk 10 kms to your hotel ?

[crippen]

Use the taxi registering service on the ground floor. They take your details of where you wnt to go and the taxi number. costs 50 bht,but if you have any complaint,ie extra charging,gets lost,bad driving ect, you send the form in and they are supposed to take the driver off the list. My driver even had a selection of C.D.s,asked what music I wanted,played classical music all the way to Mor Chit and never exceeded 80 kph. Quite a pleasant ride for change.

Bangkok Airport Public Taxi Service | Suvarnabhumi Airport | New Bangkok Airport Guide

[Dillinger]

My driver even had a selection of C.D.s,asked what music I wanted,played classical music all the way to Mor Chit and never exceeded 80 kph

I wont be going down there and paying 50 baht then

[crippen]

I asked for Classical thinking he wouldn't have a clue! Seems he had a large selection of music available.

[Dillinger]

^He probably drove off with some poor fuckers bag and CD collection earlier in the day

[stevefarang]

I've never had a taxi driver, from the taxi kiosk place, ask me about my music choice. Nor did I get a guy who never exceeded 80 kph. I think once or twice, I've had a driver, or two, who tried to do the "No meter, 500 baht ok mai?" trick with me too. Yep, the extra 50 baht charge is a PITA.

I finally tried the express train in late July and I just barely made my flight. Yes, it's cheap and fast. But I had to take the BTS all the way back into town (Staying out near Punawithi BTS station), walk to the station, then had to wait for the express train and then finally ride out to the airport. All the while I'm thinking, "I could have been at the sirport already". I was not impressed. Plus, with it (and the BTS) closing at midnight, it's not very convenient for the late evening flights arriving.

[Lorenzo]

Thai is a scam culture from bottom to top, nothing can change it

[Dillinger]

I finally tried the express train in late July and I just barely made my flight. Yes, it's cheap and fast. But I had to take the BTS all the way back into town (Staying out near Punawithi BTS station)

That was a bit nuts mate, its a 150 baht taxi fare , Punnawitthi to Swampy.

look on this map how far out of your way you went, in red, compared to how close you are, in greenj