News Forum - Traveller calls police over high fare charged by Phuket taxi driver

[Guest1]

What I am missing here, in the Thaiger thing:

Why don't you get a picture , either from Patong, or from Kamala, with the MAXIMUM fares, a "chartered taxi" can charge, eh, should maximum charge, to the other destination? So to put in in account, how much the th.., eh, driver wanted to overcharge? My guess, it is still 400. Which is overpriced for years.

And you just not follow up on the "claim" (which is a known fact), that the driver groups are only allowing grab , if it is one if there own. 

Even flagging down a empty meter taxi has still to be seen first time, in some areas on Phuket. Most of them refuse to see your request.

[Cathat]

Don't visit phuket is the simple answer.complaints about the taxi mafia have been going on for decades and nothing ever gets done about it.plenty of other nice places to go where you do not have to put up with such nonsense.

[Marc26]

1 hour ago, DiJoDavO said:

Whenever you don't want to be scammed, just speak Thai as much as you can, so they see you are not a clueless tourist. Always worked for me. 

Wow, how cool are you........

[Naja]

Well, it's nice to see things have not changed.  I was the person that  caused the uproar last July when my hotel for the Sandbox wanted to charge me 900B for airport pickup.  I have been to Phuket a number of times in the past and knew it was much cheaper than that and posted on Facebook.  Another person reposted my post without my name and it all went viral, made the Thai newspapers and got the government in Phuket iinvolved.  But it seems that with all that it has never changed.  I did get another SHA+ ride for 550B to my hotel from the airport.  While I was doing my 2 weeks Sandbox I often approached the baht taxi trucks that line the one way road around Patong if I didn't want to walk real far to my hotel.  They always quoted some ridiculous price and would often say it's because they had to drive all the way around on the one way road...hahaha.  So I'd offer 100B and if they refused I'd start walking away.  No surprise they'd call me back and say OK, 100!!  Hey, if they want to make money in these hard COVID times, then suck it up and get it while you can.  You ever wonder how much kickback the police and politicians get from the mafia taxi so they can continue to rip people off?  Sure be nice to know.  I am an older person, but I walk almost 3 miles every day when the weather permits and during my sandbox I walked the one way road all the way every morning before breakfast.  So I have no problem hoofing it around Patong.  But if I want to go to Phuket town or somewhere else, I will not just pay some demanded price.  I will negotiate and if that doesn't work, there is always someone that wants to make some money.

[PapayaBokBok]

5 hours ago, TimAn said:

What would have happened if you can speak Thai? Guess will be 400 Baht? Just Guess

Is basically why I learned survival thai...

[Scribble]

4 hours ago, LoongFred said:I once years ago (35+) gave a taxi a tip of 100baht for a 10 baht ride because  he was so good. I'll never forget how he navigated his way, was always safe (my smallbchildren were with me) and immediately tried to make change. We were leaving the next day and I told him if we weren't leaving I'd hire him daily if we weren't leaving. We left friends.

 

I used to have to get home from a tourist spot I used to work in... Because it was a tourist spot the taxi drivers would say ''no meter - 200 baht!'' and I'd just say no thanks and wait for the next taxi. Maybe the 5th or 6th taxi would accept to use the meter. I'd get home and it'd be about 120 baht on the meter but because he didn't try to scam me and we'd likely had a nice chat on the way, I'd give him the 200 every one else was demanding. 

[alphaDog]

How much "should" the airport transfer be to, say, Kalim Beach (near Patong)?

[Marc26]

1 hour ago, Naja said:

Well, it's nice to see things have not changed.  I was the person that  caused the uproar last July when my hotel for the Sandbox wanted to charge me 900B for airport pickup.  I have been to Phuket a number of times in the past and knew it was much cheaper than that and posted on Facebook.  Another person reposted my post without my name and it all went viral, made the Thai newspapers and got the government in Phuket iinvolved.  But it seems that with all that it has never changed.  I did get another SHA+ ride for 550B to my hotel from the airport.  While I was doing my 2 weeks Sandbox I often approached the baht taxi trucks that line the one way road around Patong if I didn't want to walk real far to my hotel.  They always quoted some ridiculous price and would often say it's because they had to drive all the way around on the one way road...hahaha.  So I'd offer 100B and if they refused I'd start walking away.  No surprise they'd call me back and say OK, 100!!  Hey, if they want to make money in these hard COVID times, then suck it up and get it while you can.  You ever wonder how much kickback the police and politicians get from the mafia taxi so they can continue to rip people off?  Sure be nice to know.  I am an older person, but I walk almost 3 miles every day when the weather permits and during my sandbox I walked the one way road all the way every morning before breakfast.  So I have no problem hoofing it around Patong.  But if I want to go to Phuket town or somewhere else, I will not just pay some demanded price.  I will negotiate and if that doesn't work, there is always someone that wants to make some money.

You caused and uproar because you didn't like what the hotel charges for a pick up?

They charge what they charge, you either accept or don't

 

Everywhere around the world, hotel pickups are more expensive

I very rarely, if ever, have the hotel pick me up because they charge a lot more than I can arrange on my own

 

But I don't cause an uproar over it...........they charge a price, I decide if I want to pay it or arrange my own

[DiJoDavO]

8 hours ago, Marc26 said:

Wow, how cool are you........

Super cool. 

I'm just giving advice. Don't need to be snarky. 

[Marc26]

1 hour ago, DiJoDavO said:

Super cool. 

I'm just giving advice. Don't need to be snarky. 

No you gave an idiotic brag

That doesn't make sense 

 

I highly doubt there are more than 3 or 4 countries, at most, where you would know the language to converse with taxis, as a tourist 

 

 

[HiuMak]

when the top is crooked, don't expect the bottom to be straight

[Malc-Thai]

11 hours ago, alphaDog said:

How much "should" the airport transfer be to, say, Kalim Beach (near Patong)?

If you use the taxi kiosk by the airport exit door, they will first say ฿800, but just say no 'can you give same price last time' and they will change to ฿600.. some hotels are offering ฿600 or even ฿500 back to the airport.. not all though some ฿1000

[DiJoDavO]

11 hours ago, Marc26 said:

No you gave an idiotic brag

That doesn't make sense 

I highly doubt there are more than 3 or 4 countries, at most, where you would know the language to converse with taxis, as a tourist 

I guess that I mean what I mean. That's not up to you.

Wtf is your problem I just gave advice period. 

If I was bragging, I'd go on doing that. As soon as you get into a taxi and know some words Thai, you definitely get less chance of being scammed. 

[Sawarot]

2 hours ago, DiJoDavO said:

I guess that I mean what I mean. That's not up to you.

Wtf is your problem I just gave advice period. 

If I was bragging, I'd go on doing that. As soon as you get into a taxi and know some words Thai, you definitely get less chance of being scammed. 

I share your experience. Knowing a few words of Thai and adopting a smiling easy-going attitude will reduce the number and severity of scams I encounter. But mostly just in Bangkok and Pattaya, places like Udon, Khon Kaen etc there's very little scamming. And in Phuket it doesn't matter if I'm fluent in Thai. I can just unceremoniously föch off as far as the taxi drivers are concerned. 

Edited February 1, 2022 by Sawarot

[OOber]

The only way I ever agreed to visit Phuket or Samui for that matter would be driving my own car. Speaking Thai helps to reduce attempts of scamming but doesn't eliminate them. 

[1l1]

Not only in Phuket. It also takes several tries to get a metered taxi in BKK.

[katana]

Youtube video of the ruckus:

 

[Faraday]

@katana

Good to see you on here!

[DocT]

Speaking Thai doesn’t help either. I got discount 50% if I ask polite. But the price is still a joke. If it wasn’t for the sandbox I would not go Phuket. Also Grab drivers are scared to pick you up at certain places if they know mafia taxis stay there and waiting for customers. Happy to go Krabi in 2 days. The Krabi hotel will send me a taxi to Patong for a much lower price then booking here. 1100 Baht less…

[DocT]

1 hour ago, DocT said:

Speaking Thai doesn’t help either. I got discount 50% if I ask polite. But the price is still a joke. If it wasn’t for the sandbox I would not go Phuket. Also Grab drivers are scared to pick you up at certain places if they know mafia taxis stay there and waiting for customers. Happy to go Krabi in 2 days. The Krabi hotel will send me a taxi to Patong for a much lower price then booking here. 1100 Baht less…

Have to correct: saved 2000 Baht by booking with Krabi company picking me up here in Patong. Even cheaper then Grab Taxi…

[LoongFred]

Even before covid Phuket was known as a rip off place. It's mostly tourists so go figure. Pattaya is about the same. If you get a taxi hanging out in front of a hotel in Bangkok or Chiang Mai you'll get the same. Taxis at the Chiang Mai Airport mall have set prices on display. They might seem a little high but you know going in so it's OK. 

That said Phuket and otherwise tourist areas it buyer be ware. A dead give away is if you speak Thai they'll leave you alone for the most part. Since my wife speaks Northern Thai I let her talk to the taxis but in Bangkok I usually do the talking. 

Actually speaking Northern Thai in the north usually is best. Those from Lanna have an affinity to other northers. 

 

 

[Sawarot]

7 hours ago, LoongFred said:

Even before covid Phuket was known as a rip off place. It's mostly tourists so go figure. Pattaya is about the same. If you get a taxi hanging out in front of a hotel in Bangkok or Chiang Mai you'll get the same. Taxis at the Chiang Mai Airport mall have set prices on display. They might seem a little high but you know going in so it's OK. 

That said Phuket and otherwise tourist areas it buyer be ware. A dead give away is if you speak Thai they'll leave you alone for the most part. Since my wife speaks Northern Thai I let her talk to the taxis but in Bangkok I usually do the talking. 

Actually speaking Northern Thai in the north usually is best. Those from Lanna have an affinity to other northers. 

Taxi drivers in Pattaya may try to scam you or charge crazy prices. But Bolt and Grab work there. Their drivers don't fear for their safety and they will pick you up and drop you at your destination according to the price in the app. If there's a taxi mafia in Pattaya, it's much weaker than the one in Phuket.

[katana]

19 hours ago, Faraday said:

@katana

Good to see you on here!

Thanks. Good to see you too!

[DocT]

I think there is still a difference between expensive and being ripped off… and with the lack of alternatives it’s the latter one. Not everyone is able to walk one kilometer in the burning sun midday to have your PCR test appointment in time for instance… and charging 200 Baht for a 4 min. ride is a joke. For honest Thai people overcharging is also a matter of politeness in some degree. And these Taxi drivers are not polite people.

[LoongFred]

6 hours ago, DocT said:

I think there is still a difference between expensive and being ripped off… and with the lack of alternatives it’s the latter one. Not everyone is able to walk one kilometer in the burning sun midday to have your PCR test appointment in time for instance… and charging 200 Baht for a 4 min. ride is a joke. For honest Thai people overcharging is also a matter of politeness in some degree. And these Taxi drivers are not polite people.

CNX Chiang Mai Airport has posted prices at the stand out the door at the domestic terminal. They list in town and to other provinces. Not great prices but ok. Central airport tax mall also has posted prices. Sure you might beat the price but not by much. At least they're honest and up front. Prices in posted Thai and English are the same. I believe it comes from the governor.