News Forum - Sweary tuk tuk driver tries to rip off tourists in Bangkok

[Thaiger]

A sweary Thai tuk tuk driver who tried to rip off a Singaporean couple on holiday in Bangkok has been fined by police and ordered to take a good driving awareness programme. The tuk tuk driver, Thongkham Cherdchai, picked up John Chen and his girlfriend on Sunday at about 2.45pm at Central World. The couple wanted to go to their hotel near Surasak Station. Thongkham and the couple agreed on a price of 160 baht, but on the way, the driver told them he wanted 300 baht because it was further than he thought. The tourists refused to give him more […]

The story Sweary tuk tuk driver tries to rip off tourists in Bangkok as seen on Thaiger News.

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[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

49 minutes ago, Thaiger said:

ordered to take a good driving awareness programme.

That would make a great funny YouTube video

[Prosaap]

This is the stuff people remember one wrong need more then 100 right to forget the wrong 

the greed kost them already so much customers 

all because of the today thinking they cant help it they just can not see tomorrow 

[Richard1944]

It's not uncommon for Tuk Tuk drivers try get more money from foreigners, it does give bad name to other tuk tuk drivers who are polite and helpful,

[DiJoDavO]

8 hours ago, Prosaap said:

This is the stuff people remember one wrong need more then 100 right to forget the wrong 

You seem to be the proof of that

But yeah here you are pretty much right tho. Maybe some can stand one thing going wrong, but having such experience directly at the begin of your trip, ruins the whole holiday mostly. Maybe some really chill people can brush it off but most people will share this negative experience and cause many people to reconsider going to Bangkok or even Thailand. 

[Marc26]

1 hour ago, DiJoDavO said:

You seem to be the proof of that

But yeah here you are pretty much right tho. Maybe some can stand one thing going wrong, but having such experience directly at the begin of your trip, ruins the whole holiday mostly. Maybe some really chill people can brush it off but most people will share this negative experience and cause many people to reconsider going to Bangkok or even Thailand. 

then they probably should stick to Disney World..............

 

There are scams all over, when I went to Italy you had to watch out everyday for pickpockets

 

I took a taxi in Hanoi and saw the metre jumping big time, I just didn't say anything and when got to my hotel, paid what it should have been and walked away

 

Unforuntely, that is travel....................

[Venusianhart]

Who in their right mind still hires a tuk tuk?

For a better price you get a nice quiet, cool, clean car or taxi by app or sticking an arm out. 

I've never met a tuk tuk driver who didn't just STFU and drive, unless I was with a girl, and the girls were understandably not impressed getting aboard with a two week millionaire anyway, face and all that. 

Tuk Tuks are for the clueless, and the dirt poor of Bangkok with more cargo than they can get on a Motosai. 

 

[Marc26]

12 minutes ago, Venusianhart said:

Who in their right mind still hires a tuk tuk?

For a better price you get a nice quiet, cool, clean car or taxi by app or sticking an arm out. 

I've never met a tuk tuk driver who didn't just STFU and drive, unless I was with a girl, and the girls were understandably not impressed getting aboard with a two week millionaire anyway, face and all that. 

Tuk Tuks are for the clueless, and the dirt poor of Bangkok with more cargo than they can get on a Motosai. 

Pre-covid there was 40mil tourists

 

It's a tourist attraction that is very popular

 

Tuk-tuks were great for me back in the day when my dog lived in Thailand

A taxi wouldn't take him but tuk tuks did

[LuckyStrike]

"tuk tuk driver tries to rip off tourists in Bangkok"

First time for everything. haha

[ChrisS]

"Sweary tuk tuk driver tries to rip off tourists in Bangkok"

Not sure how a tuk tuk driver trying to rip off tourists is news, it is the norm rather than the exception for tuk tuk drivers in Bangkok.

[HiuMak]

19 hours ago, Thaiger said:

A sweary Thai tuk tuk driver who tried to rip off a Singaporean couple on holiday in Bangkok has been fined by police and ordered to take a good driving awareness programme. The tuk tuk driver, Thongkham Cherdchai, picked up John Chen and his girlfriend on Sunday at about 2.45pm at Central World. The couple wanted to go to their hotel near Surasak Station. Thongkham and the couple agreed on a price of 160 baht, but on the way, the driver told them he wanted 300 baht because it was further than he thought. The tourists refused to give him more […]

 

Good that the tourists stood their grounds. 

 

 

"The Thai Tourist Police later got in touch with the Singapore embassy to discuss the tourism image of Thailand."

This is no tourism image of BKK. You go because it is cheap and food is good.

 

[Brent_D]

having been in and out of Bangkok many times over the last 18 years.. i can honestly say i have only had one bad(ish) experience with a Tuk Tuk driver... Weighing that against all the good experiences it is just a blip.. Yes i have had Drivers take us on a merry round about and ask we visit a taylor.. but if you are in a hurry to get somewhere and tell him (they go there) .. Many drivers over the years became Friends and assisted when we had disagreements with other drivers and Thais.. Remember the all important smile and stay calm.. 

 

[Redneck12345]

A thick ear would of sorted it.

[Cabra]

Nothing new to see here... Move along. 

[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

The worst thing about tuk tuks is not the scamming,  it's the danger of riding in high speed with a maniac, without seat belts.

[Cugs2022]

One may have thought that after the last 2 and a half years of few if any tourists in the Land of Smiles that those who interact with tourists would be on their best behaviour. Nothing could be further from the truth it would seem. Taxi drivers who refuse to put the meter on and rude Tuk Tuk drivers are all too common. Seems that there are many slow learners in Thailand. Be careful Thailand because you need tourists if you are to recover. Treat tourists like rubbish and they will no longer come. It's up to you. 

[Mandy]

16 hours ago, Richard1944 said:

It's not uncommon for Tuk Tuk drivers try get more money from foreigners, it does give bad name to other tuk tuk drivers who are polite and helpful,

Many years ago we used several tuk tuk drivers and never had a problem,  all were entertaining and polite, would I use them now? Most definitely not.

[Mandy]

1 hour ago, DoUKnowWhoIAm said:

The worst thing about tuk tuks is not the scamming,  it's the danger of riding in high speed with a maniac, without seat belts.

I enjoy that bit, it keeps the gears pumping

[Mandy]

4 minutes ago, Mandy said:

I enjoy that bit, it keeps the heart pumping

 

[Leo]

The crux of the problem is that from Central World to Surasak station is an easy 4-5 km ride down Ratchadamri to Silom, then down to Sathorn. The taxi meter fare would have been about 70-80 baht (with some traffic), Grab higher (as in all their rides) at about 120-140 baht. He asked for 160, then for 140 more. To local Thais he would have asked 90-100 baht.

[BillBKK]

in another parallel universe of reporting..

Another version is.....

passengers changed their destination from surasak to thonburi

so TukTuker asked for 200 instead of 160

for which passenger refused as its only a Km away across the bridge

and argument ensued,...and passengers were offloaded in Narathiwat

with many F-U-F-U expletives by TukTuker....

this time i am with the TukTuker

but again customer is always right.

and rich paying singaporean customers are worth kissing up to.

so they fine the TukTuker, made singaporean happy, let go TukTuker with a warning

Another day in land of smiles

Welcome to Thailand....

 

 

[BillBKK]

2 hours ago, Leo said:

The crux of the problem is that from Central World to Surasak station is an easy 4-5 km ride down Ratchadamri to Silom, then down to Sathorn. The taxi meter fare would have been about 70-80 baht (with some traffic), Grab higher (as in all their rides) at about 120-140 baht. He asked for 160, then for 140 more. To local Thais he would have asked 90-100 baht.

Anyone been to BKK, TH, knows one pays more to TUK TUK than a taxi or MRT/BTS...as its a touristy thing, there is no comparison, in Singapore one pays 35 SGD for a 1 KM ride in that Cycle Rickshaw...

One does not compare...one does affordable tourism and not compares Carrots to Bananas

Amen

[BJoe]

Rode the tuk tuk twice during my 12 year “retirement”  stay in Thailand and got scammed both times for more money than originally agreed upon. Fool me once, Shame on you…..Fool me twice, Shame  on Me.   Yes one bad apple can rot the whole barrel,   but negative tuk tuk incidents are all too common.. I would venture to say there have been many more incidents where tourist just paid off the surly charge to avoid public display.

[Marc26]

11 hours ago, Brent_D said:

having been in and out of Bangkok many times over the last 18 years.. i can honestly say i have only had one bad(ish) experience with a Tuk Tuk driver... Weighing that against all the good experiences it is just a blip.. Yes i have had Drivers take us on a merry round about and ask we visit a taylor.. but if you are in a hurry to get somewhere and tell him (they go there) .. Many drivers over the years became Friends and assisted when we had disagreements with other drivers and Thais.. Remember the all important smile and stay calm.. 

I got "scammed" by a tuk tuk my 1st trip

Went to Grand Palace but was told it was closed by a tuk tuk driver, and of course I listened to him  :)

 

He took me around and I told him to stop taking me to places I didn't want to go

Even tried to set me up with a gem scam but saw that a mile away, suggesting me take a break in a nice park where a gem seller happened to be sitting there

 

But I saw all the scams and I paid him 500baht to be driven to a bunch of different spots, so it worked out

[Thommo]

Never had a problem with a tuk tuk driver, maybe it is because never have and never will ride in one