News Forum - Thai taxi drivers receive record amount of complaints

[Thaiger]

The Department of Land Transport received 93,474 complaints about public transport in Thailand this year. Taxi drivers were complained about the most, receiving an impressive 14,158 complaints. Most of the complaints were about bad manners, dangerous driving, refusing passengers, illegal licenses, and illicit taxi metres. Between October 1, 2022, and September 30, 2022, the department’s Passenger Protection and Complaint Centre received 93,474 calls via their hotline 1584. In the same period the previous year, the hotline received a minuscule 8,980 complaints, comparatively. The centre said complaints have shot up given the ease of Covid-19 restrictions. More people are back at […]

The story Thai taxi drivers receive record amount of complaints as seen on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

[ExpatPattaya]

I always laugh at these "record amounts" statements.  Yes, as the world population grows unchecked, it is simple logic that when there are more people, there will be more people complaining  - Duh. 

BTW, who uses taxis anymore when Bolt and inDrive are better and cheaper?  Yes, Buses and vans are many times bothersome, but usually because of other passengers, not the vehicles or their timetables

[Ramanathan.P]

Just take public transport....Don't complain when you wanted to drink boiling soup and it is burning in your mouth. Such incidences are very common in most tourists destinations. 

[Guest1]

2 hours ago, Thaiger said:

Between October 1, 2022, and September 30, 2022, the department’s Passenger Protection and Complaint Centre received 93,474 calls via their hotline 1584

Something missing: someone who reads that, before publishing!

[HolyCowCm]

I deal with good ones and bad ones all the time. Don't see me complaining as I deal with it to the face or change drivers. If i was to complain everytime, then I would be doing it many times a year.

[Pinga]

Bangkok taxis used to be mostly good (using the meter etc) in previous years, with the odd bad apple once in a while. Now however every other taxi will try to rip you off. I go to some venues where the taxi will get paid by the venue (anything from 100-300 baht), and yet many will still try to ask for 100-200 baht even though they know the venue will pay. Last night I entered a taxi who told me 100 baht - I immediately started to exit telling him the venue pays taxi drivers, and he said ok ok I'll take you. When we get to the venue he says pay meter, I tell him no - the venue pays you - and he complained they make him wait a long time and he doesn't want to wait. Worth mentioning there was no queue at all and he collected the payment ticket from the venue. Reluctantly I paid the meter and left, knowing it's 100% sure he took my money and returned to get paid by the venue too. So many drivers like this lying and scheming lately. It's getting harder to find good ones.

[ExpatPattaya]

On 12/21/2022 at 7:29 PM, Pinga said:

even though they know the venue will pay.

Not familiar with a "venue" payment.  Always use an app to book and never pre-pay. 

Bangkok, just pay when arrive

[carloski68]

Ive lived in Bangkok for 14 months and have used taxis a lot. First let me add,  Bolt and Grab do not work in certain areas of Sukhumvit the drivers ignore the requests. Sukhumvit 11 Nana is the worst all drivers want 200-300  baht or they drive off despite there being many empty taxis. There are not many who use their metres. Its about time the authorities started to fine these drivers. They are giving Bangkok a bad reputation.

[Grumpish]

Bangkok has always been bad, mainly not wanting to use the meter - although not so bad away from the main tourist areas - and I have been caught by "clocked" meters a couple of times to and from the airport. Maybe more regular reviews of rates to keep them more in line with operating costs, in exchange for much tighter regulation, would be a way to go.

[Pinga]

6 hours ago, ExpatPattaya said:

Not familiar with a "venue" payment

Many nightlife venues in Bangkok pay taxi drivers anywhere from 100-300 per person they bring to the venue. It's a win-win-win as the venue gets more customers, the customer gets a free taxi ride, and the taxi driver gets paid 2-6x times what the meter would've been. This used to work great pre-Covid, but now many drivers are greedy and demand an extra 100 from the customer. IMO the venue should not pay them if they demand money from the customer, but it's up to the venue to enforce, which they don't so far.

[Pinga]

3 hours ago, carloski68 said:

Sukhumvit 11 Nana is the worst all drivers want 200-300  baht or they drive off despite there being many empty taxis. There are not many who use their metres.

I used to live on soi 11, and I've never seen a taxi use the meter there. Not even once. What's worse is those empty taxis block the entire road while looking for suckers who'll accept ridiculous fares, meanwhile refusing reasonable fares and continuing to block the street. It's basically a no-go traffic zone between 11pm-2am because of them.

[oldschooler]

53 minutes ago, Pinga said:

I used to live on soi 11, and I've never seen a taxi use the meter there. Not even once. What's worse is those empty taxis block the entire road while looking for suckers who'll accept ridiculous fares, meanwhile refusing reasonable fares and continuing to block the street. It's basically a no-go traffic zone between 11pm-2am because of them.

Use Motor bike taxi. 40-100 baht fixed price everywhere nearby. Fast reliable. Otherwise use Skytrain. Use train between Airport and Sukh Soi 11. Returning there tomorrow for two days after three years absence …..use only meter taxi very late along Sukh … or 100 baht

[Smiler]

Getting a taxi to use the meter after 11 at night around nana and asoke  area is almost impossible they all want double or sometimes triple what the fare should be. It is time the authorities clamped down on this mafia style scam, but of course we all know although they may threaten to act they never do. 

[Smiler]

Called a taxi last night while I was standing right next to a police officer, the taxi stopped immediately I gave the address and asked if he used the meter he said “of course” I jumped in then 500 yds down the road he insisted I get out?! 

[Vigo]

Reports serve no purpose unless their is enforcement and penalty for deviants.

[Soidog]

Only time I’m happy not to use the meter is from central Bangkok to Suvarnabhumi airport. They normally ask for 500 baht including tolls. As the meter is often 280-300 and the tolls around 120 baht, then the extra 80-100 baht would be the tip I’d normally give anyway. All in all, for me, it’s the same price. Perhaps I shouldn’t encourage the problem, but when you are stood outside in the heat and needing to get to the airport, I break my own rules! 

[socal]

On 12/22/2022 at 6:54 PM, Smiler said:

Getting a taxi to use the meter after 11 at night around nana and asoke  area is almost impossible they all want double or sometimes triple what the fare should be. It is time the authorities clamped down on this mafia style scam, but of course we all know although they may threaten to act they never do. 

They are dealing with a fluctuating market. Gas prices , traffic ect. Supply and demand you know ? It's not always just a blatant criminal ripoff.

[Soidog]

3 minutes ago, socal said:

They are dealing with a fluctuating market. Gas prices , traffic ect. Supply and demand you know ? It's not always just a blatant criminal ripoff.

Then update the tariff on the meter to reflect fluctuating gas prices. Most taxis run on LPG which is heavily regulated in price and almost identical from one fuel station to the next. This is not the case in the U.K. for example where fuel prices can vary significantly from one fuel station to the next. We don’t get taxis charging more or less depending on where they last filled up. As for traffic, there is an additional meter charge for when the vehicle is stationary. Failing to use the meter is an attempt to circumvent the legal charges and the therefore it is a criminal ripoff.  What else can you call it?  

[socal]

3 minutes ago, Soidog said:

Then update the tariff on the meter to reflect fluctuating gas prices. Most taxis run on LPG which is heavily regulated in price and almost identical from one fuel station to the next. This is not the case in the U.K. for example where fuel prices can vary significantly from one fuel station to the next. We don’t get taxis charging more or less depending on where they last filled up. As for traffic, there is an additional meter charge for when the vehicle is stationary. Failing to use the meter is an attempt to circumvent the legal charges and the therefore it is a criminal ripoff.  What else can you call it?  

There could be a concert that just finished and demand is high. He could just drive there and leave your sorry ass behind. But instead he's just upping the price a bit to make it worthwhile for him to take you. 

[Soidog]

8 minutes ago, socal said:

There could be a concert that just finished and demand is high. He could just drive there and leave your sorry ass behind. But instead he's just upping the price a bit to make it worthwhile for him to take you. 

This isn’t about the rare cases the likes of which you have imagined. This is about drivers routinely overcharging whenever they think they can get away with it by not using the meter. If drivers aren’t happy with the rates then get them changed or don’t be a taxi driver. Don’t decide yourself what you think is the right price. That’s not how registered metered taxis work. It’s against the law and hence a crime. 

[socal]

52 minutes ago, Soidog said:

This isn’t about the rare cases the likes of which you have imagined. This is about drivers routinely overcharging whenever they think they can get away with it by not using the meter. If drivers aren’t happy with the rates then get them changed or don’t be a taxi driver. Don’t decide yourself what you think is the right price. That’s not how registered metered taxis work. It’s against the law and hence a crime. 

Perhaps sometime in the 80's this was true. Similar to how Pattaya beach was once dirty. Now the market is hence been over regulated. It isnt fluid enough so drivers improvise. More often than not , i bet the driver's are bending the rules just to avoid losing money. Rather than committing the grand larceny we hear about on social media.

[Soidog]

6 hours ago, socal said:

It isnt fluid enough so drivers improvise

Break the law you mean? Just to be clear on this point and bring it back to facts rather than what if’s and what about’s. Call it what you will and wrap it up in whatever excuse you wish. To be clear though, It’s breaking the law.