Taxi scams, Bangkok

BEWARE!! NEVER TAKE A TAXI OR TUK TUK to any shops, restaurants, massage places, tourist attraction (generally anywhere you intend to spend money). The reason are as follows:

1. The taxi driver will deliberately take you somewhere else (regardless of giving him clear instructions of the Street name and Shop name you intend to visit in Thai or English).

2. I took a taxi and gave clear instructions written and spoken in Thai of where I wanted to go. It was Somboon Restaurant (the top seafood restaurant in Bangkok). He brought me to Sombondee Restaurant instead. A very common and deliberate scam. Even the shops and restaurants will be in on the scam. They will lie to you about their address, street name they are on, as well as, shop name just to cheat you big time.

3. Inspite of giving clear instructions, the taxi driver will deliberately sent you to another place.

4. I ended up paying 7,000 baht for a dinner that should have cost about 1,000baht. A US$50 meal ended up costing US$250.

Unique Suggestions: 1. Always take down the full detail of every taxi you take. The licence plate number (clearly displayed on both side of the rear doors).

2. The driver details on the front passenger side.

3. Use a camera phone to record every trip just to be save.

4. If you are con, report the case to the tourist police at 1155 or 678 6800 http://www.thailandguru.com/thailand-tourist-police.html

5. Alternatively, you can report to the taxi company (there is a white paper with the contact detail when you arrive at the airport regarding how to complaint about taxi drivers).

Fun Alternatives: Pay with a credit card and call your credit card company to cancel the payment. Tell the card company that you didnt sign for the charges.

Don't get accosted by people as you leave the terminal into the hot air of Bangkok. IGNORE EVERYONE and head right to the sign saying "Public Taxis". Here you will approach a desk and be given a piece of paper assigning a driver to you. The flat fare is TB400 (as of today March 2008) to the city. I always make a mental note of the Taxi Drivers Number as I am sitting in the taxi, just in case I leave something behind or any other problem. Always make sure the meters on.

We all have faced it. Airport taxi touts. When new airport opened. I thought this issue would be solved already but apparently.. not yet.

Once you arrive at the airport. As soon as you set your foot in the arrival hall. First thing you will hear is not "Welcome to Thailand!" But it will be "Hello, where are you going? taxi?" and it's not going to be only 2-3 times. You will get it at least 10 times or more. Even I'm a local. I live here. These touts even try to sell me a taxi ride! This is VERY tiring and annoying.

Most of these taxis are overpriced. Eventhough they're registered. But these are not regular taxis. They're more like a "Limo" service. (well, but condition of the vehicle is far from being a limo) One of my friends told me one of these touts asked 1,400 Baht for a ride to downtown!

Facts :

1) Regular public taxi (metered). Rates will be something between 250-400 Baht max to go anywhere downtown.

2) If you take a taxi from taxi stand just outside terminal. Service fee will be added (normally it's around 50 baht)

3) Fees for toll-way, express way is not included in a fare. But even it's included in a fare already it shouldn't go over 400 Baht.

4) Express, toll fee.. you pay as you arrive at the "booth" Do not need to give money to driver in advance. Once he stops at the toll office booth. Just ask him how much - and pay as you go.

5) Tip is always appreciated. 40-50 Baht is max. 10-20 is minimum. But don't give just 5 Bath. That's considered insulating (except it's a very short ride)

6) There's nothing such a "Promotion" from government. Do not agree to go anywhere but your destination.

Unique Suggestions: When facing taxi touts. All you need to do...

• Just keep saying "No, Thank you"

• Go straight to Public Taxi Stand. Just right outside terminal. (spot the sign and long line of people waiting)

• If they keep asking "Where are you going?" Just tell them "Pattani" (most south province of Thailand. Nobody goes there if not necessary) or simply say "My friend is picking me up"

• If they still keep hassle you. Just speak your language (If your native is not English) I really enjoy doing this sometimes I just invent some new nonsense language just to confuse them so they leave me alone. It usually works.. LOL

• If they offer you a ridiculous price for a taxi ride. Just laugh it off as loud as you can. :-) They will know that you're not innocent, uninformed tourist.

Fun Alternatives: Take the bus instead of taxi. If not straight to your hotel. At least go downtown first. Then catch another taxi from there. It saves a lot of cost and hassle-free.

Whenever you take a taxi from Bangkok, the first thing you will hear is that there is too much traffic and they either do not want to go or will quote an unearthly price. If the driver agrees on a lower price he will tell you in advance to spend about 10 -15 mins in a particular shop as he will get money for gasoline if you go there. Things are fine till then, but what happened with us for a step further. We asked the driver about places to shop and he offered to take us to Siolim instead of back to our hotel as according to him there will be a lot of traffic and siolim is a big market and we will get whatever we want there. We can shop there and then leave after peak hours for our hotel so that we will avoid traffic.

Well, we did end up in Siolim and he took us to one shop which was exorbitant and we ended up buying nothing and spending another 100 baht and half an hour trying to get a taxi to take us to our hotel.

Unique Suggestions: Never ask the taxi driver for a good place to shop

Even if he says good idea etc. dont listen to him and change your plan, stick to it

Fun Alternatives: If you are lucky, you might just end up at a fun place also!

Make sure you tell the taxi/tuk-tuk driver you dont want any stops, many times, after i negotiated a fare or got the meter turned on, the driver said, with a smile of course, please make 1 stop, you have to be forthright in saying 'no stops' even walk away, most times they will reluctantly say ok ok

I would say Taxis are generally safe and convenient to take. However, there will definitely be black sheeps around.

Taxi drivers will also tell you that a certain place you are going is closed or not opened yet and asks you to make a detour to gem factories for free gas voucher.

Unique Suggestions: Always ensure that taxis run on meter before boarding. If they do not want to switch on their meter, you can opt to take another or bargain for a comfortable price you are willing to pay for the journey.

Never trust the driver that a certain place is closed, check with your hotel for opening hours.

Fun Alternatives: BTS runs through most tourist attractions and it's a cheap way to travel around Bangkok.

While we were travelling in a taxi we were frequantly checking the meter we knew that the meter starts from 35 baht.

When the journry get to an end the Meter was displaying 51 baht and suddenly the driver press the accelerator and it went to 53 baht and within a second he reset the meter and said 100 baht.

we were keeping an eye on the meter so we said it was 51 baht. he againg tried to cheat and said "ya ! ya! 61 baht"

we were really disappointed when he tried to cheat us twice. So we left the taxi by giving him a note of 50 baht.

Unique Suggestions: keep an eye on the meter of taxi. try to check it frequently. cuz they make you busy in the buildings and all that kinda stuff so try NOT to put your attention any where else beside the meter.

Fun Alternatives: As far as possible try to travel by BTS!
Its fun as well as quick and accurate

I asked a local taxi driver to take me to a good resturant that was reasonably priced.... He took me to a nice seafood resturant and the charged me not only a service charge but also tried charging me a taxi service fee for taking me to the resturant..... HELL NO..... i left without paying so in the end they lost out!!!!