Thailand’s taxi and tuk tuk scams and annoyances

[webfact]

Thailand’s taxi and tuk tuk scams and annoyances

By The Thaiger

 

 

“Where are you going?”, they shout from across the road. A Tuk Tuk driver wants to help you get to your next destination but the willing smile and lure of a ride in a local jalopy may have switched off your trusty scam-detector.

 

Tuk Tuks and taxis, and the motorbike taxis too, are a convenient, safe and reasonably cheap way to get around Bangkok and other provinces in Thailand (except Phuket where the taxis and tuk tuks are run by a local cabal and are hideously over-priced). Most of the drivers are good, honest Thais making a living. But there are a few who will ‘take you for a ride’ and not necessarily the destination you had in mind.

 

The best policy is to have some knowledge and know what to do in advance, before you even get in.

 

 

The Cheap Tuk Tuk Ride

 

A casually dressed, English-speaking Thai man starts talking to you. In a friendly, conversational way you are asked “Where are you going”? On his handy chart are some local tourist recommendations – a temple, a shrine, a waterfall, a market, a view-point. The asking price is low and before you know it you’re heading for some locally recommended tourist haunt instead of where you wanted to go.

 

Along the way there are recommendations to drop into other markets, silk factories, shops, restaurants and gem stores. Here the prices are expensive and the ride to get back to your accommodation or original destination is now much higher.

 

This is a classic scam played out daily in various parts of the country. It all seems innocent enough and, hey, you’re here for an adventure. But the commissions along the way leave you out of pocket and probably too polite to say much about it. And you’re in a foreign country and don’t want to turn down a local’s friendly offer, right?

 

Thaiger Tip

 

A tuk tuk or taxi ride anywhere for a really low price should be a red flag. Best to ask your hotel reception about the local going rate for a taxi or tuk tuk before you venture out for the day. Be firm but polite if you feel you need to decline their offers. If the cheap fare their offering is too good to be true, it probably is.

 

Getting a ‘Scenic Tour’ or going to the Wrong Destination

 

A lot of your travails, if you happen to come across any problems with tuk tuk and taxi drivers, will likely come down to ‘misunderstandings’. Most public transport providers around Bangkok, and most of the tourist hot spots, will speak enough English, or maybe a bit of Chinese and Russian, for you to be able to explain where you want to go.

 

If you just babble your desired location and assume your driver completely understood you, you’re probably wrong. Check that they know where you want to go, show them a photo, get your hotel concierge to explain it, show them the map on your smartphone. Get an acknowledgement to be sure.

 

A problem you may encounter is the ‘long route’ to wherever you’re going. If you insist on a metered journey this is more likely to happen. The driver can just sit in a traffic jam earning money at your expense. If you negotiate a fixed fee for the journey, before you get in, this is unlikely to happen and, from a business point of view, the driver will be keen to get you where you’re going and find the next fare.

The other scam is to intentionally take you to the wrong destination where you will then point out it’s not where you wanted to go. Of course, after admitting the ‘misunderstanding’, they’ll gladly take you to the correct location, for another fee.

 

Thaiger Tip

 

You’re a tourist in a foreign country. It’s probably difficult to know if you are heading in the right direction or going by the best and fastest route. Technology can really help in these situations. In Thailand you can get a local sim card at the airport or local convenience stores.

 

They will require a copy of your passport front page for local ID, but it’s well worth being able to use all the latest Apps and maps on your phone to keep a track of where you are. Internet in Thailand is very reliable and cheap.

 

By the way, if you do get into any difficulties call the Tourist Place, anywhere in Thailand, on 1155.

 

The Case of the Malfunctioning Meter

 

By law, all taxis are required to charge you by the meter. In reality that rarely happens though in Bangkok officials are really ramping up spot inspections to make sure they do. In Phuket, it will likely NEVER happen. From the airports in Bangkok you will have no problem getting a metered taxi although there’s plenty of touts hanging around the arrival area, especially at Suvarnabhumi, who will try and intercept you before you find the proper metered taxi booth.

 

But it’s not all bad having to negotiate a set fee for your journey although a bit of homework beforehand will put you in a stronger position to negotiate a price. Negotiate means ‘negotiate’. Try for a lower fare, with a smile, and settle for something reasonable. It’s not a battle to the death and dragging it out and accusing them of being ‘rip offs’ is not going to help.

 

“Meter no work” is a common phrase you’ll encounter. You will have two options – politely thank them for the information and walk away or negotiate a set fee. If you really have no idea of an approximation of the fare then find a taxi with a working meter or ask a local for help.

 

There are also turbo-charged meters where the meter has been ‘fiddled’ to click over at a faster rate. If you suspect you’ve been scammed by a turbo charged meter take some photos of the meter and the taxi and contact the Tourist Police – 1155.

 

Thaiger Tip

 

Usually, but not always, you’ll get a better rate on the meter. So push for the driver using the meter, especially if it’s sitting there on their dashboard! Believe us, the meter works.

 

Alternatives

 

• Grab Car (and Grab Bike) is a great alternative, especially in Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai and Hua Hin (and plenty of other popular locations these days). Not so much in Phuket where the Grab Car fees are about the same as the local, artificially high taxi rates. The ‘disruptive’ taxi technology puts safety, ease-of-use, fairness and transparency back in the hands of the user, instead of the taxi driver.

 

• In Bangkok Grab Car is usually cheaper than local taxis and a lot easier to use. Same with Grab Bike when compared to the local ‘Win’ motorbike taxi drivers.

 

• In Phuket push for the taxi driver to use their meter but realise this may be a losing battle. Sometimes a pre-arranged pick-up will avoid problems but will probably end up costing you more. Tuk Tuks (red Diahatsu vans) only operate in the tourist areas and don’t have meters – you’ll need to negotiate every time.

 

• In Chiang Mai there’s the red baht buses, more like a small truck with space in the back for passengers. Know where you are going and be careful that you know the fee before you get in. Grab is popular in the northern city and taxis are usually quite reliable.

 

• In Pattaya the baht buses travel around all the well-trodden tourist areas and are very cheap and reliable. Taxis in Pattaya will often have ‘problems’ with their meters so be ready to haggle for a reasonable price.

 

• Tuk Tuks look different in different parts of the country. The ‘famous’ tuk tuks are the three-wheelers in Bangkok (also in Hua Hin). In Phuket they’re three cylinder Diahatsu mini vans, usually red. In Pattaya and Chiang Mai they’re usually ‘baht buses’ and not called tuk tuks by locals.

 

 

Source: https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/transport/thailands-taxi-and-tuk-tuk-scams-and-annoyances

 

 

-- © Copyright The Thaiger 2019-07-24

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

[gunderhill]

11 minutes ago, webfact said:

safe

debatable, as  are  the  dead  taxi  driver  and  two  others  injured  yesterday in a TV headline

[gunderhill]

14 minutes ago, webfact said:

By law, all taxis are required to charge you by the meter. In reality that rarely happens

nice  and  contradictory then " Most of the drivers are good, honest Thais making a living".

[sunnyboy2018]

All cities in LOS have different systems. Pattaya, Issan, Phuket, Bangkok are not the same. An innacurate story.  Cover the story city by city.  Its a regional issue not a national issue. And please reference how Thais often pick up foreign people for free and take care of them to get home safely. If you have not experienced this it means you have never left a tourist zone. Probably just a tinnie swigging tourist looking for Pattaya happy hours,  watching footie.

[canuckamuck]

 A tuk tuk should always be your last option. Not cheap, not comfortable, prone to scams.

[ezzra]

To be fair, all third world countries and even some who are not practice some sort of taxi/public transport price gouging and little scams, not every country can be like Japan or Singapore or HK, dose it make it right? absolutely not, but you' can control hundred of thousands of Thai taxi and tuk tuk drivers and there will always be stories of greed and dishonesty... 

[leeneeds]

A meter taxi I will always tip, 

and the ones who start by saying inflated price, no meter.

I just wait on the next taxi, 

[RotBenz8888]

18 minutes ago, canuckamuck said:

 A tuk tuk should always be your last option. Not cheap, not comfortable, prone to scams.

And very dangerous.

[Fex Bluse]

4 minutes ago, leeneeds said:

A meter taxi I will always tip, 

and the ones who start by saying inflated price, no meter.

I just wait on the next taxi, 

I started with a similar mindset long ago but now I never tip anyone here. 

It's not part of Thai culture to tip and we Farangs tipping for everything inflates prices for us and makes us targets for the Thai.

[nickstav]

35 minutes ago, Fex Bluse said:

I started with a similar mindset long ago but now I never tip anyone here. 

It's not part of Thai culture to tip and we Farangs tipping for everything inflates prices for us and makes us targets for the Thai.

Tips are appreciated. I always tip restaurant servers and bar staff. I usually tip taxi drivers and sometime tuk tuk driver. It is not part of some European's culture to tip, because restaurant workers and bartenders, etc. are paid a decent wage in Europe (so I've been told by my European friends). Many waitresses here only get 200-300 baht a day. I disagree that tipping inflates prices.

[Mikisteel]

Yh I'm just sick and tired of scams. I won't even buy from a market shop who does not put prices up anymore. It's annoying and not convenient to have to ask the price.i always buy from stalls with prices displayed. 

[ZeVonderBearz]

1 hour ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

All cities in LOS have different systems. Pattaya, Issan, Phuket, Bangkok are not the same. An innacurate story.  Cover the story city by city.  Its a regional issue not a national issue. And please reference how Thais often pick up foreign people for free and take care of them to get home safely. If you have not experienced this it means you have never left a tourist zone. Probably just a tinnie swigging tourist looking for Pattaya happy hours,  watching footie.

How's the view up there from your high horse?

[canuckamuck]

50 minutes ago, RotBenz8888 said:

And very dangerous.

Yes, I was in the emergency ward one time when the passengers in a tuk tuk crash were brought in. There was a lot of screaming. 

[Sticky Wicket]

8 minutes ago, Mikisteel said:

Yh I'm just sick and tired of scams. I won't even buy from a market shop who does not put prices up anymore. It's annoying and not convenient to have to ask the price.i always buy from stalls with prices displayed. 

Yeh the heart sinks when you go to buy something from a shop and there are no price tags. You just know it's bend over time. 

I just prefer to use Tesco, Big C or Makro nowadays & Lazada for other items that aren't stocked locally

[kevin612]

Even Cambodia has a fair price from different apps.

[JAG]

6 minutes ago, Mikisteel said:

Yh I'm just sick and tired of scams. I won't even buy from a market shop who does not put prices up anymore. It's annoying and not convenient to have to ask the price.i always buy from stalls with prices displayed. 

Traditional market stalls rarely if ever display prices, fair enough. I ask the price, and if they are obviously quoting a "falang price" I just move to the next stall. Like you, I will not even bother asking the price in a shop or kiosk, - the classic examples of this are the kiosks which you find in front of all the supermarkets selling various phones and tablets - no price no interest.

[LomSak27]

50 minutes ago, canuckamuck said:

 A tuk tuk should always be your last option. Not cheap, not comfortable, prone to scams.

I disagree ... comfort be dammed but with a tuk tuk you negotiate the fare. You don't rely on a meter. 

I've had a belly full of, non turn on meters, the clicking off meter mid ride, and the strange but farther routes a few taxis take. And that was it with them. I have a nice mass transit map for bangkok and I use it Religiously. Bangkok is where I stopped using TAXIS. That was in 2012, so maybe its better now. 

[nickstav]

6 minutes ago, LomSak27 said:

I disagree ... comfort be dammed but with a tuk tuk you negotiate the fare. You don't rely on a meter. 

I've had a belly full of, non turn on meters, the clicking off meter mid ride, and the strange but farther routes a few taxis take. And that was it with them. I have a nice mass transit map for bangkok and I use it Religiously. Bangkok is where I stopped using TAXIS. That was in 2012, so maybe its better now. 

When I take a taxi in Bangkok I put on my google app to track the route. If he's taking me for a ride I damn well let him know about it.

[RotBenz8888]

Just now, canuckamuck said:

Yes, I was in the emergency ward one time when the passengers in a tuk tuk crash were brought in. There was a lot of screaming. 

They should be sent to the scrap yard and the tuk tuk mafia to something similar. But they are seen as a kind of a symbol for Thailand and work like a tourist attraction, so they're here to stay. As we all know, safety comes last in Thailand.

[leeneeds]

1 hour ago, Fex Bluse said:

I started with a similar mindset long ago but now I never tip anyone here. 

It's not part of Thai culture to tip and we Farangs tipping for everything inflates prices for us and makes us targets for the Thai.

Tipping is a personal thing , if I get the service,

as an example the driver opens the trunk / boot and retrieves my bag for me or goes and gets a trolley when I am loaded with extra bags, or asks for the hi way and does not ask for the toll money, Or gives me option on route because of traffic, having time spent on routes travelled gives you the knowledge to know how much within a certain range.

Plus if conversation is offered and the cab is clean and the driver can actually drive well.

Tips are never over the top and I always make sure enough small notes are available.

 

[Fex Bluse]

38 minutes ago, nickstav said:

Tips are appreciated. I always tip restaurant servers and bar staff. I usually tip taxi drivers and sometime tuk tuk driver. It is not part of some European's culture to tip, because restaurant workers and bartenders, etc. are paid a decent wage in Europe (so I've been told by my European friends). Many waitresses here only get 200-300 baht a day. I disagree that tipping inflates prices.

To an average Thai, a farang paying over and above the stated/expected price of a product or service means the person has so much money he can freely give it away. 

 

Even rich Thais, especially Chinese Thais, guard every Baht and rarely give away more money than a stated cost. 

 

- Thais negotiate stated prices down

 

- Farangs often don't negotiate the stated price and rather pay it plus more free money 

 

Thais find this funny and don't respect us for helping them. In fact, they loose respect for us thinking we are idiots. 

[Fex Bluse]

7 minutes ago, leeneeds said:

Tipping is a personal thing , if I get the service,

as an example the driver opens the trunk / boot and retrieves my bag for me or goes and gets a trolley when I am loaded with extra bags, or asks for the hi way and does not ask for the toll money, Or gives me option on route because of traffic, having time spent on routes travelled gives you the knowledge to know how much within a certain range.

Plus if conversation is offered and the cab is clean and the driver can actually drive well.

Tips are never over the top and I always make sure enough small notes are available.

 

Yes, it is a personal thing, and I respect someone's choice to do it. 

 

However, it is not part of the culture here and is interpreted differently than how it might be in other countries where tipping is more common. 

 

Farang tend to think that tipping Thais is doing good when it is probably not.

 

At best, tipping reinforces the Thai stereotype that farangs are all rich and part with money easily. 

 

At worst, it makes every farang a target for unscrupulous Thais to take advantage of. 

[mikebell]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Most of the drivers are good, honest Thais making a living.

Yet none of them work in Pattaya where the police mafia allow the taxi mafia to scam tourists every hour of the day despite Prayuth's orders.

[Fex Bluse]

54 minutes ago, Mikisteel said:

Yh I'm just sick and tired of scams. I won't even buy from a market shop who does not put prices up anymore. It's annoying and not convenient to have to ask the price.i always buy from stalls with prices displayed. 

Agree. I use a trick that usually seems to work. 

 

In a busy market, I will stand near the product I am interested in while pretending to look at something else at a different vendor. 

 

I will wait for one or two Thais to purchase whatever the item is and listen for the quantity and price. 

 

Then, if the prices seem fair, I will approach the vendor and ask (reconfirm) the price before buying. 

[nickstav]

13 minutes ago, Fex Bluse said:

To an average Thai, a farang paying over and above the stated/expected price of a product or service means the person has so much money he can freely give it away. 

 

Even rich Thais, especially Chinese Thais, guard every Baht and rarely give away more money than a stated cost. 

 

- Thais negotiate stated prices down

 

- Farangs often don't negotiate the stated price and rather pay it plus more free money 

 

Thais find this funny and don't respect us for helping them. In fact, they loose respect for us thinking we are idiots. 

If you are in a restaurant the price of your meal is on the menu.

If you are in a bar the drink prices are posted.

If you take a taxi with meter running the price is right in front of you.

If you take a tuk tuk, and you're not a newbie, you ask the price before you get in.

So how do they inflate the prices???

[bluesofa]

26 minutes ago, RotBenz8888 said:

They should be sent to the scrap yard and the tuk tuk mafia to something similar. But they are seen as a kind of a symbol for Thailand and work like a tourist attraction, so they're here to stay. As we all know, safety comes last in Thailand.

There's a lot who think safety never came at all, too many who are impotent impudent.

 

[Fex Bluse]

19 minutes ago, nickstav said:

So how do they inflate the prices???

Surely you have some ideas? ????

19 minutes ago, nickstav said:

If you are in a restaurant the price of your meal is on the menu.

Thais often inflate prices by having 2 separate menus - 1 in English for tourists and 1 in Thai. 

19 minutes ago, nickstav said:

If you are in a bar the drink prices are posted.

Bars often use substitute products to scam people. For example, you pay for a more expensive product than you receive. 

 

19 minutes ago, nickstav said:

If you take a taxi with meter running the price is right in front of you.

There are numerous meter scams including rigged meters, taxis taking unnecessarily long routes and even toll way scams. 

19 minutes ago, nickstav said:

If you take a tuk tuk, and you're not a newbie, you ask the price before you get in.

MOST farang to Thailand ARE newbies. And anyway, surely you have heard of tuk tuks charging each foreign passenger, or disputing the price after agreeing initially?

 

I hope that helps you understand some of the scams. But not being a newbie, I thought you would know already. ????

[SmartyMarty]

forget it, go Grab.

[Penicillin]

50 minutes ago, nickstav said:

When I take a taxi in Bangkok I put on my google app to track the route. If he's taking me for a ride I damn well let him know about it.

Taxi drivers are all (fake) smiles and good cheer ...until you catch them trying to scam you , then they turn very very aggressive and ugly.

[nickstav]

I'm sorry, but I disagree on some of your points. Yes, restaurants often have menus in Thai and menus in English. When I go to a restaurant with my girlfriend they give me an English menu and she gets the Thai menu. The prices on both are the same. Can it happen that they have higher prices on the English menu? Sure, but I don't think this is the norm. Mostly I just drink local beers in a restaurant, so I'm not worried that they're substituting my Leo with Heinekin, but it could happen that some bar could be putting Pipers in JW bottles, but again, choose to believe this is not the norm. A devoted JW drinker could probably tell the difference. Yes, there are rigged meters and not just in Thailand. As for long routes, just plug in your destination on your phone app and you can follow along to see if you're being taken for a ride. If you let a tuk tuk take advantage of you like you've described then you deserve it (even if a newbie tourist).