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Nothing is more frustrating than feeling like you’re being ripped off whilst on holiday. And Bangkok visitors have all too often fallen for or are heard complaining about the “Bangkok Taxi Scam”. But what is it? And how can you avoid it?
What is the “Taxi Scam”?
Quite simply, it when the driver refuses to use a meter in order to get the correct pricing for your journey.
They will either:
- Not turn on the meter at the start or near the start of your journey
- Offer you a fixed price for the journey as opposed to using the meter, usualy much higher than what it would be
- Offer to be your tour guide and take you to many places in Bangkok
How common is it?
In actuality it’s not very common at all. However, the drivers who will try it will go to the tourist spots. What this means is that the probability of a tourist in Thailand running across a Bangkok Taxi Scam, is high.
Is it a “scam-scam”?
From the drivers point of view, foreigners are spending tons of money. The drivers are just scarping by, some days without any profit to show for their hard work. Plus the rising cost of living, the cost of petrol is high, and they usually have to hire the cars they use. The Taxi drivers job makes very little margins. So you have to feel for the people that take this job, who are often supporting their family with this.
Mix that in with the higher prices that tourist are willing to pay for things like, hotels, food, air travel, when compared to local Thais. You can see why anyone looking to scam people will target the tourist population. That’s not to say that it’s right, and you’ll be happy to know that most drivers, despite their hardship, do not try to over charge visitors, and are happy to be as helpful as they can to you.
How do I avoid this “scam”?
- If the Taxi driver is negotiating a price for the journey: This is a red flag, and you should avoid that driver all together if you like. If the fare is what you consider to be reasonable, then by all means, take the fare.
- If the Driver does not turn the meter on at or near the start of the journey: Take it as a mistake on their part, and politely ask them to turn on the meter. This has happened to me in the past, they’re happy to turn on the meter and they honestly just forgot to press the button in the first place that’s all.
- Use Designated Taxi Ranks: At airports, malls, hotels, event venues you’ll find that there are Taxi Ranks, usually with guards working them, who are documenting the destination requests and the Taxi’s details at pickup. These places are the best places to get a taxi especially if you are a visitors, as it’s guaranteed that the taxi drive will comply, use the meter, plus you’ll have help explaining where you want to go, from the guards there.
- Avoid the Taxis roaming tourist hot spots: Places like Khaosan Road, Wat’s and Temples, and other tourist hot spots are a magnet for the Taxi Drivers looking to make a quick buck. If you find that a driver is calling you over and trying to negotiate a price for you, or trying to take you to another tourist destination, you should avoid them. It’s best to try to flag down a taxi further away from that location if you want to find one that will use the meter or ask a fair price.
Conclusion
Taken from the perspective of the drivers, there is a lot of motivation to try and make more money. However, the vast majority will not try to scam other people to do so.
If you are looking to avoid the scams simpley avoiding the hot spots is helpful.
If a driver is pushing you to take their negotiated fare, then it’s best to politely avoid them.
Finally, if you’re thinking about doing business with companies in Thailand, check out our business page for some insights
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