Feeling cheated

Some days ago some foreigners complained about greedy and dishonest taxi drivers.

We have spent 16 winters in Thailand, and frequently visit Bangkok — and need taxis, because the bus system is too complicated for us as we do not know the city well. These are our experiences:

Tuk-tuk drivers think it is normal to charge three to four times the rate of an honest meter taxi, though sometimes they are good guys and charge only double the price.

As for meter taxis, if you stop one on a “normal” street, they most often accept to go by meter — some money is better than no money. But they don’t go in the most direct route. We may end up paying 150 or more baht plus 50 baht for the highway from near Khao San to Chatuchak Market, instead of the normal 97-105 baht. Also if you do not pay the exact amount, you too often get five to 20 baht too little change.

But if you try to take a taxi from Khao San itself, you only have your own stupidity to blame for having to “pay through the nose”: They normally charge three to five times the price. For other “special” places, like Chatuchak Weekend Market, the situation is not quite as bad, but demands for double or more of the price happen regularly.

And you have the situation at Bangkok airport. You are given a number, and have to accept the taxi given. We have to date had not one single driver of a meter taxi from there who has switched on the meter (because of that we normally use the bus). No, it is not primarily the money. For people from the West to be cheated out of 50-100 or a few hundred baht, is not really big money. But who likes the feeling of being cheated?

MARTIN A ENGESET