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Suvarnabhumi Airport bans overcharging taxi driver after Japanese expat rant
| Published: | 20 Jan at 3 PM |
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Bangkok’s main international airport has banned a taxi driver from picking up passengers and revoked his registration with the facility after he admitted flat-charging a Japanese expatriate.
The cabbie, Chaiyan Charoensopha, was told he would no longer be allowed to operate at Suvarnabhumi Airport after he refused to turn on his meter and instead offered Japanese educational volunteer Koki Aki a fare of 700 baht to be taken to the Thai capital’s Saphan Khwai area on Saturday evening.
However, Mr Aki, who has been in Thailand for 10 years, was so appalled by the fee – which should normally cost around 300-400 baht – that he took to Facebook to report it. In a rant delivered in Japanese and Thai, he referred to Suvarnabhumi as “disgusting”, noting that the poor service was not only related to taxi drivers, but also long queues at immigration and employees using mobile phones while on duty.
In the post, he also revealed that he had complained to an official in the taxi queue but nothing was done, so he was forced to go to the back of the line and wait for one that would put the meter on. He said that when he complained, the official took his ticket and disposed of it; it was only later he thought he should have taken a picture of it.
Suvarnabhumi Airport has around 5,000 taxis registered to pick up incoming passengers. All drivers must register their name and car with the airport.
The cabbie, Chaiyan Charoensopha, was told he would no longer be allowed to operate at Suvarnabhumi Airport after he refused to turn on his meter and instead offered Japanese educational volunteer Koki Aki a fare of 700 baht to be taken to the Thai capital’s Saphan Khwai area on Saturday evening.
However, Mr Aki, who has been in Thailand for 10 years, was so appalled by the fee – which should normally cost around 300-400 baht – that he took to Facebook to report it. In a rant delivered in Japanese and Thai, he referred to Suvarnabhumi as “disgusting”, noting that the poor service was not only related to taxi drivers, but also long queues at immigration and employees using mobile phones while on duty.
In the post, he also revealed that he had complained to an official in the taxi queue but nothing was done, so he was forced to go to the back of the line and wait for one that would put the meter on. He said that when he complained, the official took his ticket and disposed of it; it was only later he thought he should have taken a picture of it.
Suvarnabhumi Airport has around 5,000 taxis registered to pick up incoming passengers. All drivers must register their name and car with the airport.
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