A Bangkok taxi driver, who overcharged a Taiwanese passenger, has been fined 2,000 baht and had his licence suspended for 90 days. Thai PBS World reports that the Land Transport Department doled out the punishment after the passenger’s complaint went viral.
The driver, named only as Kittipong, met yesterday with department officials, to hear the complaint against him. He confessed to overcharging the Taiwanese man, after picking him up at the Impact Arena Muang Thong Thani in Nonthaburi and taking him to Bangpho MRT Station.
The journey is 13 kilometres and should have cost in the region of 160 baht, but Kittipong charged his passenger 2,000 baht. He had also refused to use the meter, so the passenger had recorded the journey, including the driver’s lack of taxi uniform, and posted it on TikTok.
NOTE: If a taxi driver in Bangkok refuses to use they meter, just politely say ‘thanks’ and get out of the car and try another one.
Unsurprisingly, the clip promptly went viral, with outraged netizens slamming the driver for overcharging his passenger and for not wearing the correct uniform.
The Land Transport Department has confirmed that a repeat offence will see Kittipong lose his licence. Department officials have urged people to call the 1584 hotline, with a note of the taxi registration plate, if they see a taxi driver committing an offence
SOURCE: Thai PBS World
