I also heard that there is a night surcharge, but surely it would not double the price, and since you could check with your friends all looks like a scam.
Does anybody know more about the taxi regulations in Bangkok. Do all companies use the same rates? Is there a (maybe smaller) night surcharge?

As far as I know there is no surcharge for using taxis at anytime (except the 50 baht extra at the airport). The price definitely doesn't go up at night. The Pratunam area is rife with scammers.

There is no night surcharge. All companies should use the same rate.

This sounds like one of the rare cases of 'meter rigging'. I say 'rare' because this is a serious imprisonable offense. If, while sat in a taxi, you realize that the meter is rigged ask the taxi to stop, at say 7-11 for a moment, then once outside the taxi inform him that his meter is rigged. Chances are he'll disappear, he doesn't need the cops coming over.
I personally, have twice been in this situation. Once, on getting out of the taxi at my condo in Bangkok i informed the security guard, and second i simply told the driver his meter was rigged. On both occasions, the driver just asked me to pay the 'normal' fare for the ride. Since he was a scammer, i even paid him less than the usual sum.

There definately are taxis around with "modified" meters. It has happened to me twice taking a taxi home from the airport. I travel this route regularly (2-3 times per month) and I know the exact distance to my house as it is displayed on the meter. It's app. 33 k. One taxi I took had 39 k on the meter when we reached my house and the other one had 45k! on the meter. I was annoyed but what's the point of arguing over 100 baht. Also no point in calling the customer care center. It's all the same mafia and they won't do anything for you. This is Thailand. If you get screwed as a foreigner, accept that there is very little you can do about that. Once the airport train link is finished I will take the train.

I've only ever come across this once after living in Thailand for many years. I had a few too many beers one night and took a journey I had regularly taken. Half way to my destination and despite absolutely no traffic the fare was above more than was normal for the entire journey, an argument ensued and we ended up surprisingly quickly at a local police station. I ended up paying the over priced fare, indeed I was drunk, and that was used against me. However, I wasnt imagining things either. Given how many times I have traveled in a taxi in Bangkok, I would suggest this is a rare scam. The best way to avoid problems with taxis is to insist they turn on the meter. Usually there is no problem.

Hi, My way home from the airport is about 33 Km. On the meter was 90 Km and I paid about 700 Baht instead of the normal 220 or so.... I did not make a complaint because i am quite sure it will not change a thing. next time i will watch the meter more careful instead.

I had a rigged meter for the first time ever. Suvarnabhumi to Sukhumvit Soi 10, which I know from experience should be 220, 240 baht. The driver had the meter covered, and when he uncovered it at the end of the drive, it was showing 350 baht. I just said to him "Too much!" and gave him 300 baht, which was in the same ballpark as it would normally have cost (ie 240 plus 50 baht airport surcharge - I had already paid the tolls). He stuffed the money in his pocket and drove off without a word.

A colleague flew in recently and first time to Bangkok. He took a taxi from Suwannapoom to his hotel in Silom. When he submitted his reimbursement form for Bt900 the accounts department queried him about the length of his taxi journey from the airport to his hotel. He said about 40 mins. Clearly overcharged. Also he said the taxi refused to take him to the lobby of the hotel saying the hotel didn't allow taxis to go inside.

This happened to me yesterday. A daily journey to work of 25km was metered as 35km. I paid the normal fare and walked away. However, the driver began to cause a scene and said he would get the police involved. I didn't need the hassle so paid the extra. This is the first time I have noticed this scam in five years living in Bangkok.

I got a meter taxi to take me from the airport to Pratunam on the 12th, my first experience with Bangkok taxis. Given what I'd read about Bangkok, I was quick to tell him to turn the meter on, and thought nothing more of it. I should've read this site more closely first, as not only did he want me to pay the tolls, the meter ended up at 951 THB and the scoundrel wouldn't even drop me off at the hotel, but rather complained about traffic and dropped me a 5 minute walk away. After threatening him with the tourist police, we finally agreed on 500, and since I didn't really know what a reasonable price was from the airport I simply paid him and started searching for the hotel. In Sweden, we call these experiences "learning money" but if you apply a bit of forethought they don't have to be quite as expensive.

Now, with all these, I'm wondering if I was scammed.
Late last year, I boarded an airport taxi at the Suvarnabhume airport for a first-time ride to Saraburi (before Chonburi/Pataya). Price quoted was B1200 B50 (surcharge). Is this normal?
My ride back by Saraburi/Airport bus was way under B100.

Every taxi has an identification number, usually a metal tag on the inside of the back passenger door. There should also be an ID in the front with the drivers picture on it, and then of course there are the plates. If you can remember the Thai letters, write all this information down and contact the Thai tourist police. They will probably not be able to get your money back, but there will be a follow up on the driver and likely a surprise inspection of his vehicle.
http://www.thai-touristpolice.org/

One suggestion which may help in some instances -

If you notice the fare is really off, instead of going to your normal destination divert the taxi to one of the top end hotels. As you get out of the taxi, ask the doorman to write down the taxi cab number and the driver's name. Then discuss the fare with the driver and negotiate the price down toward what the legal fare should be.

Do not argue with taxi drivers unless you have your bearings, you know where you are, and you are in a very public place.

I'm gg BKK in Sept. Only mi n my gal fren. As we both r ladies, we r afraid to get scammed by taxi drivers. If we hire taxi fm e airport taxi stand, is it safe? As my hotel is in Patpong area, any idea how much will e taxi fare roughly cost? Thanks for sharing!

Hi guys,
Its my first time to Thailand and reading all the comments on this site has made me a little unnerved, more so the corrupted police then anything else. Not nice to know that you could just be picked on and end up with less money in your pocket or much worse. Anyway just wondering if anyone can give me a rough estimation of what I should expect to pay from the airport to Phra Athtit Road. Anyone? Thanks

Hi, its my first time to Thailand and I'll be arriving in two weeks and was hoping someone could let me know approximately how much it should cost from the airport to Phra Athtit Rd? Thanks

I have made several trips to Thailand and so far the worst "scam" I have suffered was the 50 baht "airport surcharge" going to the airport. I simply paid it and did not add any additional for a tip. I always make a point of asking the drivers name and writing down all the information including the license number and the taxi drivers information. this may make the driver less inclined to scam you. Also, read the information above from some of the old hands and think the situation through before you get into a big hassle over $3 to $5 dollars. For me I expect to suffer minor scams but do my best to avoid them.

If your are good at the maps that mean you must know how far the place you want to go, and you can walk so taxi were rare scammers ,,good luck

When my kids get into a taxi I make them call me with the license tag and drivers name and where they are (they can speak and read a little Thai). This let's the driver know that someone other than the passenger is aware of what cab they are in and who the driver is. Get's it out in the open, makes them less apt to scam. Also just a good safety measure (street hookers in the states write down the license of cars their coworkers get into all the time). Might want to try it, even if you aren't really calling anyone.

Arriving BKK after 24 hrs on planes on July 23 '09,, we were charged 400 Baht for the metered taxi to the hotel. I thought the meter was moving fairly quickly, and I'd been told it should cost around 200Baht. I just paid it, and told the front desk at the hotel. They informed me that I was ripped off, and were very surprised that a metered taxi could be 'rigged'. I had prepared to write down the drivers name while in the car because I was suspicious, but it was in Thai, and I was very tired, so didn't even try....
The ride back to the airport was 150 Baht, and the driver didn't tack on 50 Baht for surcharge...

Beware, the rigged meters are usually installed just in front of the gear stick low down in the centre consol so you cannot see the digits from the back seat, ride in the front so you can check if the thing is going too fast or starts off too high (The last persons fare not being cleared down before you get in is a great way to double the fare when the meter IS working properly).

Some meters are just plain rigged to go faster or the start figure is too high.

Had this happen to me back in April when I was sat in the back, ended up with double the regular fare down to Sukhumvit Asok from Suvarnabhumi airport. If I had been in the front I could have noticed sooner and changed taxi's.

wow! guess there's a need to keep an eye on the meter and let the driver know that someone is monitoring. The kind of scammers should learn a lesson. I think they can really control the meters. I had a few fights with taxi drivers, and of course knowing the estimated amount of the trip (it helps to ask ahead the estimate of the ride, can ask from the hotel staff) I just paid what I was informed, didn't pay the extra at all and never mind what was on the meter. Btw, be sure you have opened the door already and ready to go upon paying. :)


Nonetheless, the rest are okay and even impressive these are just the rotten ones, and not much.

WOW! I stumbled across this site doing a search. I've never had these kind of problems in 9 years in Thailand. Even when I first came here. I did have taxis waiting around the big hotel in the beginning try to give me a "fixed price" off the meter and I have had them refuse to take me when I insisted upon the meter. Of course, even the rip off price in Thailand is about 1/5th what it would cost you in the U.S. or Europe. I have my own car here, but often take a taxis because I don't feel like fighting traffic or parking in Bangkok. I can get about anywhere in Bangkok for about 100 baht. Even from the new airport to anywhere in central Bangkok with the 50 baht surcharge should not be more than 300 baht max. Plus tollway charges if any.

Of course I read, write and speak Thai now and have good connections here. The average Thai is about the nicest person you'll ever meet. Actually, unless you have a "cheat me" sign on your shirt, I think your more likely to get ripped off in a big city in the west. It cost me more 15 years ago to get from LAX to my home in LA than a tourist could spend in a week in Bangkok.

One thought, take out your cell phone a take a picture of the driver ID card, the taxi number and plate number when you get to the hotel if you have a problem. Then negotiate.

But, I think Thailand is one of the the safest counties in the world to travel in. But, stuff happens in every country, so alway be aware.

Taxis with rigged meters - never seen it in BKK, but common enough in Jakarta, and like Anon (22 July 2009) said, they will refuse to drive anywhere near the lobby and the potential scrutiny of security. Chances are that if security knows that a scam is being pulled they will demand a cut.

My brother got a taxi from the airport in BKK, the guy had a towel on the meter. My brother demanded that he take it off and there was 200 already on the meter. He got to my place in BKK, paid the driver 200.

Skip (20 July 2009) - if it is any consolation, the driver would have had to give the police at least half of what he scammed out of you.

I've submitted a report on the "fixed price" scam at the airport, but it didn't get published. To BKK the taxis have to use the meter, but to Pattaya you pay a fixed price. For that same price I got a limo (Volvo) straight to my hotel in Pattaya, with a professional and safe and polite driver. Of the fixed price that they charge to go anywhere other than BKK a fee of 300 baht is paid to the desk operators - you can see the drivers handing over a small wad of cash in these cases if you keep your eyes open.

when I took a public taxi (metered) from Suvarnabhume airport to Sukhumvit Rd, Soi 3, it cost about 400 baht (50 baht for airport surcharge 70 baht tolls taxi ride about 247 baht or little more tip). when I took a metered taxi from Sukhumvit Rd, Soi 3, I believed I paid about 300-320 baht (tip and no airport surcharge). It seemed like tolls were more once you leave the city.

Hope this helps.

my friend and i got a cab from the airport taxi stand and guess what, the metre was jumping every 10 secs. we took the cab down to siam at close to 500 bahts though suspicious about the metre we didnt care much. however as we take cabs around the city, we realised that the metres does not jump as quick as the first cab we took (in hot pink) and they have a laminated piece of table with a table on how much the fares should cost according to the distance travelled. We took the double coloured cabs more from then on

The rigged meters starting popping up about 1 year after the meters arrived. I had a taxi charge me the outlandish meter price of 500B to go from MBK to Khao San road once. I got out, paid him 120B, and told him if he wanted the rest just call a police officer. He grabbed the money and mumbled in Thai "damn rich foreigners" and off he went!!

On my last trip the taxi meter back to the airport was much more then it should of been I suspected a rigged meter guess this confirms it

Figured it out :)
Just returned from my SE Asia trip. I was travelling on one of those rigged meter taxis in BKK. Every time we had to stop on red light I could hear a few "click" sounds. That made me very suspicious as I was reading this forum beforehand, so next time we stopped I noticed that the driver would take his right hand off the steering wheel and reach for something installed either on his door or seat - below my eyesight. A few clicks and we've "travelled" extra 0,5 km!!!
I told him to stop clicking - he was pretending that he didn't understand, of course. However there were no more "clicks" and extra km :)
So guys - ALWAYS look on the meter :) Probably you won't hear clicks every time as there might be more veiled solutions to get extra baht out of your pocket.

No scam here, last week I got a metered taxi from airport to imperial queens park-235 baht meter 50 baht airport charge 70 baht toll roads for a total of 355 baht

You can get around the airpot surcharge no problem when arriving. Just go up to the top at the departure floor and look, I'm sure within a minute or so you will get a taxi and if they ask for the surcharge say no and get out, unless you are in the middle of the road. Just don't tip the taxi if they ask for that. You will notice when they drop you off to leave Thailand every taxi will try to hang around to find a fare. That's cause for them to drive all the way back to the main city without making money is a loss of money. Your fare will vary greatly dependant on traffic. That is why usually when you leave there is no traffic cause it is usually like 6 AM or so to the airport. Arriving around end of work time around 4 PM and staying somewhere like the main area of Sukhumvit you can be assured you will be stuck in traffic.

For the record, it seems like there is a new rule mandating that taxis have meters in a more visible place (on top of the console, not in the middle / at gear shift level). Most (but not all) taxis I took lately have this.

I guess the taxi authority takes matters seriously, I have never seen a rigged meter in 3 years here.

I don't know if this will help, but I would suggest only taking the brand new-looking taxis. They have to have their meters inspected monthly, apparently. Certainly don't take the old ones. You can tell the difference.

At the airport I always take the taxis on the 4th Floor, Departures Level. I've heard too many bad things over the years from the Ground Floor 50 baht Taxi Mafia. My children got cheated by one of them once.

If its late at night you can negotiate a meter plus rate, where you give a set amout of baht to get your ass back to your hotel. sometimes taxis dont really want to go where you are going. What is a dollar extra if you agree to it ahead of time?

Why be held to ransom?

@tommyboy, I do not agree (except if rat faced) with you, and in my opinion it sets a bad example. As far as I know, the rule of law in Thailand states, that taxis have to turn there meters on at all times. Yes, sometimes taxis (usally the latest model Toyata) don't want to drive to such and such a place, if this happens just find another one, I believe there are over 60,000 taxi in Bangkok! What next, taxis not wanting to put there meter on during the day?

Hi I have lived in Thailand for nearly 20 years and i came across the meter scams only 1 time , when i told the driver he told me to get out of the cab, in an area i wouldnt get out of the cab , it was raining and no chance of getting another for a while, he had picked me up at MBK and we were going down one of the back short cuts - which i know, I took his number his photo rang the police ( a friendly Police General i know )i was taken where i wanted to go a hotel where i was meeting friends i complained how dare you do this to tourist etc your giving Thai people a bad name i got to the location- i had made him keep the meter on it should have read 60 baht , it was 680 . I went to give him the 60 baht and he wouldnt take it. Someone at the hotel was going to get in the taxi and i told the concierge who got him to leave, when the taxi was tracked down, I wont go on but - he wont be doing it again. People should be aware it is now happening in BKK.

1.) If you take a taxi from the airport, there will be a surcharge ( 50 baht) - this is the standard airport policy not a scam!

2.) Taking a taxi from the airport to downtown, you will pass through 2-3 toll gates/road - expect to pay
anywhere from 50-90 baht extra - this is standard practice, again not a scam - so don't think the driver is scamming you if they add like 90 baht on top of the fare displayed on the meter!

3.) Taking a taxi from downtown to the airport you will pass through toll gates/roads too - so the same rule applies as #2, but there is NO 50 baht surcharge because you are not taking the taxi from the airport.

I live around 1 hr away from downtown Bangkok, taxi normally cost me anywhere from 200 baht up to 280 if there is heavy traffic. So expect to pay at most 300 baht for 1 hr taxi rides, this is a general rule of thumb. Unless you are going to the airport, there should be a toll fee of up to 90 baht on top of the displayed fare.

I think admin should add this note on the top as a general rule of thumb, so visitors won't be confused if taxis try to add toll fare on top of the meter. I think many people will think of this as a scam.

Further to CLARIFICATION's good advice:

I've always been asked to pay the tolls during the trip to and from the airport. Just make sure you have small notes. Again this is not a scam.

I've had it a few times where the taxi driver from the airport will cover up the meter amount with a piece of cardboard or something and try to quote a high round price as "standard". I just made a bit of a fuss and almost always they remove the cardboard and accept it.

Scam is at Airport. When you go from Airport you have Toll and they charge you along with 50B surcharge which you pay when you take taxi from airport. When you go back to airport there is no toll and also no surcharge so beware and do not pay this. (90B- Toll 50B Surcharge = 140 B)

In city also this happen. There are three types of Taxi.One with no meter, one with meter but depends upon bargaining & one with meter. If you take taxi argue/talk that you are here many times, read the name of driver and details and please do read a map of area before going and have a good remembrance of the places. Try to inquire also.

When you take a taxi from the airport go to a little desk outside where an English speaker will write down your destination in Thai for the driver. DO NOT ask him what the fare will be, he will tell you 400bht for a journey into central Bangkok, it should be about 300bht. The driver will refuse to use the meter and claim you were told the fare. Obviously he's getting a kick back from the drivers.

Going back to the airport we insisted on the meter, 260bht plus tolls. These guys are the most greedy, larcenous little buggers I have ever come across in my life.

You can easliy see if the meter is rigged when observing the different displays on it. Therre are two small ones, one indicating the distance driven and the other should indicate the time stopped. Once the time display is also advancing during driving (faster than walking speed), the meter has been manipulated. The fare will not increase significantly but on the long run it will pay.

Funny note at the end: During my last drive to the airport I fell upon such a taxi, but obviously the guy did something wrong because at the end, the meter was about 20B less than usual!

I've been in a taxi with a rigged meter a couple of times this year, but never before that in about ten years here.

It was the same deal each time: the distance and time displayed were correct, but the fare was about 50% higher than it should've been. I travel that route regularly and know it should be about 100 baht, but it was 150 baht both times with almost no traffic. And both times the driver pressed a few buttons on the meter in the beginning, whereas normally they only push once. Watch out for this.

Generally meter taxis are pretty reliable, but perhaps this problem is becoming more common. I took a photo of the meter, which clearly shows the discrepancy. I will try to call the taxi centre and see if they do anything about it. It's not as if I want the money back, but it would be good if they could catch people like this.

I dont take taxis I walk or run everywhere, it keeps you fit and you dont get scammed..:)

@Forrest Gumpy, wow, you must eat THREE shredded wheat for breakfast, but I bet you must stink to high heaven by the end of the day?

I used a Taxi in bangkok and he charged me a lot more than it should have been, clearly a scam I will never go to him again. I remember his face

I am quite exeprianced with bangkok so here is what you do. When problems arise you first take a photo of the yellow number plate thats located below both rear door windows. This would in most cases settle the matter. If not just ask if you can record a video of him claiming the night fee to be right.

An advice though is to wait with the camera and the video to you are at your final destination. After this scenario he only wants you out of the car as soon as possible. So if you are not at your final destination you could be left at some quite inconveniance place. I would not be surprised one stopped and kicked you out on an elevated way for that sake.

Scams with rigged meter are fairly rare, i seen it once in almost 10 years of regular travel to Thailand.
What is more common is taxi refusing at first to put the meter on (especially when it rain and on some touristic spots), but yet if you speak some Thai and are firm its a minor problem.
What IS a problem is taxi drivers who have no clue whatsoever how to go where you want (guys freshly arrived from Nakhon Nowhere...) and also very tired (and drugged out of their mind) drivers...
Those i see very often...and they are real dangerous...

Many meters are rigged to add 50%.
I am seeing it more and more lately.

That's typical Thai style. The meter has been turned up so much that it just smacks of a plain obvious in your face rip off!

If the driver was subtle about it, for example just turning it up a little then he'd be making extra money and most tourists would be oblivious to it.

But no! We want money money money and now now now! These guys have no concept of future!

I agree with the other anon. I've lived here many years and this is how I handle nefarious taxis;

If they are pulling the Sorry Not Meter, It's Raining, that's BS they're required to use the meter. I say ok take me to the 5 star hotel next to my building (obviously not in those words).

When we get to the hotel main lobby entrace there's usually 5 guards standing around so you're safe. I leave what I believe to be the normal metered price on the back seat. Walk into the hotel as I'm walking away I tell the security he's a thief.

Never had a problem after saying that. The only time I had a real problem with a taxi driver was many years ago when I first moved here and this type of incident took place on dark road (hindsight and common sense, what was that?).

The 5 star hotel solution is the way to go. No taxi driver is going to get out with a crow bar and pummel you at a 5 star hotel which usually has at least 1 real policeman and tons of normal security, especially if you paid him a fair meter rate. My friend prefers to pay them nothing and follow my same steps noting they're scammers so they don't get anything from him. I just give them the rate I think is fair because I, myself, try to be fair and they're less likely to go nuts if they are paid what they know they truly should have been paid.

Try to find a taxi by Pantip in the rain and all you'll get is 1000% markup flat prices. We just agree right away, take us to the 5star. ;)

Taxi will always be Taxis...if is not the meter rigged, or broken, or no change, or raining, or "special" surcharge.
If u argue with them they might accept you with meter but if u don't know bangkok...be ready for a nightlife sightseeing :)

What i do on my good days is i don't even ask him i go sit at the back...tell him where i wanna go, if he said meter broken and ask for far too much than normal i just ty myself to turn the meter on and "surprise" the meter worked :D (live here for a while,sometime seems i know bkk better than any taxi)

if he stop the meter he loose the 35baht he gonna have to pay back at his taxi owning company so usually he goes upset but go.
PS: dont do that with any driver...young kids aren't working on meter,might not even be plugged for real.

Got scammed one time on my way to Sai Tai Mai from KSR.


And another time from MBK to Khao San Road, once I realized the meter was on turbo, the driver got angry and told to my thai friend that he hates foreigners and that we only make trouble :P

Have lived in Bangkok for 9 years and not had many problems using taxis. However recently encountered a new scam attempt after grabbing a cab from the 4th floor departure area at Suvarnabhum. After the first turn away from the main terminal buidling the driver suddenly slowed down and claimed' no fuel'; indeed the fuel meter light was on but that means of course nothing since they all run on LPG or CNG where the tank content is shown on a different display (that is why there is no space for even one decent size suitaces in most cars). While slowing down he honked at another empty taxi that had just left the airport and indicted I should take the other car. This was quite a hassle since I had two fairly heavy suitaces with me. Once the luggage was transferred the first driver had the nerve to try to charge the 35 baht entry fee having driven just about 500 meters and whileleaving me in the middle of the highway out of the airport. I of course refused and the driver who had up to then been polite and actually overly friendly started swearing and raving, calling me all sorts of names. When I walked towards him in a semi threatening manner (I am 6 ft 46 and 250 lbs) he ran around the back of the car still swearing. Left it at that. The second driver just shook his head and took me home without any further drama. What I should have done is remove his contact key and throw it off the expressway. That would have taught him.
Yes, you have to be vigilant all the time but I think this same thing happens all over the world. In fact I believe that Bangkok is still one of the more safer places to live or visit.

took a few cab in bkk with a thai girl , she didn't choose the ones with modified tyres. Seems that modifying size of tyres modifies the meter also. Smaller tyres and cabs which are too close to the ground should be avoid.

bouloubloubloubloubloub

So what now?
First people said, when you take taxi ask for meter. Now the meter is modified. So should I just take bus, MRT, BTS everywhere I go?
I'm going to Bangkok on Oct.

I took a taxi from Suwanabhumi airport to Sukhumvit 19 on October 2011. The meter was definteily rigged. Normaly costs me less than 250 (plus tolls) to get to my place. This time 400. I take this trip a lot and its never, ever been more than 300 baht. Be aware that Taxi metres can be rigged.

If your on holiday and want to squabble over small amounts like 150baht (AUD$4) it will ruin your holiday. I just pay the few extra dollars anyway if there a nice guy. I know in Australia for a 10km trip I pay around AUD$30 so about 1000baht. Relax your on holiday, overseas holidays are expensive at the best of times and if your low budget theres always the bus. :)