I have just arrived in Thailand for my first trip and would just like to warn people of some kind of a scam going on at the Bangkok airport. My friends who have been here before warned me that some Taxi drivers might not use their meters when going into the city, so I was sure to insist on the meter being started. This the taxi driver did when we started out from the airport. However, at some point between the airport and my hotel the meter had mysteriously stopped working. The taxi driver then muttered some words in Thai, and then demanded 2,000 baht. My friends had advised me the trip would be approximately 500 baht, so I was shocked when the taxi driver asked for 4 times that amount.
I offered to pay only 1,000 baht, but the taxi driver became very angry and started shouting! Luckily the doorman at my hotel intervened and the taxi driver snatched my 1,000 baht and drove off.
At the end of my first week now, and apart from the taxi drivers in Bangkok, everything from the hotel maids to shopkeepers have been very friendly.

Stu

Thanks for the heads up - sounds like you were very unlucky to get a rip-off merchant; most taxis from the airport are hassle-free. Did you get a chit with his details? If you get an official taxi from the pick-up point then I think the car details are recorded and you get a receipt thing with the taxi driver's information you can use to complain (although not sure what good it would do ultimately).

For your trip back to the airport just get yourself to the nearest BTS/SkyTrain station; you can then head to Phaya Thai BTS and pick up the airport rail link to the airport for very cheap - something like 50 Baht, and no scamming taxi drivers or traffic in sight.

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Where did you get your taxi? When you get a taxi from the Public Taxi area on the first floor, at the curb, those taxis are registered. You should have not listened to your friends. For most rides from the airport to hotels in Bangkok the price usually comes to around 350 baht. This includes the mandatory 50 baht surcharge, any tolls you paid during the ride plus the meter fare. The taxis picking up at the Public Taxi area agree to use the meter and have a better car. The 50 baht surcharge is a bonus to them for agreeing to the rules.
Bangkok Airport Public Taxi Service | Suvarnabhumi Airport | New Bangkok Airport Guide

The receipt you get from the Public Taxi area identifies the taxi. By any chance did you get a taxi dropping off at departures? Those taxis are not registered and are NOT supposed to pick up passengers.
http://www.anachak.co.uk/images/img/...axireceipt.jpg

No surcharge for rides back to the airport. If the ride is early in the morning with little traffic some drivers will skirt the toll road and use the highway. Hotels near the Skytrain route or even near the Airport Rail Link in Pratunam come in handy if you need a ride to the airport during the day up to midnight.

When you got to your hotel you could have asked the hotel to call a policeman. It is the law that taxis use the meter. You probably paid 600 baht extra for the ride. The fare is the same for 1 passenger or 4 passengers.

Better luck next time. Could have been worse.

Thanks for the advice koonel. I have been put on to a company called Thailand International Tours and I’ve been taking a few trips in and out of the city with them, and have been very impressed with their quality, service, experience and advice. I can recommend them to anyone who needs a quality ride. They’ve also put me on to some great places to stay.

Good, but it is cheaper to do it on your own. Bus travel is cheap between cities, get the tickets at a bus station. Meter taxis in Bangkok are cheap (if you use the meter) and the Skytrain and Airport Rail Link are efficient and easy to use.
UrbanRail.Net > Asia > Thailand > Bangkok Metro

A basic room with air, private toilet, TV and maid service for Bangkok starts around 600 baht. Many hotels are within walk of the Skytrain or Rail Link.

Have fun.

Just had a very scary taxi ride in Bangkok last night. I was with another traveller I just met and we decided to visit a couple of Irish pubs in the Sukhumvit area.

After the first pub we flagged a pink taxi down and headed for the next pub which we were told was quite close. As we started driving along Sukhumvit we noticed another taxi along side us with 3 Thai girls inside, one westerner and a very happy, friendly looking driver. The three girls were joking around and giggling away, and so was the driver. I didn’t notice the next maneuver by this driver to be offensive, incorrect or anything, but they were now in front of us.
This seems to have incensed our driver who increased speed, and started driving very aggressively to catch up with the other taxi. He was inches away from the cars in front, zig sagging through the traffic . The next minute turning down sois, we later found out was the wrong way to our destination, but just to chase the other taxi.
Now we were on a quieter soi screaming down the road after the other taxi, people jumping out of the way, waving their fists at our driver for driving so erratically and irresponsibly on a quiet road.
I could see the taxi ahead preparing to turn right at a T junction in front. Our driver decided this was his opportunity, didn’t slow down to approach the junction, but sped up and rammed the other taxi into the driver’s door as he was making the turn.
The next minute he went to his boot, pulled out a baseball bat, and headed for the other taxi!!! Screaming at the other petrified driver, we never hung around to see what happened next!!
Be warned!!