A taxi driver was fired this afternoon after he charged THB6,000 from two Swiss businessmen for a ride from from Suvarnabhumi International Airport to Silom.
Cabbie Pipatpol Jaikam was fined THB3,000 and had his license revoked after he scammed two foreign businessmen yesterday morning, although he gave them their money back.
Department of Land Transport punished Pipatpol today after the foreigners’ Thai business counterpart shared the story on social media, which caught the attention of local media.
Photo: Phattraporn Than-ngam/ Thai PBS
Krit Karnchanabatr, CEO of Car-Lack (Thai-German) Co. Ltd. wrote on Facebook that his two company presidents, whose names were not disclosed, flew in from Switzerland and got a taxi to the W Hotel on Sathorn Tai road yesterday morning. The cabbie did not use the meter.
The two foreigners didn’t want any trouble so they paid THB6,000 as requested, but they were very upset.
Before posting the story to Facebook, Krit said he called the tourist police to report the case, but they refused to intervene. An angry Krit also filed a complaint with the JS100 police radio and Suvarnabhumi Airport. He also asked hotel staff for help.
“My wife asked W Hotel to help. We were all very upset that this is how our guests were welcomed to the country. The taxi driver embarrassed us all,” Krit wrote.
Krit said hotel staff tracked down the taxi’s license plate and found it parked at a taxi rank nearby. The driver agreed to return THB5,400 as hotel staff threatened to file a police report.
“Dear the taxi association, please don’t behave like thieves or scammers and take advantage of tourists,” Krit wrote.
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