Bangkok, Thailand – June 1, 2025 – A recent incident involving a Bangkok taxi driver has ignited a heated discussion about taxi regulations in the city. A passenger, who shared his experience on TikTok under the username @auppatam1, reported that after initially agreeing to use the meter, the driver demanded a fixed fare of 200 baht shortly after departing from a shopping mall.
The situation escalated when the passenger refused the fixed fare, prompting the driver to stop the vehicle and insist that he exit. When the passenger requested to see the driver’s license and taxi ID, he discovered that the driver had neither. Furthermore, the driver admitted that the vehicle’s registration had expired.
The passenger documented the taxi’s license plate for evidence, which led to an aggressive confrontation from the driver. Following the altercation, the passenger contacted the police for assistance. The video of the incident quickly went viral, drawing widespread criticism from the online community, many of whom expressed frustration over the lack of enforcement regarding taxi regulations in Bangkok.
This incident has reignited calls for stricter checks and penalties for drivers operating without proper licenses, as many residents and tourists alike have reported similar experiences of being overcharged or scammed by unlicensed taxi drivers.
In a related story, a tourist in Phuket also faced issues with an overcharging taxi driver through the Grab app. Although he booked a ride at a fixed rate of 264 baht, he was unexpectedly charged an additional 100 baht during the journey, raising concerns about the safeguards in place to protect customers from exploitation.
As these incidents highlight ongoing issues within the taxi industry, both passengers and authorities are calling for improved regulations to ensure safer and fairer transportation options in Thailand.