Taxi driver fined for pretending car broke down to kick out passengers

A taxi driver who allegedly pretended his car had broken down to kick two passengers out was summoned and fined by the Department of Land Transport today.

Thawatchai Rassameekam was fined THB500 for not taking his passengers to their destination. He was also disciplined by the officials, according to Matichon.

The driver was summoned after a woman reported on Pantip that Thawatchai seemed to try everything to avoid being reported when she took his taxi with her boyfriend from Don Muang airport early on Tuesday morning.

“First, he complained that our destination Bangna was too far,” she wrote on Tuesday, “After that, he asked for the ticket that officers at the airport gave me. I thought he was just gonna check something, but he didn’t give it back.”

The woman, realizing passengers were supposed to keep the ticket, asked for it back, but the taxi driver gave her a blank piece of paper.

After that, he turned on the emergency light and suddenly stopped the car.

"Why would you need the ticket? What would you complain about? My car has just broken down. This is not considered rejecting passengers," the taxi driver said.

The woman took photos of the taxi and shared her story on Pantip, prompting officials to take action.

The Pantip user managed to flag down another taxi to take her to Bangna.

Source: Coconuts Bangkok