The public questioned the officials’ response after a Phuket taxi driver overcharged an Australian tourist and managed to end legal proceedings only by returning the difference to the foreigner.
Several local news agencies reported the overcharging case to the public over the weekend. According to the reports, the 26 year old Australian victim visited Phuket for the first time, arriving in the province via Phuket International Airport.
The Australian told a Thai taxi driver at the airport that he wanted to travel to Soi Ta Aied in Chalong district. The driver reportedly quoted him a fare of 3,500 baht for the journey.
According to reports, the driver persuaded the Australian to accept the fare by telling him that his taxi was the last one available at the airport. The driver reportedly said the tourist would be unable to travel to his destination if he missed the available service.
As the Australian was unfamiliar with Phuket, he agreed to the journey. He later learned from local people and other tourists that the fare he had paid was significantly higher than expected.
The distance between Phuket International Airport and the Australian’s destination was reported to be about 40 kilometres, with the usual fare said to be less than 1,000 baht.
The case led the Phuket Provincial Land Transport Office to summon the taxi driver for a meeting on September 14. The driver met the Australian at the office, apologised and returned the difference between the amount charged and the stated actual fare.
The driver said the correct fare for the journey was 800 baht. He therefore returned 2,700 baht to the Australian tourist. The Australian accepted the apology and reportedly agreed to withdraw the legal proceedings.
However, the resolution prompted criticism from Thai residents, who questioned why returning the money was sufficient to end the matter. Some argued that the driver’s conduct violated the law and should result in legal punishment, regardless of whether the tourist recovered his money.
Others said the driver might have kept the additional money had the incident not attracted widespread attention on social media.
As of September 14, officials from the Phuket Provincial Land Transport Office had not confirmed whether the taxi driver would face any further legal punishment over the incident.
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