A TikTok user known as “jha_eves,” who is also the owner of a skincare brand, posted a nearly three-minute video exposing the alarming behavior of a taxi driver in the Ekkamai area on August 23. Ms. Jha had hailed a taxi for a short trip but was shocked when the driver demanded a flat rate of 400 baht. When she asked why the meter wasn’t being used, the driver angrily responded, “There’s no meter here.”
In her video, she expressed deep frustration and called on authorities to take serious action, stating, “The entire nation knows, but the higher-ups never seem to be aware. If this continues, it’s the citizens who suffer.” She explained that she had returned to Ekkamai after several years and noticed a significant decline in the number of Thai residents in the area, estimating that only about 20% were Thai, with the rest being foreigners. During her visit, she hailed a taxi for a quick 10-minute trip to get a meal, only to be confronted with the exorbitant fare of 400 baht.
When she questioned the unreasonable charge and asked why the meter wasn’t being used, the driver loudly proclaimed, in front of a crowd, that there were no meters in Ekkamai.
As a Thai citizen, she was deeply disheartened by the experience, especially since both she and the driver were Thai, and this was happening in their own country. She questioned, “Has the law in Thailand changed? Are taxis no longer required to use meters? Is it now standard to charge 400 baht for short trips in Ekkamai?”
Ms. Jha urged authorities to investigate and address this issue, and her video quickly resonated with many netizens. The video gained over 2.4 million views, with numerous comments criticizing the authorities for allowing such behavior to continue.
Video https://www.tiktok.com/@jha_eves/video/7406440445208743176
