A crooked cabbie operating in Silom will likely be charged after refusing a passenger and then calling a cop friend to arrest the man for annoying him.
The unbelievable story was posted on Facebook by the wannabe passenger, 54, who, it turns out, is a public prosecutor. The refused passenger, whose name was not disclosed, explained what happened to him on the evening of Feb. 10 outside the Narai Hotel in Silom.
Apparently, he hailed a cab, which refused to take him where he needed to go. When he pointed out to the driver that his refusal was illegal, the driver got on the phone and loudly asked a police officer friend if he was nearby and if he could come and arrest the would-be passenger that was annoying him.
Bangkok Post reported that the driver said, “Are you free now, my boss? A passenger is irritating me. Come and arrest him now.”
A short time later, a lieutenant showed up and spoke with the driver before approaching the would-be passenger to arrest him. Instead, the man identified himself as a public prosecutor and turned the tables by asking the officer to arrest the driver for clearly breaching the law by refusing a fare.
The Facebook post was widely shared and most comments were unflattering toward the driver and the cop.
On Feb. 12, the man got in touch with the Silom area police, but they had no record of charges against the cabbie and that the name of the lieutenant did not match the name of any of their officers.
Police will review CCTV footage of the area on the night in question in order to investigate the matter.
Taxi drivers who refuse passengers can be fined THB1,000 and another THB1,000 if they have harassed said passengers. If they show a pattern of this behavior, their license will be canceled.
