A video clip posted by Danny Mac, an expat blogger who teaches English on his Facebook page, has received over a million views today when the foreigner shared a story about how a taxi driver at Suvarnabhumi Airport tried to overcharge him — then called him by an offensive term “farang kheenok” when Mac simply asked for his change.
Mac, whose nationality is not known, said that when he returned from Chiang Mai yesterday, he took a taxi from the airport, and the taxi asked for THB500 to drive to his condo.
Mac asked the driver to turn on the meter, but the driver said it malfunctioned. After the foreigner insisted he would then change taxis, the driver finally turned on the meter, all while complaining.
“At first, I didn’t feel good about it. But I rode with him anyway…until we arrived at the expressway and he asked for THB300.”
Mac said the the fees would not cost more than THB100. He decided to give the driver THB200 but received no change.
Once they arrived at the condo, the driver, once again, refused to give him his change.
Mac recalled, “The meter read THB375. I handed him THB500, which he responded with, ‘So that’s the exact amount’. I was like, ‘What? You need to give me some change.”
The driver told Mac that there was also an airport fee of THB50 and that made the fare THB425. Upset about the driver’s behavior, Mac demanded to get all of his THB75 change.
Caught on video, the taxi driver rudely called Mac “farang ngee-ngao,” which in this context, means Mac is a “demanding” person.
The driver said, “Just take the change. Take it. I hope not to see you again. Farang ngee-ngao.”
According to Mac, the driver also called him “farang kheenok,” an offensive term to describe a foreigner who has poor manners…and is overall poor.
Mac said, “I’m the kind of person who loves to tip. When I take a taxi or go to a restaurant, I always tip.”
“If he hadn’t asked for anything, I would have given him a tip. But he didn’t give me any change, that was not nice at all. Then he even called me stingy and a farang kheenok.”
Mac, who has over 74,000 followers, ended the video asking for Thai people’s opinions, in which most voiced support for the expat. Others apologized that he had to face such an incident in Thailand.
Many also urged him to report the driver to the Department of Land Transport. Overcharging a passenger is illegal and is punishable by a fine of THB5,000 maximum.
