Cabbie Busted for Overcharging Tourists at Wat Pho

[admin]

A taxi driver was arrested on Tuesday and charged with cheating three Vietnamese tourists by overcharging them on admission tickets to Wat Pho, one of Bangkok’s popular tourist spots.

Tourist police apprehended Chontisak Pooyiamjit, 38, in front of the temple, known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, in Phra Nakhon district after they were alerted by temple officials about the alleged ticket scam.

Mr Chontisak picked up Vietnamese visitor Pham Hanh Huong, a 37-year-old state enterprise official, and his wife and child from their hotel in Sukhumvit Soi 4 (Soi Nana) to take them to the temple as part of a sightseeing tour.

A taxi driver who took the Vietnamese family from Suvanrnabhumi Airport to their hotel advised them to use a one-day sightseeing service from Mr Chontisak, Pol Col Chakorn Sriwattanaprayoon, of Tourist Police Division, said

When arriving at the temple, Mr Chontisak allegedly told Mr Huong that an entry ticket for a foreign visitor cost 700 baht, but promised he would get the Vietnamese tickets at a discount, for “only” 500 baht each.

Pol Col Chakorn said the cab driver, from Kalasin province, tried to avoid showing the price on the tickets and led his passengers into the temple.

Mr Huong, suspecting he might have been cheated by Mr Chontisak, later asked the temple staff about the cost of a ticket and was told that each ticket costs 100 baht. The staff reported the incident to police for him.

Mr Chontisak denied all charges, claiming he bought the tickets at regular prices.

The suspect’s car was identified as a pink Toyota Altis with licence number Tor Sor 7663. The vehicle is not equipped with a taxi meter sign on its roof.

Police charged Mr Chontisak with attempted fraud and not displaying a taxi meter sign as stipulated under the 1979 Land Traffic Act.

via Cabbie held for alleged ticket scam | Bangkok Post: breakingnews.