PATHUM THANI: Three taxi drivers have been arrested on charges of extorting money from migrant workers after tricking them into their vehicles and promising to drop them at their destinations based on the metered fare.
Authorities said the gang waited for victims getting off interprovincial buses at the Major Rangsit department store. They then approached passengers, most of them migrant workers, and offered to drop them at their destinations for fares based on the meter.
Once the passengers got into the taxis, the drivers would lock the doors and ask whether the passengers had permits to work legally in Thailand. If not, they would charge them 1,000 to 1,500 baht each. If the passengers did not have enough money, the drivers said they would call their employers and negotiate the overpriced fare.
The drivers told authorities that they had to overcharge to cover the risk of being arrested for transporting illegal migrant workers. They were identified as Surasak Pholpaka, Kachornsak Boonsongngoen and Thawatchai Wongsanga.
Cap Surachai Jaiuae of the 2nd Infantry Division Queens’ Guard said that authorities had received several complaints about the extortion and overcharging of taxi fares.
He said the latest known case involved four passengers who wanted to travel to the Rangsit Khlong 4 area and had been charged a combined 20,000 baht while the metered fare should be only 200-300 baht.
Three people were sent undercover to catch the extortion gang in action. They got off a bus and were approached by the three drivers, who wanted 1,500 baht from each after the three agents said they did not have work permits.
The agents said they had only 1,000 baht, so the drivers negotiated the fare with a commander who pretended to be the trio's employer. The drivers finally agreed to accept the job at 1,000 baht fare. After the negotiations were concluded, the drivers were arrested.
They have been charged with offering public transport without using a meter and will also face charges of extortion.