Tourist in Thailand allegedly offers to pay taxi fare with cannabis, leaves without paying after cabby refuses

Tourist in Thailand allegedly offers to pay balance of S$42 taxi fare with cannabis instead of cash

A Thai taxi driver was left furious and unpaid after a foreign tourist allegedly tried to pay the balance of his fare with a large bag of cannabis instead of cash.

After being refused, the tourist purportedly left without paying, the cabby told Thai news outlet Khaosod.

Tourist in Thailand agrees to pay S$79 taxi fare, allegedly offers balance in cannabis

Mr Prachuap (name transliterated), 54, who filed a police report in the early hours of Tuesday (15 July) morning, said that he had picked up a foreign man at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport.

He requested to be taken to a hotel in Pattaya — a trip of two hours — and agreed to pay a fare of 2,000 baht (S$79).

The passenger had assured him that his wife, who was waiting at the hotel, would pay the fare upon arrival.

However, when they reached the hotel, the foreigner only had 900 baht (S$35) on him, while the woman said to be his wife had just 50 baht (S$2).

When Mr Prachuap requested the remaining 1,050 baht (S$42), the foreign man pulled out a large packet of cannabis, allegedly offering it in place of the cash.

Passenger became upset & entered hotel after driver refused offer

Mr Prachuap said he refused the offer and threatened to call the police.

In response, the tourist became upset and left, going into the hotel and leaving his fare unpaid.

The cabby shared that he had previously helped passengers who couldn’t pay out of compassion, but this experience had left him feeling truly disheartened.

“Usually, we only see news about taxi drivers harming foreigners, but in real life, I’m faced with foreigners who take advantage like this. Who will help us?” he was quoted as saying by Khaosod English.

Taxi driver eventually received full fare

Mr Prachuap eventually received the full fare, however, due to the intervention of the Pattaya City Police and Tourist Police.

On Tuesday afternoon, the tourist, a 34-year-old man named Matthew from Northern Ireland, was summoned to the police station, where he explained that he had tried to get the cabby to take him to an ATM to withdraw money.

This was unsuccessful, he claimed, adding that he did not intend to pay his fare with cannabis and was actually talking to a friend.

He finally paid the full fare of 2,000 baht, resolving the matter to the satisfaction of both parties.

Also read: Woman in Thailand allegedly offers sex to private-hire rider instead of paying S$1.60 fare

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Featured image adapted from Khaosod.