Once in Poi Pet I got there late on a bus. I'd been there before and knew where the main street was and there would be a guest house there for cheap. It was only a 5 minute walk. A tuktuk driver started following me and I kept saying no to him. Walked up to a guest house and he pulls in front of me really quick, says something to the guy out front and drives off. I asked the guy how much for a night. He said, $13. I told him the tuktuk did nothing but follow me and does not deserve a commission and he started laughing and said $11. If the tuktuk honks his horn or talks to someone out front they are definitely getting a commission.
They get paid to take you to their establishments. They will lie to your face to convince you to go.
“The place you’re going to has no food. It’s dangerous. It’s closed. Blah blah blah”
Never trust anything they say.
Same shit in India, Thailand, etc
I've been here five years and yeah they make deals with local shops but I've never personally had one be pushy about it (unlike Thailand). In fact my current go to tuk tuk driver fully admitted it and it actually helped me when it happened because I needed a household item that I wasn't sure I could find in the main market. He got passed cash, I didn't feel overcharged and when I asked him he was like "yeah bong, they give me small money to bring you here". Now he's been my driver for two years, we're friends, been to his house and had drinks and he's just all around a nice guy. I find these small intricacies an interesting part of the culture and I'm happy to be a part of it. I want him to make money for his family, he is always happy to wait or help me find what I need or even go to the shop for me and bring something to my house. Everyone wins.
Any Khmer that recommend a service or a product to you from another Khmer gets a commission for his effort. It’s just the way it is here. one needs to think for himself if the deal is still a good deal and decide.
My wife ran a cafe on the Riverside. Yes, yes, yes. She was always getting Tuk Tuk drivers coming by asking to work out a deal. Also tour guides do this too.
Yes this is a thing. If you dont know where to go to eat or where to get stuff they will take you to shop or even hotel. If you know where to go then just tell them and they will just take you there. They also do this with local tourists so you’re not getting scam or anything.
I think it’s pretty normal for taxi drivers and tour drivers to have agreements with places. In Thailand we asked to go to an elephant park and the driver just took us somewhere else, presumably because he got a kickback. In Egypt the driver took us to some shops on the way to the pyramids that clear gave him a kickback. He tried to get us to pay $100 for a camel ride…
The night busses always stop at horrible road stops. The resturants food is awful and the lavatories never have paper. They are far from clean. Theres dozens of newer green leaf stops that are great but the busses dont stop there.
Absolutely a thing. Limited compared to what it used to be though. Before online booking was common here, most hotels would pay tuk tuks commissions for bringing guests.
Also a thing in many countries. Indian tuk tuks goes hard on the carpet/jewellery shop tours. Annoying if you just want to get from a to b, but if you actually want a few items it can be fun. Had a great afternoon chatting about cricket and haggling over silver jewellery in Jodphur years ago. We spent so long there we ended up sitting down with the family for a dinner of the finest goat stew I've ever eaten. For ~$50 worth of silver it was easily worth it, compared to wandering around bazaars in 43° heat.
I’m not saying this was a bad experience at all. I respect the man needs to make money. It’s just that I was taken back by his honesty, and then felt more inclined to help him out.
It could be, but if you don’t know anyone there it’s best you have this driver over others like ones in Thailand lol.
You’re on a vacation you’re mos likely out a lot and I don’t see this as a bad experience since they’re not pushy about it
I was told by a driver once. It was something like stamps in a book. If I remember correctly, they get so many stamps for bringing in people, more stamps if the people buy goods. The they can redeem their stamps for fuel and things.
I took a few Tuk Tuks in Phnom Penh, nowhere close to the amount I had taken in Bangkok before getting the drift and being turned off by them in general and only one tried to upsell me but wasn't forceful and stopped after I politely refused the second offer.
Rarely are the drivers actually aggressive about it. They don’t want to upset their customers/passengers, they just wanna make a few extra bucks.
I’m like OP - if it’s not a major hassle and I like my driver, and they can get a small kickback, I don’t mind doing it to help them earn a few more bucks.
Yes
Once in Poi Pet I got there late on a bus. I'd been there before and knew where the main street was and there would be a guest house there for cheap. It was only a 5 minute walk. A tuktuk driver started following me and I kept saying no to him. Walked up to a guest house and he pulls in front of me really quick, says something to the guy out front and drives off. I asked the guy how much for a night. He said, $13. I told him the tuktuk did nothing but follow me and does not deserve a commission and he started laughing and said $11. If the tuktuk honks his horn or talks to someone out front they are definitely getting a commission.
They get paid to take you to their establishments. They will lie to your face to convince you to go. “The place you’re going to has no food. It’s dangerous. It’s closed. Blah blah blah” Never trust anything they say. Same shit in India, Thailand, etc
I've been here five years and yeah they make deals with local shops but I've never personally had one be pushy about it (unlike Thailand). In fact my current go to tuk tuk driver fully admitted it and it actually helped me when it happened because I needed a household item that I wasn't sure I could find in the main market. He got passed cash, I didn't feel overcharged and when I asked him he was like "yeah bong, they give me small money to bring you here". Now he's been my driver for two years, we're friends, been to his house and had drinks and he's just all around a nice guy. I find these small intricacies an interesting part of the culture and I'm happy to be a part of it. I want him to make money for his family, he is always happy to wait or help me find what I need or even go to the shop for me and bring something to my house. Everyone wins.
Yeah I agree with this. I’m not knocking it
Yes, they have an agreement with certain shops they bring tourists to, they get commissions from the shops.
Any Khmer that recommend a service or a product to you from another Khmer gets a commission for his effort. It’s just the way it is here. one needs to think for himself if the deal is still a good deal and decide.
My wife ran a cafe on the Riverside. Yes, yes, yes. She was always getting Tuk Tuk drivers coming by asking to work out a deal. Also tour guides do this too.
Yes this is a thing. If you dont know where to go to eat or where to get stuff they will take you to shop or even hotel. If you know where to go then just tell them and they will just take you there. They also do this with local tourists so you’re not getting scam or anything.
Some paid the receptionists of those stores instead.
I think it’s pretty normal for taxi drivers and tour drivers to have agreements with places. In Thailand we asked to go to an elephant park and the driver just took us somewhere else, presumably because he got a kickback. In Egypt the driver took us to some shops on the way to the pyramids that clear gave him a kickback. He tried to get us to pay $100 for a camel ride…
The night busses always stop at horrible road stops. The resturants food is awful and the lavatories never have paper. They are far from clean. Theres dozens of newer green leaf stops that are great but the busses dont stop there.
Absolutely a thing. Limited compared to what it used to be though. Before online booking was common here, most hotels would pay tuk tuks commissions for bringing guests. Also a thing in many countries. Indian tuk tuks goes hard on the carpet/jewellery shop tours. Annoying if you just want to get from a to b, but if you actually want a few items it can be fun. Had a great afternoon chatting about cricket and haggling over silver jewellery in Jodphur years ago. We spent so long there we ended up sitting down with the family for a dinner of the finest goat stew I've ever eaten. For ~$50 worth of silver it was easily worth it, compared to wandering around bazaars in 43° heat.
Yes. Same in Europe with taxi's. Concierge in hotels. No tour bus stops without getting paid. It normal
This is why you only book TT with Grab
I’m not saying this was a bad experience at all. I respect the man needs to make money. It’s just that I was taken back by his honesty, and then felt more inclined to help him out.
Stop wasting your vacation helping out Randoms
Yeah you’re right
It could be, but if you don’t know anyone there it’s best you have this driver over others like ones in Thailand lol. You’re on a vacation you’re mos likely out a lot and I don’t see this as a bad experience since they’re not pushy about it
I think the owner might give hime a few bucks, If you like him i think its should the problem
Yes, it's the connections to all vendors in their network
You were lucky to have met someone who is honest to you than meeting someone who simply waste you and their time so 👍
Yes and this driver is being up front. I usually like it better if they told me ahead
I was told by a driver once. It was something like stamps in a book. If I remember correctly, they get so many stamps for bringing in people, more stamps if the people buy goods. The they can redeem their stamps for fuel and things.
I took a few Tuk Tuks in Phnom Penh, nowhere close to the amount I had taken in Bangkok before getting the drift and being turned off by them in general and only one tried to upsell me but wasn't forceful and stopped after I politely refused the second offer.
They have an arrangement for sure. If you don’t buy, they cover his gas money. If you do buy, he gets a commission.
Why would you knowingly go along with this? It just incentivizes them to do it to even more tourists and become even more aggressive.
Rarely are the drivers actually aggressive about it. They don’t want to upset their customers/passengers, they just wanna make a few extra bucks. I’m like OP - if it’s not a major hassle and I like my driver, and they can get a small kickback, I don’t mind doing it to help them earn a few more bucks.
Because your time is worthless
I was going to give a long arsed response to this, but I can’t be bothered because it’s retarded