PHUKET: Police in Patong will sweep green-plate taxis from public parking spots from Monday - a dramatic sign of change that today brought anguished cries from some of the drivers.
''First we had to change from illegal taxis to green-plates, now we are being forced to become meter taxis,'' one driver said, preferring to remain anonymous.
News of the changes for green-plate drivers was being conveyed to them yesterday and today in a printed message handed out from Kathu Police Station Traffic department.
Usually, a change as big as this one would be accompanied by a mass meeting and speeches from the Governor of Phuket and other authorities to explain what is happening and why.
For some reason, that isn't the case this time, and the green-plate drivers are being left to wallow in confusion.
They will be required to park in private spots, or join the queue at a holding pen in Tritrang beach, south of Patong, to be called in as required to resorts.
One driver we spoke to in Patong today is certainly right - the pressure is on and green-plate drivers are being advised that they can begin to make the switch to a meter taxi by first registering at the Land Transport Department in Phuket City.
''If we are not parked in front of the resorts, people won't see us and won't use us,'' the driver said, and he may be right about that, too.
While a few top-of-the-range limousines may survive to service the five-star market, the process of applying pressure to persuade green-plate drivers to become proud meter-taxi drivers is getting into full swing.
What the Phuket Provincial authorities should also be offering is retraining in other occupations because once the meter taxis begin work picking up and dropping off passengers all over the island, there won't be enough work for all the present drivers.
Unless counselling and realistic alternatives are offered, some may turn to crime. What can be said is that fewer young men on Phuket are going to believe that raising the deposit for a new car is the key to a relatively prosperous and steady future as a green-plate driver.
Patong's tuk-tuk drivers are unaffected by the latest development but that seems unlikely to last.
Drivers who have complained to police in a similar fashion to the way they complained to Phuketwan are being told the action is being carried out on the instructions of the National Council for Peace and Order and there's nothing that police can do to help.
''First we had to change from illegal taxis to green-plates, now we are being forced to become meter taxis,'' one driver said, preferring to remain anonymous.
News of the changes for green-plate drivers was being conveyed to them yesterday and today in a printed message handed out from Kathu Police Station Traffic department.
Usually, a change as big as this one would be accompanied by a mass meeting and speeches from the Governor of Phuket and other authorities to explain what is happening and why.
For some reason, that isn't the case this time, and the green-plate drivers are being left to wallow in confusion.
They will be required to park in private spots, or join the queue at a holding pen in Tritrang beach, south of Patong, to be called in as required to resorts.
One driver we spoke to in Patong today is certainly right - the pressure is on and green-plate drivers are being advised that they can begin to make the switch to a meter taxi by first registering at the Land Transport Department in Phuket City.
''If we are not parked in front of the resorts, people won't see us and won't use us,'' the driver said, and he may be right about that, too.
While a few top-of-the-range limousines may survive to service the five-star market, the process of applying pressure to persuade green-plate drivers to become proud meter-taxi drivers is getting into full swing.
What the Phuket Provincial authorities should also be offering is retraining in other occupations because once the meter taxis begin work picking up and dropping off passengers all over the island, there won't be enough work for all the present drivers.
Unless counselling and realistic alternatives are offered, some may turn to crime. What can be said is that fewer young men on Phuket are going to believe that raising the deposit for a new car is the key to a relatively prosperous and steady future as a green-plate driver.
Patong's tuk-tuk drivers are unaffected by the latest development but that seems unlikely to last.
Drivers who have complained to police in a similar fashion to the way they complained to Phuketwan are being told the action is being carried out on the instructions of the National Council for Peace and Order and there's nothing that police can do to help.
To my surprise already today I found that parking slots on Patong are for parking vehicles of general public, not for rent-a-car or taxis.
Tuktuk seemingly were pressed to roam, and submissively parked their vehicles for a short time against a trees separating parking slots. There was even parking attendant in uniform.
It seems that process of improvement is taking steam.
Posted by Sue on September 5, 2014 16:42