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Phuket Tuk-Tuk Takeover as Illegal Patong Drivers Protest
By Prasit Tarnsirisin Friday, May 8, 2015
PHUKET: More than 20 tuk-tuk drivers staged a protest at Phuket Provincial Hall today over their precarious existence without registration or a place in the hierarchy of Phuket's unusual public transport system.
Illegal and constantly harassed by police and legal tuk-tuk drivers, a total of 87 outlaw tuk-tuk operators are desperate for legitimacy.
Protesters told the Damrungtam complaints officers today that they need their own queue - and they want the present Land Transport Director sacked because he has failed to solve their problem.
Difficulties experienced by the outlaw drivers go back more than 12 months because the drivers bought their tuk-tuks in expectation that gaining registration would be a formality.
That wasn't the case, with pressure on to ease the parking problems of Patong caused by an excessive number of tuk-tuks on the streets.
Shunned by legal drivers and without the capacity to join existing queues, the drivers want a queue somewhere on the island to call their own.
Late today the tuk-tuk drivers, with Phuket's Governor Nisit Jansomwong away in Bangkok, were awaiting the arrival of the Land Transport Director.
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Comments
Comments have been disabled for this article.
Any Tuktuk story will never have the sympathy of any one who reads this website.
Posted by
Tbs
on
May 8, 2015 15:18
So they assumed something that turned out to be wrong.. And are breaking the law every day because of their incorrect assumption.
And they want someone sacked and assistance to add more vehicles to the over stocked pool of them ??
Clearly Rhodes scholars !!
Posted by
LivinLOS
on
May 8, 2015 15:27
WHAY all new Tuk have the access from rear of the Tuk Tuk ? It Illegal.
The accident follows recent complaints from tuk-tuk drivers that to be legal under Ministry of Transport regulations, all tuk-tuks must have access to the rear cab from the side of the vehicle ??? not the rear of the vehicle.
Posted by
Bjorn Ronningen
on
May 8, 2015 16:26
Monster truck required at provincial hall for crushing job- urgent!
Posted by
Arun Muruga
on
May 8, 2015 16:26
It is fantastic how they can break the law every day and the police do nothing. What is wrong with the country and the police?
Posted by
Observer
on
May 8, 2015 16:40
Give them a queue at phuket gateway plenty of parking
Posted by
Michael
on
May 8, 2015 16:51
Illegally operating people want a government official sacked because he wouldn't pander to them- only in Phuket,
Posted by
Mister Ree
on
May 8, 2015 16:53
This problem has become one that is relegated to the bin with the words,"My heart pumps lumpy custard for your troubles". The road to hell is paved in good intentions. Tuk tuk driver's will never win my sympathy.
Posted by
Duncan B
on
May 8, 2015 17:04
play fair they cry, prime ranks for illegal taxi's fat chance don't they get they are the problem of many.
Posted by
slickmelb
on
May 8, 2015 17:54
@ Doncan B - they don't want your sympathy, they want your money
Posted by
Sherlock
on
May 8, 2015 17:56
I was going to suggest a parking slot at the end of chalong pier - "keep going, keep going, splash! Next one in line please"
But I like Michael's idea, loads of space for a queue there!
Posted by
Discover Thainess
on
May 8, 2015 19:04
@Bjorn Ronningen
You have it the wrong way around. All tuk-tuks had to change from side-entrance to rear entrance. This was a safety issue.
Posted by
Sir Burr
on
May 8, 2015 19:30
should we call the forces that prevent these tuk-tuk drivers to operate Market Forces?
Posted by
Sue
on
May 8, 2015 21:07
its a matter of too many tuktuks and not enough customers
Posted by
Mike
on
May 8, 2015 21:56
Where is your club now, when you need a six story parking building?
Posted by
Abs
on
May 8, 2015 22:09
OK, with fixed prices for Tuk-Tuk and other kind of officiel taxi transportation on Phuket. But the fare must be reduced to about 20% of to days fare. That means that when you today pay 500 Bath for a one trip between Karon and Kata wiev-point, then it should be reduced to absolutely not more than 100 Bath. And ALL TUK-TUKS and ALL other public transportation systems should be regulated by officials in the goverment in Bangkok, and not by politicians and police at Phuket.
Posted by
Lars
on
May 9, 2015 02:10
They have made so much money over the past 20+ years ripping off everyone... no sympathy, no respect.... send them all to the beaches to pick up rubbish and send their tuktuks in the scrap yard...
Posted by
DG
on
May 9, 2015 05:33
(moderated)
Posted by
Bjorn Ronningen
on
May 9, 2015 06:03
Editor Comment:
Under no circumstances will we accept material published in local tabloids as factual. This is not a reflection on other outlets, just a sound journalistic principle that they share.
To bad for them. I hope they do not get registered not because I am mean but pandering to them will just make enforcement harder next time. I do have a suggestion we could use all 87 of the tuk tukls and make some really cool artifical reefs. Take a negative and make a positive.
Posted by
jiminkata
on
May 9, 2015 06:23
@Editor
Remove the link ? it`s ok.
Posted by
Bjorn Ronningen
on
May 9, 2015 08:27
Editor Comment:
Side-entry and rear-entry tuk-tuks are both clearly evident in Patong and elsewhere. One type (side-entry I think) was supposed to be used only in Phuket City, the other in Patong. But most of the business is in Patong so . . . ''illegal'' in the sense that they're not where they should be, that's all.
@Sir Burr,
One Australian man died in this accident,The accident follows recent complaints from tuk-tuk drivers that to be legal under Ministry of Transport regulations, all tuk-tuks must have access to the rear cab from the side of the vehicle - not the rear of the vehicle.
A representative of one tuk-tuk co-operative complained that it was too expensive to modify tuk-tuks that were in operation before the regulation was introduced, citing prices as high as 100,000 baht to modify a tuk-tuk to make it legal.
Posted by
Bjorn Ronningen
on
May 9, 2015 08:58
@bjorn ronningen
"A representative of one tuk-tuk co-operative complained that it was too expensive to modify tuk-tuks that were in operation before the regulation was introduced, citing prices as high as 100,000 baht to modify a tuk-tuk to make it legal."
If they are forced by law to modify their vehicles it is their turn to get ripped off. Don't forget Thais rip each other off too if there is an opportunity.
Posted by
vanb
on
May 9, 2015 10:01
How do you distinguish between a legally registered tuk tuk and driver and an illegal unregistered tuk tuk and driver ?
Posted by
Paul
on
May 9, 2015 10:17
"How do you distinguish between a legally registered tuk tuk and driver and an illegal unregistered tuk tuk and driver ?"
Legal tuktuk will have yellow plates with black lettering.
Just noticed the tuktuks have raised their prices.
Posted by
stevenl
on
May 9, 2015 10:59
Editor Comment:
Fewer passengers . . . so of course, there is only one solution.
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Any Tuktuk story will never have the sympathy of any one who reads this website.
Posted by Tbs on May 8, 2015 15:18