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Phuket Taxi Drivers Gather At Royal Thai Navy Base in Protest
By Chutima Sidasathian Wednesday, August 6, 2014
PHUKET drivers will be allowed to register as green-plate taxis after August 13 but on strict conditions, about 50 drivers were told at the Royal Thai Navy 3 base during a peaceful protest late today.
PHUKET: About 50 drivers of illegal Phuket taxis were allowed into the Royal Thai Navy 3 base on Phuket this afternoon to lodge their protests.
It's understood that the drivers are seeking to be registered as so called green-plate taxis.
Authorities on Phuket have capped the number of green-plate taxis and decline to register more. Registrations are now only being accepted for meter taxis.
The Army's top man on Phuket, Major General Somchai Ponatong, has his headquarters at the Navy base.
He has been leading clearances of commercial activities on all Phuket's beaches and major changes to the structure of the taxi business on Phuket.
Meetings about the beaches and about the future of taxis were held at the base this afternoon.
About 5pm the drivers gathered at Cape Panwa, on Phuket's east coast. They were invited inside and sat down on the helicopter landing space inside the base.
For about two years, Phuket Land Transport authorities have been urging illegal taxi drivers to register.
Recently they announced that no more green-plate taxis were required, and that only drivers who wished to register their vehicles as meter taxis would be accepted.
Fewer than 100 meter taxis are registered and operate mostly from Phuket International Airport.
The Army has ruled that meter taxis may now drop off and pick up fares anywhere on Phuket, and that green-plate taxis are soon to be coralled at holding parks and called in as required to the island's resorts.
In June, the Army and Region 8 police acted to purge the Kata-Karon district of drivers who had been accused of intimidation and extortion, blocking entrances to resorts to win a monopoly on transporting tourists.
More than 100 drivers were charged, together with local council authorities - including the mayor and his deputies - who were alleged to sponsor the drivers' illegal activities.
Drivers in today's protest appeared to be from Kata-Karon, Patong and other west coast tourist destinations.
Complaints about the high fares charged on Phuket and lack of quality service have been mounting up with Phuket's honorary consuls and with national ambassadors in Bangkok for years.
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Comments
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I was coming from Phuket Airport and sharing a metered taxi with some other guests, so went to my destination first and the Meter read 520 Baht but the driver insisted he wanted 1000 Baht because there were 2 fares in one cab.
Instead of arguing, I paid 300 Baht to the other couple in the car as the man insisted he would sort the problem out.
Illegal or legal, all want to rip you off.
Posted by
Tbs
on
August 6, 2014 17:42
@tbs-i hope you took his registration and if possible a photo of this criminal and reported him to the authorities straight away.
Far more effective than posting here.
Posted by
Bob
on
August 6, 2014 18:45
@Tbs @Bob
These are rules for metered taxis in Phuket - just one stop for drop-off.
If more than one,every drop-off points pay a fare.
Posted by
Sue
on
August 7, 2014 00:00
Metered taxis, want beleive it, before I see it.
So maybe a visit to Phuket.
Posted by
cw
on
August 7, 2014 00:06
''Here is your country. Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children's children. Do not let selfish men or greedy interests skin your country of its beauty, its riches or its romance.''
- Theodore Roosevelt
Posted by
Terry
on
August 7, 2014 00:21
Why is anyone surprised that nobody wants to drive cars with meters that will show the REAL fare when they can simply band together and make an informal monopoly and again charge what they feel like charging....
Like 1000 baht to Kamala on Songkran , or 1500 Patong to Kata on New Years Eve. I have been quoted these fares!
I wish the military would be leaders and set what they think is fair, and particularly consider the ordinary Thai people who are the least able to afford a taxi in Phuket , even when its pouring rain or they have a sick family member or baby to think about.
Posted by
Chob
on
August 7, 2014 00:29
Next Friday the illegal taxidrivers will try again the file their complain with Army/Naval authorities at Cape Panwa. The Army/Naval authorities, before accepting a complain, should check first the status of this Illigal taxi workers. Do they have a houseregistration on Phuket? Did they pay taxes? If answer is:..NO.., than complain should not taken in consideration.A illigal taxi is NO taxi!
This illigal group of taxi workers are phantoms! Ignore them, they legally not excist. Never deal with a illigal! These illigal thai taxi workers are stealing jobs from the legal thai taxiworkers.
Posted by
Kurt
on
August 7, 2014 08:26
All LEGAL taxi drivers should be obligated to follow and pay a 2 day "Service- & Hospitality training, after which they receive a certificate + a sticker for on the car wind shield.
During that 2 day training their taxi should be checked on age, tecnical condition, and seatbelts for all passengers. It is now the good time for drastic upgrades of Phuket's maffia-free transport facilities! Forget about the ILLIGALS, they not excist. Clear and simple.
Posted by
Kurt
on
August 7, 2014 08:51
That Phuket, same square km as Singapore, only has fewer than 100 metered taxis registered is actually a big joke. And their 'only one way serving' ( from airport to somewhere), controlled by maffia not being allowed to serve as a taxi like in BKK or the rest of the normal world is not longer acceptable. Here is a good job to do for NCPO, it will give NCPO a lot of credit to solve this matter. Phuket needs metered taxis which can flagged down at every street or road. Than we not see any sala's for illigal taxis anymore, and not any longer all these illigals taking parking space and chase away me when I want to park at public parking spot.NCPO, a great task for you. Make the taxi industry working like in BKK. Easy and simple.
Posted by
Kurt
on
August 7, 2014 09:58
Really. Who's surprised? Taxis here appear to be given impunity afforded to only those of Diplomatic status. The junta's response has been very disappointing. The existing 'green plate' and any metered taxis, as proposed, cannot possibly co-exist without the metered taxi drivers getting beaten to a bloody pulp. If the army/navy are unable/unwilling to tackle this issue, I would suggest we all go back to sleep/dreaming.
Posted by
jonty
on
August 7, 2014 13:04
Editor Comment:
Too impatient, jonty. The problem developed over 20 years, and you want it fixed overnight. Sit back, relax. Change is inevitable.
Ed: Too impatient? I've been here for most of those 20 years and can see which way the win's blowing. Throw beach vendors out? Easy. Taxi drivers who WILL resort to violence, no way. Check back in 6 months/years and still nothing will have happened. I'm not impatient, you, on the other hand seem not to have the instinct necessary for a journalist.
What's happened to all the supposed other cases against a handful of local officials then? That's right, nothing. Good 'show'.
Posted by
jonty
on
August 7, 2014 13:36
Editor Comment:
You're suffering from sand in the brain, jonty, it tends to accumulate after such a long period away from the real world. If you think the ambassadors and the army are going to let the taxi drivers continue to have their way, then your judgement about journalists and everything else really is screwed.
Seems like an excellent opportunity to arrest them all and charge them with being illegal taxi drivers? I mean when they show up all at once like that.
Posted by
christian
on
August 7, 2014 14:50
Editor Comment:
Confrontation? Hardly wise if it can be avoided.
Oh dear, what a pity, never mind. The taxi drivers will never work out the economics of there being too many of them.
Posted by
Mister Ree
on
August 7, 2014 20:15
Ed
Actually, confrontation might be exactly what is needed. Tough and uncompromising application of the law. I'm sure a vast majority of thai people would prefer it exactly that eay. Why pussy foot around with admitted law breakers and criminals? Because they want to "support their families"?
Posted by
christian
on
August 7, 2014 20:56
Editor Comment:
I'm amazed that you can tell who is a criminal and who is not, without any knowledge about individuals, christian. Why bother with a system for justice with you around?
The fact is, enforcement has to be tempered by commonsense and justice must be fairly applied. Many taxi drivers are no more ''law breakers and criminals'' than you are. No point in allowing your vigilante desires to overwhelm intelligent thought.
In Singapore, same size in sq km as phuket, there are more than 5000 metered taxis. You can pay in taxi with credit card if you want. On phuket, authorities keep the number of official inhabitants to low! ( saving money on doctors in goverment hospitals, a kind of ostrich policy.) Phuket governor should make himself strong for registration of EVERY thai person living on Phuket. It is good that police want daily notification of hotels about the visitors, but why not on thai people living here? The official figure of about 350,000 thai living on phuket is a big joke! Anyone disagree with me?
Posted by
Kurt
on
August 7, 2014 21:27
Editor Comment:
The military should certainly be aware that Phuket needs extra help because all the budgets have previously been granted on the basis of registered citizens, not actual numbers and needs. But foreigners are treated differently to citizens in every country, Kurt, and that's unlikely to change.
Ed
The desire to have existing laws enforced is now "vigilantism" according to you? They are admitted law breakers. I want the justice system to be applied, NEVER in my post did I say anybody should be denied due process. Why do you claim or suggest I said something I most definitely did NOT? And for your info I'm a law abiding person, I have the utmost respect for the law and want it enforced.
Posted by
christian
on
August 8, 2014 10:18
Editor Comment:
Your call to have the law enforced just because a group of taxi drivers turn up to talk about their circumstances with the authorities is misplaced. How unfair would that be? The major-general has too much commonsense to say: ''People have been doing this for 20 years so now we're going to make an example of you lot.''
Ed
Your claim that foreigners are treated differently to citizens in every country is wrong. In Sweden, where I'm from, the only thing a foreigner can't do is to vote in the national election. In local and provincial elections foreigners can vote though.
In every other way, social and unemployment benefits, health care, education and anything else you could think of, foreigners get treated exactly the same way as citizens. I'd imagine the situation is the same in much of europe, but I'm sure in the case of the Scandinavian countries.
Posted by
christian
on
August 8, 2014 10:27
Editor Comment:
Isn't not being able to vote and being able to vote a difference, christian? Can a Swede be deported? You are nit-picking.
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Posted by phonus balonus on August 6, 2014 17:28