Taxi services ‘to be safer’ under new reforms as passengers complain about manners and safety

[webfact]

Taxi services ‘to be safer’ under new reforms as passengers complain about manners and safety

By PRATCH RUJIVANAROM 
THE NATION

 

File photo

 

TAXI REFORMS to be launched on Thursday are meant to ensure more convenient and safer rides for passengers and boost the competitiveness of taxis against the Uber service, which is currently illegal, the Land Transport Department (DLT) has announced.
 

DLT deputy director-general Cherdchai Sanunsrisakorn said under the reforms all new taxis would be equipped with GPS, safety equipment, closed-circuit TV and an emergency button for passengers.

 

He added that a feasibility study being conducted into the Uber service was not yet complete, so Uber taxis were still considered illegal.

 

Cherdchai added that in line with a ministerial directive from November 9 all newly registered taxis were required to install safety equipment that allows department officers to track driver’s behaviour and ensure convenience and safety for passengers.

 

“I am sure that this latest taxi improvement will solve many problems that passengers have often found – such as the driver rejecting the passenger, overcharging and crimes in taxis – because the driver’s identity and behaviour is closely monitored by officers in the monitoring centre,” Cherdchai said.

 

“This improvement is not only limited to taxi drivers in Bangkok, but taxis nationwide will have to follow the new rules as well.”

 

However, he said that would not mean the swift transformation of all taxis in Thailand.

 

Older taxis with valid licences would still be allowed to operate without installing the new equipment. However, when their licences are renewed, they will have to comply with the new checklist. Taxi vehicle licences in Thailand extend for 12 years, while drivers have to renew their licences every three years. 

 

Cherdchai also said that DLT also spoke about the new mobile application, “Taxi OK”, which allows passengers to call a cab, review a journey or make a complaint.

 

 

“I am sure that this new taxi service improvement will benefit both passengers and taxi drivers,” he said. “The passengers can be sure that they will have smooth and safe journey with our new taxis, while this measure will boost the taxis’ competitiveness against the private taxi providers and ensure that they will have more passengers.” 

 

Meanwhile, he said the feasibility study on Uber’s taxi operation in Thailand by DLT and Thailand Development Research Institute was not finished yet. However, he said in many countries, including those in the European Union, courts considered the service provided by Uber as a taxi service, not car sharing. In these cases, the company had to follow the law and register their cars as taxis.

 

He concluded that, at this time, Uber services using private cars to transport passengers was still considered illegal in Thailand.

 

A frequent taxi passenger in Bangkok who asked to be referred to as Monchanok said the reforms were a very good move by authorities and made her feel more confident about using taxis, especially as she often had to take a cab on her own.

 

“However, I do not believe that in the end these measures can solve many problems with driver’s behaviour, such as rudeness, reckless driving and passenger rejection. I suggest that the authorities focus on the quality of taxi drivers and do background checks on them as well,” Monchanok said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30336802

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-01-22

[Dexlowe]

As has been said a million times before by a million different people, the only way to change the mindset of the average Thai male is to hit him where it hurts most, that is the wallet, and to do it on such a regular basis that he finally realises he can't continue to dump all over people.

 

Let's hope the Uber/Grab service is approved as it appears to be shaking up the established ennui. One thing not mentioned is the opportunity to use the three-year driving licence renewal to force drivers to undergo refresher courses on traffic laws, behaviour, technology, and some basic language phrases (Thai and English).

[gunderhill]

Safer than what a shot in the head? well thats  such good  news.

[Darcula]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

an emergency button for passengers

 

An ejector seat?

[LazySlipper]

I am sure many taxi drivers are now thinking, "Gone the good old days of highway thievery, being rude and doing whatever we want... those were the good old days!"

[djayz]

I've taken hundreds (maybe even housands) of taxis here over the past 12-13 years and have never had a single problem. 

I have had drivers refuse to drive me to my destination for whatever reason but I can live with that. No harm done. 

The only real complaint I have is that some drivers drive like Michael Schumacher and I have to tell them to slow down and drive carefully.

As usual, because of a few bad apples, the rest have to jump through hoops. 

Edited January 22, 2018 by djayz

[samsensam]

9 minutes ago, djayz said:

I've taken hundreds (maybe even housands) of taxis here over the past 12-13 years and have never had a single problem. 

I have had drivers refuse to drive me to my destination for whatever reason but I can live with that. No harm done. 

The only real complaint I have is that some drivers drive like Michael Schumacher and I have to tell them to slow down and drive carefully.

As usual, because of a few bad apples, the rest have to jump through hoops. 

 

absolutely agree, i can live with the occasional refusal to take me as the next cab i hail usually will. the problem is the driving but as you say can be solved with a polite request to slow down.

 

the meter is always used, i have to remind them sometimes them but very occasionally and the driver almost always takes the route i'd take.

 

i dont know about locals but i think many foreigners have problems with taxis because they use taxis that are hanging around hotel and tourist places or drivers that approach them - always hail a cab - and because they come across as 'tourists'

 

in my experience taxis here in the vast majority are cheap and reliable.

[steven100]

how about making taxis accept rides....    hmmmm ,  I guess that's not what taxis are for

[Wiggy]

45 minutes ago, djayz said:

I've taken hundreds (maybe even housands) of taxis here over the past 12-13 years and have never had a single problem. 

I have had drivers refuse to drive me to my destination for whatever reason but I can live with that. No harm done. 

The only real complaint I have is that some drivers drive like Michael Schumacher and I have to tell them to slow down and drive carefully.

As usual, because of a few bad apples, the rest have to jump through hoops. 

The second and third lines negate your first line.

Edited January 22, 2018 by Wiggy

[gunderhill]

1 hour ago, Darcula said:

 

An ejector seat?

For the driver, operated  by the passenger, perfect

[Aussieroaming]

Anyway, good initiatives if they are enforced, regulated and reviewed.

[Thian]

1 hour ago, LazySlipper said:

I am sure many taxi drivers are now thinking, "Gone the good old days of highway thievery, being rude and doing whatever we want... those were the good old days!"

Yes and ALL the previous crackdowns on bad taxi's had such a great effect!

[Wiggy]

14 minutes ago, Thian said:

Yes and ALL the previous crackdowns on bad taxi's had such a great effect!

Correct. Nothing will change.

[Bob12345]

1 hour ago, djayz said:

I've taken hundreds (maybe even housands) of taxis here over the past 12-13 years and have never had a single problem. 

I have had drivers refuse to drive me to my destination for whatever reason but I can live with that. No harm done. 

The only real complaint I have is that some drivers drive like Michael Schumacher and I have to tell them to slow down and drive carefully.

As usual, because of a few bad apples, the rest have to jump through hoops. 

Unless you are an attractive female i doubt they installed the emergency button and camera for you.

[mikebell]

Meanwhile in Pattaya .....

[1337markus]

All the laws and reforms are meaningless unless the user complies with them, not going to happen!

[mok199]

when I bought my scooter it thought great no more getting screwed..WRONG...then we bought a p/u and I though great,no more getting sodomized..WRONG AGAIN..parking and traffic and collisions and fuel and maintainance ..we still  get ripped off  ..but now its BIG TIME..these days we have a very small circumference of travel with more than enough to complain about right in that swirling vortex called ''HOME''.

[trainman34014]

Note how it says 'All new Taxi's will be fitted with' all the new kit, but what about the thousands of old ones already on the road ?

 

Lost count of the 'Initiatives', 'Crackdowns' etc etc concerning Taxi's down the years and none have really worked so far, so don't expect things will change a lot this time.

[wavemanwww]

"and an emergency button for passengers".

Shows the difference between Thai Taxis and Australian Taxi drivers/American etc who are all police checked and properly trained. In these countries it's the driver who needs that emergency button and not the passengers!

[Bluespunk]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

“I am sure that this latest taxi improvement will solve many problems that passengers have often found – such as the driver rejecting the passenger, overcharging and crimes in taxis – because the driver’s identity and behaviour is closely monitored by officers in the monitoring centre,” Cherdchai said.

 

“This improvement is not only limited to taxi drivers in Bangkok, but taxis nationwide will have to follow the new rules as well.”

This guy’s hilarious. 

[Bangkok Barry]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

....such as the driver rejecting the passenger, overcharging and crimes in taxis – because the driver’s identity and behaviour is closely monitored by officers in the monitoring centre,” Cherdchai said.

How do people in the monitoring centre, wherever it is, know that a driver has refused a fare outside MBK or on Suk 11 or anywhere else? Are they psychic?

[Bangkok Barry]

6 minutes ago, wavemanwww said:

"and an emergency button for passengers".

Shows the difference between Thai Taxis and Australian Taxi drivers/American etc who are all police checked and properly trained. In these countries it's the driver who needs that emergency button and not the passengers!

The irony of that would be utterly over the head of the locals.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

So no more brutal machete fights? 

[captspectre]

you mean the same way that they were told not to refuse to turn the meter on? the same way they were told not to refuse to pick up passengers? you mean that same way?

what a relief!

 

[Thian]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

“This improvement is not only limited to taxi drivers in Bangkok, but taxis nationwide will have to follow the new rules as well.”

 

So even taxi's in Pattaya and Phuket/Samui as well? They even don't have a metre 

[SABloke]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

DLT deputy director-general Cherdchai Sanunsrisakorn said under the reforms all new taxis would be equipped with GPS, safety equipment, closed-circuit TV and an emergency button for passengers.

The devil is in the detail.

 

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Older taxis with valid licences would still be allowed to operate without installing the new equipment. However, when their licences are renewed, they will have to comply with the new checklist. Taxi vehicle licences in Thailand extend for 12 years, while drivers have to renew their licences every three years. 

So it's going to be quite a few years before this will have any effect on most drivers.

[shaurene]

Just more talk again.

[Jonmarleesco]

7 hours ago, Darcula said:

 

An ejector seat?

For the driver?

[d123]

6 hours ago, mikebell said:

Meanwhile in Pattaya .....

And don’t start on the infamous Phuket tuk tuks

[mtls2005]

8 hours ago, Darcula said:

 

An ejector seat?

 

Passenger machete options would go a long way towards "leveling the playing field".