Get me outa here! Taxis with emergency panic buttons coming to Pattaya!

[webfact]

Get me outa here! Taxis with emergency panic buttons coming to Pattaya!

 

Picture: Sophon Cable

 

Tourists used to being ripped off by unscrupulous Pattaya taxi drivers will soon have a get out clause - a panic button in the cab to call the authorities in case of fleecing or other misdemeanors.

 

A pilot program of the "OK" fleet of new taxis has proved to be a success and now more cars at the resort will get the "OK" designation leading to better, safer and fairer service, said Chonburi Department of Land Transport.

 

Just 18 cars so far have the new measures - an emergency button that links to HQ, more information about the driver, and all are GPS enabled. The cars can be called on an application.

 

The fee is set - 40 baht for the first two kilometers plus a charge if hailed using the application.

 

Chonburi DLT representative Nit Jiamrujikun yesterday met with Pattaya taxi co-operatives boss Tawat Pheuakbunnark in Bang Lamung to thrash out details related to the new scheme that will see many more "OK" cars on the roads come next month.

 

It will apply to vehicles that were registered from 2017.

 

Nit said he hoped that the scheme would lower problems of taxi drivers asking exorbitant fares and ripping off tourists and the general public and lead to greater safety.

 

There would also be a "VIP" designation for some taxis in the "OK" class, said Sophon Cable TV in their Facebook report.

 

These vehicles would be "premium", they said, with comfier seats. What premium meant was not explained.

 

The news was met with some derision by Thai posters online who commented that it was more of the same action in the past like "sticking a band-aid on a festering sore".

 

Peeboy Deejung summed it up: "Why not just make them turn on the meter?"

 

Source: Sophon Cable

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-02-09

[johng]

How about this far out radical idea...Taxis with meters that work and are USED in Pattaya ?

[Peterw42]

Forget panic buttons, how about a big button that you press and it turns on the meter.

[ezflip]

18 minutes ago, webfact said:

Peeboy Deejung summed it up: "Why not just make them turn on the meter?"

Damn good question there, Peeboy.

[scorecard]

 

"Nit said he hoped that the scheme would lower problems of taxi drivers asking exorbitant fares and ripping off tourists and the general public and lead to greater safety."

 

Most Thai passengers still talk to the driver through the open passengers window / with the door half open.

 

If the driver quotes an outrageous fare and it's rejected by the potential customer(s) then the driver just pulls away. Meaning no chance to press the 'alert' button. Therefore not helping to reduce the outrageous fare situation.

 

In recent years outside of my university we've been seeing the following:

 

- Students talking a lot (negatively) about taxi rip offs and sexual harassment of female passengers by drivers.

 

- Students encouraging each other to just open the door and get in and insist the driver take them to their quoted destination and demand (if needed) that the driver use the meter.

 

Result:

 

- If it's female students, many times the driver abuses them saying they are rude and have no respect for people older than the diver (the abuse frequently with sexual innuendo). And sometimes the driver pulling a handgun, machete, baseball bat etc., so the female students quickly jump out.

 

- It it's male students they are more likely to be organized, they all jump in, one already making a video of the ID plates on the inside of the doors, the registration card and photo on the dashboard and video of the driver's face and recording his voice and usually telling the driver they are filming. The male students not so easily intimidated and more likely to stand their ground compared to the female students. But, not surprisingly some taxi mafia still challenge the boys with handguns etc. 

 

- If there's an incident the students do quickly send the video to the police and DLT websites and facebook pages and same to the websites / facebook pages of the various ultimate taxi owning companies who rent to drivers by the day. 

 

- Different scenario, one western female visiting professor (very beautiful and looks much younger than her real age) came from Europe to teach one course. Her hotel sent a staff member with her on day one for the taxi trip to her uni (approximately 10 - 12 minutes, usually 41 - 51 Baht).

 

The uni admin. staff wrote a note in Thai script for her to give to the taxi driver to go home to the hotel. She gave the note to the driver who demanded 300Baht and locked the doors. The professor banged on the window and was noticed by a small group of male Thai and exchange students who surrounded and kicked the taxi. Eventually the driver unlocked the doors.

 

She was traumatized and it took some talking to get her to stay and complete the course. 

 

From the next lesson several male students went to her hotel to travel with her to get to the campus and same to take her back to her hotel.

 

She will never return.

 

This incident has made the students even more determined to not be cheated by taxi drivers. 

 

 

Edited February 9, 2018 by scorecard

[JoePai]

Easiest option is to use Grab 

[Henrik Andersen]

18 car's and we can call them on a application 555 sure they will always be out so tourists can't hire them 

Why not tell them put meter on in every car or loose your license 

[captnhoy]

1 hour ago, JoePai said:

Easiest option is to use Grab 

Too true. I have used Grab 3 times in Pattaya with fair, honest, courteous and comfortable results. I also observed a group of 3 tourists get quoted high prices 3 or 4 consecutive times. I showed them Grab on my phone and they already had it. My guess is they were either from Singapore or Philippines. 5 minutes later they were happily in a Grab car and on their way.

[hansnl]

3 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

Forget panic buttons, how about a big button that you press and it turns on the meter.

Fantastic idea!

However, how long will it take, you think, that button would be disconnected?

[mrblue]

I don’t understand... is the red button for customers or for the taxi driver who will call the police if the tourist will not agree to pay the higher not metered price?

[natway09]

Great day for a good laugh anyway

[Benmart]

An impotent solution to a long standing, money making scheme. Walk by the Base Condominium on Pattaya 2nd Road and observe the sharks feeding on tourist "chum". Pathetic. A bad image for Pattaya, not to mention illegal for failing to use a meter.

[kentrot]

The other option is to negotiate a price for a PRIVATE CHARTER with a Baht Bus .

 

The problem with that is you never know which bus is PRIVATE and which bus is PUBLIC until they fly past your waving arms like you are invisible.

 

Can't BAHT BUSES do like taxis and have a roof light or front window light to indicate when they are not available. 

[Monkeyrobot]

Excuse me driver the button is no working> Not workings same as meter. Give me 800b 

[tryasimight]

5 hours ago, scorecard said:

 

"Nit said he hoped that the scheme would lower problems of taxi drivers asking exorbitant fares and ripping off tourists and the general public and lead to greater safety."

 

Most Thai passengers still talk to the driver through the open passengers window / with the door half open.

 

If the driver quotes an outrageous fare and it's rejected by the potential customer(s) then the driver just pulls away. Meaning no chance to press the 'alert' button. Therefore not helping to reduce the outrageous fare situation.

 

In recent years outside of my university we've been seeing the following:

 

- Students talking a lot (negatively) about taxi rip offs and sexual harassment of female passengers by drivers.

 

- Students encouraging each other to just open the door and get in and insist the driver take them to their quoted destination and demand (if needed) that the driver use the meter.

 

Result:

 

- If it's female students, many times the driver abuses them saying they are rude and have no respect for people older than the diver (the abuse frequently with sexual innuendo). And sometimes the driver pulling a handgun, machete, baseball bat etc., so the female students quickly jump out.

 

- It it's male students they are more likely to be organized, they all jump in, one already making a video of the ID plates on the inside of the doors, the registration card and photo on the dashboard and video of the driver's face and recording his voice and usually telling the driver they are filming. The male students not so easily intimidated and more likely to stand their ground compared to the female students. But, not surprisingly some taxi mafia still challenge the boys with handguns etc. 

 

- If there's an incident the students do quickly send the video to the police and DLT websites and facebook pages and same to the websites / facebook pages of the various ultimate taxi owning companies who rent to drivers by the day. 

 

- Different scenario, one western female visiting professor (very beautiful and looks much younger than her real age) came from Europe to teach one course. Her hotel sent a staff member with her on day one for the taxi trip to her uni (approximately 10 - 12 minutes, usually 41 - 51 Baht).

 

The uni admin. staff wrote a note in Thai script for her to give to the taxi driver to go home to the hotel. She gave the note to the driver who demanded 300Baht and locked the doors. The professor banged on the window and was noticed by a small group of male Thai and exchange students who surrounded and kicked the taxi. Eventually the driver unlocked the doors.

 

She was traumatized and it took some talking to get her to stay and complete the course. 

 

From the next lesson several male students went to her hotel to travel with her to get to the campus and same to take her back to her hotel.

 

She will never return.

 

This incident has made the students even more determined to not be cheated by taxi drivers. 

 

 

The 'professor' didn't know how to unlock and open a car door? 

[wvavin]

So Bangkok taxis don’t rip off tourists?

[Cake Monster]

Just need a few big panic buttons around the Town for  Get me outa Pattaya

[gerritkaew]

8 hours ago, johng said:

How about this far out radical idea...Taxis with meters that work and are USED in Pattaya ?

Meters that Work in whole Thailand!!!

[Grusa]

Where I come from, we all know what to expect from a "nit".......

[wavemanwww]

Peeboy Deejung summed it up: "Why not just make them turn on the meter?"

 

This guy is a genius Should be prime minister. Hit the nail on the head. In short authorities say taxis will be fined for not using meters .Well nothing has changed there outside Thai major airports. So introducing an alarm button.... pigs do fly here?

[johng]

 
Can't BAHT BUSES do like taxis and have a roof light or front window light to indicate when they are not available. 

They already have a sign in the front window saying "wang" or "for hire"
In red letter Thai script,but the main problem is Pattaya taxis won't use their meter how can they still get away with that ?

[Get Real]

How would it be with educating the brain disabled drivers to use the meter first?

Otherwise every normal person with an attached brain will push that button.

[speedtripler]

1 hour ago, johng said:

 

They already have a sign in the front window saying "wang" or "for hire"
In red letter Thai script,but the main problem is Pattaya taxis won't use their meter how can they still get away with that ?

 

Because enough people are still paying exorbitant quoted prices

 

If everyone used uber or grab, a lot of these cretins wouldn't make enough money to be able to rent a taxi for the day hence, problem solved 

[ttrd]

10 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

Forget panic buttons, how about a big button that you press and it turns on the meter.

Panic button is needed to prevent rape and robberies. The meter should be linked to the GPS to make it impossible to be tricked - Anyway, soon the taxi driver jobs will be all gone...

 

https://www.theverge.com/2016/8/25/12637822/self-driving-taxi-first-public-trial-singapore-nutonomy

Edited February 9, 2018 by ttrd

[norrska]

im a celebrity get me out of here with this button!

[balo]

Idiots ! Turn on the fuxxx meter or forget me as a customer. Grab and Uber is working just fine.

[Henrik Andersen]

2 hours ago, balo said:

Idiots ! Turn on the fuxxx meter or forget me as a customer. Grab and Uber is working just fine.

Do grab or uber use meter??? 

[chickenslegs]

Would it be too difficult to send out a few City Hall workers with instructions to board a taxi-meter and report back whether or not the meter was switched on?

 

Or, a few spot checks when the taxi sign is lit but a passenger is in the back seat.

 

Fine or suspend the miscreants (that would be all of them).

 

Not going to happen of course. Taxi-Meters in Pattaya are protected.

[Basil B]

17 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

Forget panic buttons, how about a big button that you press and it turns on the meter.

It is very simple, if the meter has no data recorded it ain't being used...

 

Set them a target of so many recorded rides, if they fail to meet the target, give the operator licence to someone else.

[Basil B]

 

17 hours ago, webfact said:

a panic button in the cab to call the authorities in case of fleecing or other misdemeanors.

That's OK if the button works.

 

But you do not have to be Einstein to work out how to use these...