"You're nicked!" Pattaya taxi drivers forced to pay 1,000 baht fines for not using the meter

[rooster59]

"You're nicked!" Pattaya taxi drivers forced to pay 1,000 baht fines for not using the meter

 

Image: Manager

 

Manager reported that "many" Pattaya taxi drivers were stopped in a crackdown on meter use outside Central Festival as the four day holiday weekend began. 

 

But they did not report on how many drivers had actually faced the sanction.

 

Chonburi Department of Land Transport chief Kanit Jiamrujikun was in town to enforce the law that says the 500 Pattaya taxi drivers must turn on the meter. 

 

The flag fall should be 40 baht for the first two kilometers but recent reports have made it plain that they virtually never use their meters and instead quote their own prices. 

 

The authorities have told the taxi drivers that this has to stop. Though in earlier reports the taxi drivers have demanded that the flag fall be raised to 100 baht.

 

Kanit said many tourists were in town for the four day holiday and they deserve fair treatment at the hands of the taxi drivers.

 

However, Thaivisa notes that it remains to be seen if the authorities continue to make a difference in tackling a problem that has existed for a long time.

 

Many will say that the crackdown will not have a lasting effect and be toothless in the long run.

 

Source: Manager

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-07-28

 

 

 

[colinneil]

What a total waste of manpower and time 1000 baht, the taxi drivers will ,make that back in the first hour after being fined.

Only way to stop them cheating people.... First offence 10.000 baht, second offence 50.000 baht, that would soon stop it.

[from the home of CC]

they'll just pass that cost onto the next fare.

[darksidedog]

I will be very happy if they actually keep that up. 1,000 Baht every time they don't turn their meter on, will see most of them well out of pocket, many repeatedly so. I have no problem with anyone earning a living, but no one likes to be ripped off every trip. Funnily enough, if they did use their meters all the time, they would probably find themselves with much more custom, once people realised they could be trusted, but that may take some time for these bandits to figure out.

[mok199]

the next bag of forgotten cash in the back seat,may not have the ''happy ending'' we see once a week, every week ..

[bluesofa]

34 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

they'll just pass that cost onto the next fare.

"Pattaya to Jomtien? Special price for you, only 20,000 Baht"

 

[balo]

Greedy idiots is what they are . No further comments needed. 

 

[canopus1969]

Why use them - Grab far better and you know what the cost will be in advance

[Destiny1990]

Funny guys they always ask where u go???

Then whatever destination u tell them its amazingly  always not possible to go there with the meter on..

Why it says Meter taxi on their roof?

[marko kok prong]

Your nicked? How did the drivers reply, "okay guv,you got me bang to rights,av i got ta go darn the nick" ?

[trainman34014]

After the weekend they will have enough in the tea kitty to forget it for another year !

[Henrik Andersen]

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

 

Kanit said many tourists were in town for the four day holiday and they deserve fair treatment at the hands of the taxi drivers

tourists? 

it is Thai people from Bangkok there come for party and drinking in this religions Buddha alcohol free holiday 

and they deserve to see Pattaya is a paradise 

[Bob12345]

3 hours ago, colinneil said:

What a total waste of manpower and time 1000 baht, the taxi drivers will ,make that back in the first hour after being fined.

Only way to stop them cheating people.... First offence 10.000 baht, second offence 50.000 baht, that would soon stop it.

That wont work, cause the complete police force will move indoors again when the media is gone.

Who is going to fine them then if police officers cannot be bothered to work?

[Jonmarleesco]

5 hours ago, rooster59 said:

in earlier reports the taxi drivers have demanded that the flag fall be raised to 100 baht

Nothing like optimism over tourist naivete. 

[Pattaya28]

"Money-Shuffling"

Taxi Dept. -------> Police Dept.

Could easily be dealt with, but isn't. 

Fines far too low.

Who suffers ? The tourists that pay good money to come to Pattaya.

"Middle-Finger" to the tourists as usual.

 

[Astrix]

Why use them - Grab far better and you know what the cost will be in advance

Yes, except grab price is leveled with taxi prices in Pattaya. South Pattaya to North Road bus terminal 250 baht. Uber was 120 baht.

Sent from my SM-G955F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[RT555]

How do you report them then without getting killed by those mobs? 

[ajarnmarc]

consistency is key, 

and plays a huge part in the success of any sort of business...

So carry on...happy days, 

who can travel safely and amulet free;

is a plus for any taxi properly sorted.

[dodojero]

Smoking cigarettes at the beach brings you in prison or costs 100,000 ฿. But cheating Taxi passengers costs only 1,000 ฿. Wow..... what's the measurement?

[Bangkok Barry]

7 hours ago, darksidedog said:

I will be very happy if they actually keep that up.

 

[Benmart]

7 hours ago, balo said:

Greedy idiots is what they are . No further comments needed. 

 

I agree. I own a car, and there are times I prefer to take a regular taxi, but use Grab or Uber instead. Their greedy and unlawful behavior is their own undoing.

[cookieqw]

But they did not report on how many drivers had actually faced the sanction

 

keep up the good work Mr news and let us know how many got fined

[Justgrazing]

The driver oughta get a ticket for that wannabe Syrup on top of his 'ead anyway .. 

[observer90210]

In Bangkok from Suvarnabhumi Airport to town, it will  take cheating only say 5 o 6 foreigners on the ride to town, to make up for the senseless 1000 THB fine.

 

Not only should the fine be more hefty, but the taxi should be plainly seized and impounded for a week. This will teach all the taxi cheats to behave as they are destroying the image of Thailand abroad.

 

Using an electronic cigarette or smoking on a beach can get you jail....but taxis openly cheating passengers (Thai or foreign), nothing ?

 

Obviously, some officials seem to get a bribes and kickbacks to tolerate the behaviour of the Thai taxi cheats.

[Bangkok Barry]

4 minutes ago, observer90210 said:

Using an electronic cigarette or smoking on a beach can get you jail....but taxis openly cheating passengers (Thai or foreign), nothing ?

 

In theory, yes. But have you read of anyone being arrested for smoking on the beach or owning electronic cigarettes? (selling , yes). Like everything else in Thailand it is just talk and do nothing.

[observer90210]

2 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

In theory, yes. But have you read of anyone being arrested for smoking on the beach or owning electronic cigarettes? (selling , yes). Like everything else in Thailand it is just talk and do nothing.

I cannot say Sir as I do not always belive all that I read...and even less believe all that I have not red !!!

[AlexCanada]

Asked multiple taxis parked outside Thepprasit Night Market tonight.  All quoted 300 baht to Avenue Mall.  Would not even go for 250 baht.  Grab was 210 baht.  We had time to kill so out of principle we took a baht bus down Thepprasit Road to Jomtien then a second baht bus up Theppraya Road to Avenue Mall.  Sure it took 30 minutes longer but it was 40 baht total for 2 people instead of 300 baht to a taxi driver for a few minutes drive.

 

A 1000 baht fine is laughable.  That won't stop any of these guys.  Should be license suspensions just like Visa overstayers.  Enforce the same motto on taxi drivers.  "Good guys in, bad guys out".

 

[Basil B]

13 hours ago, colinneil said:

What a total waste of manpower and time 1000 baht, the taxi drivers will ,make that back in the first hour after being fined.

Only way to stop them cheating people.... First offence 10.000 baht, second offence 50.000 baht, that would soon stop it.

Third offence taxi crushed...

[Jonnapat]

20 hours ago, Bob12345 said:

That wont work, cause the complete police force will move indoors again when the media is gone.

Who is going to fine them then if police officers cannot be bothered to work?

Exactly right 

[champers]

Saw police on Friday giving a taxi driver a fine for parking on a bus stop on 2nd Road near Hard Rock. Seems to be a battle of wills going on, for now.