14,000 taxi drivers arrested in 12 months: police

[snoop1130]

14,000 taxi drivers arrested in 12 months: police

By The Nation

 

File photo

 

More than 14,000 taxi drivers have been arrested and fined for breaking the law, including refusing to accept passengers, during the past year, a deputy tourist police chief said Friday.

 

Maj Gen Surachet Hakpal, deputy commissioner of the Tourist Police Bureau, held a press conference in Phaholyothin with the Land Transport Department to announce results of the operation to clean up the taxi trade launched last September.

 

Surachet said police from several agencies, including tourist police, and 191 Special Operation police and officials of the Land Transport Department, have been enforcing the law against taxi drivers so passengers would not be exploited.

 

Surachet said 4,811 taxi drivers were arrested for refusing to accept passengers without justification, which violated Article 93 of the Land Traffic Act.

 

The police officer added that 3,277 drivers were arrested for refusing to use their meters and forcing passengers to pay an excessive fare.

 

He said 6,159 others were arrested for violating parking bans, failing to dress properly and other offences.

 

Surachet said 489 of the drivers had their public vehicle licences revoked.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30353440

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-8-31

[JAG]

That's a jolly good disguise that undercover policeman on the extreme left of the picture is wearing...

[rkidlad]

I lost my s*** with one on Saturday. He said okay, started driving for 5 secs and then just said he couldn’t. I threatened to report him and noticed his ID was covered with a picture of the big man. That annoyed me even more as it was such a scumbag thing to do. 

 

I’d like to think after that angry exchange he will think twice next time he’s pulling his BS but sadly I very much doubt it. 

[from the home of CC]

I don't believe these numbers, it's appeasement to the blow back created on the book of face.

[tomacht8]

That's only the tip of the iceberg.

4811/365 is 13 refusing passengers per day.

3277/365 = 9 cheatings with meter per day.

489/365= 1,3 revoked licence per day.

There are about 150000 taxis in Bangkok. The whole multiplied by 20 tours in 24 hours x 365 days.

1.100.000.000 tours per year.

So at all 14.000  detected violations cases (including wrong parking tickets) per year are a small number.

14000 sounds great but it is only a drop in the ocean.

 

Edited August 31, 2018 by tomacht8

[akirasan]

49 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

I don't believe these numbers, it's appeasement to the blow back created on the book of face.

Yeah it's complete b.s.. according to their numbers they arrested 38 rouge taxi drivers every day yet they forget the RTP couldn't even catch a cold.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

Surachet said 489 of the drivers had their public vehicle licences revoked.

 

So that means approx. 96.5% of those drivers the police arrested are still out there driving with their public vehicle licenses, and probably doing the same things that got them arrested, mostly just in a PR show, in the first place.

 

And the way things work around here, probably a goodly portion of the 489 (the other 3.5%) who had their licenses revoked are probably still out there driving as well, since having a valid taxi license doesn't seem to be a particularly well-enforced requirement in order to drive taxis here.

 

[mok199]

after this news , we need an ''honest taxi driver returns bag of cash'' story

[colinneil]

9 minutes ago, mok199 said:

after this news , we need an ''honest taxi driver returns bag of cash'' story

Tune in tomorrow it is guaranteed to be there.

[lamyai3]

10 hours ago, JAG said:

That's a jolly good disguise that undercover policeman on the extreme left of the picture is wearing...

He put up with jock itch and jogger's nipple to get that collar...

[Damrongsak]

24 minutes ago, lamyai3 said:

... jogger's nipple ...

Is that what happens when a guy runs up and gives a gal a titty twister?

[Samui Bodoh]

 

 

12 hours ago, JAG said:

That's a jolly good disguise that undercover policeman on the extreme left of the picture is wearing...

Hey!

 

Be nice!

 

That is the head of the RTP physical fitness division.

 

 

 

[mikebell]

Meanwhile in Pattaya there are NO meters anywhere!  Pattaya Plod's record is, I think, 2 publicised arrests!

[dotpoom]

14 hours ago, JAG said:

That's a jolly good disguise that undercover policeman on the extreme left of the picture is wearing.

1 hour ago, Samui Bodoh said:

 

 

Hey!

 

Be nice!

 

That is the head of the RTP physical fitness division.

 

 

 

Very good....reminds me of Simon on The XFactor and how he likes to make fun of people too.

[sammieuk1]

Are they sure it wasn't the same one 14,000 times they all look alike?

[yellowboat]

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

He said 6,159 others were arrested for violating parking bans, failing to dress properly and other offences.

Have taken a number of taxis in Bangkok and have never even noticed the driver's dress.  You cannot drive a hack and not get a parking ticket.  Almost half were fined due to petty offenses or the cost of doing business as a cab driver.  I drove taxi's through college.  Getting a parking ticket meant nothing.  This isn't news.      

 

Since the Nation has changed hands, the news has become bland and unenlightening.  This article is a perfect example.

Edited September 1, 2018 by yellowboat

[Geoffggi]

1 hour ago, mikebell said:

Meanwhile in Pattaya there are NO meters anywhere!  Pattaya Plod's record is, I think, 2 publicised arrests!

In addition to the above Pattaya police were quick to report that all taxis would no longer be able to wait at the end of beach road leading up to the lights at walking street end of beach road, this did happen for a short while but I notice the taxis are back once again with no hassle from the plod.

[Tradewind777]

And these were only the ones that were “caught”. 

 

It beggars belief that refusing ro pick up a passenger is an arrestable offence when serious crimes are let go. As always in this God forsaken place, nothing ever adds up. A good example: Note the number of lost licenses against the number arrested!

Edited September 1, 2018 by Tradewind777
Typo

[AsiaCheese]

14 hours ago, tomacht8 said:

That's only the tip of the iceberg.

4811/365 is 13 refusing passengers per day.

3277/365 = 9 cheatings with meter per day.

489/365= 1,3 revoked licence per day.

There are about 150000 taxis in Bangkok. The whole multiplied by 20 tours in 24 hours x 365 days.

1.100.000.000 tours per year.

So at all 14.000  detected violations cases (including wrong parking tickets) per year are a small number.

14000 sounds great but it is only a drop in the ocean.

 

 

Not quite sure how you arrive at your figures (150,000 taxis in BKK; half a million drivers), but with your 1.1 billion tours/year (BKK alone, right?) that would make for 17 tours/year for every single Thai person plus visiting tourists. 

[The Deerhunter]

15 hours ago, tomacht8 said:

That's only the tip of the iceberg.

4811/365 is 13 refusing passengers per day.

3277/365 = 9 cheatings with meter per day.

489/365= 1,3 revoked licence per day.

There are about 150000 taxis in Bangkok. The whole multiplied by 20 tours in 24 hours x 365 days.

1.100.000.000 tours per year.

So at all 14.000  detected violations cases (including wrong parking tickets) per year are a small number.

14000 sounds great but it is only a drop in the ocean.

 

Its probably much worse than you suggest.  These figures could be from Thailand as a whole.  Bangkok has the 150,000 taxis you quote.  I have no idea how many taxis in the rest of Thailand but BKK must have the lion's share.  Also it is like when a serial burglar or career drug dealer gets caught for the first time.  It becomes the first recorded offence.  For every offence imagine at least 20 to 100 times they did it and didn't get caught.

[cracker1]

An appalling lack of effort showing less than 40 offences per day !

With the hundred's of police on duty in Bangkok every day, and the thousands of taxi's, I would expect to see more than 1000 arrests daily.

[wvavin]

14,000 Taxis? I try my best to believe.

[connda]

Like helmetless motorcycle riders, fining taxi drivers looks to be a BIB cash cow. 

[falangjim]

Most rides are uneventful, which is exactly what I want.  But drivers who swerve through traffic to reach me hailing them; only to roll down their window and reject my destination, should be strung up by their testicles.  

 

I had a p.o.s just dart off at my request to go around the corner to Tesco; a fifty baht fare.  It was the manner in which this skinny somchai just dismissed me, flicking his hand with no eye-contact.  I let him know by pounding on his trunk as he passed.  Oops. 

 

He returns barking about wanting to go to the police.  Yeah, tough guy with a machete under his seat, I'm sure. 555 bunch of pussies, some of these guys.

 

 

Edited September 1, 2018 by falangjim

[sharpjwe]

I not often get issues on taxi

the common one is to refuse to take you

i stay in the taxi and force him to take me

thought in this case I make them stop away form my private house

one never know how resentful they could be 

never had to call tourist police

my thai is good

[NoshowJones]

20 hours ago, JAG said:

That's a jolly good disguise that undercover policeman on the extreme left of the picture is wearing...

Not really, I have seen overweight Thai police, it's not that uncommon, there was a very overweight policeman interrogating a motorist in a photo on Thaivisa only last week.

How many of the Maj Gens are not overweight? With the money they make, you can bet they are living a life style of no exercise and plenty of food and wine etc.

[Thaidream]

I use taxis frequently in Bangkok and the rejection rate has increased and I believe it has to do with the increased traffic which does not flow.  Just last week a taxi ride from Sukhumvit Soi 33 to Soi 15 cost 200 Baht and took  1 hour and 45 minutes. Absolutely ridiculous.  I could have walked it in 30 minutes but it was raining so went the taxi route.

 

I had a long conversation with the driver- he stated he doesn't want to turn down any business but when caught in traffic for a fare he cannot make enough to pay the taxi rental and the gas and get any profit- on some days he loses money.  He also claims the police do nothing to help the situation and keep the lights one way or the other way too long. His comment was that instead of using police to  pretend to be customers why aren't they out  forcing Hi So cars to keep moving instead of stopping to run errands; how about directing traffic instead of sitting in air conditioned police boxes and providing a fast track lane for buses and taxis and enforce it.  He made some good points.

 

[jorgenweihrauch]

Very bad behave - hope they learn not to do it again

[Vacuum]

21 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

More than 14,000 taxi drivers have been arrested and fined for breaking the law, including refusing to accept passengers, during the past year

That would be more than 1000/month have been put behind bars. Don,t believe it. Fined maybe, but jailed, noway.

[KKr]

21 hours ago, tomacht8 said:

That's only the tip of the iceberg.

4811/365 is 13 refusing passengers per day.

3277/365 = 9 cheatings with meter per day.

489/365= 1,3 revoked licence per day.

There are about 150000 taxis in Bangkok. The whole multiplied by 20 tours in 24 hours x 365 days.

1.100.000.000 tours per year.

So at all 14.000  detected violations cases (including wrong parking tickets) per year are a small number.

14000 sounds great but it is only a drop in the ocean.

 

my recent trip to Bangkok yielded on average the 4th or 5th driver that would accept me on the metered fare.