"C'est moi! But I'm not a taxi driver" Frenchman tells Samui cops as Thais urged to rat on foreigners

[webfact]

"C'est moi! But I'm not a taxi driver" Frenchman tells Samui cops as Thais urged to rat on foreigners

 

Caption: Meeting the foreigner seen taking money from tourists. Denied being taxi service

 

Koh Samui police have interviewed the foreign man seen accepting money after taking tourists to the port on Koh Samui. 

 

He denied being a taxi service saying he was just doing friends a favor.

 

Now after a meeting Thais on the holiday island have been urged to rat on foreigners they see running taxi services.

 

The story blew up yesterday when the video caused many Thai operators - particularly taxi services - on Samui to claim that foreigners were increasingly taking jobs reserved for Thais.

 

The locals were claiming hardship at the hands of Europeans, Chinese and Koreans in particular running taxi services and acting as guides. 

 

Samui police chief Pol Col Boriboon saw the clip and immediately ordered Pol Sub-Lt Nikorn Insuwan to investigate and invite the large white man in the clip into the station for a chat.

 

It turned into an interesting tête-à-tête as the 60 year old man proved to be from France. 

 

He admitted that it was him in the clip. And he admitted that the Mazda pick-up (registration number กบ (gor bor) 3275, Surat Thani plates) was indeed his.

 

But he said that he was just taking friends to the ferry at Nathon.

 

He explained that his place is in Bang Kao in the Na Meuang area and there is no taxi service from there so he was obliged to help his friends out. 

 

They gave him 200 baht "money for gas" which was most kind of them. 

 

The officers listened patiently to this explanation before checking the French man's record and warning him as to his future behavior especially when it comes to taking jobs reserved for Thais. 

 

After this a meeting was held on the island between many concerned individuals including the police, tourist cops, the Department of Land Transport rep and the head of the taxi drivers' association, reported Manager. 

 

They were discussing the way forward to stop foreigners taking jobs reserved for Thais and causing hardship to Thai people. 

 

Thais were urged to report any foreigners taking Thai jobs by calling 191 or 07742 1907. 

 

Source: Manager

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-05-10

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

[darksidedog]

9 minutes ago, webfact said:

They gave him 200 baht "money for gas" which was most kind of them.  

And no more than any decent person would do when a friend has helped them out. I have done the same many times when  a friend has taken me to the airport. The locals obviously want every penny in the pot and for friends not to help each other out. A mate doing someone a favour is seen as deliberately taking money out of their pockets, which is a very sad and greedy attitude.

[quandow]

I'm sure glad these BiB's have nothing better to do than shake down a farang over ฿200.

[Rimmer]

Troll post removed

[Vacuum]

9 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thais were urged to report any foreigners taking Thai jobs by calling 191 or 07742 1907. 

Can this number be used for reporting Thais not doing what they're paid for?

[RotBenz8888]

I believe he's innocent until i see a picture where someone is pointing at him.

[ThomasThBKK]

Nice witchhunt they started, that's always how it starts. 

 

I wouldn't want to be a foreigner of any kind living ob Samui. 

 

 

[PatOngo]

.

28 minutes ago, webfact said:

"C'est moi! But I'm not a taxi driver" Frenchman tells Samui cops as Thais urged to rat on foreigners

 

I foresee a rat plague on Koh $amui!

[Olmate]

Great mate if he lets you pay for the lift!BS excuse.

[kotsak]

I think it's best never accept payment in public (if you are a foreigner) lest being accussed of being paid for a service. ????

[moe666]

This says a lot about the economy, these complaints have been around for years but usually on a larger scale than a one off guy taking friends to the ferry, but please remember the people complaining donot know they are friends all they see is money changing hands.

[Bezdomny]

Police is protecting tea money from taxi mafia.

[colinneil]

Pity the police have nothing better to spend their time on, like stopping all the Thais drink driving.

Many times in the past have i driven another farang somewhere as there was no taxis in the area, and the farang has paid me for fuel.

[bluesofa]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Thais were urged to report any foreigners taking Thai jobs by calling 191 or 07742 1907. 

I wonder who the incompetent one is is this case - Manager Online or the police? The mobile number has one digit missing.

That might reduce the number of Thai snitches!

[Olmate]

8 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Pity the police have nothing better to spend their time on, like stopping all the Thais drink driving.

Many times in the past have i driven another farang somewhere as there was no taxis in the area, and the farang has paid me for fuel.

Hope you got a medal for that

[Kasane]

Foreigners, guests in Thailand, should in no way appear to take jobs away from Thai's. 

[bluesofa]

3 minutes ago, Olmate said:

12 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Pity the police have nothing better to spend their time on, like stopping all the Thais drink driving.

Many times in the past have i driven another farang somewhere as there was no taxis in the area, and the farang has paid me for fuel.

Hope you got a medal for that

Yes, but Colin's too modest to wear it.

[CanuckThai]

4 minutes ago, Olmate said:

Hope you got a medal for that

Is there a difference if I give my Thai brother inlaw or farang neighbor X baht for fuel, for a lift to the airport?  Neither have a taxi licence

[unamazedloso]

well i will never drive the thai family around again. They do offer money and i rarely accept but im a fn criminal now? Jesus Thailand get a grip!!!!

thai taxis drivers suck. why would anyone risk there lives. They suffer hardship cuz they're stupid greedy yaba using alcoholics for the most part. A foreigner dropping off friends is the least of there issues. Rehab, driving lessons, etc is where they're time should be wasted.

[justin case]

don't you love  JOBS FOR THAIS,  women for THAIS, corruption for THAIS

 

maybe if there was GRAB or UBER, you would pay FAIR prices instead the extortion those pesky taxi drivers dare & can ask as there is NO COMPETITION

 

what about GUIDES that does speak thaiglish you don't understand and again, ask whatever they want

[Olmate]

6 minutes ago, CanuckThai said:

Is there a difference if I give my Thai brother inlaw or farang neighbor X baht for fuel, for a lift to the airport?  Neither have a taxi licence

Watch the original video, clearly 3/4 farangs in the back of the Ute, guy gives em 100 baht change, so 900 or 400 baht fare, hardly friends!

[moutamine]

Now we know how to do taxi service for Farangs... exchange the money when no Thai can see! Problem solved!

[smedly]

23 minutes ago, Olmate said:

Watch the original video, clearly 3/4 farangs in the back of the Ute, guy gives em 100 baht change, so 900 or 400 baht fare, hardly friends!

I'll bet he is involved with a small guest house or resort on the island and is providing this service for them - he could technically call them (new) friends 

 

Accepting money is technically work - not hard to check how many times a day or week they are doing this or if it is a one off

[huberthammer]

51 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Pity the police have nothing better to spend their time on, like stopping all the Thais drink driving.

 

like stopping all the Thais drink driving.

 

 

[huberthammer]

27 minutes ago, justin case said:

don't you love  JOBS FOR THAIS,  women for THAIS, corruption for THAIS

 

maybe if there was GRAB or UBER, you would pay FAIR prices instead the extortion those pesky taxi drivers dare & can ask as there is NO COMPETITION

 

what about GUIDES that does speak thaiglish you don't understand and again, ask whatever they want

You obviously don't live in Samui nor do you have a clue about it.  There is GRAB and there is an excellent Samui only app called NAVIGO.

 

spouting about things when you know nothing....

[Olmate]

8 minutes ago, smedly said:

I'll bet he is involved with a small guest house or resort on the island and is providing this service for them - he could technically call them (new) friends 

You mean the final farewell dear friend ,that’ll be 400 thanks!

[Olmate]

16 minutes ago, moutamine said:

Now we know how to do taxi service for Farangs... exchange the money when no Thai can see! Problem solved!

I guess that’s the way it’s done,hardly smart thinking

[Olmate]

39 minutes ago, justin case said:

don't you love  JOBS FOR THAIS,  women for THAIS, corruption for THAIS

Is there one of these you could handle?Guess not so what’s your point?

[Youlike]

I also bring my friends by car because the taxi's can't speak english and won't use the meter...if they give me some fuel money it's fine, if they don't it's also fine.

 

Many westerners are very scared for the thai drivers, on buses, cars, boats, planes, trains.....

[evadgib]

The 'Petrol Money' brigade might not realize that the island is no bigger than the Isle of Wight and that no journey is longer than 45 mins. True friends are highly unlikely to be doing this for a bung. IMO matey is 'Guilty as charged' but as usual the locals have made a pigs ear of it while failing to insist that the yellow peril turn their meters on & stop committing GBH (and getting away with it) when tourists complain.

 

We can expect an 'Honest Samui Cabby' story in the next few days, along with a pointy picture ????