Pattaya taxi driver forced to sell melons as COVID-19 destroy his livelihood

[webfact]

Pattaya taxi driver forced to sell melons as COVID-19 destroy his livelihood

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

A man who ran a taxi rental business and drove a car himself has turned to selling melons now that Covid-19 has dealt a hammer blow to his livelihood. 

 

Wichian Leuang-aram was chairman of the Pattana Bor Thong Taxi Co Ltd. He drove one car himself and rented out the others. They had cost him 950,000 baht each. 

 

He was making 4,000 baht a day, 120K a month until the pandemic - and the lack of tourists - saw his business collapse after 9 years of success. 

 

But he had always liked growing fruit and studied about grape horticulture in Korat. 

 

Now he has sold three cars and switched to selling melons of the yellow Khaitongkham variety on Facebook and Line. 

 

He said that those that rely on tourism should have something to fall back on. 

 

Source: Thai Rath

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-01-21

[thequietman]

I wonder if he will refuse to display the price of the melons, much like he did when he drove his taxi in Pattaya and refused to turn on the meter!

 

Maybe, he will just pull a price out of the air for his melons depending on the nationality and financial status of his customers.

[sungod]

Had he not overcharged by refusing to turn the meter on for 9 years then I may have some sympathy, plenty honest people out there in a worse position than him.

[colinneil]

Melon selling just following the same practice as his taxi driving, not displaying prices, just gouge as much as possible out of people.

[jacko45k]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

He was making 4,000 baht a day, 120K a month

Yes, by refusing to use the meter, as others said. Get your thumb off the scales

[klauskunkel]

Taxi Melon 200 baht.

[Cake Monster]

3 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Yes, by refusing to use the meter, as others said. Get your thumb off the scales

And also charging high rentals to the Drivers

[Destiny1990]

Hopefully all pattaya cabbies follow his path.

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

A man who ran a taxi rental business and drove a car himself has turned to selling melons now that Covid-19 has dealt a hammer blow to his livelihood. 

Always good to see someone go straight.

[worldexpress]

4,000 a day? That's more than what most uber (or cab) drivers make in the US! I hope the experience humbles him and has him reflecting on his past ripping people off. A cynic in me says it's doubtful though.

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, worldexpress said:

4,000 a day? That's more than what most uber (or cab) drivers make in the US! I hope the experience humbles him and has him reflecting on his past ripping people off. A cynic in me says it's doubtful though.

 

4,000 a day, not just from the Taxi fare but also from renting out his cars.

Seems like a fairly low income considering the risk of outlay / finance on the cars. 

 

That said: Understandably there is little sympathy for a Pattaya taxi driver who, for the most part have rather negative reputations preceding them. But, this is one of the guys who have found something else positive to do, others may not be so willing and may turn to other avenues of revenue generation. The obvious bigger concern is as people get more desperate they may turn to crime, potentially more confrontational crime, muggings, burglaries etc

 

I have more sympathy for the Bangkok Taxi drivers, far fewer of them are were chancers, only those parked up in tourist areas and certain areas of central Sukhumvit - yet the everyone has taken a massive hit. 

 

The World really needs to get back to normal as quickly as possible - too many people are really hurting from these lockdowns. I hope the vaccines can get issued amongst those in need and in high risk groups as quickly as possible. 

 

Once a those older than 60 and in high risk groups have been vaccinated I see no reason why any country cannot open back up as normal and hopefully people can get back to their lives and recover from the economic crisis this unfortunate turn of events has placed them in. 

 

 

 

 

 

[samtab]

I would send him to work in a rice farm 12 hours a day with chains ! for having cheater innocent foreigners for so many years !

This is all what they deserve !

 

[samtab]

15 hours ago, sungod said:

Had he not overcharged by refusing to turn the meter on for 9 years then I may have some sympathy, plenty honest people out there in a worse position than him.

 

The only truth !!!

 

 

[Olivie]

If at least they would learn...but I guess when tourists will come back, same scams will happen.

 

[brianthainess]

Ah but would he send the melons to the destination I want or refuse ? Or double shipping cost?

[worldexpress]

10 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

4,000 a day, not just from the Taxi fare but also from renting out his cars.

Seems like a fairly low income considering the risk of outlay / finance on the cars. 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh yeah... I forgot that he's the "chairman." 4K does seem low for the Don of the taxi mafia.

9 years of going to the mattresses to selling melons... i can't imagine the change of pace in life. 

[Leaver]

 

On 1/21/2021 at 9:43 AM, webfact said:

He was making 4,000 baht a day, 120K a month until the pandemic - and the lack of tourists - saw his business collapse after 9 years of success. 

 

 

No sympathy from me, and should his melons be attacked by insects, still no sympathy from me.  

[lovethai123]

i feel sad for him. but when i look back, i think why should I? i dont have a great experience with them.

 

in bkk/pattaya etc-

 

they charge you a high price if you are with a woman and want to return to your hotel.

 

they do not want to use the meter.

 

 

One good experience was in udon though. This guy would pick me up every night from the bar complex near the central plaza after i find the girl. One day when I was alone he said , i am hannsome man and why i go with bar girl. he asked me to date his sister who was a university student there. ????????

 

well i cudn't as I had plans to meet my full time thai gf in VTE next day. ????????

[Justgrazing]

On 1/21/2021 at 2:43 AM, webfact said:

 

But he had always liked growing fruit and studied about grape horticulture in Korat

 

What's he wining about then ..

[Leaver]

On 1/23/2021 at 9:20 PM, Justgrazing said:

 

What's he wining about then ..

 

He's whining because he has to compete on the open market, rather than a cartel set the price of melons in Korat at 200 baht each.  ????