Another taxi incident goes viral in Phuket as tension between online app taxis and regular taxis appears to increase

[webfact]

 

By Goongnang Suksawat

 

Kamala – The driving licenses of two taxi drivers have been suspended after what relevant officials are calling a “dispute” in Kamala between a traditional “queue” taxi and a taxi driver for an online application.

 

The Phuket Provincial Police Chief Major General Sermpan Sirikong told the Phuket Express, “This story has gone viral in social media earlier this week. A group of local taxi drivers were arguing and fighting with a female taxi driver who worked via an application.”

 

“Both drivers were later called to meet with the Phuket Land Transport Office officers and police. One taxi driver, Ms. Naruemon, was fined 2,000 baht for using an unlicensed application. The application she used can only be serviced in certain areas of Phuket but not for Kamala and not this particular venue.” The police chief explained.

 

“Her driving license is being suspended for 30 days. As for the local taxi driver, Mr. Wilart, his driving license is being suspended 30 days too. Mr. Wilart agreed to pay 5,000 baht for the damage of Ms. Naruemon’s car that he admitted to doing.” The chief stated.

 

Full story: https://thephuketexpress.com/2022/10/04/another-taxi-incident-goes-viral-in-phuket-as-tension-between-online-app-taxis-and-regular-taxis-appears-to-increase/

 

-- © Copyright The Phuket Express 2022-10-05

 

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[RichardColeman]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Mr. Wilart agreed to pay 5,000 baht for the damage of Ms. Naruemon’s car that he admitted to doing

Sorry but i'd suspend him for a year for violence 

[sammieuk1]

Next up former taxi drivers buys ice-cream vans as the feud goes nuclear ???? 

[steven100]

oh dear  ' lowlife thai taxi drivers at it again ....

[Geoffggi]

Phuket taxi mafia causing problems who would have thought it ...................LOL 

[KhunLA]

"No Go Zones" ... no collusion there ... disgraceful.

 

Only 2 negatives of Thailand:

Corruption ... which can sadly corrupts everything

Waste management ... trash & sewage

 

Even worse ... it's a worldwide problem

[Antifreeze]

A sign should say "For security reasons, only approved dubious fleecing taxis allowed", 

[ChrisY1]

Quite unbelievable that this Phuket taxi extortion racket has been ongoing now for years.....and the so called authorities simply back it endlessly.

Where is the government...where is that useless enterprise, TAT...nothing is ever said!

[stoner]

welcome to phuket......now get the <deleted> in the car or else. 

[ezzra]

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

oh dear  ' lowlife thai taxi drivers at it again ....

Why 'lowlife taxi drivers'? just because they want to protect their  source of income they deserve to be called derogatory names?...

[steven100]

1 minute ago, ezzra said:

Why 'lowlife taxi drivers'? just because they want to protect their  source of income they deserve to be called derogatory names?...

maybe my words were harsh but you gotta admit these guys are always fighting,  as they're mafia controlled in many places.  It's a pitty they couldn't just be like normal taxi drivers and act accordingly, be clean, polite, honest ....   that means accepting passengers regardless of the journey. 

[worldexpress]

42 minutes ago, ezzra said:

Why 'lowlife taxi drivers'? just because they want to protect their  source of income they deserve to be called derogatory names?...

When they run a mafia-like syndicate and resort to harassment, violence and thuggery to "protect" it, yes, they absolutely earned the right to be called low-life or worse.

[Rmac442]

1 hour ago, ChrisY1 said:

Quite unbelievable that this Phuket taxi extortion racket has been ongoing now for years.....and the so called authorities simply back it endlessly.

Where is the government...where is that useless enterprise, TAT...nothing is ever said!

TAT are busy counting everyone who passes thru an immigration post as a tourist !!!  "But I only went to Malaysia on a visa run .."  

[Bangkok Barry]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The application she used can only be serviced in certain areas of Phuket

Well, we can all guess why, can't we. Whenever anyone I know tells me they are planning a trip to Thailand I've long told them to avoid Phuket like the plague.

[mikeymike100]

2 hours ago, ezzra said:

Why 'lowlife taxi drivers'? just because they want to protect their  source of income they deserve to be called derogatory names?...

Surely if they are ripping off passengers and only allowing "certain" taxis into certain locations,(or else) they are behaving as the mafia does, are they not 'lowlifes'?

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, steven100 said:

oh dear  ' lowlife thai taxi drivers at it again ....

Taxi mafia wars 

[Tropposurfer]

I am thankful I/we in our house are free of needing to deal with these lower than a snakes duodenum chaps anymore. 

[pj123]

"The application she used can only be serviced in certain areas of Phuket but not for Kamala and not this particular venue." Which app is this? ? Can you use Grab Taxi app in Phuket?

[island coconut]

5 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Taxi mafia wars 

It would make one hell of a "Reality" TV show. 

[hotchilli]

16 minutes ago, island coconut said:

It would make one hell of a "Reality" TV show. 

Better than those fabricated divas in the dramas.

[Pattaya Spotter]

On 10/5/2022 at 6:03 AM, RichardColeman said:

Sorry but i'd suspend him for a year for violence 

Against the car ????

[Pattaya Spotter]

On 10/5/2022 at 8:35 AM, steven100 said:

maybe my words were harsh but you gotta admit these guys are always fighting,  as they're mafia controlled in many places.  It's a pitty they couldn't just be like normal taxi drivers and act accordingly, be clean, polite, honest ....   that means accepting passengers regardless of the journey. 

As you say...they're controlled by local "mafia" figures. Most of the taxi drivers I've taken have been courteous and polite...they have nothing to with the fixed-prices of the taxis and certainly don't make any money off it. If the government ever removed the mafia middlemen (????????????) the drivers lives would be much better and some sort of fair tariff structure could be put in place.

[steven100]

5 hours ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

If the government ever removed the mafia middlemen

hell will freeze over before that ever happens ....