DLT/Pattaya police crack down on Bolt drivers in Pattaya - 20 fined 2,000 baht - reoffenders face ban

[webfact]

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Thai Rath reported from Beach Road in the eastern seaboard resort of Pattaya where there was a crackdown on illegal Bolt drivers.

 

The media made much of the fact that the local police, who joined with Chonburi DLT staff, were wearing chest and helmet "bodycams" to show transparency and rule out corruption.

 

A checkpoint was mounted outside Central Pattaya Beach a popular collection and dropping off point for Bolt drivers delivering Thai and foreign tourists.

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

The media said that there were 700 Bolt drivers operating in Pattaya.

 

About twenty were fined the 2,000 baht maximum for "using the wrong kind of vehicle".

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Drivers were told that if they repeated the offence they would be banned for 90 days and if they did it a third time their driving licence would be withdrawn entirely.

 

There would be no exceptions.

 

Regarding the "bodycams" Thai Rath said this was RTP policy to ensure there was no corruption.

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

The footage lasts for 20 days and has to be submitted to the traffic control center for analysis.

 

Further crackdowns against Bolt drivers breaking the rules were expected.

 

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[ikke1959]

16 minutes ago, webfact said:

About twenty were fined the 2,000 baht maximum for "using the wrong kind of vehicle".

Huhhhh????

[norfolkandchance]

<deleted>. I arrive Tuesday.

[stoner]

37 minutes ago, webfact said:

were wearing chest and helmet "bodycams" to show transparency and rule out corruption.

in next weeks news........ unfortunately at the time of the incident the camera was not working. 

[JoePai]

Leave Bolt alone, they provide a great service    

[ThailandRyan]

To many complaints from the Taxi Drivers, and people who have registered their vehicles as commercial transport vehicles, while the bolt drivers are driving regular cars registered as a private vehicle.  If they want to play the game correctly then the vehicles need to be registered appropriately........

[HanSRT10]

There would be no market or need for Bolt and Grab if regular taxis would play by the rules and use the meter. 

[hioctane]

So the big title is 20… out of 700 which is 3%. That is newsworthy?

[engamann]

When are you gonna have a crack down on the Taxi Meter cars that never want to use the meters or are the Taxi mafia to powerful for you , asking for a friend.

[Smokey and the Bandit]

4 hours ago, JoePai said:

Leave Bolt alone, they provide a great service    

Agreed, the police always seem to pick on BOLT and not other taxi services? And they are very good?

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The media made much of the fact that the local police, who joined with Chonburi DLT staff, were wearing chest and helmet "bodycams" to show transparency and rule out corruption.

As transparent as the colour of the uniform.

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Drivers were told that if they repeated the offence they would be banned for 90 days and if they did it a third time their driving licence would be withdrawn entirely

Ban them from the start and send out a real message.

[Greenhill]

9 hours ago, JoePai said:

Leave Bolt alone, they provide a great service    

And that's exactly why they're illegal!!!!    We can't have great service here!   Interfers with the existing poor service and high prices charged by the existing m/c/taxi mafia!

[NoshowJones]

6 hours ago, HanSRT10 said:

There would be no market or need for Bolt and Grab if regular taxis would play by the rules and use the meter. 

Imagine taking a taxi on the meter from say the Darkside down to Chonburi Immigration, at certain times it would cost a fortune once you got there. Would you not be better with a fixed price rather than on the meter?

I was in a car with someone, and at one stage the traffic lights just stayed at red for so long that the cars just went through the lights or we would have been there all day.

[thailand49]

7 hours ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

Agreed, the police always seem to pick on BOLT and not other taxi services? And they are very good?

Bolt not paying!  ????

[Mr Meeseeks]

2 hours ago, Greenhill said:

And that's exactly why they're illegal!!!!    We can't have great service here!   Interfers with the existing poor service and high prices charged by the existing m/c/taxi mafia!

Indeed, Bolt is just a microcosm of the entire country.

[Leaver]

12 hours ago, webfact said:

About twenty were fined the 2,000 baht maximum for "using the wrong kind of vehicle".

 

Doesn't the BOLT company decide what vehicles their drivers must have, in order to be able to work off their platform? 

[freedomnow]

See how long squeaky clean BiB habits last at checkpoints...will soon revert to the old ways once tourist shakedown is far enough in rear mirror.

 

Dog and pony time.

[Leaver]

49 minutes ago, freedomnow said:

See how long squeaky clean BiB habits last at checkpoints...will soon revert to the old ways once tourist shakedown is far enough in rear mirror.

 

Dog and pony time.

 

This one could end up in the international media if local police are going against national laws that allow the app and the drivers / riders to operate. 

[jacko45k]

So what constitutes an illegal vehicle? I just used Bolt the other day to and from town and no problems... although one vehicle was a Hilux without rear seats and the driver a bit fast and reckless... I would rather have been in the rear if it had one!

Bolt is so cheap and convenient I would hate to lose it.

[ThailandRyan]

10 hours ago, Leaver said:

 

This one could end up in the international media if local police are going against national laws that allow the app and the drivers / riders to operate. 

Not legal yet. Grab is but Bolt still has some issues with the DLT and the Government.

 

While Thailand legalized ride-hailing apps a year ago, the Bolt application isn't one of those and Pattaya-area authorities came down hard on their drivers Friday.Nov 30, 2565 BE

 

 

Edited February 10, 2023 by ThailandRyan

[ThailandRyan]

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

So what constitutes an illegal vehicle? I just used Bolt the other day to and from town and no problems... although one vehicle was a Hilux without rear seats and the driver a bit fast and reckless... I would rather have been in the rear if it had one!

Bolt is so cheap and convenient I would hate to lose it.

It's the registration on the vehicle that makes it illegal as they do not pay for it to be used commercially but as a private vehicle.

[jacko45k]

16 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

It's the registration on the vehicle that makes it illegal as they do not pay for it to be used commercially but as a private vehicle.

Oh it's just a pal giving me a ride and I am compensating him for the fuel! ????

[Lemsta69]

21 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

they do not pay for it to be used commercially

Nice. That makes me want to use Bolt even more! ????

[ThailandRyan]

6 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Oh it's just a pal giving me a ride and I am compensating him for the fuel! ????

As long as the RTP believe you. You might want to sit up front with him....not your chauffeur type of view...lol

[ThailandRyan]

2 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

Nice. That makes me want to use Bolt even more! ????

That's why it is cheaper. Uber was here at one time but the fees etc. Were to much so they sold out to Grab which is an Asean Company.

 

Grab Merges with Uber in Southeast Asia

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.grab.com/th/en/press/business/%E0%B9%81%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%87%E0%B8%9A-%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%88%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3-%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%B9%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%AD/%23:~:text%3DGrab%20will%20extend%20its%20leadership,%2C%20Singapore%2C%20Thailand%20and%20Vietnam.&ved=2ahUKEwjF94PX8Yn9AhWnXGwGHfBABqIQFnoECBQQBQ&usg=AOvVaw1Cx3tggcVoJRwKbOmJ3MZ_

[Lemsta69]

1 minute ago, ThailandRyan said:

That's why it is cheaper. Uber was here at one time but the fees etc. Were to much so they sold out to Grab which is an Asean Company.

 

Grab Merges with Uber in Southeast Asia

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.grab.com/th/en/press/business/%E0%B9%81%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%87%E0%B8%9A-%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%88%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3-%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%B9%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%AD/%23:~:text%3DGrab%20will%20extend%20its%20leadership,%2C%20Singapore%2C%20Thailand%20and%20Vietnam.&ved=2ahUKEwjF94PX8Yn9AhWnXGwGHfBABqIQFnoECBQQBQ&usg=AOvVaw1Cx3tggcVoJRwKbOmJ3MZ_

Uber fees are disgraceful, I've read silly numbers like 30%-50‰.

 

Allegedly Bolt don't charge the drivers a commission (another post on here) but I haven't checked out yet because I'm completely hopeless at speaking Thai ????

[VocalNeal]

3 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

Uber fees are disgraceful, I've read silly numbers like 30%-50‰.

I was having a coversation in a bank one day in Indonesia. One guy was Grab the other guy was Go-Jek. 

The Go-Jek guy said they took 20%, the Grab guy said 30%.

[Lemsta69]

19 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

I was having a coversation in a bank one day in Indonesia. One guy was Grab the other guy was Go-Jek. 

The Go-Jek guy said they took 20%, the Grab guy said 30%.

Riding around Jakarta on the back of a gojek is one of life's great thrills. Especially out in Bekasi at peak hour, makes Bangkok look like a kindergarten ????

[mikebell]

15 hours ago, Greenhill said:

the existing m/c/taxi mafia!

How many arrests have Pattaya Plod made of taximeter drivers not using meters? As always Thai laws are open to interpretation and who pays most.