Taxi app drivers rally in Phuket after Grab driver beaten

[snoop1130]

 

The battle continues to rage between the app-based drivers and the legacy taxi drivers in an elaborate and high-stakes ‘turf war’ on Phuket’s roads.

 

Now, over 200 drivers from ride-hailing apps (like Grab and Bolt) have rallied in Phuket and submitted a formal letter of complaint to provincial governor, Sophon Suwannarat. The letter was received on Sophon’s behalf by Vice Governor, Amnuay Pinsuwan, according to a Phuket News report.

 

The drivers gathered at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday morning, December 6, in response to last weekend’s violent assault on a Grab driver near Bangtao Beach, which left him hospitalised with rib injuries and a punctured lung.

 

By Peter Roche

Caption: PHOTO: MGR Online

 

Full story: Phuket GO 2023-12-07

 

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[bignok]

Ban tuk tuks and taxis. Only have apps.

[Mark17AA]

Time should be called on the taxi mafia nationwide, as they are not fit for public service.

[NONG CHOK]

As I walked through the car park of Lotus Pattaya Nua the other day a taxi driver tried to force me to use his taxi. Just out of curiosity I asked him how much and he replied 500 baht for a distance I regularly walk in 15 minutes. Of course I copped the mandatory snarl when I refused. As for the Pattaya and Phuket taxi operators if they travelled in an app based taxi they may learn what service and servility with a smile is all about. If farangs are residents in tourists areas they are all presumed tourists and are ripped off accordingly.

[hotchilli]

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

and submitted a formal letter of complaint to provincial governor, Sophon Suwannarat. The letter was received on Sophon’s behalf by Vice Governor, Amnuay Pinsuwan

So the governor was too busy?

[Smokey and the Bandit]

Why does it seem its 'always' Phuket that has problems with taxi drivers?

[stoner]

26 minutes ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

Why does it seem its 'always' Phuket that has problems with taxi drivers?

 

have you ever been ? the taxi scams etc in phuket are just as old as the shi**y faded blue 10 year old shirts they wear. 

Edited December 8, 2023 by stoner

[stevenl]

56 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

So the governor was too busy?

The royal family is around.

[herfiehandbag]

56 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

So the governor was too busy?

Couldn't make it in that morning - 2 hour wait for a taxi...

[steveyinasia]

I have been in the Philippines now a couple of years, Taxi apps are way more popular than the derelict, beaten up, overpriced taxi's.  Yet there are no issues from the taxi drivers here, it doesn't appear to have the "mafia" mentality that Thailand Taxi drivers have. 

[HappyExpat57]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

So the governor was too busy?

 

Or is the governor afraid of what the taxi mafia might do to him?

[herfiehandbag]

The old style " hail in the street" taxi service has simply been superceded for all planned journeys by the likes of Grab and Bolt.

 

They are about as relevant to public transport as steam locomotives are to mass transit rail systems!

[ThaiFelix]

6 hours ago, Mark17AA said:

Time should be called on the taxi mafia nationwide, as they are not fit for public service.

I dont know about that, there are still lots of street drains to clean before the rains but aside from that...........

[Highlandman]

6 hours ago, NONG CHOK said:

As I walked through the car park of Lotus Pattaya Nua the other day a taxi driver tried to force me to use his taxi. Just out of curiosity I asked him how much and he replied 500 baht for a distance I regularly walk in 15 minutes. Of course I copped the mandatory snarl when I refused. As for the Pattaya and Phuket taxi operators if they travelled in an app based taxi they may learn what service and servility with a smile is all about. If farangs are residents in tourists areas they are all presumed tourists and are ripped off accordingly.

That's because Thais are ignorant about the concept of an "expat". Their racism is so strong, they don't believe a foreigner can reside in their country. I bet you few Thais are aware of the 5 million migrant workers from neighboring countries working here. Because they look Thai, to a Thai, they are Thai.

 

As for taxis trying to force me to use their services - barely happens anymore in Thailand. Unlike in Cambodia, where every minute there's a "want tuk tuk?" being shouted in every direction.

[cracker1]

6 hours ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

Why does it seem its 'always' Phuket that has problems with taxi drivers?

I think Pattaya has the same problems ?

[bignok]

11 hours ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

Why does it seem its 'always' Phuket that has problems with taxi drivers?

No meters used. All fixed price.

 

 

[stuarty]

Its now reported that the 2 drivers who came forward to confess to the beating are not the right guys and that they and 2 others have been arrested and charged. Who does this benefit, and so why did the wrong guys confess if they are clearly facing jail time?

 

Cherng Talay Police have confirmed the arrests of two taxi drivers wanted for the assault on a Grab driver in Bang Tao on Dec 2.

Edited December 14, 2023 by stuarty