Thai Woman Fined for Letting Tourist Drive Tuk Tuk in Phuket

[Hardcastle P]

Take tuks apper to have grown another wheel

[richard_smith237]

17 minutes ago, Hardcastle P said:

Take tuks apper to have grown another wheel

 

Nope the word 'TukTuk' itself has no meaning referencing wheels... its an onomatopoeic term replicating the sound the vehicle makes....    it has since become synonymous with the 'simple smaller taxi type vehicle' that is smaller than a Song-táew, which literally translated means 'two row' (of bench seats usually in a converted pickup).

 

 

[BusyB]

 

I sure hope that guy pays the tuktuk driver's fine and costs.

[OldmanJ]

How about going out onto the road to catch people speeding,not indicating and no lights or do I have my priorities mixed up.Trying to fine a tourist for this seems to be more important to some.

[Liverpool Lou]

20 hours ago, digger70 said:

21 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

At least the tuk-tuk driver had a licence.

Wouldn't one think that the Taxi driver had a License from his home country ?

Wouldn't one think that his home country licence would not be a Thai public service vehicle licence?!

[Liverpool Lou]

10 hours ago, OldmanJ said:

How about going out onto the road to catch people speeding,not indicating and no lights or do I have my priorities mixed up.Trying to fine a tourist for this seems to be more important to some.

How about telling us which tourist was fined, or pursued for prosecution, in this case?  It sure seems that you have something mixed up.

[Liverpool Lou]

The hypocritical, selective indignation about police actions here never fails to amaze...if the police are seen to not enforce the law to AN posters satisfaction they are vilified, if they do enforce the law they are vilified just as much!   RTP can never win with so many blowhard Asean Now members.

[Liverpool Lou]

20 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

20 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Best that you check all your questions with the Motor Vehicle Act...I'm sure that you can get the answers to your own questions yourself.

 

So you are not sure ?

 

I asked you because you seem very knowledgable about this.

IF you are stating your comment are factual and not just an assumption, I'll take your word for it... you are not known for BS'ing on this forum.

I am 100% sure that to drive a taxi/tuk tuk in Thailand, legally, a public service vehicle licence is required.  That is a fact. 

I am not sure about the answer to the other hypothetical questions that you asked regarding holidays and private use that I did not comment on.

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

The hypocritical, selective indignation about police actions here never fails to amaze...if the police are seen to not enforce the law to AN posters satisfaction they are vilified, if they do enforce the law they are vilified just as much!   RTP can never win with so many blowhard Asean Now members.

 

I think its more to do with 'low hanging fruit'...       While scores of motorcyclists pass by without helmets, lengths have been taken to charge a lady for letting a foreigner driver her TukTuk....

 

This so-called “selective indignation” is often a reaction to a style of policing that appears to do the bare minimum overall. It is precisely this approach, rigorously and publicly enforcing minor infractions while blatantly so commonly overlooking more serious breaches, it is this which  provokes such criticism and it is this aspect which you have deliberately ignored. 

 

 

[ujayujay]

.....sparking a heated online debate

[digger70]

2 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Wouldn't one think that his home country licence would not be a Thai public service vehicle licence?!

Shouldn't matter much just driving the Tuk Tuk  it's just a motorcar if there no Passengers are on board.

Making a Drama out of Nothing  . Worse than kids.  😇

[Liverpool Lou]

8 hours ago, digger70 said:

10 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Wouldn't one think that his home country licence would not be a Thai public service vehicle licence?!

Shouldn't matter much just driving the Tuk Tuk  it's just a motorcar if there no Passengers are on board.

"...it's just a motorcar if there no Passengers are on board".

Not if it is registered as a public service vehicle, it isn't; the purpose of the vehicle doesn't change if it is carrying no passengers, the driver is a passenger in the vehicle.  

[digger70]

7 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

"...it's just a motorcar if there no Passengers are on board".

Not if it is registered as a public service vehicle, it isn't; the purpose of the vehicle doesn't change if it is carrying no passengers, the driver is a passenger in the vehicle.  

Your opinion .Not mine .

[kiwikeith]

On 2/22/2025 at 5:22 PM, Lazybones said:

Some time ago, after a nine hour flight, i caught a taxi from the airport to Morchit. On the way the driver asked where i was headed and when told, he offered to drive me 360k to my home. About 50k out he stopped to buy some tonic to keep awake. The 3rd time he did this, after nearly falling asleep, I offered to drive which he accepted. So I drove his taxi 300k home!

if you hadn't you probably would be brown bread.

 

[Eaglekott]

On 2/22/2025 at 8:06 AM, Classic Ray said:

All the tuk tuks in Bangkok have three wheels, is this a special breed in Phuket?

 

On 2/22/2025 at 2:03 PM, richard_smith237 said:

 

No... its still a TukTuk.....    

 

.... TukTuk is just the name for that type of small transport... 

 

They can be 3 or 4 wheeled and vary throughout Thailand. 

 

 

I have to agree with Classic Ray, I have been taught that the 1st Picture is a TukTuk, and the lower two is called  "Song teaw, sɔ̌ɔng-tɛ̌ɛo" (Two row) สองแถว.

 

 

[richard_smith237]

2 hours ago, Eaglekott said:

On 2/22/2025 at 8:06 AM, Classic Ray said:

All the tuk tuks in Bangkok have three wheels, is this a special breed in Phuket?

 

On 2/22/2025 at 2:03 PM, richard_smith237 said:

 

No... its still a TukTuk.....    

 

.... TukTuk is just the name for that type of small transport... 

 

They can be 3 or 4 wheeled and vary throughout Thailand. 

 

 

I have to agree with Classic Ray, I have been taught that the 1st Picture is a TukTuk, and the lower two is called  "Song teaw, sɔ̌ɔng-tɛ̌ɛo" (Two row) สองแถว.

 

Look at many cities and towns around Thailand see what the locals call them... 

 

If in any town in Thailand ask someone (a local or the hotel etc) to get you a TukTuk... 

- You will get either the small 3 wheeled or 4 wheeled variety, depending on where you are

 

If in any town in Thailand ask someone (a local or the hotel etc) to get you a Song Thaew

- You will get the larger pickup variant... you will never get the smaller type.

 

Thus

- Song Thaew while while transliterating to two rows, also means the larger pickup based vehicle.

- TukTuk, traditionally meaning the PutPut noise made by the three wheeled rick-shaw type model is now widely accepted to mean any of the smaller forms of inner town or city transport, and can be 3 or 4 wheeled (it just depends on the area you are in)....

 

Photo below - All are TukTuks... 

 

 

 

 

[Eaglekott]

Being here for 20 years I can not remember a single local call those a Tuk-Tuk, Mini bus or Taxi I have heard, but never called a Tuk-Tuk as far as I can remember.  Ok I'm Usually not that often in very touristy places... I also asked my Thai wife if those were tuk-tuk, and she said No, Mini Bus.

 

When I ask for a Picture of a tuk-tuk this is what I get:

 

[richard_smith237]

5 minutes ago, Eaglekott said:

When I ask for a Picture of a tuk-tuk this is what I get:

 

Google - TukTuk Phuket / TukTuk Krabi / TukTuk Songkhla / TukTuk HatYai

 

OR... just look at the Article itself (this thread) and see what Authorities themselves have called a TukTuk... 

 

Then google TukTuk Trang and you'll get something that looks different again (a three wheeled TukTuk, but the drivers cabin has doors).

 

We could go around in circles - you'll just have to find out for yourself what the locals call them....

 

In reality - a TukTuk now means a small means of tranasport, smaller than a Songthaew,  non a Taxi, not a samlor (motorcycle with side car)...   and there are many variants... 

 

It doesn't really matter...  if you want to argue only 'one specific variant' is a TukTuk......  fill your boots... after you've been here longer you'll be able to identify how the 'lines a always burred'... 

 

 

[Eaglekott]

I still go with Cambridge description of a TukTuk  (And Wikipedia)

I think they simply call the small busses for TukTuk, so tourists understand what they mean.