Thai Government To Help Motorcycle Taxis

[webfact]

Government to Help Motorcycle Taxis

The government says it is considering addressing the issue of motorcycle taxis, claiming the drivers have been marginalized by the government for ages.

Prime Minister's Office Minister Satit Wongnongtaey stated that the government is considering a big project that would affect around 300,000 motorcycle taxi drivers across the nation in a bid to take care of their welfare and tackle mafias.

According to statistics, only 60 percent of motorcycle taxis in Bangkok are registered.

He explained that a previous project implemented in 2005 was never fully put into affect.

For this reason, motorcycle taxi drivers still face a wide range of problems with laws, financing firms, informal debt and fees.

Satit added that the government is sincere in wanting to deal with these problems and has vowed to hold an official seminar aimed at assisting motorcycle taxi drivers and improving their work environment by offering welfare among other aides.

He went on to say that motorcycle taxi chauffeurs have also been used as a political ploy.

-- Tan Network 2010-09-06

[Cuban]

Help them get driving licences and insurance.

[Hardback]

Help them get driving licences and insurance.

The lads on my soi seem to require a lot of Hong Tong. Booze is expensive and it's sad to see these guys struggling to get by and scraping the barrel so they can get hammered before lunchtime.

[sausageandmash]

Why help them?

They are dangerous and a pain in the ass when you try and drive down any soi. They think they own the roads just because they are working.

Ban them I say.

Help them get driving licences and insurance.

[peacefulwarrior]

Help them get driving licences and insurance.

YaddaYadda,

the problems they face are corrupt police who tries always to get a cut of what they can. Maybe it's more of a repatriation effort, coz like 99% of taxi guys I know are red shirts... the ones to be 'taken care of'. Ah and fees for licenses and the bribes for making them in the 'quick row' behind the office. Tell me... are the guys still getting you the "one day Visa" in Vientiane for a mere 3000+ Baht?

"Today the government has abolished all corruption and went to jail."

- That would be some headlie of the day

[ratcatcher]

Motorcycle taxis are a vital transportation link in this country, especially the bigger cities.

Most have come from the northeast and have usually associated themselves with Thaksin and the Red Shirt movement. If this present government can make their working conditions better, help them financially in some way, I am sure many will,in time, come to realize the government isn't all that bad. They could be a valuable ally.

[Colabamumbai]

Help them get driving licences and insurance.

The lads on my soi seem to require a lot of Hong Tong. Booze is expensive and it's sad to see these guys struggling to get by and scraping the barrel so they can get hammered before lunchtime.

Had 5 of them today pass the map between them none could see the Electricity building or read Thai or understand the words Dtok Fai. Yeah give them subsidies so the wont ask foreigners 2x the price they charge Thais or cut their numbers in half so they will appreciate the business they get.

[Colabamumbai]

Help them get driving licences and insurance.

YaddaYadda,

the problems they face are corrupt police who tries always to get a cut of what they can. Maybe it's more of a repatriation effort, coz like 99% of taxi guys I know are red shirts... the ones to be 'taken care of'. Ah and fees for licenses and the bribes for making them in the 'quick row' behind the office. Tell me... are the guys still getting you the "one day Visa" in Vientiane for a mere 3000+ Baht?

"Today the government has abolished all corruption and went to jail."

- That would be some headlie of the day

Why are taxi drivers the only people allowed to stop their cars and piss on the side of the road?

[asiawatcher]

Motorcycle taxis are a vital transportation link in this country, especially the bigger cities.

Most have come from the northeast and have usually associated themselves with Thaksin and the Red Shirt movement. If this present government can make their working conditions better, help them financially in some way, I am sure many will,in time, come to realize the government isn't all that bad. They could be a valuable ally.

I would agree - but there needs to be some road sense drummed into them. I have had some really bad experiences on the back of them and wondered how I was not killed.

[TheBarbarian]

At least this is a very transparent policy of the government. Motorcycle taxis are almost all Thaksin supporters. So the government spin doctor does a bit on fact finding and fins that they are marginalized. True. The transport Mafia which is ran by people like newin, Sanoh and Sanan do not like them much around either. The police therefore will extort them for tens of thousands of baht for their numbered shirts. Ask the upstanding boys from thonglor police station.The fact that these people are marginalized can be find in the very same root as why ALL rural people and people who do manual work are marginalized. The root case is corruption. Now it would obviously too bad if corruption had to disappear. After all the police chief is a suspect in the Saudi Jewelry case and mister Abhisit does not share the Saudi opinion that this affects a court case.My question is: Do the government really take motorcycle taxis for imbeciles just because they come from Izan originally? Or do they think that they have a brain of their own?

[chantorn]

motorcycle taxis riders are mostly red-shirt.

[rotary]

Give them all a good ration of 40 degree whiskey and nam daeng!

Help them get driving licences and insurance.

The lads on my soi seem to require a lot of Hong Tong. Booze is expensive and it's sad to see these guys struggling to get by and scraping the barrel so they can get hammered before lunchtime.

[k9inkrabi]

Help them get driving licences and insurance.

What does that mean? Most of them do have driver's licenses and many have insurance, at least on their motorcycles. The taxi mafia that collects every month seem to be their biggest problem.

[TheGhostWithin]

Hello all,

Perhaps by furthering their studies, the Bangkok government could improve Thai business by setting a standard price maximum markup for motorbike taxis and tuk tuks, which do not obviously have meters.

My best friend, who works in a Sukhumvit establishment each night has an arrangement with her tuk tuk driver, where she is picked up and delivered from Ratchada to Sukhumvit for an acute fee in comparison to what we pay.

Educating non-metered modes transportation either to charge the same prices accross the board to customers regardless of their nationality, or introducing a price maximum (per km), which a customer could use as a guideline to get an average fee would boost business for these people and show them that simply increasing prices on farang does not necessarily generate maximum efficiency.

Tackling the Mafia is a good idea, but when these types of ideoligy exists within a group, it will simply become less visible - instead of somone coming to collect each week in a big car, the person in the big car will ask for collections from the "head" driver, who then delivers through to Mr. Mercedes at the end of the day/week/month. Something like the Mafia woker who is the head "union member" running things on the construction site in Jersey..

Does anyone else share this view or have other concerns that this may not necessarily work?

[tropo]

motorcycle taxis riders are mostly red-shirt.

No they are not. Most wear dark green shirts.

[rubl]

At least this is a very transparent policy of the government. Motorcycle taxis are almost all Thaksin supporters. So the government spin doctor does a bit on fact finding and fins that they are marginalized. True. The transport Mafia which is ran by people like newin, Sanoh and Sanan do not like them much around either. The police therefore will extort them for tens of thousands of baht for their numbered shirts. Ask the upstanding boys from thonglor police station.The fact that these people are marginalized can be find in the very same root as why ALL rural people and people who do manual work are marginalized. The root case is corruption. Now it would obviously too bad if corruption had to disappear. After all the police chief is a suspect in the Saudi Jewelry case and mister Abhisit does not share the Saudi opinion that this affects a court case.My question is: Do the government really take motorcycle taxis for imbeciles just because they come from Izan originally? Or do they think that they have a brain of their own?

How come it's always the same people or type of people who immediately jump to the conclusion we have yet another government conspiracy and start throwing around blind accusations in a matter suggesting they know it all. Various statements and assumptions which may or may not be true, but are used as base to accuse others and ask questions.

[Chonburiram]

Why no " Crackdown" on motorcycle taxi scum??

[Thai at Heart]

What?

No government statement about "Thailand to become hub of motorcycle taxis".

This isn't almost a considered plan to tackle a problem? What next?

[Tracechain]

motorcycle taxis riders are mostly red-shirt.

No they are not. Most wear dark green shirts.

I saw one the other day wearing a purple shirt!

[moskito]

Guess the average age of a Phuket Town Motobike Taxi driver is around 60-70. Many times I see these fellows driving in the middle of the street and do not watch the traffic around.

Maybe Thaigovernment can do something for this poor people to stay home and not working their ass off until they die.

[WhisperingJack]

Guess the average age of a Phuket Town Motobike Taxi driver is around 60-70. Many times I see these fellows driving in the middle of the street and do not watch the traffic around.

Maybe Thaigovernment can do something for this poor people to stay home and not working their ass off until they die.

If workers live in a country where they only pay a small tax then they only get a small pension.

If they do not want to pay any tax then they recieve ????? pension.

I am not heartless but you only get out of life what you put into it.

[tomyummer]

What the heck does this mean?

"He went on to say that motorcycle taxi chauffeurs have also been used as a political ploy."

Most motorcycle guys in my soi are 'go lucky, sabai sabai' guys. To me they're darn useful whether picking and dropping me off at home or even buying food with a phone call and picking up the money after delivery. Countless times they've taken me safely to meetings when running late. Most are excellent drivers too. I feel safe as my security guards in my development know them and my neighbors and I know the whole pack of them. And these guys work late. These guys must make bank as I was once told that the orange vests can cost up to 30k. It's like buying rights for the route.

Not sure what the government can do for them, or if it even makes sense to, but kudos to them.

[jackr]

Motorcycle taxis are a vital transportation link in this country, especially the bigger cities.

Most have come from the northeast and have usually associated themselves with Thaksin and the Red Shirt movement. If this present government can make their working conditions better, help them financially in some way, I am sure many will,in time, come to realize the government isn't all that bad. They could be a valuable ally.

I would say useful, not vital. They don't exist in Chiang Mai, it's all tuk-tuks and songthaews.

On the notion of them being Reds that they may eventually get to possibly respect the government through handouts, it don't work that way here I'm afraid. Totally different way of thinking. They'll just take what they can and will continue to think the powers that be are bad/daft/whatever before they think anything else.

Reckon the best they can do is see they get licenses and pay for their time to watch a road safety video. On second thoughts, see above...

[bdenner]

in a bid to take care of their welfare and tackle mafias.

Don't tell me the government is finally admitting that a mafia exists in this industry, I'm thinking Satit Wongnongtaey needs to watch his back!

[mca]

- but there needs to be some road sense drummed into them.

Preferably with a baseball bat.

[CHINWA]

Help them get driving licences and insurance.

Not to mention their ability to disturb every tax payer with their loud bikes 24 hours a day.

[dudeinthailand]

Why help them?

They are dangerous and a pain in the ass when you try and drive down any soi. They think they own the roads just because they are working.

Ban them I say.

Help them get driving licences and insurance.

Maybe you should ask the people that rely on the motorcycle taxis as a vital means of transportation. It is amazing how people will condemn and will say such arrogant statements about things they don't like but don't understand. Take a good look around you and ask yourself if what you said is accurate. Not ALL mc taxies are bad drivers or a bad person or drinks before lunch. In your reasoning I guess all falangs are drunks that hang out at the go-go bars and rape little kids since that is all we read about. Please have a good day.

[Araxav]

Why help them?

They are dangerous and a pain in the ass when you try and drive down any soi. They think they own the roads just because they are working.

Ban them I say.

Help them get driving licences and insurance.

Yeah Ban them. Let's put more cars on the streets, that is a smart idea. These guys are an important part of transportation, at least in Bangkok as I have not really lived anywhere else in Thailand. Most of them are nice guys and are very helpful, if not necessary. It would be alot better if all the idiots queing up in their cars for hours in the city center would simply take a moto taxi to the nearest BTS station. I do not ignore the fact that some of them are reckless on the road but that is not a reason to say "Ban them all". Or then let's ban taxi drivers too, and busses and any other cars for that matter.

[slapout]

As far as a ban goes, if they were banned from the footpath/sidewalks to the streets, it would be a good start. This group is no different than any other, there are good and not so good, and then those who are a downright menace to pedestrians, traffic, and society.

Personally, I would not hop on the back of those things if they paid me. Those that do, I just hope your accident insurance is paid up.

[jayjay0]

Motorcycle taxis are a vital transportation link in this country, especially the bigger cities.

Most have come from the northeast and have usually associated themselves with Thaksin and the Red Shirt movement. If this present government can make their working conditions better, help them financially in some way, I am sure many will,in time, come to realize the government isn't all that bad. They could be a valuable ally.

For the life of me I can not figure out why they came to Bangkok when Thaksin was doing so much for them.