Bangkok Motorcycle Taxis Cry For Help After Being Victimized By Mafias

[BigBikeBKK]

Lolz! So the Taxi mafia is trumped by the brown mafia. Brown mafia's got the guns so of course they win. Amazing Thailand; Som nam na.

[Crushdepth]

A few years back I walked around a corner where there is a local stand and blundered into a couple of thugs holding a motorcycle taxi at sword point. He was on his bike, with a thug on either side, handing over a large handful of one-baht coins while one thug held the point of the sword at his side. Broad daylight with other riders watching and people walking past in the street.

[EyesWideOpen]

Those moto-taxi guys make a little over200bta day. They have to pay fortheir bikes and fuel out of that. Tip them a little extra next time!

You have got to be kidding.....Tip for what? A hung over motorcycle taxi guy on a clapped out bike will actually want more more money for a given trip than a new air conditioned car taxi, which makes no sense whatsoever. Unless....... the motorcycle taxi guys are paying so much money to the police mafia they have no choice except to charge insane fees. In which case this would be a perfect example of the leech extracting so much blood that it kills the host.

[saanya]

But they won't block traffic for a week in response to it, -like they do when petrol prices go up in normal rhythm with the rest of the world.

[RichardinBKK]

Dunno, but the numbers don't add up for me. Paying 60k a month means 2,000 a day, which is 100 trips @ 20 baht before you've even started paying your petrol, which means 10 trips an hour during a 10 hour shift, or one every 6 minutes. Unlikely. It's a free world, and a question of economics, if the protection fees were unreasonable and you couldn't make a living fewer would volunteer for this work. I'm not defending the practice, I'm criticising this writer for not running the numbers through his head before blithely quoting.

Yes, your breakdown has value, and is even generous since the writer assumed no days off, no days when it rains so hard there is no demand, and no days where the bike is in for repair. I believe there is an extra Zero in this story. More like, 100-200 baht per day. 3,000 - 6,000 per month. Times 100,000 riders is still a tidy sum indeed.

[OzMick]

Why would Chalerm even bring up the topic? It just highlights the ineptitude of the police under the new chief, which he so vigorously pushed into office. Doesn't make much sense, this one he can't spin around and make the previous governement look bad (without actually solving the problem), or do I miss something?

You missed something - a different Chalerm.

Is there any such thing as an "official" m/c taxi queue? Or is it just a group of thugs deciding this is a good spot for customers outside your shop/business/home and tough tit if you don't like it? Is the complaint about a few riders waiting around the corner from the official queue just one mafia bitching about competition (and extortion from another mafia)?

[Oli23]

One side which hide another one... I don't tink that the corruption will end in this country as all levels are touched. Noone want the end of it. As said someone before here, it's a fight between mafias.

[OzMick]

Dunno, but the numbers don't add up for me. Paying 60k a month means 2,000 a day, which is 100 trips @ 20 baht before you've even started paying your petrol, which means 10 trips an hour during a 10 hour shift, or one every 6 minutes. Unlikely. It's a free world, and a question of economics, if the protection fees were unreasonable and you couldn't make a living fewer would volunteer for this work. I'm not defending the practice, I'm criticising this writer for not running the numbers through his head before blithely quoting.

Yes, your breakdown has value, and is even generous since the writer assumed no days off, no days when it rains so hard there is no demand, and no days where the bike is in for repair. I believe there is an extra Zero in this story. More like, 100-200 baht per day. 3,000 - 6,000 per month. Times 100,000 riders is still a tidy sum indeed.

We have a couple of taxi riders happy to rent a bike for B100/day while their bike is in for maintenance.

NB 200,000 per OP

[thaihome]

Thais should be having a political movement such as in India where there have been demonstrations against corruption-putting pressure on government officials. (and bringing out this topic to the public --hard to turn your head when there are thousands in the streets demonstrating against corruption).

There was, but it got sidetracked into faction politics and lost the focus.

TH

[spidermike007]

Sounds like the association needs to start figuring out a way to remove fingers from the goombah that make the threats. For every threat made, a digit is lost. Break out the baggies baby!

[teetersb]

mafia = red shirts... funny that this is not actually mentioned in the article. As it comes from TAN, if there were even a hint that the extortion was coming from the red shirts, TAN would have found a way to paraphrase it into the article (even if it is a translation).

The only indication of who the extortionists are is the statement regarding the military and the politicians.

As for me, it is good to see more exposure of corruption. When corruption is pervasive, it is hard to deal with. People need courage to step forward and take a stand.

I personally really appreciate the service that the motorbike taxis provide. It is not a great job, and I hope that they are successful in fighting this problem.

I thought the OP said this was "Translated from www.khaosod.co.th"? Is Khaosod part of TAN? I don't know much about Khaosod, except that it's another sensationalist news source.

[Sailfish1]

I thought the motorcycle taxi drivers were a mafia too. With 200,000 taxis in the association, they have a large force to battle the other mafia extorting money from them.

[RichardinBKK]

Dunno, but the numbers don't add up for me. Paying 60k a month means 2,000 a day, which is 100 trips @ 20 baht before you've even started paying your petrol, which means 10 trips an hour during a 10 hour shift, or one every 6 minutes. Unlikely. It's a free world, and a question of economics, if the protection fees were unreasonable and you couldn't make a living fewer would volunteer for this work. I'm not defending the practice, I'm criticising this writer for not running the numbers through his head before blithely quoting.

Yes, your breakdown has value, and is even generous since the writer assumed no days off, no days when it rains so hard there is no demand, and no days where the bike is in for repair. I believe there is an extra Zero in this story. More like, 100-200 baht per day. 3,000 - 6,000 per month. Times 100,000 riders is still a tidy sum indeed.

We have a couple of taxi riders happy to rent a bike for B100/day while their bike is in for maintenance.

NB 200,000 per OP

And my sister in law has a wonderful recipe for sweet potato pie... you point is?

We are saying that guessing 60,000 is ten times higher than what makes sense..

What the gentleman was saying is you can't get blood from a stone.

No rider can fund 60,000 baht and continue.

So he is saying "do the math...." and he did a good job of it.

Are you suggesting that because they can rent a bike and work that day, you think a rider can pay 60,000 tea money and go on. Or do you think that perhaps a 100-200 baht "contribution" per day is closer to reality?

[Oli23]

Hmmmm.....As I recall one of Thaksin's promises during his rule was to rid the motorcycle taxi guys of having to pay money to the police mafia. Guess that promise went by the wayside......

In fact, Thaksin put a law that any motorcycle drive must go the a government office to get his jacket.... For many you see in the street, the mafias went to buy the jackets and rent them to the drivers. Most of them coming from country side, and doesn't have choice that follow mafia rules... as most of low/poor people. No politic for this generation will change a thing

[SICHONSTEVE]

Hmmmm.....As I recall one of Thaksin's promises during his rule was to rid the motorcycle taxi guys of having to pay money to the police mafia. Guess that promise went by the wayside......

Just like all the others.........perhaps the Thai people will soon realise who and what Thaksin is and REALLY stands for - or...... having seen those dopey brainless ladies wearing their red attire and waving their little 'Thaksin flags' perhaps they won't.

As they say "once an idiot always an idiot" how appropriate this is in this case"!!!!!!.

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

Didn't they do an ABAC poll or something several months ago that was posted here? It said that something like 70% of Thais thought corruption was good as long as you can benefit from it? As long as the majority feels that corruption and extortion are ok until it affects them negatively, they will never have a voice or a chance to get rid of this scourge.

Every Thai is robbed of at least 30% of what the Government should be providing for them because of corruption from the top down, but they still hope that one day they can extort money from another Thai (or more likely a Farang) so they put up with it. Unfortunately several other posters are correct when they say Karma is a wonderful thing.

[Tawai]

Those moto-taxi guys make a little over200bta day. They have to pay fortheir bikes and fuel out of that. Tip them a little extra next time!

You must be kidding! They charge an arm and a leg for a few minutes ride. Their fault if they choose a place where waiting for next turn is more than an hour.

[geriatrickid]

Forget tablets for kids, forget 'one-man' national reconciliation bills, and so called 'vice suppression' in Bangkok, even forget arguing about the constitution for a bit.

The way that everyday, normal Thai people are cheated, conned and plain out robbed by organised criminals is a national disgrace. Meanwhile the crooks get richer and the 'authorities' are happy to stand by idly, if not profit from the extortion.

This is something that the Yingluck government should treat as a top priority, not just for the taxi drivers but for Thais in all walks of life. Doing so might just lead to deserved land-slide wins in years to come. It shouldn't even cost very much- just sack and prosecute every police officer who would rather accept money than do their job, which after all is to serve the public.

You missed an important part of the statement;

According to Chalerm, these mafia represent high ranking members of the armed forces or local and national politicians, depending on which area of the city the cue is located.

BMA is for the most part Democrat party turf. ( If the complaint was made in Chiang Mai, I'd say look to the PTP politicians, in case anyone thinks I'm being prejudiced.)

)Just how would the current civilian government take on high ranking members of the armed forces when the armed forces are of the view that the civilian government has no authority over them? Any attempt to clip the wings of the military would most likely result in a coup. In effect, you have the civilian government also being extorted. If you want a democratically elected government, then it must also pay protection to the bloated military.

[waza]

Over the preceeding decade weak centralised government has let Thai special interest groups act with impunity, showing that Thailand isnt governed by the rule of law but by the law of the jungle. This is another example, there will be no punishment of the guilty parties or resolution of the issue, at best a momentary truce. The old warlords are challenged by the new organisations in a struggle for control and profit. The national interest has given way to self interest, nothing is sacred and the result is tearing Thai social fabric apart. It will keep getting worse, remember without conflict there is no progress or change .

[tragickingdom]

Nothing new under the sun. These boys are paying shiploads of money since they are in existence. The police, the army or other upstanding members from the community who like to think about themselves as the "elite" but who are in reality scum are into the game. Everybody seems powerless. Only a real change in mentality and when the motor boys dare to organize themselves and beat up the collectors big time something might happen.

[jimbeam1]

Dunno, but the numbers don't add up for me. Paying 60k a month means 2,000 a day, which is 100 trips @ 20 baht before you've even started paying your petrol, which means 10 trips an hour during a 10 hour shift, or one every 6 minutes. Unlikely. It's a free world, and a question of economics, if the protection fees were unreasonable and you couldn't make a living fewer would volunteer for this work. I'm not defending the practice, I'm criticising this writer for not running the numbers through his head before blithely quoting.

Yes, your breakdown has value, and is even generous since the writer assumed no days off, no days when it rains so hard there is no demand, and no days where the bike is in for repair. I believe there is an extra Zero in this story. More like, 100-200 baht per day. 3,000 - 6,000 per month. Times 100,000 riders is still a tidy sum indeed.

We have a couple of taxi riders happy to rent a bike for B100/day while their bike is in for maintenance.

NB 200,000 per OP

And my sister in law has a wonderful recipe for sweet potato pie... you point is?

We are saying that guessing 60,000 is ten times higher than what makes sense..

What the gentleman was saying is you can't get blood from a stone.

No rider can fund 60,000 baht and continue.

So he is saying "do the math...." and he did a good job of it.

Are you suggesting that because they can rent a bike and work that day, you think a rider can pay 60,000 tea money and go on. Or do you think that perhaps a 100-200 baht "contribution" per day is closer to reality?

Chalerm claims that this group has been forced to pay protection fees of up to 40,000 to 60,000 baht a month. Each motorcycle cue is extorted for different amounts of money by local and national mafias.

Hmm I think you need to read the OP again. Especially where it says (group) & (cue)

I will agree, it is not very plain.

jb1

Edited February 1, 2012 by jimbeam1

[Heimdallr]

Disgusting, not surprising, behavior on behalf of the collectors. For this to emerge as an issue at this point of time indicates that the situation has gotten worse. How else are they supposed to earn back the money they spent on "campaigning"?

[moe666]

I know a tuk-tuk driver here in Chiang mai he worked as a motorcycle taxi driver in Bangkok until he got sideways with the owner of the company. he was doing the bosses sister and wouldn't marry her, and as he said one man cannot fight 100 I move to Chiang Mai. It would appear some of these drivers are working for a company from whom the rent there vest and motorcycle.

I would wonder how this fits in the equastion of the mafias extorting the drivers.

[siam2007]

Those moto-taxi guys make a little over200bta day. They have to pay fortheir bikes and fuel out of that. Tip them a little extra next time!

so the Mafia can even extortionate more from them......

[TomOT]

Hmmmm.....As I recall one of Thaksin's promises during his rule was to rid the motorcycle taxi guys of having to pay money to the police mafia. Guess that promise went by the wayside......

No, they moved Taksin to out of way. Big job took lots and lots of money, they must make it back.

[blackthorn2005]

I thought the they were the mafia!

They certainly act that way.

Mafia attacks mafia is how it should be. That way the public are left out of it.

Why would anyone want the name 'Chalerm'?

They are part of the MAFIA in Phuket!

[longtom]

Forget tablets for kids, forget 'one-man' national reconciliation bills, and so called 'vice suppression' in Bangkok, even forget arguing about the constitution for a bit.

The way that everyday, normal Thai people are cheated, conned and plain out robbed by organised criminals is a national disgrace. Meanwhile the crooks get richer and the 'authorities' are happy to stand by idly, if not profit from the extortion.

This is something that the Yingluck government should treat as a top priority, not just for the taxi drivers but for Thais in all walks of life. Doing so might just lead to deserved land-slide wins in years to come. It shouldn't even cost very much- just sack and prosecute every police officer who would rather accept money than do their job, which after all is to serve the public.

You missed an important part of the statement;

According to Chalerm, these mafia represent high ranking members of the armed forces or local and national politicians, depending on which area of the city the cue is located.

BMA is for the most part Democrat party turf. ( If the complaint was made in Chiang Mai, I'd say look to the PTP politicians, in case anyone thinks I'm being prejudiced.)

)Just how would the current civilian government take on high ranking members of the armed forces when the armed forces are of the view that the civilian government has no authority over them? Any attempt to clip the wings of the military would most likely result in a coup. In effect, you have the civilian government also being extorted. If you want a democratically elected government, then it must also pay protection to the bloated military.

And why on earth would you take a statement of Chalerm for the truth?

[tlansford]

Why would Chalerm even bring up the topic? It just highlights the ineptitude of the police under the new chief, which he so vigorously pushed into office. Doesn't make much sense, this one he can't spin around and make the previous governement look bad (without actually solving the problem), or do I miss something?

You missed something - a different Chalerm.

Is there any such thing as an "official" m/c taxi queue? Or is it just a group of thugs deciding this is a good spot for customers outside your shop/business/home and tough tit if you don't like it? Is the complaint about a few riders waiting around the corner from the official queue just one mafia bitching about competition (and extortion from another mafia)?

yes, there are designated spots for the motorbike taxis, and no, they are not "thugs", but guys trying to make a living...

[tlansford]

Those moto-taxi guys make a little over200bta day. They have to pay fortheir bikes and fuel out of that. Tip them a little extra next time!

You must be kidding! They charge an arm and a leg for a few minutes ride. Their fault if they choose a place where waiting for next turn is more than an hour.

Depending on where you are and where you are going, your choices often amount to paying 40-50 bhat for a couple of minutes on a motorbike, walking 15-20 minutes in the heat, or sitting in a (nearly) stationary A/C meter taxi for 45 minutes.

In a case like that, I take the motorbike and appreciate it very much.

[EyesWideOpen]

Forget tablets for kids, forget 'one-man' national reconciliation bills, and so called 'vice suppression' in Bangkok, even forget arguing about the constitution for a bit.

The way that everyday, normal Thai people are cheated, conned and plain out robbed by organised criminals is a national disgrace. Meanwhile the crooks get richer and the 'authorities' are happy to stand by idly, if not profit from the extortion.

This is something that the Yingluck government should treat as a top priority, not just for the taxi drivers but for Thais in all walks of life. Doing so might just lead to deserved land-slide wins in years to come. It shouldn't even cost very much- just sack and prosecute every police officer who would rather accept money than do their job, which after all is to serve the public.

You missed an important part of the statement;

According to Chalerm, these mafia represent high ranking members of the armed forces or local and national politicians, depending on which area of the city the cue is located.

BMA is for the most part Democrat party turf. ( If the complaint was made in Chiang Mai, I'd say look to the PTP politicians, in case anyone thinks I'm being prejudiced.)

)Just how would the current civilian government take on high ranking members of the armed forces when the armed forces are of the view that the civilian government has no authority over them? Any attempt to clip the wings of the military would most likely result in a coup. In effect, you have the civilian government also being extorted. If you want a democratically elected government, then it must also pay protection to the bloated military.

And why on earth would you take a statement of Chalerm for the truth?

It certainly is an odd statement, since when Charlerm was carefully naming the mafia staff members, he seems to have forgotten the police members.