Crackdown On Cabbies Who Refuse To Take Passengers

[webfact]

Crackdown on cabbies

The Nation

Passengers can take actions against cabbies who refuse to give them a ride.

BANGKOK: -- Cabbies who refuse to take passengers can now be arrested if those affected call the 1197 hotline or visit www.trafficpolice.go.th and provide the taxi's licence plate number, Pol Colonel Weerawit Watjanapukka of the Traffic Police Command said yesterday.

He also said that police would issue warnings for petty traffic violations instead of tickets from September 1.

Those who receive these warnings will face the maximum fine if they repeat the offence, he added.

-- The Nation 2012-08-28

[jackr]

How about a crackdown on not using meters, and then on tuk-tuks for being... annoying, smoke-belching tuk-tuks?

[Thai at Heart]

This paper is infuriating.

WHY all of a sudden is it such a serious offence to refuse a fare? Who decided to change the law? Where are they going to house all of these new inmates?

A fine for a minor offence and jail for refusing a fare???? Someone find this paper some journalists

Edited August 27, 2012 by Thai at Heart

[kurnell]

As usual, nothing will come of this

[Curt1591]

This paper is infuriating.

WHY all of a sudden is it such a serious offence to refuse a fare? Who decided to change the law? Where are they going to house all of these new inmates?

A fine for a minor offence and jail for refusing a fare???? Someone find this paper some journalists

No Change: http://bquot.com/e1n

Once the police actually read the law, they might just go with the fine.

Edited August 27, 2012 by Curt1591

[OxfordWill]

For kicks I am going to give it a go anyway next time I am refused a perfectly reasonable average journey having waiting in the heat or soaking rain for 30 minutes. Especially those ones who don't even bother to say anything and then get really angry when you dont close the door properly.

Edited August 27, 2012 by OxfordWill

[isaanbrit]

What about when you get in in Rangsit and ask to go to Bang Na when the guy has to return his taxi to Klong 3 by 3 o clock or get charged for the extra time?

There are legitimate reasons why they can't take you sometimes, I think. When they are polite about it I don't mind. It'd would be pretty bad to arrest these people - anyone?

[isaanbrit]

In other (related) news - I stopped a taxi in Silom last weekend. I asked him if he'd go to rama IX before noticing that he was slurring his words. I looked down to see an open can of Chang next to him with a straw in it - "actually" I said, "I think I'll stay here!"

lol

[canopy]

This is good news. I was aware refusing a fare was illegal behavior and it seems to be more common now. It's not uncommon to see a taxi swoop to a group of people wanting a taxi, turn them away one by one, then speed off. It usually seems they have time and are looking to optimize their their day somehow. Observing pedestrians it seems for certain destinations getting a taxi to go there is like hunting for a needle in a haystack. It is nice they created such an easy process consumers can use to address this. In my experience, the Bangkok taxi system is excellent save for this issue.

[Steele404]

what about a crackdown on officials who don't take crackdowns seriously

[jcw]

This paper is infuriating.

WHY all of a sudden is it such a serious offence to refuse a fare? Who decided to change the law? Where are they going to house all of these new inmates?

A fine for a minor offence and jail for refusing a fare???? Someone find this paper some journalists

They used to have "western" Jurno's then replaced them all with folks from India and Bangladesh. (Serous)

To save even more money, many of the proof readers are out sourced back in India. Hence, this is why so much just doesn't make sense and is shallow. Some times I am not sure which is more news worth the nation or notthenation.

[saltandpepper]

i want to see how they are going to follow up on this....

Just more tea money

[asiawatcher]

Huh? You mean us Farang don't understand the taxi driver is doing us a favour by allowing us in his cab, sharing his music or red radio propaganda (at full blast) and we get to watch him pick his nose in the rearview mirror as he takes a call from his gik? Such entertainment at such a low price...

And those that refuse to take you just, simply leave the door open and walk away and if you like tell him to 'gin key' (eat sh*t). Anyway, this whole thing is just another way for the BiB to extract more tea money. It will have no impact on anyone other than the taxi drivers pocket, and only if anyone really does make a complaint. What? Pull out your iphone, snap the plate, email it in, yadda yadda yadda...

Edited August 28, 2012 by asiawatcher

[toybits]

Talk is cheap. Won't celebrate until I see this being ENFORCED.

[BeforeTigers]

My Thai friend didn't even know there were regulations on that.

Sometimes in my neighborhood all you can do is open the door, sit down and hand them cash. Only way to get a ride.

[dantilley]

I read on Twitter that refusing to turn on the meter is also an arrest-able offence. Good news if it can be enforced.

Edited August 28, 2012 by dantilley

[Payboy]

Only a matter of time before cabbies are asked to keep their vehicle clean, have all denominations of change handy, get those seat-belts working and actually know a bit of the city roads or read a map.

[steve down under]

BANGKOK: -- Cabbies who refuse to take passengers can now be arrested if those affected call the 1197 hotline or visit www.trafficpolice.go.th and provide the taxi's licence plate number, Pol Colonel Weerawit Watjanapukka of the Traffic Police Command said yesterday.

Thats all well and good saying provide the Taxi's licence plate number but if the person is just yer average tourist how the heck do they do that ?? because if it was me I would be reporting it as Squiggly squiggly Squiggly and a few numbers because I havent the first idea about what those squiggly symbols in the Thai alphabet represent ! at least if I am on a trip to Bali and I have a problem with a Bluebird taxi I can just read the card on the dashboard with the drivers name and number and report it to their office where there is usually competent in english to take the complaint .

Edited August 28, 2012 by soundman
Font.

[jcw]

I agree with Steve Down Under Above.

[uptheos]

If you report the cab you have to give your name and address and be willing to make a statement.

Does anyone here really want an angry Bangkok cab driver knowing who you are?

[smedly]

How about a crackdown on not using meters, and then on tuk-tuks for being... annoying, smoke-belching tuk-tuks?

isn't that what they mean, as I understand the primary reason for refusing a fare is because the customer insisted on the meter

[asdecas]

Ah Thailand, home of the Crackdown! Where would we be without it? In fact, where would the police be without it? Poorer, one supposes.

[Shagz]

How about a crackdown on not using meters, and then on tuk-tuks for being... annoying, smoke-belching tuk-tuks?

haha for sure about the meters but i gotta buy one of them tuk tuks

[xen]

Lets be realistic, you flag down a cab and it is close to his knock off time with another driver wanting the cab, or he hasn't paid the tea money to operate in another area or whatever reason the cabbie has for not taking you and he is forced by law to take you, he will be in a shitty mood and chances are he will be even more dangerous on the roads than waiting for a driver who will willingly take you.There are enough good cabbies who are polite and are reasonable drivers so just find one of them .

[belg]

so instead of fining them an official ticket, they get the usual tea money, correct ?

what is the crazed on ya ba taxi driver comes out with a big knife or asks his friends collegues to come to beat you up, you that were taking a piccie of his cabbie

[Katipo]

For kicks I am going to give it a go anyway next time I am refused a perfectly reasonable average journey having waiting in the heat or soaking rain for 30 minutes. Especially those ones who don't even bother to say anything and then get really angry when you dont close the door properly.

Agree completely. Will get out my phone, take a photo, and then busily send the details to the website above.

If nothing else it will delude me into thinking the driver will get punished and help release my anger.

[ignis]

OK is years ago but this was very annoying, while my house was being build I rented an apartment in Pinklao . from the City would take loads of Taxi's and Tuk Tuks before anyone would take me back,. [most was no licence to go over river !! ?]

Even one time went with a Thai friend to the Grand Palace, Taxi and Tuk tuk refused to go over the river.. that was with a Thai asking... in the end got so fed up would drive my car and park at a friend house just over the river, then never a problem..

Never a problem going into BKK by Taxi from Pinklao

Edited August 28, 2012 by ignis

[Bsd]

I haven't spent much time in Bangkok so I haven't been refused a fare yet, even for a short round the block trip (from the far side of JJ to the BTS with several large bags). Bigger problem is not wanting to use the meter, mostly going to the airport, while the driver's ID isn't even for the correct gender.

Edited August 28, 2012 by Bsd

[terryp]

And when are they going to start recruiting all the New Police that will be required to enforce this idiotic idea

Bottom line they will always have an excuse for the police or a fee payment

Bottom line it should be heavily publicised that any taxi refusing a fare while the red available cab light is on should be reported to a hot line and after a certain number of Confirmed genuine reports the taxi looses its Taxi licence; end of story ...most are rent by the day so the main Taxi OWNERS would soon get pissed with looseing valuable licences

[theoldgit]

Whilst I admit that I find the attitude of, a small number, of taxi drivers anoying, I'm not sure that I want to get into a cab where the driver doesn't want to take you to your destination, but feels obliged to for fear of arrest.

Not that anything is going to change though.

Edited August 28, 2012 by theoldgit