TAXI

Taxi complaint hotline buzzing

The Nation

File photo

BANGKOK: -- The Land Transport Department has received more complaints about taxi drivers refusing to take on passengers after it became an offence punishable by arrest since September 1.

"Over the past three days, the department received 60 such complaints. There are also 11 complaints about taxi drivers dropping passengers off midway," Pol LtColonel Prasopchok Iampinij said yesterday.

He is an inspector at the Traffic Police Division, which is preparing to launch the www.thaitrafficpolice.com website to record the warnings that have been issued so far.

"After three warnings, the driver will be fined," Deputy Metropolitan Police Commissioner MajGeneral Worasak Nopsittiporn said.

-- The Nation 2012-09-05

3 warnings, are these warnings recorded on a data base so that the authorities can check that they have been warned before or do they simply ask the driver how many prior warnings he has recieved?

"Over the past three days, the department received 60 such complaints. There are also 11 complaints about taxi drivers dropping passengers off midway,"

So out of tens and tens of thousands of taxi rides every day there has been this avalanche of complaints? An entire 60 in 3 days.

Talk about a slow news day.

3 warnings, are these warnings recorded on a data base so that the authorities can check that they have been warned before or do they simply ask the driver how many prior warnings he has recieved?

Logically you would assume a database, but the entire campaign might just be hot air.

3 warnings, are these warnings recorded on a data base so that the authorities can check that they have been warned before or do they simply ask the driver how many prior warnings he has recieved?

Logically you would assume a database, but the entire campaign might just be hot air.

Yes logical but TIT

Yesterday was at Pratunam and had 3 straight taxis refuse to take us to out condo

Next time I am going to take a camera to get the taxi ID and license plate

It helps to just take note of the plate number, or even write it down, as the taxi approaches.

Make sure when you hail a taxi to open the rear door opposite the driver to tell him your destination...when he refuses leave that door

wide open so he has to get off his ARSE get out of the cab and close the rear door himself.

Complete mystery to me what the purpose of 3 warnings is. The rules about refusing fares etc. are clear and have additionally been publicised as part of this campaign.

I hope that many more people actually take the time to report rule violations by the taxis, while the authorities are finally paying attention. 60 complaints seems just a tiny fraction of the actual number of incidents.

If we, the customers, don't use the short attention span of the government to make ourselves heard, we only have ourselves to blame if the the situation doesn't improve.

Make sure when you hail a taxi to open the rear door opposite the driver to tell him your destination...when he refuses leave that door

wide open so he has to get off his ARSE get out of the cab and close the rear door himself.

How very clever..............and juvenile.

I suppose you'd report him if he was enjoying a can of leo on a hot day, waiting for a fare.

Yesterday was at Pratunam and had 3 straight taxis refuse to take us to out condo

Next time I am going to take a camera to get the taxi ID and license plate

Oh dear.

Hope you didn't have to walk there, did you ??

Yesterday was at Pratunam and had 3 straight taxis refuse to take us to out condo

Next time I am going to take a camera to get the taxi ID and license plate

Better be careful. Most taxi drivers are nice fellows, but there are a few of them out there ..........

Yesterday was at Pratunam and had 3 straight taxis refuse to take us to out condo

Next time I am going to take a camera to get the taxi ID and license plate

Must be one of the extremely few who doesn't have a camera in the mobile!

One complaint should be sufficient for both an arrest and the fine should be 1000 Baht.

A second offense should be the suspension of his license for 6 months plus a fine 3000 baht. if he the driver gets caught on a 3rd offense,

the fine should be 5000 baht, suspension license for 1 year, and 6 months jail time.

It would be nice to witness thru a video phone an actual arrest being made by a copper.

In addition to that people with mofbile phone cams should snap a photo of the offending taxi driver the first time along with the license plate

and send it in to the coppers.

I personally avoid Taxis like the Plague...If you can't go any where without the use of the skytrain, subway or public bus transportation, then

your in sad shape.

There are exceptions for sure..

The best thing to do is to make good friends with one or two taxi drivers, get their mobile numbers and only use them, and don't forget to

u tip them. It may cost you a bit more, but you will infact be treated fairly and you will not get SCREWED AROUND nor will you get the

tourist route.

All you need is 2 taxi drivers to use all the time; no exceptions and they will pick you up.

Philw...nope didn't have to walk at all...took a motorcycle taxi long time thai friend which is also a drinking buddy who was passing by that location.

"Over the past three days, the department received 60 such complaints. There are also 11 complaints about taxi drivers dropping passengers off midway,"

So out of tens and tens of thousands of taxi rides every day there has been this avalanche of complaints? An entire 60 in 3 days.

Talk about a slow news day.

I would rather complain about those police motorcycles that ride around without helmets and on their phones in the middle of traffic...or how about those cops in their police booths watching their thai tv crap while everyone is waiting for them to turn on the green light and when they do, its just 3 seconds and then back to red...or how about the police drinking in their booths on thursday nights??? how many more? i went to the website, but its all in thai...dont know if it will be useful for me to write anything...

Glad I'm not a taxi driver having to deal with passengers with your mind set, jerrysteve........

They have my sympathy.

Edited September 5, 201213 yr by philw

60 calls in 3 days.

Hardly mcdelivery is it.

Yesterday was at Pratunam and had 3 straight taxis refuse to take us to out condo

Next time I am going to take a camera to get the taxi ID and license plate

Be careful.. A thai man got the bajesus kicked out of him near makasan doing that. It sounded like he was instigating a little.. Maybe don't make it so obvious what you are doing.

I don't understand how this campaign is going to work? The taxi's can make up excuses for not picking up the passengers. Not enough fuel, turning the car in, and not turning the car in late. If they just use one of those excuses they can't get warned or fined. Just a waste of time.

There are so many cabs in Bkk why bother complaining, its gotta be quicker to just grab another cab than go thro the hassle of complaint and reporting.

Make sure when you hail a taxi to open the rear door opposite the driver to tell him your destination...when he refuses leave that door

wide open so he has to get off his ARSE get out of the cab and close the rear door himself.

How very clever..............and juvenile.

I suppose you'd report him if he was enjoying a can of leo on a hot day, waiting for a fare.

Bah, whingers. You at least have access to a taxi with a quasi meter. Come to Phuket and see what its like to be subject to mobsters.

I envy you folks. Until you experience the filth that is Patong's taxi/tuk tuk, you will never appreciate how fortunate you are. At least your drivers don't pull guns on you or threaten you.

Come to Phuket and see what its like to be subject to mobsters.

No thanks.

It helps to just take note of the plate number, or even write it down, as the taxi approaches.

It helps to just take note of the plate number, or even write it down, as the taxi approaches.

Like Train Spotters then.

So you get 3 warnings then prosecuted (fined) on the 4th offence. Sounds ok in theory but actually charging someone may be more difficult. 4 people ring the hotline and complain about a particular driver and he is issued a fine fair enough. What happens if that driver elects to fight the fine in court? The prosecution will then need all 4 complainants to make a statement and actually give evidence in court as to his identity. You can't prosecute on hearsay and will they all be willing to give evidence against a member of the taxi mafia?

off topic -

Taxi drivers in Melbourne fight every penalty notice they recieve. In court the magistrate doesn't have the power to take demerit points so even if they lose they pay the fine,they get a history recorded which you don't with a penalty notice and keep thier points thus keep thier licence.

Edited September 5, 201213 yr by chooka

So you get 3 warnings then prosecuted (fined) on the 4th offence. Sounds ok in theory but actually charging someone may be more difficult. 4 people ring the hotline and complain about a particular driver and he is issued a fine fair enough. What happens if that driver elects to fight the fine in court? The prosecution will then need all 4 complainants to make a statement and actually give evidence in court as to his identity. You can't prosecute on hearsay and will they all be willing to give evidence against a member of the taxi mafia?

off topic -

Taxi drivers in Melbourne fight every penalty notice they recieve. In court the magistrate doesn't have the power to take demerit points so even if they lose they pay the fine,they get a history recorded which you don't with a penalty notice and keep thier points thus keep thier licence.

Of course it won't work. Thailand write thousands of well meaning laws with no intention of enforcement every year.

Make sure when you hail a taxi to open the rear door opposite the driver to tell him your destination...when he refuses leave that door

wide open so he has to get off his ARSE get out of the cab and close the rear door himself.

How very clever..............and juvenile.

I suppose you'd report him if he was enjoying a can of leo on a hot day, waiting for a fare.

Wouldn't report him but wouldn't ride with him either.

David

3 warnings, are these warnings recorded on a data base so that the authorities can check that they have been warned before or do they simply ask the driver how many prior warnings he has recieved?

Logically you would assume a database, but the entire campaign might just be hot air.

He is an inspector at the Traffic Police Division, which is preparing to launch the www.thaitrafficpolice.com website to record the warnings that have been issued so far.

"Over the past three days, the department received 60 such complaints. There are also 11 complaints about taxi drivers dropping passengers off midway,"

So out of tens and tens of thousands of taxi rides every day there has been this avalanche of complaints? An entire 60 in 3 days.

Talk about a slow news day.

The other 400000 couldnt get thru..................they only have 1 line, and the other 14000000 know its a waste of time

Make sure when you hail a taxi to open the rear door opposite the driver to tell him your destination...when he refuses leave that door

wide open so he has to get off his ARSE get out of the cab and close the rear door himself.

How very clever..............and juvenile.

I suppose you'd report him if he was enjoying a can of leo on a hot day, waiting for a fare.

nah only after he'd mown down a kid half drunk from his can of Leo....................even then I might not bother I dont want to spoil the land of smiles