Taxi Operators Launch Drive To Boost Fleet At Phuket Airport

[webfact]

Taxi operators launch drive to boost fleet at Phuket Airport

Phuket Gazette

Sarawut Srisakhukham (left), president of the Mai Khao local administration, reviews the list of taxi drivers aiming to become legal by joining one of the co-operatives that formally serve Phuket International Airport. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

Songtham Mekmanee, president of the Mook Andaman co-operative of taxi drivers, said he added the extra 10 names on the list ‘just in case’. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

PHUKET: -- Three main taxi operators in Phuket have appealed to the provincial transportation committee to allow more vehicles to serve Phuket International Airport.

The news came at a meeting at the airport administrative office on Tuesday called by Phuket Airport Director Prathuang Sornkham.

Representing Airports of Thailand PLC (AOT), which operates Phuket’s key tourism portal, Director Prathuang joined Phuket Vice Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada in hearing the appeal.

Also present were representatives of Phuket Mai Khao Company and Phuket Car Service (PCS) Cooperative, which both hold concessions to provide taxi services at the airport.

Phuket Mai Khao applied to add 40 limousines to its current fleet of 110 vehicles, while PCS, which currently operates 150 taxis plus 30 vans, asked for permission to introduce 65 metered taxis to their fleet.

PCS also asked to have their own counter inside the terminal, which would be dedicated to offering PCS metered taxi services. That request was denied. If the request for the extra 65 metered taxis were approved, the vehicles would have to operate from the existing metered taxi counter already in operation at the airport, the PCS representative was told.

However, much of the expansion of the airport taxi fleet centered around the third operator present at the meeting: Mook Andaman Business & Travel Co-operative Ltd.

Mook Andaman currently – and openly – provides taxi services at the airport despite not having a signed concession with AOT to do so. Its fleet of 136 vehicles maintains a taxi rank on the street in front of the airport, which serves passengers exiting the terminal when there are not enough Phuket Mai Khao or PCS vehicles to cater to demand.

Looking to bring his drivers in from the “cold” – and more likely to avoid the legal consequences of operating an illegal service – Mook Andaman President Songtham Mekmanee presented a list of 60 drivers for the committee to consider including in the current concessions held by the PCS and Phuket Mai Khao co-operatives.

The list of 60, which included details of each driver’s vehicle, was presented after the transportation committee last week agreed to review a list of only 50 candidates, of whom 25 would join the Phuket Mai Khao fleet and the other 25 would join PCS.

The extra 10 names were added “just in case”, Mr Songtham told the committee on Tuesday.

However, Mai Khao OrBorTor President Sarawut Srisakhukham examined the list and found that most of names of the drivers provided were unfamiliar to him.

“I know every single taxi driver who lives in the [Mai Khao] area, and most of the people on this list are not from around here,” Mr Sarawut said, adding that local residents would be given preference in any expansion of the airport taxi fleet.

The list was handed back to Mr Songtham so he could revise it.

“Only local drivers can be on the list,” he was told.

The move by the “big three” follows Phuket Taxi Meter (PTM) Service Co Ltd applying in June to have 30 more taxis join their fleet. PTM currently has 80 metered taxis serving the airport.

That request has yet to be approved.

However, Airport Director Prathuang said that the committee would consider the request by the three operators and look further into its viability.

“We need to review the facts presented,” he said.

The Gazette understands that Mr Prathuang has been given discretion in resolving local grievances at the airport. However, the appeal to allow more airport taxis follows AOT Deputy Director Pratheep Wichittho announcing just last month a freeze in the number of taxis serving Phuket Airport until at least June next year.

Speaking at an inspection tour at the airport, Mr Pratheep explained that the freeze will remain in place while plans for the allocation of business and services under the 5.7-billion-baht expansion project at the key tourism portal are finalized.

“We have hired a consultancy company to research and come up with a model for commercial activities at all [AOT] regional airports,” he said.

Until that research project is completed, no more taxis will be added to the existing fleets, he added.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...port-19457.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-11-16

[KarstenBoAndersen]

Is it an international airport or not !

So can the locals not have any special rights at all, it most be all Thailand !

I not get a damm thing about all this one way system, people around the world talk about CO2 emissions etc. and in Thailand all transport is one way !

Taxis can only pickup at one destination, Tesco trucks can only bring Tesco goods, Double A trucks can only pickup wood etc etc.

Wake up we are in 2012 !

All taxi shall have a meter and be allowed to drive anywhere and pickup passangers anywhere !!

[LivinginKata]

<snip>

Wake up we are in 2012 !

All taxi shall have a meter and be allowed to drive anywhere and pickup passangers anywhere !!

That would be a terrific idea ....

[madmitch]

Unbelievable.

Has anybody ever failed to find a taxi at the airport?

Are they going to leave no room for cars to park?

[NamKangMan]

Phuket has so many meetings, yet nothing ever changes. Nothing is ever implemented.

"Influential people" holding meetings to make sure they keep looking "influential."

Maybe they should have a meeting, about having a meeting, in which something actually gets done at the conclusion of the meeting. :)

[jambco984]

Never had a problem. Its never been over run but can always see 10+ taxis in my experience anyway??

Sent from my GT-N7000B using Thaivisa Connect App

[Shot]

Phuket has so many meetings, yet nothing ever changes. Nothing is ever implemented.

"Influential people" holding meetings to make sure they keep looking "influential."

Maybe they should have a meeting, about having a meeting, in which something actually gets done at the conclusion of the meeting.

Really not much different than my past home in the states.

Problem: Too much dog crap at the local dog park.

City Council: Okay, we have a problem with dog crap at the dog park (who would have guessed?); we need to do something about it. Let’s form a committee and get to the bottom of this dog crap problem.

Who will be on the dog crap committee?

Well, we have to be fair, to all involved, so let’s have some City Counsel members, some people from the neighborhood, and a few people that use the park with the dog crap problem.

Great idea lets have a meeting, and decide who will form the dog crap committee.

A whole lot of dog crap, and 5 weeks later.

We have a list of people for the committee, but two of them are us (city counsel members), so those two members can’t vote on who will be on the dog crap committee. And, two of the others have dogs that are responsible for a lot of the dog crap, so we can’t have them vote either, which leaves only one person to decide who will be on the dog crap committee.

Who?

Me.

Okay me, who do you want on the dog crap committee.

I want Smith, Jones, Obama, Hagar, Martin and Crump.

5 weeks later, it is found that the only person who was eligible to vote had stock in a company that made special dog crap removal tools.

2 years later. There is a man picking up dog crap with a dog crap tool (DCT) also known as a shovel, at a cost of 750.00 USD per pile of crap.

　

　

　

[NamKangMan]

Phuket has so many meetings, yet nothing ever changes. Nothing is ever implemented.

"Influential people" holding meetings to make sure they keep looking "influential."

Maybe they should have a meeting, about having a meeting, in which something actually gets done at the conclusion of the meeting.

Really not much different than my past home in the states.

Problem: Too much dog crap at the local dog park.

City Council: Okay, we have a problem with dog crap at the dog park (who would have guessed?); we need to do something about it. Let’s form a committee and get to the bottom of this dog crap problem.

Who will be on the dog crap committee?

Well, we have to be fair, to all involved, so let’s have some City Counsel members, some people from the neighborhood, and a few people that use the park with the dog crap problem.

Great idea lets have a meeting, and decide who will form the dog crap committee.

A whole lot of dog crap, and 5 weeks later.

We have a list of people for the committee, but two of them are us (city counsel members), so those two members can’t vote on who will be on the dog crap committee. And, two of the others have dogs that are responsible for a lot of the dog crap, so we can’t have them vote either, which leaves only one person to decide who will be on the dog crap committee.

Who?

Me.

Okay me, who do you want on the dog crap committee.

I want Smith, Jones, Obama, Hagar, Martin and Crump.

5 weeks later, it is found that the only person who was eligible to vote had stock in a company that made special dog crap removal tools.

2 years later. There is a man picking up dog crap with a dog crap tool (DCT) also known as a shovel, at a cost of 750.00 USD per pile of crap.

　

　

　

A great post Shot, and I agree with you. My home country is similar, however, using your "local park" in The States as an example is a little different to Thailand's "showcase" holiday island to the world.

For most tourist, the airport taxi is their FIRST dealings with a local in Thailand on their holiday. Not a great look, is it, and the transport issue doesn't get any better throughout their whole holiday.

[jocko]

Phuket has so many meetings, yet nothing ever changes. Nothing is ever implemented.

"Influential people" holding meetings to make sure they keep looking "influential."

Maybe they should have a meeting, about having a meeting, in which something actually gets done at the conclusion of the meeting.

Really not much different than my past home in the states.

Problem: Too much dog crap at the local dog park.

City Council: Okay, we have a problem with dog crap at the dog park (who would have guessed?); we need to do something about it. Let’s form a committee and get to the bottom of this dog crap problem.

Who will be on the dog crap committee?

Well, we have to be fair, to all involved, so let’s have some City Counsel members, some people from the neighborhood, and a few people that use the park with the dog crap problem.

Great idea lets have a meeting, and decide who will form the dog crap committee.

A whole lot of dog crap, and 5 weeks later.

We have a list of people for the committee, but two of them are us (city counsel members), so those two members can’t vote on who will be on the dog crap committee. And, two of the others have dogs that are responsible for a lot of the dog crap, so we can’t have them vote either, which leaves only one person to decide who will be on the dog crap committee.

Who?

Me.

Okay me, who do you want on the dog crap committee.

I want Smith, Jones, Obama, Hagar, Martin and Crump.

5 weeks later, it is found that the only person who was eligible to vote had stock in a company that made special dog crap removal tools.

2 years later. There is a man picking up dog crap with a dog crap tool (DCT) also known as a shovel, at a cost of 750.00 USD per pile of crap.

　

　

　

Pooper scooper.

Great Post

[jocko]

Unbelievable.

Has anybody ever failed to find a taxi at the airport?

Are they going to leave no room for cars to park?

Taxi city as far as the eye can see.

Sometimes i feel i should'nt read about Thai meeting's they just dont get it no matter what the meetings about.

[NamKangMan]

Unbelievable.

Has anybody ever failed to find a taxi at the airport?

Are they going to leave no room for cars to park?

Taxi city as far as the eye can see.

Sometimes i feel i should'nt read about Thai meeting's they just dont get it no matter what the meetings about.

I disagree. They get it alright. It's just about a show of power and who you will have to pay to allow another snout in the trough. Nothing changes for the better, just more of the same crap, but worse.

[Shot]

Phuket has so many meetings, yet nothing ever changes. Nothing is ever implemented.

"Influential people" holding meetings to make sure they keep looking "influential."

Maybe they should have a meeting, about having a meeting, in which something actually gets done at the conclusion of the meeting.

Really not much different than my past home in the states.

Problem: Too much dog crap at the local dog park.

City Council: Okay, we have a problem with dog crap at the dog park (who would have guessed?); we need to do something about it. Let’s form a committee and get to the bottom of this dog crap problem.

Who will be on the dog crap committee?

Well, we have to be fair, to all involved, so let’s have some City Counsel members, some people from the neighborhood, and a few people that use the park with the dog crap problem.

Great idea lets have a meeting, and decide who will form the dog crap committee.

A whole lot of dog crap, and 5 weeks later.

We have a list of people for the committee, but two of them are us (city counsel members), so those two members can’t vote on who will be on the dog crap committee. And, two of the others have dogs that are responsible for a lot of the dog crap, so we can’t have them vote either, which leaves only one person to decide who will be on the dog crap committee.

Who?

Me.

Okay me, who do you want on the dog crap committee.

I want Smith, Jones, Obama, Hagar, Martin and Crump.

5 weeks later, it is found that the only person who was eligible to vote had stock in a company that made special dog crap removal tools.

2 years later. There is a man picking up dog crap with a dog crap tool (DCT) also known as a shovel, at a cost of 750.00 USD per pile of crap.

　

　

　

A great post Shot, and I agree with you. My home country is similar, however, using your "local park" in The States as an example is a little different to Thailand's "showcase" holiday island to the world.

For most tourist, the airport taxi is their FIRST dealings with a local in Thailand on their holiday. Not a great look, is it, and the transport issue doesn't get any better throughout their whole holiday.

Yes, but at the end of the day, politicians and crap are still, politicians and crap.

Edited November 17, 2012 by Shot

[Valentine]

It is all about some local yahoo wanting to control & gain income. If outsiders were allowed in then that control could fade. There are 1,000s of new taxis on the island (yellow stickers everywhere which is really just another money making scheme) so why not let them pick up passengers at the airport. Limos take up most of the parking space already but then again it is not in the interest of the limo operators to have people self drive to the airport. BTW I use the term limo loosely. I normally think of them as larger, clean vehicles with competent drivers who actually care for their passengers.

[JulesMad]

Phuket equals Mafia equals Money

It is REALLY that simple