Land Transport Dept To Crack Down On Fare-Cheating Taxi Drivers

[hansnl]

This is about right as it's time for yet another official " crackdown " and no doubt will achieve the " raging success " of all the others

Isnt this place, the hub of crackdowns?

Long time since we had a HUB.

Ergo, he hub of crackdowns.

Crachdowns

Crackups

Cracklefts

Crackrights

[craigt3365]

I have only been to Pattaya about 5 times and can not recall seeing a tuk tuk there. Plenty of Baht buses but to go any where in the town you had to understand there route system. Pretty hard to do if you are only there for four or five days.

I also noticed that a lot of them will only pick you up at certain places. Go right by you even if they were empty.

Roops...sorry. I meant baht buses. We live a few kilos out of town, so can't really use them to get home. You have to negotiate a price with them and it's a pain. Can be anywhere from 300B up to 1000B.

Using their scheduled routes is tough and involves lots of standing around in the rain/hot sun...and it's a slooooow trip.

[hellodolly]

Tips to avoid problems with taxi drivers

MONTHIEN INTHAKET,

TANPISIT LERDBAMRUNGCHAI

THE NATION

Cabbies will be closely monitored, police promise

BANGKOK: -- People who ride in taxis should use technology to protect them from drivers with bad intentions, police say following reports of cabbies attacking passengers, notably women.

The Department of Land Trans-port (DLT) also plans to ask for faster access to the police criminal database when assessing applications for public transport licences. This would help ensure drivers have no criminal record or have not been in prison for at least two years.

Land Transport chief Somchai Siriwattanachok said officials would discuss how they could access the police database and how much detail they can obtain. For cabbies who commit crimes, their public transport licences could be revoked immediately, if the department was given a court order or a police report of a suspect confessing to a crime.

Pol Lt-Colonel Anchulee Theera-wongpaisal, deputy National Police spokeswoman, said police would set up checkpoints to search for weapons and stop taxis more often to see if drivers display clearly their name and licence number.

"Crimes can be prevented by precaution. People, especially women, should study their route so they can get out when they see the taxi taking a detour. If you don't know the way, you shouldn't take a cab, especially at night, as it's too risky. Remember the taxi's registration number from the information card or use your cam phone to take a picture and send it to friends," she said.

National Police spokesman Pol Maj-General Piya Uthayo said: "There are many good cabbies and only a few criminals, so garages should watch out and exchange information among themselves, as well as coordinate with the DLT to apply technologies such as GPS to track taxis, so people are more confident."

Phattheera Kanpakdee, 26, a state employee, said she used cabs a lot when she was a student because her classes ended at 9pm. But now she only takes one when necessary. If she has to hail a cab at night, she asks a friend to go along. She sits behind the driver, reads the taxi's licence plate number and information and even sneaks pictures when the cabbie isn't looking. She never dozes off, always observes the driver's behaviour and chats with friends on the phone about where she is.

Hotel employee Pattama Daeng-sem, 26, said since she left home early - at 4am - to go to work and finishes late, so she opted to travel in commuter vans. Once she was almost molested by a van driver, but managed to stall him by talking and offering valuable items and then discreetly calling her boyfriend to alert police. Since then she has asked for a different shift to go home earlier and has her mum give her a lift to work in the morning.

This is the first in a two-part series, the second of which will be published tomorrow.

-- The Nation 2013-05-08

"The Department of Land Trans-port (DLT) also plans to ask for faster

access to the police criminal database when assessing applications for

public transport licences. This would help ensure drivers have no

criminal record or have not been in prison for at least two years"

Am I missing some thing here So if a person had been in prison three years ago would he not have a criminal record?

"Crimes can be prevented by precaution. People, especially women,

should study their route so they can get out when they see the taxi

taking a detour. If you don't know the way, you shouldn't take a cab,

especially at night, as it's too risky. Remember the taxi's registration

number from the information card or use your cam phone to take a

picture and send it to friends,"

Kind of like saying if you are a first time tourist don't take a taxi. Even second or third time tourist if you are in different parts of the city.

[spidermike007]

No doubt good idea, but what about cracking down on ones who do not use meter at all?

Nope, nothing about Samui taxis...they're allowed to carry on as they like

Samui always has been, and may always be the lawless zone. The police are completely impotent. The taxis, and the mafia thugs own the place. Zero law and order. I costs 350 baht to go 1 kilometer in a mafia taxi. For some reason, the central government has forgotten about the island. Is there any hope for reform, in Samui's future? Many of us think not.

[Bob12345]

He also urged passengers to avoid using the services of cabs equipped with smaller sized wheels...

Are we now supposed to check whether taxis have 15" or 12" radials? Are the meters "set" for a certain radius of tire? Do smaller wheels have to rotate more thus clocking the meter at a higher rate? Lots of unanswered Qs!

not really basic physics if a wheel is smaller it will have to rotate more to cover the same distance.

That part is pretty obvious, the big question is if the taxi meters have the electronics to compensate for that?

And if that is possible, it is necessary to make sure the meters are adjusted when the owner installs smaller wheels.

[Bob12345]

No doubt good idea, but what about cracking down on ones who do not use meter at all?

Nope, nothing about Samui taxis...they're allowed to carry on as they like

That's because their not interested in protecting the tourists, just need to secure the votes in BKK.

It's understandable that taxis in other parts of the country where they don't have as many customers as in BKK don't use meters, because they can't survive on 10 journeys a day.... where the government fails is that all that is needed is to double the BKK rate.... the taxi drivers get enough and the customers know it's fair and don't have to argue all the time, which leads to conflict.

In Nakhon Ratchasima they use meters, and the starting rate is even 5 baht lower than in Bangkok.

The only difference is that they don't drive around continuously to pick up passengers but are parked at certain busy spots. If you want them to pick you up somewhere else you pay the radio surcharge of 20 baht.

[Minnehaha]

Tips to avoid problems with taxi drivers

MONTHIEN INTHAKET,

TANPISIT LERDBAMRUNGCHAI

THE NATION

Cabbies will be closely monitored, police promise

BANGKOK: -- People who ride in taxis should use technology to protect them from drivers with bad intentions, police say following reports of cabbies attacking passengers, notably women.

The Department of Land Trans-port (DLT) also plans to ask for faster access to the police criminal database when assessing applications for public transport licences. This would help ensure drivers have no criminal record or have not been in prison for at least two years.

Land Transport chief Somchai Siriwattanachok said officials would discuss how they could access the police database and how much detail they can obtain. For cabbies who commit crimes, their public transport licences could be revoked immediately, if the department was given a court order or a police report of a suspect confessing to a crime.

Pol Lt-Colonel Anchulee Theera-wongpaisal, deputy National Police spokeswoman, said police would set up checkpoints to search for weapons and stop taxis more often to see if drivers display clearly their name and licence number.

"Crimes can be prevented by precaution. People, especially women, should study their route so they can get out when they see the taxi taking a detour. If you don't know the way, you shouldn't take a cab, especially at night, as it's too risky. Remember the taxi's registration number from the information card or use your cam phone to take a picture and send it to friends," she said.

National Police spokesman Pol Maj-General Piya Uthayo said: "There are many good cabbies and only a few criminals, so garages should watch out and exchange information among themselves, as well as coordinate with the DLT to apply technologies such as GPS to track taxis, so people are more confident."

Phattheera Kanpakdee, 26, a state employee, said she used cabs a lot when she was a student because her classes ended at 9pm. But now she only takes one when necessary. If she has to hail a cab at night, she asks a friend to go along. She sits behind the driver, reads the taxi's licence plate number and information and even sneaks pictures when the cabbie isn't looking. She never dozes off, always observes the driver's behaviour and chats with friends on the phone about where she is.

Hotel employee Pattama Daeng-sem, 26, said since she left home early - at 4am - to go to work and finishes late, so she opted to travel in commuter vans. Once she was almost molested by a van driver, but managed to stall him by talking and offering valuable items and then discreetly calling her boyfriend to alert police. Since then she has asked for a different shift to go home earlier and has her mum give her a lift to work in the morning.

This is the first in a two-part series, the second of which will be published tomorrow.

-- The Nation 2013-05-08

"The Department of Land Trans-port (DLT) also plans to ask for faster

access to the police criminal database when assessing applications for

public transport licences. This would help ensure drivers have no

criminal record or have not been in prison for at least two years"

Am I missing some thing here So if a person had been in prison three years ago would he not have a criminal record?

"Crimes can be prevented by precaution. People, especially women,

should study their route so they can get out when they see the taxi

taking a detour. If you don't know the way, you shouldn't take a cab,

especially at night, as it's too risky. Remember the taxi's registration

number from the information card or use your cam phone to take a

picture and send it to friends,"

Kind of like saying if you are a first time tourist don't take a taxi. Even second or third time tourist if you are in different parts of the city.

More useful tips:

1. never accept a taxi that is parked; only flag one that is in motion

2. speak Thai, try to chat a bit if they are chatty... engage. Make them laugh and tell them how much you like Thai food and Thai people; never talk politics; always agree with them

3. be compassionate. these guys get stuck in traffic more often then we do. imagine how you might feel in their situation

4. when flagging the taxi, try to give them the district. For example say "klong ton" then add Pridi 16 (which means soi 16 in sukumvit soi 71). they think in terms of districts first then specifics.

5. remember the original flag fall was 35 baht IN 1996 WHEN THEY STARTED USING METERS! The only increase has been to mileage.

6. avoid getting a taxi in lower sukumvit or upper silom at night.

7. do not antagonize or be aggressive. many taxi drivers carry weapons under the seat. remember the propensity of the Thai male to explode with weapons for mass destruction.

8. study the meters. watch how they add Baht while in motion, or at rest. understand the math involved. I do and more than a few times I have found meters that charge more than is accurate. Never point this out to the cabbie.

9. dont bother to report anything. remember the capacity of the governing body that manages meter taxis. they have allowed far too many taxis on the roads, have not raised fares in line with cost of living, and are completely useless.

10. develop a sense of gratitude and your life will improve. nothing outside needs to change. its magic

[ezzra]

First and foremost, crack down of the taxi's mafia bosses that sanction the fare's shenanigans,

because without the bosses approval to any change those law enforcements agencies will

be whistling in the wind.

[techboy]

No doubt good idea, but what about cracking down on ones who do not use meter at all?

That would fall under "cheating taxi drivers."

[Fookhaht]

No doubt good idea, but what about cracking down on ones who do not use meter at all?

Nope, nothing about Samui taxis...they're allowed to carry on as they like

Same for Mahasarakham and Khon Kaen. They all have the sign "meter" on the top, but it's a joke.

[techboy]

For any given piece of news on government policy, unless otherwise mentioned one should just assume that it applies to central Bangkok districts and will only be half heartedly enforced for a couple of days, it that.

Here I assume the police will round up a dozen "overcharging" taxis, overcharge them for tea money and then resume business as usual.

And then again maybe you assume incorrectly

[Fookhaht]

More useful tips:

1. never accept a taxi that is parked; only flag one that is in motion

10. .... nothing outside needs to change. its magic

Please explain or amplify?

[monkeycountry]

Nope, nothing about Samui taxis...they're allowed to carry on as they like

That's because their not interested in protecting the tourists, just need to secure the votes in BKK.

It's understandable that taxis in other parts of the country where they don't have as many customers as in BKK don't use meters, because they can't survive on 10 journeys a day.... where the government fails is that all that is needed is to double the BKK rate.... the taxi drivers get enough and the customers know it's fair and don't have to argue all the time, which leads to conflict.

If they can't survive let them go broke and the market will sort itself. Trying to micro-manage every little section of the economy is a recipe for a mess and a bloated beaurocracy.

Markets will generally sort themselves yes, but not when state sanctioned monopolies offering necessary services are involved. As an example if EGAT were to triple electricity prices, and the government prevented anyone from competing with them, then the market would not sort itself would it? That is exactly what is happening with the taxi mafia.

[drdoom6996]

The taxi drivers see the politicians cheat every day and now they want their fare share. You reep what you sow.

[Xonax]

More useful tips:

1. never accept a taxi that is parked; only flag one that is in motion

10. .... nothing outside needs to change. its magic

Please explain or amplify?

1. First warning sign for a cheating taxi-driver is, that he is not driving around searching for random customers, but is parked in a strategic place, where first time tourists often need to hail a taxi, like outside hotels and in non-organised taxi ques outside restaurants, nightclubs and shopping malls like MBK.

10. Sometimes it is easier to change the way you see the world, than to change the whole world, or even just change the mentality in Thailand.

Edited May 8, 2013 by Xonax

[techboy]

This is akin to saying "Crack down on the Thai character" perhaps Thailand could also become the hub of "crack downs"

I generally question the character of someone who will live among people whom he holds in such low esteem. Furthermore it is rare to find one who will pass such universal judgement that is not delusional about his own moral excellence. Never trust them.

[axact]

No doubt good idea, but what about cracking down on ones who do not use meter at all?

Nope, nothing about Samui taxis...they're allowed to carry on as they like

That's because their not interested in protecting the tourists, just need to secure the votes in BKK.

It's understandable that taxis in other parts of the country where they don't have as many customers as in BKK don't use meters, because they can't survive on 10 journeys a day.... where the government fails is that all that is needed is to double the BKK rate.... the taxi drivers get enough and the customers know it's fair and don't have to argue all the time, which leads to conflict.

We don't have metered taxis here in Pattaya because of the tuk tuk mafia. I'd guess that's probably the same reason in Phuket. Plenty of customers, but lot's of opposition to metered taxis.

I'd love to have them here in Pattaya. Even with a higher rate, it would eliminate the constant haggling to get a decent price from the tuk tuk drivers...and they'd have AC!!!!!

I am still waiting to see a tuk tuk in Pattaya so how can a tuk tuk mafia exist ???

There is a taxi mafia covering 'metered' (sic) and Baht buses & it is them, I understand who have stopped the use of Tuk Tuks in the town.

Too much vested interest in Pataya to get anything changed re this problem.

[steveyinasia]

Crackdown of the week becomes the joke of the week, Thailand has as much control over the taxis as it does over the police....and we all know how that goes.

[razer]

HaHaHaHa ... Mr. Siriwattanachoke and no one else in the government has the power to control the bad guys. To be sure, there are some good people driving taxis but in my experience the number of bad guys driving taxis is about equal to number of the good guys.

Edited May 8, 2013 by razer

[Globeman]

This is about right as it's time for yet another official " crackdown " and no doubt will achieve the " raging success " of all the others

Isnt this place, the hub of crackdowns?

Excellent, a "hub" joke. There hasn't been one for hours...

[MaxYakov]

He also urged passengers to avoid using the services of cabs equipped with smaller sized wheels...

Are we now supposed to check whether taxis have 15" or 12" radials? Are the meters "set" for a certain radius of tire? Do smaller wheels have to rotate more thus clocking the meter at a higher rate? Lots of unanswered Qs!

Which is why God (or was it AlGore?) gave us the internet, newbie:

http://www.howstuffworks.com/taxi-meter.htm

[gemini81]

First and foremost, crack down of the taxi's mafia bosses that sanction the fare's shenanigans,

because without the bosses approval to any change those law enforcements agencies will

be whistling in the wind.

And this is the same dept. that has (murderer) Duangchalerm as an (unqualified) advisor, if I do recall. Hard to take it seriously when you think of him being a part of that place.

[aussiebebe]

I first came to Thailand 8 years ago in 2005 and I can't believe the taxi meter still starts at 35 baht - I don't know how the drivers do it, even with subsidized NGV.

[MaxYakov]

No doubt good idea, but what about cracking down on ones who do not use meter at all?

That would fall under "cheating taxi drivers."

Yes, or 'attempted cheating'. If the attempt succeeds, it's often the fault of the fare who goes condones it. One time, in the o'dark o'clock hours of the morning my GF and I attempted to get a taxi from Sukumvit Soi 19 area to Din Daeng. Most wanted a 150 THB off-meter, flat rate. One that agreed to 120 THB off-meter, changed the agreed-upon rate to 150 THB once we were in the taxi. We had him stop and we exited the taxi. Attempted, multi-level cheating.

A ploy I now use to avoid being 'faranged' and flat-rates is to have my GF negotiate with the taxis until she finds one that uses the meter while I remain at a distance and then go the taxi when she indicates she's found one. Having an attractive GF has got to be a plus for this ploy.

Edited May 8, 2013 by MaxYakov

[OzMick]

No doubt good idea, but what about cracking down on ones who do not use meter at all?

Nope, nothing about Samui taxis...they're allowed to carry on as they like

Samui always has been, and may always be the lawless zone. The police are completely impotent. The taxis, and the mafia thugs own the place. Zero law and order. I costs 350 baht to go 1 kilometer in a mafia taxi. For some reason, the central government has forgotten about the island. Is there any hope for reform, in Samui's future? Many of us think not.

It is locally accepted that the taxis are owned by the police and that their impotence is voluntary.

[MaxYakov]

My guess is that some of the taxi drivers are on the edge. And it's not just with farangs. My apartment manager told me a story about how a taxi driver lost it and began waving a gun around when the Thai passengers recommended a shorter, cheaper route. Be forewarned.

[OzMick]

He also urged passengers to avoid using the services of cabs equipped with smaller sized wheels...

Are we now supposed to check whether taxis have 15" or 12" radials? Are the meters "set" for a certain radius of tire? Do smaller wheels have to rotate more thus clocking the meter at a higher rate? Lots of unanswered Qs!

not really basic physics if a wheel is smaller it will have to rotate more to cover the same distance.

That part is pretty obvious, the big question is if the taxi meters have the electronics to compensate for that?

And if that is possible, it is necessary to make sure the meters are adjusted when the owner installs smaller wheels.

Instead of having meters capable of adjustment and which require checking, why not have GPS based meters linked to Google maps which give a fare based on the shortest possible route? If my phone can do it, why not a taxi meter?

[khunPer]

Look forward to the Land Transport Departments at Phuket and Samui follows

[Secondmouse]

He also urged passengers to avoid using the services of cabs equipped with smaller sized wheels...

Are we now supposed to check whether taxis have 15" or 12" radials? Are the meters "set" for a certain radius of tire? Do smaller wheels have to rotate more thus clocking the meter at a higher rate? Lots of unanswered Qs!

He also urged passengers to avoid using the services of cabs equipped with smaller sized wheels...

Are we now supposed to check whether taxis have 15" or 12" radials? Are the meters "set" for a certain radius of tire? Do smaller wheels have to rotate more thus clocking the meter at a higher rate? Lots of unanswered Qs!

It really wouldn't make any difference what size wheels you observed on a taxi....

unlike in the 'old' days, we used to fit 'Halda' meters in works rally cars to calculate precise distances to within 2/3 feet which we did by fitting the Halda with small brass gears (similar to those found in clocks) which were calibrated to whatever size wheels/tyre combination we were running..so, all info/data was via a gear driven cable and therefore mechanical.

These days the same principal is achieved via (D.C.) electrical signals.....which means that many forms of sending an electrical 'pulse/signal' to the meter can be made by a button switch, or by pushing on a brake pedal that has a concealed, in-line switch fitted.........

Edited May 8, 2013 by metisdead
Bold font removed.

[beautifulthailand99]

No doubt good idea, but what about cracking down on ones who do not use meter at all?

Nope, nothing about Samui taxis...they're allowed to carry on as they like

That's because their not interested in protecting the tourists, just need to secure the votes in BKK.

It's understandable that taxis in other parts of the country where they don't have as many customers as in BKK don't use meters, because they can't survive on 10 journeys a day.... where the government fails is that all that is needed is to double the BKK rate.... the taxi drivers get enough and the customers know it's fair and don't have to argue all the time, which leads to conflict.

We don't have metered taxis here in Pattaya because of the baht bus mafia. I'd guess that's probably the same reason in Phuket. Plenty of customers, but lot's of opposition to metered taxis.

I'd love to have them here in Pattaya. Even with a higher rate, it would eliminate the constant haggling to get a decent price from the baht bus drivers...and they'd have AC!!!!!

You do have em - I've seen them lounging around the back of Central Shopping World steadfastly refusing to use their meters.