Phuket Taxi Meter Cheats Under Fire

[webfact]

Phuket taxi meter cheats under fire
Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- The Phuket Land Transportation Office (PLTO) will seek help from the Highway Police to tackle metered taxi drivers who refuse to use their meters.

“I am aware that many tourists are unhappy with taxi drivers. We are going to talk about how to stop metered taxi drivers from cheating,” PLTO Chief Terayout Prasertphol told the Phuket Gazette.

The PLTO tries to monitor metered taxis serving Phuket International Airport by stopping them at checkpoints four times a month, sometimes at PLTO checkpoints, sometimes at local police checkpoints, Mr Terayout explained.

However, Somsak Poknaungnong, an official at the PLTO, told the Gazette that, “We don’t keep a record of the number of drivers we catch breaking the rules.

“As far as I can remember, we have fined seven drivers, some for not turning on the meter, some for driving a taxi illegally,” he said.

“Using checkpoints is not a good way to solve the problem,” he continued. “Drivers who have been stopped call their friends to warn them about the checkpoint.”

The PLTO has clear penalties in place for drivers who violate the rules.

Drivers can be punished for failing to turn on the meter, charging the wrong initial hire price and refusing to pick up customers.

The fine for a first offense is 500 baht; for the second, 1,000 baht; for the third, 2,000 baht. If drivers violate the rules four times, their license to drive a taxi is revoked immediately, Mr Terayout said.

Phuket’s penalties differ from those in Bangkok, where drivers are charged 1,000 baht regardless of how many times they have breached the rules.

However, Bangkok’s penalties may soon become more painful, Mr Terayout explained.

“The Land Transport Department is proposing to change the rules,” he said.

“The driver will still be fined the first time he is caught, but the second time he will have to stop working for seven days, and the third time, his taxi driving license will be revoked immediately,” he said.

If the measure is approved in Bangkok, it will be adopted in Phuket too, he added

Metered taxi drivers have not only the PLTO to fear, but also Airports of Thailand (AOT), which operates Phuket International Airport and has its own set of penalties for drivers.

But only five metered taxi drivers were punished by the AOT last month, Prasat Pechwang, a taxi driver and a member of Phuket Taxi Meter Service Co Ltd says.

Each of the drivers was punished for not turning on his meter when transporting passengers. Some had also been impolite to tourists, or were wearing the wrong uniform, Mr Prasart said.

The enforcement arm of the AOT is the passengers themselves, using the telephone number given on the taxi ticket they receive.

“Passengers can call the 1584 hotline 24 hours a day to make a complaint about drivers,” Mr Prasat explained.

The AOT punishment is harsher than the PLTO’s: any driver who operates his taxi without turning on the meter will be ordered to stop using the car to serve passengers at the airport for three to seven days, he said.

“We tell taxi drivers to turn on the meter every time they pick up passengers,” Mr Prasart said.

However, in a bizarre if not inexplicable twist, he went on to admit that the company does allow drivers to reach 'private fare agreements' with their passengers, adding, however, that even in these cases they must turn on their meters in order to avoid breaking the rules.

PLTO Chief Terayout is aware that metered drivers "sometimes" make private arrangements.

“The [metering] system is in place to protect first-time visitors,” he said.

“But tourists who are familiar with Phuket and who want to negotiate a fare directly with their driver are free to do so,” he added.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Phuket-taxi-meter-cheats-under-fire-21050.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-05-15

[laurentbkk]

with a fine of 500 baht , no wonder its still happening ..... Put a fine of 20,000 baht and I am pretty sure the meters will be on everytime.

[sscsamui]

What a crock of poo... They have been trying to get the Thieving mafia taxi's on Samui to use there meters for years. They have been threaten and still NO meter usage... Just outrageously High extortion prices to go 3 km.

There dreaming if they think the Phuket mafia thug taxi drivers are going to use there meters... 4 days a month checking.. Get real...

[eezergood]

Great the 30 or so metered Taxis will be brought into line, but no mention of the TUKTUK scum................ well done gents, keep up the good work

[madmitch]

As far as I know, none of them use their meters any more.

I wonder how many of the fines imposed last month were for wearing the wrong uniform?

[skipspear]

Status Quo....More Taxi drivers than police...world wide resorts, Taxi drivers rule. They could work together as they do in the West Indies, Taxis take on duty police to rob banks, armed robbery with best getaway drivers.

[pistachios]

How cute they are. Meters have been completly banned for months now. The very polite ladies at the "taxi meter" booth are berating any potential customer who dares inquire about meter usage.

I guess they were getting fed up seeing the "limo" drivers do the exact same job in the exact same cars and make twice as much.

[eezergood]

nothing to see here, business as normal..............

[Jane Doe]

Has anyone ever seen a taxi with a meter on in Chiang Mai? Even the ones at Robinson lurking for foreigners will not turn them on. Or did I always had the wrong taxi?

In Chiang Mai nothing will change as long as the 'rot daeng' mafia is around...

[WilliamTaylor]

Has anyone ever seen a taxi with a meter on in Chiang Mai? Even the ones at Robinson lurking for foreigners will not turn them on. Or did I always had the wrong taxi?

In Chiang Mai nothing will change as long as the 'rot daeng' mafia is around...

The only functioning taximeters in Thailand are located in Bangkok.

[Paangjang]

Last month i walked out of arrivals, did the usual right turn. I wanted to go to Phuket town. Fought through the mafia guys who were pulling at my bag whilst shouting "Where you go". When i got over to the meter desk the lady did't really want to, or seem to be allowed to talk to me. Two men kept saying "500 baht or no go." Then they'd laugh. When i said about the meter they just said "cannot connot" Couldn't be bothered to argue, accepted the scam.

[Incobart]

Same expierence at phuket airport last time, when i want to take meter taxi, they refuse to open, also ladies at he counter didnt allow .. big argueing about metertaxi .. finaly had to take it overpriced.

Firts I was proud Phuket did something against the taximaffia by putting meter taxis, now seems we get cheated again as soon we arrive.

I hear of fares like 2500 B to kata

Hope gouverment will put this right, and anytime they refuse we should call 1584 so they can do something about it.

we all have to work on it.

[chiang mai]

Poor babies, why pick on them, why not concentrate on the tuk tuks and leave the rest of the islands scammers alone.

[lmaxv]

Informational signs at the airport would be helpful for tourists arriving to Phuket. They would know what to expect, what was a fair fare, what number to call if there's a problem, etc.

[pacovl46]

Easy solution:

​They need to know that they could get checked every single time they're in the car at a moment's notice!!!

The only way to teach them is to hit them where it hurts the most and that's cash. Do checks several times a day, every day and all over the place. Change your location frequently. When you catch them the first time fine them 5000 Baht. The second time fine them 10000 and put them in jail for a week. The third time it's 15000, a month in jail and license revoked indefinitely. Once the first few actually had to go to jail it will make the rounds pretty quickly.

[sandrabbit]

They've just installed meters in taxis in Rayong but they don't want to use them although the fares are not the outrageous prices as on Phuket as the songthaews are only 25baht to go to Ban Phe which is around 20k's.

[sjjmmi]

Good luck to them then

[bonobo]

I went to the taxi line at Swampy in March. The first taxi in line did not want to take me as he said my bags were too heavy for his shocks. I said OK, give me the next one which was an SUV. The dispatch girl then told me it was 700 baht. I informed her that my fare should be around 320 baht, and she said that I had to pay the SUV extra because he was jumping another taxi in line. I refused and went to get the Airport Police. A policeman came down and seemed to be negotiating instead of ordering, and the dispatch girl refused to budge. Finally, another taxi who was further back overheard and offered to take me on the meter.

It was 310 baht, and I gave him 400.

This was the official taxi line. I don't know why the policeman tried reasoning instead of ordering.

[chrisinth]

Has anyone ever seen a taxi with a meter on in Chiang Mai? Even the ones at Robinson lurking for foreigners will not turn them on. Or did I always had the wrong taxi?

In Chiang Mai nothing will change as long as the 'rot daeng' mafia is around...

The only functioning taximeters in Thailand are located in Bangkok.

Not strictly true. Up here in Phitsanulok we have metered taxis who use their meters most of the time. The companies do have some fixed rates (airport for example) which are quite reasonable.

You always agree to the price before the journey for the fixed rates, and the subject is raised by the drivers.

[nachiket]

However, Somsak Poknaungnong, an official at the PLTO, told the Gazette that, “We don’t keep a record of the number of drivers we catch breaking the rules.

“As far as I can remember, we have fined seven drivers, some for not turning on the meter, some for driving a taxi illegally,” he said.

The fine for a first offense is 500 baht; for the second, 1,000 baht; for the third, 2,000 baht. If drivers violate the rules four times, their license to drive a taxi is revoked immediately, Mr Terayout said.

So, they will rely on their memories for working as they don't keep records.

[lee b]

4 times? Why not take the taxi licence for the first time. Thailand where metered taxis dont have meters since 1976.

[LivinginKata]

Inflammatory post and the reply - removed

[Cheapcharly]

hi.

how much it cost normal price from phuket airport to phuket downtown...

isn't there a shuttle service for 100 bats?

[Valentine]

I have not had the pleasure of using the limos or taxis from the airport for a long time but isn't there a board at the limo counter stating exactly how much to each destination. You pay the price get a ticket & someone escorts you to the limo. This always used to be very straight forward & if still the case why bother going outside to argue with taxi meters in the heat. I realise the limos may be more expensive but judging from some of the comments you could end up paying more for a taxi meter if you don't know the set up. I like to save as much as anyone but I do not see the point of trying to save 100 or 200 Baht by allowing yourself to be harassed outside.

BTW I have never seen anyone hail a taxi meter anywhere on Phuket.

[steveyinasia]

I get a taxi from old swampy to Sukhumvit soi 38 about 3 times a month, never had a meter refused and never have an over charge. The second I get in the taxi I give them the highway fee and they seem to understand I know where I am going. Never been to Phuket and by the sounds of it, no chance for a fair deal there because the authorities have no balls!!!!

[Valentine]

I get a taxi from old swampy to Sukhumvit soi 38 about 3 times a month, never had a meter refused and never have an over charge. The second I get in the taxi I give them the highway fee and they seem to understand I know where I am going. Never been to Phuket and by the sounds of it, no chance for a fair deal there because the authorities have no balls!!!!

More likely they are benefiting from it,

[belg]

what about : everyday checkpoints untill the madness stops ?

[pomchop]

Has anyone ever seen a taxi with a meter on in Chiang Mai? Even the ones at Robinson lurking for foreigners will not turn them on. Or did I always had the wrong taxi?

In Chiang Mai nothing will change as long as the 'rot daeng' mafia is around...

The only functioning taximeters in Thailand are located in Bangkok.

not true...chiang rai has a nice new taxi service that as far as I have experienced uses meters...excellent service

[wellred]

How cute they are. Meters have been completly banned for months now. The very polite ladies at the "taxi meter" booth are berating any potential customer who dares inquire about meter usage.

I guess they were getting fed up seeing the "limo" drivers do the exact same job in the exact same cars and make twice as much.

What exactly do they say to the customer if I was to enquire about use of the meter? Just curious.

[blackthorn2005]

How cute they are. Meters have been completly banned for months now. The very polite ladies at the "taxi meter" booth are berating any potential customer who dares inquire about meter usage.

I guess they were getting fed up seeing the "limo" drivers do the exact same job in the exact same cars and make twice as much.

I am glad someone else has noticed this. Every time I try and get a meter taxi from Phuket airport, the 'Office staff' ask where I am going and then quote me a fixed rate, I tell them I want a meter taxi, they have ignored me and gone to the next customer, argued, rudely with me and one of drivers was aggressive, his meter already had nearly B100 on it and he would not zero it. I hope this crackdown works, I have had enough!