Phuket Illegal Taxi Drivers Stalk Governor, Demand Resolution

[Wat dee]

Here is a resolution for them: Put all 30 of these illegal taxi drivers into the same small jail cell. Take a picture of them in the cell and give it to the Phuket Gazette with a promise to do the same to all the other illegal taxi drivers that can be rounded up. Post a 1000 baht reward for the delivery of any illagal taxi driver to the jail. Make sure there are empty cells, sit back and wait for deliveries to arrive. :-)

I have a better resolution.

Install meters and signage in and on the vehicles. Check the background of the drivers for driving and criminal offences, and if they have neither, issue them a taxi licence and tell them to drive up and down the coast, on the meter - just like what happens in EVERY other major tourist destination in the world.

The airport drivers will soon me lining up for it and the tuk-tuk drivers will be selling their tuk-tuks to buy a metered taxi.

More money for the drivers, safer air-conditioned cars for the customers, less traffic, less death and injury.

Strange how the "resolution" is just what is the norm anywhere else.

However, no money for the bosses of the "associations", so this plan would never fly. Good idea though on an island where corruption wasn't so rampant

It's actually not a good idea - it's just "normal" for all major tourist destinations, around the world.

Maybe they could make the "flag fall" (the initial cost to hire the taxi) higher on Phuket than anywhere else in Thailand. This money could go to the corrupt bosses of the "associations" to allow it to happen.

They could call it "The Phuket Taxi Levy" or "The Phuket Transport Tax" or "The Phuket Taxi Fee."

I am so happy to live in safety.N o need to worry about people shooting and stealing and extorting.I truly wish all these criminal activities/criminals stay and not spread, in phuket!! Regards from Yod-sak,hok kodai...

[IrishIvan]

You dont like then dont use. You still dont like then go home. I am sure you wont be missed. The one trip a year to the airport isnt really significant for a Phuket taxi driver trying to make a living.

Who cares if laws arent enforced and we dont have metered cabs? We moved here because of more freedom, just accept it as the price of living in paradise

[eezergood]

I truly hope they dont get permission & are sent to prison - TOTAL SCUM all of them!

So freedom of speech!!...as long as you say what we want to hear...

HUH?

[monkeycountry]

The governer of Phuket is not a TV member. So he wont be reading any of the posts from the minority of people thag have a problem with Phukets taxis. If anyone has a problem they should take a leaf out of these guys books and go and stand out the front of the governor's house and protest

Are you some kind of slow?? Have you ever even seen the results of the questionaires the major hotels give to their guests? By far the biggest problem on Phuket, according to the tourists, is the taxis. Sounds like you think like a Thai though, so the tourists' opinion won't matter to you, after all the tourists can't vote, and will be gone in a week anyway!

[monkeycountry]

One gang of taxi mafia guys won't let another gang of taxi mafia guys operate, and now they want help from the government! With a little luck they will eventually kill eachother :-)

[monkeycountry]

You dont like then dont use. You still dont like then go home. I am sure you wont be missed. The one trip a year to the airport isnt really significant for a Phuket taxi driver trying to make a living.

Who cares if laws arent enforced and we dont have metered cabs? We moved here because of more freedom, just accept it as the price of living in paradise

You are aware that taxis don't just drive to the airport and that tourists use them too right? Who do you think drives the Phuket economy? You and the other expats, or the tourists who keep getting cheated and assaulted and keep complaining in vain about it? (not on TV but to the hotels, their embassies, family and friends)

Edited May 24, 2013 by monkeycountry

[IrishIvan]

The governer of Phuket is not a TV member. So he wont be reading any of the posts from the minority of people thag have a problem with Phukets taxis. If anyone has a problem they should take a leaf out of these guys books and go and stand out the front of the governor's house and protest

Are you some kind of slow?? Have you ever even seen the results of the questionaires the major hotels give to their guests? By far the biggest problem on Phuket, according to the tourists, is the taxis. Sounds like you think like a Thai though, so the tourists' opinion won't matter to you, after all the tourists can't vote, and will be gone in a week anyway!

Exactly. And they will say what a great time they had. The taxis wont even rate a mention. 2 x 1000 baht fares to and from the airport in a nice new vehicle is great value. Its only the cheapo expats that have a problem with this.