Illegal taxi drivers in Patong threaten Phuket governor with mob action
Phuket Gazette -

PHUKET: Illegal taxi drivers from Patong today threatened Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut with mass protests if the government does not do more to help them become legal.

The naked threat was delivered today at a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall immediately after the Governor’s monthly address to the Phuket media.

“We need help from the governor to find a way to resolve this problem,” said Anan Pluemjit, an illegal taxi driver working from the taxi stand in front of the Hard Rock Cafe in Patong.

“If not, we will return next week with more drivers than were present for the tuk-tuk protest last week,” he said.

The tuk-tuk protest last week (story here) prompted a police crackdown on illegal taxi drivers across the island, explained Mr Anan.

“Police are arresting us and making sure we are ‘charged double’. We cannot afford to keep paying these fines,” Mr Anan said.

Police have been arresting and charging illegal taxi drivers for both using a standard vehicle as a taxi and with driving an illegally modified vehicle to serve as a taxi, he explained.

“Now I have nowhere to go. I am no longer allowed to work at the taxi stand at the Hard Rock Cafe, and no other taxi stands want me to work at their taxi ranks either. They say their taxi stands are full,” Mr Anan said.

Money is the critical issue, he explained.

“We do not have the money to make our cars meet the qualifications necessary to be legally registered as taxis. Our cars are too old and we cannot afford to sell them and take on new loans to buy new cars,” Mr Anan said.

“Also, we must have first-class insurance for our cars to be registered as taxis… We simply cannot afford it,” he added.

“We have tried to negotiate with the Phuket Land Transport Office to find a way to make us legal, but we were told to wait. How long do we have to wait?” Mr Anan asked.

Phuket Governor Maitri politely stood his ground.

“I want hardworking people in Phuket to be able to live together in peace. I promise to find a way to help,” he said.

“I have spoken with the PLTO about helping illegal taxi drivers to become legal. Right now, we have about 2,800 illegal taxis in Phuket,” the governor pointed out.

“But those working illegally have to find a way to do the right thing. We have already managed to legalize about 40 per cent of illegal taxis,” he added.

“If financing of new vehicles is the problem, I have already spoken with the Government Savings Bank. They have agreed to offer special low interest rates for taxi drivers needing finance,” Governor Maitri said.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Illegal-taxi-drivers-in-Patong-threaten-Phuket-governor-with-mob-action-21521.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2013-07-02

It's like a broken record playing over and over again.

There might be a new power game going on in Patong. Let the thug wars begin.

Thai men just can't get over the fact that it ain't the year 1600 anymore. Get off your arse and contribute to society.

hmmmm so you wanna be a taxi driver but you cant afford the costs required to be one.....

suggestion - get another job........

hmmmm so you wanna be a taxi driver but you cant afford the costs required to be one.....

suggestion - get another job........

Taxi driving on Phuket pays more money than the salary of a professional Thai, with a university degree, pulling long hours.

I can see why they all want their snouts in the trough. Money for nothing.

hmmmm so you wanna be a taxi driver but you cant afford the costs required to be one.....

suggestion - get another job........

[Absolutely ...maybe offer their services to the Airport Bus Company !/quote]

The honda dream elitists are out in force again this morning, I thought it was a basic human right to protest if your unhappy. I applaud these guys bravery for bringing it to the attention of the governor, they are trying to get legal and abide by the law. At least they arent faceless keyboard warriors, if the farangs in Phuket are so unhappy then perhaps they should set up a honda dream protest outside the governors office. Im pretty sure he is not on TV so he cant read all your negative comments about the locals, you will need to see him in person.

It sounds like a lot of TV members would like to go back to a system like the British Raj where we could whip the locals into being subservient. Perhaps an end to the protest similar to Jallianwalla Bagh massacre would be more in your taste when the locals become restless and start gathering in the streets?

Boo Hoo.

Why didn't these illegal taxi drivers take the opportunity to become legal when it was offered in February this year and then extended until April, surely that was time enough. l

Why didn't these illegal taxi drivers take the opportunity to become legal when it was offered in February this year and then extended until April, surely that was time enough. l

Simple answer there - they think they are above the law and simple regulations like having insurance and a decent clean car

Monkey see monkey do

Didnt this mob demand a crackdown on illegal working foreigners early this year arguing that they steal their jobs?

There was this crackdown then. And these Thais still can not find legally work?

They have been wrong and now they are again...

The honda dream elitists are out in force again this morning, I thought it was a basic human right to protest if your unhappy. I applaud these guys bravery for bringing it to the attention of the governor, they are trying to get legal and abide by the law. At least they arent faceless keyboard warriors, if the farangs in Phuket are so unhappy then perhaps they should set up a honda dream protest outside the governors office. Im pretty sure he is not on TV so he cant read all your negative comments about the locals, you will need to see him in person.

It sounds like a lot of TV members would like to go back to a system like the British Raj where we could whip the locals into being subservient. Perhaps an end to the protest similar to Jallianwalla Bagh massacre would be more in your taste when the locals become restless and start gathering in the streets?

Are you serious? Tourists bring in a lot of revenue to Phuket and in order for that to be sustainable, the tourists deserve a clean and safe ride with proper insurance in case the worst happens. How dare you compare this to the Raj or other forms of slavery? The vast majority of the local people who abide by the rules get their license, take care of their cars, pay for insurance and make a good business out of it. These brainless thugs just think it is their God given right to flout the law and expect all monies earned to be kept and concomitant expenses are somebody else's problem.

Its like a farmer selling his fish and refusing to pay for the feed and electric bill. There are plenty of other jobs for those without business acumen to do like security guards, etc.? In any free country in the world I never see such an irresponsible, lazy group of men who expect the world to carry gifts of gold to their feet. I am specifically referring to the Thugs, here not Thai men in general.

I said this months ago, and still open today, I have positions available right now that need filling. NO Englaish required, NO previous experience, only require honesty & the ability to follow very simple instructions. Everyday the papers are full of job adverts, even more in the high season. Legal tax paying work........

Not bloody likely for these .....

Thai men just can't get over the fact that it ain't the year 1600 anymore. Get off your arse and contribute to society.

Somebody said: according to the Thai calendar they live in 2556. If you change the first number to 1, that’s more likely the reality in the LOS. Hence, they will await their first industrial revolution in 200 years!

Give them a fine with warning, next time arrest them. There's literally a job available for everyone of these lazy scumbags, but the perks don't include sitting around with your mates, gambling, yelling out "taxi tuk tuk" and having alcohol before being asked to get off your ass for 30 minutes to drive someone 3 km's. Ther perks of a real job also don't provide for yellling at someone trying to park their car " no parking here", which many seem to get off on.

The honda dream elitists are out in force again this morning, I thought it was a basic human right to protest if your unhappy. I applaud these guys bravery for bringing it to the attention of the governor, they are trying to get legal and abide by the law. At least they arent faceless keyboard warriors, if the farangs in Phuket are so unhappy then perhaps they should set up a honda dream protest outside the governors office. Im pretty sure he is not on TV so he cant read all your negative comments about the locals, you will need to see him in person.

It sounds like a lot of TV members would like to go back to a system like the British Raj where we could whip the locals into being subservient. Perhaps an end to the protest similar to Jallianwalla Bagh massacre would be more in your taste when the locals become restless and start gathering in the streets?

I wish you would take the Irish part of your name - you are doing a disservice to Irish people with comments like this

The honda dream elitists are out in force again this morning, I thought it was a basic human right to protest if your unhappy. I applaud these guys bravery for bringing it to the attention of the governor, they are trying to get legal and abide by the law. At least they arent faceless keyboard warriors, if the farangs in Phuket are so unhappy then perhaps they should set up a honda dream protest outside the governors office. Im pretty sure he is not on TV so he cant read all your negative comments about the locals, you will need to see him in person.

It sounds like a lot of TV members would like to go back to a system like the British Raj where we could whip the locals into being subservient. Perhaps an end to the protest similar to Jallianwalla Bagh massacre would be more in your taste when the locals become restless and start gathering in the streets?

I wish you would take the Irish part of your name - you are doing a disservice to Irish people with comments like this

Having read a few of Irishivan's tuktuk and taxi comments recently, I can only assume that he moonlights as a taxi driver somewhere on the streets of Phuket.

The honda dream elitists are out in force again this morning, I thought it was a basic human right to protest if your unhappy. I applaud these guys bravery for bringing it to the attention of the governor, they are trying to get legal and abide by the law. At least they arent faceless keyboard warriors, if the farangs in Phuket are so unhappy then perhaps they should set up a honda dream protest outside the governors office. Im pretty sure he is not on TV so he cant read all your negative comments about the locals, you will need to see him in person.

It sounds like a lot of TV members would like to go back to a system like the British Raj where we could whip the locals into being subservient. Perhaps an end to the protest similar to Jallianwalla Bagh massacre would be more in your taste when the locals become restless and start gathering in the streets?

Dam_n Irish, you ANOTHER keyboard warrior. Granted, they have the right to protest, what I would is arrest them all, after all, they are breaking the law by being illegal...so easy to arrest, they are on the Gov's door step, but there is a problem, the Gov has NO balls, it is his inability to govern that allows so many illegal activities.

Why didn't these illegal taxi drivers take the opportunity to become legal when it was offered in February this year and then extended until April, surely that was time enough. l

Simple answer there - they think they are above the law and simple regulations like having insurance and a decent clean car

How many illegal taxis have you used, I have used many and found them to be newer and cleaner than the legal ones, as well as being cheaper. Go the illegal taxis.

Give them a fine with warning, next time arrest them. There's literally a job available for everyone of these lazy scumbags, but the perks don't include sitting around with your mates, gambling, yelling out "taxi tuk tuk" and having alcohol before being asked to get off your ass for 30 minutes to drive someone 3 km's. Ther perks of a real job also don't provide for yellling at someone trying to park their car " no parking here", which many seem to get off on.

I think you are confusing legal and illegal taxis.

The honda dream elitists are out in force again this morning, I thought it was a basic human right to protest if your unhappy. I applaud these guys bravery for bringing it to the attention of the governor, they are trying to get legal and abide by the law. At least they arent faceless keyboard warriors, if the farangs in Phuket are so unhappy then perhaps they should set up a honda dream protest outside the governors office. Im pretty sure he is not on TV so he cant read all your negative comments about the locals, you will need to see him in person.

It sounds like a lot of TV members would like to go back to a system like the British Raj where we could whip the locals into being subservient. Perhaps an end to the protest similar to Jallianwalla Bagh massacre would be more in your taste when the locals become restless and start gathering in the streets?

So what exactly do you put in your Irish coffee, Ivan?

“We do not have the money to make our cars meet the qualifications necessary to be legally registered as taxis. Our cars are too old and we cannot afford to sell them and take on new loans to buy new cars,” Mr Anan said.

“Also, we must have first-class insurance for our cars to be registered as taxis… We simply cannot afford it,” he added.

If you drive a wreck and can't afford insurance why should you be allowed to operate? What part of the rules don't you understand?

The honda dream elitists are out in force again this morning, I thought it was a basic human right to protest if your unhappy. I applaud these guys bravery for bringing it to the attention of the governor, they are trying to get legal and abide by the law. At least they arent faceless keyboard warriors, if the farangs in Phuket are so unhappy then perhaps they should set up a honda dream protest outside the governors office. Im pretty sure he is not on TV so he cant read all your negative comments about the locals, you will need to see him in person.

It sounds like a lot of TV members would like to go back to a system like the British Raj where we could whip the locals into being subservient. Perhaps an end to the protest similar to Jallianwalla Bagh massacre would be more in your taste when the locals become restless and start gathering in the streets?

That's SO funny. Stop it - I'm dyin' here! ROFL Those mean ol' "Raj" - beating up on those kind-hearted, ever-suffering, self-sacrificing, whimpering, helpless tuk-tuk drivers day-in & day-out... 'Sounds to ME like the lash here is actually in the hands of what you refer to as the "locals" (whereas the group under discussion is really just tuk-tuk drivers...but if you want to lump all the "locals" together I don't suppose anyone here can stop you), rather than the "Raj". 5555555555555 Do you do stand-up?

Give them a fine with warning, next time arrest them. There's literally a job available for everyone of these lazy scumbags, but the perks don't include sitting around with your mates, gambling, yelling out "taxi tuk tuk" and having alcohol before being asked to get off your ass for 30 minutes to drive someone 3 km's. Ther perks of a real job also don't provide for yellling at someone trying to park their car " no parking here", which many seem to get off on.

I think you are confusing legal and illegal taxis.

Negative, the illegal guys sit in the same ranks and do the same lazing about as their legal pals. If you're not sure, read the statement by the illegal driver above. I'm sure as I see these louts on a daily basis doing nothing but lazing about barking out taxi tuk tuk if they're not napping.

They are ILLEGAL, so why are people tryin g to help them?

heart breaking, no money, no oh dear. Government needs to stop treating illegal taxis like and tell them to go off. Of course the Government are just a bunch of that all need . No doubt next week we'll see a that will result in people.

You have my vote.

These scum think that they are (and often are indeed) above the law.

The authorities have pandered to, pussy footed around these bottom feeders for too long.

Thailand is a joke and people are asking why. You don't need to be a Harvard lawyer to work that one out.

“We do not have the money to make our cars meet the qualifications necessary to be legally registered as taxis. Our cars are too old and we cannot afford to sell them and take on new loans to buy new cars,” Mr Anan said.

“Also, we must have first-class insurance for our cars to be registered as taxis… We simply cannot afford it,” he added.

If you drive a wreck and can't afford insurance why should you be allowed to operate? What part of the rules don't you understand?

And so these guys will be able to afford a 1.5 million baht taxi if they work hard on the rice paddies for a year? Or maybe massaging farangs? Or driving baht busses, do tell me how the poorest people of Phuket can afford a 1.5 million baht Toyota Camry?