Thai Transport Min: All taxis may need to be equipped with closed-circuit cameras

[webfact]

Taxi cameras being mulled
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- ALL TAXIS may need to be equipped with closed-circuit cameras for the safety of passengers and to prevent drivers from rejecting passengers, Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt said.

The camera would be used like an aircraft's flight-recorder when crimes or other incidents take place inside a cab, he said. "The footage in the cameras could be used as evidence to prove allegations against taxi drivers, like the 'blackbox' in a plane."

In addition, the equipment would help discourage the driver from refusing to pick up passengers. Many potential passengers had complained about being turned down by taxi drivers who claimed they were about to beat the deadline to return their rented cabs, or they did not know the destination.

Chadchart said if the measure proved effective, all vehicles in future may be required by law to have the equipment to monitor and protect passengers.

Land Transport Department deputy director-general Asdsathai Rattanadilok Na Phuket said new regulations to take legal action against cab drivers who refuse to carry passengers are expected to be announced within three months. The maximum penalty would be the revoking of the taxi licence of that cab or it would not be renewed. In such a case, the taxi will no longer be able to ply the streets.


-- The Nation 2013-09-16

[Somtamnication]

Yes, all taxis need cameras............AIMED AT THE METER ITSELF!!!

[saakura]

Good idea if equipment is not capable of being switched off.

[lujanit]

so the driver just refuses to turn on the camera like he refuses to turn on the meter. Now what?

[retell]

and put in a gps and tom tom or something like that so they know where everything is

make it also record taxi fares , km travelled ,speed and acceleration information as well as driving times

and offcourse make random checks if the device is working and turned on , and put very heavy fines if tampered with or not turned on

[jackr]

Good idea. Stick em on jet-skis next.

[JoeThePoster]

All passengers are required to say cheese when boarding a taxi.

[yougivemebaby]

A new reality show. We can watch in HD tourists and locals getting ripped off and/or stabbed to death. Can't wait!

[rfukata]

cameras can easily be tampered just as the meter rigging

[technologybytes]

It's a bit unfair to complain about Taxi's refusing a fare when they are just about to return their rented taxi. If the fare is in the opposite direction they end up being charged for being late taking the taxi back.

I get annoyed when Taxi's refuse to turn on the meter, it's these who need to have their licenses revoked. Once it became known that refusing to use the meter ends up with loss of license it would not happen so much.

There are places in Bangkok where 90% of Taxis refuse to use the meter. Try getting a honest meter Taxi outside MBK!

[selftaopath]

Oh pleassssssssssssseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

Thailand can not even get/keep the traffic lights working in it's capital city. This - it is rumored - is due to the BIB breaking them etc. Sooooooooooooooooooo why waste time and energy even thinking a/b it. GEEZEus.

[worgeordie]

First off who is going to be watching the feed from these

cameras?, more intrusion into peoples lives.

Would it not be better to enforce a strict code of conduct

in the taxi drivers,reinforced by very strong laws,not a slap

on the hand if these taxi drivers do not behave.

On the whole you don't have this problem with taxi drivers

in Singapore,and Malaysia,thats the target they need to

aim for, taxi drivers here (not all, but too many) have a very

negative effect on the tourist industry ,but will the Government

recognize this ?

regards Worgeordie

[Mampara]

What! and lose votes in the next election! Never, the same goes for the street hawkers, and M/C taxies, just let them do as they please.

[jalansanitwong]

Where do you guys hang out in BKK ? . Ive used taxis for years in Bangkok and never had a driver that wouldnt automatically turn on the meter.

You will have far more trouble with violent cab drivers in Australia where the flagfall is more than a long trip in Bangkok. Cabs are cheap here and theyre mostly late models.

I'd rather put cctv in politicans benzs including the quack transport pollie himself.

Edited September 16, 2013 by jalansanitwong

[ETatBKK]

I don't see any reason that helps protecting passengers, avoiding 'no go, no meter' . . .

tech solution not solving behaviour problem.

[h90]

and put in a gps and tom tom or something like that so they know where everything is

make it also record taxi fares , km travelled ,speed and acceleration information as well as driving times

and offcourse make random checks if the device is working and turned on , and put very heavy fines if tampered with or not turned on

Heavy fines=500 Baht for the policeman.

[Carl64]

I think it's a brilliant idea. This is used in Australia as well, but to protect the drivers from robberies and bushings etc.

As long as its a sealed unit that can't be turned off, it's great.

I think it's a great step forward to making Thailand a safer place for everyone. Lets hope it happens.

Edited September 16, 2013 by Carl64

[klauskunkel]

So, these cameras will record sound also? Because if not, then the BIB will need a lip reader (with work permit)

[Carl64]

Where do you guys hang out in BKK ? . Ive used taxis for years in Bangkok and never had a driver that wouldnt automatically turn on the meter.

You will have far more trouble with violent cab drivers in Australia where the flagfall is more than a long trip in Bangkok. Cabs are cheap here and theyre mostly late models.

I'd rather put cctv in politicans benzs including the quack transport pollie himself.

I too have not had problems with taxi's in Thailand. If they won't turn on the meter I just don't get in the cab. Sometimes a cab will go the long way due to either being lost or trying to bump up the fare. Either way really it's a few extra baht. Just be polite and pay the fare. It's not worth getting into a fight for 1 dollar. I have never been refused by a taxi to take me anywhere. Taxi's are cheap and plentiful , wish I could say the same for Australia!!!!

[Kruzon]

What a waste of money. You ever tried to find camera footage of a crime in Thailand? Well let me tell, THE CAMERA DOESN"T work during a crime! I still say put a mobile camera crew together that visits different problem areas unannounced and photo taxi's that dirve by no light no passenger, light on not stop, stop and drive away without passenger. (Keep it simple ... like a red light cameras),

[dogeatdog]

Where do you guys hang out in BKK ?  . Ive used taxis for years in Bangkok and never had a driver that wouldnt automatically turn on the meter.

Me too never really have problem in bkk with taxi and metres. But I never take taxi from siam, khao san, nana, dusit palace area or god forbid hua lampong etc... I just walk a bit further.

In principle cameras sound like a good idea. But in practice I cant see how they will control such an operation. The funding of such an operation would also be very problematic. Who will pay??

Lets not forget although we tend to have a huge brush and a large pot of tar when it come to taxi drivers, the majority of them are honest and just trying to earn a living. The minority are the ones that need monitoring and they always seem to be the ones around tourist areas.

Strangely enough when I overhere taxi drivers refusing to use metres and asking for fixed prices it always and only seem to be foreigner's that accept this.

Maybe start to fine foreigner's if they accept taxi without using metres or fixed price within city limits? This could be seen on the new taxi cams.

[Tomtomtom69]

Where do you guys hang out in BKK ? . Ive used taxis for years in Bangkok and never had a driver that wouldnt automatically turn on the meter.

You will have far more trouble with violent cab drivers in Australia where the flagfall is more than a long trip in Bangkok. Cabs are cheap here and theyre mostly late models.

I'd rather put cctv in politicans benzs including the quack transport pollie himself.

True, but I think that cabs in Bangkok are too cheap. Correct me if I'm wrong, as I drive when in Bangkok (so I rarely catch cabs) but last time I caught a cab in Bangkok the flagfall was just 35 Baht and even at night it was still the same? Apparently it has gone up to 45 Baht during the day and no idea how much at night, but that's still too cheap. It should be at least 50 during the day and say 60 at night, and even then it would still be cheap. No wonder Bangkok cabs have such a bad reputation - the drivers are desperate to make some money but with such ridiculously low fares they often go to desperate measures to try and bring in some extra cash - the cost of living in Bangkok has really caught on and it's almost impossible to find a really cheap meal anymore unless you go to a food court or eat out on the streets, so why shouldn't cab drivers also make some more money, so more of them could be more honest and less deceptive? This is however NOT an excuse for violence, to not pick up passengers, fare rigging etc. BUT it does help to explain WHY it happens.

Edited September 16, 2013 by Tomtomtom69

[BudRight]

A camera is useless unless it's data is actually being stored somewhere.

[dogeatdog]

A camera is useless unless it's data is actually being stored somewhere.

This would be another problem and for how long would you keep the footage.

Given the amount of taxis on the road the storage capacity would have to be massive.

[technologybytes]

Me too never really have problem in bkk with taxi and metres. But I never take taxi from siam, khao san, nana, dusit palace area or god forbid hua lampong etc... I just walk a bit further.

Oh..so avoiding places where you know they won't use the meter.. and having to walk to find a honest taxi is OK ????

[kannot]

and put in a gps and tom tom or something like that so they know where everything is

make it also record taxi fares , km travelled ,speed and acceleration information as well as driving times

and offcourse make random checks if the device is working and turned on , and put very heavy fines if tampered with or not turned on

you mean like 100 baht and be on your way Somchai type fines.............that's what'll happen.

[dogeatdog]

Lets face it 99% of the footage from these camera's would not be of interest. Just normal everyday transactions.

One area if think it could be of use is like the problem we have at my condo site.

Its closed doors with security and taxis have to drive in from the road. Normal situation but this is what happens.

Taxi mafa don arrives at 06.30am every morning and parks his taxi. Then only taxis that have paid the don can enter the condo area.

This leads to a big shortage of taxis in the morning.

The don has the taxis lined up in the morning along the main condo road. He goes to each one inturn and collects money from them. Then people come down and asks security for a taxi and the guard will radio to the don and he inturn will dispach a ready waiting taxi to you. The metre starts btw from the radio message not from the point you get in.

Most taxis just make the bts run so avg fare is between 70thb and 90thb depending on traffic. On a rainy day and taxis are in short supply people somtimes ask each other to double up and share cabs. This pisses the don off big time.

The don goes home around 6pm and not once is his taxi ever used for a paying passenger. It just sits there all day.

I normally walk out if the condo area and too the main road to get a cab from there to avoid this. I have had a few conversations with other non paying taxi drivers and from I can gather if you want to join the don's operation then its 300 thb per day.

So back to the taxi cam, maybe this could prevent this from happening. They can see his taxi is never used and should ask where he gets all his money from.

[dogeatdog]

Me too never really have problem in bkk with taxi and metres. But I never take taxi from siam, khao san, nana, dusit palace area or god forbid hua lampong etc... I just walk a bit further.

 

 

Oh..so avoiding places where you know they won't use the meter.. and having to walk to find a honest taxi is OK ????

Not quite what I was getting at. Just saying I personaly don't come across the problem because I dont normaly get cabs from these areas. The only real place you have no chance of a cab with a working metre is hualampong. As for the rest you just have to wait sometimes.

Lets not forget the old saying. If people refused this sort of taxi then they would have no business at the end.

I dont drive and use taxi all the time. Cant remember the last time I ever see a thai get in a fixed price cab or without a metre.

Anyhow post is about the use of cameras not the day to day hazzards of getting a cab.

[k9guy62]

I think this would be an excellent endeavor. The only thing the government needs to consider is that all electronic equipment can be tampered with. Strong provisions need to be implemented that will discourage tampering and encourage honesty within this industry. If a taxi driver gets caught tampering with video equipment he needs to be barred from operating a taxi for two years. If he gets caught doing it again then he should be barred for life from any employment that involves transport of people in any facet of public transportation. This country is so far behind the times. I fear that if someone does tamper with the equipment, it too will be blamed on evil spirits. In my country lawyers rank at the at bottom of the food chain, here in Thailand it's jet ski operators, taxis and then lawyers.

[circusman]

and put in a gps and tom tom or something like that so they know where everything is

make it also record taxi fares , km travelled ,speed and acceleration information as well as driving times

and offcourse make random checks if the device is working and turned on , and put very heavy fines if tampered with or not turned on

Yes Sir, more government regulation is a good thing. ?