New threat claims from Central Festival Phuket taxi drivers, new denials
Phuket Gazette -

PHUKET: Five taxi drivers at Central Festival Phuket claim that they were threatened and suspended from working there by the leaders of the taxi organization that operates at the popular shopping mall.

The witnesses said they were verbally threatened and forbidden from working in the Central taxi queue, reported Karn Doonyalit of the Department of Special Investigations (DSI) on September 17.

The claims follow the arrests of the head of the Central Festival taxi group, Pom Sukkasam, and his brother on extortion charges on September 8. Both men have denied the charges and are out on bail (story here).

After the arrests, the taxi group at Central was reorganized under the direct management of the Central Festival administration. When taxi drivers were asked to choose a representative, they re-elected Mr Pom by an overwhelming margin.

Mr Pom told the Phuket Gazette that the five drivers in question refused to follow the queue system and rejected passengers who had a 10 per cent discount voucher from the shopping mall.

“These are the rules of our group that we all follow: taxis have to run on queue and cannot refuse customers. The first time they don’t obey the rules, we ask them to stop working with us for seven days,” he said.

“In this case, we suspended them for a week, and when they came back to work, they argued and fought with other members of our group. We discussed what to do about it, and decided to suspend them for a month,” he said.

DSI officer Karn’s comments came during a press conference updating the press on the ongoing campaign to weed taxi mafias out of Phuket. He also revealed the DSI’s next target: a taxi driver who ran into trouble with a Chinese tourist in the past.

“We are now collecting as much evidence as we can to arrest the suspect,” he said. He refused to reveal any of the details of the case for fear the suspect would flee.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/New-threat-claims-from-Central-Festival-Phuket-taxi-drivers-new-denials-22280.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2013-09-19

Do you know how to "weed taxi mafias out of Phuket?" BY WEEDING OUT THE TAXI MAFIAS OF PHUKET!!! Not arresting them then putting them back into the position you just took away from them. D

that story will only end when the police will do their job .... send the leader to jail ... its easy !!!!

Nothing new here

Yes, nothing new here. Business as usual.

Good to see that the big crackdown by DSI with all the fanfare is working. NOT!

that story will only end when the police will do their job .... send the leader to jail ... its easy !!!!

Did I miss some thing here it sounded to me like the leader was doing his job. They had agreed to use the in line system and take 10% discount tickets. These five drivers chose to disobey these two things.

Why should the police arrest him for performing his duties that are for the over all good of all concerned?

Besides they will be back in a month.

I don't care about any of this. What I want to know is when all taxi's will have and use meters?

I don't care about any of this. What I want to know is when all taxi's will have and use meters?

Not for a very long time, maybe never.

Tuk tuks out - baht busses in along with meter taxis and regular checks on them with a working complaints procedure

Tuk tuks out - baht busses in along with meter taxis and regular checks on them with a working complaints procedure

The word is that Yingluck has promised to come to Phuket, and personally sort this out. She has promised to stay in Phuket as long as is required, to make sure this issue is resolved once, and for all. She has also promised to do the same for Samui. She was quoted as saying "this is how true leaders, with real leadership ability behave. They work tirelessly, to make sure their nations are always improving, and that the quality of life for both Thais, and foreigners is improved steadily".

Not. Just kidding folks!

Thais might good to each other but when money comes they will bite each other.

Thais might good to each other but when money comes they will bite each other.

From my experience, it is not uncommon elsewhere in the world. Perhaps we just notice it more since we are here.

I don't care about any of this. What I want to know is when all taxi's will have and use meters?

Well it is a little confusing. How do you give 10% off if they don't use a meter unless they all have a pre agreed upon price. I know the bus station in Acapulco Mexico and the air port in Bali have a Taxi stand you go to and they have a list of places with pre set prices.

All is well,

if they would just use the thing on the dash...

formally known as The Meter.

And use it every time,

without exception.

It does appear from the article that the leader was upholding his duties,

and getting the job done,

with proper consequences for those who didn't follow suit.

Strange thing is when people in Thailand do as they are directed to,

they face even harder criticism than when they do it old school way.

Go figure that one out?