Armed Australian 'black taxi' driver arrested in Phuket

[chooka]

Wonder what would happen if Australia put a Ban on all NON-Australian Taxi Drivers? Might put a few Thais and OTHERS out of a job.

Same could also be said about allowing Thais to buy Land in Australia!

The difference of course being that most Aussies would not dream of driving a taxi. Well, not at least until the mining industry goes belly up.

Quite true the vast majority of taxi drivers in Aust (Melbourne) are Indian and Middle Eastern who can't speak English.

[uty6543]

Why all you people still live in Pattaya and Phuket is beyond my comprehension.

Limited comprehension abilities maybe.

[dao16]

I just think the guy messed up. Why did he tell them he was working as a chauffeur? He must have been doing this a lot, or it wouldn't have been a big deal. If I were picking someone up and a taxi started grilling me, I would respond, politely (in Thai), that I was picking up a friend. I guess if he is picking up "friends" a couple of times a day, he is really doing illegal work.

Still, doesn't seem like the brightest bulb in the bunch, with the knife and all. I would say to hiim, a la Walter White "If we are going to go down that path, you are going to need a bigger knife."

[simple1]

Wonder what would happen if Australia put a Ban on all NON-Australian Taxi Drivers? Might put a few Thais and OTHERS out of a job.

Same could also be said about allowing Thais to buy Land in Australia!

Probably mean insufficient taxis, how many Australians would work 12 hours a day, six days a week to earn around $700 - $1200 a week.

Edited October 3, 2013 by simple1

[stevenl]

Well, to hell with all this. You can pick up friends and clients....all those saying you can't are full of hogwash. The thing is, this guy does appear to be working and he didn't deal with it correctly. The correct answer was C) I am picking up my friends. I have picked up and taken people to airports and bus/train stations all over thailand....it would be stupid if you could't. Of course, I wasn't working, so it wasn't a thing. This guy was just doubly dumb for working and then not knowing how to actually work it in phuket, of all places....shizenhole on earth...never going there any time soon. I prefer my current pleasant view of thailand, despite its flaws.

I will continue to collect my oil industry clients in my car, bring them to my office, or entertain them. Catch me if you can!

I am doing the same, if higher risk my staff does it, if I think we can't get away with it (crackdown time) we hire official transport.

But no, no hogwash, legally you can not pickup clients without proper licenses. And with proper licenses a non-Thai can not do it. Friends, family etc., yes, clients, no.

[stevenl]

Short of the 'pistol' part I could easily have been accused of the same yesterday.

3 friends were staying at The Sunprime Hotel when their prepaid week finished and they decided to move to somewhere cheaper.

I said I'd drop them to the new place in my pick-up ( it has a divers style canopy and seats on the back) as they had big bags.

So I pull up on the apron near Reception at the Hotel , and one Thai in dark navy smiles and says welcome , while another Thai in turban and red beard ( unusual I know) and light blue shirt glares at me and says , "What you do?!!"

I say , "Oh , I'll only be here a minute , Im pickng up my friends " , thinking he is some sort of security.

Then he demands , "Where do you take them?"

Incensed that staff would be so nosey , I nearly say , "Mind yer own fcuken business" , but stop myself , with some Thais its just there way...

But this Thai is glaring, no smiles here.

So I say , "Baan khong pom!" ( House mine) and smile at him.

He then starts a chatter in Thai , and I detect the word 'taxi' but Im already hurrying inside , thinking they are just officious staff who dont want me parking there.

When I come out its pretty obvious the farangs really are friends , theyre chattering and throwing their bags in my truck , while red beard observes them closely.

He says , "You cannot do , this taxi job only Thai!"

( The real Hotel man is standing back smiling and looking worried.)

I just smile again , and we drive off , past taxi men leering at me.

Its in the car I realize hes a taxi man by the logo on his shirt.

In my opinion he has no right being any where but outside the Hotel gates , but he has obviously decided he will be a self appointed "approver" of who tourists will travel with and do so right near reception.

The situation is way out of hand .

A misplaced word and I could have been accused of one of the charges expressed above , or worse , beaten up .

For simply picking up friends....

Sure you can transfer friends.

You're putting yourself in a difficult position of course because of the canape on your car, and I presume them sitting there as well? What plates does your car have?

I don't think having a canape on the vehicle would put anyone in a difficult position, surely it would be there just in case someone wanted a snack?

If you think that you don't know the ins and outs. Mind you, we are talking a canape with seats here.

[stevenl]

Short of the 'pistol' part I could easily have been accused of the same yesterday.

3 friends were staying at The Sunprime Hotel when their prepaid week finished and they decided to move to somewhere cheaper.

I said I'd drop them to the new place in my pick-up ( it has a divers style canopy and seats on the back) as they had big bags.

So I pull up on the apron near Reception at the Hotel , and one Thai in dark navy smiles and says welcome , while another Thai in turban and red beard ( unusual I know) and light blue shirt glares at me and says , "What you do?!!"

I say , "Oh , I'll only be here a minute , Im pickng up my friends " , thinking he is some sort of security.

Then he demands , "Where do you take them?"

Incensed that staff would be so nosey , I nearly say , "Mind yer own fcuken business" , but stop myself , with some Thais its just there way...

But this Thai is glaring, no smiles here.

So I say , "Baan khong pom!" ( House mine) and smile at him.

He then starts a chatter in Thai , and I detect the word 'taxi' but Im already hurrying inside , thinking they are just officious staff who dont want me parking there.

When I come out its pretty obvious the farangs really are friends , theyre chattering and throwing their bags in my truck , while red beard observes them closely.

He says , "You cannot do , this taxi job only Thai!"

( The real Hotel man is standing back smiling and looking worried.)

I just smile again , and we drive off , past taxi men leering at me.

Its in the car I realize hes a taxi man by the logo on his shirt.

In my opinion he has no right being any where but outside the Hotel gates , but he has obviously decided he will be a self appointed "approver" of who tourists will travel with and do so right near reception.

The situation is way out of hand .

A misplaced word and I could have been accused of one of the charges expressed above , or worse , beaten up .

For simply picking up friends....

Sure you can transfer friends.

You're putting yourself in a difficult position of course because of the canape on your car, and I presume them sitting there as well? What plates does your car have?

Exactly my point.

Im not 'puting myself in a difficult position' with those who actually have the REAL authority , because I was told by my insurance Co. I had to have the canopy registered in my blue book and blue and white plates, so the vehicle is legal to carry passengers from everyones point of view.

But all this doesnt matter , because as a falang , I cant be driving any form of taxi anyway. ( Its a maxi cab , so the friends sit inside)

But some jumped up little sh!t can show no regard for hotel rules ( Im pretty sure he wasnt invited to stand there) and strong arm his way up to a hotels parking desk , then tell me Im not following the rules.

Why should I be lectured or in in any danger for driving my type of car?

White plates with blue lettering do NOT allow tourists in the car. These registrations are meant to transfer Thai workers to the workplace and things like that.

Agree with you, the guy should not be there, and yes, they can be extremely irritating.

[Mixu]

Work reserved for Thai nationals?........<deleted>?...... Blatant racism rears it's ugly head!

Under the Alien Employment Act, some occupations are closed to foreigners and is reserved for Thai nationals only

http://www.thaiembassy.com/thailand/working-thailand.php

[Briggsy]

Any plates allow you TO pick up your FRIENDS though.

I am so glad I don't live in Phuket. Imagine not being able to pick up your friends who are holidaying here from their hotel without having to run the gauntlet of guaranteed intimidation and aggressive questioning and the real possibility of you being prevented from leaving with your friends and potential physical assault.

There is no way I am going to Phuket nor will I recommend it to anyone, the opposite, in fact. The thuggery has gone way, way too far.

Don't take a holiday in Phuket. Go elsewhere.

[keestha]

Phuket taxi drivers and those taking commissions off them can be extremely protective of their turf. Once a customer staying at Bang Tao called me to arrange a taxi for him to go to Khao Lak. So I did, but the next thing what happened, was that I got a furious phone call from the hotel owner at Bang Tao, he wouldn't allow a Khao Lak taxi driver to pick up a customer at his place. So I gave in, but at least he agreed to let the customer pay just 1300 Baht, the price I had agreed on with him. Later the customer told me that before calling me, he had talked with the owner of the hotel, who had quoted a price in the range of about 2600 Baht.

Edited October 3, 2013 by keestha

[stevenl]

Any plates allow you TO pick up your FRIENDS though.

I am so glad I don't live in Phuket. Imagine not being able to pick up your friends who are holidaying here from their hotel without having to run the gauntlet of guaranteed intimidation and aggressive questioning and the real possibility of you being prevented from leaving with your friends and potential physical assault.

There is no way I am going to Phuket nor will I recommend it to anyone, the opposite, in fact. The thuggery has gone way, way too far.

Don't take a holiday in Phuket. Go elsewhere.

I pickup friends quite often, sometimes also guests. Never had any problems, never had to run a gauntlet, never encountered intimidation or even questions.

[LivinginKata]

I've never had a problem at airport or hotels when I collect/drop off friends who are here on holiday. Mind you I do not charge them anything. But where is the line drawn. Some of those friends rent apartments from us. I don't charge for the airport pick-up so I don't consider it a commercial deal. I guess the taxi drivers would not agree with me.

[stevenl]

I've never had a problem at airport or hotels when I collect/drop off friends who are here on holiday. Mind you I do not charge them anything. But where is the line drawn. Some of those friends rent apartments from us. I don't charge for the airport pick-up so I don't consider it a commercial deal. I guess the taxi drivers would not agree with me.

Same here, but I do charge guests. But: we don't do this every day, I don't stand there with a sign with the guestname (IMO asking for problems), and the car is not recognisable as a company car. If my staff drives the drivers asks one of the guests to sit in the front with him, etc.

But that is illegal.

Edited October 3, 2013 by stevenl

[jmccarty]

Work reserved for Thai nationals?........<deleted>?...... Blatant racism rears it's ugly head!

Under the Alien Employment Act, some occupations are closed to foreigners and is reserved for Thai nationals only

http://www.thaiembassy.com/thailand/working-thailand.php

Looks like my mate in the pub is breaking the law, rolling his own cigs! He will not like it when I tell him he will have to hire a Thai at bht 300 a day to do this from now on.

Edited October 3, 2013 by jmccarty

[steelepulse]

Interesting article in the unlinkable other news source from the Aussies point of view. (Not) Surprisingly, quite different then the initial report based on taxi thugs account.

[stevenl]

Interesting article in the unlinkable other news source from the Aussies point of view. (Not) Surprisingly, quite different then the initial report based on taxi thugs account.

Yes. There are some gaps in his story though, and the main thing: he went back, twice actually, to the taxi stand.

But if true he was not an illegal cabbie, just an awful idiot.

[louse1953]

I am here for economic reasons also,but i didn't realise things were this bad in Oz,and you have to work as a taxi driver in Thailand.On the other hand taxi business maybe better paided than i thought.Anyway he's f......What a drongo thinking he was gunna get away with it.

[louse1953]

Work reserved for Thai nationals?........<deleted>?...... Blatant racism rears it's ugly head!

Can see who the racist is here,but don't you think a work permit may be the way to go.

[LivinginKata]

Interesting article in the unlinkable other news source from the Aussies point of view. (Not) Surprisingly, quite different then the initial report based on taxi thugs account.

I just read that report. Easy to prove if his wife was at the hotel, some of his story makes sense, but I suspect he was working as a driver for his wife's tour business. No excuse to pull out that BB gun. The ammo was from the shooting range - really ...

A ex-policeman from Oz should know better. He is in a heap of serious trouble.

[louse1953]

Even if you buy into the idea that picking up a friend, family member, or client is "running an illegal taxi service," you still can't blame someone for wanting to shield their friend/family/client from the criminal taxi racket. I also can't blame someone for pulling a weapon when they're being confronted by an angry mob of taxi drivers.

Your wrong.He walked away to his car and came back with a weapon to confront a woman. The angry mob then confonted him and rightly so.

[NamKangMan]

@ stevenl & LIK

For how much longer do you think you guys will be able to get away doing this?

As many of the tourists coming here now are using pre-organised coach buses, and the airport bus seems to be doing ok, I have a feeling you guys will be the focus of some unwanted attention in the near future, and I don't think they will care if you charge or not.

[LivinginKata]

@ stevenl & LIK

For how much longer do you think you guys will be able to get away doing this?

As many of the tourists coming here now are using pre-organised coach buses, and the airport bus seems to be doing ok, I have a feeling you guys will be the focus of some unwanted attention in the near future, and I don't think they will care if you charge or not.

You are exactly correct, they (the taxis) only care that they are loosing a potential fare.

In my case it's not a frequent action. Maybe once a month at most. Be a different case if I was at the airport every day. Problem with this Aussie guy is that he had become noticed at that particular hotel, and a hotel where his wife with tour business seems to be operating her business.

[louse1953]

Of course the police is not interested in asking why the female Taxi driver felt she was entitled to patrol the streets on behalf of the police? I think we all know what would have happened to the Australian had he not been armed.

If 'we all' read the article 'we all' would know: he would have walked away without any harm done. How do 'we all' know? Because that is what already happened, but he decided to return and to do that armed.

Maybe maybe maybe. It's one foreigner against a pack of Thais, regardless of their occupation, gender, earned income status, age, status, what they're wearing, etc.

We do not know any facts, simply because it is the Phuket Thai version, and that is always (yes, always) the editedand abridged version, or else it is a complete pack of outright lies.

Did he return? Are you sure? If so, (and it really isn't important) then maybe he returned because he has a right to return. Maybe the jealous Thais set upon him again (yes, again, as I am certain they left out the first part as well). Is that possible? Is it possible they could lie about that? Do Thais lie as a part of their culture when the heat is on? Is it possible that they say he returned, but then leave out the part where they stepped up his second time around to pick up people, and that really incensed them, and they provoked him; maybe even pushed him or got up and personal in his face? Do Phuket Thai taxi, tuk tuk and minivan drivers do that sort of thing?

I rarely if ever am moved to accuse a foreigner of outright pulling a knife or a gun (fake or real) on Thais who describe their behaviors in a manner which I have never seen in like conditions.

These idiots do not realize how transparent their lies are, as the lies describe the Australian as a lunatic who pulls his knife and then goes to fetch a gun (or facsimile of a gun) to threaten such very very nice people, who are so tolerant and polite to him over the matter of taking away their business; moreover violating the Laws of the Land and badgering and harassing a foreigner for loading and unloading passengers or packages.

Finally, maybe this man has been badgered and harassed to the point that he feels compelled to resort to some sort of bluff. Maybe there is a sound reason that a foreigner would feel the need to even remotely behave such as this, if any of it were true. Maybe he tries asking for police enforcement. We can all guess how that might play out. My guess is he was all on his own, and he knew it, and he was facing an angry crowd of nutless bullies who, singularly, would not have the courage of a gnat to have an ancounter with him.

My vote remains with the Aussie. The alternative is too disgusting to contemplate.

Lot of maybe's there mate. Maybe you don't have a clue what your talking about. All we can go on is the current story not your maybe version of what may have happened.With such an inventive mind maybe you should write a fiction novel titled," How the Thai's piss me off",maybe be a best seller on this forum.MAYBE.

[stevenl]

@ stevenl & LIK

For how much longer do you think you guys will be able to get away doing this?

As many of the tourists coming here now are using pre-organised coach buses, and the airport bus seems to be doing ok, I have a feeling you guys will be the focus of some unwanted attention in the near future, and I don't think they will care if you charge or not.

You are exactly correct, they (the taxis) only care that they are loosing a potential fare.

In my case it's not a frequent action. Maybe once a month at most. Be a different case if I was at the airport every day. Problem with this Aussie guy is that he had become noticed at that particular hotel, and a hotel where his wife with tour business seems to be operating her business.

From the airport it is (mostly) just the fare, from hotels it is the fare plus the commissions from the attraction. Hence the sometimes aggressive reaction from local taxi drivers.

[louse1953]

Now even Aussie black taxi drivers on Phuket? Jeez, it is getting better and better!

We should have the same law in our home countries i.e. No Thai can do a job that a farang can do....................result ? Every Thai unemployed !!!

Oz has those laws already.Get the right permit/visa you work.Thailand, no WP,no work.Just gotta follow the rules.

[mok199]

is what thailand needs, free enterprise...mabey then ,things will get a bit polished...

[louse1953]

Wonder what would happen if Australia put a Ban on all NON-Australian Taxi Drivers? Might put a few Thais and OTHERS out of a job.

Same could also be said about allowing Thais to buy Land in Australia!

They would be natralised Ozzy's when they buy land.You become a natralised Thai citizen and same rules apply.Same as taxi drivers,just because they don't look like you doesn't mean they are not Ozzy's.A lot of taxi drivers are highly educated but can't get work in their field because of attitudes similiar to yours.Many white Ozzy's wont work in the taxi industry because the job and money are terrible,so we are lucky newly arrived residents take on this dangerous job.You want to know why it's dangerous,piss head anglo's spewin in the back seat,no money to pay after spending $100's on piss and doing runners and occasionly pulling weapons.

[louse1953]

Hardly operating as a taxi for hire.

How about all the weapons and threats from so-called legitimate taxi operators?

So he was doing it for free as he.There was payment somewhere along the line.How about the weapons,two wrongs don't make it right.Oh,he's doing it ,why can't i.

[louse1953]

He was obviously making a habit of picking up fares from the hotel, and the taxi drivers caught onto it. A farang picking up someone from a hotel would obviously not be an issue otherwise.

If you own a bar - you can't serve a beer to a custoner in your own bar, as that is an occupation reserved for Thai's.

If you own a guest house / hotel / resort - it's appears you can't operate as a "transfer driver" for your own establishment, as it could appear you are simply "working" in an occupation reserved for Thai's, despite you owning the business.

You are technically not even allowed to sit in the bar if you are the owner, as it would appear that you have sufficient ownership capacity to be "controlling" the business over and above your legal 49% ownership right, and also may be deemed that you are providing an entertainment aspect adding value to your business for which is a role a Farang cannot perform in an entertainment venue. True fact.

Interesting information. That would see all Falange under arrest as they all sit in their bars, all the ones I have been in over the years in Pattaya and Khon Kaen

I don't know about flanges,but BIb can show leniency,or maybe come once a month for a chat.

[Tech65]

This Australian was doing a sort of taxi driver job. That looks pretty clear from the article. The woman Taxi driver was complaining about it, obviously. Perhaps also because he was not following the "unsaid rules" of taxi business (queueing, local mafia- rules and similar things etc..). His later reaction to search for the woman and attack her, make to believe that this man felt protected some how, to do that. Therefore this man is not just a Thailand Lover, Thai girls lover resident, but something different. Nothing but bad things for sure, in my view.