Phuket: DSI details cases of black taxi gangsterism

[Rorri]

Are we all surprised at this report ? I for sure am not. This sort of activity goes on just about every where here on 'Paradise Island'. I really hope this DSI mob clean it up, but money always talks here on Paradise Island.

Sorry LIK but in case you hadn't noticed, TV users have renamed Phuket "Island of hate & pain." Please from now on, refer to Phuket with this name...

Oh... I've been naming it "Corruption Island."

[Tiffer]

Do you want to deny people the right to protest..?

[Chicog]

I think it should be called Fantasy Island.

Because for sure there are a whole load of people there living in a dream world.

[monty1412]

What I dont understand is why doenst the Joint Foreign Chamber of Commerce just put together a travel advisory warning saying their could be violence, heated situations and considerable delays getting to and from your hotels in Phuket and pop that in front of the governor and say.. this is going oit as a travel advisory warning in two weeks unless this is cleaned up.... hit the prevaricating officialdom where it hurts.. we all know they have hands deep in the pockets of tourism so a little threat on that side of fence could see masterful action in eradicating these taxi nomads.......

[impulse]

Wonder what would happen if 100 people went to Hotels.com, Agoda, etc. and posted horrible reviews of the hotels involved, claiming they were unsafe and unable (or unwilling) to protect their guests.

There are hotel security experts that travel around the world to places a lot dicier than Thailand to deal with this type of issue...

[Jim walker]

Fed up Tourists will eventually vote with their wallets and feet Bye Bye Thailand

[thhMan]

Its terrorism.... plain and simple and the offenders should be treated as enemies of the state!

[RtotheC]

It's simple, the police and government don't want to stop it. If they did, all they would have to do is start implementing minimum jail time for these offenders for 30 days or more, no exceptions, no fines, and no bail.

[tomross46]

I find it very interesting that the police did not know years ago. If see 100 police in uniform there are another 100 not in uniform. The police know all.

[chub]

Here's how the 'solution' to the black taxi problem was reported one year ago.

"PHUKET: Illegal “black plate” taxi drivers have been given another four months – until February 28 next year (2013)– to register their vehicles for conversion to legal green plates, Vice-Governor Jamroen Tipayapongtada announced yesterday (October 18, 2012)" ...... Yesterday it was announced that 2,882 vehicles – minibuses and cars – have already been registered by their drivers for conversion. Officers have checked and have counted the illegal vehicles. All told there were 3,594 – 510 minibuses and 3,084 cars belonging to 186 groups around Phuket. Of these, 2,882 are already registered [for conversion to green plates].

Contrast that to today's announcement:

"Theerayut Prasertpol, the PLTD’s director, explained, “So far, 118 former black taxi drivers have been registered [as greenplate drivers] while another 200 are waiting for resolution of financial matters. Within three months we expect that we will be able to complete registration of about 70 to 80 per cent of the black taxis.”

So 318 black taxis will convert to green plates while the remainder of the 3,594 illegal taxis counted last year (plus the new black taxis that have come into operation since last year) will continue to operate illegally.

No there was 3594 Altogether, 2882 had already registered, this leaves 712 illegal. So if 318 convert now we are left with 394 from the figures given last year.

Not so. The 2,882 only registered to apply for green plates. When they saw that they needed to pay for insurance for passengers and higher registration fees, and it became obvious that there would be no enforcement, most of them did not proceed with their applications for green plates and removed the yellow stickers. I think only 118 black taxis actually got green plates. You need only to cruise the beach roads, there are hundreds of black taxis lining the roads, but almost no green plates.

[Hecate]

This is why I moved to Hua Hin: reasonably priced accommodation within walking distance of the beach and the market. Songtaews for 10B, and taxis around town for 100B. Very little mafia-type thuggery. I don't know why anyone would spend their time on Phuket. Thailand is full of gorgeous beaches, so it's not that. More hookers I guess.

[NamKangMan]

Yes this is correct, i think the military police need to be assigned to Phuket in large numbers and completely take over the taxi and tourist situation. The civil police are just not police they are simply mafia in uniforms.

That's the problem. The people who are charged with upholding the law here, are not part of the solution, they are part of the problem.

They are not independent, they have conflicts of interests, and they are corrupt (tea money) and do not uphold the law for fear of being transfered to and inactive and unprofitable post. Thus, they have no control over the major issues effecting tourism.

The Thai Army needs to be deployed, on the provincial level, with an obvious focus on the tourist areas.

Their orders should be to secure the major tourist zones to allow free market forces (competition) in the transport industry to be implemented, which would then probably see taxis, buses and baht buses start operating, and they should remain on Phuket, on rotation, until all opposition has conformed to the transport system operating on Phuket.

Off the top of my head, immediate benefits would be less drink driving/riding, less accidents, less traffic, less noise, less pollution, less crime and less "scratched motorbike" scams.

Just implementing a functional transport system here would greatly enhance tourist's freedom and enjoyment of their holiday.

I can't see any other way this problem can be resolved, so the traditional western market will start to return to Phuket, and boost the local economy, as in the past.

[FiestyFarang]

BTW, isn't that gate Serenity's gate, or did they allow the taxi rank to set up their own gate? Trespassing, menace, and whatever other charges could easily be brought up against these scumbag lazy drivers.

Exactly right, but in Phuket a lot of window dressing talking goes on and little is actually done, and the talking stops and life carries on the same as it was. At Central I think the same man who was arrested in still running the taxis, remember this is Thailand or TIT for short. I wonder what will happen with the introduction of ASEAN in 2015 when English speaking not Thais can work in the bars etc. I wonder if there will be foreign taxi drivers, I doubt there will be and if there is not for long.

[FiestyFarang]

This is why I moved to Hua Hin: reasonably priced accommodation within walking distance of the beach and the market. Songtaews for 10B, and taxis around town for 100B. Very little mafia-type thuggery. I don't know why anyone would spend their time on Phuket. Thailand is full of gorgeous beaches, so it's not that. More hookers I guess.

Many of the good looking hookers have left as the bars are quiet, Europeans hardly come anymore, whether it is the high Baht, European Crisis, some say they (Europeans) are scared of the Russians but I never see the Russians making problems, for that matter I never see them in the bars.

Edited October 3, 2013 by FiestyFarang

[fareastguy]

If they're illegal then round them up & ship them out, that includes the persons at the top!!

What's the problem??

Send them to a jail in the far north of Thailand & have a ceremonial burning of their confiscated taxis, perhaps the message will get through that they are not welcome!!

[eezergood]

Wonder what would happen if 100 people went to Hotels.com, Agoda, etc. and posted horrible reviews of the hotels involved, claiming they were unsafe and unable (or unwilling) to protect their guests.

There are hotel security experts that travel around the world to places a lot dicier than Thailand to deal with this type of issue...

In all honesty NOTHING - even hotels in prime areas, with terrible tripadvisor reports & long lists of complaints, are still packed!

These experts would have to change decades of ingrained lunacy, it will take years and balls to fix. The locals have neither, as by the time they have power to do something its time to skim off the cream for the retirement fund!

[eezergood]

Now a youtube video is available, clearly showing the gutless maggots attacking the lone guy

[gamini]

It reminds me of bangkok some years back when the Police were to scared to arrest red shirt Thugs.

[tomacht8]

Incredible.
You book a transport service to bring you and your family from your hotel to the airport,
and there a thugs outside, block you and let you not drive!
What is that:
Coercion, Deprivation of liberty, Hostages
In any other country such criminals were quickly behind bars.
It is time that such criminal actions be punished sometimes.

Otherwise it will never change.

[Boss]

Now a youtube video is available, clearly showing the gutless maggots attacking the lone guy

Would be useful with a link....

[eezergood]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2W1xQNNgHKQ&noredirect=1

my bad

[steelepulse]

Nevermind, eezergood posted the link.

Edited October 3, 2013 by steelepulse

[tragickingdom]

A furious governor? Come on? Complain to Suthep and his friends who control half of Thailand's south. These gangs can operate just because they are led by or protected by Thailand's finest.

[biplanebluey]

We need Eliot Ness and his team of 'Untouchables'......

Although will they be able to assemble as many as eleven incorruptibles in Thailand??????

For gods sake----we already have the 'untouchables'------ the taxi drivers------we don't need any more !!!!!!!!!!!

[H1w4yR1da]

Now a youtube video is available, clearly showing the gutless maggots attacking the lone guy

Yeah. Look at them scatter when he stood up to them. Cowards!

[biplanebluey]

Trespass, imprisonment, extortion, threatening assault.

They gonna get a fine?

Only a "summons" so far.

How do they issue a summons? Does some nice friendly policeman come knocking on you door and ask you to read this.Then he gets ---but Im working on Monday officer------ OK what about Tuesday------- sorry have to go to Korat on Tuesday-------Wednesday?------- OK leave it with me and I'll be in touch ----OK?

Edited October 3, 2013 by biplanebluey

[skiller]

The season can start - happy holiday! Welcome on Phuket Island.

What about the shuttle bus service at Phuket airport? Are there operating right now?

Cheers

[LivinginKata]

The season can start - happy holiday! Welcome on Phuket Island.

What about the shuttle bus service at Phuket airport? Are there operating right now?

Cheers

I saw the Patong -> Airport bus running today.

[kannot]

>>“As for the black taxi drivers who made trouble at these two hotels, we have already issued summonses to them. We will also investigate to find the people behind all these black taxi drivers.

Why weren't the police called and the culprits arrested? If the standoff took two hours at Serenity, surely some cops from Chalong could have made the journey in that time, even on foot for the 4 km distance!

Edit, what nice friendly looking fellows in this photo.

Police car broken and all taxis were out at hotels blackmailing the guests.

[kannot]

Wonder what would happen if 100 people went to Hotels.com, Agoda, etc. and posted horrible reviews of the hotels involved, claiming they were unsafe and unable (or unwilling) to protect their guests.

There are hotel security experts that travel around the world to places a lot dicier than Thailand to deal with this type of issue...

Agoda would then be blocked from Thailand for not respecting and bringing it into a bad light.......................... avoidance as usual from Thailand