Taxi man ‘Brother Pom’ plays down DSI allegations of queue jumping

[Lite Beer]

Taxi man ‘Brother Pom’ plays down DSI allegations of queue jumping
Phuket Gazette -

Pom Sukkasem tells DSI Lt Col Somboon not to worry. Photo: Gazette file

PHUKET: Pom Sukkasem, the leader of Phuket's Central Festival taxi group accused by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) of queue hoping, told the officers not to worry about how he runs the shopping mall’s taxi network.

“This is not a big thing to focus on… I would like to let the DSI know that they don’t need to worry about me taking advantage of my members. We live like brothers. I have never, and will never jump the queue,” Mr Pom said.

Lt Col Somboon Sarasit, head of the DSI’s Bureau of Special Crime Unit 3, explained on Tuesday that he had received reports from taxi operators at Central Festival that Mr Pom was taking advantage of the queuing system.

“Mr Pom took advantage of the other taxis operators by skipping the queue. We learned about this problem after speaking with Central Festival management, Phuket Land Transportation Office officers and members of the taxi group,” Lt Col Somboon said.

The accusations come after Mr Pom returned from court in Bangkok, claiming that the extortion charges against him were not being pursued by the prosecutor (story here).

At that time Lt Col Somboon clarified, “The prosecutor ordered investigators to get more evidence to support the extortion charge. That does not mean the case has been dropped.”

Mr Pom explained to the Phuket Gazette yesterday how the taxi queuing system worked in the past, and why he had more slots than others.

“First off, I have one slot and my wife also has one. But more importantly, we have an agreement with all the members of the taxis that if they need a loan to pay the queuing fee or for something else, they can use their queue spot as collateral,” Mr Pom said.

Queuing fees are 1,200 baht a year.

“All loans, given at zero per cent interest, must be paid back in three months,” He said. “If they aren’t, the driver looses his spot in the queuing system.”

When someone is looking for a short-term loan, Mr Pom says he is usually the person who gives them money.

“However, that agreement is part of our old system, and will not be valid once we, the Andaman Taxi Service Co-operative, become legal,” he added.

The new system will only allow one car per person and only one queue space per car, Col Somboon said earlier this week.

Central Festival Operations Manager, Preecha Ritthiratree, expressed concern over whether or not the taxis operating at the shopping mall would all be legal by the November 30 deadline.

However, Mr Pom assured the Gazette that there would be no issues.

“The Andaman Taxi Service Co-operative will finish the registration process by November 30, and we will have 100 legal taxis operating at Central Festival at that point,” he said.

Currently, 179 taxis are operating at the mall as part of the group, 100 of which are legal, Mr Pom explained. Of the rest, 29 are in the process of getting their green license plates and becoming legal, the remaining 50 are not.

“Once our co-operative becomes legal, then none of the illegal taxis can service Central,” Mr Pom said.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Taxi-man-Brother-Pom-plays-down-DSI-allegations-of-queue-jumping-22802.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2013-11-16

[LivinginKata]

Lot of BS to digest in that report

[NomadJoe]

Lot of BS to digest in that report

Yeah no kidding. It really shows the sad state of affairs when the top investigatory body in the country spends time investigating something as trivial taxi que jumping, and still can't get any traction with it. Perhaps they are trying the Al Capone approach. Can't get him on racketeering, get'em on tax evasion.

[Pimay1]

Pom Sukkasem, the leader of Phuket's Central Festival taxi group accused by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) of queue hoping, told the officers not to worry about how he runs the shopping mall’s taxi network.

In other words mind your own business I'll run it the want I want to..

Edited November 16, 2013 by Pimay1

[stockholm1995]

There is only one solution for this problem:
DSI should invite Pom Sukkasem to the office and explain for him that he should forget the Taxi business and maybe starting selling noodles and if he doesn´t agree he and his wife will disappear.

This is the only language this kind of monkey understand.

Edited November 16, 2013 by stockholm1995

[NamKangMan]

There is only one solution for this problem:

DSI should invite Pom Sukkasem to the office and explain for him that he should forget the Taxi business and maybe starting selling noodles and if he doesn´t agree he and his wife will disappear.

This is the only language this kind of monkey understand.

"he and his wife will disappear" is a little harsh. I think they should just find drugs in his taxi. That should let him know they mean business. :)

[krystian]

Local PD can handle it so they called in th DSI lol

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[klauskunkel]

After the DSI has finished investigating the taxi queue jumping, they should move on to investigate the same crime at numerous 7/11 check-outs around the country!

[andreandre]

After the DSI has finished investigating the taxi queue jumping, they should move on to investigate the same crime at numerous 7/11 check-outs around the country!

From their performance so far [or rather, lack of] even sorting out a 7/11 check out queue jumping would be way beyond their abilities..

[Travel Dude]

There is only one solution for this problem:

DSI should invite Pom Sukkasem to the office and explain for him that he should forget the Taxi business and maybe starting selling noodles and if he doesn´t agree he and his wife will disappear.

This is the only language this kind of monkey understand.

Well spoken! Well said! Exactly right

Edited November 17, 2013 by Travel Dude

[Travel Dude]

After the DSI has finished investigating the taxi queue jumping, they should move on to investigate the same crime at numerous 7/11 check-outs around the country!

Anyone who jumps my queue or moves back or gets moved back. And fast!

[Carl64]

After the DSI has finished investigating the taxi queue jumping, they should move on to investigate the same crime at numerous 7/11 check-outs around the country!

Anyone who jumps my queue or moves back or gets moved back. And fast!

+1 with vengeance !

[SjaakNL2013]

After the DSI has finished investigating the taxi queue jumping, they should move on to investigate the same crime at numerous 7/11 check-outs around the country!

From their performance so far [or rather, lack of] even sorting out a 7/11 check out queue jumping would be way beyond their abilities..

This will be done in a nation wide "sting" operation