Army scheme to clean up public transport abuses

[webfact]

Army scheme to clean up public transport abuses
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Army is targeting issues over public transport services - especially motorcycle taxis, vans and taxicabs. Meanwhile, First Army Area chief Lt-General Theerachai Nakawanich, who oversees the Central region, has ordered senior Army officers in the area to hold serious talks with operators.

The mission to bring order to the transport services stems from public complaints about overly expensive fares and vehicles blocking traffic flows. The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) is responding as part of its "return happiness to Thai people" policy.

A source in the Army's operative team said operators of motorcycle taxis, van and taxi services had raised issues of their own too, including: demands on them for "protection fees", their requests for more relaxed traffic laws, and illegal motorcycle-taxi stands.

Besides urgently summoning transport operators to talk at length, the Army will join police in bringing order to traffic-law enforcement, the source said. A four-party committee comprising transport-service operators, Army personnel, police and the Land Transport Department will be set up to compile problem-solving recommendations to the NCPO-assigned working committee, the source said.

In a second phase, a to-be-established national legislative assembly, would amend transport-related laws, the source added.

The four-party committee would also discuss legal points and initially tackle fare rates, the traffic-law problems of taxi drivers, and the fee-demand practices of extortionists they called "influential figures". Army officers in respective areas would supervise the tackling of these issues, the source added.

Responsible Army units - especially in the problematic areas - have gathered much information already, according to Theerachai's instructions, the source said.

"Many units had reported details about who runs which taxi stands. The area commanders will invite the operators in question to talk at length."

Besides urging operators to observe traffic laws, the area commanders would look into why fares had been raised. Any new price rates should be according to law.

Taxi Motorcyclists' Association chairman Chalerm Changthongmadan said he had provided information on Monday to the Army about profit-involved parties and other related issues. He claimed only 150,000 of the 200,000 motorcycle-taxi stands were legal.

He said the so-called "influential figures" had survived previous crackdowns and ran these new ones to cheat customers. If their actions were disputed they would threaten or assault legitimate operators. He said taxi motorcyclists from these illegal stands usually overcharged passengers.

Chalerm asked the Army to act against illegal operators; to deal with taxi motorcyclists who made their vests without permission and split rent money with influential figures and crooked officials; and to reduce the time for background checks for public-transport licences to one month, instead of three.

The taxi motorcyclists wear the vests with a number to identify themselves and their stands. Each vest concession fee can range from Bt30,000 up to Bt100,000, depending on the location and number of passengers.

Besides the profitable taxi-motorcyclist vests, many stands also charged a motorcycle-rental fee worth hundreds to thousands of baht a month - some of which is reportedly paid as "protection fees" to officials.

The "fee" collecting was confirmed by a source at a state agency team working to counter extortionists, who said a small motorcycle-taxi stand paid Bt2,000-Bt3,000 a month - while a large one paid Bt5,000-Bt6,000. The operators formed an association to complain about such "fees" but were threatened with stricter law enforcement, intended to pressure them to continue paying the fees, the source said.

Public transport vans have their "fees", too. A small stand paid Bt15,000-Bt20,000 a month while a larger one Bt30,000-Bt100,000 - and operators had to pay an extra amount at both ends of the journey, the source said.

There were also along-the-way fees paid in thousands of baht.

Such payments were collected by uniformed figures, hence the operators had to collect the money from their van drivers.

These figures could control the number of vans using a route, too, he added.


-- The Nation 2014-06-12

[Stradavarius37]

One more steaming Thaksin sh#t pile being swept up....lots of steam coming off it on days like this....

[BKKdreaming]

Great idea......but will it all go back to the old ways after the Army steps down ?

[craigt3365]

Amazing at how far corruption permeates Thai society. With most pointing back to the police...and/or government officials.

Best of luck to the army. Hope these initiatives stick.

[allan michaud]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

One more steaming Thaksin sh#t pile being swept up....lots of steam coming off it on days like this....

In fairness it was a pile of steaming crap before Thaksin came along.

To get a clue who is doing a lot of the collecting of fees you just have to read the above line. "The operators formed an association to complain about such "fees" but were threatened with stricter law enforcement, intended to pressure them to continue paying the fees, the source said."

Threatened by whom? That would be the police I assume.

[trainman34014]

Amazing how quickly and easily all these rip-offs and scams by Officials can be shut down when somebody intends to do it....unlike ANY elected political Government that Thailand has had in the last 100 years. So busy stealing billions for themselves when they are in power that there is no time to stop it further down the line.

Another tick for the General....now lets see the perpetrators brought before the courts and severely punished to deter it starting up again later.

[GeorgeO]

Amazing at how far corruption permeates Thai society. With most pointing back to the police...and/or government officials.

Best of luck to the army. Hope these initiatives stick.

...yes, one wonders why they use a euphemism like "uniformed figures", as opposed to saying exactly what they mean "crooked cops"...!!

[scorecard]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Great idea......but will it all go back to the old ways after the Army steps down ?

Good point, in fact this relates to a well recognized big picture model of successful change:

- Unfreeze the situation

- Move the situation

- Refreeze the situation in the new picture

So far the good general seems to know what he's doing and right now I'm guessing there will be policies / actions / laws to freeze the new situation into place.

Edited June 12, 2014 by scorecard

[scorecard]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Amazing at how far corruption permeates Thai society. With most pointing back to the police...and/or government officials.

Best of luck to the army. Hope these initiatives stick.

...yes, one wonders why they use a euphemism like "uniformed figures", as opposed to saying exactly what they mean "crooked cops"...!!

Thieves could also be an appropriate word.

[trainman34014]

Amazing at how far corruption permeates Thai society. With most pointing back to the police...and/or government officials.

Best of luck to the army. Hope these initiatives stick.

...yes, one wonders why they use a euphemism like "uniformed figures", as opposed to saying exactly what they mean "crooked cops"...!!

Most 'Public Officials ' wear uniforms in Thailand. I agree it is most likely the Police involved but could also be high rankers from Amphur's or Tambon offices. They are all at it right down to the Woman on the desk who wants 500 Baht to 'help you' with your yellow Book application, or the 'no receipt' jobs you ask for at Immigration. Top to bottom the country is rotten to the core with money making scams and it's going to be a monumental task to correct things. Can be done but only using almost draconian measures to achieve it.

[Paulzed]

" (NCPO) is responding as part of its "return happiness to Thai people" policy".

(NCPO) is going to be busy trying to achieve that! I think they may have to employ some more people.

[Chao Lao Beach]

Something needs to be done with those suicidal van drivers, that's for sure.

[SlackJawChef]

Army needs to change the defamation law first so you can start to name and shame ....

S.J.C

[Stradavarius37]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

One more steaming Thaksin sh#t pile being swept up....lots of steam coming off it on days like this....

In fairness it was a pile of steaming crap before Thaksin came along.

To get a clue who is doing a lot of the collecting of fees you just have to read the above line. "The operators formed an association to complain about such "fees" but were threatened with stricter law enforcement, intended to pressure them to continue paying the fees, the source said."

Threatened by whom? That would be the police I assume.

I don't feel like being fair today...lol

[Paulzed]

Great idea......but will it all go back to the old ways after the Army steps down ?

what makes you, or anyone think the Army is ever planning on "stepping down?"

the Gen'l is assuring he will be the winner of any "election" assuming that ever happens,

which will only occur, if he is assured of winning and has no less power than he has now,

the worm turned in Thailand and the mafia rats are soon on the run

the Army MUST stay in power, or you will get what you got before, and he knows this already

How good would it be if the army stayed in power and did actually clean up all of the rot?

[thumper101]

Great idea......but will it all go back to the old ways after the Army steps down ?

what makes you, or anyone think the Army is ever planning on "stepping down?"

the Gen'l is assuring he will be the winner of any "election" assuming that ever happens,

which will only occur, if he is assured of winning and has no less power than he has now,

the worm turned in Thailand and the mafia rats are soon on the run

the Army MUST stay in power, or you will get what you got before, and he knows this already

Which is why I personally don't want to see a return to 'democracy'.... The whole shitpile will descend back on Thailand within months of them getting back in control of the country and its money.

The Thais are not ready for democracy yet... an entire population first must be educated enough to be able to understand how important their vote is. Otherwise we are just going to get successions of idiots being voted in time after time.

Just wave a bit of cash and populist policies around and you get handed the country to do with what you like.

Clean up the country and lets have an absolute monarchy with a royally appointed government who have the military watching their every move.... Also have the military breathing down the necks of the police and watching those toads as well.

The only thing that works well here, is military scrutiny.

[noitom]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Amazing at how far corruption permeates Thai society. With most pointing back to the police...and/or government officials.

Best of luck to the army. Hope these initiatives stick.

...yes, one wonders why they use a euphemism like "uniformed figures", as opposed to saying exactly what they mean "crooked cops"...!!

Thai code to avoid the truth.

[Chao Lao Beach]

Clean ME Up Scotty ....

[prakhonchai nick]

Will Pattaya's baht buses be on the list. Many drivers are thieving bastards, who will think nothing of threatening you with a weapon of some sort if you query or refuse to pay their inflated prices.

[craigt3365]

A few posts have been removed from view. Please keep comments regarding the coup limited to threads already running in the Thai news forum. Not this thread.

[bkkjames]

Something needs to be done with those suicidal van drivers, that's for sure.

I would use the term homicidal

Sent from my LG-P970 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[rebelplatoon]

Just saying, so far so good.

[oneday]

"...public complaints about overly expensive fares and vehicles blocking traffic flows."

Are you seriously saying no one has complained about what I consider the #1 complaint, "excessive, insane, kamakazee speeding".

[scorecard]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Amazing at how far corruption permeates Thai society. With most pointing back to the police...and/or government officials.

Best of luck to the army. Hope these initiatives stick.

...yes, one wonders why they use a euphemism like "uniformed figures", as opposed to saying exactly what they mean "crooked cops"...!!

Most 'Public Officials ' wear uniforms in Thailand. I agree it is most likely the Police involved but could also be high rankers from Amphur's or Tambon offices. They are all at it right down to the Woman on the desk who wants 500 Baht to 'help you' with your yellow Book application, or the 'no receipt' jobs you ask for at Immigration. Top to bottom the country is rotten to the core with money making scams and it's going to be a monumental task to correct things. Can be done but only using almost draconian measures to achieve it.

Agree, and my family have experiences all of these items, like many other families.

Our worst example was a Thai hospital where the doctor, the nurses on that ward and the admin. staff in the main office all demanded a not small 'fee' at farang fee level, before they would release the documents we needed for a health insurance claim for my Thai born son who has a mixed name.

Difficult to change yes, but it can be done. In fact an 'impossible to change' attitude cannot ever be acceptable.

The NCPO (from what's been seen of their approach so far) might well be the catalyst which is critical to achieve these changes, and I wish them well.

[kleelof]

This is all good and nice of them. But why don't they deal with some real issues there such as child prostitution.

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

The complaint line for taxi's needs to be brought back in a way that works for everyone. I tried calling it a few months ago and it was in Thai only. They said if I wanted to file a complaint in English to call the tourist police. I did this but the tourist police referred me back to the Thai taxi complaint line.

Once this is set up for everyone to use, then they need to follow up and enforce penalties against those complained about.

There is meant to be a 1000 THB fine for certain offenders and repeat offenders risk losing their licenses. This worked 12 years ago when they started cracking down on taxi's refusing to turn on their meters. It will work again. Just enforce it!!!

I would be happy to pay an increased fair as the price has not really increased in the last decade. Just take me where I want to go when I want to go there and use the meter!!!

[JoeLing]

Nice to see how the Army is cleaning up all this civilian issues, BUT ...
Shouldn't they clean up some of those "nasty little issues" within their own constituency?
Are those civilian "clean-ups" not just protecting and covering up their own interests?

I don't think at this time it's very wise to point out all the issues the military has in their
own ranks but I'm sure, most people do know what some of those issues are. Maybe if
the military would clean up their own house first, many of the "civilian problems" would
disappear all by themselves.

So lets hope, - hope is a bit too much so let's just dream - the army cleans up our civilian
masters first, so the next elected government can clean up the "nasty little issues" within
the army and Thailand can look forwards to a brighter future (in around 650 years time).

[hawker9000]

Will Pattaya's baht buses be on the list. Many drivers are thieving bastards, who will think nothing of threatening you with a weapon of some sort if you query or refuse to pay their inflated prices.

What the frack are you talking about?! 'Been using them for close to 30yrs - never ONCE had a problem. Not ONCE! Probably the cheapest, easiest, most reliable way to get around in Pattaya. You wouldn't by any chance be a Pattaya taxi driver, would you?

[NoshowJones]

Something needs to be done with those suicidal van drivers, that's for sure.

I have said this before and I will say it again, yes, there are some suicidal van drivers, but, if other vehicles would stop hogging the centre and outside lanes driving well below the speed limit, the "suicidal" van drivers would not have to keep slowing down and switching lanes.

[1plumber]

Great idea......but will it all go back to the old ways after the Army steps down ?

depends on who is democratically elected I suppose