Police float taxi plan for Phuket’s Cherng Talay area

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Police float taxi plan for Phuket’s Cherng Talay area
Anthika Muangrod


Under the plan taxis would have to wait at home until called. Photo Ilya Plekhanov

PHUKET: -- Cherng Talay Police yesterday (June 11) convened a meeting at the police station with representatives of some 40 local businesses, including hotels and resorts, to listen to their complaints about local taxi services and to outline a plan for organising them better.

There were two main complaints: the high prices charged by taxis and taxis claiming hotels and resorts as their territory, blocking minibuses and other taxis coming to pick up guests.

Today the Superintendent of Cherng Talay Police, Pol Col Paworn Pornphromma, explained to The Phuket News that taxis would no longer be able to claim territory. They would instead be allocated four “pick-up points” where three or four taxis could wait for passengers.

A call centre would be used to call taxis when it is their turn to go to one of the pick-up points. Since there is no central place available for large numbers of taxis to wait, drivers would have to wait at home until they are called into service.

The plan envisages two of the four pick-up points being in Bang Tao – though exactly where has yet to be decided – one “at Laguna” and the fourth at Surin Beach.

Another meeting is to be held soon to discuss the plan with the taxi drivers.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/police-float-taxi-plan-for-phuket%E2%80%99s-cherng-talay-area-46828.php


-- Phuket News 2014-06-13

[angsta]

Good luck with that.

[impulse]

I like the military's plan better- at least what we've seen of it.

This "plan" looks like lipstick on a pig.

[simon43]

They are trying to implement a local taxi system when we need one single solution that applies to ALL taxis and tuk-tuks across the island.

[eezergood]

Who will own/control it - will become another rort

[huahinjoe]

Would be great if they make the taxis with 3g/gps tracker, let people book online or with an app so you can see which free taxi is the nearest on the map.

Make it transparent, use the meter with fair prices (report back the cost of trips to the website) with the help of IT and a little bit of intelligence it could be a sustainable system so they can save fuel if the operation properly managed.

They could incorporate the traffic data as well, send to google maps to share with the public.

[monkeycountry]

As I and many others have said maybe 1000 times already, there is no need to invent the wheel all over again, just make an exact copy of the taxi system in Bangkok, which works quite well. Meter prices can be raised slightly to reflect the general higher living costs in Phuket. We are talking less than 50% here, not the current 500% or whatever it is. Drivers who do not like the system are welcome to find employment elsewhere, just as they would be told if they did not want to use the system in Bangkok.

[steveyinasia]

I think the best plan to float would be to float these parasites out into the ocean and let them sink to the bottom of the sea.

[jocko]

I think the best plan to float would be to float these parasites out into the ocean and let them sink to the bottom of the sea.

Nobody has mentioned the boat taxi we will soon be able to get from the Airport to Patong.

That should make a differance.

[HerbalEd]

I fully support this "plan" but the logistics will be much harder than the talking.

[smedly]

1. Local government need to administer transport - not local mafia

2. Numbers of licences need to be restricted and controlled (less taxi's = more fares per taxi = lower fares)

3. Enforce meter use and pricing

4, Heavy fines for those abusing the system

5. Improve fixed route public transport

6 Clearly publish tariff

[steelepulse]

I think the best plan to float would be to float these parasites out into the ocean and let them sink to the bottom of the sea.

Nobody has mentioned the boat taxi we will soon be able to get from the Airport to Patong.

That should make a differance.

And with the big swells like we have today, it will be a free adventure ride thrown in as part of the attraction of taking the ferry.

[monkeycountry]

1. Local government need to administer transport - not local mafia

2. Numbers of licences need to be restricted and controlled (less taxi's = more fares per taxi = lower fares)

3. Enforce meter use and pricing

4, Heavy fines for those abusing the system

5. Improve fixed route public transport

6 Clearly publish tariff

Completely agree, but there is one problem

Local government = local mafia :-(

[EBlair48]

Something very suspicious that local city police are even involved in this discussion. This is a provincial matter and should be implemented by the govt in Phuket town.

Call system, on street pick ups and meters. It isn't rocket science.

[NamKangMan]

They are trying to implement a local taxi system when we need one single solution that applies to ALL taxis and tuk-tuks across the island.

I agree.

This "system" still implements the old idea of protectionism.

They need a free market economy in the transport industry here, with properly regulated metered taxis, island wide, and also a simple short journey mass transport system, such as a baht bus system, similar to that in Pattaya.