Making changes to Phuket's taxi system: Opinion

[webfact]

Phuket Opinion: Making changes to Phuket's taxi system

PHUKET: -- The whole island – apart from the taxi drivers (and possibly even some of them) – applauded the arrests of more than 100 criminal drivers and the destruction of dozens of illegal taxi stands over the past 10 days.

But already, depressing signs are emerging that some officials, some police and, of course, the taxi community, want to bring back the old system, or a sanitised, “more orderly” version of it.

At a meeting in Karon on Tuesday night to discuss options following the arrests there of taxi drivers and the mayor of the town, it was suggested that taxi drivers should be registered as being stationed at specific points along main roads in Kata and Karon. They would not be allowed to pick up from other points.

This is precisely the territorial, feudal system that existed before and caused so much tension, occasionally bursting into violence.

Teerayut Prasertpol of the Transport Department, so often the voice of reason, said he wanted to see a system whereby a taxi driver could bring a passenger from the airport to Karon, and then take another passenger on the return journey to the airport.

At the moment this is impossible: the Karon taxi drivers claim a monopoly on all passenger pick-ups in their territory, so an airport driver has to go back empty.

It’s double the fuel, double the time, double the air pollution, double the fare.

Pleas were also made at the meeting for hotels to enfold taxi drivers in their embrace, allowing them to station themselves again on hotel property and “become members of the hotel family”.

The hotel representatives must have been frankly appalled.

They have only just managed to get rid of the abusive drivers parked on their premises, and now they are being asked to take them back?

What Phuket needs is a taxi system like Bangkok’s, where any taxi can pick passengers up anywhere and drop them off anywhere, and meters are used.

But as long as support for a “more orderly” version of the corrupt and monopolistic old system continues to come from officials and the police, this will remain a pipe dream, and all the work done to arrest criminal drivers and demolishing their lairs will have been for nothing.

What a terrible waste that would be.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-opinion-making-changes-to-phukets-taxi-system-46889.php

-- Phuket News 2014-06-17

[terryp]

same same but different..the more they change the more it stays the same , pretty much sums up Corrupt Thailand

[LivinginKata]

The hotel representatives must have been frankly appalled.

They have only just managed to get rid of the abusive drivers parked on their premises, and now they are being asked to take them back?

Is anyone surprised. Let's hope the hotels don't give in to these demands.

[clockman]

Another example of Thainess, that needs to be stamped out! But will it?

[timewilltell]

Desperate to keep their corrupt abuse of tourists - scum

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

[steelepulse]

Under the old system, all the local thugs and politicians make good money and have it easy, the only losers are the customers and those trying to find a decent parking spot. Under a Bangkok type system, the old winners are the new losers and they're not happy about it.

[NamKangMan]

Why should Phuket be any different to other parts of Thailand, including Bangkok, because some taxi drivers say so?

[jpeg]

I don't know how Bangkok's taxis are managed but surely howsoever can be implemented here, and if not why not? The expected 'why not?' should be, or at least should have been, included in the mass crackdown/arrest. This island is almost the size of Singapore and the ongoing monoplosation of what is essentially a basic service is laughable, if the many residents, both expat and Thai (not just the tourists) are to be continually held to ransom by the greed of the few who have the power to change things. And yes, it will all have been a huge waste of time and effort. As expected.

[monkeycountry]

Every single taxi/tuktuk driver on Phuket, including those who call themselves legal, as well as most of the officials belong in jail. Hopefully the army will eventually make sure they get there.

Perhaps Phuket should have a public vote regarding which taxi system they want? Of course the army would have to force such a vote, as the taxi drivers and local officials would never accept such a vote. They know full well what 99% of Phuket's population (and 100% of the tourists) want - a system like Bangkok.

Edited June 17, 2014 by monkeycountry

[RigPig]

Metered Taxis and Baht buses. Any tuk tuks should only be allowed to park ANYWHERE if picking up or dropping off passengers, otherwise...keep driving !!!

[RigPig]

Every single taxi/tuktuk driver on Phuket, including those who call themselves legal, as well as most of the officials belong in jail. Hopefully the army will eventually make sure they get there.

Perhaps Phuket should have a public vote regarding which taxi system they want? Of course the army would have to force such a vote, as the taxi drivers and local officials would never accept such a vote. They know full well what 99% of Phuket's population (and 100% of the tourists) want - a system like Bangkok.

That's the problem, the (majority) of people affected have no right to vote.....

[eezergood]

This is step 1, next would be teaching these morons (especially mini bus drivers) how to drive safely & with consideration! NOT 2 inches of the bumper of the car in front, moronic overtaking for its sake alone, the light flashing get out of my way and on and on it goes.

[NamKangMan]

Every single taxi/tuktuk driver on Phuket, including those who call themselves legal, as well as most of the officials belong in jail. Hopefully the army will eventually make sure they get there.

Perhaps Phuket should have a public vote regarding which taxi system they want? Of course the army would have to force such a vote, as the taxi drivers and local officials would never accept such a vote. They know full well what 99% of Phuket's population (and 100% of the tourists) want - a system like Bangkok.

That's the problem, the (majority) of people affected have no right to vote.....

I think the majority of people effected have voted, with their feet and with their baht, and now holiday elsewhere.

Of the majority that holiday on Phuket these days, most are package holiday makers and have their coach buses for transport and day tours.

[RigPig]

Every single taxi/tuktuk driver on Phuket, including those who call themselves legal, as well as most of the officials belong in jail. Hopefully the army will eventually make sure they get there.

Perhaps Phuket should have a public vote regarding which taxi system they want? Of course the army would have to force such a vote, as the taxi drivers and local officials would never accept such a vote. They know full well what 99% of Phuket's population (and 100% of the tourists) want - a system like Bangkok.

That's the problem, the (majority) of people affected have no right to vote.....

I think the majority of people effected have voted, with their feet and with their baht, and now holiday elsewhere.

Of the majority that holiday on Phuket these days, most are package holiday makers and have their coach buses for transport and day tours.

I agree, I went out for dinner the other night (Kata) and it was absolutely dead. LOT's of closed doors. I know it is the low season but the so called high season only lasted about 3 months, it used to be around 7 months. The quantity over quality strategy really worked didn't it... The cake is getting smaller but the amount of slices sure isn't declining!

The Baht is to high too, it's not uncommon to see a hamburger or even a sub sandwich for around 250 Baht, that's pushing $10. But as yo say the money isn't even coming into the country, it's all prepaid before they get here.

My wory is the crime rate may start to escalate as it get's harder.

[spidermike007]

Why should Phuket be any different to other parts of Thailand, including Bangkok, because some taxi drivers say so?

Because it is. The authorities really go out of their way in Bangkok, to make sure I can walk out onto any street and hail a taxi using the meter. Occasionally I have to shoo a few taxis away, who do not want to use the meter. But, I can ALWAYS find one who will. It is a wonderful and highly functional system. Of course, the drivers are not building villas, like they probably are in Phuket. Nor are they sending their kids to Oxford. But, please do not compare the completely broken system in Phuket, to the fully functional system in Bangkok. Please.