Airport departure drop-off: Army checking all Thai drivers

[simon43]

I noted this morning at the airport. All Thai drivers who were dropping off friends or family at the airport departures (second floor), were being stopped by army personnel and questioned, sometimes (as I noted), for several minutes.

I assume the army is checking for illegal taxis......

[LivinginKata]

More good news ...

[simon43]

As a footnote to the above, (sorry, I can't stop laughing!!), my ex has a licenced red/yellow airport taxi which she uses to collect/drop-off hotel guests. Her husband (nice but dim), drives the car.

This morning, 2 guests need to be dropped at the airport. Nice but dim crawls out off bed, half asleep, decides for some reason to use his private car to drop them off, and is promptly arrested at the airport for being an illegal taxi...

We haven't seen him since 10.00am this morning. Ex is livid with him.

[simon43]

Nice but dim has just returned from the airport. He reports that many hotel courtesy cars have been stopped and their drivers detained when dropping off hotel guests at departures.

I'm not sure that the army crackdown was meant to detain hotel car guest drop-offs - there were drivers from some major hotels detained.

[NamKangMan]

I always thought "nice but dim" was her brother.

[simon43]

I always thought "nice but dim" was her brother.

No, you are getting confused. He is 'dimmer than dim'

[stevenl]

Nice but dim has just returned from the airport. He reports that many hotel courtesy cars have been stopped and their drivers detained when dropping off hotel guests at departures.

I'm not sure that the army crackdown was meant to detain hotel car guest drop-offs - there were drivers from some major hotels detained.

On what plates were those cars?

[Guest]

I think this was happening already on Friday as the military was stopping almost everyone there.

While riding back home, there was another location at the Muan Mai highway police, where all the cars were stopped.

I felt like coming back to functional country

[simon43]

On what plates were those cars?

Private plates. The reason is because the transport office has stopped issuing the green plates for hotel vehicles due to 'abuse' of the system. So any hotel who doesn't yet have a green-plate vehicle is unable to obtain them, and therefore has to break the law by sending their hotel guests in private-plate cars.

As mentioned, my ex got round this problem because she has an airport taxi-meter licence and vehicle, but apparently there are many hotels in Phuket who are unable to correctly licence their hotel vehicles.

[fiddlehead]

So, what happens when I ask my (Thai) neighbor to drive my truck to drop me off at the airport?

And pick me up when I return?

Or, must I take my motorbike?
I am not going to pay 400 baht a day to park. (going away for a week next month)

Will I have to get a farang friend to drive instead?

If so, will THEY be questioned?

[Jimi007]

So, what happens when I ask my (Thai) neighbor to drive my truck to drop me off at the airport?

And pick me up when I return?

Or, must I take my motorbike?

I am not going to pay 400 baht a day to park. (going away for a week next month)

Will I have to get a farang friend to drive instead?

If so, will THEY be questioned?

I do believe it's 200 ฿ a day to park, at least that what they charged me last month.

[LivinginKata]

So, what happens when I ask my (Thai) neighbor to drive my truck to drop me off at the airport?

And pick me up when I return?

Or, must I take my motorbike?

I am not going to pay 400 baht a day to park. (going away for a week next month)

Will I have to get a farang friend to drive instead?

If so, will THEY be questioned?

I suggest you drive your truck into the airport, jump out and let your friend drive away. Same on the way back, he drives in, you jump into the driving seat. And it's 200 baht/day for parking.

[Jimi007]

So, what happens when I ask my (Thai) neighbor to drive my truck to drop me off at the airport?

And pick me up when I return?

Or, must I take my motorbike?

I am not going to pay 400 baht a day to park. (going away for a week next month)

Will I have to get a farang friend to drive instead?

If so, will THEY be questioned?

I suggest you drive your truck into the airport, jump out and let your friend drive away. Same on the way back, he drives in, you jump into the driving seat. And it's 200 baht/day for parking.

Good idea!

[Guest]

So, what happens when I ask my (Thai) neighbor to drive my truck to drop me off at the airport?

And pick me up when I return?

Or, must I take my motorbike?

I am not going to pay 400 baht a day to park. (going away for a week next month)

Will I have to get a farang friend to drive instead?

If so, will THEY be questioned?

I suggest you drive your truck into the airport, jump out and let your friend drive away. Same on the way back, he drives in, you jump into the driving seat. And it's 200 baht/day for parking.

That's good way to go forward. Phuket and Thailand in general is now in transition phase which means that there will be some annoyances for all of us. Still the overall situation is improving.

Just be creative how to get things done. The changes of attitude might hurt the ordinary people a bit, but it will bite long and hard to the people who have abused the laxed system for years. Think it as mild cancer removal. The good cells will suffer, but the bad cells will die. Sometimes it's worth of the trouble.

[Felt 35]

I have asked a Thai friend to take me to the airport next week (his car) is that also illegal?

Edited July 19, 2014 by Felt 35

[NamKangMan]

I always thought "nice but dim" was her brother.

No, you are getting confused. He is 'dimmer than dim'

Well then, he definately must be related.

[LivinginKata]

I have asked a Thai friend to take me to the airport next week (his car) is that also illegal?

Your friend will likely be questioned if you are giving him any money. If that case he would be considered an illegal taxi. For sure you would at least be paying his gas = illegal

[fiddlehead]

So, are they stopping people before or after they are dropped off? (or picked up?)

Yes, I can drive my pickup in and then switch drivers, but what about when he leaves?

or if it's before, what about when he picks me up.

Be careful what you wish for folks.

It's great to cheer about this, until it affects you.

[Felt 35]

I have asked a Thai friend to take me to the airport next week (his car) is that also illegal?

Your friend will likely be questioned if you are giving him any money. If that case he would be considered an illegal taxi. For sure you would at least be paying his gas = illegal

Serious ...we have know each others for more than a decade ... any suggestion then when leaving for two months to Europe....... Is there any taxis left (legal) which still operate Phuket town-Airport!

[JesseFrank]

So, what happens when I ask my (Thai) neighbor to drive my truck to drop me off at the airport?

And pick me up when I return?

Or, must I take my motorbike?

I am not going to pay 400 baht a day to park. (going away for a week next month)

Will I have to get a farang friend to drive instead?

If so, will THEY be questioned?

I suggest you drive your truck into the airport, jump out and let your friend drive away. Same on the way back, he drives in, you jump into the driving seat. And it's 200 baht/day for parking.

And how would that make it any different from " nice but dim " situtation ?

Don't you think that every unlicensed taxi can say he's your neighbor?

[JesseFrank]

More good news ...

I can't speak for Phuket, but here in Pattaya.

Licensed taxi to the airport 2500 Baht - unlicensed taxi 950 Baht.

Good news ??

[LivinginKata]

More good news ...

I can't speak for Phuket, but here in Pattaya.

Licensed taxi to the airport 2500 Baht - unlicensed taxi 950 Baht.

Good news ??

Well, here in Phuket they all charge a unified price, if anything the black cabs try to charge a little more. If the official guys heard about anyone under cutting them then that driver would not last long. I member a couple of years ago there was a shooting at the airport.

[JesseFrank]

More good news ...

I can't speak for Phuket, but here in Pattaya.

Licensed taxi to the airport 2500 Baht - unlicensed taxi 950 Baht.

Good news ??

Well, here in Phuket they all charge a unified price, if anything the black cabs try to charge a little more. If the official guys heard about anyone under cutting them then that driver would not last long. I member a couple of years ago there was a shooting at the airport.

If so, then why would people even consider using an unlicensed taxi ?

[merijn]

I left via Phuket airport a few days ago and no more checking by the army.

My staff brought me to the airport and i instructed him already about the answers in case he was asked by the army.

As long he is bringing me to the airport for free it is not a problem.

The drivers are only getting into trouble if they receive any money.

So just give your driver the money before arriving to the airport and when asked let him say that he did a favor for you for free.

[Felt 35]

I left via Phuket airport a few days ago and no more checking by the army.

My staff brought me to the airport and i instructed him already about the answers in case he was asked by the army.

As long he is bringing me to the airport for free it is not a problem.

The drivers are only getting into trouble if they receive any money.

So just give your driver the money before arriving to the airport and when asked let him say that he did a favor for you for free.

Thanks for that info. I actually don't "pay" my friend to drive me. He don't want any thing but when he previously have dropped me of at the airport I usually put a purple note in the glove box in his car.