70 Phuket ‘mafia’ taxi drivers get dates with court
Tanyaluk Sakoot


Taxis with a variety of plates – green yellow and 'black' – in the court car park this morning.

PHUKET: Seventy taxi drivers attended Phuket Provincial Court this morning (August 18) to hear when cases against them will be heard.

The 70 are involved in eight joint “mafia taxi” cases, and face charges that include cheating tourists, criminal association, and illegal detention of other people.

They are from the 108 arrested at the beginning of the army-backed police crackdown on mafia taxi activities on June 4. Most have already denied guilt.

A taxi driver from Kamala area who does not want to be name said in a depressed voice, “These charges are just too much. I have no idea why this has happened to me.

“It would be better if the police had discussed things with us before deciding to bring charges.”

Another Kamala taxi driver said, “I don’t know why I am facing these terrible charges.”

A third, from Kata, said, “We’ve been in this line of work for a long time. If we cannot make a living by driving a taxi, what can we do? The police just don’t understand our way of life.”

Court officials would not comment on the cases but it is understood that today’s hearings were purely to set dates for the cases to be heard.

Some taxi drivers are alleged to have occupied space in front of hotels, refusing to allow guests to be driven anywhere except in the gang’s taxis, or to have extorted money from tour companies in return for allowing them to pick up clients.

There have been allegations on many occasions that taxi drivers have physically pulled tourists from minibuses sent to collect them, and have assaulted drivers or damaged vehicles sent by tour companies.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/70-phuket-%E2%80%98mafia%E2%80%99-taxi-drivers-get-dates-with-court-47928.php


-- Phuket News 2014-08-18

What's this all about, these appear to be legal Taxis/Limousines and thought they could charge/screw whatever they could out of the punter legally.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_registration_plates_of_Thailand

Unless they obtained the plates after June 4th and had been operating illegally prior to that.

What's this all about, these appear to be legal taxis

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_registration_plates_of_Thailand

Unless they obtained the plates after June 4th and had been operating illegally prior to that.

Have you read the article? This has nothing to do with illegal or legal taxis.

"cheating tourists, criminal association, and illegal detention of other people" - these are the charges against many of them.

This comment is priceless "It would be better if the police had discussed things with us before deciding to bring charges.” - only in Thailand would anyone actually think you should discuss the charges with the criminals before arresting them.

What's funnier is "The police just don’t understand our way of life".

Funny that, because most everyone else does. You lie, cheat and steal.

What's funnier is "The police just dont understand our way of life".

Funny that, because most everyone else does. You lie, cheat and steal.

Just about sums it all up. The taxi mafia just don't see anything wrong with cheating, intimidation, extortion,GBH, etc ....

A taxi driver from Kamala area who does not want to be name said in a depressed voice, “These charges are just too much. I have no idea why this has happened to me.

“It would be better if the police had discussed things with us before deciding to bring charges.”

The years and years of overcharging, scamming, illegal standover tactics, illegal cartels should be just some of the small clues

They are from the 108 arrested at the beginning of the army-backed police crackdown on mafia taxi activities on June 4. Most have already denied guilt.

I wonder what happened to the other 38 that were arrested? Probably ran back to their home province...

We don't understand....we've done it this way for years.....why do they say we can't now?

“I don’t know why I am facing these terrible charges.”

Perhaps this will help spell it out for you, Scumbag:

“...taxi drivers have physically pulled tourists from minibuses sent to collect them, and have assaulted drivers or damaged vehicles sent by tour companies."

“...charges that include cheating tourists, criminal association, and illegal detention of other people.”

“We’ve been in this line of work for a long time. If we cannot make a living by driving a taxi, what can we do?

Stop being a thuggish, knuckle dragging criminal would be a good start.

"The police just don’t understand our way of life.”

Nor should any civilized person have to understand your way of life...

The apathy and the utter disregards to the rules of law in Thailand for so many years, backed by cronyism

and nepotism deeply rooted in the Thai way of life just can't accept that things are changing and they are

in shock to see that the gravy train has lost all it's steam and time come to pay the piper...

Let's hope they get the maximum penalities allowed by law. It would be nice to see these thieves, thugs and kidnappers put behind bars for 10 years at a minimum.

Let's hope they get the maximum penalities allowed by law. It would be nice to see these thieves, thugs and kidnappers put behind bars for 10 years at a minimum.

Expect the usual 500 baht fine.

Let's hope they get the maximum penalities allowed by law. It would be nice to see these thieves, thugs and kidnappers put behind bars for 10 years at a minimum.

Expect the usual 500 baht fine.

Unfortunately you are right. There is never any real justice for these kind of things. In my opinion the courts really don't care.

only 70 ?

they must be thousand of them or are they the one who make concurancy to the others?

When a passenger makes a complaint, that should be an indication that they are doing something wrong...

Its time they looked at those other taxi drivers who are happy, have a happy family and enjoy their job of delivering their passengers to their destination in due time and fair price.

You can notice them easily as they are the ones driving around, picking up fares.. while the bad ones just sit there all day and wait for the big one to land, before fleecing them dry

Some of the "taxi drivers" comments brought back old memories from past arrestees.

"I didn't know it was against the law"

"Everyone does it"

"Why single me out"

"You have the wrong person"

"You obviously don't know who I am"

"You'll be sorry. I'll have your badge"

"I pay your salary"

"Why don't you go after real criminals"

"You must not have made your quota"

"Things must be slow since you stopped me"

"I have a wife and kids"

"What stop sign"

"I was going down the street for bread and milk"

And on and on.

The country is different. The rhetoric is very similar.

Little do they know but how many Tourists have they pissed off big time with there overcharging and scams..

Damaging Tourists returning to Phuket...

Fools...

Little do they know but how many Tourists have they pissed off big time with there overcharging and scams..

Damaging Tourists returning to Phuket...

Fools...

But they assume that newbie tourists will come off every flight into Phuket. How wrong they are, independent tourists are down, and those that do venture here read all the internet reviews and are well prepared. You can see that with all the hire cars and m/bikes. And not forgetting all those charter buses

The apathy and the utter disregards to the rules of law in Thailand for so many years, backed by cronyism

and nepotism deeply rooted in the Thai way of life just can't accept that things are changing and they are

in shock to see that the gravy train has lost all it's steam and time come to pay the piper...

Well I'm with you on the first part but stopped at 'that things are changing and they are

in shock to see that the gravy train has lost all it's steam and time come to pay the piper...

El.Oh.El.

The apathy and the utter disregards to the rules of law in Thailand for so many years, backed by cronyism

and nepotism deeply rooted in the Thai way of life just can't accept that things are changing and they are

in shock to see that the gravy train has lost all it's steam and time come to pay the piper...

Well I'm with you on the first part but stopped at 'that things are changing and they are

in shock to see that the gravy train has lost all it's steam and time come to pay the piper...

El.Oh.El.

Well they are changing a bit. They all have new cars, new uniforms and are friendly at least at the airport, but they still ripped off my wife and her aunt for 900 Baht for a trip to Rawai. But that's now the local government's approved rate! I took a black plate "taxi" last month for 800 Baht. Two years ago it was 500 Baht for a "meter taxi" now they're the same price as the "limo taxi" service. Collusion and legalized corruption compared to most anywhere else in Thailand, still!

So far almost nothing has changed to the better on Phuket regarding the Taxi and Tuk Tuk Mafia. Neither me ( farang ) nor Missus ( very Thai ) understands authorities behavior when it comes to this mob.

Roads a re still full of illegal taxis in no parking areas, fares are still a rip off and they are still touting for illegal tours...

However, you can't find a deck chair for rent on any beach on Phuket...

Anyone can explain, as we have to rule out the envelopes now ?

To show they are really serious, the generals should rent this bad boy for a month, and start demolishing all illegal taxis and tuktuks on the island.

So far almost nothing has changed to the better on Phuket regarding the Taxi and Tuk Tuk Mafia. Neither me ( farang ) nor Missus ( very Thai ) understands authorities behavior when it comes to this mob.

Roads a re still full of illegal taxis in no parking areas, fares are still a rip off and they are still touting for illegal tours...

However, you can't find a deck chair for rent on any beach on Phuket...

Anyone can explain, as we have to rule out the envelopes now ?

They are supposed to be setting up a call center and central parking lot. However these don't currently exist yet, so they are allowing them to operate mostly as before (minus the illegal structures on public land) until the parking lot and call center are ready. They are also giving many of the illegal taxis time to convert to legal taxis.

They are from the 108 arrested at the beginning of the army-backed police crackdown on mafia taxi activities on June 4. Most have already denied guilt.

I wonder what happened to the other 38 that were arrested? Probably ran back to their home province...

The Gazette says that the court was too full, so the next 38 are due in court September 2nd. All of these guys are being charged with the " Not more than 5 people can associate" which probably could carry severe penalties as opposed to a 500 baht fine. Whether they will see the justice that their actions deserve, is another story.

thai people make me laugh :

“It would be better if the police had discussed things with us before deciding to bring charges.”

yes, a big fat brown envelope and there would be no charges indeed

Well charges for all the crimes are still not enough!

these peoeple learn the lesson only when it hurts in the pocket!!!!!!!!!

so keep on going please!!!!!!!!!!!!!