Police officer fines taxi drivers for refusing fare
By Coconuts Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- A police officer outside MBK decided to step in and take action after watching taxi drivers refuse to take a passenger.

When Pol. Sub. Lt. Meewichai Muangklang took the matter into his own hands, he was forced to fine three drivers who refused to take the passenger he was trying to put in a cab.

We have all suffered the anguish of opening the door of the tenth taxi that has stopped for you, leaning in to tell the driver your destination and then he doesn’t even look at you before shaking his head and driving away. Rejection.

The story was shared on the official traffic police Facebook page and it quickly received a lot of attention on social networks because, who hasn’t been rejected by a taxi driver?

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co//2014/10/14/police-officer-fines-taxi-drivers-refusing-fare

-- Coconuts Bangkok 2014-10-14

License suspension is the only thing that would work. First offence earns 2 weeks, 2nd earns three months, and a 3rd offence or more gets a year's suspension.

I had the same thing happen to me at MBK last weekend, same place where that cop is in the picture. They only wanted no meter or trips with no traffic.

Great it is a start . Now the other hundreds of thousands of taxis who do this need fining. Whilst we are on the subject why don't they fine the taxi drivers who won't take anyone when it rains? Saturday just gone, as an example. But then again I never see any Police out when it rains either.

Now this is worth something! Bravo!

Well done Mr Cop

OMG this is real news

All they are going to do is drive a few blocks and drop you off on the main road

What's the point of increasing the fare if the service is still the same

I like this... Taxis in that area have a well deserved reputation for being selective with fares.

I had the same thing happen to me at MBK last weekend, same place where that cop is in the picture. They only wanted no meter or trips with no traffic.

Happened to me at Pantip 2 days ago. Finally i got smart and called ans reported it. Let them get caught now or later as long as they get caught.

This officer should be given a 10,000 baht reward for doing his job, and leading by example. Maybe some of the other officers will get the incentive to start "working" for a living. Bravo Pol. Sub. Lt. Meewichai Muangklang.

Why bother being a taxi driver in downtown bkk and refusing to take people anywhere? It's gridlocked nearly all the time. Where is this magic trafic free place they all want to take you to?

Great it is a start . Now the other hundreds of thousands of taxis who do this need fining. Whilst we are on the subject why don't they fine the taxi drivers who won't take anyone when it rains? Saturday just gone, as an example. But then again I never see any Police out when it rains either.

I've had to at times to agree to a no meter fixed price during the rain... It's not much fun.

It was a very hot day and we were standing there with a newborn baby when something simlar happened to us. My friend couldn't fine them, but he made sure they drove away without any passengers. That was eight years ago, at it was at the location mentioned in the post.

Grabtaxi. Really takes the stress out of non-compliant taxi drivers if you are trying to get somewhere unusual from the centre. Normally we have to try up to 10 taxis to get a "Yes" from Sukhumvit to Chaeng Wattana. Instead we just continue sitting where we are until about 2 minutes before they are due to arrive. Worth B25? Totally!

OMG this is real news

Yes and why should ' cop does his job be news ' except maybe here ?

Shows what a shock it is.

If there was a decent taxi control board all the passenger has to do is phone in the taxi number ,after a vigorous investigation that driver should then be suspended and his taxi impounded, this not only serves as a reminder to the drivers , but also send a message to companies that hire their vehicles out, that fare evasion is a two sided sword and will not be tolerated,

Wow.....a cop doing his job....this guy'll be a superintendent soon!!

Wow a police man working.

Good!

The horror ,, forced to do what he gets paid for every month ,

License suspension is the only thing that would work. First offence earns 2 weeks, 2nd earns three months, and a 3rd offence or more gets a year's suspension.

Nanny state

Well done, Khun Pol. Sub. Lt. Meewichai Muangklang...

License suspension is the only thing that would work. First offence earns 2 weeks, 2nd earns three months, and a 3rd offence or more gets a year's suspension.

No license suspension doesn't help anything because than the same driver drives tomorrow with his friends license.....Often enough the pictures don't even match remotely.

Make the fee 5000 Baht and keep the taxi until the fee is paid with a storage fee from 1000 Baht per day.

The companies which rent out the taxis will be soon very helpful....

Well done, Khun Pol. Sub. Lt. Meewichai Muangklang...

Maybe someone could promote this guy?

do not understand why there are so many people complaining about how Thailand works, you even chose to come here, enjoy ye not how things work here so no one forbids you to return to the nanny state paradise.

home in uk, australia or usa or wherever you come from so it is certainly much better to take a taxi there, but you have to expect to pay 10 times what it costs in bangkok ....

next time I go to Klom Thom to the market I better get a cop to get me a taxi

I am happy to see a policeman do his job in Thailand.

Please carry on and get promoted.

License suspension is the only thing that would work. First offence earns 2 weeks, 2nd earns three months, and a 3rd offence or more gets a year's suspension.

Thailand is so lawless that many will still continue to work with their licences suspended, hit them where it really hurts, take their cab of them for a week...