Taxis must now carry signs in English too

BANGKOK: Taxi-drivers must now comply with new stricter measures aimed at providing more safety for both local and foreign passengers.

The requirements, which came into effect on March 1, require newly registered taxis to have a bilingual sign in Thai and English showing the driver's name and the licence-plate number.

Existing registered taxis must comply with the new rule within six months.

Following a recent attack in Bangkok by a taxi driver on a Japanese air hostess, in which she received serious injuries, concerned government agencies, particularly the Land and Transport Department, have imposed stricter controls to improve the security of passengers.

Police have not yet found the attacker.

After meeting Masato Kakami, director of Japan's Land Transportation Administration yesterday, Cherdchai Sanansrisakorn, head of the Transport Department's car-rental division, said the two countries needed to increase cooperation on security matters to protect tourists.

He added the new rules would help foreigners to identify taxi-drivers and licence numbers.

The department is also setting up a call centre at which people can lodge complaints and receive travelling information by dialling 1584.

--The Nation 2004-03-20

We shall see! I recall a couple of years ago, that bus signs were to be displayed in English as well as Thai. That now seems to have been forgotten, as there are very few buses that have their signs in English anymore.