Taxi van drivers assure no stoppage of services at Suvarnabhumi airport

BANGKOK: -- Taxi van drivers operating at Suvarnabhumi international airport assured today that they will not stop their services as earlier reported but will not take more than four passengers at a time.

It was reported earlier that about 1,700 taxi van drivers would stage a strike to protest against the airport’s new rule requiring them to take more than four passengers at a time in order to speed up the flow of incoming travellers out of the airport.

Mr Pathavee Meerach, a representative of the taxi drivers, said that making them to take more than four passengers at a time would put the passengers at a disadvantageous position because the additional passengers would not be covered by insurance policy.

He added that the Transport Ministry had not responded to their request to charge baggage fees from passengers.

Meanwhile, Transport Minister Prajin Juntong maintained that the ministry would not increase taxi fares or allow taxies to charge baggage fees until the completion of a study into the two issues.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/taxi-van-drivers-assure-no-stoppage-of-services-at-suvarnabhumi-airport

-- Thai PBS 2015-04-24

Too tight to strike, eh?

No, too scared to strike. LOL

Good for them, they made there point and the airport caved

The 5th 6th .... and so on cannot be insured in case of accident

I agree with drivers for once

The Insurance Excuse, Never heard a Thai utter the word Insurance...

So Mum Dad and three children will have to take two taxis, I think someone in authority needs to have an urgent word with the insurers, and in the meantime re introduce the airport bus so families can travel together

its not the best way to start a holiday is it?

So if a family with 3 kids arrives they intend to split them up!

Now you gotta get 2 taxis to both use their meters.

And what about insurance when a pick up takes 10 or more people on the back of the truck?

Thailand needs to go to Japan and learn how to operate an excellent bus service between airport and hotels. Get some the 100,000 taxis off the streets and roads.

They may also want to learn how to operate a train service between airport and town.

They also know how to opoerate a bus service between airports !!

Its the law that taxis should not carry more than 4 passengers.

Unless its a motorcycle taxi- where there is no restriction to passenger numbers, as we've all seen here.

However these morons threats were worthless, immediately the government countered them with a solution of busing passengers to areas where they could catch cabs.

Essentially these robbers want to be able to charge anything they want and they are playing all sorts of games to put themselves back in the good old, bad old days of Don Mueng, when you paid the price asked by the taxi driver at the arrivals gate.

Right now Thailand is experiencing serious economic issues and these thieving toerags are insisting on their rights to over-charge any poor sucker they want.

I say send them to prison for fraudulent charging if they get caught. Ban them from driving taxis for life and see how their families fare when they are in prison for a year.

Going on strike to protest your right to overcharge and break the law- Thainess at its best

So Mum Dad and three children will have to take two taxis, I think someone in authority needs to have an urgent word with the insurers, and in the meantime re introduce the airport bus so families can travel together

its not the best way to start a holiday is it?

gee who brings Mum and the kids to Thailand. Like taking beer to a Brewrey

Thailand needs to go to Japan and learn how to operate an excellent bus service between airport and hotels. Get some the 100,000 taxis off the streets and roads.

They may also want to learn how to operate a train service between airport and town.

They also know how to opoerate a bus service between airports !!

I think HK is Good also

So Mum Dad and three children will have to take two taxis, I think someone in authority needs to have an urgent word with the insurers, and in the meantime re introduce the airport bus so families can travel together

its not the best way to start a holiday is it?

gee who brings Mum and the kids to Thailand. Like taking beer to a Brewrey

. I'm bringing my Mom for Dental and to see the Granddaughter...

Caved in pretty quick, the thought of no scams for a few days was too much to take.

yesterday the taxis mouthed off, then their bluff was called, now the tail is between their legs...

He added that the Transport Ministry had not responded to their request to charge baggage fees from passengers

no response is also a response.

Its the law that taxis should not carry more than 4 passengers.

Unless its a motorcycle taxi- where there is no restriction to passenger numbers, as we've all seen here.

However these morons threats were worthless, immediately the government countered them with a solution of busing passengers to areas where they could catch cabs.

Essentially these robbers want to be able to charge anything they want and they are playing all sorts of games to put themselves back in the good old, bad old days of Don Mueng, when you paid the price asked by the taxi driver at the arrivals gate.

Right now Thailand is experiencing serious economic issues and these thieving toerags are insisting on their rights to over-charge any poor sucker they want.

I say send them to prison for fraudulent charging if they get caught. Ban them from driving taxis for life and see how their families fare when they are in prison for a year.

Going on strike to protest your right to overcharge and break the law- Thainess at its best

You forgot the hanging, drawing and quartering.

So if a family with 3 kids arrives they intend to split them up!

Now you gotta get 2 taxis to both use their meters.

Better to pay for 2 cabs than to let someone be uninsured... SO YES !!

Bluff called Taxis found wanting lol

"Taxi van drivers operating at Suvarnabhumi international airport assured today that they will not stop their services as earlier reported"

Is there any way we can get them to change their minds?

Its the law that taxis should not carry more than 4 passengers.

Unless its a motorcycle taxi- where there is no restriction to passenger numbers, as we've all seen here.

However these morons threats were worthless, immediately the government countered them with a solution of busing passengers to areas where they could catch cabs.

Essentially these robbers want to be able to charge anything they want and they are playing all sorts of games to put themselves back in the good old, bad old days of Don Mueng, when you paid the price asked by the taxi driver at the arrivals gate.

Right now Thailand is experiencing serious economic issues and these thieving toerags are insisting on their rights to over-charge any poor sucker they want.

I say send them to prison for fraudulent charging if they get caught. Ban them from driving taxis for life and see how their families fare when they are in prison for a year.

Going on strike to protest your right to overcharge and break the law- Thainess at its best

You forgot the hanging, drawing and quartering.

No I didn't, hangings too good for them.

Seriously, threatening to strike because they can't fleece anyone they like?

This is beyond nuts

Now make them upgrade their insurance to Public Service Vehicle. Insure for number of seats or rescind licence to operate. Inadequate insurance is NOT an excuse to charge more.

And what about insurance when a pick up takes 10 or more people on the back of the truck?

my my, thainess is not your best , is it ? :-)

So if a family with 3 kids arrives they intend to split them up!

Now you gotta get 2 taxis to both use their meters.

Better to pay for 2 cabs than to let someone be uninsured... SO YES !!

insurance has never been the issue, it is cash, cold hard cash, they want more. all insurance follows manafactures passanger capasity, no where is it written 4 passengers max . this is another say this lie 34 times and it becomes truth. a drug free, alchol free, honest, skilled taxie force is needed. you must ask yourself if the operators did not have to kick back earned money to extortsion rings that operate at the airport, well maybe they also could enjoy the happy feeling sweeping the country :-)

Samut Prakan: Drivers of some 1,700 large-sized taxis at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport called off their plan protest Friday after the airport agreed to restrict the number of passengers per trip at four.

Read More: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/820035-suvarnabhumi-taxis-call-off-protest/

Agree with the point about insurance. However, cabbies in the city have no qualms stuffing six adults into the back of a sedan taxi. Two girls had to sit on top of other's laps. I know this because these are my colleagues. It is only for a short distance, less than three kilometres. but still, I am sure insurance won't cover the additional passengers here either. So what are these airport cabbies on about? There are different rules for passengers at airports and passengers in the city? For the record, I do not condone overloading of any kind and in my book, the max number of passengers in the backseat is three, because that's what the seat was designd for (three seat belts, three headrests). Any more is just plain dangerous.

As for baggage fees, do these dimwits expect people to have no baggage at airports? People go to airports for a meal, shopping or maybe just to stroll around? They know there is no baggage fees already, so if they don't like it, just don't go to the airport.

The problem was that the standard insurance that those taxis have only covers 4 passengers maximum.

If they did carry 6 passengers the 5th and 6th passenger would be in violation of the insurance policy, and therefore would not be insured in case of an accident.

That could open all sorts of legal problems for the taxi drivers and the airport taxi authority (AOT).

So the drivers were going to do a 3 day strike .... suspend service for 3 days unless that insurance problem was resolved if they were going to be forced to carry more than 4 customers per trip.

Bunch of cowards !!!!!

I can't see how a normal size taxi with LPG cylinder taking up half the boot space, can possibly fit in luggage for 4 overseas passengers.

When the driver assists me with some of the heavier items, I always give him a bit extra.

I know many of these guys are vultures, but if they use their meters, a bit extra for loading up luggage seems only fair.

I can't see how a normal size taxi with LPG cylinder taking up half the boot space, can possibly fit in luggage for 4 overseas passengers.

When the driver assists me with some of the heavier items, I always give him a bit extra.

I know many of these guys are vultures, but if they use their meters, a bit extra for loading up luggage seems only fair.

Why?

It's as much a part of their job as driving and using a meter.

All they are doing is trying to find little scams to extort more money for doing nothing extra.

If they don't like what the job entails then they should choose another career.

Good for them, they made there point and the airport caved

The 5th 6th .... and so on cannot be insured in case of accident

I agree with drivers for once

Surely they've got the wrong insurance? If you've got a vehicle that can carry 6people you get the appropriate insurance otherwise you might as well buy a new saloon car.

It grieves me to say it because I dislike most of these taxi drivers but if they've got a vehicle that's got the ability to carry more than 4 people the fare should reflect that because I would of thought there's more running costs, bigger engine, more insurance etc