Phuket airport taxi driver fired for selling tour packages

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Phuket airport taxi driver fired for selling tour packages
Phuket Gazette


PLTO Chief Policy Adviser Jaturong Kaewkasi noted that his office rarely receives reports about taxi drivers manipulating passengers into buying tour packages. Photo: Gazette file

PHUKET: -- The airport taxi driver who was under investigation after a social media post from a passenger went viral last week has been fired, confirmed Phuket Land and Transport (PLTO) Chief Policy Adviser Jaturong Kaewkasi.

Montira Sakorn’s Facebook post alleged that the taxi she hired from the airport to Patong failed to bring her and her boyfriend to their destination. Instead, the driver left them stranded at the taxi company’s building in Thalang for an undisclosed amount of time (story here).

Taxi driver Muhammad Arobee Mooshor, an employee of the Airport Limousine and Business Service Cooperative, was initially fined 1,000 baht and had his licence suspended for one month for failing to bring his passengers to their final destination. However, PLTO officers continued to investigate the case.

“The investigation results revealed that Mr Muhammad had told the passengers that he needed to stop by the taxi company’s building in Thalang. However, it was just a ploy to let tour companies try and sell holiday packages to them,” said Mr Jaturong.

Full story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Phuket-airport-taxi-driver-fired-selling-tour/62341?desktopversion


-- Phuket Gazette 2015-11-13

[LivinginKata]

This scam has been going on for years and years, and it's only now that the authories act ..... Jeez ...

[zaphod reborn]

PLTO Chief Policy Adviser Jaturong Kaewkasi noted that his office rarely receives reports about taxi drivers manipulating passengers into buying tour packages.

More likely the taxi drivers deliver little envelopes so that any complaints received from passengers saying they were diverted during their cab ride and subjected to tour marketing scammers are quickly forgotten about.

[Zonka]

The taxi driver has found new employment as the pillion passenger on a motorbike that snatches handbags from tourists!

[FangFerang]

One guy was fired.

That changes everything!

Thank all the gods.

Amen

[manarak]

Nearly all Phuket taxis almost routinely make a stop at a tour sales shop !

[Valentine]

What about going after the tour companies who are complicit in the scam. I occasionally go to Tisco bank on the bypass road & often see a minibus at a tour shop there with some hapless tourists who have just arrived.

[stevenl]

Nearly all Phuket taxis almost routinely make a stop at a tour sales shop !

No. Sometimes a taxi will, but it is mainly the shared minivans guilty of this practice.

[KonKorat]

This happened to me,we went by mini bus a they pressure you to go inside and book tours,i refused and my girlfriend and i waited for the others,about an hour later we continued our journey to Patong.