Taxi crackdown: Drivers rejecting passengers to face immediate suspension

[Jonmarleesco]

'... Four of the drivers who were caught faced suspension after officials found they had broken the law several times.' I wonder; has the DLT ever heard the story of the boy who cried wolf?

[Jonmarleesco]

Do they conduct background checks before issuing taxi driving licenses?

Driving licenses? We don't need no stinking driving licenses.

Ha ha. I know many Thais who have bought their license. It's still common. As for crackdowns on taxi drivers, wasn't this announced about 6 months ago?? Didn't change anything. Personally I have found 99% of the drivers very polite and courteous. Don't understand how they can make a living out of the ridiculously low fares.

I don't believe they have an obligation to drive a taxi for a living; but they do have one to do what they are licenced to do.

[Laughing Gravy]

So they caught an average of 5 Cabbies a day. Great job......obviously there is no big problem....

Being sarcastic here

Go down to Suk Soi 11 and you will get 5 taxis a minute. Damn right and out thugs.

[MobileContent]

In front of many 4 and 5 star hotels taxi refuses to on the meter so if they really serious they could clampdown on 10-20% of all taxis but I know it will never happen.

[Metapod]

the taxis got their payrise and literally nothing has changed.

surprise surprise.

[jerojero]

So they caught an average of 5 Cabbies a day. Great job......obviously there is no big problem....

Being sarcastic here

And 5000 to go. No sarcasm.

[Jonathon]

Good to see some enforcement (if it happens). However I do have some sympathy with a driver nearing the end of his shift refusing a lengthy journey. Not only does it lengthen his shift it also increases fatigue, delays the start of the driver on the next shift and limits the time for any (hoped for) vehicle checks.

As with most things in life there needs to be some common sense applied.

[soistalker]

Obviously this wouldn't work in pattaya. I'll give you 1000 quid if you can get a taxi to put on the meter there.

[DM07]

Oooooooh, that's a new one!

Never heard that one before!

Here is a little personal experience: my office is around the Patpong- area, so I usually meet friends on Friday evening for a few cold ones (beer...that is!).

My apartment is around the Asiatique - area...so not a long way to go, but quiet clogged up occasionally.

On last Friday alone, I was refused by 6 taxis, before one guy was willing to go on meter- basis!

To be fair: I could have had 4 taxis before, if I would have been willing to pay THB 200 instead of the 80 on meter!

That happens regularly, no matter what day of the week, no matter what time (I usually go by motocy, but after 8 pm, most of the drivers have a bit of a stare, that comes from too much Hong Thong!)...

This town would be very low on taxi- drivers, if there ever would be a real crackdown and nut just a dreamed up one.

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

Ya right. So does this "crackdown" cover Sukhumvut Soi 11? Its near impossible to get a taxi to use his meter in that soi at night. Dont believe this story for one second.

Agreed, Soi 11 is a nightmare for taxi's. I almost always use grab taxi now just to keep my blood pressure in check from so much rejection (only from the taxi's not the girls hehehe).

I don't believe this crackdown can or will be effective until we see the the extortion taxi's removed from parking on the streets in front of hotels etc cluttering up the streets and bringing even motorcycle traffic to a stand still on soi 11. Not to mention ripping off tourists.

If they are serious about this crackdown then stop the BIB from selling the streets to these rip off artists taxi's, allow traffic to start moving at least a bit better.

Next step, make the complaint line in English so everyone can complain. Put in a complaint system like grab taxi has so that when you make a complaint there is follow up and you can see how your complaint has been handled.

Finally ENFORCEMENT!!! You can tell a dog 1,000 times to stay on the carpet but if you don't back it up with enforcement the dog will go wherever he wants.

My Xmas wish is that this one crackdown actually works.

[MaxLee]

Drivers rejecting passengers to face immediate suspension

Forgiven and forgotten after 1 month, wanna bet????

[realenglish1]

I really don't get it There has always been a problem with taxi drivers pulling their cons or refusing fares.

I do not know why they crack down It should be simple Policy. "If you refuse a far on duty then you get a 7 day suspension. If it is your second offense then you get 14 days.

3rd offense 30 days and if you keep doing it you loose your taxi license

This is really simple and somewhat flexible but needs to be policy not a crack down . We all know crackdowns last about 1 month and finish

Such a sorry society when they cannot stick with something for the betterment of all

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

In front of many 4 and 5 star hotels taxi refuses to on the meter so if they really serious they could clampdown on 10-20% of all taxis but I know it will never happen.

They actually have quite the little mafia running it too. I know for a fact that the GM of the Aloft on Soi 11 has been threatened by the taxi boys for warning guests not to use them and for bringing in taxis that drive by and making them use the meters.

Personally I would like to see some jail time for these thugs.

[Lampang2]

There is an app you can download and complain

DLT check in

Edited December 1, 2015 by Lampang2

[bark]

whatever happened to the taxi driver who hacked a passenger to death w/ a machete in BKK?

He was sentenced to 20 years in jail. But was able to keep his Taxi Lic. because he chopped the guy up outside the taxi.

If it happened inside the taxi; they would have suspended him for 7 days !

[HomeinThailand]

This will last how long?? Probably until they say another crack down will happen. It is so part of the norm these days that I seriously doubt if it will have any true impact on things. They need to enforce it everywhere if they are truly going to enforce it.

[Chicog]

[bangon04]

In front of many 4 and 5 star hotels taxi refuses to on the meter so if they really serious they could clampdown on 10-20% of all taxis but I know it will never happen.

They actually have quite the little mafia running it too. I know for a fact that the GM of the Aloft on Soi 11 has been threatened by the taxi boys for warning guests not to use them and for bringing in taxis that drive by and making them use the meters.

Personally I would like to see some jail time for these thugs.

I once hailed a normal passing taxi in Soi 11. As I was getting in, a couple of thugs walked over from the mafia rank outside the (Ambassador) hotel and threatened him in Thai.

He understandably refused to take me, and I had to walk to the end of the Soi. They watched me go....

Edited December 1, 2015 by bangon04

[scorecard]

In front of many 4 and 5 star hotels taxi refuses to on the meter so if they really serious they could clampdown on 10-20% of all taxis but I know it will never happen.

They actually have quite the little mafia running it too. I know for a fact that the GM of the Aloft on Soi 11 has been threatened by the taxi boys for warning guests not to use them and for bringing in taxis that drive by and making them use the meters.

Personally I would like to see some jail time for these thugs.

I once hailed a normal passing taxi in Soi 11. As I was getting in, a couple of thugs walked over from the mafia rank outside the (Ambassador) hotel and threatened him in Thai.

He understandably refused to take me, and I had to walk to the end of the Soi. They watched me go....

Seen that before and it's been reported many many times over the years.

More to the point, the police and other appropriate authorities have known it happens and where for decades and conveniently turned a blind eye.

Needs to be fixed but IMHO there's a case to say reform the police before anything else can be properly and permanently fixed.

I suggest there's another approach which seems to have been ignored. 95% +/- of taxi drivers rent their cars by the day from rich and powerful fleet owners. Why not punish the vehicle owners also, in a stepped punishment process: first time driver (renter) is punished 20,000Baht fine. If same driver caught twice, any offence, fine the fleet owner 100,000Baht.

Maybe this would make the the fleet owners take a much more responsibility attitude by forcing them to be selective of who they rent to. No doubt any fine of the owner would be passed down to the driver and therefore make drivers realize that offences bring double punishment.

Edited December 1, 2015 by scorecard

[callaway]

At Bumrangrad hospital I was the third person I seen with the same taxi refuse fare. Another wanted set fare so all this hype is bullshite

[Lucifer]

Suspended ,for how long, a week?,

regards worgeordie

No, 10 minutes. Enough time to hand over 1000 baht.

[waldroj]

Just like the recent announcement of the traffic police crackdown, now we have another knee-jerker from DLT to add to the show of doing something on the roads.

Don’t forget, DLT are the same people that issue (and renew) drivers licences to let road users loose in Thailand, AND the ones responsible for (but not enforcing the restrictions on) the red number plates we see everywhere. Like so many rule-enforcers in Thailand, if these guys would simply do their job in an ethical way in the first place, things would be a lot more efficient for everyone.

As for the taxis, from 688 offences in 8 months (approx. 3 per day) there were only 4 drivers that face suspension for repeat offences. Personally, I don’t have a problem with taxis in BKK, but I find it a bit far-fetched that DLT could only nab 4 repeat-offenders in 8 months!

Whilst it angers me to be rejected by a taxi driver, I can sympathise with these guys (it is a pretty thankless job, and a hard way to make a living). If you have been rejected by a driver, it’s probably better for both of you than upsetting them because they are forced (by the occasional crackdown) to take you where they don’t want to go! After all, it's not as though we're not spoilt for choice in BKK.

Not using the meter is a different story – there should be no excuse (within the taxi’s normal range) for them to refuse to use the meter!

As for the criminal activities being reported by other TV posters above, maybe proper screening and background checks of prospective taxi drivers (by the RTP) may filter some of this, but I can’t see DLT crackdowns making any difference here.

[Moruya]

Easy solution. Tell the taxi drivers that if there isn't a 30% improvement every month on complaints, the taxi fares will drop 10% every month and the offenders names published

I use Uber nowadays

[Shadychris]

I can understand that not using the meter (unless a discount price has been pre-agreed with the customer) or failing to carry their licence should be cause for fine or suspension of licence, but I fail to see why rejecting a passenger should be punishable.

I'm not aware that rejecting a customer is an offence in any other country - indeed I have been rejected myself back in the UK on several occasions. I think a driver should be well within his rights to decide who he allows into his vehicle.

[spidermike007]

Today's crackdown, actually I read of two crackdowns today, busy day.

Think about how easy it is to perform a crackdown, like those we are presently seeing. Dream it up, issue a press release. Then forget about it. Do nothing.

In the minds of the dreamers, the public will believe it, because you say it, and they will therefore believe in you. The public will never check the facts. Nobody will follow this up. The media will not, that is for sure. So, why go to all of the trouble to actually implement the policy, enforce it, and follow it up, when all you have to say is we are going to do it?

[samtam]

Same old same old. I had yet another incident today at noon on Ploenchit, with the driver opening the window to inquire where I wanted to go to, (Sathorn). He laughed and the window was then closed. I have said previously that I will never even speak to a driver who asks where I want to go before he will accept my fare, but today taxis were few and far between on this stretch, and I was carrying shopping and had been refused once already. I broke my own rule. I then found one - a very nice new car, good and polite driver - which has been the norm until quite recently. I think taxi drivers and their ilk are getting mightily p/o'd with life in the current climate, with the economy tanking, although refusing fares seems counterintuitive; there seems to be a lot of pent up hostility, which I find quite frightening. "Happiness" seems rather elusive these days.

[spidermike007]

Same old same old. I had yet another incident today at noon on Ploenchit, with the driver opening the window to inquire where I wanted to go to, (Sathorn). He laughed and the window was then closed. I have said previously that I will never even speak to a driver who asks where I want to go before he will accept my fare, but today taxis were few and far between on this stretch, and I was carrying shopping and had been refused once already. I broke my own rule. I then found one - a very nice new car, good and polite driver - which has been the norm until quite recently. I think taxi drivers and their ilk are getting mightily p/o'd with life in the current climate, with the economy tanking, although refusing fares seems counterintuitive; there seems to be a lot of pent up hostility, which I find quite frightening. "Happiness" seems rather elusive these days.

If you want to truly spend some time in a land where happiness seems rather elusive these days, spend some time in Oz, the UK, or the US. It is positively elusive there. The lack of fulfillment is palpable. I still find most Thais to be very pleasant, and many I encounter appear to be quite fulfilled in their lives. Bangkok might have a few more malcontents. It is a huge city, is more expensive than other parts of Thailand, and has massive traffic. I am almost willing to give taxi drivers a pass. Personally, I think it would be one of the most miserable jobs imaginable. Driving on the streets of Bangkok day and night, during rush hours? Imagine? My heart goes out to those drivers. Most I find to be quite decent.

[samtam]

Yes, indeed - perspective. I agree with you.

I had a bad day. It could have been anywhere else too.

But, but... I am a a bit scared that the wheels are falling off. And not the taxis.

Edited December 2, 2015 by samtam

[fey]

this is a non-story. uber

[MiKT]

Do they conduct background checks before issuing taxi driving licenses?

Driving licenses? We don't need no stinking driving licenses.

Ha ha. I know many Thais who have bought their license. It's still common. As for crackdowns on taxi drivers, wasn't this announced about 6 months ago?? Didn't change anything. Personally I have found 99% of the drivers very polite and courteous. Don't understand how they can make a living out of the ridiculously low fares.

They're not ridiculously low to the average Thai who makes 300 a day off he's lucky

Too farang wages it might seem cheap but many people would love to be in the position to drive a taxi because they make a lot less...

Where are you from? Anybody can drive a taxi here and many taxi drivers would be pleased to make 300 per day. Thai taxies are among the best in SEA for low cost and availability but the drivers, most of whom dont own their cabs but have to rent them, dont make much money and live in very poor conditions. It is no big deal to check with the driver to see if he wants to take you and to find another taxi if he does not. Thai taxi drivers are on the whole much more polite than say their Malaysian equivalents and to bring up aberations like the driver who fought with the very aggresive motorcyclist this week is just pathetic. There are many thousands of taxies on Thai roads and many road rage fights that don't involve taxies. Given the appaling standards of driving here and the number of overbearing rude farangs who treat taxidrivers like dirt it is amazing that more taxi drivers dont go berserk.