Overhaul of Pattaya Metered Taxi’s ordered by Prime Minister



PATTAYA: -- Following a barrage of complaints received by the Prime Minister’s Office in relation to Metered Taxis at Tourist destinations around Thailand, an overhaul of the taxis has been ordered to take place in 6 tourist hot-spots including Pattaya.

To facilitate the changes, an initial meeting of over 300 Taxi drivers who operate in and around the Pattaya area was convened at the Alcazar Theater in North Pattaya on Monday, led by Police Major General Warattanachai, a Deputy Commissioner of Region 2 Police.

It was announced the Prime Minister has ordered immediate changes to how the Metered Taxis operate, in 6 Tourist destinations around Thailand, including Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Koh Samui, Phuket, Hat Yai and Pattaya.

Full story: http://pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/221394/overhaul-of-pattaya-metered-taxis-ordered-by-prime-minister/

-- Pattaya One 2016-02-10

With stickers and lecturing?

Its about time something was done about these thugs.

How about the Baht bus drivers, well will you start on them Mr PM?

Why about the Tuk Tuks in Phuket they are far worse than the metered Taxis.

"...a crackdown on unlicensed Taxis, which is a significant problem especially in Pattaya, will be dealt with by the authorities."

Probably with an outstretched hand.

The most practiced national sport of service providers in this country is to fleece and cheat tourists,

they see nothing wrong with that and infect, are proud of doing so,

I'm not sure what any PM can say and do to change the situation, when the people themselves think

that foreigners ' are rich ' and it's ok to get the most out of them by any means possible.....

They have been doing it for many years now, and for them, so far, so good.....

Its about time something was done about these thugs.

How about the Baht bus drivers, well will you start on them Mr PM?

What do you want him to do about the baht buses? Meter them? I'm quite happy with the 10 baht rate, thanks.

The most practiced national sport of service providers in this country is to fleece and cheat tourists,

they see nothing wrong with that and infect, are proud of doing so,

I'm not sure what any PM can say and do to change the situation, when the people themselves think

that foreigners ' are rich ' and it's ok to get the most out of them by any means possible.....

They have been doing it for many years now, and for them, so far, so good.....

Agreed! But not so sure it's going good right now. Tourism seems to be down. Mass tourism from China isn't trickling down very far. Only those businesses tied into this are making money off them. They stay at specific hotels, eat at specific restaurants and shop at specified stores. Places off the beaten track are dead as only independent travelers go to them.

The global economy isn't helping. Russians are gone, as are others. But I do think the shine has been lost off Thailand. Koh Tao murders (and others), traffic fatalities, widely published rip offs, polluted waters, under maintained national parks, and scams involving public transport are all creating a perfect storm for tourism. Hopefully, those in charge see this and know something needs to change. Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam are all up and coming competitors for tourist dollars.

The mafia controlling public transport needs to be dealt with. I think it's a shame to make tourists travel around Pattaya hanging on for dear life on the back of a baht bus. Metered taxis, like those in Bangkok, are desperately needed. Hats off to the PM if he can make this happen. We'll see....

Its about time something was done about these thugs.

How about the Baht bus drivers, well will you start on them Mr PM?

What do you want him to do about the baht buses? Meter them? I'm quite happy with the 10 baht rate, thanks.

The rate is OK, and great if you are only going around the Central Pattaya loop. Otherwise, they aren't really that good. Especially in bad/hot weather. And difficult for those with disabilities or who are older. Wouldn't it be nice if you could hop on/off one of these for about the same price? With regular loops all around town. Great. At least it'd get rid of the crazed baht bus drivers. They're terrible.

The Army has already tried once in Phuket and failed miserably.

So let's say taxi to Ban Chang, approx. 36Km, so 60 + (34x4) = 196 Baht, yeah right!!

there's meters in Pattaya?

Talk the talk......

Lets see if we get any action that show

not going to hold my breath

there's meters in Pattaya?

They have them but don't use them. Good luck to the PM in getting them to! At least a flat fee is transparent - take it or leave it. Many tourist families consider 200/300 baht for an aircon taxi across town to be reasonable.

Its about time something was done about these thugs.

How about the Baht bus drivers, well will you start on them Mr PM?

Don't knock the baht buses they're a godsend.

Im not in Pattaya at the moment, so i can't do it, but can somebody try out the taxi "meter" and check if they will use the meter. ??????

The article is quite surreal. The issue of the "taxi meters" never using the meters from the beginning of Pattaya "taxi meters" is just not mentioned. How can you approach a solution to an issue without even talking about it? Send me a memo if they actually start using the meters. I figured by now they would be broken from lack of use.

Im not in Pattaya at the moment, so i can't do it, but can somebody try out the taxi "meter" and check if they will use the meter.

Read the thread. Pattaya meter taxis don't use their meters, they currently operate on a "negotiated" flat rate fare.

If I'm reading this correctly, this is NOT an order to use the meters.

Why ever do they persist in the farce in even calling them taxi meters here?

Baht buses are your friend, for sure. Could the system design be improved? Sure!

If I'm reading this correctly, this is NOT an order to use the meters.

Why ever do they persist in the farce in even calling them taxi meters here?

I think it is, JT. But perhaps not worded properly. Hard to charge the designated fees if you don't use a meter:

Six separate Taxi cooperatives who operate around Pattaya were represented at the meeting and drivers were told that changes will need to be made within 2 months. The maximum charge for passengers for the first 2 Kilometers is 60 Baht and then 4 Baht for every extra Kilometer travelled.

You know the history of this better than most. IIRC, they were brought here due to these very same complaints many years ago. But simply refused to use their meters. And our lovely police department did nothing about it.

If this is true, I should be able to get a metered taxi to my house in NaJomtien for about 100 Baht. Fantastic! 12km trip. The same price you'd pay in Bangkok.

This looks very much like a redressed solution seeking - see "jet ski scam" for reference

Let's hope it works ..... Lol........ !!!

As i see it. Teflon Thailand is no more? Other destinations and safer ones, are getting the tourists. They killed the golden goose.!

Metered taxis in Pattaya? Never heard of.

They should overhaul the brains of the taxi drivers.

The most practiced national sport of service providers in this country is to fleece and cheat tourists,

they see nothing wrong with that and infect, are proud of doing so,

I'm not sure what any PM can say and do to change the situation, when the people themselves think

that foreigners ' are rich ' and it's ok to get the most out of them by any means possible.....

They have been doing it for many years now, and for them, so far, so good.....

Agreed! But not so sure it's going good right now. Tourism seems to be down. Mass tourism from China isn't trickling down very far. Only those businesses tied into this are making money off them. They stay at specific hotels, eat at specific restaurants and shop at specified stores. Places off the beaten track are dead as only independent travelers go to them.

The global economy isn't helping. Russians are gone, as are others. But I do think the shine has been lost off Thailand. Koh Tao murders (and others), traffic fatalities, widely published rip offs, polluted waters, under maintained national parks, and scams involving public transport are all creating a perfect storm for tourism. Hopefully, those in charge see this and know something needs to change. Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam are all up and coming competitors for tourist dollars.

The mafia controlling public transport needs to be dealt with. I think it's a shame to make tourists travel around Pattaya hanging on for dear life on the back of a baht bus. Metered taxis, like those in Bangkok, are desperately needed. Hats off to the PM if he can make this happen. We'll see....

It's their choice if they want ride on these baht buses, its only 10b at least they're not being scammed like motorcycle or so called meter taxis.

Meeting at the Alcazar, did they all dress for the location?

Its about time something was done about these thugs.

How about the Baht bus drivers, well will you start on them Mr PM?

What do you want him to do about the baht buses? Meter them? I'm quite happy with the 10 baht rate, thanks.

The rate is OK, and great if you are only going around the Central Pattaya loop. Otherwise, they aren't really that good. Especially in bad/hot weather. And difficult for those with disabilities or who are older. Wouldn't it be nice if you could hop on/off one of these for about the same price? With regular loops all around town. Great. At least it'd get rid of the crazed baht bus drivers. They're terrible.

It has been tried and failed already.

Besides not any easier for those with disabilities or mobility issues.

The taxis are not much use for the average person either, most seem happy with the baht bus or a motorcycle taxi.

The metered taxis just seem to hang around making traffic problems.

Its about time something was done about these thugs.

How about the Baht bus drivers, well will you start on them Mr PM?

Don't knock the baht buses they're a godsend.

They are indeed, I have seen the alternatives in Phuket and Samui and prefer what Pattaya has.

I have also struggled to get around in other Thai cities that do not have this form of transport, or it stops pre 9pm and missed them dearly.

They can be surly, this is true, but does anyone think they are worse than the Bangkok taxi drivers?