Only 38 Bangkok taxi drivers fined last month for refusing to take passengers

[webfact]

Only 38 taxi drivers fined last month for refusing to take passengers
STAFF WRITER


Featured image by Kojach and used under a Creative Commons licence

BANGKOK: -- 809 Bangkok taxi drivers were fined in May, according to the latest data released from the Department of Land Transport, although only 38 of those were down to refusing fares.

That’s just over 1 driver a day during the month of May being held accountable for refusing to take passengers — in reality, it’s likely that there are a lot more drivers in the city refusing fares and apparently escaping the punishment.

Other reasons for taxi fines in May included not checking the operation of their meters by the due date, failure to pay vehicle tax, not displaying licences and using illegal vehicles.

Also fined were 355 van drivers and 119 motorbike taxis drivers, reports the Bangkok Post.

In addition to the fines, those at fault were sent to awareness workshops in a bid to improve their customer service.

Remember, the best way to help improve the public transport services in Bangkok is to report incidents to the Department of Land Transport. Here’s how:

24 hour hotline: Call 1584
Online: Department of Land Transport
Line: 1584dlt
Email: [email protected]

Recognising the impact that opportunistic taxi drivers can have on tourists (for instance, refusing to use the meter or overcharging foreigners), the Airports of Thailand (AOT) have been focusing on improving onward service from Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports.

Public transport drivers can apply to undertake a series of tests to receive a professional certificate and licence from the Competency Assurance Centre for Occupational Standards for Community Standards.

Full story: http://whatsonsukhumvit.com/only-38-taxi-drivers-fined-last-month-for-refusing-to-take-passengers/


-- (c) What's on Sukhumvit 2016-06-13

[mtls2005]

Maybe there are a slow-down in the crack-down?

[ChrisY1]

The RPT are tired........too much work writing tickets!

[patyh]

Strange.. I believe I was rejected by more than 5 taxis last month when I was out of car!

[The stuttering parrot]

Is an awareness workshop anything like an attitude adjustment camp?

Must be a slow news day if this story is making headlines.

[Caps]

Maybe they should use Westerners to do the job of checking, unless they are doing so already (which I doubt).

[MaxiJaz]

I just tried to join Line as I though it would be a good idea. Maybe can take a photo of license plate and sent through line.

But unable to friend as maximum number of friends has been reached.

Edited June 13, 2016 by MaxiJaz

[NongKhaiKid]

Ah, a major success, the mother of all crackdowns. Will it feature in the PM's weekly address and his list of achievements ?

[Laughing Gravy]

Strange.. I believe I was rejected by more than 5 taxis last month when I was out of car!

I was refused 8 taxis on Friday night (after it stopped raining) and 4 on Saturday afternoon. You could walk down soi 11 and around soi 4 on sukhumvit and be refused 38 times in an hour. So the constant threads and news, on how the current people in charge are taking this seriously, doesn't give much credibility. Basically same as always.

[Dexlowe]

Is an awareness workshop anything like an attitude adjustment camp?

Must be a slow news day if this story is making headlines.

The Stuttering Parrot is just parroting the views of others, I fear, without thinking about what he is saying. Of course it's news.

[petedk]

Try outside Central Rama 9. I am usually refused by at least one taxi everytime I go there (5 times a week).

The record was all 5 taxis waiting refused me.

I would say the situation has got worse the last 4 weeks or so.

Edited June 13, 2016 by petedk

[mexxx]

is there a thread with all the possibile reasons why cab drivers refuse passengers?

[orchidlady]

They had 2 inspectors at Siam Paragon taxi stand last week (Weds?) and before you got in the taxi they took photo of the license plate while one checked that the meter was on. Only saw one taxi driver get into it with the inspector. Will check it out this week and see if it is still in effect or no turn downs if the inspectors have left. Have written several letters to management at Siam Paragon about sneaky drivers who accept you and don't have the meter on; when they exit the driveway they hit you up for exorbitant rates (200 baht to go less than 2 meters-have too many groceries for BTS).

[DM07]

Totally believable- there are only 38 "bad" taxi- drivers in all of Bangkok!

The rest is always busy with returning bags of cash to their rightful owners!

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

what a bunch of BS. I was at foodland on sukhumvit soi 5 yesterday and was refused by 7 taxi's in a row and I was just going to soi 11 and there was no rain, no traffic.

Not much wonder there is such a low number of fines handed out. The 1584 number is only in Thai and won't accept complaints in any other languages. They sometimes try to refer you to the tourist police, who in turn refer you back to 1584.

I just tried adding the 1584dlt for Line doesn't work as an error message comes up and says this user cannot accept anymore friends. TIT

[Redline]

Maybe there are a slow-down in the crack-down?

A crack in the crackdown. We knew it wouldn't last, and now they are giving awards to drivers that return items left in their cabs

Edited June 13, 2016 by Redline

[Basil B]

I just tried to join Line as I though it would be a good idea. Maybe can take a photo of license plate and sent through line.

But unable to friend as maximum number of friends has been reached.

Maybe an app that you can take a photo of the taxis number, GPS position of journey start and finish, even the route, photo of meter not being used, note amounts charged, also photo of taxi and drivers middle finger that refuse to stop.

[SOTIRIOS]

...not an easy task...

...and am sure the passengers worry about retaliation....

...many horror stories at the hands of crazed cabbies.....

[richard_smith237]

I have the DLT Checkin App...

Unfortunately if you take a photo of the Taxi that just rejected you, you can't attached it to the complaint page in the App.

Instead you have to have the App open and take a photo of the Taxi in the App to ensure you can post the photo as a complaint.

In short - making a complaint could be made easier... they clearly don't care.

[retarius]

But 1000 people gambling on the Euro 2016 games have been caught….and I'm sure a few more bridge clubs have been raided….and of course the massage parlours have been raided. Crackdowns only last a couple of weeks and then they are forgotten. Thailand has a major problem with law enforcement. It is holding the country backใ

[tomacht8]

Strange.. I believe I was rejected by more than 5 taxis last month when I was out of car!

I was refused 8 taxis on Friday night (after it stopped raining) and 4 on Saturday afternoon. You could walk down soi 11 and around soi 4 on sukhumvit and be refused 38 times in an hour. So the constant threads and news, on how the current people in charge are taking this seriously, doesn't give much credibility. Basically same as always.

I can confirm.

And the whole "free" taxis park there in the second row and hinder the traffic flow from Soi3 to Soi11.

Generel in all touristic places many taxi drivers search only for potential victims they can scam, than for regular passengers,

Only 38 Bangkok taxi drivers refusing to take passengers in a month, that's ridiculous.

This shows indeed how ineffective this authority is, on regulatory and planning issues!

[Travel2003]

The headline should maybe read, only 38 people bothered to report a taxi last month?

[ttthailand]

Add one more just an hour ago to the list... MoChit BTS first taxi says no and points to the taxi behind him. I just walk to the next taxi and left his rear door open. Next taxi no problem and driver said that other driver no good.

[Travel2003]

Add one more just an hour ago to the list... MoChit BTS first taxi says no and points to the taxi behind him. I just walk to the next taxi and left his rear door open. Next taxi no problem and driver said that other driver no good.

Nice. I will do the same in the future, keep the rear door open when leaving. Very nice indeed.

[Caps]

Add one more just an hour ago to the list... MoChit BTS first taxi says no and points to the taxi behind him. I just walk to the next taxi and left his rear door open. Next taxi no problem and driver said that other driver no good.

I like it

[Eneukman]

Strange.. I believe I was rejected by more than 5 taxis last month when I was out of car!

I was refused by 3 in Bangkok last month who did offer to take me for an inflated fee. The one who did take me took a roundabout route but reduced the fare after my wife spoke to him on the phone.

Alan

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

Add one more just an hour ago to the list... MoChit BTS first taxi says no and points to the taxi behind him. I just walk to the next taxi and left his rear door open. Next taxi no problem and driver said that other driver no good.

Nice. I will do the same in the future, keep the rear door open when leaving. Very nice indeed.

I have been doing this for years but almost got nasty a few times. Be careful doing this, we all know how quickly these doped up idiots can get violent when they are angry. It's not worth your life.

[Winniedapu]

Add one more just an hour ago to the list... MoChit BTS first taxi says no and points to the taxi behind him. I just walk to the next taxi and left his rear door open. Next taxi no problem and driver said that other driver no good.

Nice. I will do the same in the future, keep the rear door open when leaving. Very nice indeed.

I have been doing this for years but almost got nasty a few times. Be careful doing this, we all know how quickly these doped up idiots can get violent when they are angry. It's not worth your life.

I did that a good few times in BKK as well, always made sure it was the passenger side rear door. Works well, especially if he pulled over in a non-parking zone. Never had a problem that a 1000-yard stare didn't fix. It was a few years ago though; the risk factors might have changed. What with all that happiness sloshing around an' all.

W

Edited June 15, 2016 by Winniedapu

[BSJ]

The government should have a few undercover cops working the Pratanum Market area during afternoon peak hour.....6 cabbies wouldn't take the wife and I over to Si Lom. Plicks!

[PaPiPuPePo]

I'm just an occasional visitor to LOS but the last time I did have more refusals than usual. I also fell asleep in the back on a known route, woke up when we arrived and the meter read 120B instead of the usual 60 or so. Wasn't worth arguing about and I had the give the guy credit for being clever.

I can understand because the flag fall is too low IMO, it's been the same 35B since at least my first visit very long ago. So if the drivers are a-okay, probably about 3/4 of the time when I factor in not driving like a maniac or being otherwise unpleasant, I always round up or tip extra beyond that.

Not sure if raising the flag fall would improve behaviour....