No decision yet reached on reducing Phuket taxi fares


Director of the Phuket Land Transportation Office Sommai Sutkhao. Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot

PHUKET: -- No decision was reached on whether to reduce the cost of taxi and tuk-tuk fares on the island during a meeting held by the Phuket Land Transportation Office today (June 23).

In attendance to the today’s meeting were representatives from tuk-tuk, taxi and limousine associations, chief of Phuket Provincial Police and the Royal Thai Army's 41st Military Circle.

Director of the Phuket Land Transportation Office Sommai Sutkhao said, “I decided to hold this meeting because of the recent complaint made by a passenger about high taxi and tuk-tuk prices.

“I thought it best to invite representatives from the public transport sector so I could ask them their opinion about the current price structure on them about the price structure and to see whether it would be acceptable to them to set a new price below the current B200” he said.

Mr Sommai produced a document which showed that the set price of B200 was initiated by then governor Maitree Intusut in December 2012.

Full Story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/no-decision-yet-reached-on-reducing-phuket-taxi-fares-57991.php#pYY1vb266THoOhRU.97


-- Phuket News 2016-06-23

Of course the "associations" don't want to lower the fares and thought it was a bad idea. I don't know of anyone that wants their income cut in half where you can sit for hours on end with your pals, drive for 3 minutes, come back to your resting place, then do the same thing in a couple of hours and earn more than hard laborers do for a full day of actual work.

Why doesn't the gov't just tell them to get a new job if the don't like their fares to be in line with the rest of Thailand. Plenty of hotels looking for gardeners and porters!

This must be a joke - reduction of taxi fares !!! Not a chance - far too many snouts in the trough needing to pay their expensive mia nois and fancy car repayments.

There is really no hope for toursist to have a fair shake here in Phuket ...

Yeah whatever.in Thailand what goes up never comes down.

Yeah whatever.in Thailand what goes up never comes down.

Except of course, military helicopters.

Yeah whatever.in Thailand what goes up never comes down.

Except of course, military helicopters.

and western tourist arrivals

Of course the "associations" don't want to lower the fares and thought it was a bad idea. I don't know of anyone that wants their income cut in half where you can sit for hours on end with your pals, drive for 3 minutes, come back to your resting place, then do the same thing in a couple of hours and earn more than hard laborers do for a full day of actual work.

Why doesn't the gov't just tell them to get a new job if the don't like their fares to be in line with the rest of Thailand. Plenty of hotels looking for gardeners and porters!

They would be fully employed and probably earn more with more reasonable prices as far more people would use them. Of course they would actually have to do a bit of work.

Could there be a conflict of interest within the group of decision makers?

I have already voted- with my feet- Will not go back to Phuket!!!

Yeah whatever.in Thailand what goes up never comes down.

In the case of Pattaya Police bottoms - what goes down (on a chair) never comes up. Unless the price is right!

This sentence "However, some people in the meeting do not agree to my suggestion, so I would like them to think about my it and talk about this issue with other representatives." indicates to me that they are serious. The drivers are urged to talk it over with his officials and the army, who will make clear to them that they'd better accept.

Could there be a conflict of interest within the group of decision makers?

I think the group will notice that there is only one decisionmaker in this, and the association of taxi drivers is not it.

Well unless the associations cut down on the number of drivers and lower their fees, there is no way a 50% haircut will support all the drivers, backhanders, fees and other expenses.

Well unless the associations cut down on the number of drivers and lower their fees, there is no way a 50% haircut will support all the drivers, backhanders, fees and other expenses.

There is (unfortunately) not spoken of a 50% reduction in fees, only of a 50% reduction in 'flagfall'. Rides longer than a few km's will keep the same fare.

A certain person not been in yet to mention the advantages of Baht Buses, lol?

Well unless the associations cut down on the number of drivers and lower their fees, there is no way a 50% haircut will support all the drivers, backhanders, fees and other expenses.

There is (unfortunately) not spoken of a 50% reduction in fees, only of a 50% reduction in 'flagfall'. Rides longer than a few km's will keep the same fare.

I was talking about the "fees" drivers have to pay to the "association". They are paying between 10-15K per month for the privilege of being immune to petty thuggery, parking wherever they feel like it and an overall pass on getting harassed. They can't afford this fee if their prices are cut in half unless their fees get cut in half.

Well unless the associations cut down on the number of drivers and lower their fees, there is no way a 50% haircut will support all the drivers, backhanders, fees and other expenses.

There is (unfortunately) not spoken of a 50% reduction in fees, only of a 50% reduction in 'flagfall'. Rides longer than a few km's will keep the same fare.

I was talking about the "fees" drivers have to pay to the "association". They are paying between 10-15K per month for the privilege of being immune to petty thuggery, parking wherever they feel like it and an overall pass on getting harassed. They can't afford this fee if their prices are cut in half unless their fees get cut in half.

"They can't afford this fee if their prices are cut in half unless their fees get cut in half. "

There is (unfortunately) not spoken about a 50% (or half) cut in prices.

No decision was made because firstly, there was no one there who was capable of making one.And secondly, if there had been someone who could have,they were scared to make it for fear of being shot by an angry Tuk Tuk driver.

Could there be a conflict of interest within the group of decision makers?

I think the group will notice that there is only one decisionmaker in this, and the association of taxi drivers is not it.

I don't suppose that the association has any "influence" over the decision maker?

That reminds me, whatever happened to Teerayut Prasertphol, the former director of the PLTO who tried to clean up the transport mafia 2-3 years ago?

And what about Police Major General Paween Songsirin who was brought in to bust the transport mafia? I believe that he was "promoted" and transferred out of Phuket before he could implement any significant changes.

I recall there was also a Governor a number of years back who tried to take on the mafia, but he was abruptly transferred to another province.

Then there's Patong Mayor Chalermluck's plan to implement a low cost hop-on/off service similar to Pattaya's baht buses. Who was the decision maker that squelched that plan?

I have zero confidence that any significant improvements will be made until a number of "influential" people are required to take up residence in the monkey house.

A certain person not been in yet to mention the advantages of Baht Buses, lol?

What advantages may they be?