Hundreds Of Cabbies Protest At Suvarnabhumi Airport

[george]

Hundreds of cabbies protest at Suvarnabhumi Airport

SUVARNABHUMI: -- Hundreds of cabbies blocked the taxi terminal at Suvarnabhumi Airport last night in protest at a police arrest and ticketing of a driver.

As many as 300 police were deployed to the protest.

The arrested driver had failed to turn on his meter when ferrying a passenger to the airport from Chon Buri province.

One of the protesting drivers said the blockade demanded justice for the arrested driver.

He said taxis travelling interprovincial routes did not have to use meters.

The protest organiser, who asked to not be identified, alleged staff at a company that operated an Airports of Thailand taxi concession were corrupt.

They allowed "ghost taxis" to freely pick up passengers at the airport while those who paid Bt50 to enter the airport had to wait "hours" to collect a fare.

Staff received Bt20 kickbacks from each unauthorised taxi.

Hundreds of taxis blocked entrances and exits to the commuter area while others blockaded the Thai Airways catering building, causing traffic congestion in the airport compound.

--The Nation 2006-11-27

[bkkandrew]

Hundreds of cabbies protest at Suvarnabhumi Airport

SUVARNABHUMI: -- Hundreds of cabbies blocked the taxi terminal at Suvarnabhumi Airport last night in protest at a police arrest and ticketing of a driver.

As many as 300 police were deployed to the protest.

The arrested driver had failed to turn on his meter when ferrying a passenger to the airport from Chon Buri province.

One of the protesting drivers said the blockade demanded justice for the arrested driver.

He said taxis travelling interprovincial routes did not have to use meters.

The protest organiser, who asked to not be identified, alleged staff at a company that operated an Airports of Thailand taxi concession were corrupt.

They allowed "ghost taxis" to freely pick up passengers at the airport while those who paid Bt50 to enter the airport had to wait "hours" to collect a fare.

Staff received Bt20 kickbacks from each unauthorised taxi.

Hundreds of taxis blocked entrances and exits to the commuter area while others blockaded the Thai Airways catering building, causing traffic congestion in the airport compound.

--The Nation 2006-11-27

What??

Since when did this rule exist???

Has there been a rebuttal of this bizarre claim??

[cclub75]

Since when did this rule exist???

Has there been a rebuttal of this bizarre claim??

You never saw on the back of the driver's seat a small notice ?... With the flat prices, and distance in km, to go to the main cities ?

I mean from BKK to other cities, you never put the meter.

So maybe there is an old regulation that says the contrary, that the police uses... but still I don't understand why the driver go a ticket.

However, it seems that some drivers do not put the meter, from the airport to the city. So there might be like a confusion.

[leisurely]

I didn't know about the not putting the meter rule on interprovincially , but I have seen the 20 baht exchange........................

[pumpuiman]

SUVARNABHUMI

Taxis stage anti-police protest

About 2,500 taxi drivers protested against Rachathewa police at Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday for cracking down on taxi drivers not running their meters and charging passengers flat rates. The protest started around 5.30pm after one taxi driver was given a ticket by police for not using the meter while bringing passengers from Pattaya to the airport in Samut Prakan's Bang Phli district.

Thongchai Thongvorn, 48, a taxi driver, said the protest was being staged to demand justice from police.

The protest started inside the airport and then expanded all the way to the road outside the airport as the number of protesters steadily grew.

Suvarnabhumi Airport director Somchai Sawasdeephon said the protest was not only causing traffic problems but also inconveniencing passengers who could not find any taxis to take them to town.

Taxis taking passengers to and from the new airport are required to use the meter with an additional charge of 50 baht per trip. But many taxis violate the rule by demanding a flat rate from passengers.

The rally prompted the airport authorities to bring both sides into a meeting to help end the protest.

The drivers want police to stop ticketing them, which the police was still refusing to do at press time.

[pumpuiman]

Does anyone else find this story to be beyond belief?

[Colonel_Mustard]

Does anyone else find this story to be beyond belief?

If it was anywhere else, then I would find it beyond belief but I find beyond belief occurances to be fairly commonplace in Thailand.

'Mob rule' still rules over law.

Edited November 27, 2006 by Colonel_Mustard

[STEELINOX]

I think this is justifiable on the part of the taxi drivers and given the lack of injinuity or forethought regarding world class services for air travelers the AOT has clearly dropped the ball from this point and from the very inception of the facility. It is amusing though; can you imagine being a firstime traveler to the LOS and to walk into the arrivals wing only to find this nonsense unfolding. I think AOT is in for more of this and it doesnt end here.

Remember the pissed off neighbors that complain about the noise from planes taking off. Rest assured there will be more fleecing of the people when this is all said and done.

The putting aside of DM airport is a classic example of a wasted resource. Clearly the government has no thinking minds amongst them. Quite predicatable and now with the taxi drivers revolting; we now have an entertainment value to add albeit negative...

[Jai Dee]

Hundreds of cabbies protest at Suvarnabhumi Airport

Hundreds of cabbies blocked the taxi terminal at Suvarnabhumi Airport last night in protest at a police arrest and ticketing of a driver.

As many as 300 police were deployed to the protest.

The arrested driver had failed to turn on his meter when ferrying a passenger to the airport from Chon Buri province.

One of the protesting drivers said the blockade demanded justice for the arrested driver.

He said taxis travelling interprovincial routes did not have to use meters.

The protest organiser, who asked to not be identified, alleged staff at a company that operated an Airports of Thailand taxi concession were corrupt.

They allowed "ghost taxis" to freely pick up passengers at the airport while those who paid Bt50 to enter the airport had to wait "hours" to collect a fare.

Staff received Bt20 kickbacks from each unauthorised taxi.

Hundreds of taxis blocked entrances and exits to the commuter area while others blockaded the Thai Airways catering building, causing traffic congestion in the airport compound.

The protesting taxi drivers agreed to disperse late Sunday night after police asked them to wait for a week for the management of the airport to decide on measures of taxi services in the airport's compound.

They threatened to protest again if the airport would not allow them to pick up passengers freely in the airport.

Source: The Nation - 27 November 2006

[albert dickinson]

Remember these men are supporters of Taxsin.Stamp on them now before they form the next government Albert

[bendix]

I agree with the taxi-drivers. If it's a journey outside normal city limits, they shouldnt have to be compelled to use their meters. This is no different to any other country / city in the world.

taxi drivers get enough bad press usually - in this instance they are right.

[Jai Dee]

Duplicate topics merged.

[Soju]

He said taxis travelling interprovincial routes did not have to use meters.

What??

Since when did this rule exist???

Has there been a rebuttal of this bizarre claim??

Last time I was at the airport, I saw a sign at the taxi area that stated the fare within Bangkok city limits was the meter plus 50 baht and that anything outside the city should be negotiated with the driver. I don't know if this is some official rule or just some airport worker thought it was the rule, or what. Also I don't know if that applies only to taxis leaving the airport, or if it also applies to taxis arriving at the airport. I think it's only fair that a metered taxi driver should be able to charge whatever he wants for a trip outside of city limits where he is based, being he may very well have a difficult time finding a passenger back to his home city. Now in this case though, I wonder if the taxi driver in question was a Bangkok taxi or not. If it was a Bangkok taxi, who was returning to Bangkok anyways, then I don't see the need to be charging more than the meter, but I guess that would depend on what exactly the rule is.

[bkkandrew]

Since when did this rule exist???

Has there been a rebuttal of this bizarre claim??

You never saw on the back of the driver's seat a small notice ?... With the flat prices, and distance in km, to go to the main cities ?

I mean from BKK to other cities, you never put the meter.

So maybe there is an old regulation that says the contrary, that the police uses... but still I don't understand why the driver go a ticket.

However, it seems that some drivers do not put the meter, from the airport to the city. So there might be like a confusion.

Incorrect. The distance rate chart details the fare for distances up to 200KM (from memory) and then a rate per KM beyond this. This sign is a statutory requirement and, no doubt, the basis of the police action.

The (optional) sign for prices to other cities is actually based on the above rate and is intended as a guide price, based on the KM travelled.

In the event of any dispute, i.e. customer reporting that the driver has failed to use the meter, there would automatically be police action against the driver.

There are areas where this rule is ignored, usually as a result of corrupt police allowing taxis to hang around on a no-meter basis and we all know where they are, but the airport is not one of them.

[pap]

It will be much easier when the sky train finally connects to the airport.

[leisurely]

Pap, don't know how to break it to you, the skytrain will never reach the airport. Yet more poor planning.............

[Soju]

Pap, don't know how to break it to you, the skytrain will never reach the airport. Yet more poor planning.............

Care to elaborate? I did read that the actual planned station is under the Novotel next to the airport, with an underground passage way to it. But it's still considered to be the airport even though it might be a 5-minute walk. Hopefully they'll have moving walkways in the passageway.

[pap]

Pap, don't know how to break it to you, the skytrain will never reach the airport. Yet more poor planning.............

Your killing me. I knew it was gonna fall short but how short.

[Scott]

Wow, I don't believe this. Folks, if there is a law, the police are supposed to enforce it. If the taxi driver doesn't think he broke a law (or there is a conflicting law), then he goes to Court and the court decides who is right and who is wrong.

The airport is out of the city, it's in Samut Prakarn, coming from either BKK or Chon Buri, or Pattaya etc. this would leave the meter option always up to the taxi driver (to whom it is an option anyway--we can only refuse to go with him).

This is a legal issue. It's not about the awful police or the poor malaligned taxi drivers!

Believe it or not, this is precisely why gov'ts exist--to handle situations like this.

[bkkandrew]

Wow, I don't believe this. Folks, if there is a law, the police are supposed to enforce it. If the taxi driver doesn't think he broke a law (or there is a conflicting law), then he goes to Court and the court decides who is right and who is wrong.

The airport is out of the city, it's in Samut Prakarn, coming from either BKK or Chon Buri, or Pattaya etc. this would leave the meter option always up to the taxi driver (to whom it is an option anyway--we can only refuse to go with him).

This is a legal issue. It's not about the awful police or the poor malaligned taxi drivers!

Believe it or not, this is precisely why gov'ts exist--to handle situations like this.

Equally so, until recently elections existed to create Governments. But this is Thailand, disputes rarely are decided in a Western, orderly way. Hence it is a quite "normal" response of the taxi drivers to get their way...

[Prudent_rabbit]

Pap, don't know how to break it to you, the skytrain will never reach the airport. Yet more poor planning.............

I drive past it at least once a week.....very S L O W progress is being made

[Steph1012]

It will be much easier when the sky train finally connects to the airport.

That would bring the Airport up in standard from a thrid world one, to a developing world one.

Developed World status? Not in our life time.

Once they get their way (as they will) everybody with a grudge against the Government is going to turn up therre and block off the Airport.

Watch out over xmas as the deadline set by the residents ends on 20th December. Think they learnt this from the French.

Edited November 27, 2006 by Steph1012

[Crushdepth]

Staff received Bt20 kickbacks from each unauthorised taxi.

True. I've seen them do it.

[davidjtayler]

I was at the airport last night to drop my mum off before scooting back to watch the Chelsea Man U game and left at 10.30pm ... got lost in the car park ended up being spat out on one of the lower roads and missed all the action on the roads above ...

[Jai Dee]

Transport Minister urged corruption investigation at Suvarnabhumi Airport

Transport Minister Thira Hao-charoen has instructed the Airports of Thailand Public (AOT) board to examine the cause of damage of the CTX 9000 explosives-detection machines since they were used for only three months in Suvarnabhumi Airport. He has also urged the board to punish the culprits once sufficient evidence has been collected.

On the case where about 4,000 taxi drivers gathered in front of Suvarnabhumi Airport to protest against unjust orders and charges, Admiral Thira has instructed the AOT to set up a committee to cooperate with the taxi drivers’ representatives in investigating their cases.

In addition, he also presided over the Expressway and Rapid Transportation Authority of Thailand's 34th anniversary today (Nov 27).

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 27 November 2006

[zink]

Pap, don't know how to break it to you, the skytrain will never reach the airport. Yet more poor planning.............

Care to elaborate? I did read that the actual planned station is under the Novotel next to the airport, with an underground passage way to it. But it's still considered to be the airport even though it might be a 5-minute walk. Hopefully they'll have moving walkways in the passageway.

That's not the skytrain that's a separate airport link with separate tickets, etc. If you want to reach skytrain from the new airport you need:

- first take airport link to near Petchaburi MRT

- move with your luggage to MRT (and buy another ticket) and take MRT to Sukhumvit

- move with your luggage to Asok skytrain station (and buy another ticket)

[Laulen]

According to a survey report in the British Press today, the no.1 worst job in Britain today is no, not a trawlerman, not a lumberjack, BUT a London Taxicab Driver!

It is bad enough in London, but NOTHING compared to Bangkok!

[cdnvic]

Pap, don't know how to break it to you, the skytrain will never reach the airport. Yet more poor planning.............

Your killing me. I knew it was gonna fall short but how short.

You may notice the unfinished expressways to the last airport.

Future anthropologists will probably assume they are some sort of calender.

[pap]

Pap, don't know how to break it to you, the skytrain will never reach the airport. Yet more poor planning.............

Care to elaborate? I did read that the actual planned station is under the Novotel next to the airport, with an underground passage way to it. But it's still considered to be the airport even though it might be a 5-minute walk. Hopefully they'll have moving walkways in the passageway.

That's not the skytrain that's a separate airport link with separate tickets, etc. If you want to reach skytrain from the new airport you need:

- first take airport link to near Petchaburi MRT

- move with your luggage to MRT (and buy another ticket) and take MRT to Sukhumvit

- move with your luggage to Asok skytrain station (and buy another ticket)

Well in my case I wasn't headed to Suk, usually friends pick me up so it doesn't really matter. But it sure would be handy for tourists. Cest la vie.

[Tony Clifton]

Pap, don't know how to break it to you, the skytrain will never reach the airport. Yet more poor planning.............

Your killing me. I knew it was gonna fall short but how short.

You may notice the unfinished expressways to the last airport.

Future anthropologists will probably assume they are some sort of calender.

Where it comes from and where it goes.

Nobody knows.

Where the money came from and went?

You need not worry.

It's long gone and spent.