Army hunts down Phuket taxi driver for refusing airport tourist passenger

[webfact]

Army hunts down Phuket taxi driver for refusing airport tourist passenger

Eakkapop Thongtub

 

Police check a metered taxi near Phuket International Airport. Photo: The Phuket News / file

 

PHUKET: -- Soldiers in Phuket have hunted down and arrested a taxi driver who has now been fined B1,000 for refusing to take a passenger from Phuket International Airport after a video of a Thai tourist’s conversation with the driver over taxi fares charged on the island started going viral online

 

The driver has been identified as Peecha Chodang, 40, said Gen Akom Pongprom, Commander of the Royal Thai Army 41st Military Circle, which has a headquarters in Phuket.

 

The video shows a conversation the female Thai tourist has with Mr Peecha about the fares charged by taxis in Phuket while the driver starts his journey to Kata, where the woman was to be taken.

 

However, Mr Peecha becomes irate with the tourist after she starts asking why the rates are so high and why he charges “about B700” to be taken to Kata when other drivers at the airport quoted her B1,000.

 

Full story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/army-hunts-down-phuket-taxi-driver-for-refusing-airport-tourist-passenger-60138.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2016-12-07

[LivinginKata]

A 1,000 baht fine is a complete joke.  Driver will just laugh it off and do the same again if he feels like it. How about suspend his license for a preriod of time.

[Lammbock]

The Army is doing all this "hunting down" and "cracking down" because the Thai Police is so corrupt.

[eisfeld]

Last time I wanted to take the taxi meter from the airport to Pa Khlok, the taxi driver was visually displeased going there and some co-workers of his joked that he had bad luck or something. He probably thought I'd go to Patong/Rawai or somewhere where he would make more money. He also didn't want to help with luggage. Probably thought I didn't understand what they were talking about. Great way to please customers. I was close to just telling them if they don't like it, they can get another job but I know that would have been a bad idea. The taxi meter guys look and act even more like scum nowerdays than the fixed-price taxi guys.

 

Oh and anyone noticed how the fixed fair taxis got re-styled to have big AOT stickers on them and look like they belong to the airport authority?

[WEBLEDINK]

Thailand is Thailand.. (Same-Same?) Why dont they charge rates the same everywhere and end this fleecing and corruption at once!  Stopping corruption in these places should be done with one set of rules and standards set forth for all the country! This is such a joke to fine him only 1000 baht! That's practically one fare for the night! Grab that Taxi and boot it for a week and let him take a short vacation on the beach in a sunchair! He well deserves it!

[Brer Fox]

30 minutes ago, Lammbock said:

The Army is doing all this "hunting down" and "cracking down" because the Thai Police is so corrupt.

Slowly but surely and subtly the army is taking over the role of the police. A good thing.

[Oziex1]

I'm not knowing all about history, however what I do know is armies have generally defended their countries against invaders , fought valiantly to uphold freedom and justice, shown great compassion with humanitarian aid in times of natural disasters.

Here they go after scamming cabbies, am I putting down the Thai Army no I'm pointing out the power of the corrupt crooks in Thailand.

[daveAustin]

2 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

A 1,000 baht fine is a complete joke.  Driver will just laugh it off and do the same again if he feels like it. How about suspend his license for a preriod of time.

 

He would laugh that off as well. Should be 5k fine with final warning, followed by 3-month custodial sentence for second offence.

[Psimbo]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

However, Mr Peecha becomes irate with the tourist after she starts asking why the rates are so high and why he charges “about B700” to be taken to Kata when other drivers at the airport quoted her B1,000.

 

This makes absolutely no sense- He was going to charge her less than the other quotes. 700 to Kata is about right.

[steelepulse]

>>> Gen Akom added that officers at Phuket Airport will begin checking all metered taxis to make sure they charge at the government-set rates.
 

 

Well if the :government" had any backbone, the rates would be standardized to fall in line with BKK rates and if the drivers didn't like it, they could find another job.  After all, these are LPG cars not benzine cars, so the fuel costs are quite low.   Oh, while we're on the subject, they could break up the local clans so any taxi could pick up anyone anywhere, kind of like most of the civilized world.

[chiang mai]

The army hunted down a taxi driver and fined him 1,000, what's wrong with that picture!

[colinneil]

51 minutes ago, chiang mai said:

The army hunted down a taxi driver and fined him 1,000, what's wrong with that picture!

The picture shows police not army doing the checking.

[chiang mai]

2 minutes ago, colinneil said:

The picture shows police not army doing the checking.

 

Too funny.

 

That's "picture" as in what's wrong with that picture, meaning something doesn't add up here, American phraseology rather than literally, what's wrong with that picture as in the photo or painting is not right.

 

https://books.google.co.th/books?id=f98VnAFhY0IC&pg=PT203&lpg=PT203&dq=what's+wrong+with+that+picture+american+slang&source=bl&ots=ix7SKGTk-L&sig=JNccdDd7uoPdevrAUncMOZIGnmI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiQnabQrePQAhUILI8KHRS8CwIQ6AEIIDAB#v=onepage&q=what's wrong with that picture american slang&f=false

[jerojero]

The Army is doing all this "hunting down" and "cracking down" because the Thai Police is so corrupt.

Inept.

[Nemesis7]

Do common all over thsikabd the same scenario especially in Bangkok but even these taxi drivers don't give a damn about law . How many and how much can you enforce ? Try sukumvit area on taxis none willing to go by Meter and the ones standing right infront of the hotels are bloody mafias, arrogant and rude like anything 

[JetsetBkk]

17 hours ago, Brer Fox said:

Slowly but surely and subtly the army is taking over the role of the police. A good thing.

 

But not quick enough. 

[klauskunkel]

Quote

Army hunts down Phuket taxi driver for refusing airport tourist passenger

call in an air-strike!

[inzman]

I'm waiting for the threat to arrest the victim for posting this. 

[PattayaBoy]

This country joke man, army looking for taxi driver lol. Get the tanks rolling.

And why on earth taxi man cant refuse customer?

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

[PattayaBoy]

Army hunts down Phuket taxi driver for refusing airport tourist passenger

call in an air-strike!


Send the drones

[anon4637435435]

20 hours ago, Brer Fox said:

Slowly but surely and subtly the army is taking over the role of the police. A good thing.

Good thing if they dont take the current role of the police (corruption) then everyones in real trouble.

[captspectre]

why did the tourist ask the driver why he charged her seven hundred baht when other taxi drivers  wanted a thousand baht? does not make any sense unless it is written wrong!

[fish monger]

How pathetic can they be......... The MILITARY is needed to hunt down a cab driver.  Being a business owner where I am from, I have the right to refuse service to anyone I choose. And I don't need a reason to do so.....