Pattaya Uber wars - but this time it's all a big misunderstanding!

[webfact]

Pattaya Uber wars - but this time it's all a big misunderstanding!

 

Picture: Sanook

 

PATTAYA: -- The war between Pattaya taxis and Uber drivers took an unexpected twist yesterday when a group of twenty taxis followed a car from North Pattaya to the Bali Hai port area in South Pattaya.

 

The taxi drivers were tailing the black Nissan with Bangkok plates and trying to make the female driver stop. Suphanee behind the wheel did not know what was going on. She was scared to get out and just kept driving, reported Sanook.

 

She was getting increasingly concerned for her safety and that of the three Chinese passengers in her car as they drove through the resort.

 

As they reached the port area another taxi came and they were hemmed in on all sides - no one was able to move and there was a considerable traffic jam building up.

 

Suphanee was now scared for their safety and she called police on 191.

 

When police arrived they discovered a threatening situation.

 

But Suphanee was not an Uber driver at all. She told the cops that she worked for a company renting and selling condos and that the Chinese in the car were customers she was taking around the resort for her boss.

 

Her boss had asked her to pick up the customers at Big C in North Pattaya.

 

Both Suphanee and representatives from the group of taxis went to the police station in Pattaya to discuss the matter and no charges were sought or filed.

 

However, a report is being compiled for station chief Apichai Krobpetch, reported Sanook.com.

 

Source: Sanook

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-05-04

[tracker1]

 

When police arrived they discovered a threatening situation.Police do anything to the taxi drivers ! what would have happened if she was a Uber driver Police still do nothing ? Seems to me of things to come !

[mikebell]

No charges are ever brought against Pattaya taxi drivers as they are part of the police mafia.  How else could they proudly proclaim 'Taxi METER' when they don't use meters?  How else could they clog up legitimate parking spots whilst waiting for another tourist mug?

On Monday three German tourists from my village were charged 600 baht for a thirty baht journey on a songtao.  They won't be back.

We hear lots of fuss about BKK taxi (non) drivers but nothing here in Pattaya.

[NanLaew]

Shows how much contempt the Pattaya public has when there are over 20 unusable, unwanted and idle taxis able to take off on this ridiculous pursuit. Turn your bloody meters on and do the public a service instead of lounging about on plastic chairs, blocking and littering sidewalks and asking 'How much you give me?' when some unfortunate visitor mistakes your sh!t service for the real thing.

 

If I was K. Suphanee, I would have avoided the worthless Soi 9 detour and taken her argument straight to City Hall. Those munters are the great enablers of this corruption, not the police. Those buggers merely facilitate it.

[inzman]

The taxi mafia can't compete with a reliable cost effective service so they resort to mafia tactics. Scum!

[Jingthing]

What a totally despicable and deplorable situation!

[impulse]

I hate to think what would have happened if she had been an Uber driver.

[NanLaew]

18 minutes ago, impulse said:

I hate to think what would have happened if she had been an Uber driver.

I'll find out. I'm going taxi-meter baiting when I hit Pattaya next.

 

Double park on the taxi rank outside The Avenue, wait for three friends to come from Villa with their shopping and climb in.

 

...just need to find three friends.

[petermik]

7 hours ago, NanLaew said:

I'll find out. I'm going taxi-meter baiting when I hit Pattaya next.

 

Double park on the taxi rank outside The Avenue, wait for three friends to come from Villa with their shopping and climb in.

 

...just need to find three friends.

Art,Bart,and Fargo are willing to help you out

[NanLaew]

5 minutes ago, petermik said:

Art,Bart,and Fargo are willing to help you out

Any of them handy with a baseball bat?

[clockman]

Nothing the fragile ego of Thai men. And mob violence. Somebody is going to get hurt one day.

[impulse]

17 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Any of them handy with a baseball bat?

 

In a potential gun fight?

[impulse]

12 minutes ago, clockman said:

Nothing the fragile ego of Thai men. And mob violence. Somebody is going to get hurt one day.

 

Has nothing to do with egos.  It's pure economical.  That's not saying it's not despicable, but it's not about egos.

 

Try going out every morning for 6 months in a row with only 50 baht in your pocket for your all discretionary spending.  Then  imagine how you'd feel about someone horning in and reducing even that amount.  Now imagine doing that your entire life and you have a sense of how these guys feel.  Wrong?  Yes.   But understandable, especially since they're paying someone off.

 

Sadly, they're blaming Uber and Uber drivers, instead of the powers that be who keep them trapped in an archaic and corrupt system that benefits only the elite and just leaves crumbs for the worker bees.

[overherebc]

So if my wife goes to Foodland and drops me off beforehand so I can relax with a cold one when she finishes shopping and comes to pick me up we risk being followed by the taxi drivers and hassled at our next destination.

Just one more reason to stay away from the place, not that I really needed any more reasons.

Edited May 4, 2017 by overherebc

[Borzandy]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

no charges were sought or filed

Brilliant Thai justice.

[Pattaya28]

Hilarious """ Misunderstanding""".

"Misunderstanding" is the "Buzz-Word".

Wonder who the numpty is that triggered this off.

Thainess at its' very best.

Hope the "Image of Pattaya" hasn't been tainted by this nonsense.

[hgma]

I am very curious of how the Chinese costumers have taken this hostage taking, one should think that any would be resident in this environment would not unpack their backs and take the first flight home, without even considering buying a place in this place!

[2008bangkok]

So now anybody who picks up family, friends, associates is going to be labelled an Uber driver by the taxi drivers because they only have half a brain and jump to conclusions.

[mark01]

People seldom use Pattaya taxis because for years they have ripped off customers by not using their meters and overcharging.

Now they wonder why people are using a rival service!!!!!

 

And of course, the bib are on the side of their mates.

[laocowboy2]

4 hours ago, NanLaew said:

Shows how much contempt the Pattaya public has when there are over 20 unusable, unwanted and idle taxis able to take off on this ridiculous pursuit. Turn your bloody meters on and do the public a service instead of lounging about on plastic chairs, blocking and littering sidewalks and asking 'How much you give me?' when some unfortunate visitor mistakes your sh!t service for the real thing.

 

If I was K. Suphanee, I would have avoided the worthless Soi 9 detour and taken her argument straight to City Hall. Those munters are the great enablers of this corruption, not the police. Those buggers merely facilitate it.

Better still, have the Chinese passengers complain to their embassy. Unlike Western diplomatic missions, the Chinese stand up for their citizens.

[Toshiba66]

3 hours ago, NanLaew said:

I'll find out. I'm going taxi-meter baiting when I hit Pattaya next.

 

Double park on the taxi rank outside The Avenue, wait for three friends to come from Villa with their shopping and climb in.

 

...just need to find three friends.

I wouldn't recommend it. I tried to get in a Bangkok taxi on Beach Rd last week. He wouldn't stop for me instead stopping near a local taxi where he paid 200 baht to be able to pick me up. I asked my driver what happens if I just get in and we drive off. He told me that he did that once and was sandwiched like the girl in this story no doubt. Once he was stopped by the surrounding taxis he told me a gun was put to his head. He said he was too frightened to do that again.

[2008bangkok]

I wouldn't recommend it. I tried to get in a Bangkok taxi on Beach Rd last week. He wouldn't stop for me instead stopping near a local taxi where he paid 200 baht to be able to pick me up. I asked my driver what happens if I just get in and we drive off. He told me that he did that once and was sandwiched like the girl in this story no doubt. Once he was stopped by the surrounding taxis he told me a gun was put to his head. He said he was too frightened to do that again.

Actually the taxis are only allowed to pick up passengers in certain areas so I doubt a Bangkok taxi can pick up a passenger in Pattaya, but saying that the methods you described are still brutal.

[Toshiba66]

3 minutes ago, 2008bangkok said:

Actually the taxis are only allowed to pick up passengers in certain areas so I doubt a Bangkok taxi can pick up a passenger in Pattaya, but saying that the methods you described are still brutal.

They can and they did. But it cost 200 baht to do so as I stated.

[alocacoc]

I guess that's just the beginning. We will read more and more such stories and even worse.

[steveyinasia]

These extortionists need to be dealt with however I know nothing will happen.  Its the same here in Chiang mai, Taxi meter sign on the roof however they never turn on the meter and the fare is more than double BKK fares.  Most drive Toyota Fortuners as well, not ver economical, only good to use as a blockade against other services. I hate them with a passion and avoid them whenever I can.

[NanLaew]

OK, behaving like a Uber taxi may have serious consequences, like taking a knife to a gun fight.

 

Maybe I will just make some fake Uber stickers for the windows and play pied pier. I don't think there's any harm in being a fake Uber driver. Even if the fake taxi-meter drivers think so, I can always call the fake police.

Edited May 4, 2017 by NanLaew

[hobz]

Thai taxi and thai police show what a bunch of useless c*nts they are.

 

The police should have ticketed the taxi drivers for attwmpted kidnapping or similar. They blocked the car in on purpose, thats similar to kidnapping. They cant claim a citizens arrest either as that is reserved for real criminals, not traffic offenders as the imaginary uber driver.

 

Anyway, this is telling for how angry the taxi mafia is getting.

 The police had a great opportunity to put their foot on this vigilantism.. But no.. Useless as they truly are they did nothing...

[Mickmouse1]

The Police had enough reasons to charge all those taxi drivers with various offences if they really wanted to uphold the law and protect the public BUT?

[recycler]

It keeps surprising me that people seriously refer to Pattaya as a "resort"...

 

Uber is definitely needed in Thailand, but it won't be easy to break the power of the maffia!

[NormanW]

money - very emotive topic!