2 Week Deadline Set For Songtaew Versus Uber-Grab Solutions

[webfact]

2 Week Deadline Set For Songtaew Versus Uber-Grab Solutions

by CityNews

 

 

CityNews – On June 7th Governor of Chiang Mai ordered Chiang Mai Provincial Transport and Chiang Mai International Airport to seek solution on the disputes between Uber-Grab car and songtaews, with a deadline set for two weeks.

 

As the situations between songtaew drivers and Uber-Grab cars is going nowhere but getting worse, the governor said that Uber-Grab cars are still illegal but songtaew drivers have reportedly been incessantly ganging up on and intimidating the shared ride drivers.

The governor of Chiang Mai declared that such acts by the songtaew is illegal and have a negative impact not only Nakorn Lanna Cooperative (who run the songtaew) but the whole Chiang Mai public transportation. It was suggested that Nakorn Lanna Cooperative should readjust songtaew drivers’ attitudes and focus on developing a better system for songtaews.

 

Full story: http://www.chiangmaicitylife.com/news/2-week-deadline-set-for-songtaew-versus-uber-grab-solutions-1/

 

-- © Copyright Chiang City News 2017-06-08

[Moti24]

"As the situations between songtaew drivers and Uber-Grab cars is going nowhere but getting worse, the governor said that Uber-Grab cars are still illegal but songtaew drivers have reportedly been incessantly ganging up on and intimidating the shared ride drivers."

 

Am I missing something here!  The Uber-Grab cars are illegal, yet they are allowed to continue operating.  I'm not a lover of the rip-off songtaews, but I can see only 1 solution; either legalise the Uber-Grab cars or get rid of them.  Then, the songtaew drivers will have nobody to intimidate.

[idman]

Get rid of Uber or for that matter Grab??? When pigs fly. In two weeks time this ongoing issue will be kicked down the road as no solution will have been put in place. Since these free lance drivers are not organized and obviously have no real power , aka the big brown envelope for the powers that be, they will have to face the rath of those just plain rip off artists until they are legally recognized. We all know money talks in LOS.

Sent from my SM-T805 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Bung]

To me this is no different to big supermarkets and 7/11 taking over from small family run stores.  No one made a fuss about all those families being run out of business,  it's progress. 

 

Suck it up and accept the world is changing.  If the songtaew companies had half a brain they would have seen it coming and modified their business model.  Instead they carried on being the smoking dinosaurs that they are. Som nom na. 

[Moti24]

2 hours ago, Bung said:

To me this is no different to big supermarkets and 7/11 taking over from small family run stores.  No one made a fuss about all those families being run out of business,  it's progress. 

 

Suck it up and accept the world is changing.  If the songtaew companies had half a brain they would have seen it coming and modified their business model.  Instead they carried on being the smoking dinosaurs that they are. Som nom na. 

I think you're missing the point.  The supermarkets and 7/11s are legally operated businesses, whereas the Uber/Grab cars aren't.  Yes, the songtaew companies saw it coming, but did nothing; that's normal Thai logic - "Wait until it's broken before we fix it."

 

However, the current situation was caused by allowing illegal businesses to operate.  I for one, would like the songtaew companies to get their just dessert, but I won't hold my breath on that one.

Edited June 9, 2017 by Moti24

[gk10002000]

Enforce a law?  Unlikely in this nutty place.  Selectively enforce a law?  Very likely in this nutty place.  Some late at night knocks on the doors as the Uber drivers are asked for some "donation" fees by some faceless Song Taew mafia type organization.

[Nowisee]

I will support Uber/Grab until the end... and even after that.  I will never use red trucks, tuk tuk or taxis again.  Their past behavior has burned them,  now they are acting out like thugs... as reportedly stated in the article.

 

This lack of quality and reasonable transportation that makes sense is just one of the many dysfunctional issues in CM.  

Edited June 14, 2017 by Nowisee

[jonwilly]

I prefer Uber, good, clean, air con service at a cheap price.

 

john

[Bung]

On 09/06/2017 at 2:59 PM, Moti24 said:

I think you're missing the point.  The supermarkets and 7/11s are legally operated businesses, whereas the Uber/Grab cars aren't.  Yes, the songtaew companies saw it coming, but did nothing; that's normal Thai logic - "Wait until it's broken before we fix it."

 

However, the current situation was caused by allowing illegal businesses to operate.  I for one, would like the songtaew companies to get their just dessert, but I won't hold my breath on that one.

Only illegal in Thailand and why is that? I flew into KL recently to see huge banners advertising Uber and grab. They're embracing it. Thai protectionism dictates what happens here.  If a connected businessman thought of it it would be fine. 

[ben2talk]

On 6/9/2017 at 9:25 AM, Moti24 said:

"As the situations between songtaew drivers and Uber-Grab cars is going nowhere but getting worse, the governor said that Uber-Grab cars are still illegal but songtaew drivers have reportedly been incessantly ganging up on and intimidating the shared ride drivers."

 

Am I missing something here!  The Uber-Grab cars are illegal, yet they are allowed to continue operating.  I'm not a lover of the rip-off songtaews, but I can see only 1 solution; either legalise the Uber-Grab cars or get rid of them.  Then, the songtaew drivers will have nobody to intimidate.

I'd be interested to know how they can compare Songtaew with Uber. The price isn't even close... but I remember using them around Ramkhamheang in the soi's - and that they were a complete nightmare during rainy season.

 

Why can't the same licence for Songtaew drivers be given to Uber drivers?

 

The solution is plain - make public operator licences available to the public. Judging by the general quality of taxi drivers (not saying they're all bad, but clearly many drive who don't know how to drive or navigate...) it shouldn't be a difficult task.

 

Or is there something else at stake involving cash flow?

[siam2007]

2 hours ago, Bung said:

Only illegal in Thailand and why is that? I flew into KL recently to see huge banners advertising Uber and grab. They're embracing it. Thai protectionism dictates what happens here.  If a connected businessman thought of it it would be fine. 

 

It is even legal in Bangkok - at Makkasan ARL station exit, there is an official GRAB booth so you don't have to hail down a crooked cab on the street

[texxxan1]

there are Grab booths at the Bangkok airport...... 

 

so what are the prices for Uber/Grab

[YetAnother]

On 6/8/2017 at 3:32 PM, webfact said:

It was suggested that Nakorn Lanna Cooperative should readjust songtaew drivers’ attitudes

anyone betting that will work ?

[Saraphee]

The deadlines up - look forward to learning the solution - who will be reporting on it and when?

Edited June 21, 2017 by Saraphee
correction

[balo]

If the official taxi can't offer normal fares to both foreigners and locals they will never get rid of Uber.

[siam2007]

so the two weeks are long over now..... and the deadline is........ DEAD ?

any new developments?

BigC partnering with UBER in CM too?

[observer90210]

All this is a good lesson to the regular taxi scammers and cheats!!...never again in my life will I take a normal taxi, be it in Thailand or anywhere else in the world that has Uber!

[Saraphee]

I wonder why Citylife has not followed up on this story - isn't that what journalists should do?

[Pim Kemasingki]

On 6/7/2560 at 7:48 AM, Saraphee said:

I wonder why Citylife has not followed up on this story - isn't that what journalists should do?

Oh bless you. You are thinking back to the heydays of journalism when we actually could afford to follow up on every story! We do our best, but with a team of three producing two mags, a fortnightly pamphlet, clients' jobs and updating the website every day as well as social media, well...we try our best. Anyway, we are following this story, if you read the magazine on the 1st of August you will find an interview with the head of the songtaew association. Don't forget that we are a monthly mag and save our best for our publication. Thanks. Take out a subscription and pay for reading our content and I swear I can do better! Thanks all! 

[Pim Kemasingki]

On 6/7/2560 at 7:48 AM, Saraphee said:

I wonder why Citylife has not followed up on this story - isn't that what journalists should do?

http://www.chiangmaicitylife.com/news/grab-and-red-trucks-to-begin-collaboration-trials/ (published three days before your post!)

[YetAnother]

On 6/8/2017 at 3:32 PM, webfact said:

The governor of Chiang Mai declared that such acts by the songtaew is illegal

illegals being done to other illegals; makes sense here