Pattaya taxi vs Uber turf war video takes on some new twists

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Pattaya taxi vs Uber turf war video takes on some new twists

 

Picture: Sanook

 

PATTAYA: -- The video that showed Pattaya taxi drivers surrounding a driver they claimed was working for Uber has led to a new twist.

 

First billed as a simple matter of Taxi vs Uber, it now emerges that the alleged Uber driver wasn't working for the company at all.

 

He had been filmed stripped of his shirt wanting a fight to sort out what was essentially a road rage incident.

 

He said was just a private member of the public going about his business when he was "threatened by a group of four or five taxi drivers".

 

And he has gone to police to make a complaint.

 

Taxi driverSomkiat, 42 whined to Sanook that he didn't start it. "I just hooted to overtake - the driver was just chatting on his phone all the time. Then he cut in front of me".

 

He claimed that he didn't know the driver was from Uber.

 

The other driver Pheeraphat, 27, said he was not driving for Uber at all just out as a private citizen.

 

He admitted that he had worked for Uber in February - when he had been filmed doing so - but when he realized that what he was doing was illegal he stopped.

 

He told Sanook that after the taxi driver got out he radioed four or five of his taxi mates to come and help. He claimed he was surrounded and threatened by the taxi drivers.

 

So following the incident he went to Pattaya police to register a formal complaint.

 

Source: Sanook

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-06-09

[richard_smith237]

Whether or not he was driving for UBER is somewhat irrelevant. He was surrounded and threatened by 5 thugs, these scum need to be charged.

 

More people are going to start carrying 'protection'... its only a matter of time before these events develop into loss of life when 5 guys surround another who fearful for his wellbeing pulls out a gun and uses it to protect himself.

 

In doing so, innocent bystanders and passers by will be placed at risk. This issue at the moment is at the 'thin end' [of the Wedge]. The BiB in not dealing with these issues severely and swiftly are permitting future escalation ultimately to an eventual greater cost to the general public.

[petermik]

Just another day in paradise.......thais falling out/misunderstandings

[Pattaya28]

Great stuff !!

Let it continue.

[gandalf12]

These children that call them selves taxi drivers need to grow up. If someone is cheaper than they are people will use them and it is none of the other drivers business. Let the taxi drivers compete with UBER and lets see the outcome.

If taxi's can not or more to the point will not provide the same level of service they should not expect the public to accept it.

The taxi driver had to call for backup, is this a joke? Wants to cause problems but not man enough to sort it out by himself.

Edited June 9, 2017 by gandalf12

[maprao]

First airbnb now Uber
It's called competition
Great stuff

[Roger Lee]

Next you know is that they'll be beating up Baht Bus drivers for being a taxi....

 

I sometimes use a private taxi, one that lives in the same condo complex.  I wonder if my life is endangered by these thugs for paying a friend to drive me somewhere....

 

 

Edited June 9, 2017 by Roger Lee

[just.a.thought]

Amazing that the authorities can't even control taxi drivers, how hard can it be to cancel their permits when they don't behave.

[mikebell]

14 hours ago, just.a.thought said:

Amazing that the authorities can't even control taxi drivers, how hard can it be to cancel their permits when they don't behave.

The authorities aka BIB have a vested interested in allowing tourists to be ripped off on an illegal basis hourly.  Does Prauuth know about Pattaya, when he's off on his BKK taxi rants?