Security camera and GPS regulation to make taxi travel safer

[snoop1130]

Security camera and GPS regulation to make taxi travel safer

By The Nation

 

 

A Department of Land Transport (DLT) ministerial draft regulation will lead to the installation of GPS, security cameras and other devices in at least 80,000 cabs under the “Taxi OK and Taxi VIP” concept designed to increase both driver and passenger safety.

 

National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) deputy spokeswoman Col Sirichan Ngathong said that the 5th Administrative Reform Steering Commission’s meeting on Wednesday tabled the “Taxi OK and Taxi VIP” project to regulate the public transport system. The project is a collaboration between the DLT, the Cooperative Promotion Department and the Royal Thai Army's 11th Military Circle.

 

The commission, headed by Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, concluded that the DLT would issue and enforce a regulation to require taxis under the “Taxi OK and Taxi VIP” project and newly registered cabs to carry a GPS, a driver identification card reader, a wide-angle camera within the cab and an emergency button.

 

Sirichan said that, if the draft law passed the Council of State’s current consideration, it would be implemented as a ministerial regulation by September.

 

At least 80,000 taxis would meet these standards, and the equipment requirement would give the Thai public an alternative with an edge in fare-cheating prevention and passenger safety. These taxis would be an option for people to use beside the conventional taxis and those hailed via taxi service applications.

 

She said the new system would be operated by the taxi co-operatives, which would be supervised by the state agency.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/breakingnews/30319986

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-7-5

[speedtripler]

They did this few years ago with taxis and even motorcycle taxis

Made them display an ID card on the dash with the drivers name and picture

Bikers had to wear them on the back of the jacket

Didn't work at all, they were swapping cars and drivers were swapping jackets at the end of the shift  or wearing their orange  jackets inside out so the name card was no longer visible etc... 

 

The problem lies in the ridiculous lack of enforcement  in general and the trivial punishments for anyone who  is unlucky enough to get caught 

 

 Fined a few thb and back to work the next week etc

 

 

[observer90210]

If the system works, is enforced, and has no way in being switched off by many a dishonest taxi driver.....

thus, stops Thai taxi drivers in refusing customers or refusing to switch on the meter.....

Thailand will be on the right track........wait and see?

 

But until the scheme is proved reliable, many will carry on with UBER or the BTS/MTS in Bangkok...

 

And what about all the other unmarked "taxis" in Phuket or Hua Hin that charge exorbitant fares, don't have a meter and are not enforced?....It is such locals who cheat that destroy the Thai economy as Thai customers will turn elsewhere for getting the service and farang expats will ultimately get fed up and leave with their cash!!

Edited July 5, 2017 by observer90210

[rkidlad]

No sexual assault for you in this taxi - it's a VIP one!

 

Thais really need to understand what VIP means. It's doesn't mean "Oh, this taxi has a camera and sat nav. Hiso!"

[speedtripler]

Drive yourself or take Uber 

Too many maniacs and substance abusers, scammers, rapists etc driving taxis you might hail in the street

Just look at the news every week and that's only the stories that are so big they can't brush them under the carpet 

[observer90210]

Thailand should follow what Bill Clinton (a fine man) did in his era....compulsory random drug screening tests on all civil servants, bus drivers etc.

[BEVUP]

39 minutes ago, speedtripler said:

They did this few years ago with taxis and even motorcycle taxis

Made them display an ID card on the dash with the drivers name and picture

Bikers had to wear them on the back of the jacket

Didn't work at all, they were swapping cars and drivers were swapping jackets at the end of the shift  or wearing their orange  jackets inside out so the name card was no longer visible etc... 

 

The problem lies in the ridiculous lack of enforcement  in general and the trivial punishments for anyone who  is unlucky enough to get caught 

 

 Fined a few thb and back to work the next week etc

 

 

Yes mentioned a while back & like many posters keep stating - the cycle just goes around & around, so the next bit of news will no doubt to introduce something that was mentioned after that prior 

[siam2007]

1 hour ago, speedtripler said:

Drive yourself or take Uber 

Too many maniacs and substance abusers, scammers, rapists etc driving taxis you might hail in the street

Just look at the news every week and that's only the stories that are so big they can't brush them under the carpet 

 

 

The substance abusers (at night in BKK I would say the ratio is around 70%) is a much bigger threat to passengers than the "not using the Meter" annoyance. I peed my undies more than once in BKK during nighttime in a cab while praying to the almighty transport god and begging for survival

[BigBadGeordie]

7 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

 

Sirichan said that, if the draft law passed the Council of State’s current consideration, it would be implemented as a ministerial regulation by September.

So as of today the changes are....

[yasorab]

Try starting by getting rid of the lunatics behind the wheel if you are looking at being safer !

Sent from my SM-J120H using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Surasak]

So again we have BKK taxis being pointed towards the straight and narrow. Does the rest of the country not exist? Are taxi passengers not entitled to the same considerations? Or does it only apply in BKK because most of the hisos live there. 

[Golden Triangle]

I don't know if any other countries have similar requirements in place, no doubt someone will update us on that, but I do find it a very sad reflection of Thai society that cameras. GPS and panic buttons need to be fitted to public transport.

 

I am aware that the Underground in London along with Buses and overground trains have cameras fitted, Taxis I'm not sure.