Thai DLT to launch quality taxi services in November

[webfact]

State to launch quality taxi services in November 

By Thai PBS

 

 

BANGKOK: -- The Department of Land Transport announced yesterday (Aug 3) that it will launch its own taxi services similar to Uber taxi service so as to enable convenience and safety for taxi passengers.

 

The state-initiated service is a measure of the state to address problems of taxis refusing passengers , overcharging, and refusing to switch to meters. The new taxi service will employ mobile applications called Taxi OK and Taxi VIP.

 

Land Transport Department director-general Sanith Phromwong said Taxi VIP service will be superior to Taxi OK with better vehicle and facilities such as in-car WiFi, thus, its service fee will be about 10-20% higher than Taxi OK.

 

Full story:  http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/state-launch-quality-taxi-services-november/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-08-04

[johng]

Sounds like they "borrowed" some else's idea.

I thought they where "cracking down" on IP theft ?

 

 

[Cadbury]

Being a government (read military) run service does that mean the guns hidden under the seat will have to be licenced? Maybe even the new Sig Sauer P320 will be standard issue. 

[ezzra]

My advise will be to start this service in Pattaya, where the taxi mafias there

are in conclusions and cahoots with each other to gauge and over charge tourist

to the degree of pure greed and stupidity....

[tomwct]

I would start in Phuket, Pattaya & Bangkok!

Guaranteed Success!

[Dobredin Ghusputin]

57 minutes ago, webfact said:

State to launch quality taxi services in November

 

Low quality or high quality?

[BasalBanality]

How soon before the new service degenerates into it current form?

 

If operators are not strictly vetted and training provided, how much of a service quality improvement will result with the same pool of inept operators?

[Misterwhisper]

I'm willing to wait and see how this is going to pan out, considering that we're in Thailand.

 

Just a few of preliminary questions:

 

1) Where will they acquire the huge fleets of "Taxi OK" and "Taxi VIP" vehicles necessary to kick the services off? Or are the 2 cars we see in the pic the only ones so far? Somehow I doubt they'll all be brand-new ones as the OP pic suggests...

 

2) Where is the DHL going to recruit the drivers for these allegedly superior and safer, as well as scam-free, services? From the existing pool of taxi drivers? In that case, good luck.

 

3) Have those apps been tested and do they actually work as intended?

 

In the meantime, I'll stick with Grab Taxi. 

Edited August 4, 2017 by Misterwhisper

[Chris Lawrence]

They could put stars on the yellow taxis, like the General's stars. Taxi drivers could wear medals for valour and humanity. 

 

My thought's have always been, they need an annual Taxi driver Grand Prix. The trophy could be displayed in the car with great pride, 'we are always first to get you there'.

 

As <deleted> said above, it is all about money. 15% off the top, and maybe a little more.

[YetAnother]

let's place our bet;, govt sponsored effort having exactly zero historical success and then Uber,Grab;

and i will bet every cent i have that all the taxis in this new phantom program will NOT look like the yellow one in the photo op

[MobileContent]

I think their are already enough taxis. Used Grab in the past few weeks in both Udon and Bangkok and got to say great service

[Misterwhisper]

1 hour ago, Chris Lawrence said:

They could put stars on the yellow taxis, like the General's stars. Taxi drivers could wear medals for valour and humanity. 

 

My thought's have always been, they need an annual Taxi driver Grand Prix. The trophy could be displayed in the car with great pride, 'we are always first to get you there'.

 

As <deleted> said above, it is all about money. 15% off the top, and maybe a little more.

And if one of the cars has ever sailed over an escarpment or landed in a ditch, it could also receive a paratrooper badge.

 

[Orton Rd]

will they still reek of garlic and som tam?

Edited August 4, 2017 by Orton Rd

[wgdanson]

And from the Headline, I expected that The Hairy Cornflake was going to start a taxi firm.

 

[wgdanson]

Surely anyone needing internet access in a taxi, or anywhere, will have their own 3G or 4G package on their phone, so why rely on the taxi's WiFi?

[hansnl]

20 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

Banning Uber and Grabtaxi was never about regulation, simply about them not getting any money from it.

 

It is the single reason they do anything in this country - money. It's the key to working out their behaviour.

 

If you don't pay the bullies in the uniforms/suits they don't want you here, and the don't want the locals getting all creative and earning without kicking up the patriarchal pyramid. 

 

Money number one. 

Are you serious about money?

Last time I looked it's about money all over the world.

Money speaks, words don't.

[saminoz]

22 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

Banning Uber and Grabtaxi was never about regulation, simply about them not getting any money from it.

 

It is the single reason they do anything in this country - money. It's the key to working out their behaviour.

 

If you don't pay the bullies in the uniforms/suits they don't want you here, and the don't want the locals getting all creative and earning without kicking up the patriarchal pyramid. 

 

Money number one. 

I totally agree.  Money, face & ego drive nearly all behaviour and decisions here.

Of course, the complete absence of accountability and non-existent shame helps a lot.

[Deez]

More useless tais on the road. Just what we need.

[brd]

How come the foreigners invade our country and ourselves we are Thai we can not do it...better.

Of course here it is good business to create unlimited supply of Malls, 7Eleven, all colours taxis, motorbike taxis etc...etc....

1.Uber

2.Grab taxi

3.Allthai taxi

4.Line taxis

5.DLT VIP etc..etc....

plus all the existing numerous taxis circulating around...

will that reduce the numbers of private cars ? less congested Bangkok streets ?

No useless added stress driving private cars though yes for competition.

[JohnLick]

lol there is not even one government website that works as intended

 

they can hardly make an app compatible with hundreds of different phones and often updates