Grab and illegal tuk-tuks driving Chiang Mai businessman to bankruptcy

[webfact]

Grab and illegal tuk-tuks driving Chiang Mai businessman to bankruptcy

 

 

Chiang Mai News reported that a long time owner of a business renting tuk-tuks to drivers is being forced out of business. 

 

"Hia Kiang" blames the prevalence of illegal tuk-tuks, red song thaews and Grab for destroying his business, said one of his mechanics Thewathin Kuaytha, 38. 

 

Hia Kiang has been in business for thirty years and is now offering his vehicles for sale at 250,000 baht each as there is no profit in his business anymore. 

 

Thewathin, known as "Chang Rang" said that legal tuk-tuk drivers used to be able to make up to 1,000 baht a day. 

 

But no more. 

 

They can only get a few hundred baht a day - not enough to cover rents and fuel. 

 

Source: Chiang Mai News

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-11-07

[RotMahKid]

Tuk-Tuk's have a bad reputation in Thailand and tourist read about it.

Now you see what happens.

Bangkok has much more Tuk-tuk's but this is the end of the era in Chiang Mai and the beginning of the end of the mafia gangs that operates in Bangkok. ( I hope )

Maybe then there can be a new beginning of the tuk-tuk with honest drivers,  Eh..what did I just say?

[Maitdjai]

1 hour ago, RotMahKid said:

Tuk-Tuk's have a bad reputation in Thailand and tourist read about it.

Now you see what happens.

Bangkok has much more Tuk-tuk's but this is the end of the era in Chiang Mai and the beginning of the end of the mafia gangs that operates in Bangkok. ( I hope )

Maybe then there can be a new beginning of the tuk-tuk with honest drivers,  Eh..what did I just say?

You're right!

Everybody can read everything about Thailand nowadays! And they'll see, or see already what's happening. 

The "golden" gooses leaving Thailand. Doesn't matter from which origin.

[ChakaKhan]

As said in the past the INTERNET will be the demise of Thailand--The well guarded secrets and scams are getting out into the world and the gig is up....thais too busy playing FB to even see it happening.....lol

[balo]

11 hours ago, webfact said:

Hia Kiang has been in business for thirty years and is now offering his vehicles for sale at 250,000 baht each

Crazy , 250 000 baht for an old tuk tuk ??  

No thanks , you can get a nice used car for that price. 

 

If he is worried about earning money , why can't he just become a GRAB driver? Probably too lazy and too drunk. 

 

 

[Torrens54]

9 hours ago, ChakaKhan said:

As said in the past the INTERNET will be the demise of Thailand--The well guarded secrets and scams are getting out into the world and the gig is up....thais too busy playing FB to even see it happening.....lol

....and the Long Suffering FERANG who were silly enough to live here have just about had a Gut Full of being ripped-off and treated like dirt.

 

There was once a Government Sponsored HEALTH Insurance scheme, introduced by a PM who was “hounded out of tge country.” Then the FERANG Health Scheme was DITCHED, leaving the Ferang to Die like Soi Dogs !

 

Yes, the INTERNET will no doubt save many in the future from being Lured into the Thai Rip-off.

 

[holy cow cm]

and I am supposed to feel sorry for him? he is part of the problem. start a Grab tuk tuk service

[Vacuum]

9 hours ago, balo said:

Crazy , 250 000 baht for an old tuk tuk ??  

No thanks , you can get a nice used car for that price. 

Yes, but including in the price is the license/permit to use it for transportation of people.

[BritManToo]

These guys seemed to all be criminals to me.

Only ever used Tuk-tuks twice in 10 years, they soon taught me to walk.

[james.d]

21 hours ago, webfact said:

Hia Kiang has been in business for thirty years and is now offering his vehicles for sale at 250,000 baht each as there is no profit in his business anymore. 

And how much if a farang asked to buy one?

[connda]

22 hours ago, webfact said:

"Hia Kiang" blames the prevalence of illegal tuk-tuks, red song thaews and Grab for destroying his business, said one of his mechanics Thewathin Kuaytha, 38.

Over time, business conditions change.  IBM was king of the hill until the PCs came along; Sears and Robucks was king of the hill and then Amazon came along; Blockbuster was king of the hill until Netflix came along -- and so goes the march of progress.  You adapt or disappear.  Hia Kiang should concentrate on how to adapt in the changing environment.

[connda]

22 hours ago, RotMahKid said:

Tuk-Tuk's have a bad reputation in Thailand and tourist read about it.

Now you see what happens.

No kidding.  I take song-taews because I'm tired of dealing with tuk tuk drivers and it's less expensive.  If going off the path of a song-taew, then it's time to grab a Grab.  And then they have the new Blue Bus.  Tuk tuks will be a thing of the past soon except for ferrying around Chinese on group tours who want a 'tuk tuk' traveling experience. 

[Ctkong]

Internet and google map played a large part to the tuk tuk boss ‘s demise. I have seen Chinese tourists armed with google map and a motorcycle ventured all over chiangmai... no use for a tuk tuk at all.  

[Ctkong]

16 minutes ago, connda said:

No kidding.  I take song-taews because I'm tired of dealing with tuk tuk drivers and it's less expensive.  If going off the path of a song-taew, then it's time to grab a Grab.  And then they have the new Blue Bus.  Tuk tuks will be a thing of the past soon except for ferrying around Chinese on group tours who want a 'tuk tuk' traveling experience. 

Yeah.. like the horse drawn carriage in lamphang. 

[namatjira]

7 minutes ago, Ctkong said:

Yeah.. like the horse drawn carriage in lamphang. 

Excellent analogy .... Tuk Tuks shot an own goal by gouging their customers .... only good for the tourism experience...

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Is there any actual different between an illegal and legal tuk-tuk in Thailand?

 

They all pretty much seem to be scammers and rip-off artists, AFAICT.

 

Never seen a meter on a tuk-tuk. Never seen an official fares/distance chart for tuk-tuk trips.

 

 

[Redline]

It’s called competition-well, nothing lasts forever 

[digitalnobhead]

As much as I think Grab is a complete sh*tshow operation wise - terrible customer service, wildly varying time estimates, can you cancel sir please bullshit, buggy app. They do aid price discoverability in a big way, even if I dont use Grab in a new location I know roughly within plus or minus 25% what price I'd tolerate. 

 

The poor late night "disco disco sexy lady karoke" bars that you explicitly said no too, but Somchai still swings by, are hopefully suffering too.

 

[KiChakayan]

"Grab and illegal tuk-tuks driving Chiang Mai businessman to bankruptcy"

Where is bankruptcy?

[Nowisee]

9 hours ago, Torrens54 said:

....and the Long Suffering FERANG who were silly enough to live here have just about had a Gut Full of being ripped-off and treated like dirt.

 

There was once a Government Sponsored HEALTH Insurance scheme, introduced by a PM who was “hounded out of tge country.” Then the FERANG Health Scheme was DITCHED, leaving the Ferang to Die like Soi Dogs !

 

Yes, the INTERNET will no doubt save many in the future from being Lured into the Thai Rip-off.

 

 

Immigration is throwing in their shots too, see how many retirees they can ditch over income verification.  

That won't be an insignificant amount of lost revenue.

Probably won't be seeing Thailand in the top 20 list anymore for low cost retirement destinations.

 

[HerbalEd]

19 hours ago, balo said:

Crazy , 250 000 baht for an old tuk tuk ??  

No thanks , you can get a nice used car for that price. 

 

If he is worried about earning money , why can't he just become a GRAB driver? Probably too lazy and too drunk. 

 

 

Lazy and drunk doesn't make a thirty-year business. Over-generalize much?

[ChakaKhan]

10 hours ago, digitalnobhead said:

As much as I think Grab is a complete sh*tshow operation wise - terrible customer service, wildly varying time estimates, can you cancel sir please bullshit, buggy app. They do aid price discoverability in a big way, even if I dont use Grab in a new location I know roughly within plus or minus 25% what price I'd tolerate. 

 

The poor late night "disco disco sexy lady karoke" bars that you explicitly said no too, but Somchai still swings by, are hopefully suffering too.

 

LOL I was JUST at one tonight--was taking a cute chinese girl back to central Festival and stopped by the PANDORA place on train rd and told her how tuk tuks try to take tourists there..just one lonly guy sitting inside waiting for his guests...looked dark and empty...she was spooked..as was I ....haha

[AlfonsV]

22 hours ago, namatjira said:

Excellent analogy .... Tuk Tuks shot an own goal by gouging their customers .... only good for the tourism experience...

and to sniff the pollution in an open air vehicle - perhaps better than in China 555

[namatjira]

Pollution belching unsafe and noisy...happy to see them disappear,

leave some for nostalgia...that’s all they are good for, we have cars in Thailand now...