Chiang Mai set to be brought to a standstill: Rot Daeng vs Grab war hots up

[webfact]

Chiang Mai set to be brought to a standstill: Rot Daeng vs Grab war hots up

 

Caption: Opposition to the legalization of Grab

 

The head of the red song thaews or Rot Daeng public service vehicles in Chiang Mai is planning to mobilize over 2,000 vehicles to protest against plans to make Grab Taxi legal. 

 

The move could see Chiang Mai shut down. 

 

The Department of Land Transport is in the process of legalizing Grab. It looks to be just a matter of time before the service - already operating in the northern Thai city - is certified fully legal by the government.

 

Bunniam Buntha said that his Rot Daeng members are furious. 

 

He claimed many are facing poverty. 

 

Everything was fine before Uber then Grab Taxi came along, he said. The drivers could make 1,000 baht a day. 

 

Now they are lucky if they make 200-300 daily, reported Sanook. 

 

He said that the rot daeng were legal and had to ply fixed routes. They paid their taxes. 

 

But Grab came along and they can go anywhere. It's just not fair, he said. 

 

Now he is planning to mobilize 2,465 members. If they take to the streets in a mass protest Chiang Mai could be virtually shut down. 

 

Source: Sanook

 

 

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[AlexRich]

Luddites, vandalising the mill machines to stop automation ... Baht buses in Chiang Mai not flexible enough, so Grab is a big improvement.

[sammieuk1]

News flash Chiang Mai is at a standstill most of the day already ????

[Matzzon]

So, the people that breaks the law on a daliy basis, engage in violence and behave badly to their customers with overcharging and more are talking about legal and unfair.

Just having a good laugh. So, back to the beer.

[Captain_Bob]

The songthaew mafia have been one of Chiang Mai's worst problems for many years. They arrogantly clog up the roads, weaving left and right fishing for customers, causing accidents and most of the time aside from a few peak hours totally empty just hogging up road space. Also any time there are plans to replace them with something more efficient and eco-friendly they go to war to block it. They are keeping Chiang Mai from stepping towards a more modern future... kind of like this B.S. excuse for a "government" who rigged and cheated it's way to power. F''ing backward-arsed dinosaurs all of 'em! 

[SammyT]

These dickheads already bring Chiang Mai to a standstill on a daily basis by trawling along the road at 15kmh and turning across lanes with little or no warning because someone even looked in their direction. They've had a good run with their mafioso tactics, the future is Grab. 

[bristolgeoff]

word is out grab is getting used more than the red bus in chiang mai.most people I know use grab have they app and use they ph when they need transport.change your ways or die

[jonclark]

As the old adage in business states - The customer is always right. Perhaps the red songthaws should consider this. 

[SammyT]

1 hour ago, bristolgeoff said:

word is out grab is getting used more than the red bus in chiang mai.most people I know use grab have they app and use they ph when they need transport.change your ways or die

 

Agreed, also the amount of times I see the red buses trying to charge tourists a stupid amount to get a short distance from A to B, it's unsurprising that they choose an airconditioned modern car with a pre-arranged price instead of an old ute that spews black smoke out for double the price. 

[Justgrazing]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

But Grab came along and they can go anywhere. It's just not fair, he said.

Boohoo .. Get with the programme this is progress .. Ditch the smokey rattling pickup get yerselves decent air-conned cars a smart phone and grab yourselves a piece of the action instead of bitchin' about it .. 

[Vacuum]

2 hours ago, DonDoRondo said:

They need to face up to the fact that a lot of people aren't interested in riding around in the back of

a windowless pick-up truck.

As far as I know, they all have sliding windows, that can be closed or opened.

[Happy Grumpy]

Time to increase the price. 

[JimmyJ]

1 hour ago, SammyT said:

 

Agreed, also the amount of times I see the red buses trying to charge tourists a stupid amount to get a short distance from A to B, it's unsurprising that they choose an airconditioned modern car with a pre-arranged price instead of an old ute that spews black smoke out for double the price. 

Not only "an airconditioned modern car with a pre-arranged price" but also a vehicle with SEAT BELTS.

Safety matters.

[Classic Ray]

I don’t remember any protest when they announced the electric Grab tuk-tuks for Chiang Mai which would reduce running costs for their drivers compared with the gas two-strokes.

 

The customers are always right, no comparison in level of service. Plus the new buses are hitting the airport trade in Chiang Mai. What they will do if the light rail/tram project goes ahead, I don’t know.

 

Welcome to the 21st century!

[trainman34014]

50% or more of these heaps of junk would never pass a 'proper' MOT Test and would be consigned to the scrap heap.  That would bring the numbers down to a more reasonable level to start with, then follow that up with proper testing of Public Service Drivers and that should clear out at least 50% of what's left !

[Vacuum]

1 hour ago, SammyT said:

 

Agreed, also the amount of times I see the red buses trying to charge tourists a stupid amount to get a short distance from A to B, it's unsurprising that they choose an airconditioned modern car with a pre-arranged price instead of an old ute that spews black smoke out for double the price. 

You're right of course, but you're talking about tourists. 90% of the rot daeng users are local Thai, are you suggesting that they should use "an airconditioned modern car with a pre-arranged price"?  That would mean they must introduce thousands of these grab taxis in the city.

[yokat]

Using a songthaew as a taxi in CM has always been a rip off for me, I like the fair prices, convenience, safety and comfort that you get with grab.

[Katipo]

Oh look, another inefficient mafia style organisation is facing actually having to compete on ability instead of thriving in a corrupt protectionist environment.

[legend49]

They paid their taxes.  LMFAO!

[Chazar]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Bunniam Buntha said that his Rot Daeng members are furious. 

Tough titty pal, its  called  "competition"  as  opposed to a  closed  shop enforced  with  bully  boy  tactics.

[cmsally]

Who is the franchise owner of GRAB in Chiang Mai? Personally I would rather they make an improvement in the emissions of the songtaew and have some available on an App.

It would be more sustainable and better for traffic to have a songtaew with approx 6-8 people , than have GRAB cars with only 1 or 2 people in each.

To assess whether the business model works you need details , which seem to be in short supply.

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, bristolgeoff said:

word is out grab is getting used more than the red bus in chiang mai.most people I know use grab have they app and use they ph when they need transport.change your ways or die

Let the customer decide which service they want.. evolve or die that's business.

Song thaews are what they are, an open-air lift up the road.

Grab are an air-conditioned pick-up drop-off service.

The days of the monopoly are over. 

[justin case]

grab is cheaper than taxi's in many countries, but NOT IN THAILAND... my known routes are cheaper with a normal taxi and hardly any normal car that is a grab driver, compared to other countries I have been where again the TAXI drivers are the BIG SCAMMERS by asking whatever they want...

[tabarin]

4 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

News flash Chiang Mai is at a standstill most of the day already ????

Lol glad you mention it, thought I was the only one realising that Tourism really died.
Haven't seen loads in high season, haven't during songkran and neither now (however that is quite normal).

All my Thai youngster friends hate the red trucks, they even have stickers of it since years. You can find them in the toilets of little bars.
Why would I pay more for less? It is just a pointless discussion, just burn all of them except the yellow ones who do a good job.

[GilesA]

I lived in CM for 18 months. I tried to use these red buses a few times but quoted ridiculous prices more than half the time. As a cyclist I found the exhaust emissions appalling. Very few that did not churn out black smoke on I imagine poorly maintained engines with seemingly no filters being replaced and doubtful emissions testing. I imagine that they contribute significantly to the mostly appalling air quality outside periods of heavy rain. As many said here they often drive around empty looking for tourists who have no idea about pricing. Grab is far superior although airport based taxis are comparable or often better value than grab.

 

This is a nasty outdated transport method that should be allowed to reduce in numbers massively or to disappear. For now they should enforce emissions testing properly. If travelling in a big group they may be ok but they can also be pretty dangerous for occupants and others alike and the driving style can be reckless. They were noticeably the worst drivers in CM in my opinion and often block the filter left lane when trying to skip the queues going straight.   I have left CM now and don't miss the horrible air and the red taxis. I left solely because the air quality remained toxic for too  long. I don't choose a small city surrounded by countryside and mountains for the lung cancer inducing toxins to which the rod dangs seemingly contribute more than their fair share. If you disappear then good riddance I say.

[tabarin]

10 minutes ago, GilesA said:

Grab is far superior although airport based taxis are comparable or often better value than grab.

That is only because they were forced to charge a higher price in that zone. When you would book from right after Central Airport, the prices are normal again.
They are often waiting at the gas station with 7/11 etc across immigration.

[AlexRich]

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Driven by a rat-faced, low-class, low-life criminal type hopped up on alcohol or drugs.

How did you manage to get the employment visa?

[Lacessit]

Guess I'll have to weave a bit more on my scooter. Any ideas where this blockade will occur, so I can stay away?

If the drivers are militant enough to actually block traffic with stalled songthaews, I'd suggest towing a few away and putting them into a crusher would soon modify their behaviour.

[e2x10]

Who wants to sit there in that noise, no ac and sucking up exhaust... Grab all the way

 

[Sydebolle]

Why can Grab Taxis transport people at tariffs which are not "possible" by the red pick-ups?

The red pick-ups offer the service, comfort and safety of a animal carrier; the Grab taxi is usually a normal car with seats, air condition and silence. 

The mafia in Chiang Mai needs to be broken; the Tuk Tuks charge for any distance nothing below B100 for which a Bangkok taxi would get the flag fall of B35.

Go figure - and be fast, as Chiang Mai is, like the rest of the country, dying to get some tourists - irrespective of quality. The writing is on the wall ..............