Phuket tuk-tuk drivers protest illegal taxis

[Incobart]

Mr Tuk Tuk,

economic is simple, If the illegal taxis can live or make profit from a 500 B ride, so can you

meaning your price is to high.

In patong I see 200 tuk tuks, and 40 of them driving = 140 tuk tuks too much

60 tuk tuks that drive 10 time at 150 B = 1500 B

but with to many tuk tuks , you can drive only 1 time, so you ask 1000 B

Bad factory

Chris

[Rorri]

A lot of illegal taxis are members of the tuktuk co-operatives. You see them parked in the tuktuk only bays, often with a taxi sign on the roof.

On another issue: where does Governor Maitri spend his time? Why is nearly every meeting attended by the Vice Goveror. Is he the Yingluck of the South?

Yes...the "man" runs away from confrontation, but is always there for a "safe" photo op. He is the first person that should be replaced, Put the Chinese ambassador there for 12 months...lol...if only it could happen.

[spidermike007]

I hope they suffer more financial hardship. It's the only way to eradicate or at least bring reforms to the industry. The time is coming, the media attention lately is getting more intense.

Yes, misplaced pressure from the police. Instead, the police should be arresting the tuk tuk cockroaches for overcharging. It is impossible to find a tuk tuk, or any sort of taxi anywhere in Phuket, willing to charge a fare that even resembles fair. How much pressure has been put on them lately? To do the right thing? To pressure them to be fair with their ridiculous pricing. Last time I was in Phuket the lowest fare I could find was 200 baht to go from one end of kata to the other. We are talking about 1km. I was feeling tired and lazy, and succumbed to their felonious bahavior. Taxis in NY, London, and LA are cheaper for short distances. Who should the police be seeking out? Instead these insects make noise, and the authorities come calling. Shows you who is really in charge. The tuk tuk and taxi goombahs OWN the police, and the local government. Those guys are bought and paid for.

[hellodolly]

Phuket tuk-tuks under siege from ‘black’ tuk-tuks

Tanyaluk Sakoot

Tutk-tuk drivers carry banners objecting to any possibility of the 30-40 black tuk-tuks being made legitimate.

PHUKET: -- Two hundred tuk-tuk drivers drove their machines to Phuket Provincial Hall this morning (June 26) to protest against a growing problem of “black” tuk-tuks stealing their business.

One protester told The Phuket News, “Today, we have come from many places, including Patong, Kata and Karon. We can no longer tolerate these black tuk-tuks snatching our customers. Before, we could earn about B500 a day but after they came our income has fallen to only B300.”

They moved into the grounds of the Provincial Hall, chanting “Please, Governor, Help!”, “Here there are too many black tuk-tuks!” and “We are in trouble! We ask for your help!”

Vice-Governor Dr Sommai Preechasilpa walked out to listen to their complaints.

Using a megaphone, the leader of the protest, Sakol Srisompot, explained the situation. “Please, Vice-Governor Sommai. We need help or we will be in trouble in the future.”

He explained that the black tuk-tuks are actually Suzuki mini-trucks, modified and painted to look similar to tuk-tuks.

“They always come at night to snatch the tourists. They often stop in the area around Hard Rock [at the east end of Bangla Rd], near restaurants, along the beach and in other places.”

Deputy Provincial Police Commander Pol Col Peerayut Karajedee said he agreed that something should be done about the illegal tuk-tuks. He added that this was something officers had had no prior knowledge of, and he praised the legitimate tuk-tuk drivers for their bravery in standing up for their rights.

Jaturong Keawkasi of the Phuket Land Transportation Office (PLTO), who also attended the protest, said, “Thank you very much for telling us about this. The black tuk-tuks have been registered with us as vehicles for personal use. But they are being use for commercial services.

“This is against the law and the law-breakers can be fined up to B2,000 for each instance.

He told The Phuket News, “V/G Sommai has already ordered us to follow up on this. Today the protesters told me there are 30 or 40 of these black tuk-tuks. We will make a plan to check up on this.”

Tuk-tuk leader Sakol said afterwards, “We were very impressed with officials today. But we will be watching closely what action they take.”

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-tuk-tuks-under-siege-from-%E2%80%98black%E2%80%99-tuk-tuks-40449.php

-- Phuket News 2013-06-27

Lets see here now 200 tuk tuk drivers losing 200 baht a day amounts to 40,000 baht.

30 or 40 black Taxis lets split the difference 35 that means each one of them is taking in about 1,150 baht a day.

Something just seems wrong here. It does not make any sense.

[Misterwhisper]

Pop Quiz:

A bunch of scamming, cheating, over-charging public transportation providers protesting against another bunch of scamming, cheating, over-charging public transportation providers.

What's ethically/morally wrong with this picture?

Edited June 27, 2013 by Misterwhisper

[klauskunkel]

Phuket tuk-tuks under siege from ‘black’ tuk-tuks

Tanyaluk Sakoot

Tutk-tuk drivers carry banners objecting to any possibility of the 30-40 black tuk-tuks being made legitimate.

PHUKET: -- Two hundred tuk-tuk drivers drove their machines to Phuket Provincial Hall this morning (June 26) to protest against a growing problem of “black” tuk-tuks stealing their business.

One protester told The Phuket News, “Today, we have come from many places, including Patong, Kata and Karon. We can no longer tolerate these black tuk-tuks snatching our customers. Before, we could earn about B500 a day but after they came our income has fallen to only B300.”

They moved into the grounds of the Provincial Hall, chanting “Please, Governor, Help!”, “Here there are too many black tuk-tuks!” and “We are in trouble! We ask for your help!”

Vice-Governor Dr Sommai Preechasilpa walked out to listen to their complaints.

Using a megaphone, the leader of the protest, Sakol Srisompot, explained the situation. “Please, Vice-Governor Sommai. We need help or we will be in trouble in the future.”

He explained that the black tuk-tuks are actually Suzuki mini-trucks, modified and painted to look similar to tuk-tuks.

“They always come at night to snatch the tourists. They often stop in the area around Hard Rock [at the east end of Bangla Rd], near restaurants, along the beach and in other places.”

Deputy Provincial Police Commander Pol Col Peerayut Karajedee said he agreed that something should be done about the illegal tuk-tuks. He added that this was something officers had had no prior knowledge of, and he praised the legitimate tuk-tuk drivers for their bravery in standing up for their rights.

Jaturong Keawkasi of the Phuket Land Transportation Office (PLTO), who also attended the protest, said, “Thank you very much for telling us about this. The black tuk-tuks have been registered with us as vehicles for personal use. But they are being use for commercial services.

“This is against the law and the law-breakers can be fined up to B2,000 for each instance.

He told The Phuket News, “V/G Sommai has already ordered us to follow up on this. Today the protesters told me there are 30 or 40 of these black tuk-tuks. We will make a plan to check up on this.”

Tuk-tuk leader Sakol said afterwards, “We were very impressed with officials today. But we will be watching closely what action they take.”

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-tuk-tuks-under-siege-from-%E2%80%98black%E2%80%99-tuk-tuks-40449.php

-- Phuket News 2013-06-27

...looks like they are all well fed, so things are not that urgent

[SimonF]

Having lived on phuket for 5 years and moved of the dirty and corrupt island to Bangkok, it gives me great pleasure to see part of what made me move getting what they deserve, competition, they call then black taxis, I call them tuk tuks with roofs, when did you last see a meter in a tuk tuk? Isn't it strange the protest just happens to be in low season? Lets hope they all go bust, nobody will care, these people have had thier own way far too long.

[lostmebike]

Som num na. I can't wait to see the groups get into some fisticuffs Beatings and mob attacks are the trademarks of these scumbags.

You said it!

Let the scum bags beat the crap out of each other, get arrested then spend some quality time in the monkey house!

POND LIFE, all of them.

[jojodontyouknow]

etc

Too @#$%ing funny this smiley. Thanks for that!!

[jojodontyouknow]

I totally agree with the lot of you. They are all disgusting. And since they own the police nobody will do a thing to protect us citizens.

I won't ever get into a Tuk Tuk because they have the worst attitudes and are spooky and creepy.

After all the stories of them beating and raping customers, who the hell would be silly enough to get into one of their taxis??

I can't believe the priorities of the government here. It is appaling and someone has to stop this behavior.

I bet you they all think that the rest of the world works in this way.

[Angeledge777]

Why don't you stop giving them attention? We all know they lose customers and they are poor because they try to scam the foreigners living in Phuket.

[zaZa9]

If they before could do 500 baht a day and now 300 baht a day, that means they only had one or two customers each day. What a bunch of liars. I hate those scumbags and i rather walk then take a tuk tuk in these areas. Let them suffer until they come up with reasonable prices.

Dont forget that a Tuk Tuk costs over a million baht to buy (''Even an old tuk-tuk will cost 70,000 baht and a new one will carry a price tag of 1.2 million baht,'' he said. '' They have to be imported from Japan.''PW 1/7/09 ) ...according to the leader of the TT drivers, Karons own 'Don Corleone'. Edited June 27, 2013 by LivinginKata
link removed - see forum rules

[khunPer]

»Illegal taxis charge 500 to 1,000 baht per fare...«
Competion?
Believe I read in the news at TV some time ago, that the “legal taxis and tuk-tuks” where driving without meter and overcharging tourist with fares of 1000 to 2000 baht.

[Dukeleto]

Time to get a different job then, isn't it!

[eezergood]

All TukTuk with side entry are illegal! with or without a plate!

[KarenBravo]

All TukTuk with side entry are illegal! with or without a plate!

Except in Phuket Town (I think).

[eezergood]

Really????

[deecee10]

They are now down to 300 baht a day!

Complete load of tosh.

They won't start their engine for less than 300 baht. Bit like a young lady I used to know.

At least she gave value for money.

[brfsa2]

What happen is this, the Tuk-Tuk were told by their mafia bosses to protest against the Taxi because the Tuk-Tuk and Taxi mafia bosses are competing each other or not paying enough money to someone... Tuk-Tuk drivers are too idiot to come up with a protest like this.

Edited June 27, 2013 by brfsa2

[IrishIvan]

Keyboard warriors the lot of you, I bet you have never let a tuk tuk or taxi driver know to his face how you feel.

They are just decent workers trying to earn a living. Phuket is expensive so they need to charge more

[techboy]

Drove past all the tuk tuks this afternoon. Most of the drivers were asleep in there tuk tuks

I do not have much sympathy for the Tuks. As you say they are often dozing. Or (as I have noted before) hanging around together drinking whiskey, turning down fair bids on fares until one of them gets a tourist that he can gouge for the price of another jug. They are certainly not all like this but time and again this is what I find.

[techboy]

Okay, now that they're all in one place DRONE the forking barstewards.

Pop their miserable charred corpses into empty chemical barrels.

Fill the barrels with quick-set and load them onto a barge.

Drop the barrels into the sea.

Repaint their stoopid trashcan taxis a nice cool green colour and refit them with Tesla electric motors.

Offer free transport or a voluntary payment system for a year.

Watch Phuket tourism flourish.

Nobody, not one damned person, will shed a tear.

Daaam!!! Will that be all sir?

[Soupdragon]

Keyboard warriors the lot of you, I bet you have never let a tuk tuk or taxi driver know to his face how you feel.

They are just decent workers trying to earn a living. Phuket is expensive so they need to charge more

That's right Irish. What I don't understand is how everyone else can survive without charging 5-10 times the national average for their services.

[Emdog]

Words fail me... We want government officers and the police to be more strict. Arresting these people and charging them with the highest penalty should be a top priority." Like when they blockade cruise ships and US navy? Audacious and outrageous. Certainly have a lot of cheek. Arrogant idiots etc. "Decent people trying to make a living?" You ever been to Phuket?

[techboy]

Pop Quiz:

A bunch of scamming, cheating, over-charging public transportation providers protesting against another bunch of scamming, cheating, over-charging public transportation providers.

What's ethically/morally wrong with this picture?

I dunno. Sounds to me like they have the makings of good politicians.

[Just1Voice]

NOTICE: "Will the last tourist leaving Phuket please turn off the lights. Thank you."

[jackinbkk]

Phuck those guys! They are robbing people in Phuket every day with their extortionate rates. It's their rip off prices that have created a market for cheaper taxis. Provide fair prices and people wont need to look elsewhere like everywhere else in Thailand. The province needs to clean up it's act.

[CIHUAHUA]

I would rather walk than pay for a tuk-tuk in Poo-ket

[LivinginKata]

I would rather walk than pay for a tuk-tuk in Poo-ket

On a few occasions I have walked rather than take a Tuk Tuk. Infuriates them when they see you walking down a rural road and they stop and invite you in. When I decline they cuss and swear - lovely

[andreandre]

Keyboard warriors the lot of you, I bet you have never let a tuk tuk or taxi driver know to his face how you feel.

They are just decent workers trying to earn a living. Phuket is expensive so they need to charge more

Pot,kettle,black....

As for the rest of your post...its comeon get real man