Say No to Taxi Passengers, Lose License 30 Days, Prayuth Proposes

[rooster59]

Say No to Taxi Passengers, Lose License 30 Days, Prayuth Proposes

By Pravit Rojanaphruk
Senior Staff Writer

The singer of famous Korean boy band '2PM,' Ok Taec-yeon, being refused by a Bangkok taxi driver in a Dec. 14, 2014 file photo. Photo: Ok Taec-yeon / Twitter

BANGKOK — Taxi drivers who refuse to take passengers could lose their licenses for up to 30 days.

Prime Minister Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha said Friday he was toying with the idea in response to one of Bangkok’s most intractable taxi complaints of drivers flatly refusing to pick up passengers whose destinations don’t agree with them.

Prayuth said the idea of revoking a driver’s license for 15 to 30 days would make the drivers afraid of repeating such an offense again.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1457775261

-- Khaosod English 2016-03-13

[NongKhaiKid]

A whole 30 days and they'll be afraid to repeat the offence !

To start with how many will bother their backside at such a slap on the wrist then comes the ever popular question of enforcement and we know how good the BIB and other agencies are at that.

[thaiduncankk]

There will be a shortage of taxis for 30 days when, or if, this gets introduced !

[thesetat2013]

There will be a shortage of taxis for 30 days when, or if, this gets introduced !

Surely you are joking?

A 30 day suspension from their license would only mean they will be driving during that time illegally. Do you really think a taxi driver is scared to drive if their license is suspended for such a short time?

They need to confiscate the taxi and suspend the driver for 3 months to ensure some kind of result. Otherwise, P's idea is just one more thing for Thais to laugh at.

[djjamie]

In 30 days the next news article will be "Most taxi drivers driving unlicensed"

[ezzra]

it's like scaring a fish with drowning him... absolutely futile exercise.....

What with many taxi driver driving around without a valid driving license or

even a fake one, I don't see how 30 days suspension is any deterrent here

needless to say that the suspended driver will of course, continue to drive

as if nothing happened.....

[Tatsujin]

Great idea in principle, but "enforcement" is where it all falls apart.

Last time I was refused, the cop standing right next to me point blank refused to do anything as the taxi was under "his protection" (lady stallholder told me this after).

<deleted> protected by more <deleted>.

[doremifasol]

.............in response to one of Bangkok’s most intractable taxi complaints of drivers.......

1st time get the driver’s license revoked for 15 days.

2nd time get the driver’s license revoked for 30 days.

3rd time the driver gets to attend an attitude adjustment course

and his license revoked for 30 days.

[Bkungbank]

In Sukumvit area very hard to get a taxi mostly prefer going to airport or farang.

[DM07]

...blahblahblah...blah....and even more blah!

Never gonna happen, never gonna be enforced, never gonna be followed up!

[impulse]

It's a good start.

[dbrenn]

Another brain fart from that gasbag Prayuth.

Avoiding the ban (if it ever happens) will be another way for the authorities to collect cash.

[FireMedic]

I love how "toying with an idea" that makes sense never gets implemented.

[SoiBiker]

So you complain endlessly about the taxi drivers, and when a step is proposed to deal with issue, you complain about that too?

Headline should read 'Miserable farangs impossible to please'.

[DM07]

So you complain endlessly about the taxi drivers, and when a step is proposed to deal with issue, you complain about that too?

Headline should read 'Miserable farangs impossible to please'.

You know very well, that it will never be dealt with, so spare me the indignation!

[gandalf12]

You can never get a taxi in Sukhmvit easily. You need to try several before the driver condescends to take you. I usually if I am going out of the city get the BTS as far as possible then get a taxi. Never have any problem then. Taxi's down Sukhumvit obviously get too much money if they can say no to a fare

[SABloke]

Here are a few words that are rhe downfall of al anouncements made by officials in this country: could, might, are likely to, will maybe etc.

[dbrenn]

@Soibiker - you do become a bit cynical after living here a while, when the government announces that it is 'toying' with this or that idea of yet another crackdown.

Let's see - but I'll bet you any change will only last a few days, a couple of weeks max, then it will be back to business as usual.

Try getting the published rate for a motorbike taxi in lower Sukhumvit - they are up on a board in Thai language, following another of Prayuth's brain farts. Most, if not all, of them will flatly refuse to take you at the standard rate.That was yesterday's crackdown.

[SoiBiker]

You can never get a taxi in Sukhmvit easily. You need to try several before the driver condescends to take you. I usually if I am going out of the city get the BTS as far as possible then get a taxi. Never have any problem then. Taxi's down Sukhumvit obviously get too much money if they can say no to a fare

I get taxis easily in Sukhumvit every day.

[spidermike007]

Nobody is scared of this administration. About the only people who are taking them seriously are journalists, and others who are getting arrested for expressing displeasure with them. They are NOT to be taken seriously. Very, very little of what they say is true, or backed by will, volition or intention. So, why should the taxi drivers take them seriously? Why should they even be concerned? I doubt they are. They are about as concerned as the mafia, who the powers claim they are cracking down on. We all know what that means. Nothing will be done. Talk, talk, talk, talk. Jaber, jabber, jabber, jabber. Promise, promise, promise, promise. But, do they ever deliver? Or course not. That is their M.O. All talk and no action makes Johnny a very dull boy.

[SABloke]

You can never get a taxi in Sukhmvit easily. You need to try several before the driver condescends to take you. I usually if I am going out of the city get the BTS as far as possible then get a taxi. Never have any problem then. Taxi's down Sukhumvit obviously get too much money if they can say no to a fare

I get taxis easily in Sukhumvit every day.

Sukhumvit's a very long road...

[metisdead]

A flame post has been removed.

[Just1Voice]

Has no effect on me in the least. I live in Chiang Mai, have a car, a PCX 150, Forza 300cc, and CB300f.

Taxi?

But, I do feel sorta bad for those in BKK who do need them.

[smutcakes]

You can never get a taxi in Sukhmvit easily. You need to try several before the driver condescends to take you. I usually if I am going out of the city get the BTS as far as possible then get a taxi. Never have any problem then. Taxi's down Sukhumvit obviously get too much money if they can say no to a fare

I get taxis easily in Sukhumvit every day.

In 10 years using taxi's regularly i don't remember ever being refused on Sukhumvit road. Perhaps there have been occasion, but it must be so infrequently i cannot remember it.

[SoiBiker]

Has no effect on me in the least. I live in Chiang Mai, have a car, a PCX 150, Forza 300cc, and CB300f.

Taxi?

But, I do feel sorta bad for those in BKK who do need them.

I feel lucky to have them. And the BTS, MRT, a bus system etc.

Chiang Mai? No wonder you need to own your own transport.

[abitmiffed]

The word 'could' just sums it all up.

[steven100]

taxi scum .... if they don't want passengers then they shouldn't be driving taxis.

[legend49]

The key word is COULD lose their licence..... doesnt mean it WILL happen. Could is a possibility of an outcome; up to you!

[khun custard]

Ahhh... another salvo fired across the bows of humanity, well at least this time it is not directed towards foreign visa's etc or anything that I care too much about :-)

Actually, if you a have ever waited for a taxi in; the pouring rain in Singapore for +40 min OR at the change of shift in HK you'll think twice about complaining about a short wait in BKK to get gentleman from either Roi Et 1 or 2 heading your way.

I don't use them all that often but when I have - no complaints from me other than the road worthiness - there are some worn out clunkers out there which should be off the roads That would be a better focus... or would this be stepping on the toes of the Thai/Chinese taxi leasing owners?

[teacherpaul]

So you complain endlessly about the taxi drivers, and when a step is proposed to deal with issue, you complain about that too?

Headline should read 'Miserable farangs impossible to please'.

No. It's called people with common sense seeing through a crap idea in 5 seconds. The problem is that it will fail to deal with the issue. Stop defending them.