Thread: Phuket tuktuks OPPOSE meters and lower fares

I've got an idea.
Tell all of the current tuk tuk driver that there is a free party. Lots of free whisky and yaba. Get them all in the one place then - pull out a machine gun and wipe out the lot of them!

Problem solved!

Government tuk tuks with drivers employed at 250 baht a day.
That's the way.

This whole thing is a non-story. Since when does any professional group like being regulated, any since when does it matter whether they like it or not?

God forbid they would actually have to work for a living.

They should be entitled to sit around all day and charge the single customer they get 400thb. Farangs come to Thailand to be taken advantage of.

In all seriousness, what irritates me no end is these peoples' sense of entitlement.

The easy way to hurt them is hit them in the pocket by not visiting Phuket.

Originally Posted by Beadle

In all seriousness, what irritates me no end is these peoples' sense of entitlement.

This is found in many places . . . I do wonder what is in these people's minds . . . entitlement, indeed

They are determined to kill the golden goose. Peasants.

Originally Posted by the dogcatcher

Government tuk tuks with drivers employed at 250 baht a day.
That's the way.

That's right, public transport tuk tuks.

Police would be opposed to it. No tea money.

Phuket, Thailand: Saturday, February 13, 2010


'Patong Taxi Federation' formed

FAMILIAR SITE: Tuk-tuks line the beach road in Patong. At night they become so numerous they choke the streets with traffic and block access to businesses.

Hundreds of motorcycle taxi drivers will also join the Federation, its president says.

PATONG, PHUKET: More than one thousand tuk-tuk, motorbike and car taxi drivers are banding together to form a new ‘Patong Taxi Federation’.

One of the organization’s primary goals will be to clean up the image held by many of Patong's taxi drivers.

A second aim will be to improve traffic flow by having a central body that will oversee all three types of transport.

The federation, formally established on Monday, is the brainchild of Patong Municipality.

Around 90 members elected Setthasak ‘Ko Aew’ Buason as temporary president of the Patong Taxi Federation at its first meeting.

Ko Aew already leads a group of more than 500 saloon car and minivan drivers in the town.

“The federation wants to improve the image of Patong and make Patong the number one tourist destination in the world,” he said.

“When tourists come here they will see a town that looks beautiful and organized,” he said. “They’ll also have more space to park their cars.”

With the aim of improving traffic flow around Patong, the federation will set up fixed stands from which the various types of taxi will pick up passengers.

“Right now tuk-tuks parked at the side of the road are creating traffic jams, but the problem can be solved,” he said.

Rental cars parked along the beach road were also a major problem, he said.

A call center will be set up to assign taxis for passengers.

“They won’t be driving around looking for customers like they do these days,” Ko Aew said.

A meeting with other taxi groups would take place soon and a new president might be chosen as a result, Ko Aew said.

These groups include more than 1,000 tuk-tuks, as well as the roughly 900 members of the Patong Hired Motorcycle Taxis group and 500 members of the Saving Cooperative, another motorcycle taxi association.

All Patong taxis will have to join the federation. Members will be issued stickers allowing police and municipal officials to check if they are members, Ko Aew said.

The federation will collect information and conduct background checks on all its members, he said.

“We admit that in our group most members still run black plate [unregistered] taxis. We’re going to set up a cooperative for black plate taxis and get them properly registered with green plates,” he said.

Asked if the reputation of Patong taxis, particularly tuk-tuks, was affecting tourism in Patong, Koh Aew said he thought the poor state of the tourism economy was a world-wide problem, not one particular to Patong.

“Before these problems became well-known, people were still visiting Patong. It depends on how the media presents the story to the public.

“If the media do so positively, it will help. But, anyway, fewer tourists are coming here because of the global economic crisis,” he said.

“Not many Thai people come to Patong, but we expect this project will increase their numbers,” he added.

Originally Posted by zubber

make Patong the number one tourist destination in the world

Do they actually believe that is even possible?

Deluded fools.

they dont teach geography in thai schools

Even if they force them to put in meters, I'm betting that any tourist will be told that the meter isn't working. Only 500 baht though to take you 5 klms.

Originally Posted by Zubber quoting The Phuketwan

Today Khun Pornthep said tuk-tuks were part of ''local wisdom'' and tourists enjoyed the island culture.

WTF does that mean? Let them screw it up, just bunch of moronic idle baffoons that want everything for nothing. I mean, could they show anymore contempt for tourist/customers?

They deserve to have Phuket turn into a ghost town. Hopefully people will vote with their feet and leave the silly island to the sailors and ladyboys.

Originally Posted by malako

I've got an idea.
Tell all of the current tuk tuk driver that there is a free party. Lots of free whisky and yaba. Get them all in the one place then - pull out a machine gun and wipe out the lot of them!

Problem solved!

With all due respect..problem not solved dude. It's not them that drives the tuk tuks who has power, but those that drive the tuk tuk drivers: The local pols and mafia. These are the folks who need ack ack acking. Regulating these eejits would be easy, were it not that they control the regulatory process.