The Thai military has decided to clean up Thailand’s cleaning system. Phuket was the first target ten days ago and over the last two days, it was the turn of Suvarnabhumi airport.
BANGKOK – Many tourists coming to Thailand complaint that taxis never put their meters in Bangkok when they try to catch one. While in Phuket, taxis terrify tourists, blocking the access to areas where hotels or cruise liners try to provide a shuttle to their guests, not to mention outrageous fares that tourists have to fetch…
The military junta, in charge of Thailand for now a month, stepped-in to stop a worsening situation. Early June, the army raided some of Phuket’s most famous resort areas in Kathu and Patong to look at taxis. According to local Phuket papers, some 75 taxi drivers were arrested while over 110 arrest warrants were issued. For now many years, Phuket taxis are run by mafia-like organizations sharing locations among themselves, refusing to put their meters or blocking access to hotels or the cruise terminal for travellers. A lot benefited from the complacency of local mayors with Karon Mayor for example being arrested to answer charges of favouring taxi mafias in his area.
Taxis in Phuket earned in recent years the reputation of being the worst in Thailand, even obstructing alternative means of transportation. Threats from taxis for example emerge last year when the Airport’s Authority and Phuket Governor decided to launch a bus service between the airport and two to three stops around the island. The clamp down on taxi mafia activities in Phuket is a first step in the right direction with the army promising to further clean the island of bad practices.
Earlier this week, the military stepped in again, this time against taxis at Bangkok airport. A new computerized system will then be put in place to limit the influence of mafia groups when running their businesses. A computer will manage all registered taxis at the airport attributing them directly to customers. A few months ago, incoming taxis were also banned to take any passengers from the departure area, with revolving gates blocking travellers to go back to the ramp where taxis stop. The military will abolish it and allow taxis to take immediately passengers if some are looking for a vehicle. However, they will not be able to wait around the departure area. A similar system will also be implemented at Don Mueang airport, Bangkok’s low cost air gateway.
It is just to be wished now that the Military will reign into the worsening mess in Bangkok where more and more taxis refuse to carry customers if they ask them to put their meter. A reporting system has to be created with strong enforcement –including fines for contravenents. Hopefully, this could be the next step.
Luc Citrinot a French national is a freelance journalist and consultant in tourism and air transport with over 20 years experience. Based in Paris and Bangkok, he works for various travel and air transport trade publications in Europe and Asia.
