Catch and cull: Phuket taxi cheats under fire

PHUKET: The chief of the Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) is appealing for cheated or abused taxi passengers to file complaints.

“Without a complaint, there is little we can do to ensure that passengers are being taken care of properly,” PLTO chief Terayout Prasertphol told the Phuket Gazette today.

The call for complaints to be filed follows last Thursday’s announcement by Theerapong Rodprasert, director-general of the Department of Land Transport, of new penalties for Bangkok taxi-driver cheats.

Bangkok drivers who tamper with or refuse to use their meters, and those who abandon their passengers before reaching their destination, face a 1,000-baht fine and are required to attend an ‘attitude adjustment’ course.

A second offense results in a 1,000-baht fine plus a one-month suspension of their driver’s license. A third offense results in a 1,000-baht fine, plus a one-year suspension.

Drivers who commit three offenses within 30 days are to have their license revoked immediately, said Mr Theerapong (story here).

“The new penalties will not apply in Phuket or any other province, only in Bangkok,” said MrTerayout.

Mr Terayout pointed out that Phuket led the way by introducing harsher penalties for taxi drivers in 2013, while drivers in Bangkok were charged 1,000 baht regardless of how many times they breached the rules.

In Phuket, the fine for a first offense is 500 baht; for the second, 1,000 baht; and for the third, 2,000 baht. If drivers violate the rules four times, their license to drive a taxi is revoked immediately (story here).

“In Phuket, we still have problems with taxi drivers refusing to use their meters and adding extra charges to the fare,” said Mr Terayout. “We need people to file official complaints with us so that we can get rid of these cheating taxi drivers.”

Mr Terayout urged victims to call the complaint hotline on 1584.

“We have staff answering the hotline 24 hours a day,” he said.

“All we need is the date, time, where the offense occurred, and the taxi’s license plate number. If you have a ticket voucher for the ride, that would be great – and you can leave the rest with us.”

— Chutharat Plerin