No hotline for Phuket’s roaming metered taxis – yet

PHUKET: Though roaming metered taxis officially hit the streets of Phuket today, there is no metered-taxi hotline or call service available, confirmed Phuket Land Transport Office chief Terayout Prasertpol to the Phuket Gazette.

“We are already planning a hotline, as well as a call service at the airport, but at the moment the number of taxis is just too small to make it viable,” Mr Terayout said.

“We believe that about 1,400 operating metered taxis should be enough to cover all of Phuket.”

However, the island is a long way away from achieving the PLTO’s goal. Though there are 280 registered metered-taxis drivers, more than half still need to have their vehicles approved before they can begin operating, Mr Terayout explained.

“Now is the age of the officially-endorsed roaming metered taxi, but until all the cars have been approved, only 139 will be able to operate,” Mr Terayout said.

— Natthaphol Wittayarungrote