Phuket tourist safety boost as Patong taxis install GPS units

PHUKET: As a part of the ongoing “Phuket Safety Zone” project, Patong Police have joined with the private sector to install GPS tracking devices to Patong taxis.

Patong Police Superintendent Chiraphat Phochanaphan joined Preechawut Keesin, Pisona Group Managing Director and president of the Patong Taxi Federation, in announcing the news on Saturday.

“We along with the Pisona Group and other businesses in Patong are providing GPS [units] to increase safety for tourists and people in the area,” Col Chiraphat said.

The move will also allow the vehicle owners and police to track any stolen taxis, he added.

Mr Prab said that the private operators were ready to coordinate with the police for tourist safety and that information collected by the GPS units would be available to the police.

“In addition to improving tourist safety, installing GPS makes it easier for us to check on our drivers,” Mr Prab said.

The Pisona group has installed tracking systems in 91 taxis and plans to install more in the future.

“We will fit GPS to our other taxis next. If any other taxi operators are interested in installing GPS, then please come and join us. The more we install, the cheaper the price,” Mr Prab said.

Speaking of the Patong Safety Zone project in general, Col Chiraphat said that Patong had been divided in to six zones with 12 policeman to look after each zone.

“People in the area are cooperating well, especially in terms of CCTV, which we are working toward hosting on one computer server,” he said.

— Kritsada Mueanhawong