Plan requires lower fares, polite drivers
Capt. Sittichai Chamsawat
of the 14th Military Circle in Chonburi joined Pattaya Deputy Mayor
Ronakit Ekasingh, Banglamung Permanent Secretary Pongsathit Pijnont and
relevant agencies at the taxi stand on Beach Road and Soi 9 where
officials began registering motorbike-taxi drivers for a newly regulated
program.
Urasin Khantaraphan
The National Council for Peace and Order’s promised crackdown on
Pattaya’s wild motorbike-taxi industry has begun, with drivers outside
Pattaya Police Station becoming the first to see fares reduced and
operating practices improved.
Capt. Sittichai Chamsawat of the 14th Military Circle in Chonburi joined
Pattaya Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh and Banglamung Permanent Secretary
Pongsathit Pijnont at the taxi stand at Beach Road and Soi 9 where
officials began registering motorbike-taxi drivers for a newly regulated
program already being implemented in Bangkok.
Anop Praditsakul, the local motorbike-taxi boss controlling 65 bikes
across the top and bottom of three streets around Soi 9, cooperated with
the military in its effort to combat unfair practices by drivers and
reduce the influence of organized-crime gangs controlling taxis.
The National Council for
Peace and Order’s promised crackdown on Pattaya’s wild motorbike-taxi
industry has begun, with drivers outside Pattaya Police Station becoming
the first to see fares reduced and operating practices improved.
If successful, the changes being forced upon the virtually independent
drivers will mean substantial benefits to Pattaya tourists and residents
and take a substantial bite out of the money drivers squeeze out of
them.
Sittichai said motorbike taxis will have to adhere to existing, but
currently ignored, Land Transport Department fare regulations, which
state rides of two kilometers or less should not exceed 25 baht. The
third through fifth kilometer adds only 5 baht each to the fare.
Currently, Pattaya motorbike taxis charge 40 baht for even the shortest
rides.
Sittichai said distances of more than five kilometers would remain
negotiable.
Other changes required under the new program would mandate drivers treat
customers politely, be properly dressed, wear the correct jersey and
long pants, have a yellow public-transport license plate, have helmets
for both driver and passenger, park unobtrusively, not use drugs or
alcohol, and display a license at taxi stands with the names of all
registered drivers.
Registrations are being taken through July 15 at city hall.
The NCPO moved to regulate motorbike taxis as Pattaya is a major tourist
hub that comprises of at least one million tourists. However, there have
been several problems regarding public transportation services within
the area. Problems such as unreasonable public transportation fares,
poor services, and Mafia-style groups taking advantage of residents have
been common.
The junta’s three-phase plan calls for systematizing motorcycle-taxi
operations and communicating with operators about inappropriate
activities while solving the problems of extortion gangs and official
corruption, updating the Traffic Act, regulations and guidelines, and
making the changes permanent..
