The army is taking another run at Pattaya’s unruly taxi drivers after failing to get them to follow military directives.
Col. Popanan Luangpanuwat, deputy commander of Military Circle 14, said the National Council for Peace and Order will step up efforts to get baht buses and motorcycle taxis to stop parking illegally and asked for cooperation from police, city officials and private businesses.
The NCPO last year ordered public transport operators to stop parking in red-and-white prohibited zones, on sidewalks and other public property. Their directive was basically ignored.
Popanan said there has been some progress in getting baht buses to run on standardized routes and charge legal fares, but the parking situation remains out of control, particularly on Beach Road in front of Central Festival Pattaya Beach and Royal Garden Plaza.
Taxi representatives at the meeting said they had requested permission from mall operators to park and wait for customers there, but complained the military is trying to stop them from parking at all.
The NCPO urged businesses to help it stamp out motorcycle taxis and vehicle-hire vendors from camping out on sidewalks.
Popanan also said businesses need to discourage people from using unregulated and unregistered transport businesses, such as black-plate taxis and private pickup trucks that wait for customers in densely populated areas.
He said legal vehicles will soon be painted blue and white to clearly identify fully registered vehicles.
