The military launched its promised crackdown on taxi drivers parking in prohibited areas and blocking traffic.
Lt. Santiban Saendee, head of the National Council for Peace and Order’s Banglamung office, sent soldiers from the 21st King’s Guard to the intersection of South and Beach roads where large numbers of meter cabs and baht buses were parking and obstructing traffic.
The taxis, waiting to lure novice travelers into taking overpriced rides, has been a problem for years, but the previous city government had ignored it.
Officers pointed out that signs prohibit parking in the left lane from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. and taxis were only allowed to stop to allow passengers to alight, not wait for fares.
Santiban said drivers were issued warnings and, if found violating the law again, will be arrested.
Following up, on November 24, the military paid another visit to the area to discover that the baht busses and taxis were no longer violating the traffic rules. The traffic flow was much better.
