More than a year after the government imposed a new registration system for motorbike taxis, only 40 percent of Pattaya drivers have signed up, with many simply ignoring the regulations.
Speaking at a Nov. 9 city hall meeting, Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh said the city, military and Banglamung District recently ran five checkpoint operations to check the status of motorbike taxis and found the results disappointing. Most simply had not registered for the program, or received new vests and identification cards.
Two men show their genuine ID cards for driving motorbike taxis that make them completely legal.
Last year, the National Council for Peace and Order launched a major reorganization of transport services in the city’s major urban areas. It requires drivers to register their personal identification with the government, obtain proper licenses, register their vehicles, comply with a dress code and charge government-approved rates.
The overhaul has been extremely successful in Bangkok, where authorities backed up their dictates with proper enforcement. In Pattaya, where enforcement has consisted of a handful of checkpoints in 15 months, it predictably has been a failure.
Prapan Pratumchomphu, Banglamung District secretary, said there are more than 5,000 motorbike taxi drivers in Pattaya and 800 taxi service areas. However, only 40 percent of drivers have obtained vests and ID cards, he said.
Ekasingh did not address the failings of local authorities to enforce the rules, simply threatening to continue checkpoints and fine non-compliant drivers 1,000 baht.
Akkapol Porachu, a motorbike taxi driver in South Pattaya, illustrated one reason the system has failed in Pattaya. He said he was willing to register, but was barred from his taxi stand after its leader found he was simply renting a vest.
Others at the stand all buy their vests from the stand leader at inflated prices, instead of obtaining them from the government. Corruption remains in the system, thwarting its success, he said.
A central Pattaya driver, Tongrob Malee, said he thinks the new system is positive, as it will assure passengers of their personal safety and applauded efforts to enforce the rule that the driver’s ID card be affixed to the back of the vest.
