Pattaya taxi drivers were told to halt their vigilante behavior against suspected Uber drivers, warning they could be jailed for illegal detention and other offenses if they continued their current war on the ride-sharing service.
The warning came after two more incidents of street justice were doled out by aggrieved Pattaya cabbies, who have seen their ability to overcharge passengers hampered by the introduction of the smartphone-enabled ride-hailing app in the city.
On May 4, a swarm of 20 drivers surrounded and forced to a stop Supannee Thampitak, 31, after she picked up several Chinese people at Central Marina shopping mall.
They accused her of being an Uber driver, but ended up red-faced when police arrived and confirmed she was a real estate agent and the Chinese her clients.
In a second case the same week, shown in a video posted to social media, a taxi driver threatened to shoot an Uber driver if he picked up another passenger at the Sanctuary of Truth in Naklua.
And on April 25, a group of cab drivers filed a police complaint about a suspected Uber X driver of a black Mitsubishi Pajero. The Bangkok-registered vehicle picked up Chinese tourists at Soi 7 and Beach Road. Police and drivers then followed the private driver who tried to flee, but was forced to pull over on Soi Photisan in North Pattaya and fined 2,000 baht.
Pattaya’s police chief, Pol. Col. Apichai Kroppech called the realtor’s case a “misunderstanding” and the taxi vigilantes got off with a slap on the wrist after Supannee declined to file charges.
But Pattaya’s top cop warned taxi drivers and associations that such behavior will not be tolerated and would be prosecuted for illegal detention if they stopped another private citizen instead of calling authorities. They could also be hit with traffic offenses and property damage.
Thai media reported that Anan Pheuakwattana, president of the Loma taxi cooperative to which some of the 20 drivers belonged, apologized and said it was as the result of actions of a small minority of his membership.
Loma driver Atthakarn Theerawit, 58, complained that Uber – which moved into Pattaya in February – already has cost Pattaya taxi drivers dearly. He moaned that taxi drivers spend about 900,000 baht for their vehicles while Uber drivers need only to use their own car and buy insurance.
Pattaya city spokesman Pinit Maneerat said taxi drivers will be called to a meeting to inform them that police and city officials are working with the Department of Land Transport to stamp out Uber in Pattaya.
Uber Technologies Corp’s Uber X discount service has been declared illegal by the Land Transport Department and its drivers are subject to heavy fines. Enforcement, however, has been minimal in Bangkok, where it is most popular, and the only drivers caught are ones who advertise their illegal service or are singled out by competitors.
Uber’s main luxury-car service, not available in Pattaya, complies with existing Thai law as it uses commercially registered vehicles.
Pattaya tourists and locals have flocked to Uber X because it provides the first public transport service in the city not subject to overcharging. Uber fares are determined by Global Positioning System chips in the driver’s smartphone and fares are paid via credit card.
Metered-cab drivers in March complained they were unable to make a living if they were forced to charge rates set by the DLT. Thus, they often overcharged by as much as 300 percent.
A typical fare quoted by cabs from Central Festival to the Pattaya Bus Station is 300 baht. Uber X, by comparison, charges 115 baht.
