Chonburi transportation officials checked for illegal motorbike taxi operators in Pattaya as they continued their efforts to bring order to the historically chaotic sector.
Kosin Weeranantanapan, Banglamung District officer for the Chonburi Transportation Authority, hit the streets with military and police officers Oct. 2 to check driver and bike registrations.
Many illegal taxis were found, including some drivers who have applied for registration but not yet received their new, official vests and identification cards.
Chonburi transportation officials check for illegal motorbike taxi operators.
The Department of Land Transport will continue to run checks throughout the area. Drivers whose bikes don’t match their registrations or otherwise violate regulations will be fined up to 2,000 baht.
Those whose applications are pending can show proof of submission to receive amnesty.
Members of one large collective of motorcycle taxi drivers said they support the reorganization project and 80 percent of them had already registered.
However, they are questioning some procedures by the DLT and fines handed down to drivers. One example is a requirement drivers wear shoes – not flip-flops – and long pants. During rainy season, they complained, such gear is not practical.
They want to strike a compromise with the government so they are not fined for wearing apparel more suited to rain and flooding.
