More Taxi Drivers Suspended for Refusing Passengers
The biggest complaint against taxi drivers in Bangkok is their refusal to take passengers to their destination. But, is this becoming a thing of the past? A number of friends have noticed a change in behaviour over the last few months of taxi drivers towards passengers. I’ve seen it too. Most of them seem to be far more polite these days. They even apologize if they cannot take you to where you want to go.
I think this started to snowball with the release of the “DLT Check-in” app by the Department of Land Transport. This free app on your smartphone made it easier to report drivers to the right people. And it really works. Several Twitter friends have said that they were informed that their taxi driver had been fined as a result of their report.
Now comes some more good news. Siam Paragon recently put up a sign in front of their shopping mall listing the license plates of 54 taxis that had refused to take passengers. A report on social media at the time said that these taxis were now banned from stopping at Paragon. Today, Thai Rath is reporting that 31 of these taxi drivers have been fined by the police. A further two have had their licenses revoked for being reported twice by passengers.
What do you think, is there light at the end of the tunnel as far as good taxi services go in Bangkok?
While I never had a complaint about taxi drivers, I have become sick if them over the recent months. There was never a shortage of taxis coming along Ruamrudi, now you can sometimes wait 15 mins before one comes along. Be sure, your destination isnt’t the one he wants to go. Last Sat 8 am, after walking over to Wireless to have a better chance, 5th car fancied going to Thonglor. He was a pleasant Grabtaxi driver. Of course with 3 hotels plus Conrad on Ruamrudee there are plenty “no meter fares” to be had. High time serious competition comes or these snooty drivers get a whacking fine.
Would be nice to include thug Tuk Tuk drivers as well.
I take taxis pretty much every day. Never have any problems. Of course I encounter a head shaker every now and then and then I just take the next one. Don’t see what all the fuss is about.
As frustrating as not being able to take a taxi to the place you want to go is, I do have sympathy towards the drivers who sometimes face having to drive to somewhere that is miles away from anywhere and with little chance of findinv a fare on the way back to base, home or wherever they are headed.
Taxi fares should have risen with inflation to give those honest drivers who do the job well a proper salary to live off. I am not talking about helping dishonest rude or dangerous drivers.
For every rogue driver out there, there is a rude, arrogant or drunk passenger calling on the services of a cab.
Overall, I think we have a great taxi service in Bangkok. It’s the traffic on the roads that is the bigger problem, not the taxi service.
Once in the taxi, I tell my destination and the meter starts. No fuss. I just ignore “window-rollers” now.
I’m going to Bangkok on 5 th of May! I hope to see the difference