PHUKET: The behaviour of Phuket taxi drivers is making waves once more after a driver at a taxi queue in entrance of a well-liked pub in Kamala filed a criticism towards a taxi-service app driver who had arrived to select up passengers.
The automobile in query was registered to offer taxi providers by an app, however the automobile and the motive force have but to be totally registered with the Phuket Land Transport Workplace (PLTO) to legally present taxi providers.
The driving force has utilized and the automobile has been submitted for approval, however the utility at the moment stays in course of.
The information grew to become public after a video was posted on a well-liked native social media channel exhibiting two cops responding to a late night time name in entrance of the pub, Cafe del Mar.
The taxi queue in query is similar group of drivers who made headlines in February after a taxi driver there angrily beraed a Thai vacationer couple for calling him a cheat. the incident was recorded began to go viral on TikTok.
In accordance with the most recent put up, a bunch of three to 4 males approached the automobile, which was being pushed by a girl.
One of many males within the group then struck the automobile, damaging the app driver’s automobile. A authorized criticism had been filed towards the taxi-app driver, the put up mentioned.
‘I WAS DEFENDING MYSELF’
Wilas Soison, 41, the taxi queue driver questioned by police within the video posted on-line for damaging the app driver’s automobile, as we speak defended his actions, saying, “I used to be solely defending myself.”
On the identical time he advised reporters that he didn’t hit the automobile.
Mr Wilas this afternoon returned to the taxi queue the place the incident occurred as a way to communicate to reporters. Becoming a member of him was Kornphithak Asanasuwan from the PLTO.
In accordance with Mr Wilas, a possible buyer requested him how a lot the fare can be to go to Patong.
“I mentioned B400…. He mentioned that he had known as a taxi by an app for B200… I wasn’t ,” Mr Wilas mentioned.
Mr Wilas didn’t make clear whether or not the shopper was Thai or overseas.
Then a purple automobile arrived to select up the shopper, Mr Wilas mentioned, including that he couldn’t keep in mind the make or mannequin of the automobile.
The automobile made a U-turn to select up the passengers, and Mr Wilas mentioned he ran as much as it to ask the motive force whether or not the automobile was ordered by a taxi providers app.
Mr Wilas mentioned he stood in entrance of the automobile to stop it from leaving. He additionally alleged that the automobile had moved ahead and hit him.
“I defended myself and an argument began. I didn’t hit the automobile,” he mentioned.
Mr Wilas mentioned the harm to the automobile was from when the automobile hit him.
Mr Wilas went to Kamala Police Station and filed a criticism towards the taxi app driver.
“I accepted and paid damages on the police station, the matter is over,” he mentioned.
Nevertheless, police have but to verify how a lot Mr Wilas paid for harm to the automobile, and even precisely what harm was accomplished to the automobile.
‘BLACK TAXIS’
Mr Wilas known as on the PLTO to take motion towards the motive force for illegally working a car as a taxi, a observe made well-known in Phuket’s tourism business over the previous twenty years as working a “black taxi”.
Mr Kornphithak mentioned the PLTO was investigating the incident and was ready to take authorized motion towards the taxi-app driver.
Personal automobiles by legislation aren’t allowed for use to offer taxi providers, he mentioned.
Following one other incident concerning ‘taxi group’ drivers interfering with a respectable, totally registered taxi choosing up vacationers at Ratsada Pier early final month after the vacationers had ordered the taxi by an app, PLTO Chief Adcha Buachan threatened full impact of the legislation towards impartial taxi drivers who use automobiles that aren’t registered as industrial passenger automobiles.
The warning got here two days earlier than Phuket Vice Governor Amnuay Rodkwan Yodrabham advised a gathering of Phuket taxi operators that taxi drivers in Phuket should enhance their behaviour to assist defend Phuket’s picture as a vacationer vacation spot.
In accordance with the native police in Kamala, their involvement within the matter has concluded.
