UPDATE: Phuket Provincial Police confirmed at around 9pm on Friday night (Apr 7) that the wrench-wielder was not the driver from the hotel taxi queue but his opponent who had been accused of using an un-registered app.
Adcha Buachan, Chief of the Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO, or Phuket DLT), became aware of the most recent episode in Phuket taxi turf wars at about 8.30pm yesterday (Apr 6), Phuket Info Center reported today.
According to the publication, Mr Adcha had to interfere after “receiving video clips and information about the controversy between public taxi drivers on Patak Rd in Karon subdistrict”.
It was not revealed how many videos were sent to Mr Adcha and what exactly was in them. The video available to The Phuket News does not show the conflict itself but only the aftermath. Yet the screenshots posted by Phuket Info Center match the said clip.
In the video, one driver is seen standing by a Phuket-registered ’green plate’ taxi holding two wheel wrenches. Another driver is sitting by the vehicle holding his head. The off-camera announcer explained that the latter had been hit on the head for coming to pick up a passenger who placed an order via a mobile application not registered with the DLT.
The date, time and place of the incident were not revealed. Nothing was said about the passengers who ordered the car using a wrong app.
According to Phuket Info Center, Mr Adcha of PLTO, Col Khundet Na-Nongkhai of Karon Police and other relevant officials went to the scene of the ‘controversy’ to mitigate and help to resolve the issue.
It was reported that both parties of the conflict had filed official complaints with Karon Police after the incident. Karon Police officers are now investigating the case which will be handed over to court in due manner.
“When the court makes its verdict, PLTO will consider suspension or revocation of the driving license of the guilty party as per court decision. PLTO asks public taxi drivers to comply with the laws to help promote Phuket tourism image”, Phuket Info Center quoted Mr Adcha as saying.
Mr Adcha explained previously, that currently only two taxi apps are legal in Phuket: Hello Phuket and Grab. In case of suspecting an illegally working driver, cabbies are advised to not approach him or her but contact police.
The recommendation was given after a viral video depicting one of Central Festival cabbies verbally abusing a woman went online. The woman – a female taxi driver – was picking up passengers in a car that had been approved by the PLTO to use with the approved apps, but the order in question was received via an app which is yet to be approved.
Kurt | 09 April 2023 - 09:08:57