The penalty was announced at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday (Jan 31), where taxi driver, Jetsada Kahapana, 48, was called to explain his actions to Phuket Vice Governor Anuphap Rodkwan Yodrabum and Phuket Land Transportation Office (PLTO) Chief Jaturong Kaewkasi.
Mr Jetsada brought his wife and daughter to the meeting, presumably for support.
The conversation between Mr Jetsada and Vice Governor Anuphap was closed.
After the meeting Mr Jetsada told reporters that he had met with the police yesterday.
"I have acknowledged the allegations, but I deny all of them. I had to first consult with someone who has knowledge about the law," he said.
“I want this incident to end as soon as possible since I don’t want my actions to tarnish my career’s image, Jetsada stated.
Of note, Kamala Police were ordered to take action by Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pol Maj Gen Sermphan Sirikong after a formal complaint was filed by Kevin Phol.
Mr Phol, son of online celebrity “SuperdocYo”, and his girlfriend were accosted by Mr Jetsasda after they called him a cheat for attempting to charge them B600 to be taken from Kamala to Nanai Rd in Patong, a distance of about 12km.
Mr Jetsada reacted angrily after Mr Phol called him a cheat. He has maintained that he was charging a fair price for the couple to be transported in his 10-seater VIP van.
Not recognised by Jetsada is that Mr Phol and his girlfriend were not allowed to hire any other taxi at the rank in front of the club they had just exited to take them back to their hotel in Patong, and that drivers ordered through a Grab/Bolt app refused to pick up any passengers there out of fear of reprisal by the taxi drivers already operating from the taxi rank there.
Meanwhile, Mr Phol returned to Bangkok early yesterday morning (Jan 31), saying that he will not return to Phuket.
“I have read the comments of Phuket people. I feel terrible. I don’t want to talk about this anymore, just look at the video that I posted. I’d like to ask everyone to be a mouthpiece [about the incident]. This incident makes me feel very bad. I won’t come back to Phuket again, Samui is much better,” he said.
PLTO Chief Jaturong yesterday admitted that the incident had an impact on Phuket’s tourism image.
Mr Jaturong held a meeting yesterday to discuss strategies to “counter the problem” ‒ that is, Phuket taxi operators’ stranglehold on the island’s so-called “public transportation system”.
The meeting was touted as focussing on issues including the fares charged by taxi drivers in Phuket, but Mr Jaturong’s own report on the result of the meeting failed to include anything about renegotiating with the taxi cartels to reduce the fares they charge.
The last time Phuket officials “asked” the taxi cartels on the island to reduce their fares was in 2016. The taxi cartels flatly refused. No further action was taken.
FOUR ISSUES
Regardless, after the meeting yesterday Mr Jaturong said that four main issues were addressed.
The first issue addressed was the fares, Mr Jaturong said, and explained that the result of the meeting was to start a public relations campaign to inform tourists how much they should expect to pay for taxi journeys on the island.
“The first issue is about the high prices, which are not made clear,” he said.
“It was recommended that the fares be published as soon as possible for tourists to be informed through all channels, including at Phuket Airport, Tha Chatchai checkpoint [leading on and off the island by road] and in various hotel areas,” he said.
The fares are to be printed on posters and publicity brochures and available by phone app so that tourists can download the list of fares themselves… to ensure fairness in the collection of fares and prevent further exploitation of passengers,” Mr Jaturong added.
The second issue discussed was for the PLTO to a meeting to explain to “public transportation operators” and taxi drivers the guidelines for serving “people and tourists (sic) to raise the level of being a good host,” Mr Jaturong said.
The meeting was described as a positive move in light of the expected increase in the number of tourists to come to Phuket with the Test & Go entry scheme reopening for bookings today (Feb 1).
“The third issue is to punish offenders in the matter of the use of verbal gestures that are not polite to passengers in an intimidating way,” Mr Jaturong said.
“It will be divided into two parts. First, it is the duty of the PLTO to investigate the driver that commits the wrongdoing. If found guilty of the allegation, the driver will be fined B1,000 and allowed to attend [sic] three hours of training with PTLO,” he added.
“The last issue is the liberty of taxi drivers to pick up passengers in each area according to the news that has been published,” Mr Jaturong said vaguely. The incident on Friday was at one specific location, but Mr Jaturong spoke as if he was referring to other locations as well.
“Phuket has given importance to the establishment of a working group to solve such problems together with the police and the administration in arranging parking spaces in each category and setting up service cars and meter taxis and other vehicles to provide an alternative form of transport so passengers can choose to use the service freely,” he said.
Of note, Mr Jaturong relegated this point as minor one, but if actually put into practice would mark a watershed moment in Phuket’s long fight against the island’s taxi mafia.
“In the future it will be used to run more cars through an application for which Phuket [provincial officials] must prepare a plan in this regard and must solve the problem when tourists have booked the car, and the car cannot gain access to receive users,” he said, again, vaguely.
“Therefore, we ask the society to have trust and confidence that Phuket [provincial officials] has the intention of solving the aforementioned problem concretely so that Phuket can continue to welcome tourists in a sustainable way,” Mr Jaturong said.
FARES VARY
Reverting back to fares charged by taxi drivers, Mr Jaturong said the fares charged by “public transport operators” on the island vary, depending on the “level of service provided”.
“Now, there are over 4,000 green-license plate vehicles on Phuket, 1,000 tuk-tuks, which provide service on the beachfront, roughly 290 metered taxis, most of which at the airport, and the rest are motorbike taxis, ’’ he said.
The fares charged vary, depending on the vehicle, the distance of the journey and the level of service provided, he said, not accounting for the driver.
Mr Jaturong also again referred to what he called “government set fares” that he said “public transport drivers” must adhere to, which again, historically in Phuket, has always been voluntary.
“If the bus driver does not collect fares at the rates which are set by the government, there will be clear penalties,” he said, avoiding giving the example of a taxi driver not charging the “set fares”.
ONLY ONE
A mobile phone app will be developed to help people know what fares they will be charged, Mr Jaturong continued.
“Currently, there is only one app authorised by the PLTO, that is the Hello Phuket Service app,” he said.
“There are several applications for providing car service in Phuket, but only the Hello Phuket Service app has been certified by the PLTO,” he said.
“Other apps are in the process of requesting certification but are not yet approved,” he added.
Of note, Grab Taxi launch their app to hire drivers in Phuket in 2015, at an event chaired by the-then Governor of Phuket, Nisit Chansomwong. (See story here.)
Mr Jaturong yesterday gave no explanation for the duality of a Phuket Governor launching an app-based driver-ordering service on the island seven years ago and why the app still remains unapproved by Phuket transport officials today.
Additional reporting by Eakkapop Thongtub