Under the theme that he was ”explaining” the fares charged by tuk-tuks and taxis in Phuket, Mr Jaturong announced that his office will investigate the incident in Kamala on Friday that has since gone viral online, and take any action deemed necessary.
The incident involved a taxi driver intimidating a Thai tourist couple who called him a cheat for offering to take them from Kamala to Patong for B600.
However, Mr Jatrong’s explanation obliqued that under the current arrangement between the island’s taxi cartels and provincial officials, his office is powerless to do anything.
Mr Jaturong said the explanation was needed after “the case of a Facebook user named “Kevin Phol” published a clip of a taxi driver in Kamala Beach calling a fare of B600 from the front of a cafe to his accommodation at Patong Beach, but didn’t go due to the high price.”
Mr Jaturong said that Mr Phol being taken to the police station, and not the taxi driver involved, only added to Mr Phol’s confusion as he was the one being intimidated.
Mr Jaturong failed to name the taxi driver involved in the incident, Jetsada Kahapana.
He also failed to note that Mr Jetsada quoted the price of B600 to take the couple to Patong.
“People on social media have widely criticized the incident. Many people who have traveled to Phuket have posted many comments about what may have been called different expensive fares [sic],” Mr Jaturong said.
“For taxi fares, whether it is a taxi or van, that are in the system of the province [registered to be operated in Phuket] and with the PLTO, there are fares that have been set as standard by the Phuket Governor,” Mr Jaturong said, without clarifying that they were NOT set by the current Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew.
“There has been an announcement regarding the rate of hire of passenger vehicles in Phuket which was enacted on Oct 29 last year to prevent the exploitation of passengers or the deception of tourists,,,,” he added.
“...by which the fares set that the passenger shall pay shall be considered [sic] as the highest rate for no more than four passengers and the price can be negotiated between the passenger and the driver,” he said.
“The fare for Kamala Beach to Patong Beach is B400, which if the customer does not like the price, the customer can refuse,” Mr Jaturong explained.
Mr Jaturong did not elaborate on any other options available for passengers, and made no mention of Grab or Bolt taxi services. He did not even mention metered taxis.
“In the case of the driver calling for a fare that is higher than the price announced by the province, the PLTO will call the taxi driver to investigate the facts to carry out the procedures of the law,” he said
Of note, the Oct 29 order Mr Jaturong referred to did not mark any new agreed fares to be charged by Phuket taxi drivers. The only order given by Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew on that day was for tuk-tuk and taxi drivers to follow the rules already laid down. (See story here.)
Governor Narong in July last year ordered an investigation into the fares charged by taxi drivers at Phuket International Airport after yet another tourist went public about being overcharged.
That investigation went nowhere. Despite “talks” involving Tanee Suebrerk, Deputy-Director of the Department of Land Transport. Airport taxi operators “agreed” to charge “20% off” the set fares as long as the COVID crisis continues.
Giving an example, the taxi drivers used to charge B1,000 for travelling from the airport to Kata, a distance they said was “about 46km”, but their drivers were now charging only B800.
Again, of note, Mr Jetsada quoted B600 to take Mr Phol and his girlfriend from Kamala to Patong.
“As for the intimidation of passengers, the police will conduct an investigation of the facts if the passenger filed a legal action in accordance with the law,” Mr Jaturong said.
Mr Jaturong referring to the set price from Kamala to Patong being B400 is accurate, though he neglected to explain that the “set rates” were made by agreement only between the island’s taxi cartels and provincial officials.
The rates were set in 2013 (see full links below) after the Royal Thai Police, backed by the Royal Thai Army, conducted a sweep of the island to “tidy up” the tuk-tuk and taxi industries, especially following violent attacks on tourists and the rising number of complaints clearly exposing attempts to extort money from visiting tourists.
The number of complaints are continuing to rise in recent months, with one tourist complaining in july last year that he was quoted the equivalent of B200 a kilometre for a taxi ride in Phuket Town.
Another incident saw Phuket Tourist Police post a notice listing the “set fares” from Phuket airport, also in July last year.
Phuket officials last attempted to lower the set fares in 2016.
Phuket’s taxi cartels said, “No.”
The maximum fares for chartered taxis in Phuket as set by the government by agreement only in 2013. To download high-resolution images of the set fares for each area, click the following links:
Set fares official notice, click here.
From Patong, click here.
From Karon, click here.
From Kata Beach, click here.
From Phuket Town, click here.
From Phuket Airport, click here.
From Rawai, click here.
From Cherng Talay, click here.
From Kamala, click here.
From Nai Yang, click here.
From Mai Khao, click here.
From Layan Beach, click here.
Form Koh Siray, click here.
From Ao Por, click here.
From Bang Rong (Pa Khlok), click here.