News from Thailand – Wednesday, April 29, 2015
This page contains a selection from the Thai news. We include headlines from major news sources including: Bangkok Post, The Nation, ThaiPBS, MCOT, etc., as well as some regional newspapers such as Phuket Gazette and Pattaya One. Behind the news items is a web link, when you click on it you can read the full article at the English source.
News from Thailand, including:
– Possibly more than 10.000 dead in Nepal
– Thailand has already collected 225 million baht
– No 'condo bubble' at Skytrain stations in Bangkok
– Taxi drivers at Siam Paragon pilloried
– Windstorm damages 60 houses in Surin
THE NATION
The Nation opens about Nepal just like previous days. What some readers may not know is that Thailand has a special bond with Nepal. Nepal has a long history that goes back to before the beginning of the Christian era and certainly not unimportant: it is the birthplace of the Buddha. Nine percent of the Nepalese population is Buddhist, the majority (81%) is Buddhist Hindu belief.
The Nation writes today that the victims of the earthquake need much more help. The death toll from the devastating earthquake could exceed 10.000, the country's prime minister said. More rescue experts and relief supplies from abroad are needed. At least 8 million people, about a quarter of the population, have been affected by the worst earthquakes in 81 years. There is a shortage of food for at least 1,4 million people affected. There is also a need for medicines and medical care for the more than 8.000 injured: http://goo.gl/WPEzSJ
BANGKOK POST
Bangkok Post writes that the Thai people generously donate money for Nepal. The government has started a fundraising campaign and yesterday the counter was already at 125 million baht raised by companies and the population. The Thai government added another 100 million. Thailand has also sent a C-130 military jet carrying 67 military personnel and medical personnel to Kathmandu. They are going to set up a mobile hospital there where forensic personnel will also help with the identification of victims. 58 Thais were repatriated with the same plane. Defense will send even more men, including a team with sniffer dogs and military engineers who will help with recovery work. The Thai embassy in Kathmandu says there is an urgent need for blankets, tents, food, medicines, first aid material and drinking water.
Unfortunately, there are also criminals who take advantage of the situation in Nepal. Bank accounts of fraudsters posing as 'charity' for the earthquake victims are posted on social media. The police warn against persons misusing the name and logos of the Siam Commercial Bank: http://goo.gl/gOCJIu
OTHER NEWS
– According to an article in BP, there is no oversupply and speculation with condos at the Skytrain stations of Phaya Thai and Phahon Yothin. This conclusion is drawn because 70% of the existing units are occupied by their owners, according to a Plus Property Co consultant. When there is vacancy, there may also be oversupply, but it does not seem that way. The condos are mainly bought by the wealthier upper class in Bangkok. Apparently they are going to live there themselves, because there are hardly any condos offered for resale, which is usually the case when speculators or investors are involved: http://goo.gl/6dKj07
– Anyone who has ever tried to hail a taxi at the luxury shopping center Siam Paragon in Bangkok will be able to agree. There are few who want to drive on the taxi meter. To do something about it, taxi drivers who do not comply with the rules are pilloried. In some cases, the taxi license is also revoked. 54 drivers have now been caught making prohibited price agreements with customers (ie not turning on the taxi meter). The name of 31 drivers has been published on social media and on a sign at the shopping centre. This joint action by the Land Transport department and the shopping center is highly appreciated by the public: http://goo.gl/NfNgCd
– In the province of Surin, a village was hit hard by a tropical storm. The inhabitants of a village in the district of Muang can take stock: more than 60 houses are seriously damaged, trees uprooted and a power cut due to blown over electricity pylons. The havoc was great in Ban Khok Kruat (Tangchai) when the tornado hit yesterday. Five houses were totally destroyed. Help is on the way to assist the residents: http://goo.gl/sR8Clw
– You can read more current news on the Twitter feed of Thailandblog.nl: twitter.com/thailand_blog
As a tourist, I have never really succeeded in running a taxi on the meter in the places I have visited in Thailand. Last year I stood somewhere for almost an hour to take a taxi to Khao San Road, but only a few meters away. When you go wrong with Thai company, it will sometimes work out, but otherwise the chance is really nil.
The effect of mentioning the stubborn taxi drivers who refuse to turn on the meter on social media seems negligible to me. Stricter and continuous checks with (substantial) fines and possibly other sanctions will yield better results. Outside of Siam Paragnon and the surrounding area, it is not too bad in Bangkok to let the driver drive on his meter, in contrast to Pattaya, where I don't think any driver uses the meter. So also check and fine here by the permit providers, in accordance with the conditions of the taxi permit!
Last year agreed a fixed price with a taxi driver at the airport for a ride to Huahin, the driver also turned on the meter. Well before huahin, the meter already indicated more than agreed.
Yes, that is very possible, but that is not the point here. For longer distances (and of course that also applies to the journey from the airport to Hua Hin, approx. 225km) it is indeed customary to make a price agreement in advance. This is different for city rides, especially for tourists who have no idea of the normal fare. Drivers, who do not want to turn on their meter, ask / demand up to 4 to 5 times this price from the ignorant tourists.
If Mr.. the driver refuses to turn on his meter, but I manage to negotiate a good price, then I don't care about the whole meter, he often gets to his destination earlier, you just have to know how it works , speak the language a little, so this is not advice for the average tourist, just drive on the meter just to be safe, I have never paid a cent too much without taking a taxi. just make a good appointment, pay a little in advance and if things go wrong due to traffic jams or something, you split the difference, you don't have to make fun of those people, in general they are hardworking people who spend an awful lot of time working hours to earn a decent income and I wouldn't like to be in their shoes, who would??