Big clean-up taxi mafia on Phuket: 73 arrests
The authorities now seem serious about tackling the taxi mafia on Phuket. Today 73 taxi drivers were arrested. A total of 108 arrest warrants have been issued. The charges are: conspiracy, extortion, gang formation, threat and deprivation of liberty.
The arrests follow a three-month investigation involving more than XNUMX police, military and municipal officials working together.
At a press conference the action was explained by Police Commissioner Panya Mamen, his replacement Paween Pongsirin, Major Peerapol Wiriyakul of the Thai army and Governor Maitri Inthusut.
In recent months, a lot of time has been spent collecting evidence against this form of organized crime. Of the 287 taxi stands in Phuket, 70 turned out to be in the hands of the mafia.
The taxi drivers were able to do their thing for years because they were protected by local administrators. That made it difficult for the police to act against this group. The “mafia” taxi drivers blocked roads, police stations and hotels when there was a conflict. They were not prosecuted for that. “That is now in the past,” said police commander Paween.
The governor noted that the Phuket taxi mafia has been around for a long time and had a lot of power. The local government was unable to address this problem. There was also a lot of fear among companies and victims due to intimidation. Of the 150 companies on the list that had problems with the taxi mafia, only 51 wanted to talk to the police.
When will they roll up the illegal casinos in Thailand like in Mataput (Rayong)
Finally some action is taken against these guys, hope it lasts! And now the jet ski mafia!
Will the taxi meter now be switched on by default outside BKK? That would be great progress…
(Song taew) mob gone, taxi meters and decent song taews in it.
Again, and read the reaction of people who have lived in Bangkok for more than 1 month..
Taxi drivers do turn on their meters.
We are June and have not experienced 1 time and I take a taxi daily in Bangkok
I have been in Thailand for 20 years and live in Bangkok for 3 years.
I am not getting married in October but have been married for 10 years.
To put it in the same words –
i know a little bit about thailand.
Ronny, in Bangkok I sometimes experience that drivers initially do not want to turn on their meter and then do it at my request. But when I am in Bangkok at MBK
(shopping center near Siam) wants to get into one of the arriving and departing taxis (at the taxi stand at the back of the MBK) this will only work if I am willing to pay a fixed fare. The drivers don't turn on their meter and refuse you to get in and that applies not only to foreigners but also to the Thai themselves.
Leo
I do know that there are certain places where this is applied and I do not want to claim that it does not happen because I have experienced it myself.
What I especially want to say is that people should not always write that they refuse to drive on the meter in Bangkok. Bangkok is bigger than that. If this was standard, I think few Thais would drive a taxi.
As I said before, not encountered any this year.
@Rob V
Response was not specifically directed at you. Even agree with your comment. Sorry
Tribute to our ambassador Johan Boer who has also given the impetus to tackle these kinds of practices.
It seems to be getting worse in certain places.
They asked me to pay to park my car, I didn't do that, resulting in scratches all around.
That was on a public road.
Near the pier in Hua hin, they also ask for money at the first restaurant opposite Buffalo Bill
That's public parking.
Pay that monkey that comes at you otherwise you will be damaged if you don't eat at their restaurant by the sea.
It's running out of steam.
600 meters with a moped taxi asked me 20 Thb, on arrival he wanted 60, his boyfriend drove behind him.
Hopefully this will serve as an example as this is addressed.
Pim
I follow you completely.
As a Belgian it is of course difficult to take a position, but you are right
As a Belgian I dare to say that Ambassador Boer plays an important role in Thailand.
Let me not put it the “Chris” way, but your Ambassador knows how to deal with people and Thailand, without always bringing in that patronage.
Chris will respond that Boer would never have come there without patronage, but I don't think he or his wife would either.
That's why all my respect.
As a Belgian, I find the negative comments that I often read about the Dutch Embassy disrespectful.
I still think my Belgian Embassy is fine after 20 years.
Just make sure you're ready.
Yes Pim, the public road is sometimes considered a private parking lot by certain Thai people. Finding a parking space on Phuket-Patong with your own car is extremely difficult, but it is expanding. Also on Kata Beach and Karon Beach (both on Phuket) the parking spaces are barricaded by restaurant owners or occupied by “private taxis”. Was about to park in an empty spot on the public road near a steakhouse on Karon Beach when a mocking scold made it very unfriendly to me that I had to get out of here because this spot was reserved for his mafia buddy's taxi. To prevent damage to my car, I reluctantly complied. I'm afraid the taxi mafia on Phuket won't be wiped out overnight.
Very annoying, luckily I have a regular taxi driver on phuket.
The article states: “Of the 287 taxi ranks in Phuket, 70 were found to be in the hands of the mafia.”
I think that should be: 70 are NOT in the hands of the mafia.
Still a nice start; now for the rest (Jet ski rental companies, Russian prostitution, etc.).
I think they mean Tuk-Tuk ranks and Tuk-Tuk mafia, you don't see many taxis in Phuket, only at the airport and more expensive hotels one or two. I've already experienced something with that Tuk-Tuk mafia there, big fights among themselves, Tuk-Tuk drivers from Patong against those from Karon, who had picked up a customer in Patong. They are only allowed to bring a customer from karon to Patong but they have to go back empty otherwise there will be problems again.