News Forum - Rassada Pier cabs questioned over taxi mafia incident

[Thaiger]

After a row involving tourists awkwardly blocked by alleged “taxi mafia” from using a van ride they ordered, police have gotten involved to question the drivers and assess the claims. The confrontation took place at the Rassada Pier in Phuket on Friday, with three female and one male tourist trapped in the middle. The travellers had just returned from Koh Phi Phi just after 10am and chose not to use their transportation from the stand at the pier, reportedly after the word “mafia” was used in connection with the taxis queued there. After they boarded a van 50 metres away that police […]

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[HolyCowCm]

For this pier it is so easy to see that any tourist walking out they can see easily where they are going.  Sorry that they think their business and livlihood is affected, but these guys have to deflate the mine mine mine mine mafia ego. Happens at CM airport too, well did in the past that is, but I still see people walking to the outside to get their hailed ride.

[Maverick]

Sadly the problem is not always the drivers it’s the owners of the vehicles who demand excessive “rent” a serious clean up needed with viable alternatives such as decent public transport electric buses operating fixed routes 

 

[TheDirtyDurian]

Token questioning, and then carry on as normal. 

[Fortuner]

The Phuket taxi drivers shooting theme self in the foot all the time, my advice is to use grab or bolt instead you always get a fair price and don’t need to haggle about this and that!

[MikeW]

21 minutes ago, TheDirtyDurian said:

Token questioning, and then carry on as normal. 

Yeah the taxi mafia will provide thicker envelopes 

[Giltee]

I never take the taxis hanging around where I’m staying, etc and would rather walk a little to get a taxi that’s not going to rip me off. These Phuket mafia taxis have only their greed to blame and it’s good that people are waking up to them. Of course they object to cheaper fares because it forces them to be competitive. 

[jobapps]

All arrival points in thailand are the same. . mo chit has touts swarming over you the minute you land and the queues for metered taxis can be extreme the other day I got off before mo chit when i noticed an outside yellow green taxi rank .. no touting mafia. Mind you even those guys are the "lets take the highway mafia" but if you see the traffic you know why,,, maybe half those prices bkk

Chiangmai is the red songthaew mafia. . mind you even the grabs try to rip you off with some combo packages they are often 700 baht more than a red bus .,

What thailand needs to do is stick fingers up to these taxis and put on buses to everywhere ... like most civilised nations .. where there are tourists there are demand and even if its only school holidays and peak season for 4 months that would please parents, workers and tourists ....  and while im on the case a minature railway concept like at ravenglass  (uk) going around places all over thailand would be a massive hit ....

its tourism but it can cover a fair old distance at the same time

[CanadianBob]

If I go to Phuket I either rent a car (whose daily charge is usually hardly more than the taxi from the airport), or I avoid Phuket entirely. I believe there are growing number of people who are entirely put off Phuket because of the extortionate taxi fares.

[Mandy]

10 hours ago, CanadianBob said:

If I go to Phuket I either rent a car (whose daily charge is usually hardly more than the taxi from the airport), or I avoid Phuket entirely. I believe there are growing number of people who are entirely put off Phuket because of the extortionate taxi fares.

First thing I did was buy my own car, second was to install a dashcam, win win!