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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2013
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Since 2011 / Volume III / No 47
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HON CONSUL TELLS OF THREATENING RAWAI TAXI DRIVERS > PAGE 4
‘BLACK’ TAXIS FINED
This year, Vice-Governor Jamroen Thippayapongtada has been an outspoken leader in bringing Phuket’s tuk-tuks and taxis into line. He’s pictured here at a meeting at Provincial Hall on September 19, 2013.
Khemin Wicheetthagoon reporter2@classactmedia.co.th
P
olice have now begun stopping unlicensed “black” taxis and fining their drivers B2,000 a time. This was revealed by Vice-Governor Jamroen Thippayapongtada at a meeting on Tuesday afternoon
(November 26) at the Integrated Operational Centre for Preventing and Suppressing Organised Crimes Targeting Tourists, located in Phuket Town, to discuss taxi problems. He said that up until now, police had not stopped black taxis because authorities understood that collecting the B70,000-80,000 for the license fees would take time. “But now [po-
lice] must catch them because [black taxi drivers] have had a reasonable amount of time [to raise the funds].” The meeting also discussed taxi and tuk-tuk parking problems. V/ Gov Jamroen asked for comments and ideas from local government officials and police to tackle the problem of traffic jams caused by taxis and tuk-tuks parking along
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roads. “We need to manage the roads in a way that eases traffic, and so that tourists can find a place to park. People should look at Thalang Town as a model.” V/Gov Jamroen noted that Phuket has 2,882 taxis but only 1,500-1,600 of these are licensed and have green license plates.
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