Setting benchmarks for motorcycle taxi fares has been made a top priority for the junta as part of efforts to regulate public transport services in the capital, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) said yesterday.
Maj Gen Apirat Kongsompong, right, head of the 1st Division of the King's Guard, inspects the motorcycle taxi queue at Rama IX subway station. The inspection conducted jointly by the military and the police is part of a citywide crackdown on illegal queues and mafia influence in public transport. Apichart Jinakul
It comes after a campaign was launched to crack down on price gouging by motorcycle taxi drivers and to stamp out gang influence on transport operations, 1st Division commander Maj Gen Apirat Kongsompong said.
Maj Gen Apirat said he has obtained a report which found more than 30 mafia-style extortion gangs were controlling motorcycle taxi operations in Bangkok. Both current and former state officials are believed to be involved with the gangs, he said.
Maj Gen Apirat said a committee will be formed to investigate the authorities, who include police, military and Land Transport Department (LTD) personnel.
“We take this issue seriously. There will be no more gangs operating motorcycle taxi services,” Maj Gen Apirat said.
He said the junta would also tighten requirements for registration of motorcycle taxi services.
He said there were 4,500 legally registered operators in the 50 districts throughout Bangkok and a further 700 have applied for registration. Some 500 were still operating illegally.
Maj Gen Apirat, assigned by the military junta to deal with motorcycle taxi gangs, was speaking after meeting Pol Lt Gen Jakthip Chaijinda, assistant to the national police chief, and LTD director-general Asdsathai Rattanadilok Na Phuket.
They inspected motorcycle taxis based in front of Central Plaza Grand Rama 9 and at the Rama 9 MRT station.
The move is part of the NCPO’s broader efforts to regulate public transport services, which also includes Suvarnabhumi taxi gangs and passenger vans.
Chalerm Changthongmadun, president of the Motorcycle Taxi Drivers Association of Thailand, said the motorcycle taxi service based in front of Central Rama 9 is illegal.
He said drivers had petitioned Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit Thoopkrachang, former Metropolitan Police Bureau chief, to deal with the mafia gangs who extorted money from drivers, but no progress had been made.
Asked if Mr Chalerm agreed with the re-organisation of motorcycle taxi services, he said: “I agree with the idea, but the NCPO needs to ensure that it doesn’t cause any issues for the drivers.”
Authorities also met yesterday to set benchmarks for motorcycle taxi fares in Pathum Thani province.
The meeting agreed motorcycle taxi operators will need to display notice boards featuring standard fares within a week.
Cooperation will then be sought from other authorities to ensure the plan is enforced.
The last step in the campaign will be to urge drivers to legally register in the province.