The Professional Association of Public Taxi Motorists submitted a formal request to the Transport Ministry on Thursday, seeking approval to raise the initial fare at Mo Chit 2 to 50 baht while emphasizing the need to address the persistent issue of illegal taxis.
According to the association’s president, Khanesuan Gamkhuntod, the longstanding problem of unauthorized “mafia” taxis at Mo Chit 2 has posed challenges for legitimate registered taxis and passengers for many years.
Despite various attempts, no policy has effectively resolved this issue, resulting in the dominance of unregistered taxis and private vehicles offering illicit taxi services at Mo Chit 2. These unauthorized operators often charge fares exceeding the legal limits.
Khanesuan disclosed that the association conducted a survey among 1,000 passengers from March 1 to 13, inquiring about their willingness to support the proposed fare increase from 40 baht to 50 baht. The objective is to incentivize more taxi drivers to line up at the bus terminal, thereby reducing passengers’ extended wait times for taxis.
Out of the participants surveyed, 99% expressed their approval of the fare adjustment in exchange for enhanced services.
In a separate development, the Department of Land Transport (DLT) took action against a taxi driver involved in an incident where he verbally abused a passenger on March 7. The driver claimed that the passenger had provided an incorrect pick-up location, causing a prolonged wait before canceling the ride.
As a penalty, the DLT imposed a fine of 1,000 baht, suspended the driver’s license for 30 days, and mandated the driver to undergo a three-hour training session focusing on delivering quality taxi services.
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