An 11-day “Taxi Overhaul” government initiative saw a total of 16,278 taxi drivers apply for a public transport license.
Land Transport Department chief Somchai Siriwattanachok said that roughly 1,470 cabbies applied per day, much more than the usual rate of 20. The overhaul aimed to deal with the growing problem of unlicensed taxis on Bangkok’s streets.
Somchai said that his office was providing a public transport license application service on weekends to facilitate registration, the Nation reported. He also revealed that in the first 12 days of June 3,868 unlicensed taxi drivers had been caught – most were unable to present a public transport license, were not wearing suitable clothing, or were not displaying a taxi driver’s ID card in the cab.
Unlicensed cabbies can face jail-time of up to a month and a THB1,000 fine.
For the Coconuts feature story on Bangkok’s taxi troubles, click here.
