Motorbike mafia antics
A university student is harried by a motorcycle taxi driver after calling GrabBike.
The case of a Chulalongkorn University student harassed by a motorcycle taxi driver after calling GrabBike has provoked an outcry about consumer rights and safety.
Facebook user Aof Theinhiran posted a video showing the incident on his Facebook page on Monday. The student said the incident occurred in front of the university’s dormitory on Chula Soi 9. He said there is a motorcycle taxi stand there and usually some drivers can be found hanging around.
That day, however, he saw no motorcycle taxis at the stand so he called a GrabBike service.
When a GrabBike taxi showed up, however, a few motorcycle taxi drivers at the stand chased him and took away his bike key.
The clip shows an exchange between the university student and the motorcycle taxi driver.
The student tried to tell the motorcycle taxi, whose face was covered by a mask, that it was not right for him to take the GrabBike driver’s key and asked him to return it.
The motorcycle taxi, however, said the GrabBike driver could not come in and take customers in his area.
He insisted he would not return the key and the student must use the service at his motorcycle stand.
“What right do you have to take his key?’’ the student said.
“The key is his business. If there is a stand, you have to go with the taxis that belong to the stand,’’ the driver said.
Then, another motorcycle taxi driver chimed in and told the student he should have walked a little further to find a taxi.
“Why should I have to walk when there is a service that does not require my walking?’’ the student said.
The motorcycle taxi said the student is free to use the app service but he will chase away drivers who come into his area just as his fellow driver did.
“If you run into trouble with thieves or thugs, who would help you? Would you be calling GrabBike to help you?’’ the motorcycle taxi said.
The clip has received more than a million views over the past few days and several thousand comments, most of them asking why Thais have to put up with unreliable and sometimes unsafe services not only from motorcycle taxis but from taxi cabs as well.
User Torlap wondered if consumers have a choice in selecting services they prefer.
“[The moto taxi] has no right to intimidate or take the key. That should be against the law. The fact he dared do it showed he must have strong back-up in the area,” the user said.
He also noted the question of safety always comes up when taking a motorcycle taxi service.
“We seem to run into more and more taxi drivers who behave like thugs. They seem bent on making a scene as evident in video clips of quarrels released almost daily,” the user said.
Another user named Kimhong said that between GrabBike, which comes right to where you are, takes credit card payments, gives a better service, behaves politely, feels safer plus provides you with a crash helmet; and motorcycle taxis which are less accessible, more expensive, take only cash, talk to you harshly and provide no crash helmet, it should be obvious which service people would choose.
User Pichaya said territorial claims among motorcycle taxi stands can be terrifying.
“Motorcycle taxis near my house intimidate those that cross into their areas,” she said.
Many users took issue with the motorcycle taxi’s claim that GrabBike drivers won’t help their passengers if they run into trouble, but motorcycle taxis would.
“Can someone tell the moto taxis they need not think so far ahead as to help others. Just do the right thing with your own profession. You are behaving just like a gangster. Who would want you to help?” Nattapuch said.
Another said while the moto taxi’s comment about offering help in time of trouble does not seem relevant to the conversation, she has hardly seen motorcycle taxis coming to help when people get into strife.
“Do you know why GrabBike has become popular?’’ Natthida asked. “It’s because people have run into bad mannered motorcycle taxis like you.”
The user said discounting the business and legality aspect, an innovation like the application-based taxi service gives consumers more choice which in the end helps make society better.
“Why don’t you improve your manners and your services so you can compete with GrabBike? Consumers have the right to choose services freely. You have no right to force them,” the user said.
Motorcycle taxi stands were tackled by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) under its social reform programme. Under the scheme, taxis had to register with the Department of Land Transport and post their fares.
But users are questioning if the NCPO’s efforts have paid off as many passengers are still overcharged especially when mass transport services such as the BTS train system breaks down, according to news reports.