Limousine and metered taxies oeprators agree; + electric tuk tuks at Chalong

[TV Channel 11]

1. Limousine and metered taxies issue at Phuket International Airport seems to have lightened up as some limousine operators agreed to set up counters with metered taxi operators.
The agreement was reached during a meeting between limousine and metered taxi operators at Phuket International Airport on Friday. Chaired by the Under Secretary of the Governor’s Office Niwit Arunrat, it was agreed that both metered taxies and limousine operators will set up service counters together near the entrance of the terminal. They are allowed to have 3 cars waiting at a time. This however needs approval from the airport authority. On the limousine side, they agreed to modify 60 vehicles with a minimum of 2000cc giving service as metered taxies, to provide alternatives for passengers. It is expected to take one month before they can be operational. If things go as planned, there will be almost 200 metered taxies, limousines and minibuses offering services to passengers, sufficient for demand of 700 trips per day.

2. Electric run vehicles are introduced at Chalong pier.
These two electric run vehicles are being introduced by the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization or PPAO to provide transferal services for tourists at the Chalong pier in the south end of the island. The PPAO president Anchalee Vanit Theppabutra said the environmentally friendly vehicles are in line with Phuket as a tourist resort and also in response to fuel saving campaigns. The vehicles cost around 600,000 baht each. This Tuk Tuk, which is also non-polluting, is introduced as a pilot project and if works well, Khun Anchalee said it may be used in the city, along with the PPAO’s public buses, with limited speed to assure passengers of the highest safety.

from Andaman News TV11 Phuket, broadcast to Phang Nga, Krabi & Phuket + Radio Thailand FM90.5 Phuket, 8.30am Monday 9th January 2006 & http://www.thaisnews.com/show_eachne...ate=09-01-2006

to see mini-videos, click on red arrow above items>

[Lord_Farquard]

Originally Posted by TV Channel 11

1. Limousine and metered taxies issue at Phuket International Airport seems to have lightened up as some limousine operators agreed to set up counters with metered taxi operators.
The agreement was reached during a meeting between limousine and metered taxi operators at Phuket International Airport on Friday. Chaired by the Under Secretary of the Governor’s Office Niwit Arunrat, it was agreed that both metered taxies and limousine operators will set up service counters together near the entrance of the terminal. They are allowed to have 3 cars waiting at a time. This however needs approval from the airport authority. On the limousine side, they agreed to modify 60 vehicles with a minimum of 2000cc giving service as metered taxies, to provide alternatives for passengers. It is expected to take one month before they can be operational. If things go as planned, there will be almost 200 metered taxies, limousines and minibuses offering services to passengers, sufficient for demand of 700 trips per day.

>

Does this mean we won't have to "hoof" it across the parking lot to get a cab???

[Crustasian]

It should mean that three cabs will be waiting outside the building.Lets see three cabs - five airplanes unloading

If this has gone through the meter taxi company may have done some horse trading to get the limo mob to agree.I will be interested in what their prices will now be.I would guess that they will have increased theirs to equal out with the limos.In other words the passengers lose again.I will wait and see.

[stevem]

Just had a funny thought, the electric tuk tuk idea takes off. I can just see everyone sitting around Bangla and cant go anywhere, why, electricity is off, unable to charge batteries.

[steve w]

Originally Posted by stevem

Just had a funny thought, the electric tuk tuk idea takes off. I can just see everyone sitting around Bangla and cant go anywhere, why, electricity is off, unable to charge batteries.

the electric thing is just to replace that heap of rust that was transporting everyone to the boats on the pier