PHUKET: Phuket International Airport will have an ‘all taxi’ area where all legally registered, legally operating taxis can pick up tourists at the island’s key tourism portal.
The confirmation came via a statement issued by Phuket International Airport yesterday (July 25), released by Phuket MP Somchart Techathavorncharoen, the successful Move Forward Party candidate for Phuket District 1.
The Phuket Info Center, which operates under the Phuket office of the Ministry of Interior, also shared the post by Mr Somchart.
The three-page statement, marked as a “clarification” and addressed to Mr Somchart, was signed by Monchai Tanode, General Manager of Phuket International Airport under the Phuket branch of Airports of Thailand (AoT).
The statement issued by Mr Monchai yesterday (July 25) appears to be a response to the slew of issues raised in a formal complaint submitted by Mr Somchart in May.
In response to complaints that tourists were forced to walk through the rain to access the bus stop at the airport, Mr Mochai said that the parking area for the bus has now been moved to a covered area.
Regarding complaints that there should also be a bus stop at the international terminal, Mr Monchai responded that a covered walkway has now been installed and tourists can walk the 200 metres required while protected from the rain.
Regarding tourists walking out to wait for a taxi outside the airport, spotlights and signposts have been installed and the airport plans to build a “public transport centre” in the Phuket airport area in 2024.
“As for the area for all types of taxis to pick up tourists, currently it is in the process of finding a solution to the problem with the relevant department,” Mr Monchai wrote.
Mr Monchai made special mention that the airport could not allow taxis that were not fully legal to operate on airport grounds.
Mr Monchai said that the airport was in no way involved with limousines or other vehicles operating at the airport under concessions taking tourists to tour shops without their permission. The airport is to create a channel to receive complaints of such behaviour by airport drivers and would be able to check with the vehicle’s GPS system, he said.
Mr Monchai confirmed there are two companies operating at the airport under concessions: Phuket Business Car Service Cooperative Co Ltd and Phuket Mai Khao Sakhu Co Ltd.
Regarding the complaint that there are no signs even pointing tourists to the areas where metered taxis at the airport must wait for passengers, or where the bus stood waiting for them, the airport has now installed signs directing people to those areas, Mr Monchai said.
Regarding complaints that the entrance gate to the domestic terminal has a “180-degree curve”, Mr Monchai responded that the airport is looking into the problem in order to come up with a safe solution.
Mr Monchai’s response to the complaints included photos evidencing where action had already been taken.
However, while the “response” has been posted by MP Somchart and the Phuket Info Center, AoT Phuket still has yet to publicly post the response itself.
Source: The Phuket News