250,000 baht in a day. Patong’s para-sailing business

[Jonathan Fairfield]

250,000 baht in a day. Patong’s para-sailing business

 

 

If they did this for an entire day, say, starting at 10am, then they had the potential of making nearly 250,000 baht per day. PER DAY!!!!

 

Following the death of Australian 70 year old businessman, Roger Hussey, in July and the subsequent investigation and promises for a ‘crackdown’ on the local parasailing industry, things appear to have settled back to ‘normal’.

 

Again. We have nothing against good people doing business in their own country. Most of the people involved seemed quite pleasant. We’re just reporting what we witnessed.

 

In a one hour period on a typical Saturday afternoon – not particularly busy on Patong Beach – we watched the parasail vendors ply their trade almost directly in front of Bangla Road.

 

Over the hour from 5.15 to 6.15pm 26 people went up on a ride, that’s nearly one every two minutes. There was a 30 second turn around between one customer landing, being unclipped and the next ‘passenger’ being clipped in and being dragged off into the sky for their two minute journey.

 

Full story: https://www.phuketgazette.net/news/250000-baht-day-patongs-para-sailing-business

 

 

-- © Copyright Phuket Gazette 2017-09-11

[observer90210]

Well if tourists or locals are stupid enough to fall (sic!) for such attractions....at their own risk!!

[Psimbo]

Quite lucrative considering all businesses are supposed to be banned from the beach. With the amount of cash potentially involved the kickbacks must be huge as well. It urines me off when they try to stop me walking down the beach.

 

The latest parking crackdown is a joke as well. All they have done along Rath-U-Thit is paint in yellow taxi stands in the same places they tuk tuks have always parked thereby 'legitimising ' them. I must have seen two potential spaces on Satiurday when I went past. Patong continues to strangle itself.

Edited September 11, 2017 by Psimbo

[Briggsy]

The Phuket Gazette is brave.

[steelepulse]

This is exactly why these businesses are allowed to run even though there is supposed to be " no commerce on the beach".  So much money being made and going to backhanders, the authorities literally can't afford to not let these clowns operate. 

[impulse]

21 minutes ago, steelepulse said:

This is exactly why these businesses are allowed to run even though there is supposed to be " no commerce on the beach".  So much money being made and going to backhanders, the authorities literally can't afford to not let these clowns operate. 

 

The world is full of tourist traps that depend on operations like these to employ hundreds of locals, and give the tourists the experience they just spent $ thousands and a plane ride to get.  Then they post their Renren video (where Facebook's banned) and plant the seed in more wannabe tourists.

 

I'm not a big fan of how they're operated, but they do feed a lot of Thai people in addition to the ones mentioned in the article.

 

[DrDave]

It would be interesting to do a little research into the ownership of these boats. I believe that these are among Phuket's "influential people" (e.g. untouchables).

 

As for the statement that the parasail operations feed a lot of Thai people, well most illegal activities tend to feed a lot of people too. Doesn't make it right. It's easy money for the beach mafia employees (many of which probably have more than a passing familiarity with the monkey house) - easier and much more lucrative than an honest job (of which plenty are available).

[KarenBravo]

Wonder if they pay official income tax on that......

[YetAnother]

On 9/11/2017 at 7:24 PM, Psimbo said:

when they try to stop me walking down the beach.

what ! ; surely you are joking

[wakeupplease]

And not one penny paid in income tax like so many other tourist businesses

 

20% of GDP from tourists

 

Try 50% thats why they need them so much.

[overherebc]

1200 baht for two minutes.

 

Now I really know people are stupid.

[The manic]

I dont use them but they are OK and not too noisy unlike motor scooters which are a curse. These attraction are popular because they are not available elsewhere or very expensive. They seem pretty safe despite the recent unfortunate death of the elderly tourist.