Spent 7 days on Patong

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, CorpusChristie said:

Are you interested in using their services ?

Just for research reasons.

 

And seriously, I life in Bangkok and I can get all the fun I want here. Why should I go to overpriced Phuket? Definitely not for the nightlife.

[K in BKK]

24 minutes ago, Olmate said:

What would you have the moto guys do whilst waiting for a fare? 

some interpretive dance explaining the Thai Baht's ability to stay high while the country is bleeding out? I'd watch that

 

[CorpusChristie]

3 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Just for research reasons.

 

And seriously, I life in Bangkok and I can get all the fun I want here. Why should I go to overpriced Phuket? Definitely not for the nightlife.

You could use it as a bargaining tool, tell the prostitutes in BKK that the prostitutes in Phuket will do it for xxxx amount and you may get a discount ?

[ChasingTheSun]

2 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Just for research reasons.

 

And seriously, I life in Bangkok and I can get all the fun I want here. Why should I go to overpriced Phuket? Definitely not for the nightlife.

Why? Clean fresh ocean air, mountains, beaches, room to stretch your arms, no epic bangkok style traffic jams etc....

 

Other than taxis, what is overpriced in phuket compared to bangkok?

[DrDave]

4 hours ago, billythehat said:

 

Facts lost on a collective of galactic ignorance on how to run business in these difficult times. To continue demanding rates that are way beyond the available people wanting the service is risible to say the least. A classic case of Somchai failing to heed the warning/advice to not drink from the same well too often. On the other hand, perhaps they are following the mantra from the TAT and holding on to the forecast of X (insert your own guess here) millions of tourists due anytime soon.  

 

 

The fact remains that there are far too many taxis and tuktuks in Phuket, even in the best of times.

 

Unfortunately, the principles of supply and demand do not apply to taxis and tuktuks in Phuket. These guys realized long ago that instead, the principle of "the more the merrier" could be employed because any attempt by the government to regulate their trade could be met with, shall we say, extreme resistance. No restrictions on the number of operators, and no regulated fares results in maximum income for minimal work for all. Why make 2 trips for a regulated fare of 400 baht each, when you can make only one trip for 700 baht, and your buddy Somchai takes the other trip for 700 baht? Everyone's happy, except the tourists.

All this thanks to their strong arm organizations (the "co-operative" and the "association").

[steelepulse]

8 minutes ago, DrDave said:

The fact remains that there are far too many taxis and tuktuks in Phuket, even in the best of times.

 

Unfortunately, the principles of supply and demand do not apply to taxis and tuktuks in Phuket. These guys realized long ago that instead, the principle of "the more the merrier" could be employed because any attempt by the government to regulate their trade could be met with, shall we say, extreme resistance. No restrictions on the number of operators, and no regulated fares results in maximum income for minimal work for all. Why make 2 trips for a regulated fare of 400 baht each, when you can make only one trip for 700 baht, and your buddy Somchai takes the other trip for 700 baht? Everyone's happy, except the tourists.

All this thanks to their strong arm organizations (the "co-operative" and the "association").

Correct.  Add to the fact that if a non paying driver tries to undercut prices, or jump in a taxi queue, he'll get a severe warning in the best scenario, and suffer serious harm physically in the worst scenario.  The "co-ops" and "associations" keep an iron grip on the island transport scene.  I recall around a year or two ago, a karon driver had a problem with patong people, and a murder was the outcome.

[Sujo]

32 minutes ago, ChasingTheSun said:

Why? Clean fresh ocean air, mountains, beaches, room to stretch your arms, no epic bangkok style traffic jams etc....

 

Other than taxis, what is overpriced in phuket compared to bangkok?

Alcohol and women. Jest skiis, deck chairs, food.

 

just the things people like.

[farang51]

25 minutes ago, Sujo said:

55 minutes ago, ChasingTheSun said:

Other than taxis, what is overpriced in phuket compared to bangkok?

Alcohol and women. Jest skiis, deck chairs, food.

 

So, how much are the deck chairs and the jest skiis in Bangkok?

[ChasingTheSun]

1 hour ago, Sujo said:

Alcohol and women. Jest skiis, deck chairs, food.

 

just the things people like.

Booze can be found cheap at many bars across phuket, even on the tourist epicenter of bangla road you can find beer for only 80 baht a bottle all night, of a bucket of 5 for only 250 baht. You just need to look around for it. Lots of cheap thai brand hard liquor deals as well.
 

Of course, if you want to drink in a popular dance club or live music bar on bangla or in Bangkok, you will need to pay the bigger bucks.

 

Jet skis are expensive everywhere in the world. 

 

Beach loungers can also often be free if you buy drinks from the vendor. 

 

 

 

[KarenBravo]

1 hour ago, DrDave said:

The fact remains that there are far too many taxis and tuktuks in Phuket, even in the best of times.

 

Unfortunately, the principles of supply and demand do not apply to taxis and tuktuks in Phuket. These guys realized long ago that instead, the principle of "the more the merrier" could be employed because any attempt by the government to regulate their trade could be met with, shall we say, extreme resistance. No restrictions on the number of operators, and no regulated fares results in maximum income for minimal work for all. Why make 2 trips for a regulated fare of 400 baht each, when you can make only one trip for 700 baht, and your buddy Somchai takes the other trip for 700 baht? Everyone's happy, except the tourists.

All this thanks to their strong arm organizations (the "co-operative" and the "association").

It's called a Cartel. Collusion by all taxis to dictate a price. Nothing to do with supply and demand. Look to de Beers as a model.

[Dr Rodrigues Pereira]

23 hours ago, torturedsole said:

There's no comparison between the cost of a flight ticket and hiring a taxi (you might have noticed that your average taxi doesn't have 150 seats in the back).  

 

For arguments sake, 700 baht is currently about GBP 17.50, which isn't bad considering it's at least a 45 minute journey as long as hypersonic speeds aren't involved and you obviously got to Patong Beach alive, which is also a bonus.  

Whenever you've got nothing to say, why don't you just shut up ?! That's real poetry !!!

 

[torturedsole]

24 minutes ago, Dr Rodrigues Pereira said:

Whenever you've got nothing to say, why don't you just shut up ?! That's real poetry !!!

Okay, I'll do that then.  Not sure what that was about but good luck.

 

[elgenon]

You said 2-4 people in bars in Bagna. How many girls working? Quality?

[hkt83100]

23 hours ago, ChipButty said:

I see one bar I know put it's prices up, not in Patong

This is normal Thai logic. If you have not enough customers you have to raise the prices to make enough money.

[OneMoreFarang]

11 hours ago, ChasingTheSun said:

Why? Clean fresh ocean air, mountains, beaches, room to stretch your arms, no epic bangkok style traffic jams etc....

 

Other than taxis, what is overpriced in phuket compared to bangkok?

Isn't everything overpriced in Phuket?

I remember the last time I was there with my gf maybe 10 years ago.

We were at the beach early and liked it. Then she wanted some SomTum. It took some time to find it - for 100B!

 

Obviously Phuket could be a nice place because of the nature. But getting ripped off constantly doesn't make that experience any better.

[OneMoreFarang]

6 minutes ago, hkt83100 said:

This is normal Thai logic. If you have not enough customers you have to raise the prices to make enough money.

There is also one big bar in Soi Cowboy with higher prices - run by farangs since forever.

[Olmate]

2 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Isn't everything overpriced in Phuket?

I remember the last time I was there with my gf maybe 10 years ago.

We were at the beach early and liked it. Then she wanted some SomTum. It took some time to find it - for 100B!

 

Obviously Phuket could be a nice place because of the nature. But getting ripped off constantly doesn't make that experience any better.

10 yrs ago! Was that a Sunday?

[OneMoreFarang]

17 minutes ago, Olmate said:

10 yrs ago! Was that a Sunday?

I think yes. Do you remember that day?

 

[stevenl]

36 minutes ago, hkt83100 said:

This is normal Thai logic. If you have not enough customers you have to raise the prices to make enough money.

Since there are many more bars and hotels that have lowered the prices, no. Not normal Thai logic.

[Olmate]

3 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I think yes. Do you remember that day?

 

Pretty sure it was you I spotted there haggling over the price of that beach chair!????

[westsail]

On 8/22/2020 at 12:38 AM, clearance said:

blue bus/smart bus is not working now

Blue buses/songthaews are definitely running in Patong and the rest of the island.  I see them every day.  Haven't seen a SMART bus for a long time.  You're better off taking a taxi/meter from the airport, and if you get his phone number he might come to pick you up.  If there are taxis queued at your hotel you'll have to meet the taxi/meter a short distance away from the hotel.

[fulhamster]

On 8/22/2020 at 7:08 AM, DrDave said:

Your average taxi doesn't pay tens of thousands of baht for fuel for one trip (4,000 litres BKK - HKT), make lease payments on a 1 billion baht vehicle (35 million USD), pay for airport gate and facilities rental, spare parts inventory, salaries for mechanics, cleaning crews, ramp and customer service agents, pilots, and flight attendants, IT, administrative and other capital expenses and much, much more.

 

A taxi driver making just 3 runs per day will gross over 2,000 baht. The cost of fuel (LPG) is negligible, and car payments and insurance under 300 baht/day.  Now compare that to the average skilled Thai worker who is lucky to earn 800-1000 baht per day.

Insurance ?? You think they have insurance !!!!????????????

[fulhamster]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

There is also one big bar in Soi Cowboy with higher prices - run by farangs since forever.

Same as a soi in Pattaya

[OneMoreFarang]

2 hours ago, Olmate said:

Pretty sure it was you I spotted there haggling over the price of that beach chair!????

I like a towel on the sand on the beach. Not because of the cost but the whole point of a beach is the sand (and sea).

[CorpusChristie]

4 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I like a towel on the sand on the beach. Not because of the cost but the whole point of a beach is the sand (and sea).

The whole point of going to a beach is to look at females wearing bikinis

[BritManToo]

Just now, OneMoreFarang said:

I like a towel on the sand on the beach. Not because of the cost but the whole point of a beach is the sand (and sea).

I've never been one for lying on the beach, I want a room within walking distance.

Maybe a walk on the beach, and a swim ...... then it' time for coffee/beer.

[OneMoreFarang]

3 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

The whole point of going to a beach is to look at females wearing bikinis

With bare feet? I have to admit I like the bikinis combined with high heels and red light.

[Olmate]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I like a towel on the sand on the beach. Not because of the cost but the whole point of a beach is the sand (and sea).

Adds to that Somtam texture too!