Phuket ready for the Sandbox! But PM says “don't let mafia" spoil the party

[hotchilli]

19 hours ago, BobinBKK said:

Considering all of these ridiculous restrictions and the way foreigners are treated in this country, I honestly hope that not only Phuket but Thailand as a whole fails. Who in there right mind wants to spend there hard earned money and earned vacation time from work to holiday in any destination that has the unmitigated gaul telling you what to do and how to do it. Vacations are supposed to be restful and stress free with plenty of unrestricted activities and all business open that makes their holiday a fun and memorable experience. Irregardless if you agree with me or not, life is short, each and everyone of us deserves much more than this! As long as you don't hurt anyone or yourself, live and enjoy life by your rules. Never let anyone dictate your life!

I'm sure there are some of the younger great unwashed who are in the west, pinned down for 18 months, unemployed who'd love to come to Phuket for 14 days, then venture to the smaller islands to laze on the beach all day and get smashed at night. But they're not the big spenders Pipat wants, they're the cheap backpackers who come on a budget, looking for bargain basement rooms not 5 star luxury.

[thailand49]

It is all going as expected,  leadership is point it out and it is all good thereafter words will take care of everything.????

[malthebluff]

10 hours ago, Dumbfounded said:

 

I think it's actually 90, 000 baht each which would be about 6400 bht per day based on 14 day stay, however I think about 2-3000 bht per day would be more realistic ( not including freelancers), Of course 100,000 visitors highly unlikely, maybe 2000 closer to the mark

There are 1000 million baht  in each billion

[kcpattaya]

Why would you go to Phuket in the first place??
Without the mafia there is no more excitement left?!!
And they won't let you sleep with your future-EX either!

[metisdead]

Posts using trolling video and trolling images have been removed. 

[berrec]

[sapson]

7 hours ago, JeffinChonburi said:

Allowing the "Taxi Mafia" to ruin those tourist holiday is a shame. 

 

Yes indeed but they knowingly allowed the jet ski scam in both Pattaya and Phuket for well over 25 years destroying many happy holidays with the money being shared by the authorities who should have been providing protection to tourists ,It even continued after TV documentaries and foreign government complaint.

[Jimbo53]

21 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

I suppose that arresting the mafia is out of the question? Actually, I have no idea why small-time crooks are called the mafia in Thailand. Maybe the PM and all the other Thais who refer to them need to consult Wikipedia.

I wouldn't say the Yakuza were small time crooks!!

[johnarth]

I bet no one told the general to quote the mafia now who will he blame for that?

[Venom]

On 6/25/2021 at 9:06 AM, webfact said:

International tourists who have received two doses of WHO and Thai authority approved vaccines will have to stay on the island for 14 days before going elsewhere. Their movements will be tracked by compulsory apps 

 

Fully vaccinated and you still need to go through 14 day quarantine and forced to wear tracking device? UCMTSU folks.  ???? 

[samtam]

23 hours ago, sambum said:

"Pipat said that on Thursday he was expecting something around 300. But not to worry, when others see how safe it is they will decide to come and he was expecting increasing numbers in the last three months of the year.

He said that the latest Tourism Authority of Thailand assessment was that 100,000 visitors in the next three months will spend 9 billion baht." 

 

Pipat expects increasing numbers in the last 3 months of the year, but, Surprise, surprise,  TAT expects 100,000 in the next 3 months 

 

And that is a perfect example of why people do not believe a single stat that TAT come out with - they're probably already working on the excuses why 100,000 didn't come for "Parole"!

 

 

 

Perhaps TAT should be renamed sTAT?

 

 

23 hours ago, chang1 said:

Well I just booked a hotel at Karon as the wife is desperate to see her parents, which I expect is the same for most who are going rather than just a holiday. They say they are ready but there are still so many unknowns.

Can we use any taxi service to get to the hotel from the airport?

Will I get a COE using my own travel insurance or do I need a Thai certificate of insurance covering covid?

Where do I get tested on arrival? and how much will it cost?

Will our proof of vaccination be accepted?

What happened to the tags? Not mentioned anymore.

Will our choice of flights actually be available if bookings are low?

After the 2 weeks will we actually be free to travel around Thailand for the full month we have left?

And of course the big one - will Thailand go on the UKs red list which would us cost thousands of pounds on our return?

 

As for the mafias, I will pay to go to and from the airport but hire a bike for all other on island travel. Otherwise they can be ignored.

 

On the plus side I am looking forward to seeing empty beaches. Hope the tar balls have been cleaned up! As much as I like going around the bars, that is not too important. Just hope there are some socialable  people in the hotel. 

 

As only the hotel is booked we can still back out at any time as that has not been paid for yet. 

 

You have many questions, and there are many answers. They will vary day to day. They will make for an interesting visit full of exciting and unexpected challenges. Said no one.

 

 

23 hours ago, Golden Triangle said:

In all the time I have been a member hear & prior to that many years reading the posts I have never, as far as I recall, ever read a positive post about this place, I have however read plenty about the corrupt ineffective police force, the Tuk Tuk & Taxi mafia, the rip off traders, the Jet Ski scammers, and no doubt plenty more besides, I won't be going anywhere near Phuket.

 

3 years ago me and the Mrs did the drive down to the Malaysian border ( Satun ) down the Amdamam coast then across to the Gulf and back up again and round to Pattaya, we purposely avoided Phuket mainly due to what we read on here and also advised by friends.

 

Now I know that Pattaya is just as bad but the only thing we go into town for is shopping, I wouldn't holiday in Pattaya or Phuket knowing what I know these days. ????

 

In the 18 years I have lived in Thailand I have been to Phuket once, and that was simply to transfer to Koh Yao Yai. Before living in Thailand I visited 2 or 3 times from about 1986 onwards. I certainly wouldn't bother with it now, because sadly, like so many beach resorts in Thailand, they have been ruined by over-development, litter and noise. 

[Sydebolle]

The mafia is moving elsewhere - me thinks - ever since they heard of the command centre ........ scary stuff and possibly a 007 license to all those Somchais and Somsaks!

Honestly, are these people real? 

 

[Excel]

7 hours ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

Dont forget Us over at Murder island (Ko Tao)

No problem I am sure they are thinking of you as there are orange jump suits and trackers issued to those staying in Phuket, collect on arrival but body bags and tags issued to those staying on Kho Tao, collect at departure.????

[malthebluff]

17 hours ago, Dumbfounded said:

 

I think it's actually 90, 000 baht each which would be about 6400 bht per day based on 14 day stay, however I think about 2-3000 bht per day would be more realistic ( not including freelancers), Of course 100,000 visitors highly unlikely, maybe 2000 closer to the mark

Convert 1 billion baht to uk pounds 

22,634,340.58

then Divid it by the so called 100.000 people who are suppost to be coming

22,634,34058

now convert it back to thai baht

it is 

99,983,640,731.64 baht 

 

 

 

[The Hammer2021]

On 6/25/2021 at 10:28 AM, ChipButty said:

They know no different it's ingrained into them from birth, I stopped off at one of these junk shops as I call them that sell everything along the main near home I wanted to buy just one pint glass stay home like a good boy drinking my beer.

I picked one up took it to the counter how much, she said 270 baht, it just doesn't stop.

I eventually bought one in Phuket town for 90 baht and better quality,

You call them junk shops but they are not. A junk shop sells second hand goods. Why are you  complaining? You got what you  wanted at a fair price. You start your rant with a racist assertionbut finish with a sentence  that contradicts the sentiment.  Different  people sell different  things at different  prices.  Get over yourself!

[Dave0206]

On 6/25/2021 at 9:17 AM, poskat said:

"the government did not want the mafia putting a spanner in the works and upsetting foreign tourists, notes Thaivisa."

 

having 80% of places closed and no holiday partying allowed will be much bigger spanners in the works than anything the taxi goons could do.

 

"Hey Trevor, how was your phuket holiday"  "Totally boring mate, only a few restaurants to go to, the shops were all closed, and the only booze was at the 7/11... dont bother going.....however, the taxis were great"

Well I finished my quarantine 2 weeks ago and I for one would have much rather have gone to phuket(a place I'm not that fond of)to wait out my 2 weeks if leaving is easy to move on.

I should imagine I'm not alone with this?.

Let's see how the asq hotels respond as these hotels seem to be doing OK by the pandemic 

[Dumbfounded]

3 hours ago, malthebluff said:

Convert 1 billion baht to uk pounds 

22,634,340.58

then Divid it by the so called 100.000 people who are suppost to be coming

22,634,34058

now convert it back to thai baht

it is 

99,983,640,731.64 baht 

 

 

 

9 billion (9,000,000,000) divided by 100 thousand (100,000) = 90.000

[BernieOnTour]

On 6/25/2021 at 4:06 AM, webfact said:

With this in mind all the pick-ups at the airport will be registered drivers and no taxi mafia will be allowed. 

 

Read:

 

Only those granted a “letter of marque and reprisal” allowed at the airport !

 

????

Edited June 29, 2021 by BernieOnTour

[Lancelot01]

On 6/25/2021 at 4:17 AM, poskat said:

"the government did not want the mafia putting a spanner in the works and upsetting foreign tourists, notes Thaivisa."

 

having 80% of places closed and no holiday partying allowed will be much bigger spanners in the works than anything the taxi goons could do.

 

"Hey Trevor, how was your phuket holiday"  "Totally boring mate, only a few restaurants to go to, the shops were all closed, and the only booze was at the 7/11... dont bother going.....however, the taxis were great"

So the government recognises that the Thai mafia are operating on Phukett. Why isn't anything done about? 

It's the one reason that I have never and intend never to visit this squalid island. 

[Olmate]

11 minutes ago, Lancelot01 said:

So the government recognises that the Thai mafia are operating on Phukett. Why isn't anything done about? 

It's the one reason that I have never and intend never to visit this squalid island. 

Why would u be involved with 'mafia' on 'that squalid island'? 

[xylophone]

19 minutes ago, Olmate said:

Why would u be involved with 'mafia' on 'that squalid island'? 

The main "mafia" in Patong at present are dressed in beige/brown uniforms and are calling on any business that is open, to collect the monthly "tea money".

Edited June 30, 2021 by xylophone