Not again! Phuket Sandbox tourists being gouged by taxis - one way rides 1,000 baht+

[riclag]

2013 I paid  750 baht from the airport to Kata noi ! To go back was 900

[shdmn]

Buh but the doom mongers here tell me there are no tourists.  That it's all fake news.  So how can taxis be gouging imaginary tourists?

[stevenl]

4 hours ago, Espanol said:

THB 800 to Patong Palmyra Resort, one way from the airport.

And I cannot choose, because I am obliged to contract with the hotel the transportation service from the airport, if I want to request the COE.

Only 490 bahts, same service to same hotel in "Hello Phuket" App.

You can choose the service you want as long as it is SHA+.

[Albert Zweistein]

13 hours ago, MajorTom said:

800B to Patong and 900 to Karon has been the fixed price for the past 10+ years as far as i know for the standard grey airport taxis? I assume this is from the airport? Rip off, yes. but nothing new here.

You'r 100 % right about the prices.

[irishman25]

14 hours ago, keith101 said:

Another reason to never go there for me anyway , Phuket has always been known as a rip off place where most foreigners have to pay a lot more for everything and this comes from people i know who have been and will never go back .

YES is is a Sand-pit for your wallet. all tourist are welcome now hand over this over your money.

[asiam110]

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

You can choose the service you want as long as it is SHA+.

 

How did all the mafia ran taxis get SHA+ overnight? Is it the cab that get's certified or the driver which can change 2/3 per day..

 

 

[GrandPapillon]

why would they expect otherwise? that's the real question, they need to make up for loss income because of COVID

[Rhys]

Such a sad situation. NEVER GO THERE....ALERT to all Embassies.

[hotchilli]

21 hours ago, webfact said:

One poster had said they had been asked for a lot more than they expected by their hotel and wanted to know if they could use the SHA+ transport.

 

Others chipped in with tales of 800 baht (to Patong), 900 baht (to Karon) and even 1,350 baht rides. The last of these was one way from the airport to Kata Noi that the poster said would normally be 600 baht

Rip-off Phuket.... the old normal is back.

[zzzzz]

Quote

Went to a few simple beach restaurants, rice dish and fried egg 180baht, expect ~100baht anywhere else in Thailand...Went to a food court same dishes 100% more expensive than any other island - 100baht per dish usually 40-55baht anywhere else in country.

Kamala:
Beach front restaurant rice with pork or meat an an egg   80-90 baht

go to a restaurant on the main road same for 60-70
food court Central mall phuket town   60-70 baht
( will admit Patong Jung Ceylon food court is a rip off)

 

and ur paying 100 >> wow a hard core thai traveler

 

what other BS you have for us?

 

I dont understand why so many posters here slag off Phuket>  
If you hate it as much as you say you do , why are you even bothering to read this section?

Its a tourist resort island, one would expect to pay ( for things tourist related ) a bit more.

Ever been to cancun, those island off Spain, the Cannery island,  Caribbean? 
 

Edited July 6, 2021 by zzzzz

[ThailandRyan]

4 minutes ago, zzzzz said:

Kamala:
Beach front restaurant rice with pork or meat an an egg   80-90 baht

go to a restaurant on the main road same for 60-70
food court Central mall phuket town   60-70 baht
( will admit Patong Jung Ceylon food court is a rip off)

 

and ur paying 100 >> wow a hard core thai traveler

 

what other BS you have for us?

Wow, someone posts what they are paying in one place versus another and you find fault with the post and condemn that person.  You know you can agree to disagree with what one posted.  Sure some places charge more and many have always had some type of increase in prices when business drops, it is after all the Thai model.  Instead of reducing the prices and luring a customer in the prices get raised in order to make the same amount of money with lesser people.  Another point that can be made is that there may be inflation and vendors and restaurants are paying more for the product themselves and pass it along.  Some folks do get jaded in the fact they are paying more in one place then in another, and human nature is to always express this.  I know that our last trip to Cape Panwa, the hotel was a great price, but yes the food price had been raised, but that's the cost of doing business.  Taxis on the other hand have always been expensive in Phuket versus elsewhere, but again it is the cost of doing business, and many tourists that visit only Phuket or the Islands never know it is less elsewhere.  Calling the posters post BS is uncalled for. Enjoy your day.

[ChipButty]

5 hours ago, Rhys said:

Such a sad situation. NEVER GO THERE....ALERT to all Embassies.

Tell us why 

[BE88]

1000 B. only, very cheap price..... 10 years ago the taxi ask me 2500 B.

[Stargeezr]

If the Thai PM and the Phuket governor cannot get rid the taxi mafia or other mafias in Phuket and

other places in Thailand, it shows just how 3rd world the country still is, and how weak the Government,

whether military ruled or not really is.   Very shameful,  but it is Thailand and their so call Face.

  Geezer

[Sticky Rice Balls]

22 hours ago, sapson said:

Lets do everything to make quicksand island tourist friendly............ just as it was pre covid.

 

Taxis rip offs in full swing.....next the jet ski scam!

 

Hug a Thai!

Hug a Thai--400 for falang..free for chinese....

[Sticky Rice Balls]

22 hours ago, harada said:

They seem to be oblivious of the effects of social media, give it a couple of months and the numbers will start dropping, then they’ll start blaming someone else, same same BS.

I always thought the concept of "face" and the internet would be the demise of LOS......the truth is always revealed, sooner or later

[Sticky Rice Balls]

Anyone shocked about this as I knew it was coming-like shooting fish in a barrel..

 

This is why i considered the 7 days there but declined when it went to 14 on that rock..I first went there in 2008

and thought id stay a month on the island, after a week I was ready to go....as I would do the BKK asq as I pay

a flat fee for the 14 instead of that island cash grab as they control what happens there---such as these taxis--food costs--PCR scam etc--I dont need a beach

 

So what do locals do when they fly there? call a friend? or they get hustled too or the thai price?

If I did the 7 days and landed there Id look for the fancy hotel drivers with the sign, wait for the customer to greet them then offer them some cash to

share a ride into town as its likely a van...then walk to my hotel.....worst they could say is no....what harm is it to them and the driver gets some sangsom cash! ????

 

But the best part would be waving to the taxi mafia as I jump in the hotel van and drive off into the sunset, as slack-jawed taxi jackholes look on...peeved ????

[HAPPYNUFF]

Made the mistake of going there,,,once..      Went to buy a T shirt at some markets..400 baht.No thanks.

Offered a minute sized crayfish, some call them lobsters, 1500 baht.   Baht bus to my hotel, wanted 600 baht, I walked there in 10 minutes.

No customers sir.have to prices up.. Just  die    thieving sods.

[scorecard]

17 hours ago, Nanaplaza666 said:

If the hotels where smart they would have arranged transport for these people that are being back on their island and they are so happy to have back . They should jump thru hoops to leep them happy and come.back next time but as soon as the room is booked and the roomservice is paid for they do !@#$ all . They have had months to plan this to go smoothly but after 1 day it's all down the drain(ok most of us knew it would be even before it started but hey bennefit of the doubt) . 

 

Sure, point taken.

 

But keep in mind that there's a very long history on this subject in Phuket and many incidents where hotels/authorities tried to organize alternative local transport and were blocked (even with frightening/violent actions) by the taxi operators. Even incidents when taxi mafia gangs tried to (with some success) totally block entry to some hotels. And violence and demands for money, against tourists for using alternate vehicles.

 

Also in the picture sanctions/punishment of the taxi drivers has been announced many times but very little to zero actions actually taken by the authorities. And that included police being afraid to/not interested to take real action. 

Edited July 6, 2021 by scorecard

[NanLaew]

23 hours ago, chalawaan said:

beers and ice from the airport sewen

 

There's not an 'airport seven' any more.

[MajorTom]

10 hours ago, Albert Zweistein said:

You'r 100 % right about the prices.

Which is more than double what you would pay in Bangkok for a similar ride.

Reason: Taxis in Phuket are like a one way flight returning empty. When the airport taxi drops you off at the hotel there is no system for him to return with a passenger. That probably belongs to another turf. Same when you go the other way. A local taxi cant just queue up at the airport and return with a passenger. God forbid.. Its pathologically stupid. And so easy to fix.

Just get the meters in and let every taxi pick up where convenient like in BKK, or the rest of the world for that matter. Every taxidriver would make more money, and the rides would be cheaper. 

[Hanuman2547]

Another reason why I don't go to Phuket.  

[EricTh]

Their greedy heads rear up again.

 

It's the same in Chiang Mai, the Songtaew mafia protested against a cheaper public transportation like MRT or regular public buses so they can rip-off tourists.

 

 

Edited July 6, 2021 by EricTh

[nkg]

3 hours ago, HAPPYNUFF said:

Made the mistake of going there,,,once..      Went to buy a T shirt at some markets..400 baht.No thanks.

 

 

Great Scott! 400 baht for an item of clothing?!

 

Just out of curiosity, how much do you normally pay for your clothes?