Attitude!

[LivinginKata]

If they get ripped off a bit so what? It's not a great fortune.

Well I guess that clarifies your position..

However as a resident I have strongly different views to you on this and the 'sincere tuktuks' you seem to feel you know so much about..

I've been following this topic with great interest. Seems to me that 'locals' lose sight of the fact that not-very-knowledgable tourists can only compare prices (shops & taxi/tuk tuk) with their home country prices. This type of tourist is here for a good time, without hassling to save (for them) small change. Us locals know that 400 baht for a short Tuk Tul ride is a rip off, but 8 or 9 Euros (6 pounds) will seem very cheap for a tourist. That type of tourist is happy to pay without asking discount, & maybe gives a tip, thus receiving the famed Thai smile. The tourist goes away happy, and can't wait to come back.

Tuk Tuks and toursi trap shops not interested in us locals, and anyway the average local does not use

Tuk Tuks or shop in the tourist areas. What's all the fuss...

[tamsin]

To get back on topic of 'bad attitudes' here on Phuket, the current asking price for a 5 x 10m shop front in Patong is 30k per month and 2 million key money, so the Nepalese tailors are feeling more pressure to make the rent. The tuk tuks in Karon are being asked for 6k per month by the orborjor there. Whether the tailors' and tuk tuks' greed came before the building owners'/council's is a moot point. But Phuket is now caught up in a spiral of greed the same as the rest of the world, but without the regulations, such as they are, implemented in the west.

[londonthai]

it's enough that only part of the tourist industry in pkuket (tuk tuks, tourist shops, street stalls) are rude and expensive to deter many from coming back to phuket. The other part of the industry, the genuine one providing good and resonable priced services, as well as the whole regional economy - will suffer.

the art of business is about rising the quality - otherwise tourists will stay in their own country or travel only regionally to find sun and beach. The thing is within the next few years european and american tourists won't be coming due to higher air fare. Instead there would be package tours from china, india, russia, korea, saudi arabia - and Phuket will loose completety it's lure it has now.

[thaiman]

If they don't wake up soon and start to be competitive, both with regards to the level of service offered and prices charged, people will stay away in droves.

People keep saying that, yet, it never happens. Tourist arrivals just keep going up.

and they will continue to go up. phuket is very well marketed throughout the world and many people want to see it.

I agree that the people in Patong are rude. Very money hungry bitter people working the hustle for the buck. When people are rude to you think of it like this: You get to go home and sleep in a nice bed and eat a good meal. You also have the freedom to travel the world and bang any working thai girl you please(if you wish). Just shrug it off and play hard, you'll have more fun!

[Sir Burr]

The thing is within the next few years european and american tourists won't be coming due to higher air fare.

Why would you think that?

If wages go up faster than airfares, air travel will get relatively cheaper. More competion amongst airlines (which we are seeing) will bring airfares down. Once the Airbus A380 is in service, airfares will get cheaper. Don't forget, it was the Boeing 747 that ushered in the era of affordable air travel.

Edited October 14, 2007 by Sir Burr

[khall64au]

In the case of budget airlines, Phuket has seen around 150, 000 Aussies this low season (thanks to Jetstar & Tiger) - compared to 190, 000 for the previous past economic year. Flying in the numbers is all well and good but... will they return?

For an example, my family were here for just 2 weeks... they were not impressed! However, my sister and her hubby stuck around: visiting Phi Phi, Koh lanta, Krabi and now back on Phuket I found them a wonderful resort in the jungle with a private beach at an unbelievable price - PM me if you want details...

My point is: Phuket has some treasures - few and far between - now there is a story!!!!

[smartecosse]

Places like Central and Jung Ceylon sell exactly the same very overpriced junk and nobody seems to worry about it. The only difference is you get a nice carrier bag and the staff smile while you're being ripped off.

Actually the difference is that all the items are clearly marked with a price and everyone pays the same for them regardless of the skin colour or where they come from

[PhuketBlogger]

I started joining some forums a few years ago because I was getting annoyed by people saying "Phuket is a rip off, ugly, full of hookers, dirty etc.." when they meant "Patong". I very rarely go to Patong, though did go the other night to "Komma" restaurant at the south end, where I used to go years ago and it was still nice and quiet and friendly. My wife and I (and kids) prefer quieter places to eat out like Rawai or Cape Panwa or just about any seafood restaurant up the east coast from Chalong to Bang Pae. And most tourists hardly have a clue about the Phuket that exists off the main beaches. Which makes it a great place to live! We tend to stay out of the main tourist areas. We are very happy living here, I think my main (not only) complaints are the traffic and the ugly electric wires everywhere. And when people ask my advise I say 'don't stay in Patong, and do rent a car'.

[smartecosse]

we live at the southern end of the island

great beaches

nice locals

very few bars

no tuks tuks with bad attitude

Patong is a hole thats best avoided yet for everyone that says that there is probably two people that like what it "offers"

I mean Billstickers even likes the tuk tuks

[PhuketBlogger]

You live around Rawai, right? It is nice round that way. The wife and I managed an evening out without the kids last week and went for a coupla drinks at Nikitas. I had not been there for years. Friendly, not overpriced, right by the water and they sell Beer Lao!

[nonthaburial]

To get back on topic of 'bad attitudes' here on Phuket, the current asking price for a 5 x 10m shop front in Patong is 30k per month and 2 million key money, so the Nepalese tailors are feeling more pressure to make the rent. The tuk tuks in Karon are being asked for 6k per month by the orborjor there. Whether the tailors' and tuk tuks' greed came before the building owners'/council's is a moot point. But Phuket is now caught up in a spiral of greed the same as the rest of the world, but without the regulations, such as they are, implemented in the west.

The obvious response to this statement is quite simply, why do shops open up all the time replicating the many other competitors in close proximity. Whilst I accept competition is good for the punter, it certainly does not help the overheads of the many suppliers who operate on top of each other ?

If a Nepalese tailor adds his new business to the hundreds of other like businesses already in operation, then bigger fool him.

[mrsouza]

You live around Rawai, right? It is nice round that way. The wife and I managed an evening out without the kids last week and went for a coupla drinks at Nikitas. I had not been there for years. Friendly, not overpriced, right by the water and they sell Beer Lao!

Chalong and Rawai have seen a big upswing in tourists during the last year. I guess it's not only us locals that appreciate the more relaxed atmosphere these places offer. But don't tell anyone, we don't want too many visitors spoiling it.

[smartecosse]

yeah, roll on the low season - no tourists littering up the place