Warning This Hotel In Phuket Simply A Trap For Tourist!

[vanalli]

Why does anyone even think that The Phuket Gazette would post any tourist complaints in their paper?

This paper is one of the lamest and non investigating newspaper available in Thailand, they are to scared to step on any local toes in Phuket!

They just follow the main stream news and have no interest of making their own news, Oh I just forgot, their very smart garbage around the island reports.

Have you ever worked for a newspaper in Phuket? Try it, it'll give you a whole new insight into what goes on in both the media and island politics.

[madmitch]

I believe that Sea Sun Sand Hotel is one of the hotels used by the so-called tour office where the minibus and limousines stop. I would not trust any hotel or guesthouse that is involved with this office, though I would expect more minor scams rather than the criminal act that has taken place here.

For example, I have just picked up a couple of customers from the Kata Hill Residence. They were practically forced to book this last night when the minibus stopped and stayed in a basic fan room for 800 baht, about twice the current going rate. I believe, having seen an old contract (the previous owner of my guesthouse used to deal with them) that the agency takes a commission of 50% of the first night's stay. On checking out this morning they were asked to pay again and the receptionist got pretty stroppy when they refused, having paid already, demanding instead the sum of 90 baht for one night's use of a safety box.

I know I have gone off the subject of this specific topic but I wonder if any of those taken for a ride were taken there via this notorious tour office?

[khall64au]

Why does anyone even think that The Phuket Gazette would post any tourist complaints in their paper?

This paper is one of the lamest and non investigating newspaper available in Thailand, they are to scared to step on any local toes in Phuket!

They just follow the main stream news and have no interest of making their own news, Oh I just forgot, their very smart garbage around the island reports.

Have you ever worked for a newspaper in Phuket? Try it, it'll give you a whole new insight into what goes on in both the media and island politics.

It's not just newspapers but media in general that is held to ransom by island politics. Frankly, I think Phuket Gazette is doing a great job covering tourist complaints, esp. in the current issue.

[LaoPo]

Why does anyone even think that The Phuket Gazette would post any tourist complaints in their paper?

This paper is one of the lamest and non investigating newspaper available in Thailand, they are to scared to step on any local toes in Phuket!

They just follow the main stream news and have no interest of making their own news, Oh I just forgot, their very smart garbage around the island reports.

Have you ever worked for a newspaper in Phuket? Try it, it'll give you a whole new insight into what goes on in both the media and island politics.

It's not just newspapers but media in general that is held to ransom by island politics. Frankly, I think Phuket Gazette is doing a great job covering tourist complaints, esp. in the current issue.

Are they aware of the current problem at this hotel Khall or did they publish about it ?

LaoPo

[khall64au]

Why does anyone even think that The Phuket Gazette would post any tourist complaints in their paper?

This paper is one of the lamest and non investigating newspaper available in Thailand, they are to scared to step on any local toes in Phuket!

They just follow the main stream news and have no interest of making their own news, Oh I just forgot, their very smart garbage around the island reports.

Have you ever worked for a newspaper in Phuket? Try it, it'll give you a whole new insight into what goes on in both the media and island politics.

It's not just newspapers but media in general that is held to ransom by island politics. Frankly, I think Phuket Gazette is doing a great job covering tourist complaints, esp. in the current issue.

Are they aware of the current problem at this hotel Khall or did they publish about it ?

LaoPo

I think they are now aware of this thread - if you take a look above there are several posts defending journalists.

There are now also several negative posts on TripAdvisor re- this incident. Also, other forums like Lonely Planet appreciate warnings such as this and are seen by millions.

[mauiguy90]

I also suggest a post on craiglist thailand under vacation rentals with a link to this site. It will be of service to many who are coming to Thailand for the first time. Although its been a few years, I have previously walked through the Sea, Sun, Sand Hotel. It certainly has the appearance of being an attractive but moderately priced place with lots of entertainment. Apparently, appearances are deceiving!

Edited October 24, 2007 by mauiguy90

[taxin]

A couple of other review sites:

<a href="http://www.sawadee.com/hotel/phuket/seasun/review.html" target="_blank">http://www.sawadee.com/hotel/phuket/seasun/review.html</a>

<a href="http://www.asiarooms.com/thailand/phuket/sea_sun_sand-hotel-reviews.html" target="_blank">http://www.asiarooms.com/thailand/phuket/s...el-reviews.html</a>

Not one review mentioning thefts and some reviews are from October 2007 although the dates are not mentioned.

That leaves the impression that the thefts started just recently...

LaoPo

Sounds like a cleaner got hold of a key and went on a rampage, rather than a pattern of thefts.

Posting on these forums now will leave the hotel's reputation tarnished for years to come, and deservedly.

Maybe, but if it gets so bad that the people are not staying there (which wont happen anyway) they can always change the name of the hotel. Most hotels in Phuket the name is just a name, they are not always the actual name of the company entity that owns the resort.

Quick name change, new sign outside, new website & the name has gone forever. Along with the bad history !

[intumult]

Outrageous behavior by hotel and staff. Although you didn't get any joy from the local tourist police, be sure to contact them at the national level and tell them how their local staff mishandled the issue. You might get some results, you might not, but certainly worth a shot.

Another idea that costs almost nothing. If you don't get your money back or other satisfaction, buy the URL for Sunsandresortssucks.com, get a cheap hosting package for a few bucks more per year, and create a professional looking web page outlining your experience. If you are clever or motivated enough you can add a comments section or have other people send in their experience for posting. Anybody with a few HTML skills could do that from start to finish in a couple of hours and for well under $50 (skip the free hosting sites as they generally suck and look unprofessional). Leave it up for a year or more and eventually it might be the next search result listing after the legit site for the resort (if they have one). If you want to invest a little more time you may even be able to get it to number one. Certainly they will eventually find it and you will have the satisfaction of knowing how annoying that might be. If you only discourage a couple of people from visiting you will have taken something out of their pocket, which is probably the only thing they understand. BTW, you can purchase the URL through anonymous proxy so there is no way you can be indentified short of a legitimate court order, which ain't gonna happen in a case like yours.

They did a similar thing with NTL (cable ISP in the UK). Called it NTh_ll. The web site had thousands of responses.

Sorry to hear of your misfortune at the hands of these people. It really sucks when that sort of thing happens

[merijn]

I'm a hotel owner myself in Patong and i we have a system where our guest can put there own padlock on the safe door but we always advise them to put any expensive items or money in the hotel save. As we have digital security cameras which can not be deleted this is working good for us and our customers. Unluckly not all hotels have a good reputation and SSS is one of them. If i'm in an other hotel i always make sure that my pasport and money is inside a solid locked suitecase and put some decoy money and expired cards in the hotel safe. Better to lose some change money then my pasport or the rest.

[onethailand]

Anyone have any updated news on this situation? After the initial flurry of activity everything seems to have gone quiet - has the problem been resolved?

[felixperth]

I am one of the victims and wanted to thank everyone for your support.

The attitude of all the staff especially the reception convinced us that it was an organised thing. What really got them angry was us telling people to check their money.

As a scam it probably usually works well because if your travelling by yourself you would probably have doubts and convince yourself that you made a mistake. Their mistake was robbing several rooms of people who knew each other and when both of you are missing money you know you're right. We only checked because we had our money in piles and one of the piles was missing the elastic band. The safes have a panel in the front that hides the master key entry and after our money was discovered missing we shut the door and the panel fell off. After examining it we discovered that if you put it on correctly it stays put no matter how hard you shut it but it its put on upside down it stays on but falls off it shut firmly so we have no doubt that a master key was used and they put the panel on upside down.

Have sent emails to just about everyone and haven't had a reply and don't really expect it. Only thing we can do is warn as many people as we can. Interesting experience being escorted by riot police out of our hotel because we complained about being robbed.

[Tony Clifton]

I am one of the victims and wanted to thank everyone for your support.

The attitude of all the staff especially the reception convinced us that it was an organised thing. What really got them angry was us telling people to check their money.

As a scam it probably usually works well because if your travelling by yourself you would probably have doubts and convince yourself that you made a mistake. Their mistake was robbing several rooms of people who knew each other and when both of you are missing money you know you're right. We only checked because we had our money in piles and one of the piles was missing the elastic band. The safes have a panel in the front that hides the master key entry and after our money was discovered missing we shut the door and the panel fell off. After examining it we discovered that if you put it on correctly it stays put no matter how hard you shut it but it its put on upside down it stays on but falls off it shut firmly so we have no doubt that a master key was used and they put the panel on upside down.

Have sent emails to just about everyone and haven't had a reply and don't really expect it. Only thing we can do is warn as many people as we can. Interesting experience being escorted by riot police out of our hotel because we complained about being robbed.

Riot police to handle tourists collectively complaining of multiple thefts.

Yet more proof that most are nothing but mafia in uniform.

[naka]

I am one of the victims and wanted to thank everyone for your support.

The attitude of all the staff especially the reception convinced us that it was an organised thing. What really got them angry was us telling people to check their money.

As a scam it probably usually works well because if your travelling by yourself you would probably have doubts and convince yourself that you made a mistake. Their mistake was robbing several rooms of people who knew each other and when both of you are missing money you know you're right. We only checked because we had our money in piles and one of the piles was missing the elastic band. The safes have a panel in the front that hides the master key entry and after our money was discovered missing we shut the door and the panel fell off. After examining it we discovered that if you put it on correctly it stays put no matter how hard you shut it but it its put on upside down it stays on but falls off it shut firmly so we have no doubt that a master key was used and they put the panel on upside down.

Have sent emails to just about everyone and haven't had a reply and don't really expect it. Only thing we can do is warn as many people as we can. Interesting experience being escorted by riot police out of our hotel because we complained about being robbed.

[phuketsub]

Looks like the Hotel isn't letting all this get them down. They have a band playing every night at the Phuket Carnival:

http://www.phuketgazette.net/bulletins/index.asp?Id=1187

Talk about paying the piper!

At the mini-stage in the F&B Hotels zone will be a concert by the Sea Sun Sand Band every night.

[scott_cos]

As most of you know, the Phuket Film Festival was recently staged in Patong. Our Festival VIP guests and most Festival staff stayed at the new Mercure Hotel. What a travesty!

Besides rotten odor smell seeping into most rooms, two, TWO guests on different floors awoke to find people (one a woman, another a man) in their rooms. An oversight on the part of someone at the front desk in making key cards? Who cares, what extremely poor security.

And what about two of our film makers observing a Thai woman and a Caucasian man fornicating in the first floor swimming pool at about 11:30 at night? Film makers were loving it - envisioning movies that could be made of the experience. But come on, what a representation of Thailand! Why didn’t staff tell them to go to their rooms. Ok, ok – Thai staff are shy and reluctant to intervene.

Training is the operative word here. Why aren’t staff trained better?

Shall we throw in the problem of the lock on my door which kept me locked out of my room for 45 minutes, the hotel assistant front desk manager that entered my room without my permission and had staff empty a can of deodorant aerosol in my room to cover up the foul odor - destroying open food, my toothbrush and about 2,000 Baht worth of medication in my bathroom?

But if that is not enough, how 'bout the continued knocking on my staff's door without anyone there when they checked through the peep hole and the refusal on the assistant hotel manager's part (Khun Narongchai) to rectify or acknowledge the situations.

When asked to write a letter apologizing to the Festival VIP guests that had odor problem in their room, Narognchai admitted this to be a problem from the start of operation of the hotel and asked that I provide email addresses of the VIPs. I asked the guests, prominent directors and producers who did not want their private email addresses given out - I told Narongchai “no.” So he refused to write a letter.

I later found out from another hotel staff person, Khun Ekachard, that the email addresses would have been used for marketing purposes, Narongchai denied that only to be confronted at a later conversation where Ekachard made the marketing claim in front of Narongchai and was told to "shut up" (in Thai) by his boss.

Up shot is Mercure Hotel IS NOT ready to service international guests - and if you must stay there, be very careful of your safety in that hotel.

[Briggsy]

I predict a name change for this hotel very soon.

Cops condone the theft of hundreds of dollars in cash from many tourists and then threatens the victims with violence. Phuket sinks to yet another low.

[JetsetBkk]

<snip>

Up shot is Mercure Hotel IS NOT ready to service international guests - and if you must stay there, be very careful of your safety in that hotel.

http://www.phuket.com/mercurepatong/

Mercure Patong Beach Hotel - In the heart of Phuket, the unforgettable Mercure Patong Phuket is just 5 min from Patong Beach

These web sites pick their words very carefully.

[game4shame]

As most of you know, the Phuket Film Festival was recently staged in Patong. Our Festival VIP guests and most Festival staff stayed at the new Mercure Hotel. What a travesty!

Besides rotten odor smell seeping into most rooms, two, TWO guests on different floors awoke to find people (one a woman, another a man) in their rooms. An oversight on the part of someone at the front desk in making key cards? Who cares, what extremely poor security.

And what about two of our film makers observing a Thai woman and a Caucasian man fornicating in the first floor swimming pool at about 11:30 at night? Film makers were loving it - envisioning movies that could be made of the experience. But come on, what a representation of Thailand! Why didn’t staff tell them to go to their rooms. Ok, ok – Thai staff are shy and reluctant to intervene.

Training is the operative word here. Why aren’t staff trained better?

Shall we throw in the problem of the lock on my door which kept me locked out of my room for 45 minutes, the hotel assistant front desk manager that entered my room without my permission and had staff empty a can of deodorant aerosol in my room to cover up the foul odor - destroying open food, my toothbrush and about 2,000 Baht worth of medication in my bathroom?

But if that is not enough, how 'bout the continued knocking on my staff's door without anyone there when they checked through the peep hole and the refusal on the assistant hotel manager's part (Khun Narongchai) to rectify or acknowledge the situations.

When asked to write a letter apologizing to the Festival VIP guests that had odor problem in their room, Narognchai admitted this to be a problem from the start of operation of the hotel and asked that I provide email addresses of the VIPs. I asked the guests, prominent directors and producers who did not want their private email addresses given out - I told Narongchai “no.” So he refused to write a letter.

I later found out from another hotel staff person, Khun Ekachard, that the email addresses would have been used for marketing purposes, Narongchai denied that only to be confronted at a later conversation where Ekachard made the marketing claim in front of Narongchai and was told to "shut up" (in Thai) by his boss.

Up shot is Mercure Hotel IS NOT ready to service international guests - and if you must stay there, be very careful of your safety in that hotel.

don't mean to be a smartarse but I thought this thread was about sea sun sand.

[JetsetBkk]

don't mean to be a smartarse but I thought this thread was about sea sun sand.

No need to express remorse - you weren't being smart or funny.

[JetsetBkk]

From the latest edition of the Phuket Gazette, page 29:

The Governors' Letter

"Calling On The Community"

..Gazette chief reporter...asks Phuket Governor Niran about recent reports on the Phuket forum of popular Internet blog site that one hotel in Patong has allowed its staff to systematically rob guests of valuables stored in room safes. Here Governor Niran re-affirms his commitment to tourist security in general and warns hoteliers that failure to provide this will result in their own financial ruin."

Hotels that allow their staff to steal from guests' room safes or otherwise harm them will find their business suffering from lack of trade in the long run..."

Download the whole Phuket Gazette issue here:

http://www.phuketgazette.net/digitalgazette/Nov03_07.pdf

or here:

http://www.phuketgazette.net/digitalgazett...f=2007117181255

[onethailand]

Nice one.

Now if only Governor Niran could do something about the integrity of the police force in Phuket...

[game4shame]

don't mean to be a smartarse but I thought this thread was about sea sun sand.

No need to express remorse - you weren't being smart or funny.

strange post.

[mcgriffith]

Ladies and Gentlemen- please confine your commentary to the topic at hand, which is a hotel.

Thank you for your understanding.

[Briggsy]

Could any Phuket members who happen to pass this hotel be kind enough to tell us if it's changed its name yet?

[Super Hans]

Could any Phuket members who happen to pass this hotel be kind enough to tell us if it's changed its name yet?

Nope. Not as of today. Your middle name isn't Rawdon is it?

[swain]

seasunsandresort.com is their domain name... for 2 dollars on yahoo... you can buy the domain name seasunsandresort.net which no one has... I have a hosting company in the USA and I will host it free of charge... and you guys can post all those negative reviews of the place and the thefts. This of course is totally legal, and believe me I think its 2 dollars well spent. I did this to a guy that ripped me off for 800 dollars I took the .net extension of his domain and told my story on it. Two months after I put it up he paid me the 800 plus my charge for building the site for 200 extra dollars to take it down.

Things like this should not go unpunished. The internet is the great equalizer!!

[LaoPo]

seasunsandresort.com is their domain name... for 2 dollars on yahoo... you can buy the domain name seasunsandresort.net which no one has... I have a hosting company in the USA and I will host it free of charge... and you guys can post all those negative reviews of the place and the thefts. This of course is totally legal, and believe me I think its 2 dollars well spent. I did this to a guy that ripped me off for 800 dollars I took the .net extension of his domain and told my story on it. Two months after I put it up he paid me the 800 plus my charge for building the site for 200 extra dollars to take it down.

Things like this should not go unpunished. The internet is the great equalizer!!

Curious to learn what the hotel will do.....pay or not. Maybe you should send them an email, pointing them at YOUR website

LaoPo

[vanalli]

What great justice are people hoping for here?

[chiang mai]

Ms. Chiang Mai used to play the "kim" (a flat violin type instrument that is played like a xylophone) on weekends in the dinning area for guests at this hotel. We have now agreed that she will no longer play there.

[Briggsy]

Could any Phuket members who happen to pass this hotel be kind enough to tell us if it's changed its name yet?

Nope. Not as of today. Your middle name isn't Rawdon is it?

Thanks for the sleuthing. I have no name or connection to the word, "Rawdon"