Thailand Tourism

[LtCol]

Two stories I have first hand knowledge of recently happening to visitors to Pattaya

1. Involves myself undertaking medical care here which was a rectification of an earlier proceedure, I am still an outpatient & when presenting a Medical Certificate requiring me to stay another 2 months , it was thrown back at me & I was given 7 days. The problem has since rectified by flying out to another country & returning thereby obtaining another 30 days last Sunday & my Doctor withdrawing (By Needle Aspiration) 88cc of Seroma Fluid from my abdomen.

Thank you Jomtien Immigration did not realise your Inspectors were medically qualified.

2. Early this morning an Australian Tourist who has been holidaying in Pattaya for 3 months went to board his JETSTAR (australian Owned) flight to return to Darwin via Singapore. His bags are on the plane , he arrives at the gate to board & the Thai Supervisor at the Boarding Pass Counter refuses to allow him to Board!!!! Why ???......because he is in a wheelchair & cannot walk...... Jetstar do not allow this , you must be able to walk . BUT, the passenger tells him , I flew up here with Jetstar , The Thai said he was lying ,but would not check it out on the Computer. THEN , the Thai (Claims to be the Manager) delays the Plane & has the Aussies baggage UNLOADED.....& walks away leaving him stuck & abandoned. The Aussie is travelling alone. He rang me & I contacted his Aussie Travel Agent. 8 calls later Thai staff offer him a Swissair Flight , BUT, he has to pay extra.....No way>>>> finally , another 4 -5 calls & Jetstar are flying him out , guess what , at 2115 hours tonight & then has to stay overnight in Singapore & they will only pay him up to $150 & he cannot stay at the Airport ,he has to enter Singapore & stay at the Roxy , which if I remember is about $200+ a night.Aussies Christian name is Glen he was totally smashed up as a boy on his trail bike by an idiot that set a mantrap for kids on motorbikes, his physical condition is not the best , he is a 37yo recent graduate Psychiatrist ,returning to take up a post.

This last tale would never make the Sanitised Pattaya press , but, as I am a media used expert in my fields in Australia , it is going to make the Australian press.

I am hearing other tales , but I mention these 2 as Coroberrated Fact with documents & witnesses.

Very Disappointing

[billdo2000]

Two stories I have first hand knowledge of recently happening to visitors to Pattaya

1. Involves myself undertaking medical care here which was a rectification of an earlier proceedure, I am still an outpatient & when presenting a Medical Certificate requiring me to stay another 2 months , it was thrown back at me & I was given 7 days. The problem has since rectified by flying out to another country & returning thereby obtaining another 30 days last Sunday & my Doctor withdrawing (By Needle Aspiration) 88cc of Seroma Fluid from my abdomen.

Thank you Jomtien Immigration did not realise your Inspectors were medically qualified.

2. Early this morning an Australian Tourist who has been holidaying in Pattaya for 3 months went to board his JETSTAR (australian Owned) flight to return to Darwin via Singapore. His bags are on the plane , he arrives at the gate to board & the Thai Supervisor at the Boarding Pass Counter refuses to allow him to Board!!!! Why ???......because he is in a wheelchair & cannot walk...... Jetstar do not allow this , you must be able to walk . BUT, the passenger tells him , I flew up here with Jetstar , The Thai said he was lying ,but would not check it out on the Computer. THEN , the Thai (Claims to be the Manager) delays the Plane & has the Aussies baggage UNLOADED.....& walks away leaving him stuck & abandoned. The Aussie is travelling alone. He rang me & I contacted his Aussie Travel Agent. 8 calls later Thai staff offer him a Swissair Flight , BUT, he has to pay extra.....No way>>>> finally , another 4 -5 calls & Jetstar are flying him out , guess what , at 2115 hours tonight & then has to stay overnight in Singapore & they will only pay him up to $150 & he cannot stay at the Airport ,he has to enter Singapore & stay at the Roxy , which if I remember is about $200+ a night.Aussies Christian name is Glen he was totally smashed up as a boy on his trail bike by an idiot that set a mantrap for kids on motorbikes, his physical condition is not the best , he is a 37yo recent graduate Psychiatrist ,returning to take up a post.

This last tale would never make the Sanitised Pattaya press , but, as I am a media used expert in my fields in Australia , it is going to make the Australian press.

I am hearing other tales , but I mention these 2 as Coroberrated Fact with documents & witnesses.

Very Disappointing

What a shame on both accounts...

[BSJ]

It's a shame that so many people in the Thai tourist industries are ill equipped to deal with the travelling public.

Wasn't shown on the 6 0'clock news...maybe at 10.

[LtCol]

Further to "Glen" the Aussie in the wheelchair . He is now in Singapore & was charged $30 to be put back into a wheelchair when the flight landed in Singapore..

Ya gottal love the care of Handicapped Tourists...........

[billdo2000]

Further to "Glen" the Aussie in the wheelchair . He is now in Singapore & was charged $30 to be put back into a wheelchair when the flight landed in Singapore..

Ya gottal love the care of Handicapped Tourists...........

I sincerely hope the mainstream, international news agencies pick up on this but I fear they won't. I was in a wheelchair for over a year after a serious accident and have flown international airlines through Thailand. I always felt somewhat 'helpless' not being able to get myself around and I've never been treated like that guy. I feel very badly for Glen...I hope the Thai employee of Jetstar gets fired for this, at least.

[JUDAS]

Further to "Glen" the Aussie in the wheelchair . He is now in Singapore & was charged $30 to be put back into a wheelchair when the flight landed in Singapore..

Ya gottal love the care of Handicapped Tourists...........

Have we really reached the point were a business wants to profit by lifting a guy into a wheelchair? Despicable behavior by all involved in this guys trip back home. He really must be feeling pretty low with the treatment he's received.

[LtCol]

Latest from Glen in Singapore......he is flying out at 10.30pm tonight.His trip started at 4 am yesterday

The good news is that the Newspapers in Australia have picked up on it , story on page 3 NT News to-day , has already been mentioned on Aussie radio & Talkback station is having Glen on as soon as he gets back & the State Minister for Health in his home terrritory has now contacted his family.

Check www.ntnews.com.au page 3 news today. Jetstar was unable to be contacted by the news services to-day. While here this has made me realise more could be done for 'Wheelies' in Patts as well. I will help as much , where & when I can.

[innovator]

The letter of the law and rule of the law do not intersect with the spirit of the law with immigration issues.

Medical cases should automatically be granted Visa extensions at the hospital, without delay or negotiation. This is part of international law.

However, the local immigrations offices in Thailand don't seem to be plugged into the laws and leave very little room for visa extensions.

So, in the end, it is up to each local office to make the Visa extension decision.

It would be much easier to head up to Bangkok and seek treatment in a hospital there and apply for the Visa extension in Bangkok. Chances for success would go up tremendously. But, in the provinces, you are at the mercy of the local staff and unfortunately, there is not much sympathy here.

Also, you could try going to Sattahip or Sriracha for a medical Visa extension. They are much more likely to grant it to you.

[cookyboy]

The letter of the law and rule of the law do not intersect with the spirit of the law with immigration issues.

Medical cases should automatically be granted Visa extensions at the hospital, without delay or negotiation. This is part of international law.

However, the local immigrations offices in Thailand don't seem to be plugged into the laws and leave very little room for visa extensions.

So, in the end, it is up to each local office to make the Visa extension decision.

It would be much easier to head up to Bangkok and seek treatment in a hospital there and apply for the Visa extension in Bangkok. Chances for success would go up tremendously. But, in the provinces, you are at the mercy of the local staff and unfortunately, there is not much sympathy here.

Also, you could try going to Sattahip or Sriracha for a medical Visa extension. They are much more likely to grant it to you.

same thing happened to me but i got the extension sorted out in bangkok for some unknown reason they seem to have a little bit more I.Q up there but i must stress only a little, maybe we should all arrange a sit down protest it seems to always get results in thailand, i hope that all is ok now and that the thai gov should be put through the grinder as with out foriegners it would come to a stand still

Edited February 28, 2009 by soundman
Fixed quote formatting.

[samgrowth]

Remins me of a blind man who went to the cinema. After the movie, he complained for a refund because he was upset that he did not manged to see a thing even though he had paid for it. I suppose it is the cinema's fault for not supplying him with the right equipment for him to be able to watch the movie.

I guess Cheap Charlie did not tell JetStar of his condition, fearing that he might have to fly Qantas instead. I do not evident that the lie about his condition, but I guess he has intentionaly left that bit out.

[LtCol]

Remins me of a blind man who went to the cinema. After the movie, he complained for a refund because he was upset that he did not manged to see a thing even though he had paid for it. I suppose it is the cinema's fault for not supplying him with the right equipment for him to be able to watch the movie.

I guess Cheap Charlie did not tell JetStar of his condition, fearing that he might have to fly Qantas instead. I do not evident that the lie about his condition, but I guess he has intentionaly left that bit out.

You are way off the mark .....................he flew to Thailand on Jetstar he was already on their computer & in fact they have since flown him , it was a return flight on the SAME Airline he flew up with & I am pleased that the Aussie Media has picked up on it & found other incidents almost identical................If you have a positive suggestion to assist Wheelchair Tourists to Pattaya let us know

[GungaDin]

LtCol

was the Jetstar guy an employee or an agent for JS?

Agents sometimes go beyond their remit.

It happened to me over excess baggage at BNE.

I asked the agent "get her Mum", she summoned the Thai employee and it was sorted.

Big loss of face for the agent.

Sometimes it hard to tell who is an employee and who is an agent for airlines at check-in.

Bad publicity for Jetstar, serves them right.

I hope Glen sues their arse off.

Thailand (govt) is not friendly for the disabled or slightly disabled. The people are, though.

[LtCol]

The letter of the law and rule of the law do not intersect with the spirit of the law with immigration issues.

Medical cases should automatically be granted Visa extensions at the hospital, without delay or negotiation. This is part of international law.

However, the local immigrations offices in Thailand don't seem to be plugged into the laws and leave very little room for visa extensions.

So, in the end, it is up to each local office to make the Visa extension decision.

It would be much easier to head up to Bangkok and seek treatment in a hospital there and apply for the Visa extension in Bangkok. Chances for success would go up tremendously. But, in the provinces, you are at the mercy of the local staff and unfortunately, there is not much sympathy here.

Also, you could try going to Sattahip or Sriracha for a medical Visa extension. They are much more likely to grant it to you.

same thing happened to me but i got the extension sorted out in bangkok for some unknown reason they seem to have a little bit more I.Q up there but i must stress only a little, maybe we should all arrange a sit down protest it seems to always get results in thailand, i hope that all is ok now and that the thai gov should be put through the grinder as with out foriegners it would come to a stand still

Had 4 days for the next attendance , we flew to Cambodia & were given a 30 day on return........Bloody lot of dough to be able to keep getting treated medically for a mistake made here in the first place....Ah well....Pattaya what can one expect...

[LtCol]

Further to my own visa/medical situation...........

When things go right it must also be recognised.

I sent a complaining letter to TAT when I had to leave & come back within a few days to continue my medical Treatment.

I have just received an e-mail assuring me if I need further to extend my visa , there will be no problem. I also have been provided with the Jomtien Immigration Commanders personal Mobile Phone number if I have a problem.

The Service cannot get any better than that..

My thanks to Urai & TAT

[PhilHarries]

Check www.ntnews.com.au page 3 news today. Jetstar was unable to be contacted by the news services to-day. While here this has made me realise more could be done for 'Wheelies' in Patts as well. I will help as much , where & when I can.

About ten years ago a friend of mine was unlucky enough to break his leg on one of Pattaya's (in)famous sidewalks and was confined to a wheelchair. So I helped him around town a fair bit and by God it made me glad I wasn't in a wheelie (as you put it). The bottom line is that if you are in Pattaya, on your own and disabled unless you are pretty dam_n fit you are well and truly bu66ered and even if you are fit you are limited to where you can go. Having said that there's no problem getting into beer bars, the girls are all too happy to help out.

As for your medical case did the hospital not have a section to deal with visa extensions? I've no experience with this requirement out in the provinces but the Bumrungrad was well set up for it.

And as for charging $30 to lift a guy into a wheelchair somebody ought to put the insensitive moron who levied that charge into a pine box.

Anyway, good to hear that someone at TAT has a brain.

[lesdunbar]

Remins me of a blind man who went to the cinema. After the movie, he complained for a refund because he was upset that he did not manged to see a thing even though he had paid for it. I suppose it is the cinema's fault for not supplying him with the right equipment for him to be able to watch the movie.

I guess Cheap Charlie did not tell JetStar of his condition, fearing that he might have to fly Qantas instead. I do not evident that the lie about his condition, but I guess he has intentionaly left that bit out.

Sagrowth your an idiot. end of story,

lesdunbar

[LtCol]

Just had an email from Glen & there has been avid interest in Australia over his treatment by Jetstar , with the State Opposition members of Parliament for Disability personally visiting him , the Newspapers giving the incident coverage about it atleast 5 times, The Federal Minister was attending a Conference on Disabilities & Health & read the Story & has issued a Federal "please Explain" & from a couple of 'Wheelies' on face book at least 900 hits from potential Wheelchair Tourists.

Now, if we can get a bit of education going here in Patts we can really make it easier for these people wanting to come here or the ones that want to returm.

Thank you to all the encouraging PMs & contacts , such as Blues Factorys Dave & several Others & Glen said the staff & Girls at the Oasis as well as a few others.

One of the 'Wheelies ' was forced to travel with the traffic on Second Road the other day , after trying to explain to the Motorcycle Cop it was unsafe he needs to see the oncoming traffic. The Cop followed him , saw he was still travelling against the traffic & forced him to cross over. Bruno finally did this & hadn't tarvelled more than 500 metres & was hit by a Taxi that did not stop & he now has an infected elbow from being clipped.

This is the 3rd time he has been 'clipped' by motor vehicles in 3 months & his mate has also been 'clipped' & knocked over twice.

Suggestions Welcome. Please , no levity or scarcasm , just reality.

Thanks in advance . I am not a 'wheelie' just have a few mates & acquaintenances that are.