Jet Ski Opperations

[womble]

A friend of mine was staying in Chaweng and the five days he was here he sat on the beach outside his resort. In the five days he saw the same jet ski operator pull the same scam 3 times!!!

The old trick where they make out the jet ski is damaged then claim money from the customer when infact no damage was caused. It's impossible that jet skis could be damaged so often, this scam has been going on for years, but I find it amazing that they have the cheek to pull the scam so frequently.

[britmaveric]

^Well they keep doing it because people keep coughing up the dosh.

[LaoPo]

A friend of mine was staying in Chaweng and the five days he was here he sat on the beach outside his resort. In the five days he saw the same jet ski operator pull the same scam 3 times!!!

The old trick where they make out the jet ski is damaged then claim money from the customer when infact no damage was caused. It's impossible that jet skis could be damaged so often, this scam has been going on for years, but I find it amazing that they have the cheek to pull the scam so frequently.

The only solution seems to be to have photos taken by someone else before anybody rents those monsters....they should be forbidden on beaches anyway.

LaoPo

[NHJ]

the jetski owners might think that the fools ready to pay 600 baht for 15 minutes may afford to pay for damages ;-)

recently 5 jetski men were caught while each of them was carrying a bag with a kilo of marijuana, they have to get money for the bail.

[carmine]

They all pull this scam. Most people i know are aware of it, but Samui's finest have no interest in looking after the tourists, so their bully tactics work. There was a video i believe on youtube showing them chasing another dissatisfied customer on Chaweng beach.

One thing that concerns me more is when i see jet skis too close to the beach, going too fast. How long before their is an accident.

[sangfroid]

They all pull this scam. Most people i know are aware of it, but Samui's finest have no interest in looking after the tourists, so their bully tactics work. There was a video i believe on youtube showing them chasing another dissatisfied customer on Chaweng beach.

One thing that concerns me more is when i see jet skis too close to the beach, going too fast. How long before their is an accident.

Even accidents are money makers for the BIB and the jetski operators. I was holidaying in Samui a few years back. While I was there two farangs on jetskis had a collision. One of them had a horrific wound to his buttock. The police charged them both with negligence. IIRC it cost each of them 40,000 baht to have the charges dropped, and they also had to pay some outlandish amount of money to the owners of the jetskis.

[britmaveric]

^Well they did crash into each other, so that would tell us they were not operating the jetski(s) safely. They paid the 40K as a get out of jail card.

Edited August 10, 2009 by britmaveric

[Mark Wolfe]

Assuming that there was no collisions in this OP's description, what exactly did the jet ski folks say was damaged? How could they explain that waves had damaged the craft, or was it something else?

[mustafa]

This scam just happened to a young Polish couple last week. They hired a jetski in Chaweng, returned it without incident, then half an hour later while they were lying on the beach the jetski guys came up and said they damaged their jetski. They showed the Poles a damaged jetski (obviously they had no idea which jetski they just used) and asked for 18000 baht in damages, 9k for actual damage and 3k a day for the 3 days that it would take to fix. The Poles refused to pay so the police were called, they were taken down to the station and the cops told them pay up or go to court in one month. They felt sick about it but eventually paid. While they were there an English guy was brought in too for the same scam.

I really want to get a bunch of guys to hire all their dam_n jetskis, whiz off around the coast and then fix some bind around the handle bars so it will go without anyone riding it, and just point them all out to sea at full blast.

[MSingh]

British Embassy supposedly involved now so says the wonderful Samui Express...

[thairaid]

A friend of mine was staying in Chaweng and the five days he was here he sat on the beach outside his resort. In the five days he saw the same jet ski operator pull the same scam 3 times!!!

The old trick where they make out the jet ski is damaged then claim money from the customer when infact no damage was caused. It's impossible that jet skis could be damaged so often, this scam has been going on for years, but I find it amazing that they have the cheek to pull the scam so frequently.

the jetskies here are one of the many "businesses" on Samui owned and operated by the mafia here...what does one expect?

[R1CH]

A friend of mine was staying in Chaweng and the five days he was here he sat on the beach outside his resort. In the five days he saw the same jet ski operator pull the same scam 3 times!!!

The old trick where they make out the jet ski is damaged then claim money from the customer when infact no damage was caused. It's impossible that jet skis could be damaged so often, this scam has been going on for years, but I find it amazing that they have the cheek to pull the scam so frequently.

the jetskies here are one of the many "businesses" on Samui owned and operated by the mafia here...what does one expect?

Please stop using the word mafia to describe these morons. The mafia are in Italy, not in Thailand.

[angiud]

Sorry to say, but mafia is everywhere in the world.

It mafia, russian mafia chinese mafia japanese mafia colombian mafia american mafia jews mafia albanian mafia etc etc etc

[maccaroni man]

any organization that conducts business in organized crime is now considered to be a mafia. hence samui taxies, samui jet skies, samui water department, samui road works, etc.......

[Mark Wolfe]

I still don't understand how anyone could agree to paying for damages after the boat has been returned unscathed, and when clearly, if a boat is shown with damage that could not have been done by normal use.

Tip: Do what you do with a motorcycle hire: take digital photos of the craft before you rent from several angles.

[Birdman]

and then ask the jet ski operators to look after the camera while you are jet skiing.

[Mark Wolfe]

...and have someone take a video of the operator taking care of the camera...

[carmine]

How anyone, when pulled up half an hour after finishing with the jetski, would pay out money for 'damages' is beyond belief to me. When you hand back a hire car you walk round the car with the owner for final checks and part company. Done deal.

That the police or a court of law would find a cause for a legitimate case against a tourist is equally beyond belief. i agree with comments earlier abouy taking video/pictures but i don't feel it's realistic to think it would cross peoples mind as something of a necessity to do here. Very sad, but true.

Still can't get my head round anyone being daft enough to part with money under these circumstances. I can only imagine that they were threatened, which will come as no suprise to most who live here

[OnTheSnap]

People pay because they're intimidated and want to avoid a situation that will cause them injury or rob them of vacation time (which, to most, is worth more than their money).

Let's say you've got three or four jet-ski guys who are threatening you physically if you don't pay them- now here comes a policeman, and, instead of assisting you, he takes their side and says, "You should pay them." What are you going to do?

As locals, most of us have someone who can help us out in this situation- who is a tourist going to call? They know nothing and no one, and the people who they look to for help (the police) are on the side of the jet-ski guys- do you want to get beaten up or surrender your passport and head to the police station in Nathon and lose a day of vacation, or do you just want the situation to be over by giving them some cash?

[carmine]

People pay because they're intimidated and want to avoid a situation that will cause them injury or rob them of vacation time (which, to most, is worth more than their money).

Let's say you've got three or four jet-ski guys who are threatening you physically if you don't pay them- now here comes a policeman, and, instead of assisting you, he takes their side and says, "You should pay them." What are you going to do?

As locals, most of us have someone who can help us out in this situation- who is a tourist going to call? They know nothing and no one, and the people who they look to for help (the police) are on the side of the jet-ski guys- do you want to get beaten up or surrender your passport and head to the police station in Nathon and lose a day of vacation, or do you just want the situation to be over by giving them some cash?

I 'll concede that's a fair point you have made, and unfortunately what a terrible inditement on this place. I for one will tell my friends when visiting, not to use them. As with our taxi pals........if people stop using them it will go a long way to improving things.

[smokie36]

I see some tourists falling off of their stationary motorbikes and wonder if its the same person on the jetski?

Now I don't swim at Chaweng as a jetski missed me by a few feet.

Afraid I lack much sympathy for their plight.

[thairaid]

A friend of mine was staying in Chaweng and the five days he was here he sat on the beach outside his resort. In the five days he saw the same jet ski operator pull the same scam 3 times!!!

The old trick where they make out the jet ski is damaged then claim money from the customer when infact no damage was caused. It's impossible that jet skis could be damaged so often, this scam has been going on for years, but I find it amazing that they have the cheek to pull the scam so frequently.

the jetskies here are one of the many "businesses" on Samui owned and operated by the mafia here...what does one expect?

Please stop using the word mafia to describe these morons. The mafia are in Italy, not in Thailand.

and those to whom you limit your definition of "mafia" to are NOT morons??? ...

[Samuian]

I still don't understand how anyone could agree to paying for damages after the boat has been returned unscathed, and when clearly, if a boat is shown with damage that could not have been done by normal use.

Tip: Do what you do with a motorcycle hire: take digital photos of the craft before you rent from several angles.

Agreed DIGITAL Photos taken BEFORE including date and time is a good chance NOT to get scammed!

The best and safest is NOT to RENT these water jetskies in the first place if they would be boycotted ther would be

a steep learning curve- but since they get away with it again and again...well?

Same, same applies by chance for ANY rented vehicle!

Has been a neat side income for many since long!

[Mark Wolfe]

How anyone, when pulled up half an hour after finishing with the jetski, would pay out money for 'damages' is beyond belief to me. ...

That the police or a court of law would find a cause for a legitimate case against a tourist is equally beyond belief.

Agree very much, but you and I must be more seasoned travelers or expats. If something is absolutely without a doubt a scam, I always hold my ground, firmly and without fanfare. Eventually, when they see that you are not a rube and aren't going to capitulate, someone usually backs down (sideways) and the storm passes. Keeping a level head is really key with this strategy and appealing to higher authority (and the waiting game).

I also agree that most people who are vacationing don't want the hassle of dealing with a strange situation is a strange and "lawless" land. Things might change some if people thought that standing up for their rights and not being taken advantage of is better than allowing themselves to be sucker-punched in the wallet so they can get back to spending more time laying in the sun encouraging melanoma.

[R1CH]

A friend of mine was staying in Chaweng and the five days he was here he sat on the beach outside his resort. In the five days he saw the same jet ski operator pull the same scam 3 times!!!

The old trick where they make out the jet ski is damaged then claim money from the customer when infact no damage was caused. It's impossible that jet skis could be damaged so often, this scam has been going on for years, but I find it amazing that they have the cheek to pull the scam so frequently.

the jetskies here are one of the many "businesses" on Samui owned and operated by the mafia here...what does one expect?

Please stop using the word mafia to describe these morons. The mafia are in Italy, not in Thailand.

and those to whom you limit your definition of "mafia" to are NOT morons??? ...

Compared to Thais? No.

[R1CH]

Sorry to say, but mafia is everywhere in the world.

It mafia, russian mafia chinese mafia japanese mafia colombian mafia american mafia jews mafia albanian mafia etc etc etc

Only in your mind.

Example: Japanese mafia? No such bloody thing, they're called yakuza. If you can't be bothered to differentiate between groups properly then maybe it's best that you stick to more simple subjects eh?

Mafia is not a cover-all term for organised crime worldwide. Thai bad boys like to use it here because it inspires fear, if you want to play that game then more fool you.

[LaoPo]

I still don't understand how anyone could agree to paying for damages after the boat has been returned unscathed, and when clearly, if a boat is shown with damage that could not have been done by normal use.

Tip: Do what you do with a motorcycle hire: take digital photos of the craft before you rent from several angles.

Agreed DIGITAL Photos taken BEFORE including date and time is a good chance NOT to get scammed!

That's what I suggested earlier.

We should open a new topic for tourists:

WARNING!

ALWAYS take digital photos if you rent a motorbike - car or jetski BEFORE you leave the premises.

IMO the best thing anyone could do is ask the enterprise who rents those transport vehicles ( ) if you can take photos -preferably with him/her NEXT to the item you rent!!!!-

If you return the same he/she will definitely remember you were the one, taking photos and will drop the idea of accusing you of damaging the bike/car/jetski.

LaoPo

[R1CH]

Believe it or not.. I'm trying to do you a favour.