Big Trouble In Tourist Thailand

[Lancelot]

Here is an interesting story on Phuket ski jets that I found on http://phuketwan.com/tourism/china-visitor...000-baht-11518/

But in this case, the tourist was a Chinese visitor who was unwilling to meet the extortionate demand, made just last week...

Reluctant to be ripped off, the visitor called China's honorary consul for the region, who operates from Songkla province....

The honorary consul made two phone calls: the first one to the Superintendent of Kathu Police Station, Police Colonel Grissak Songmoonnark, who oversees Patong....

Seems like the Chinese have some pull here in Thailand

Sorry Lancelot if I select some paras from your post...

The Chinese have pull simply because their honorary consul is willing to get his hands dirty and intervene on behalf of his countrymen. Gee, I wonder what would happen if the rest of us called our respective embassies whenever we find ourselves in similar trouble?

Hey D, be my guest, quote all you want.

Yes, I agree that the Chinese council had tha balls to stick up fpr one of his citizens. Good for him!

As an American I feel that the US Government could give a rats ass about any of its citizens that are abused abroad. Yes, if we travel abroad then we must obey the laws of sovereign nations; however, I'd love for the US State Department to quietly inform their Thai counterparts: You allow our military personnel to be scammed like this? Fine, our troops will R&R elsewhere.

I think the US is so absorbed with terrorist BS -supposedly Thailand is big anti terrorist ally- that they would ignore any outrageous acts against US citizens. Oh sure, some minor US official might make a token complaint, but any real action probably isn't gonna happen. At least the chinese council understands his job and stood up for one of his citizens in distress. Even the British Marine (sorry, forget his rank) asked JJ if "You want me to see that you get no business?" (And JJ told him F*** You!) but at least he said it. Our Marine leader asked for a receipt and the marine renting the boat was wai-ing JJ like crazy. Sad man.

Moral of the story is that if you want a minimum of diplomatic protection when abroad, you might want to look into chinese citizenship.

Its not Amazing Thailand, its Amazing Foreigners that fall for these scams and keep returning mor more mistreatment while their respective governments roll over and play dead.

[losworld]

People keep mentioning that the producer is getting (or will be getting) rich from this show, can anyone prove this? What kind of figures are we talking about? $10k?

Are you kidding? Likely hundreds of thousands of dollars in profit if a good viewership.

Actually this is realistic. I know a producer who works for a couple brits with a successful show on a minor cable company in the United States and they are receiving around 300K per episode with a full slate of shows every year. Now this is not a running series and the market is not so big but let's say they wind up with 50k per episode. 8 x 50 would be 400k. Absolute minimum would likely be around 25k per episode with Bravo picking up editing expenses, etc. Now add syndication to other countries if picked up and profits go up. They probably spent months planning, months shooting and months in post. They have equipment and learned experience as well as producer credits. Do you think they work for much less?

Edited September 15, 2009 by losworld

[weka]

a possible Thai perspective:

Seems that both the US soldier and the Brit soldier actually did have a crash or a ding with the jetskis. Never in the clips does it infer that no contact or incident was made. Apart from the ease in getting his way thanks to little or no intervention by the police, is not JJ just asking for payment as per the signed contract?

Isn't it all just a horrible example of caveat emptor?

Sure the rifle thing was pathetic but if I understand things, the Brit had already agreed to pay and and admitted culpability. The rifle and aggro seemed to be in response to the Brit trying to reneague on what he'd offered

Apart from a heated and high and mighty demeanour from JJ, and a ridiculous overpricing (which isn't illegal) for repairs, where's the diplomatic incident?

Totally different story if no collision or incident occurred but there is no evidence suggesting the jetski hire was incident free.

What do people who call for justice actually want?

No, I'm not Thai

Edited September 15, 2009 by weka

[DonJuanDemarco]

These types of drunken Marines types they should have put up against JJ and his crew, not the tea drinking scaredy cats British Lady Marines.

[DonJuanDemarco]

People keep mentioning that the producer is getting (or will be getting) rich from this show, can anyone prove this? What kind of figures are we talking about? $10k?

Of course nobody can prove it.

Hard to prove how much the producers of Survivor or Biggest Loser got as well.

But if the series is being sold to other countries, it is fair to believe they will make money, isnt it?

As the prize money in Survivor is $1M it's fair to assume that they're making a good deal more than that. Having said that, this series is not likely to gain anywhere near the international viewing figures of Survivor, though no doubt the production company will do quite nicely out of it.

lol, Survivor has probably made > than 500 million USD.

[CrossBones]

Big Trouble in Thailand Episode 2

Part 1

part 2

part 3

There must be a part 4 for it but i cant find it on youtube

[DonJuanDemarco]

Howard really does look tough in that uniform.

"The driver tee-nai?"

"Oh he pissed on that"

Howard is really good at Thai language... I love how he explains what happened to the camera after he figures it out. He can't even say driver in Thai and is the head tourist police stomping around? LOL?

Edited September 15, 2009 by DonJuanDemarco

[mrtoad]

Howard really does look tough in that uniform.

Personally, I think that uniform looks quite ludicrous, and is exactly the wrong type of uniform to have considering the job that he is meant to be doing. However, I will say that from what I have seen of the volunteers, most of them seem to be doing a decent enough job -rather them than me, that's for sure.

[Donnyboy]

Howard really does look tough in that uniform.

"The driver tee-nai?"

"Oh he pissed on that"

Howard is really good at Thai language... I love how he explains what happened to the camera after he figures it out. He can't even say driver in Thai and is the head tourist police stomping around? LOL?

what was that guy in the England shirt thinking? Plonker

[Donnyboy]

Howard really does look tough in that uniform.

Personally, I think that uniform looks quite ludicrous, and is exactly the wrong type of uniform to have considering the job that he is meant to be doing. However, I will say that from what I have seen of the volunteers, most of them seem to be doing a decent enough job -rather them than me, that's for sure.

i disagree, they look like security/police uniforms to me and fits their needs.

and i wouldnt want to do their job either.

[caf]

Reported elsewhere

A Swiss couple were reported to have fled Koh Samui yesterday after telling local Embassy officials that they that the couple had been threatened with a beating and rape if they failed to pay 65,000 baht (200 Swiss francs).

A source close to the Swiss Embassy said the couple were escorted to the airport by a consular representative and safely boarded a 3pm flight from Koh Samui to Bangkok after the threats by an operator on Chaweng Beach. “The woman was visibly shaking in the departure area.”

Officially the Swiss Embassy Consular department said they could not comment on individal cases and would neither confirm or deny the report. The couple could not be contacted to verify the report.

According to one Consular source, from data gathered together by foreign consular representatives between December and April this year there were in the region of 150 cases of tourists having to pay for damaged jet skis on Koh Samui, approximately one a day.

The congtroversial documentary series ’Big Trouble in Thailand’ is expected to highlight a jet ski problem in Chaweng in a later series.

[Orac]

Maybe I am getting too used to Thailand but I found the second episode rather tame and have seen worse on a typical night out in England.

[Travel2003]

People keep mentioning that the producer is getting (or will be getting) rich from this show, can anyone prove this? What kind of figures are we talking about? $10k?

Of course nobody can prove it.

Hard to prove how much the producers of Survivor or Biggest Loser got as well.

But if the series is being sold to other countries, it is fair to believe they will make money, isnt it?

As the prize money in Survivor is $1M it's fair to assume that they're making a good deal more than that. Having said that, this series is not likely to gain anywhere near the international viewing figures of Survivor, though no doubt the production company will do quite nicely out of it.

lol, Survivor has probably made > than 500 million USD.

I believe you.

And why is that?

Because it is a popular series, which also has been sold to other networks.

[Travel2003]

Just saw it on the Thai news a few minutes ago, where they show clips, and make comments, and let this JJ person talk.

I didnt understand it all, but according to my wife the gun was for his own protection.

Furthermore, JJ could not see all the hazzle, as this was already several months ago.

[harrycallahan]

a possible Thai perspective:

Seems that both the US soldier and the Brit soldier actually did have a crash or a ding with the jetskis. Never in the clips does it infer that no contact or incident was made. Apart from the ease in getting his way thanks to little or no intervention by the police, is not JJ just asking for payment as per the signed contract?

Isn't it all just a horrible example of caveat emptor?

Sure the rifle thing was pathetic but if I understand things, the Brit had already agreed to pay and and admitted culpability. The rifle and aggro seemed to be in response to the Brit trying to reneague on what he'd offered

Apart from a heated and high and mighty demeanour from JJ, and a ridiculous overpricing (which isn't illegal) for repairs, where's the diplomatic incident?

Totally different story if no collision or incident occurred but there is no evidence suggesting the jetski hire was incident free.

What do people who call for justice actually want?

No, I'm not Thai

Ridiculous overpricing isn't a small issue and that's where much of the problem is. A responsible operator would realise that they are incurring a risk in their chosen business and be willing to account for it. Bailing people up with guns or lesser forms of coertion shouldn't be considering a normal part of doing business, perhaps if you're a loan shark, but not with tourists that come to the Land Of Smiles to enjoy themselves. These people are all smiles and encouraging when you walk along the beach and no doubt consider the contract a formality (do they always have them? I don't hire jetskis).

How about this. Say you expect every 1 in 20 jetski hires to result in damage, and on average damage will cost 5000 baht to repair. I consider this generous, these people aren't paying falung rates, they're paying developing world rates for a fibre glass patch up. 5000 / 20 is 250 baht, so factor in that for each hire you need 250 baht to cover. Consider that an insurance fee, you can write it down as such or just hide it in the total fee. Isn't that better than pointing guns at people? No the problem here is that it's not allowing them to extort massive sums from tourists, for them and the police, and it makes the initial offer less attractive because it's pre-factored.

[harleyclarkey]

A lot of the problem is the underworked, overpaid lazy indifferent officials behind desks in the embassies in Thailand.

If they did their job and don't look upon the posting as a paid vacation they would have the guts to take a stand and row in behind their citizen...the very person who pays for and keeps them.

The Chinese had the balls to do just this and got a result. Do you think that fat cat at the top on Phuket would want any more calls from the consul, or any other one? Hardly, as this means loss of face for the indifferent creep. He has chosen to do absolutely nothing so far until the dung hit the fan with the screening.

I know the Irish do wade in behind their citizens and do a good job. This is one good way to have an effect. The Thais worry about their international image and will take note.

[harleyclarkey]

a possible Thai perspective:

Seems that both the US soldier and the Brit soldier actually did have a crash or a ding with the jetskis. Never in the clips does it infer that no contact or incident was made. Apart from the ease in getting his way thanks to little or no intervention by the police, is not JJ just asking for payment as per the signed contract?

Apart from a heated and high and mighty demeanour from JJ, and a ridiculous overpricing (which isn't illegal) for repairs, where's the diplomatic incident?

Totally different story if no collision or incident occurred but there is no evidence suggesting the jetski hire was incident free.

What do people who call for justice actually want?

Not correct. There was damage to the jet ski and it was already discoloured and clearly therefore an old incident. This was shown on camera.

Overpricing is illegal where the cost is so great as to be fraud. Here it is fraud and a con. The gutter fodder JJ wanted 70k (??) to start and eventually settled on 35-40k. The repair will cost about 2-3k.

[mark131v]

These types of drunken Marines types they should have put up against JJ and his crew, not the tea drinking scaredy cats British Lady Marines.

Bloody hel_l, you not shit yourself to death yet?

you sound somewhat delerious to me, cant make any sense of the above

the tea drinking lady marines if i recall correctly where not actively trying to give JJ a BJ unlike those tough american boys but hey at least they got a receipt with their bill

laters Nobber

[moskito]

These types of drunken Marines types they should have put up against JJ and his crew, not the tea drinking scaredy cats British Lady Marines.

be happy I am not a moderator in this forum here. You are so f...g obsessed with the USmarines its unbelivable rediculous....

[DonJuanDemarco]

These types of drunken Marines types they should have put up against JJ and his crew, not the tea drinking scaredy cats British Lady Marines.

be happy I am not a moderator in this forum here. You are so f...g obsessed with the USmarines its unbelivable rediculous....

you are a good speller. anyways, it was just a joke.

[moskito]

These types of drunken Marines types they should have put up against JJ and his crew, not the tea drinking scaredy cats British Lady Marines.

be happy I am not a moderator in this forum here. You are so f...g obsessed with the USmarines its unbelivable rediculous....

you are a good speller. anyways, it was just a joke.

thx for the compliment, how are your skills in other languages`?

just watched the third part, Tim Gardner, one of the Tourists Police guys look like Tom Hanks.....are they doing a bigger undercover MOVIE already?

[simon43]

...Tim Gardner, one of the Tourists Police guys...

Minor comment, Tim Gardner does not work for the Tourist Police. He is the person in charge of the foreign volunteers of the Immigration Police group in Phuket

Simon

Edited September 15, 2009 by simon43

[LivinLOS]

Problem here is that many believe or want to believe the jet ski incident is real.

Many of us down in Patong know JJ.. It was real..

100%..

[LivinLOS]

Lots of fighting and the aftermath. A lady boy in Pattaya had a go at a soldier by smashing a bottle over his head. A military policeman and a tourist police volunteer intervened and had her arrested. Off to the nick smiling and sticking her tongue out.

That was Bangla Rd Phuket.

Interesting. Remember here on TV the post about the father and son "team" caught scamming the ATM's? The son has been in jail for 18 months now and could face 36 years! He was on from the jail claiming he was on his bike and knew and had nothing to do with the fraud. The street cameras do show him on the bike but waiting for his father, who is now in another jail with no personal contact at all with the son.

Seem to remember the son got some minor charge and was released with time served and deported back to UK.. Old man got a proper sentence.

[phuketrex]

...Tim Gardner, one of the Tourists Police guys...

Minor comment, Tim Gardner does not work for the Tourist Police. He is the person in charge of the foreign volunteers of the Immigration Police group in Phuket

Simon

But when he was filmed in Bangla that night he clearly wasn't doing Immigration work he was doing the exact same thing the Tourist Police Volunteers do so why even try to make out they are something different?

[phuketrex]

Episode 2 complete>>>

[simon43]

PhuketRex, good point, why don't you ask him?

Simon

[moskito]

...Tim Gardner, one of the Tourists Police guys...

Minor comment, Tim Gardner does not work for the Tourist Police. He is the person in charge of the foreign volunteers of the Immigration Police group in Phuket

Simon

ok Simon, dont meant to offend anybody....and btw. Tom Hanks made some crap movies, but all in all he is not sooo ugly

[harleyclarkey]

Lots of fighting and the aftermath. A lady boy in Pattaya had a go at a soldier by smashing a bottle over his head. A military policeman and a tourist police volunteer intervened and had her arrested. Off to the nick smiling and sticking her tongue out.

That was Bangla Rd Phuket.

Interesting. Remember here on TV the post about the father and son "team" caught scamming the ATM's? The son has been in jail for 18 months now and could face 36 years! He was on from the jail claiming he was on his bike and knew and had nothing to do with the fraud. The street cameras do show him on the bike but waiting for his father, who is now in another jail with no personal contact at all with the son.

Seem to remember the son got some minor charge and was released with time served and deported back to UK.. Old man got a proper sentence.

Thank LOS....shows how seldom I have been to Bangla rd. and my pad is in Phuket.!!

The son is now in jail as we chat and the Dad banged up in another prison somewhere. Son said he was expecting court appearance "in a month"...from filming I suppose. So seems he is still in jail in Thailand. (???)

[hm1973]

I found episode 2 a bit boring I'm afraid to say. However, I have just seen Episode 3 which is due to go out next Monday (assuming the program isn't canned due to "international pressure"). Very dramatic, a complete change of pace and a good watch in my opinion.