Phuket Acts To Clean Up Jet-ski Woes

[capt_canada42]

Notice to all foreigners planning a Thailand Holiday.

Why take chances. Protect yourself...

come to Chiang Mai...... not a jet ski in sight...

Yah lets all choke to death from pollution instead in Choke Mai !

Edited September 18, 2009 by capt_canada42

[ScubaBuddha]

Wow, I am surprised! Some common sense at last!! And as we all know, if the Vice Governor says it's a go, it's a go.

Phuket jet-skis: agreement reached on insurance scheme

The insurance scheme is hoped to put an end to Phuket's well-known 'jet-ski scam'.

PATONG, PHUKET: Phuket jet-ski operators will have to get accident insurance for their vehicles or cease doing business on Phuket's beaches, it was agreed at the key 'jet-ski summit' in Patong today.

<snip>

Source?

Link back?

http://www.phuketgazette.net/news/index.as...4&display=1

[Ga-gai]

Wow, I am surprised! Some common sense at last!! And as we all know, if the Vice Governor says it's a go, it's a go.

Phuket jet-skis: agreement reached on insurance scheme

.

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President of Phuket Jet-ski Association Anusorn Sahreh agreed insurance for jet-skis would be a good thing “in an ideal world”, but said in the current economic climate, his members just couldn’t afford it.

.

.

How can Mr. "Anushole Sahreh" talk about a perfect world? What kind of idiots think they can run a rental service without insurance? Accidents do always occur. Either they sign up for an insurance contract, or they leave / are forbidden to make business. The authorities should already long ago demanded the rental services of every kind, especially at tourist areas, be forced to have insurance coverage.

[yabaaaa]

Typical knee-jerk thai reaction to anything which comes even close to the truth.

Also in another pic it is easy to see there is a LOT of 'brass' (high up officials) in the room with the gun which was reported to now be only a 'bb-gun'. (Strange in the show JJ said, "the bullet is this long"). The last I heard JJ was still under arrest.

I hope they keep posting the videos on YouTube, as episode 2 is already out on there. It’s certainly entertaining, in a mindless sort of way.

Nah they'll just ban You Tube again, T********rs

[yabaaaa]

Wow, I am surprised! Some common sense at last!! And as we all know, if the Vice Governor says it's a go, it's a go.

Phuket jet-skis: agreement reached on insurance scheme

The insurance scheme is hoped to put an end to Phuket's well-known 'jet-ski scam'.

PATONG, PHUKET: Phuket jet-ski operators will have to get accident insurance for their vehicles or cease doing business on Phuket's beaches, it was agreed at the key ‘jet-ski summit’ in Patong today.

Inside the packed meeting hall at Patong Municipality today were Vice Governor Smith Palawatvichai, Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pekad Tantipong, Kathu Police Superintendent Grissak Songmoonnark, Deputy Mayor of Patong Chairat Sukhabaan, Director of Phuket Provincial Insurance Office Suwimon Saelim, and around 50 jet-ski operators – including the island’s now infamous Winai ‘JJ’ Naiman.

Police chief Maj Gen Pekad said three US Navy representatives had met with him recently in advance of the arrival in Phuket of around 4,000 sailors on three US warships next week.

“They said they have forbidden their men from hiring jet-skis,” he said.

“I told them not to worry because I guarantee from now on there will be no more scams or problems involving jet-skis in Phuket,” he said.

He told the assembled jet-ski operators they had to sign up to the insurance scheme – “without making a fuss”.

President of Phuket Jet-ski Association Anusorn Sahreh agreed insurance for jet-skis would be a good thing “in an ideal world”, but said in the current economic climate, his members just couldn’t afford it.

“We only work six months a year. We’re not all rich,” he said.

Mr Anusorn said his preferred solution to the problem was for every jet-ski outfit in Phuket to agree to use the same rental contract.

While disputes with tourists were common in Patong, they were quite rare in other parts of the island such as Bang Tao, he said.

Nevertheless Vice Gov Smith, who chaired the meeting, said the insurance scheme would have to go ahead.

One insurance company has already said it is willing to insure jet-skis.

Danai Rojjintavej, manager of the Phuket branch of Bangkok Insurance, told the meeting his company would be glad to provide the service, “but we’ll need to see the operators’ rental contracts first.”

Jet-ski operators and insurance companies will now meet on September 23 to exchange information and settle insurance costs.

A source in the governor’s office told the Gazette that operators would have to insure their jet-skis within one month of that meeting or stop doing business.

– Kitima Pornmongkhonwat

Great now they have insurance I suggest a Thai Visa meet up in Phuket and a "Dodgem Car" style Jetski day out free for all to see how well their cover is working, points deducted for anyone not involved in at least partial destruction of their chosen jet ski with a total wipeout of machine scoring 100%. wahoooooooooooooooo

[loong]

From what I have read, I am led to believe that the filmclip in question was made by a Thai film production company. The Thai film company own the copyright and sold certain rights to a foreign production company.

Right or wrong?

Black Sheep productions doesnt sound very Thai to me ?? You ??

Please read the very first post that started this thread...

PHUKET: -- A Thai video production company involved in the filming of alleged extortion of foreigners by a Phuket jet ski operator is to be prosecuted for sending the recordings abroad for broadcasting without permission.

Wanasiri Morakul, director of the Thailand Film Office which comes under the Tourism and Sports Ministry, yesterday said police had traced the tapes to a company called Black Sheep Productions.

She said the managers of the company, which had produced the Big Trouble In Thailand series for Bravo All News station in England, admitted to holding the copyright for the recordings.

More here http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2404...ces-prosecution

[HYENA]

Yet another attempt by the Thai authorities to make themselves look like nincompoops to the rest of the world.

never mind about the alleged crimes - lets go off on a red herring legal technicality.

they don't look like nincompoops, they are.

a very reactionary govt with no foresight and no intuition into what's better for the people, what the right thing to do is, etc.

In a country where cash is paid directly to any government official from the bottom police all the way up, one can never expect any real legitimacy or sound decision making capacity anywhere. Expect to see like insane decisions that make no sense to us but make sense to someone's pocket. Personal gain is the game...screw everyone else!

[farangmal]

Yet another attempt by the Thai authorities to make themselves look like nincompoops to the rest of the world.

never mind about the alleged crimes - lets go off on a red herring legal technicality.

they don't look like nincompoops, they are.

a very reactionary govt with no foresight and no intuition into what's better for the people, what the right thing to do is, etc.

In a country where cash is paid directly to any government official from the bottom police all the way up, one can never expect any real legitimacy or sound decision making capacity anywhere. Expect to see like insane decisions that make no sense to us but make sense to someone's pocket. Personal gain is the game...screw everyone else!

Yes but the actions super hot down Soi 6 these days. What's a scam or two lads.

[DWALDO]

There has been a dramatic decline in Thailand as tourist destination over the last decade. This should be undeniable to any but the most blinkered Thailand lovers. There has been a lot said on here about the scams, whether the show was staged or not ,Thailand now has a very poor reputation which is well deserved.

Before the recession many of the regular Thai visitors had already deserted the country and moved to other places that treat them much better. with less money around, the increased expense to get there and the loss of so much that attracted a certain sort of visitor in the first place Thailand is on the cusp of total tourist disaster. Many of us who were prepared to travel for a long time to enjoy a unique and friendly country do not recognise this Thailand.

I will be back in a week for the twentieth time in twenty eight years to try and sort out a visa to bring my stepson to the UK and I hope there will not be a reason for me to return again.

Hundreds of people have probably visited Thailand on my recommendation but I have not recommended a visit to anyone for a few years now. Whether things are as bad I feel it is or not, there are many people like me who do not want to return. Thailand time as a top tourist destination is over probably never to return and it's a self inflicted wound, I suppose greed just got too powerful, all the things that attracted me to Thailand in the eighties have gone.

This is a sweeping statement but I honestly feel Thailand as a tourist destination is finished, it won't be saved by a few people on here who say it's OK the peddlers of doom are mistaken. It's finished because the tourists, that in recent years who came in their droves are going elsewhere. Those people had heard so many good reports and could have an exotic holiday for the same price as going to Spain. There are only bad stories coming out of Thailand and regardless of the truth surrounding the JJ incidence most of the others are true.

[Trouble]

Well, it looks like the government in Phuket has indeed taken action. All this resulting from a film showing the jet ski rip-off. Whether staged, partly staged, or not staged, it evidently made an impact. 4,000 US military coming to town NOT renting jet skis, tourists on the alert. Got to kill business a great deal. In the end it is all so easy when people take action. I suppose the jet ski operators will have to charge more to cover costs of insurance and for loss of income on the rip offs but then they need to make a living. Why didn't they just think of charging more anyway if they needed more money. They all charge identical prices for the most part anyway. Not doubt in my mind that the jet ski operators knew very well of whom they could take advantage and did their best to extract money from them.

Hopefully there will be enough international press coverage about trying to prosecuting the film company that too will stop. I am looking forward to more from the series "Trouble in Thailand" and maybe some other things will get fixed one at a time.

[schvonsky1]

These documentaries are just a hyped up mainly excauated load of nonsense.

Take a look on Utube at the uncut interviews and scenes. It`s obvious that most of it is semi staged, plus the bar fights and street yob sagas, you’ll find these in any British towns after the pub and club animal chunking out times. Also the story about the young girl facing drug charges and her loser boyfriend. I was hoping she would have gone down for a least a year as an example to those who think Thailand is a soft touch.

That JJ who during an interview admitted that he is not a full Thai, but half Dutch, is wallowing in all the fame and is always guaranteed to put on a good show in front of the cameras.

It`s all done for gaining high viewer ratings, profit and entertainment at the expense of the Thais, damaging the already badly hit tourist industries and Thailand’s image around the world.

I am sure that for the Thais and the ex-pats that helped create and produce this rubbish are looking at a very grim future career wise in Thailand and perhaps even deportation for the Farang police who participated in this without official approval.

Apart from the jet-ski incident (lets leave it to the side for now), what in the episode did you not truly agree with was shown as correct as any other episode of cops etc?

well you gotta be joking about them shitty tourist volunteer police especially baldy who want his lights punching out he questions people who have been badly cut and could concussion he needs to get them to hospital first then ask also get cctv frm them bars or is he afraid of thev real truth and the marine should of stood his ground and told him to suck his c***k and walked away or called so called helpful tourist police but thai not the plastic muppets that do that job just to keep in with the police and get ther visa's taken care of

I saw nothing wrong with the farang police voluntary. And the girl with the drugs etc...overall the show portrayed the tourists in a bad light, kinda like how cops portray the poor in a bad light, since they do most of the bad things.

[moskito]

The Thai television company responsible for producing the Big Trouble in Tourist Thailand series, which featured footage of an alleged jet-ski scam on Phuket, is to be prosecuted, the Bangkok Post reported today.

The managers of Black Sheep Productions, which produced the show, could face 12 months in jail and fines of up to a million baht, the report said.

I cant help myself, but I am not feeling very well here anymore guess its time to pack and relocate to a humanely country where justice is for EVERYBODY, not only for the upperclass. FREE PRESS ?

like I said before, EVERYBODY who is living here OR visiting Thailand as a tourist is always with one foot in jail.........I only wonder about the ignorance of the so called INTERNATIONAL PRESS, its a shame

[G54]

Well, so much for this Prime Minister being 'Educated'. He seems to have so little idea of what to do. At the end of the day he is at the helm of this country and if he had any backbone he would be standing up against this sort of scam and the prospect of the media being harried and threatened in this way.

Prosecute the media for highlighting a problem? Way to go Mr Prime Minister.

[losworld]

I think this is good news.

The jet ski incident was obviously a set up. Yes JJ seemed to be "typecast" and I have no doubt hes ripped people off with Jet Skis many times but this was clearly exaggerated.

I hate these bottom feeding producers, go back to ibiza and film some more kids on 18/30 holidays.

This documentary just exaggerates the bad behavior of foreigners and wouldn't do us any favors at all in the long run.

On the other hand, I wonder how Bravo are going to react... they didnt complete some of the episodes so I wonder what they will do??

They will likely air it because the only thing worse than bottom feeding producers are bottom feeding networks. However, don't look for a continuing series to be shot anywhere in Thailand soon. Wouldn't surprise me to see a "uncut" version at some time to further milk the dumbed down masses.

[taxin]

***flame deleted***

Edited September 18, 2009 by cdnvic

[LaoPo]

4,000 US military coming to town NOT renting jet skis, tourists on the alert. Got to kill business a great deal.

It's even a bit different than 4,000 US "sailors"; in fact they will R & R for 5 days and that makes 20,000 strong young guys NOT spending a single Baht on renting Jet Skis during those 5 days.

Imagine the frustration of those jet ski guys, trying to lure those American giants, walking along the beaches and having fun at night.......and....NOBODY rents a single jet ski....

THAT alone must have an enormous impact on the scamming jet ski guys.

It certainly will make them think; if they can.

The result of the video, shot with this chap JJ has a more dramatic impact on Phuket (and Thailand's) tourism than anything else before; on top of that, those 4,000 sailors will meet a lot of other tourists on the island from many different countries and....they talk to each other.

The sailors will tell the tourists they have been instructed NOT to rent any jet skis but also, MORE IMPORTANT, they will tell the tourists WHY; don't forget that most tourists, just landed, don't even know what's going on. Most of them will also refrain from renting jet skis now!

I've never seen something in Thailand which will have a larger impact on a tourism related business in such a short notice (scam related of course).

It will be an interesting week on Phuket

LaoPo

Edited September 18, 2009 by LaoPo

[losworld]

***flame deleted***

Bingo... as much as I find many on this board to be quite well informed and not susceptible to being manipulated I have never seen so many TV members suckered at one time... hopefully its simply a bunch of pumpers associated with the show and reason will once again return to Thai Visa.

[Kf6vci]

These documentaries are just a hyped up mainly excauated load of nonsense. Huh? Oh, apologies Your Highness! This story is 100% fictional, no such scam ever went down!

Take a look on Utube at the uncut interviews and scenes. It`s obvious that most of it is semi staged, plus the bar fights and street yob sagas, you’ll find these in any British towns after the pub and club animal chunking out times. Also the story about the young girl facing drug charges and her loser boyfriend. I was hoping she would have gone down for a least a year as an example to those who think Thailand is a soft touch.

That JJ who during an interview admitted that he is not a full Thai, but half Dutch, is wallowing in all the fame and is always guaranteed to put on a good show in front of the cameras.

It`s all done for gaining high viewer ratings, profit and entertainment at the expense of the Thais, damaging the already badly hit tourist industries and Thailand’s image around the world.

I am sure that for the Thais and the ex-pats that helped create and produce this rubbish are looking at a very grim future career wise in Thailand and perhaps even deportation for the Farang police who participated in this without official approval. The last paragraph makes me wonder. Are you advocating that Thailand look to North Korea for guidance? "Official approval" is needed over there for villagers to leave their village bare foot. Please elaborate.

We seem to need more officials to approve things. Things like importing motorcycles are way too easy and straightforward over here. Just a day or two and a low tax on new foreign bikes of only 213% and off they go. Time to clamp down and require "official approval" including fingerprinting and compulsory DNA testing for anyone wanting to buy a SIM card. In Germany, one has to submit a copy of the passport etc. etc.

Yeah, that's the answer, much more "official approval". Hey, Thailand could and should adopt Australia's system and anyone wanting to enter pay THB 500 for submitting travel and passport details online in advance...

Edited September 18, 2009 by Kf6vci

[chiangdan]

Notice to all foreigners planning a Thailand Holiday.

Why take chances. Protect yourself...

come to Chiang Mai...... not a jet ski in sight...

No don't come to chiangmai we don't want all you tourists up here spoiling our beatiful part of Thailand. Don't have the problems that they have in all the major tourist areas can live peacefully here. If all the tourists pour in then it will ruin the place and become another shit hole like Pattaya full of bars and prostitutes and scammers.

No prostitutes in Chaing Mai?!

Yes there are prositutes in Chiangmai but they are not in your face like Pattaya. If you want them then you have to look for them very few compared to Pattaya. THE SCAMS AREN'T AS RAMPANT EITHER yes you will get scammed at the night markets and tourist parks where they have dual pricing. Chiangmai is a much nicer and safer place for tourists but I am sure that as the tourists increase in number in the north the thais will see an oppertunity.

I would like to see a documentary produced on all the dual pricing that goes on this would have to be the biggest scam of all.

[GungaDin]

***flame deleted***

Bingo... as much as I find many on this board to be quite well informed and not susceptible to being manipulated I have never seen ... hopefully its simply a bunch of pumpers associated with the show and reason will once again return to Thai Visa.

As you seem to have great insight.

Please list those of us who have been suckered and some proof please.

If I see the word "staged", again, your cred goes down the dunny again....... not that you had much to start with!

[Kf6vci]

They could adopt a scheme like the car rental companies. Every existing issue must be indicated on a form

The insurance would be strictly limited as CDW of the jet ski. Additional 3rd party insurance would be a different matter.

One guy gets shafted - and he will tell 100 others about it who will spread the warning. The honest operators should come down on the rogue traders and fly by night operators, as they are hurting every body's business!

Surely, the SAME issue will be used over and over again by these con artists? Yellow jet ski, hull damage, never getting "repaired" and the owner never proving it actually cost "THB 35,000" to repair?

Poor cops, they cannot do a thing.

[GungaDin]

The headline for this topic reads, "Jet Ski Scam Hits The World Press"!

Has anyone seen or have a link to reports of this scam being reported in the "World Press"?

[losworld]

d

Edited September 18, 2009 by losworld

[losworld]

***flame deleted***

Bingo... as much as I find many on this board to be quite well informed and not susceptible to being manipulated I have never seen ... hopefully its simply a bunch of pumpers associated with the show and reason will once again return to Thai Visa.

As you seem to have great insight.

Please list those of us who have been suckered and some proof please.

If I see the word "staged", again, your cred goes down the dunny again....... not that you had much to start with!

I see you have emerged from your cave.

PT Barnum would have loved you as a customer...

[Serpico]

This is a typical Thai response.. blame the messenger. Try to hide the facts.

In a country as corrupt as Thailand, they don't consider it 'shooting the messenger'.

They consider it snitching. Just about everybody's involved in some sort of fraud.

The place is corrupt to the core.

[Phatcharanan]

wow, and do they think it will do them more good for tourism than harm by sending the production company to jail? How about using that energy and the courts to I don't know maybe arrest the scammers, put a stop to the tuk-tuk crap, arrest any cop on the take....

WOW is all I can really say.

Which country are you a citizen of?

[soloman]

What if the tourists do actually damage the jetskis? Loss of earnings and repair costs. We all know that LOS is the Land of Scams, but I think that the film showed the tourists in a very bad light too, with drunks laying all over the beach. No wonder tourists are not liked. Their disrepect for the Thai culture is deplorable and gives us all a bad reputation.

[GungaDin]

Quoting Losworld

Bingo... as much as I find many on this board to be quite well informed and not susceptible to being manipulated I have never seen ... hopefully its simply a bunch of pumpers associated with the show and reason will once again return to Thai Visa.

Quoting GD

As you seem to have great insight.

Please list those of us who have been suckered and some proof please.

If I see the word "staged", again, your cred goes down the dunny again....... not that you had much to start with!

Quoting LOsworld

I see you have emerged from your cave.

PT Barnum would have loved you as a customer...

End quote

Just as I said, you have absolutely no credibility on this forum.

What I type here, I would gladly say to your face.

Put up or shut up!

[losworld]

Quoting Losworld

Bingo... as much as I find many on this board to be quite well informed and not susceptible to being manipulated I have never seen ... hopefully its simply a bunch of pumpers associated with the show and reason will once again return to Thai Visa.

Quoting GD

As you seem to have great insight.

Please list those of us who have been suckered and some proof please.

If I see the word "staged", again, your cred goes down the dunny again....... not that you had much to start with!

Quoting LOsworld

I see you have emerged from your cave.

PT Barnum would have loved you as a customer...

End quote

Just as I said, you have absolutely no credibility on this forum.

What I type here, I would gladly say to your face.

Put up or shut up!

Who pissed in your cereal?

[GungaDin]

Quoting Losworld

Bingo... as much as I find many on this board to be quite well informed and not susceptible to being manipulated I have never seen ... hopefully its simply a bunch of pumpers associated with the show and reason will once again return to Thai Visa.

Quoting GD

As you seem to have great insight.

Please list those of us who have been suckered and some proof please.

If I see the word "staged", again, your cred goes down the dunny again....... not that you had much to start with!

Quoting LOsworld

I see you have emerged from your cave.

PT Barnum would have loved you as a customer...

End quote

Just as I said, you have absolutely no credibility on this forum.

What I type here, I would gladly say to your face.

Put up or shut up!

Who pissed in your cereal?

You, with your infantile posts.