Is Patong Finished

[mrukman]

Having read other site's 1 particuler in Phuket it wpuld appear that Patong is in the news again for rhe wrong reasons yet again. Another gang shooting i dead near cape panwa, price's out of control in Patong, the imigration chief arresting the welcoming commitee with a plane full of aussies comeing through the airport, an aussie scammed and jailed after being set up by a stoolie resulting in a bribe to get him out of prison and the best back to the bad old jet ski scam after 2 jet skis collide outside a resort that didnt want to be name'd. Yes good old phuket just can't stop putting its foot in. Is it hel_l bent on driving what tourist it has away.,

Edited November 23, 2009 by mrukman

[maluko]

Hi, i read about the gang shooting, but can you be a bit more specific about the Aussie scammed by a stoolie ???

Sorry but i was very busy these last days and i am not aware of that !!

For me yes, Patong is finished...I ve got some grapes on me, banana too, but i am not in the game any more.

Just too expensive bro !

Edited November 23, 2009 by maluko

[Boater]

what s the story about the plane full of oz's being arrested?

[ScubaBuddha]

what s the story about the plane full of oz's being arrested?

It wasnt a plane full of ozzies, it was a welcome wagon of sorts for the new ozzie flight. For some reason they ruffled the feathers of a new immigration chief at the airport because they were allowed in past security checkpoints by the gaurds when the rules are you must have a boarding pass or special permission which they didn't have, even though security escorted them in as they always have in the past. In fact no one really got "arrested" in the sense we usually imagine. They were surrounded by security and detained breifly. My guess is whoever was in charge of the welcome wagon said something to cause the immigration guy to loose face, and we all know what happens when a Thai man in a position of authority losses face. Sounds like he got in a bit of trouble for it in the end.

More dramatic was the "gang shooting" actually it was a group of 5 guys, unknown if they were actually gang memebrs, that were trying to pawn off a stolen statute when the cops saw them and took chase. One guy was shoot near or in the water at Suan Luang park and his body was floating for some time. So it wasn't a "gang shooting" it was the cops chasing and shootng at a "gang of 5 men."

And no I don't think Patong is finished. It appears to be as busy as ever. I think very few tourists are aware of the issues you mentioned, none of which, with exception to the high prices, actually occurred in Patong

Edited November 23, 2009 by Scubabuddha

[chuppachops]

dont be daft, its full every year people love it here.

[LivinginKata]

dont be daft, its full every year people love it here.

Good reply, I agree.

[keeniau96]

Patong looked great after the tsunami, clear beach and no tuk-tuks along the road. But now back same same, no different. Pity. But the rubes keep pouring in and the sheep get fleeced. Phuket is still here and going all too strong.

[LivinLOS]

More dramatic was the "gang shooting" actually it was a group of 5 guys, unknown if they were actually gang memebrs, that were trying to pawn off a stolen statute when the cops saw them and took chase. One guy was shoot near or in the water at Suan Luang park and his body was floating for some time. So it wasn't a "gang shooting" it was the cops chasing and shootng at a "gang of 5 men."

I actually asked this question on another forum..

Were they even armed ?? Did they fire back ?? Who fired first ??

[LivinLOS]

Top marks for the first poster to use the phrase 'nail in the coffin'..

Whatever you think of Patong, its the goto place on a goto island and has reached a kind of critical mass / snowball effect that will not be reversed. What that does in terms of greed and pricing as land owners try to cash in on that greed with a 3rd world here for the now mentality, thats all debatable to the residents, but the hordes will keep coming, hence russian hookers and gogos, 230 baht hienekens, >3m baht 3 year beer bar key money, touts scamming 500 baht drink premiums, etc etc etc. The separation of tourists (farangs) and their money is here to stay.

[HDRIDER]

HI

For sure expensive in Patong, a girl i know just got a tour desk, about 2x2 meters on Beach rd, just a desk nothing else, 250.000 key and 40.000 a month.

[LivinLOS]

Exactly, so what price must her tours be to cover those costs.. Its all a viscous cycle.

I hear now even the Meridien is getting in on the act.. Scamming with russian hookers !! Mind blowing..

[stevenl]

Exactly, so what price must her tours be to cover those costs.. Its all a viscous cycle.

She's never going to make that amount of money. So the only one getting better from all this is the landlord, because as soon as she can't make it anymore, the next person comes along, pays again the key money, etc.

[Beacher]

dont be daft, its full every year people love it here.

Which only goes to show that the expression, "There's a sucker born every minute." is true.

[LivinLOS]

Exactly, so what price must her tours be to cover those costs.. Its all a viscous cycle.

She's never going to make that amount of money. So the only one getting better from all this is the landlord, because as soon as she can't make it anymore, the next person comes along, pays again the key money, etc.

Yes but maybe I wasnt being clear, what we she do to try not to get closed out and lose her investment ?? Desperate people do desperate things, so shes put in a position where she will A) have to charge higher margins, B ) maybe tack on a few additional charges C) delve into scamming and gouging just to try to make the rent on the operation.

Thats the viscious cycle, add in that theres a police force that will never or rarely back up the tourist on behalf of the Thai, and it makes a situation where locals are almost encouraged to push as hard as they can even to the point of rip offs.

[HDRIDER]

Hi

Will see if i can update on this, she is not stupid, she now has 3 tour desk in Patong, on flight ticket they dont make a lot, but on tours they make good money, you know Simon C, FantaSea, that stuff gives good money and when they go to the big pearl market ETC they get up to 30%.

Forgot,,, they dont need any stock in a tour desk

Edited November 24, 2009 by HDRIDER

[stevenl]

but on tours they make good money, you know Simon C, FantaSea, that stuff gives good money and when they go to the big pearl market ETC they get up to 30%.

Normal margin on Simon C, Fantasea etc. is 50%. So if she gives 20% discount she still makes the 30% you mention. Do you know if the 250 K is for 1 or 3 years? Edited November 24, 2009 by stevenl

[LivinLOS]

what s the story about the plane full of oz's being arrested?

It wasnt a plane full of ozzies, it was a welcome wagon of sorts for the new ozzie flight. For some reason they ruffled the feathers of a new immigration chief at the airport because they were allowed in past security checkpoints by the gaurds when the rules are you must have a boarding pass or special permission which they didn't have, even though security escorted them in as they always have in the past. In fact no one really got "arrested" in the sense we usually imagine. They were surrounded by security and detained breifly. My guess is whoever was in charge of the welcome wagon said something to cause the immigration guy to loose face, and we all know what happens when a Thai man in a position of authority losses face. Sounds like he got in a bit of trouble for it in the end.

More dramatic was the "gang shooting" actually it was a group of 5 guys, unknown if they were actually gang memebrs, that were trying to pawn off a stolen statute when the cops saw them and took chase. One guy was shoot near or in the water at Suan Luang park and his body was floating for some time. So it wasn't a "gang shooting" it was the cops chasing and shootng at a "gang of 5 men."

And no I don't think Patong is finished. It appears to be as busy as ever. I think very few tourists are aware of the issues you mentioned, none of which, with exception to the high prices, actually occurred in Patong

Too funny.. Hes been binned back up to bangkok already.

Dont fuc_k with the bigwigs, far too important to be held to normal rules !!

[mrukman]

I read a report that the head of the hotel association said only last week that because of the drop of tourist numbers he is worried that staff will lose there jobs and crime will increase as the projected figures for this high season are way down on jast year. My thead was about the negative PR not about people setting up buisness. The german guy scammed was set up on the bangla by holding a few ciggerettes for a thai guy in a packet that contained a small ammount of cannabis inside it. the thai guy( his excuse) was he was going to get another packet. low and behold bib turned up and arrested him and tried to charge him with supplying. It was the old threat of a long jail term till his trial ie flight booked that he was forced to pay the bribe to realease him after 3 days. That jj was reportedly still awaiting trial or has that little scam been hushed up by the powers that be as the local authoroties now want you tube banned showing the scams. Would it not be a fare opinion to suggest that expats living in or around patong are blinkered and unaware of the deep rooted problems that still persist that are keeping numbers away. And why are the price's out of proportion compared to krabi - pattayya etc. In the economic problem the locals still put up prices in high season and shoot themselves maybe when a few have gone to the wall they might listen but on past record I doubt this will happen. I cannot print the forum name but as an example a dozen long term visitors to phuket that have been going to the same resort for the last 4 years have this year decided to go elsewhere this christmas because in there words, Phuket and in particuler patong has become the rip off and scam island of Thailand.

Edited November 24, 2009 by mrukman

[HDRIDER]

but on tours they make good money, you know Simon C, FantaSea, that stuff gives good money and when they go to the big pearl market ETC they get up to 30%.

Normal margin on Simon C, Fantasea etc. is 50%. So if she gives 20% discount she still makes the 30% you mention. Do you know if the 250 K is for 1 or 3 years?

HI

The 30% is when she get customer to pearl factory, jewellery shop and all that, will find out if its 1 or 3 years

[geriatrickid]

Patong is just giving the tourists what they want and demand. I detest jetskis, but if stupid ignorant tourists did not rent them, the rentals would stop. The touts swarm on Bangla because the tourists still stop and pose for photos with endangered animals and buy the poor quality suits, the tourists still buy over priced cigarettes from vendors because they are too lazy to walk down the stairs to the Big 1 in the plaza, the hookers still affix their grimy claws on guys' arms because some men will take the hideous disease carriers back to their flophouse rental. Yes, I loathe such scenes, but as long as there is a market for such things, the situation will persist. It's like the drug trade. If there weren't people purchasing the stuff, there would be no incentive to sell the poison.

One has the option of saying NO and walking on. It's not that hard and it's something most of us learnt to do long ago.

Edited November 24, 2009 by geriatrickid

[pagallim]

Patong is just giving the tourists what they want and demand. I detest jetskis, but if stupid ignorant tourists did not rent them, the rentals would stop. The touts swarm on Bangla because the tourists still stop and pose for photos with endangered animals and buy the poor quality suits, the tourists still buy over priced cigarettes from vendors because they are too lazy to walk down the stairs to the Big 1 in the plaza, the hookers still affix their grimy claws on guys' arms because some men will take the hideous disease carriers back to their flophouse rental. Yes, I loathe such scenes, but as long as there is a market for such things, the situation will persist. It's like the drug trade. If there weren't people purchasing the stuff, there would be no incentive to sell the poison.

One has the option of saying NO and walking on. It's not that hard and it's something most of us learnt to do long ago.

Good post. Education, education.

[ScubaBuddha]

More dramatic was the "gang shooting" actually it was a group of 5 guys, unknown if they were actually gang memebrs, that were trying to pawn off a stolen statute when the cops saw them and took chase. One guy was shoot near or in the water at Suan Luang park and his body was floating for some time. So it wasn't a "gang shooting" it was the cops chasing and shootng at a "gang of 5 men."

I actually asked this question on another forum..

Were they even armed ?? Did they fire back ?? Who fired first ??

3 good examples of questions that never get publicly asked and certainly not publicly answered. Tit.

[billythehat]

some men will take the hideous disease carriers back to their flophouse rental

Beats me why these lass’s always insist that “yoo hab take showhar first”...seems a wee bit counter-productive to me if their ‘old badger’ isn’t in tip-top condition first...mmmmm....it'll be that pesky racism again...

[ScubaBuddha]

some men will take the hideous disease carriers back to their flophouse rental

Beats me why these lass's always insist that "yoo hab take showhar first"...seems a wee bit counter-productive to me if their 'old badger' isn't in tip-top condition first...mmmmm....it'll be that pesky racism again...

Because this is the time they steal 1000B from your wallet....er..someone told me once.

[Benjie]

It's fairly simple, high foot traffic location equals more sales, no reason she has to charge any more than others.

Patong seems busy to me, In fact Phuket seems to get busier and busier, not something i see changing in the future.

[ozsamurai]

Patong is a new breed of plague on the earth, I hope it goes under entirely, but stupid tourists keep lining up to be fleeced... I have never regretted being in Thailand till I went there. TW was hiding her head in shame. Flame on, its the truth.

[LivinLOS]

Patong is just giving the tourists what they want and demand. I detest jetskis, but if stupid ignorant tourists did not rent them, the rentals would stop. The touts swarm on Bangla because the tourists still stop and pose for photos with endangered animals and buy the poor quality suits, the tourists still buy over priced cigarettes from vendors because they are too lazy to walk down the stairs to the Big 1 in the plaza, the hookers still affix their grimy claws on guys' arms because some men will take the hideous disease carriers back to their flophouse rental. Yes, I loathe such scenes, but as long as there is a market for such things, the situation will persist. It's like the drug trade. If there weren't people purchasing the stuff, there would be no incentive to sell the poison.

One has the option of saying NO and walking on. It's not that hard and it's something most of us learnt to do long ago.

But dont you choose to live in Patong ??

[HDRIDER]

but on tours they make good money, you know Simon C, FantaSea, that stuff gives good money and when they go to the big pearl market ETC they get up to 30%.

Normal margin on Simon C, Fantasea etc. is 50%. So if she gives 20% discount she still makes the 30% you mention. Do you know if the 250 K is for 1 or 3 years?

HI

The 30% is when she get customer to pearl factory, jewellery shop and all that, will find out if its 1 or 3 years

Hi

Its for 5 years, she have to make around 7-8000 every day, another girl pay 70.000 for little shop on beach rd

[GraemeF]

Patong is just giving the tourists what they want and demand. I detest jetskis, but if stupid ignorant tourists did not rent them, the rentals would stop. The touts swarm on Bangla because the tourists still stop and pose for photos with endangered animals and buy the poor quality suits, the tourists still buy over priced cigarettes from vendors because they are too lazy to walk down the stairs to the Big 1 in the plaza, the hookers still affix their grimy claws on guys' arms because some men will take the hideous disease carriers back to their flophouse rental. Yes, I loathe such scenes, but as long as there is a market for such things, the situation will persist. It's like the drug trade. If there weren't people purchasing the stuff, there would be no incentive to sell the poison.

One has the option of saying NO and walking on. It's not that hard and it's something most of us learnt to do long ago.

Spot on fully agree, Patong is a slime pit but as long as it's there it keeps the riff raff in one place . The rest of us can enjoy the beautiful island that Phuket is outside of patong without these low class tourists spoling it !

[KarenBravo]

Patong is just giving the tourists what they want and demand. I detest jetskis, but if stupid ignorant tourists did not rent them, the rentals would stop. The touts swarm on Bangla because the tourists still stop and pose for photos with endangered animals and buy the poor quality suits, the tourists still buy over priced cigarettes from vendors because they are too lazy to walk down the stairs to the Big 1 in the plaza, the hookers still affix their grimy claws on guys' arms because some men will take the hideous disease carriers back to their flophouse rental. Yes, I loathe such scenes, but as long as there is a market for such things, the situation will persist. It's like the drug trade. If there weren't people purchasing the stuff, there would be no incentive to sell the poison.

One has the option of saying NO and walking on. It's not that hard and it's something most of us learnt to do long ago.

But dont you choose to live in Patong ??

I thought he said he was leaving the place. Must have changed his mind.