Tuk-tuks Clearly A Bane To Phuket Tourism

[webfact]

Tuk-tuks clearly a bane to Phuket tourism

Long a favorite with tourists, Phuket's tuk-tuks are now seen as a scourge by residents and tourists alike.

PHUKET: The past week saw the launch of the Gazette's new readers' forum that allows readers to post their comments on news stories. The interactive feature was an instant hit, with more than 120 comments in three days on a single story: the demand by a group of tuk-tuk drivers for a bigger slice of the transport pie at a popular Phuket resort.

Response to the story was overwhelmingly one-sided; as of this morning, not a single person has expressed sympathy for the drivers or supported them in any way. Rather, readers used the forum to charge the various transport organizations on the island with greed, collusion, price-fixing, aggressiveness, dangerous driving, illegally monopolizing public parking spaces – and more.

The general consensus seemed to be that the existing public transport system is keeping away tourists who would otherwise visit the island, unfairly costing the entire Phuket tourism industry untold millions – billions perhaps – in lost revenue.

Some noted that even Pattaya – a city famous for its jao por ('godfather figures') – was able to set up a successful, reasonably-priced public bus service suitable for tourists years ago.

The public transport situation in Bangkok, once a chaotic mess, has improved by leaps and bounds over the last 20 years, because free market forces and respect for the law have been allowed to prevail there.

Among the readers' suggestions for solving the problem were setting up new public transport options, similar to the pink songthaews and green buses that will take riders just about anywhere in Phuket City for ten baht. And the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization that runs the Phuket City bus service says it would like to set up a similar route linking Phuket and Karon – but don't expect it to happen any time soon.

Back in 1994, the last time someone applied for a private concession to run songthaews between Patong and Karon, the driver was pulled from the vehicle and badly beaten after just a few days. In the ensuing 15 years, nobody has applied for the route – even though the Transport Office has said many times it is still there for the taking.

Not all tuk-tuk drivers are bad. There are two sides to every story and the one-sided response to this latest one may to some degree reflect the Gazette readership demographic. Nevertheless, the latest incident and the huge public outcry over it should serve as a wake-up call to agencies, including the Tourist Police and Tourism Authority of Thailand.

Scores of the comments in our forum, from residents and tourists alike, urge government action.

Next year should see the opening of a new provincial bus terminal in Koh Kaew. Let's hope the relevant authorities use that occasion to finally take steps to give everyone the public transport options they need and deserve. Residents are residents, and the tourists are, after all, our guests.

-- Phuket Gazette 2009/12/20

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[Jingthing]

This article is right. I used to go to Phuket. The tuk tuk situation and transport problems for going between areas on the island is probably the major reason I no longer visit there.

[animatic]

3 km for 200 baht, is absurd. And someone charged me that

just to go to 7/11 for smokes, EACH WAY...

I have since quit smoking.

I used to think Samui's Taxi Mafia was bad, till i checked

Phuket prices, I rent a bike instead of even thinking about it.

[way2muchcoffee]

Very interesting. I haven't visited Phuket at all during my 8 years living here. I simply don't want to be at the mercy of taxi mafia. The annoyance and feeling ripped off factor is strong in this issue. I don't want to fly there at all and have put off visiting because of it. This leaves driving my personal vehicle as the only acceptable alternative, and we haven't found the time to make the long drive from BKK to Phuket. I should stress, it's not the money factor. I have no problem dropping money for a decent room, good food, clothes, a night of drinking, a boat tour, scuba, or any number of other things. I am just sensitive to being ripped off for basic transportation services. It puts me in a bad mood that can take a while to shrug off.

Edited December 20, 2009 by way2muchcoffee

[jb5music]

Pattaya doesn't have buses. What are you talking about? Purportedly more advanced than here they don't have giant six cylinder turbo deisel, neon sign, ultralight barred. air-conditioned. 3 digit numbered buses like they do here. (And back in LA). Notice how I never tell you where "here" is. They don't have bar girls but they don't have motorbike spotters - er ahh cabbies either. Pattaya has very few of those Wankle dinosaur mini trikes. Those things are cool though. Just do away with the drivers and let us drive them around ourselves.

Edited December 20, 2009 by jb5music

[Jingthing]

Pattaya doesn't have buses. What are you talking about? Purportedly more advanced than here they don't have giant six cylinder turbo deisel, neon sign, ultralight barred. air-conditioned. 3 digit numbered buses like they do here. (And back in LA). Notice how I never tell you where "here" is. They don't have bar girls but they don't have motorbike spotters - er ahh cabbies either. Pattaya has very few of those Wankle dinosaur mini trikes. Those things are cool though. Just do away with the drivers and let us drive them around ourselves.

I think they mean our famous baht buses. When they behave as buses, they are very reasonably priced and run very frequently. You can go most places on their long routes for 10 baht. When they become charters, they get a touch of Phuket, but still not as bad as Phuket. True, we lack tuk tuks.

[GMoney]

Was in Phuket a week ago...agree that they are running tourists off with the tuk-tuk mafia.....also saw JJ himself ripoff a family after they rented one of his jetski's....so much for the new "insurance plan".

[moskito]

we have the problem here since years in Phuket and it will NEVER change.

There are TAXIMETERS here too....but try to go Meter :D when the meter taxis started for reasonable prices some of the drivers

immidiately experienced "differences in opinions" with the tuk tuk and airport taxi mafia, in the beginning there are for example forbidden to

enter the Airport or picking guests up there. Now they have an own place at the Airport....but prices are nearly same like for an Airport Taxi,

there is NO METER.

Some of the Samlordrivers dont even stop if a farang wants to go with them, they are to scared a tuk tuk driver sees it......

MAFIA rules!

anyway, if the tuk tuks go for normal prices tourists doesnt rent Motobikes anymore, so less accidents, less income for hospitals. doctors. garages. etc etc

[eTiMaGo]

Tuk-tuks a bane in Phuket? Oh hello Captain Obvious!

As my dad would say, shoot one every day, should help with the problem

[Jingthing]

It is a shame that a relatively small mafia type group can be allowed to cause so much damage and misery for everyone else.

[Thongkorn]

If you come out of the Airport at Phuket turn right , there is a meter taxi service . the cost should be no more than 500 baht, I know i did it this year , I gave the taxi driver a good tip because he was polite and helpfull,

[sunsamourai]

Wow, that bad a situation ?

Seems I was instinctively right to rent my own transportation everytime I visited there !

[Oberkommando]

If hotels and resorts refuse to use their over-priced and poor services they set up roadblocks and threaten places with intimidation until they cave.

Police are powerless or on the take as per usual.

[way2muchcoffee]

Police are powerless or on the take as per usual.

Not powerless. There are these things called handcuffs, judges, and jails. That leaves only one possibility then I reckon.

[Huey]

Tuk-tuks a bane in Phuket? Oh hello Captain Obvious!

As my dad would say, shoot one every day, should help with the problem

Or 3 it would be nice if they were just shot, publicly, and someone opened a reasonably priced bus line.

[Chunkton]

It is a shame that a relatively small mafia type group can be allowed to cause so much damage and misery for everyone else.

And it also shows how much money is being made to grease so many palms that no one with the power to do so will take them on.

In Chiang Mai we have buses, songtels, tuk tuks and sarmlors. The tuk tuk prices are OK after a little haggling. There are also a/c taxis from the airport priced fairly, and you can call them up if you want as they have a radio link.

[richieudon]

This article is right. I used to go to Phuket. The tuk tuk situation and transport problems for going between areas on the island is probably the major reason I no longer visit there.

Koh Samui is the same. Another reason I don't go back there either. I refuse to use tuk tuks in Phuket and song thiews and "meter taxis" (joke) in Samui.

If I go to Phuket for a break, which I am in the new year, I actually plan ahead to avoid using tuk tuks, how sad is that...!!??

[dddave]

Pattaya doesn't have buses. What are you talking about? Purportedly more advanced than here they don't have giant six cylinder turbo deisel, neon sign, ultralight barred. air-conditioned. 3 digit numbered buses like they do here. (And back in LA). Notice how I never tell you where "here" is. They don't have bar girls but they don't have motorbike spotters - er ahh cabbies either. Pattaya has very few of those Wankle dinosaur mini trikes. Those things are cool though. Just do away with the drivers and let us drive them around ourselves.

Yes, they do; or at least did last time I was there last year. There were several routes, one that I used frequently went from Pattaya to Jomtien: the fare was B30, the bus a 24 seat A/C model. There were marked stops along the beach rd.

It did seem a bit ridiculous when they suspended service during Songkran. Just when one really needed an enclosed vehicle.

Did they shut it down when the regular taxi's came in?

[craigt3365]

Have to agree that the mafia there is one big reason I no longer visit. Same with Samui. I am voting with my money...and choose not to spend it there!

I was in Samui a few years ago. Wanted to go from Lamai to Chewang. They were asking stupid prices. Some guy agreed to a reasonable price, but before we could leave, the local mafia types surrounded him and we had to get out. Luckily, we met up with him on the main road and still got a ride. But that kind of treatment is just plan crazy. They are shooting themselves in the foot and don't even know it....

[hardy1943]

This article is right. I used to go to Phuket. The tuk tuk situation and transport problems for going between areas on the island is probably the major reason I no longer visit there.

Me too. How about the boys in BKK doing something about?

Who cares it is another to RIP OFF Farangs.

[womble]

It is a shame that a relatively small mafia type group can be allowed to cause so much damage and misery for everyone else.

Small in number maybe, but in $ terms this group has huge power..........

Taxis be it on road or water, or even air are one of the manyTourist scams Thailand has to deal with, and so far the authorities are gaining no ground. With the $ they swindle from their customers they are able to buy off politicians, police, government officials right to the very top, if not this cancerous scouge could have been wiped out years ago.

Unfortunatley even if a high up politician tried to sort out this problem it would be impossble as he would have to dismantle the whole corrupt network from top to bottom.

This ofcourse could be applied at any of the big money scams, getting rid of them involved dismantling the whole corrupt network.

It's easy to tell drivers to turn meters on, but when a mr big sends heavies to tell drivers to keep meters off and send the heavies to beat up the drivers of new buses charging 10bt flat rate, not much can be done as anyone who messes may well meet with a bullet.

Those that use intimidation to keep the status quo are often not known, it could be a number of people responsible or just one near the top of the chain who doesn't want to lose his share of the booty.........

Edited December 20, 2009 by womble

[Loaded]

It is a shame that a relatively small mafia type group can be allowed to cause so much damage and misery for everyone else.

But easy to identify with their brown uniforms and pot bellies.

[Chang_paarp]

Add me to the don't go to Phuket list.

I also tell my friends when they are going there to expect western prices or more for transport. Some change their bookings to other paces with sensible local transport.

[Cnxforever]

Very interesting. I haven't visited Phuket at all during my 8 years living here. I simply don't want to be at the mercy of taxi mafia. The annoyance and feeling ripped off factor is strong in this issue. I don't want to fly there at all and have put off visiting because of it. This leaves driving my personal vehicle as the only acceptable alternative, and we haven't found the time to make the long drive from BKK to Phuket. I should stress, it's not the money factor. I have no problem dropping money for a decent room, good food, clothes, a night of drinking, a boat tour, scuba, or any number of other things. I am just sensitive to being ripped off for basic transportation services. It puts me in a bad mood that can take a while to shrug off.

We usually live in the country side in Central Thailand. We had exactly the same feeling when we visited Phuket a few weeks ago. Since my mother was visiting and I treated her for a full month in Thailand I knew it would not be cheap but I wanted all of us to have a memorable holiday.

Luckily I had read about the so called Tuk-Tuk Mafia before so we rented a car which turned out to be a great idea! Not only where we independent to travel around as we pleased but also we where able to see the entire island. Well then the positive impression stopped right there. Just out of curiosity when we where aproached by tuk tuk drivers we asked for the price and where shocked what some of them quoted for very short distances.

The hotel was nice but for the standard they offered it was totally overpriced. To make a long story short - where ever we went all 3 of us had the feeling afterwards that we had been ripped off or taken advantage off.

The Seafood Restaurants we tried in Patong are mediocre at best - maybe someone should teach them how to cook fish and seafood - we payed a lot of money just to be dissapointed over and over again.

The beach in Patong I don't want to even talk about - lucky we had a car to visit other beaches. Well Phuket this was our first and last visit all 3 of us agreed that there is nothing that would ever bring us to visit again - oh and the sadest thing: Non of us remembers a single smiling face during our 7 day stay - except of course when we handed over tips to our hotel waiters and housekeeping girl.

Our next stop was Bangkok - nothing special did the sights and left. On to Pattaya which is much better value for money then Phuket and is contrary to what many belive suitable for a family holiday did lots of tours there and we saw better shows than in Phuket for not even half the price - except for the beaches of course - one has to take a boat to get to a decent beach in Pataya or Jomtien.

Then on to Chiang-Mai and the North - and what a difference - where we happy we went! We had not been sure if it should be an all beach holiday. Chiang Mai and the North - all the way to Chiang sean and Mae Sai of course Chiang Rai was like a different country! Smiling faces, friendly - starting with the taxi driver from the Airport who was nattering away and made us all laugh and for a price we would have probably not even been alowed to sit down in a tuk tuk in Phuket - this was a confortable air conditioned limousine!Of course we gave him a handsome tip and left the car laughing with a good feeling!

The Hotel was great this time a real 4 star hotel - again friendly smiling people - higher standard then Phuket for not even half the price.

So many things to do and places to visit we ran out of time! Like the above poster I do not care to spend extra money if I think it is worth it - but Phuket, no thank you -feeling ripped off all the time is not my idea of a dream vacation!

Guess which part of Thailand we and our friends will be visiting again next year ??? Never mind the beach - I can sit beside a beautiful hotel pool in Chiang Mai seeing friendly, smiling faces around me - without the sand and the humitity and the ripp off prices they charge in Phuket !!!

[Cnxforever]

3 km for 200 baht, is absurd. And someone charged me that

just to go to 7/11 for smokes, EACH WAY...

I have since quit smoking.

I used to think Samui's Taxi Mafia was bad, till i checked

Phuket prices, I rent a bike instead of even thinking about it.

We usually live in the country side in Central Thailand. We had exactly the same feeling when we visited Phuket a few weeks ago.

Since my mother was visiting and I treated her for a full month in Thailand I knew it would not be cheap but I wanted all of us to have a memorable holiday.

Luckily I had read about the so called Tuk-Tuk Mafia before so we rented a car which turned out to be a great idea! Not only where we independent to travel around as we pleased but also we where able to see the entire island.

Well then the positive impressions stopped right there. Just out of curiosity when we where aproached by tuk tuk drivers we asked for the price and where shocked what some of them quoted for very short distances.

The hotel was nice but for the standard they offered it was totally overpriced. To make a long story short - where ever we went all 3 of us had the feeling afterwards that we had been ripped off or taken advantage off.

The Seafood Restaurants we tried in Patong are mediocre at best - maybe someone should teach them how to cook fish and seafood - we payed a lot of money just to be dissapointed over and over again.

The beach in Patong I don't want to even talk about - lucky we had a car to visit other beaches. Well Phuket this was our first and last visit all 3 of us agreed that there is nothing that would ever bring us to visit again.

- oh and the saddest thing:Non of us remembers a single smiling face during our 7 day stay - except of course when we handed over tips to our hotel waiters and housekeeping girl.

Our next stop was Bangkok - nothing special did the sights and left. On to Pattaya which is much better value for money then Phuket and is contrary to what many belive suitable for a family holiday did lots of tours there and we saw better shows than in Phuket for not even half the price - except for the beaches of course - one has to take a boat to get to a decent beach in Pataya or Jomtien.

Then on to Chiang-Mai and the North - and what a difference - where we happy we went!

We had not been sure if it should be an all beach holiday. Chiang Mai and the North - all the way to Chiang sean and Mae Sai of course Chiang Rai was like a different country!

Smiling faces, friendly - starting with the taxi driver from the Airport who was nattering away and made us all laugh and the ride for a price we would have probably not even been alowed to sit down in a tuk tuk in Phuket - this was a confortable air conditioned limousine!

Of course we gave him a handsome tip and left the car laughing with a good feeling!

The Hotel was great this time a real 4 star hotel - again friendly smiling people - higher standard then Phuket for not even half the price.

So many things to do and places to visit we ran out of time! Like other posters I do not care to spend extra money if I think it is worth it - but Phuket, no thank you -feeling ripped off all the time is not my idea of a dream vacation!

Guess which part of Thailand we and our friends will be visiting again next year ??? Never mind the beach - I can sit beside a beautiful hotel pool in Chiang Mai seeing friendly, smiling faces around me - without the sand and the humitity and the ripp off prices they charge in Phuket !

[tommybkk]

Once I was searching for a hotel in Karon beach, was searching for over an hour without succes. I asked a tuk-tuk driver if he knew the place, he said yes: 100 baht I bring you there. I agreed because I was exhausted and didn't felt like walking anymore. I jumped in the tuk-tuk, the resort was actually only 25 meters away from where I jumped in the tuk-tuk. He actually crossed the road for me and charged 100 baht.

Even in europe or the usa this would be good business.

[Canada]

I was just in Phuket for the first time. Didn't want to go, but I went to buy a bike. Flew in and was picked up by the bike owner. Never had to deal with the tuk tuks. I was on the Island for less than 24 hours. Would never go back unless I had to. I live in Chiang Mai and love it here. I don't like being ripped off and have been here long enough to know when I am...or when someone is trying. Solution to the tuk tuks....get a motorcycle, or go somewhere else but smile at these guys...they are dangerous.

[moskito]

If you come out of the Airport at Phuket turn right , there is a meter taxi service . the cost should be no more than 500 baht, I know i did it this year , I gave the taxi driver a good tip because he was polite and helpfull,

thats what i wrote, but the destination is a point too. An Airport Limo costs 700.-Baht to Rawai, a Taxi Meter 650,- I paid it a month ago on my way back from KL

so not such a big difference.

As far as I know not everybody can buy a tuk tuk and start a business. They have to rent the tuk tuk from some big heads I have heard for 500.-a day.....so WHO are the big winners here, hopefully not someone in a uniform, guess noone wants to find out

[JatujakShopper]

I simply love watching people cut off their nose to spite their face. The greedier and more unreasonable these drivers and their ilk become the more people complain about it, word DOES get around and pretty soon they have driven off their potential customers and have no one left to rip-off!- back to coconut farming! Darwin wins again!

I've been to Phuket three times in my life, two too many and it won't happen again. Ye shall reap as ye sow.

[Alboy301]

I'm not particularly money conscious but when it comes to Phuket I am. When going to Patong, I always take the Phuket town bus from the airport and then get another bus to Patong. Sometimes, I can't believe the trouble I'm going to to save a few quid but I just despise the taxi mafia in Phuket with a passion.

I always stay in the Amari Coral Beach Resort up the hill in the south of Patong but I have never yet bowed to demands for 200 baht for a short run into town. I'll walk it every time, even in the rain. However, one time I was walking home in the rain with hotel umbrella and a tuk tuk offered to take me home for 100 baht. In my drunken, wobbly-legged state I accepted.

When going back to the airport, a nice lady bar owner gives me a lift for 200 baht. Should be free really considering the money I drop in her bar God, I'm getting tight!

In seriousness, something does need to be done so that Phuket can lose the image of a rip-off town or it's going to suffer badly long-term.