Phuket Tuk-tuk Driver Attacks French Family

[chiang mai]

Almost everyone has their personal "tragedy" to relate following their visit to Thailand for two weeks - the taxi driver overcharged me by 50 baht, my bar bill was wrong to the tune of 95 baht, a local looked at me threateningly and I was very scared. And then there's the other group who got involved in physical violence, it was 2:0am in a bar me lud and for no reason at all this man started to punch me, or, I'd had a "few" beers and somebody said this and then that happened and before I knew it I was bleeding and crying! The final group is that who have heard things, stuff, from trusted friends, about their experiences - you won't believe what she did or you'll never guess what happened next!

What can be said other than people need to get real about all of this. Thailand is not the UK, Phuket is not the same as Swindon or Leeds, people behave differently, they have different attitudes and motivators and it's, well, different, if folks are not prepared to adapt to that sort of change it's probably best they stay home. I don't know why I never have a problem with the locals, I'm tall but not big and I'm older - locals speak to me and I speak back or ignore them and I've managed to get through my seven years in Thailand without a scratch or a major drama - I suspect it has something to do with attitude but who knows.

Hey in 6 years ive not personally had a problem except dual pricing, over charged etc.., so you think people should adapt and accept being smashed in head with an anchor or just avoid thailand, i think you have the young thai bride as you seen to have the view that its the tourists fault for coming to thailand, if they were not there it wouldnt happen, DO you work for TAT or are you THai?? Oh and the incident i mentioned was seen by many as it was at the busy part of chaweng beach!! Could relate more horror stories from fact and from thais themselves. This kind of attitude from sheep like you will never help change things and get thailand back to the tourist destination it once was!! By the way this wasnt tourists on a 2 week stay, i work with CITIS - Convention of International Trade and endangerd species. with help of thai police, various governments (vietnam, taiwan, british and thai but only because we had big CITIS meeting in bangkok they cooperated), and a lot of good work from monkey world in UK we helped get the monkeys out of bangkok markets and floating markets, dont even start me on the treatment of animals in thailand as you will be fighting a losing battle mate.

Samui had many chimps being drugged and stubbed with cigarettes, these people are scum, just take a look at the state of elephants in thailand!!!

No I don't think that being smashed over the head by anything is acceptable ever but I do have to wonder why it happens to so many when in my 60 years it has never happened to me once, but when I look around the place where I live and I see people's behaviour I sometimes despair how naive some people are.

As for choices, yes, everyone has a choice about most things that they do - the guy who cries foul because his investment portfolio didn't perform the way he was told it might, does he have a legitimate gripe, no - ditto choice of location for a holiday.

No I'm not Thai I'm a Brit and my wife is one year younger than me.

Well done on your career path and efforts, keep up the good work.

[MEGALITHIC]

As much as I don't like to say it, I really think Thailand, in it's present shape and form, has gone to the dogs - it really has. I've been living here since 1993 and the changes, while being great for people who want to shop and party, have had a real negative impact on the natural environment of the country. I live in Pattaya and I can say categorically that it's a dirty, congested, polluted shit hole. Ride around the streets on a motorbike at 8.00 am in the morning and you get hit by the stench of rotting garbage seepage at regular intervals. I went down to Phuket three weeks ago (for the first time in eight years) and couldn't believe the mess that Patong has become. Reminded me of Jomtien. Had one night there and drove up to Khao lak to get away from it. I don't know what it is about the people of this place that makes them go at everything with a short term mindset. The harder they try the worse it becomes and everything eventually becomes a god awful, chaotic mess. I feel quite sorry for them really because they had paradise here once and now it's on a fast track to being an environmentally polluted calamity. The bottom line is, sadly, they just can't help themselves.

[chiang mai]

As much as I don't like to say it, I really think Thailand, in it's present shape and form, has gone to the dogs - it really has. I've been living here since 1993 and the changes, while being great for people who want to shop and party, have had a real negative impact on the natural environment of the country. I live in Pattaya and I can say categorically that it's a dirty, congested, polluted shit hole. Ride around the streets on a motorbike at 8.00 am in the morning and you get hit by the stench of rotting garbage seepage at regular intervals. I went down to Phuket three weeks ago (for the first time in eight years) and couldn't believe the mess that Patong has become. Reminded me of Jomtien. Had one night there and drove up to Khao lak to get away from it. I don't know what it is about the people of this place that makes them go at everything with a short term mindset. The harder they try the worse it becomes and everything eventually becomes a god awful, chaotic mess. I feel quite sorry for them really because they had paradise here once and now it's on a fast track to being an environmentally polluted calamity. The bottom line is, sadly, they just can't help themselves.

Very true, Thailand cannot cope with the change at present - I think it was 2002 when National Geographic refereed to Phuket as becoming ugly.

[MEGALITHIC]

To the apologists, you simply don't get it.

Reasonably efficient, reasonably priced PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION is a basic human need, like food, water, clothing, and health care. In place like Phuket violent MAFIAS have choked out the possibility of this existing. They will protect their monopolized turf to the death. They are severely damaging to the public good. Tourists NEED this transportation and there are no good options. How hard is this concept to understand? Imagine if drinking water was under the same system? You walk into 7-11 for a litre bottle, 1000 baht. 7-11 is the only place allowed to sell the water. If Family Mart tries to sell it for market price 50 baht, they get burned down. You complain, you get beaten up to a bloody pulp. Is this clear now?

How many times have you been beaten up in Pattaya Jingthing, within the context of the tuk tuk transportation issues discussed here - hwo many times have you been threatened because you refused to but a service from service hawker? It's great to be idealistic about the notion of a perfect social environment including efficient public transportation for all but come on, get real.

Just because someone hasn't beaten up doesn't mean that the intimidation factor isn't real. Most of us, who've been here for any length of time, are usual street smart enough to be able to avoid the potential confrontations. Ten years ago some business operators in Patong, including Thai and farang, tried to organise to remove the jet ski operators off Patong Beach. The jet skin operators (nothing more than a mafia) gathered at a point along the beach one morning, enmasse, and basically said if you want us to go then come and make us. Obviously, no one did for fear of being smashed to a pulp. The question that has to be put is this - what is a fair and reasonable behavior, from transport providers in Phuket (including Tuks Tuks), that a tourist should be expected to encounter, when coming to this country for a vacation? One thing I can gaurantee you is that it's not what they encounter (on a regular basis) from scumbag tuk tuk drivers.

[chiang mai]

Just because someone hasn't beaten up doesn't mean that the intimidation factor isn't real. Most of us, who've been here for any length of time, are usual street smart enough to be able to avoid the potential confrontations. Ten years ago some business operators in Patong, including Thai and farang, tried to organise to remove the jet ski operators off Patong Beach. The jet skin operators (nothing more than a mafia) gathered at a point along the beach one morning, enmasse, and basically said if you want us to go then come and make us. Obviously, no one did for fear of being smashed to a pulp. The question that has to be put is this - what is a fair and reasonable behavior, from transport providers in Phuket (including Tuks Tuks), that a tourist should be expected to encounter, when coming to this country for a vacation? One thing I can gaurantee you is that it's not what they encounter (on a regular basis) from scumbag tuk tuk drivers.

Yes I agree, intimidation can be very real, but equally it's in the mind of the beholder, often what is intimidation to one person is nothing more than a casual and everyday encounter to another. The more interesting aspect though is what is fair and reasonable behaviour an that to me seems to be the issue at the heart of much of this debate.

Let me perfectly clear in that I do not condone in any way the behaviour of the tuk tuk driver mentioned in the OP, it was absolutely deplorable. But what sort of behaviour should we reasonable aspect from locals in Phuket whilst on vacation. Well, we might hope that everyone is civilised and behave well and that all have a good time and that the locals make an adequate income - if you're Jingthing you might also think that matters should be improved to include a public transportation facility that allows all tourists inexpensive and unfettered transport around the island.

But stop, can we please all remember where we are, this Thailand in the year 2010 (almost), a country that ten years ago was indeed regarded as a third world country, a country where today over 90% of the population earn less than Baht 400 per day, a country that today does not have a suitably functioning law enforcement agency, a country where corruption is rife at all levels, and so on - none of these facts are secret or unknown, the point being that if tourists don't understand these things before they arrive then they have no right to compare the social circumstances in Thailand with those in their home country, after the fact.

[markg]

Foreigners should take a leaf out of the Thai book of 'how to do things' and either

(a) march on the Town Hall and camp out in the grounds until the Governor comes out and agrees to sort things out

( Blockade beach road in Patong until the tuk tuk problem is sorted out

© (and i am quite serious about this one) Under the watchful eye of the Gazette and/or Phuket TV, secretly get all the tourists you can find, and expats, early one morning, and park ALL our vehicles along beach road in the PUBLIC parking areas. Fill 'em up. Thus stopping the motorbike and jeep renters and tuk tuks from blocking the public parking areas.

It would bring attention to the problem and would be hilarious.

How many people would we need and who would be willing to do it?

[britadders28]

Foreigners should take a leaf out of the Thai book of 'how to do things' and either

(a) march on the Town Hall and camp out in the grounds until the Governor comes out and agrees to sort things out

( Blockade beach road in Patong until the tuk tuk problem is sorted out

© (and i am quite serious about this one) Under the watchful eye of the Gazette and/or Phuket TV, secretly get all the tourists you can find, and expats, early one morning, and park ALL our vehicles along beach road in the PUBLIC parking areas. Fill 'em up. Thus stopping the motorbike and jeep renters and tuk tuks from blocking the public parking areas.

It would bring attention to the problem and would be hilarious.

How many people would we need and who would be willing to do it?

put me down on the list!! Maybe a lot of thai restaurant owners that are losing business due to the problems will help although how can you be sure the thai police will not just open fire on everybody this is the land of smiles!! I think you would need the watchful eye of cnn or bbc

[britadders28]

Hey in 6 years ive not personally had a problem except dual pricing, over charged etc.., so you think people should adapt and accept being smashed in head with an anchor or just avoid thailand, i think you have the young thai bride as you seen to have the view that its the tourists fault for coming to thailand, if they were not there it wouldnt happen, DO you work for TAT or are you THai?? Oh and the incident i mentioned was seen by many as it was at the busy part of chaweng beach!! Could relate more horror stories from fact and from thais themselves. This kind of attitude from sheep like you will never help change things and get thailand back to the tourist destination it once was!! By the way this wasnt tourists on a 2 week stay, i work with CITIS - Convention of International Trade and endangerd species. with help of thai police, various governments (vietnam, taiwan, british and thai but only because we had big CITIS meeting in bangkok they cooperated), and a lot of good work from monkey world in UK we helped get the monkeys out of bangkok markets and floating markets, dont even start me on the treatment of animals in thailand as you will be fighting a losing battle mate.

Samui had many chimps being drugged and stubbed with cigarettes, these people are scum, just take a look at the state of elephants in thailand!!!

No I don't think that being smashed over the head by anything is acceptable ever but I do have to wonder why it happens to so many when in my 60 years it has never happened to me once, but when I look around the place where I live and I see people's behaviour I sometimes despair how naive some people are.

As for choices, yes, everyone has a choice about most things that they do - the guy who cries foul because his investment portfolio didn't perform the way he was told it might, does he have a legitimate gripe, no - ditto choice of location for a holiday.

No I'm not Thai I'm a Brit and my wife is one year younger than me.

Well done on your career path and efforts, keep up the good work.

thanks, and i see where you are coming from (brits probably being worse abroad when drunk), I always took thai side if a drunk brit or aussie was being out of control I tried warning them just go to hotel and sleep it off! but not all are like this and stereotyping can be dangerous, you sounded like a sex tourist with your comments which is why i concluded you had young bride and could see no wrong in the country but that was more from arguments sake and now know where you are coming from.

I know alot of older people retire for the warmer climate to help with their health not just sex.

If thailand wants to be a tourist hub and a capitalist country they need to adapt too for their own sake i think, to be honest i dont give a hoot what happens to thailand anymore, lots of my thai friends have already moved out and there is alot more to the world than thailand.

THe FCO keeps records of how many brits need help from embassy , the numbers are very large and i would say more than 50% is NOT down to the farang with most being muggings and hotel room break ins!

Chok dee

[baht&sold]

ChiangMai, to summarise your argument 'you get what you pay for'. Is that what you're saying?

If so, what happens when people get better value for their $ in other locations, such as India, Laos etc? That's going to be Thailand's loss.

Simon

Exactly, and that to some degree or another will be part of the Thai learning curve on its path to becomming a first world country in the future.

'you get what you pay for'

Yet should Thailand ascend to a 'First world' country replete with 'back home' certainties (with prices commensurate to 'desired' nanny-state assurances) most rightfull whingers would likely head straight to the NEXT cheapest under-developed country (and continue to rightfully whinge)

Personally, I won't shed a tear for the demise of Phuket's and other Thailand locations' tuk-tuk cartels, but many here will be gone to 'greener/cheaper' pastures whilst still DEMANDING nanny-state 'perfection'

end of.

Edited December 30, 2009 by baht&sold

[Seismic]

Hope they catch the man who attacked these Tourists.

Having said that though, It is like Parking the Car on a Motorcycle Taxi Rank - There are no signs telling us not to, we just use our common sense really and not park there to avoid this type of trouble.

The tourists on holiday should have moved on really to avoid this, afterall, they are visitors in this Country.

That is what I think anyway.

So visitors to the "land of smiles", have no rights??, they saved money to go on a holiday in asia and end up getting attacked by a local thug and it is their fault??, Pattaya girl I really think you need to fix your attitude. If there were no signs saying they could not park then why the violence??, maybe you just dont like farang and are happy that the "rich" farang got what they deserved.

[Seismic]

Yes I agree, intimidation can be very real, but equally it's in the mind of the beholder, often what is intimidation to one person is nothing more than a casual and everyday encounter to another. The more interesting aspect though is what is fair and reasonable behaviour an that to me seems to be the issue at the heart of much of this debate.

Let me perfectly clear in that I do not condone in any way the behaviour of the tuk tuk driver mentioned in the OP, it was absolutely deplorable. But what sort of behaviour should we reasonable aspect from locals in Phuket whilst on vacation. Well, we might hope that everyone is civilised and behave well and that all have a good time and that the locals make an adequate income - if you're Jingthing you might also think that matters should be improved to include a public transportation facility that allows all tourists inexpensive and unfettered transport around the island.

But stop, can we please all remember where we are, this Thailand in the year 2010 (almost), a country that ten years ago was indeed regarded as a third world country, a country where today over 90% of the population earn less than Baht 400 per day, a country that today does not have a suitably functioning law enforcement agency, a country where corruption is rife at all levels, and so on - none of these facts are secret or unknown, the point being that if tourists don't understand these things before they arrive then they have no right to compare the social circumstances in Thailand with those in their home country, after the fact.

What sort of drugs are you on ??,

hey come to Thailand, its a third world country and if you get the shit kicked out of you, then its your own fault for not understanding the local culture??, get real pal, Thailand is pushing itself as a tourist friendly exotic location, and this type of behaiviour is totally unacceptable. Tourists come here because it is promoted as a safe location, no-one is going to tell them that the local mafia is to be avoided and they shoul be thankful that they can come to a third world country and have a good time, unless they piss off the local mafia and get beaten up.

Yes we all know about the low wages etc etc, but that does not excuse attacks on people, particularly as this is a "so-called" buddhist country where non-confrontation is the norm.

I have lived here for 31 years and your shallow acceptance of violence tells me that you still have a lot to learn.

[elcent]

Since the last coup this country is slipping into complete lawlessness in an ever accelerating rate.

I just found that the ministry of foreign affairs still hails the 1997 constitution on it's official website. Nothing mentioned about the last coup or changes made. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Ministry-For...in-t325877.html

[Bagwan]

Quote from Chiang Mai :-

But stop, can we please all remember where we are, this Thailand in the year 2010 (almost), a country that ten years ago was indeed regarded as a third world country, a country where today over 90% of the population earn less than Baht 400 per day, a country that today does not have a suitably functioning law enforcement agency, a country where corruption is rife at all levels, and so on - none of these facts are secret or unknown, the point being that if tourists don't understand these things before they arrive then they have no right to compare the social circumstances in Thailand with those in their home country, after the fact.

Thailand still is a Third World country and what you have written supports that view.

[Bagwan]

I suggest that the official Thai view of this disgusting state of affairs is that there is no prostitution, no scams, no gratuitous violence, no great incidence of corruption, no ever present dangers in the tourist Mecca rejoicing in the fanciful title of the Land of Smiles. It's all in the mind you know.

As with breaking an addiction to alcohol, the first step is to admit to being an alcoholic. What chance is there that Thailand will admit that most touristy areas resemble the Barbary Coast and need to be cleaned up? Don't hold your breath. When Thailand finally makes it to a lower position than Zimbabwe or Afghanistan on a list of OK places to visit, the natives might come to their senses.

[zzdocxx]

Golly it would be nice if the multi-quote function could be temporarily disabled for this thread.

Edited December 30, 2009 by zzdocxx

[kenk3z]

I have found it easy to push Phuket off the list of places to visit in Thailand by reminding my wife of these two things:

1) Many ghosts are wandering around Phuket since the tsunami. And they are angry at the way they died.

2) Phuket is under increasing islamic influence as the influence slowly spreads northward, province by province.

Since my wife is Buddhist Thai these two tidbits of information work without fail.

kenk3z

[cotambear]

'you get what you pay for'

Yet should Thailand ascend to a 'First world' country replete with 'back home' certainties (with prices commensurate to 'desired' nanny-state assurances) most rightfull whingers would likely head straight to the NEXT cheapest under-developed country (and continue to rightfully whinge)

Personally, I won't shed a tear for the demise of Phuket's and other Thailand locations' tuk-tuk cartels, but many here will be gone to 'greener/cheaper' pastures whilst still DEMANDING nanny-state 'perfection'

end of.

With Patong you often get first world prices - eg tuk tuks - with third world quality. Thats what pisses peeps off.

[pontius]

I have found it easy to push Phuket off the list of places to visit in Thailand by reminding my wife of these two things:

1) Many ghosts are wandering around Phuket since the tsunami. And they are angry at the way they died.

2) Phuket is under increasing islamic influence as the influence slowly spreads northward, province by province.

Since my wife is Buddhist Thai these two tidbits of information work without fail.

kenk3z

LOL, thanks for the tip. I can't believe that some people still go to Phuket voluntarily.

[MEGALITHIC]

The problem with dealing with an angry Thai person is, quite often, you'll never know until it's too late. The smile goes away, face has been lost and then there's an explosion of violence. Not that this in anyway excuses what happened but the machinations of the day to day lives of Phukets' tuk tuk operators are, possibly, quite complex. Particularly when the golden cash cow, of years gone by, is beginning to evaporate before their eyes. Money, or the lack there of, can create all kinds of stress. Perhaps one of the mia noi's, or giks, has said that if she doesn'y get more, she's dumping him. Perhaps his gambling debts are spiralling out of control and the real heavies are putting pressure on him. Perhaps his lao kao problem is creating very real health problems and instability. Whatever. One thing's for sure though, it's not going to get better anytime soon. The golden days are over I'm afraid. The likes of Patong and Pattaya have become an urban sprawl of congestion and chaos. Those white sand, idyllic beaches, of the past, are no more. The tourists will go elsewhere for their two week taste of paradise and the angry tuk tuk drivers can keep wondering why it's all gone so horribly wrong.

[uncletom]

About 7 and a half years ago I took my family to Phuket. Had to walk to several different taxis at the airport and ended up paying 800 baht. Asking price was 1000. Ticked me off but I was trapped at their mercy.

Rented a small Phantom style motorcycle and one day in the afternoon needed to go to 7-11 on the beach front road. Parked pretty close to the 7-11 store side and was immediately confronted and told to leave and not park by this one Thai guy. Told the guy that this is public street and that I would be only 5 minutes and it is not his parking space anyway. Started to walk away and he said hope your bike is ok when you get back, and I turned around and said WHAT! I am only going to buy something really quick. I still went into the store ignoring him, but did it in a rush to get back out. Nothing happened to the bike, but then again the bike had been rented pretty close not so far across the street. Maybe that helped, but it left a bad feeling in my body. Parked on the side walk aftet that!

Yes, there should be some hidden cameras and many set ups to intitiate situations (40- 50+) one after the other to document these low lifers as many as there are of them. If they are caught on camera numerous times, and then all of them are caught on camera numerous -numerous - numerous 10 - 20- 50 fold as in times as many as much as it takes, then maybe something can be done about it by having them removed from the scene by lodging complaints.

If the police or govenment don't respond and act, then this should fall under a severe Human Rights issue and violation and then a complaint against the Government and local authorities should be filed. From this it should then be filed internationally with the Human Right commision in everyone's own country of origin. Make it a true international issue, But these scum bags need to be documented time and time and time again, Day in and day out until something happens.

Also an after thought. Where are the notoriously brave freedom fighters of the Tourist Police? You would figure that they would want to tackle this one. I would like to hear a post or two from them regarding why they aren't trying to do better on tackling and confronting this situation head on.

[Thai at Heart]

Having been here for nearly 20 years, it is sad to see the golden egg going sour. Thailand had some of the most beautiful beaches, best value for money high and low star hotels. Unfortunately, nothing has been done to improve on anything that existed in the tourism industry in Thailand for the last 20 years or so.

The entire industry has stood still in a very self satisfied manner from the Airport management to the police in the resorts to the visa structures and has come to believe that the foreign tourist is often either to be snidely resented or gouged. The days of exemplary service with a smile have largely long gone in Thailand I fear. The endless shoddy construction and lack of planning in the tourism areas has on the whole damaged the environment on the islands. It is such a shame that one can barely believe it.

To hear of family tourists being beaten up in broad daylight because of a parking problem is so ludicrous it beggars belief. To those who said that the tourists should have moved on because they should have known what could happen, one has to ask, in which handbook does it tell you that tuk tuk drivers have an organised mafia and whilst providing transport services can also regularly be relied on to resort to physical violence? I might have moved on if I was fortunate to know the violent tendencies of these people, but then if they have a violent tendency why are they allowed to roam around? Once again corruption rears its ugly head.

Corruption, self satisfaction, greed and ineptitude at all levels have become the poster boys of tourism in Thailand. I really cannot say that I have heard anyone tell me that any of their tourism experiences in Thailand are better than they were 5, 10 or 15 years ago. I cannot think of one development that has occurred in Thailand in the last 20 years to make the tourism experience genuinely better.

[simon43]

UncleTom, I can only comment on your last paragraph where you refer to the Tourist Police. I've worked as a volunteer officer in Phuket, Pattaya and Bangkok, and I can tell you that a uniform and determination to resolve these types of problems means nothing to an angry Thai tuk-tuk driver or jet-ski operator.

Expats and visiting tourists can help to get the message across by refusing to use tuk-tuks etc, but it is the Thai people and Thai authorities who must resolve this problem.

We need a campaign 'Walking is good for you' - and encourage tourists to walk, rather than use the tuk-tuks.

But I tend to agree with other posters, that the tuk-tuk drivers are simply too stupid to realise that they are killing the goose that lays the golden eggs, and will not respond to reasoned arguement. They can either accept the orders of the government to get their act together, or they can wither and die as the tourist revenues dry up.

As for hidden cameras to document these incidents, think about the 'palace closed' and 'jewellery store' scams in Bangkok? They have gone on for years with the full knowledge of the Thai authorities, with many photos of these incidents. Has any action ever been taken? No!

Simon

Edited December 31, 2009 by simon43

[jackh]

Another terrible incident driving a nail in the coffin for Phuket. The police and governer should be replaced wholesale and severe punishment to any official taking bribes.

I will never return to Phuket. It is the s$%thole of Thailand. Rip offs, high prices, crime and violence are the memories tourists come away with after a visit to Phuket. Unbelievable that the Thai government sits by and allows this to continue. There are just too many other places to enjoy a vacation aside from Phuket. Won't be long now until Phuket is a distant memory for all tourists.

It's sad to see much of Thailand degrade into a non tourist destination now. The world IS watching.

[caf]

UncleTom, I can only comment on your last paragraph where you refer to the Tourist Police. I've worked as a volunteer officer in Phuket, Pattaya and Bangkok, and I can tell you that a uniform and determination to resolve these types of problems means nothing to an angry Thai tuk-tuk driver or jet-ski operator.

Expats and visiting tourists can help to get the message across by refusing to use tuk-tuks etc, but it is the Thai people and Thai authorities who must resolve this problem.

We need a campaign 'Walking is good for you' - and encourage tourists to walk, rather than use the tuk-tuks.

But I tend to agree with other posters, that the tuk-tuk drivers are simply too stupid to realise that they are killing the goose that lays the golden eggs, and will not respond to reasoned arguement. They can either accept the orders of the government to get their act together, or they can wither and die as the tourist revenues dry up.

As for hidden cameras to document these incidents, think about the 'palace closed' and 'jewellery store' scams in Bangkok? They have gone on for years with the full knowledge of the Thai authorities, with many photos of these incidents. Has any action ever been taken? No!

Simon

The power of the elite and the drivers' own links to it are more important than the orders of the government. You have hit the nail on the head with your post, Simon

[NinjaGladiator]

I blame the authorities, every business owner likes to take ownership of the road front outside their property, NEWS FLASH you don't, if it's a public road and the car is taxed, it has every right to park there, the authorities will decide if it's not a suitable parking zone, by painting the curbs red and white, and if it's intended for taxis the curb will be painted yellow and white. However in my early days I would just give them a stupid look and walk away, after returning and finding a door mirror hanging off, you soon realise it's not worth the hassle. But the police should go round and remove the tables, chairs, cones and what ever else they use to reserve their road front and inform the owner that they are causing an obstruction and will be penalised if they continue, when the silly owner states, "people keep parking there if I don't block it", the police should inform them that that is the idea! Stupid, ignorant F**kers

[geriatrickid]

Yesterday, i had a walk along patong beach. 60-70% beach chair occupancy but not one jetski was rented out at least from what I could see. I am going to walk the strip again in about 30 minutes and will report back. Last July the beach chairs were 20% occupied but many jetskis were rented out. In November it was about 40% beach chair occupancy with a few jet skis rented out. I think the jetski scams have been disseminated to the tourists, although the 1500 baht/30minute rental probably discourages folks as do the forms to be filled out.

I think once the tuk tuk crap is "broadcast" and enough of the media take up the story, tourists will wise up.

keep up the pressure. educate the public to avoid the tuk tuks and to do as Simon says: walk. The environment will say thank you and your heart will say thank you. (Yea, yea, and the hospital will say thank you when you get mowed down by a hit and run drunk driver.)

[uncletom]

Thai at Heart. I agree with you. In my 18 years here I too have seen the quality of Thailand decline through-out most every province. And again you are right, for the new unknowing tourist, it is not written in any hand book, or generally for that fact daily in the newspapers.

I am not sure if they do or this would classify sever enough for the Embassy's to list it as a warning in their websites, but maybe that would help the unsuspecting traveler. People need to stick up and be tough to a point when travelling, but on the other hand need to know when to retreat or say uncle.

Simon. Nothing I don’t know, just wanted to hear a response. I know it is not something to delve into because it can become or becomes life and family threatening, and at this point is an impossible losing battle. Not worth the crusade or price since disfigurement, a new body disability or death is forever, and so through this, so forever they are for now, from the Top to the bottom tier.

As for the secretly recorded footage. Because it is so out in the open (public), only a thought to make public poster scum boys out of all of them as the daily second, minute and hourly repeating scum bag offenders as they so happen to be. This could perhaps be posted on the internet for a heads up. What good it would do, not sure. But it might be interesting. Not libelous or defaming in the least since their actions and words would speak harsh and loudly against them, and then eventually maybe they would have to move on through all pressure tactics applied. Wishful thinking.

I met a man who has a bar in Chiang Mai who had a rental motorcycle shop down there. This harassment was his exact reason for moving out of Phuket and he was very sentimental when talking about those not even in the slightest nice people. His story stuck in my head.

[ComicBum]

"dam dirty apes"....as charlie Heston would most likely have said. The Tuks are simply the 'cockroach' of the motor world, I've yet to be behind one that was not billowing toxic fumes and driving erratically. They are a joke and best not used-at all.

Phuket?.... FINISHED!!! many years ago.....I feel a touch sorry for the fools who have settled their.

I take my family to Langawi and have a delightful beach vacation free of the 'scum' that populate the Thai resort areas.

[noot]

Dear Sirs

I had a similar incident happen to my daughter and I at the end of November at Kata Noi. A Chinese shop owner tried to stop us from parking in front of his shop opposite The Boat House restaurant. I also noted no signs indicating no parking and parked out motorcycle. We returned about an hour later and set off for our hotel only to find that he had let down our front tyre, risking both our lives.

If only he had been more pleasant and allowed us to park, we might have visited his shop and bought something. He isn't exactly attracting customers!

Regards

Mike Wall

come on man . if he tell you to not park, listen to him.

if he was pleasent you still wouldnt have patronized his shop.......

[noot]

ChiangMai, to summarise your argument 'you get what you pay for'. Is that what you're saying?

If so, what happens when people get better value for their $ in other locations, such as India, Laos etc? That's going to be Thailand's loss.

Simon

thailand will worry about this when it happens.

AINT NOTHING GOING ON IN LAOS THAT LOS NEEDS TO BE CONCERNED WITH. SAME WITH INDIA!