Phuket Tuk-tuk Driver Attacks French Family

[EvilDrSomkid]

I feel a closed thread coming up. Careful ManilaLover.

If it would be possible to keep every tourist out of Phuket, that would be the best measure. Only allow Thai people to visit.

Let the Thais suffer this disgrace and things will happen.

[andyptrav]

The problem will sort itself eventually. The guys running this scam are no different to the car or newspaper print union bosses in the UK before they were busted. The Detroit US car workers are (despite the current bailout) about to face reality.

The tuk-tuk drivers do not actually make much money as there are about 5x as many as a free market would support --look at them all parked up making nothing whilst paying the finance and Boss waiting for the one 400bt trip of the day.

Some of them are actually nice people and are just trying to support their family as best they can within the situation they find themselves.

I don't use them and advise others similarly, perhaps they are loosing the battle (of income) and hence some of them becoming nastier despite the fact of this hastening their own demise.

By the way, I have been pretty much everywhere in the world and I still prefer Phuket. You can't live in a place where you can have a full time maid for 5000bt a month with the views and beaches here without some downside. As for Chiang Mai, Koh Chang, Samui etc. -- not my cup of tea but it may be yours.

[Unfaithful]

All major embassies might issue an alert to avoid all of Phuket.

[SICA]

The problem will sort itself eventually. The guys running this scam are no different to the car or newspaper print union bosses in the UK before they were busted. The Detroit US car workers are (despite the current bailout) about to face reality.

The tuk-tuk drivers do not actually make much money as there are about 5x as many as a free market would support --look at them all parked up making nothing whilst paying the finance and Boss waiting for the one 400bt trip of the day.

Some of them are actually nice people and are just trying to support their family as best they can within the situation they find themselves.

I don't use them and advise others similarly, perhaps they are loosing the battle (of income) and hence some of them becoming nastier despite the fact of this hastening their own demise.

By the way, I have been pretty much everywhere in the world and I still prefer Phuket. You can't live in a place where you can have a full time maid for 5000bt a month with the views and beaches here without some downside. As for Chiang Mai, Koh Chang, Samui etc. -- not my cup of tea but it may be yours.

Did you read what you wrote?

You say you see the tuk tuk drivers ripping off tourists all day, everywhere in Phuket to feed their families and you think it's ok to condone paying 5,000B a month for you maid. Is it just me, or.......

[nickjam]

I have to agree that the longer you stay the more violence you will encounter. Today I witnessed an old (admittedly drunk and shouting her mouth off) woman get strangled and punched in the face as 3 guys sat, watched and smiled. It was at Phra Pinklao pier and I'd just got on the boat. When I saw the man pull out a massive stick I jumped off the boat and charged at him shouting. He immediately backed down and I confiscated his stick! The other guys were saying that everything was OK and that I should go away. I suppose I was lucky they didn't jump on me for spoiling their entertainment. Sometimes you gotta step in... and then run away quickly!

[Maestro]

I have deleted some flames and the replies to them.

--

Maestro

[MAJIC]

Shocking stuff, hope the guy gets an appropiate punishment (wishful thinking..)

Was down in Phuket last month, never used a tuk tuk once, I mean what is it with these guys who won't move for less than 200b? Is it really better for these guys to wait for 1 customer stupid enough to pay it, than charge half and probably get 5 fares a night?!

I can rent a motorbike for 24hrs for 150b, but these pricks don't understand the economics of that.

Tried telling one if he charged less he'd get more customers, his reply: don't fu_king speak thai to me....

As I understand it, a thai guy labouring on a building site would get maybe 400b a day, for his 10/12 hour shift, why do they imagine that a 300m ride is worth 200b? Because some will pay it I guess, and thats the problem. If NO-ONE used them then they would have to change it.

Airport taxi was 600b each way, more than it should be, but not too bad really, especially when you consider from Chaweng to the airport is the same money, and that literally is a 10 min journey.

It won't stop me going there, cos it does still have some nice spots, and I'm happy with a Honda click for getting around.

Building site Labourers are on nearer 200b per day than 400b.

[stevenl]

As long as there are some big heads or uniformed people behind this tuk tuk and taxi scam NOTHING will change, NEVER. Corruption is the reason why Phuket doesnt have a proper transport system, I am sure the governor will find some words of excuse, but change NOTHING

Until they sort out the corrupted Police, Mayors and others, nothing will ever change.

Why would they want to fix something that brings them in millions.

Here in Phuket, anyone who owns a business in a tourist area has to pay protection money. The MiB have a huge book with who has paid who and when.

Will it ever change, not bloody likely...

The thing that will change, is they will try and show they are stopping this by "catching" 1 person out of every 100 complaints, to show they are doing something. Just like when they do a hunt in Patong for "counterfeit goods" that are available everyday. But once every 3 months they have a crack down, which looks good....but good to whom? I have no idea, as well all know its a showcase.

Maybe the Thai's actually believe what they see on the TV.

TB

i have a business in kata on phuket, and a lot of my friends have businesses. I do not pay protection money, neither do any of my friends afaik.

[moetownblues]

Better to come to Chiang Mai, I took a Tuk Tuk home from a night out the other night, 200Baht from central city area to home at San Kempang and it was a little cool in the evening for the driver to go all that way. Stay away from dirt holes like Pattaya and Phuket.

Yes I agree 100% the tuk tuk drivers in Chiangmai are wonderful decent people who will go out of thier way to help you for no charge. In general the Chiangmai people are the Land of Smiles. My concern is that the tourists will start flocking here and drag the place down as they have done in Pattaya and Phuket. Chiangmai is heaven on earth at the moment and we don't need it to be turned into another Pattaya. It is a great family area.

[jupiler]

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 as 'visitor' in this country, i have to 'follow orders' from every Thai?

C'mon!

No just follow the laws, rules and traditions and you will be fine, enjoy your holiday

Like the french family, and then getting bashed! Nice holiday....

Or is moving you're car, when a mafia gangmember order you, tradition?

[Brewsta]

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 as 'visitor' in this country, i have to 'follow orders' from every Thai?

C'mon!

No just follow the laws, rules and traditions and you will be fine, enjoy your holiday

Err......In reality, such laws, blah, blah...traditions, etc are in the foreign language and administered by unknown authorities on your foreign holiday.

Bit simplistic to expect instant 'assimilation-on-arrival' by the poor, unsuspecting incoming fresh meat tourist, especially if they have read Lonely Planetoid type material, IMHO......outdated publications can and often do mislead or mis-inform.

The Natives of your foreign destination could maybe set an example and actually follow those same rules, eh, as citizens of said foreign country, no?

This could be your family who came here and were violated in this way, hopefully not, eh!

Brewsta

[moetownblues]

All major embassies might issue an alert to avoid all of Phuket.

The Australian Embassy issues warnings to avoid Pattaya but states to be wary in Phuket. I am sure they will upgrade thier warnings soon

[andyptrav]

The problem will sort itself eventually. The guys running this scam are no different to the car or newspaper print union bosses in the UK before they were busted. The Detroit US car workers are (despite the current bailout) about to face reality.

The tuk-tuk drivers do not actually make much money as there are about 5x as many as a free market would support --look at them all parked up making nothing whilst paying the finance and Boss waiting for the one 400bt trip of the day.

Some of them are actually nice people and are just trying to support their family as best they can within the situation they find themselves.

I don't use them and advise others similarly, perhaps they are loosing the battle (of income) and hence some of them becoming nastier despite the fact of this hastening their own demise.

By the way, I have been pretty much everywhere in the world and I still prefer Phuket. You can't live in a place where you can have a full time maid for 5000bt a month with the views and beaches here without some downside. As for Chiang Mai, Koh Chang, Samui etc. -- not my cup of tea but it may be yours.

Did you read what you wrote?

You say you see the tuk tuk drivers ripping off tourists all day, everywhere in Phuket to feed their families and you think it's ok to condone paying 5,000B a month for you maid. Is it just me, or.......

I did not say any of that at all. What's your problem? It appears you can't read or comprehend as well as the clear fact that can't write or punctuate?

And yes it is ok to pay the going rate for a maid.

[jackinbkk]

the problems with criminals in Phuket has been going on and on for far to long.

This issue with the tuk tuks is just one of many problems. People complain time and time

again but nothing is done. This is the typical response on this island. Paper over it and draw

attention to other things.

Why Phuket has no real meter taxi's that use their meters, no public transport and no trains etc

is never questioned. People come here, they get ripped off and they leave with negative experiences.

This kills the potential tourism. People who live and work here are constantly annoyed by the fact they

cannot park and they cannot take a taxi some place they want to go for a fair price.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE PHUKET AND MAKE THE NECESSARY CHANGES FOR THE FIRST TIME

BEFORE ITS TOO LATE.

[moetownblues]

The problem will sort itself eventually. The guys running this scam are no different to the car or newspaper print union bosses in the UK before they were busted. The Detroit US car workers are (despite the current bailout) about to face reality.

The tuk-tuk drivers do not actually make much money as there are about 5x as many as a free market would support --look at them all parked up making nothing whilst paying the finance and Boss waiting for the one 400bt trip of the day.

Some of them are actually nice people and are just trying to support their family as best they can within the situation they find themselves.

I don't use them and advise others similarly, perhaps they are loosing the battle (of income) and hence some of them becoming nastier despite the fact of this hastening their own demise.

By the way, I have been pretty much everywhere in the world and I still prefer Phuket. You can't live in a place where you can have a full time maid for 5000bt a month with the views and beaches here without some downside. As for Chiang Mai, Koh Chang, Samui etc. -- not my cup of tea but it may be yours.

Did you read what you wrote?

You say you see the tuk tuk drivers ripping off tourists all day, everywhere in Phuket to feed their families and you think it's ok to condone paying 5,000B a month for you maid. Is it just me, or.......

I did not say any of that at all. What's your problem? It appears you can't read or comprehend as well as the clear fact that can't write or punctuate?

And yes it is ok to pay the going rate for a maid.

wow we pay 10,000 for ours and she lives with us with her young daughter.

[brianb1944]

Can anyone say anything positive about any tuk-tuk anywhere in Thailand?

They are noisy, dirty (terrible pollution!) , rude, dangerous, dishonest and all around bad news.

I guess it may be part of Thailand's identity, but I feel they should make Tuk Tuks a thing of the the nostalgic past.

In Chiang mai, Tuk Tuk drivers are mostly reasonably honest, they will take advantage of the gullible, but hey, everyone has to make a living. we have no problems with them. state a destination, ask price, if outrageous keep walking until the next one turns up.

[NamSod]

Does Thailand offer a weapon permit for carrying a gun on your person?

[RickBradford]

It's pretty much accepted that the quality of life in any place in Thailand is inversely proportional to the number of farang/tourists there.

The real sinkholes are Pattaya, Phuket, Hua Hin, FarangWorld (ie Sukhumvit 3-15). Koh Samet, which is heavily touristed, is a disgrace; Koh Kut, which is remote, is delightful.

Mass tourism has a terrible effect on the Thai people involved in it. They love the money it brings; but they hate the fact they must rely on the despised farang to supply it. That creates an internal (and unrecognised) psychological conflict which usually manifests itself in surliness and rip-offs but, given the brittleness of the Thai character, can sometimes explode into violence.

I hope these French people recover from their trauma and then tell all their fellow-nationals about their experience.

Edited December 29, 2009 by RickBradford

[BSJ]

The wrongdoer that is the subject of the thread needs to be punished in no uncertain terms, but to punish all is uncalled for when the authorities , who must know what goes on, allow the excesses to go unabated. One only has to step outside the airport to be harangued by a herd of squawking touts and hire car operators. Why is it so??? The official taxi rank is at the end of the building.

[lincsong]

A situation that could have, and should have been avoided.

As tourists they should have taken the guy's word and found another parking spot. You don't go to someone else's country and do what's you think is right in your country.

This guy who beat them is still a piece of human excrement and should be thrown in jail but I put some blame on the tourists.

Are you kidding? How could this be the tourists fault? You would make an excellent nazi guard, or some other stupid "follower" type... THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOR, BY ANYONE! The guy is a violent asshol_e, and should be hunted down and locked away... before anyone else gets hurt!

[SICA]

The problem will sort itself eventually. The guys running this scam are no different to the car or newspaper print union bosses in the UK before they were busted. The Detroit US car workers are (despite the current bailout) about to face reality.

The tuk-tuk drivers do not actually make much money as there are about 5x as many as a free market would support --look at them all parked up making nothing whilst paying the finance and Boss waiting for the one 400bt trip of the day.

Some of them are actually nice people and are just trying to support their family as best they can within the situation they find themselves.

I don't use them and advise others similarly, perhaps they are loosing the battle (of income) and hence some of them becoming nastier despite the fact of this hastening their own demise.

By the way, I have been pretty much everywhere in the world and I still prefer Phuket. You can't live in a place where you can have a full time maid for 5000bt a month with the views and beaches here without some downside. As for Chiang Mai, Koh Chang, Samui etc. -- not my cup of tea but it may be yours.

Did you read what you wrote?

You say you see the tuk tuk drivers ripping off tourists all day, everywhere in Phuket to feed their families and you think it's ok to condone paying 5,000B a month for you maid. Is it just me, or.......

I did not say any of that at all. What's your problem? It appears you can't read or comprehend as well as the clear fact that can't write or punctuate?

And yes it is ok to pay the going rate for a maid.

wow we pay 10,000 for ours and she lives with us with her young daughter.

Good for you. A fair price for a fair service..... i hope.

And yes i can punctuate, spell, read, comprehend and converse. I also don't see the need for a question mark at the end of a statement. I apologise for misquoting you and obvioulsy offending you, not my intention at all. This whole thread has me slightly heated as it really enrages it me to hear horror stories of tourists in Thailand.

[moetownblues]

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 as 'visitor' in this country, i have to 'follow orders' from every Thai?

C'mon!

No just follow the laws, rules and traditions and you will be fine, enjoy your holiday

Err......In reality, such laws, blah, blah...traditions, etc are in the foreign language and administered by unknown authorities on your foreign holiday.

Bit simplistic to expect instant 'assimilation-on-arrival' by the poor, unsuspecting incoming fresh meat tourist, especially if they have read Lonely Planetoid type material, IMHO......outdated publications can and often do mislead or mis-inform.

The Natives of your foreign destination could maybe set an example and actually follow those same rules, eh, as citizens of said foreign country, no?

This could be your family who came here and were violated in this way, hopefully not, eh!

Brewsta

whoooo steady up brewsta. I hate seem seem rude but you appear to be the stereotype American tourist we all see in the movies, loud mouthed, wearing the floral shirt with peak cap and 5 cameras hanging around the neck. (National Lampoons Vacation) Get off the plane arms wide spread and yell hey we are from the USA you have to love us and respect us.

If you go to another country you have to respect the residents and thier laws and traditions not ask them to bow down and kiss and respect you. Don't forget you are a guest in thier home you do not own it.

[Jojo75]

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.

...and you think that beating tourists is a good way to say "welcome to our country"? Tourists are visitors, that's right, and you must treat visitors with respect, not only take their money.

[robanywhere]

a couple of observations:

** the transportation system is different in every region/city/island... sometimes it is inexpensive and fair, other places not. every place has its own organized crime elements... the taxi mafia trying to sqeeze the legitimate taxi queue at Suvarnibhum Airport, the tuk-tuk ripoffs in Bangkok (always more than an A/C metered taxi), the lack of public buses in Chiang Mai, etc.

** phuket has had a mafia running the tuk-tuks for ages, and i'm sure the corruption reaches the highest levels of the provincial government. i've heard that nothing happens in phuket without the tuk-tuk mafioso... one time a business owner didn't play ball, so a crowd of tuk-tuks surrounded the business, effectively choking it.

** ever wonder why the phuket public buses run to/from the beaches and phuket town? they are for the locals... the mafia would never allow 10Baht buses to run BETWEEN the beaches, for the tourists to use.

** ever wonder why the cost of transport to/from the airport is so high? you can take the meter taxi from the airport (i did four days ago -- 210 baht to Surin beach), but for most tourists is seems that the only option is the limo drivers that charge 500Baht. and if you go tothe taxi stand, the lady will tell you that the wait is about one hour... there are so few taxis on the island. then back at your hotel, if you call the meter taxi cental phone number, they will say they don't do pick up... simply amazing for a tourist destination! again, because of the tuk-tuk organized crime monopoly squeezing the legit metered taxis.

** there are places that tuk-tuks park... do NOT park there... i was warned once that it was for them, and have respected that ever since (regrettably, i have a condo on the island, so i usually rent a car or motorbike). i remember thinking that the tsunami was a good time for change (i was at kamala at the time), but all i saw afterwards was a whole lot more NEW shiny red tuk-tuks....

the transportation system in phuket needs a total overhaul, but that will never happen in our lifetime... the organized crime element is too strong, the vested interests (BIB, govmt officials, private mafia bosses) are raking in too much of the tourist wealth for any tangible long-term change to occur...

on the flip side, i've heard one big difference between phuket and pattaya is that the local mafia is so strong, that the russian mafia basically gets their <deleted> kicked if they even try setting up in phuket, unlike pattaya....

[LivinLOS]

As long as there are some big heads or uniformed people behind this tuk tuk and taxi scam NOTHING will change, NEVER. Corruption is the reason why Phuket doesnt have a proper transport system, I am sure the governor will find some words of excuse, but change NOTHING

Until they sort out the corrupted Police, Mayors and others, nothing will ever change.

Why would they want to fix something that brings them in millions.

Here in Phuket, anyone who owns a business in a tourist area has to pay protection money. The MiB have a huge book with who has paid who and when.

Will it ever change, not bloody likely...

The thing that will change, is they will try and show they are stopping this by "catching" 1 person out of every 100 complaints, to show they are doing something. Just like when they do a hunt in Patong for "counterfeit goods" that are available everyday. But once every 3 months they have a crack down, which looks good....but good to whom? I have no idea, as well all know its a showcase.

Maybe the Thai's actually believe what they see on the TV.

TB

i have a business in kata on phuket, and a lot of my friends have businesses. I do not pay protection money, neither do any of my friends afaik.

Not a bar then ??

[marijka]

Yes I am a first time poster, though I have been reading thaivisa for about 8 months.

I came to Phuket for the first ( and probably last) time in October.

Because of all I had read here and in other forums we hired a driver during our 2 weeks there. The most it cost was 1000 bht a day including tip. This was very reasonable, considering a tuk tuk from Kata to Patong is 400 bht. We did have a problem in that the driver had only been in Phuket for a week ( from Pattaya) and couldn't speak English, and his girlfriend accompanied us everywhere. This turned out to be a good thing because although she didn't speak English either she somehow usually made out what we were saying. In a stalemate we just rang his boss who should have been our driver!!

We are Aussies, and no we dont steal bar mats. We didn't even go to that street.

I have read all 7 pages of posts here. The tourists shouldn't have been attacked. The tuk tuk driver should be charged. The tuk tuk mafia should be controlled. The police should not be corrupt.

BUT there is a very simple answer to all this from a one-time tourist point of view. Run a bus service from Kata/Karon and Surin areas to/from Patong.

There are buses sitting in Kata all day long not moving waiting for people to go to Phuket City, and buses run from Patong to Phuket, why can't a bus service run between the beaches? Or would this be too easy??

That would wipe the smiles off the tuk tuk drivers faces.

[Jojo75]

A situation that could have, and should have been avoided.

As tourists they should have taken the guy's word and found another parking spot. You don't go to someone else's country and do what's you think is right in your country.

This guy who beat them is still a piece of human excrement and should be thrown in jail but I put some blame on the tourists.

It depends how the guy was talking to them. Why would we have to obey to someone so agressive? I would have had the same reaction. Being born in a country doesn't give you an ultimate power to dictate tourists.

[Yahooka]

I wonder if this is an example of the end result of a prolong period of not enough tourist to feed the Thai transport drivers.

When I was there this year in Patong, it was obvious that tourist were doing more walking and bartering.

The proportion of drivers outnumbered the tourist.

So , maybe that's the problem and people do crazy things when they are hungry and maybe the drivers got use to the way things use to be with loads of tourist.

You`re joking,right ?!?! Even with a slow season most of these scumbags bring in more money a month than a rural thai will do in a year !!!

[chiang mai]

So much talk on this subject amongst the farang community, resident and otherwise - but if you really want to change the current situation you need to make a complaint, in person to TAT Phuket but preferably to TAT Bangkok AND, make details of the problem known to your home country press, otherwise, this backchat is meaningless.

[LivinLOS]

No just follow the laws, rules and traditions and you will be fine, enjoy your holiday

Err......In reality, such laws, blah, blah...traditions, etc are in the foreign language and administered by unknown authorities on your foreign holiday.

Bit simplistic to expect instant 'assimilation-on-arrival' by the poor, unsuspecting incoming fresh meat tourist, especially if they have read Lonely Planetoid type material, IMHO......outdated publications can and often do mislead or mis-inform.

The Natives of your foreign destination could maybe set an example and actually follow those same rules, eh, as citizens of said foreign country, no?

This could be your family who came here and were violated in this way, hopefully not, eh!

Brewsta

whoooo steady up brewsta. I hate seem seem rude but you appear to be the stereotype American tourist we all see in the movies, loud mouthed, wearing the floral shirt with peak cap and 5 cameras hanging around the neck. (National Lampoons Vacation) Get off the plane arms wide spread and yell hey we are from the USA you have to love us and respect us.

If you go to another country you have to respect the residents and thier laws and traditions not ask them to bow down and kiss and respect you. Don't forget you are a guest in thier home you do not own it.

1) I am not a 'guest' here, I am a resident here, with my wife, with my life.. I have lived longer on Phuket than any other single place I have lived on the planet. Thailand is my home.

2) They did obey all the laws and traditions.. This was a public parking space (presumably supported by the taxes I pay !!) not someones private pitch.