Phuket Tuk-tuk Rip Off Story Goes International

[WorldwideALOHA]

The Sydney Morning Herald just published a story about the problems tourists are facing with the Tuk-tuk's in Phuket.

"fair use"

Phuket rip-off: the trouble with tuk-tuks

February 6, 2010

Tourists in Phuket are being taken for a ride, writes Alan Morison.

Most of Phuket's tuk-tuks are red, which is the colour tourists are seeing when they encounter extortionate fares and sometimes gruff and thuggish behaviour by the drivers of these strange local taxis.

The quaint open-sided vehicles provide a ride that's about as comfortable as the back of a ute but visitors are charged a five-star luxury price for the privilege of being bounced all over the holiday island.

Read the whole story on the Sydney Morning Herald

It would be great if the transportation issues the island is facing could finally be worked out before any more damage is done to Phuket's international image.

Aloha

[BanTamo]

They should tripple their prices. Those that don't like it should stay back at Bondi. Those that won't pay should 'bpai nang yang.'

[Netfan]

The tuk tuk thugs, BiB and Phuket government couldn't care less what a paper in Australia says about them.

[ozzieovaseas]

Funny..Dermott Brereton reporting on Aussie tv show "Getaway" the other night stated:

"You CANNOT go to Thailand without taking a ride on a tuk-tuk"

Had to have a quiet laugh to myself

Getting off topic now but later on in the same show they reported Thailand was the 4TH (yes FOURTH) best value for money holiday destination for aussies

and counting down:

3. Tapei

2. Mexico

AND wait for it:

1. USA

<deleted>!!!!!

Edited February 5, 2010 by ozzieovaseas

[roamer]

The tuk tuk thugs, BiB and Phuket government couldn't care less what a paper in Australia says about them.

Other newspapers pick up the story, these things snowball. Not that I care, place is a hole.

[nakachalet]

what exactly do you mean to say in thai, pls?

or what does it mean in english, pls?

BPAI NANG YANG = ?????????????

They should tripple their prices. Those that don't like it should stay back at Bondi. Those that won't pay should 'bpai nang yang.'

[spongeman]

Never used Tuk Tuks. Too expensive. Could be a great form of transport, but they made a balls of it. The drivers attitude to cost etc totally turned me off.

Always used motorcycle or boat taxis.

[JetsetBkk]

Never used Tuk Tuks. Too expensive. Could be a great form of transport, but they made a balls of it. The drivers attitude to cost etc totally turned me off.

Always used motorcycle or boat taxis.

Tricky to get a boat taxi to Central Festival.

[britmaveric]

Never had a problem with a tuk tuk in phuket. Foreign newspapers have little effect, so waste of time really.

[nam-thip]

Reporting the tuk tuk rip-off won't bother the Thai's as they don't give a monkeys hoot what foreigners/tourist's think.

Thailand and it's inhabitants are not of this planet and the sooner people realise that the easier it is to deal with living or taking a holiday here.

Don't use them.

[finner]

350 baht for a tuk tuk? You could charter one for half a day in Bangkok for that price

[jackr]

Reporting the tuk tuk rip-off won't bother the Thai's as they don't give a monkeys hoot what foreigners/tourist's think.

Who cares that they don't care what tourists think! The point is that the more this gets around and has the potential for damaging the place, the better.

As quaint as they may be, even at realistic prices, all tuk-tuks should eventually be rubbed out as they are the bane of the roads here and are major polluters.

[lensta]

Reporting the tuk tuk rip-off won't bother the Thai's as they don't give a monkeys hoot what foreigners/tourist's think.

Thailand and it's inhabitants are not of this planet and the sooner people realise that the easier it is to deal with living or taking a holiday here.

Don't use them.

classic but so true.

[crusty]

Funny..Dermott Brereton reporting on Aussie tv show "Getaway" the other night stated:

"You CANNOT go to Thailand without taking a ride on a tuk-tuk"

Had to have a quiet laugh to myself

Getting off topic now but later on in the same show they reported Thailand was the 4TH (yes FOURTH) best value for money holiday destination for aussies

and counting down:

3. Tapei

2. Mexico

AND wait for it:

1. USA

<deleted>!!!!!

Think you'll find he means the three wheeled tuk tuk used in Bangkok as in James Bond.

[brahmburgers]

Reporting the tuk tuk rip-off won't bother the Thai's as they don't give a monkeys hoot what foreigners/tourist's think.

Who cares that they don't care what tourists think! The point is that the more this gets around and has the potential for damaging the place, the better.

As quaint as they may be, even at realistic prices, all tuk-tuks should eventually be rubbed out as they are the bane of the roads here and are major polluters.

Thais don't care about eating MSG or drinking 50% alcohol rice wine either, but the effects upon those ingesting such things will manifest.

Whether or not the Phuket authorities care about what the foreign press prints about them - or what potential visitors say amongst each other - is a mute point. The fact remains that bad publicity has a cumulative affect. Reference the story of the 'straw that broke the camel's back'? Phuket won't cease to be a tourist magnet due to stories of Phuket tuk tuk drivers ripping off and/or going hysterical on their clients, but the number and quality of tourists will be affected.

Do Thai tourists go there?

[rfukata]

"It would be great if the transportation issues the island is facing could finally be worked out before any more damage is done to Phuket's international image. "

Aloha

Agree. To preserve and upgrade the Resort image and visitors, Phuket should invest on a 'Resort shuttle bus' in which the

shuttle routes services the beach, hotel, restaurant & shopping areas on a timely schedule. This type of services are seen in

popular resort destinations such as Guam, Honolulu & Saipan.

[The Mask]

Never had a problem with a tuk tuk in phuket. Foreign newspapers have little effect, so waste of time really.

Do you always lie so blatantly?. How is it possible not to have a problem with a tuk tuk when they are all just rip off merchants. But then your probably just one of the typical rich farangs that thais love and routinely paint over the cracks of this morbid society with your wallet.

[craigt3365]

It's not only Phuket, but also here in Pattaya and Samui. I know those in power don't really care. They are still rich. But, like the poster above said, at some point it will hurt. I think Thailand should be ashamed of making their tourists ride around in the back of those things...and pay through the nose to do so! So sad....

[MyphuketLife]

good on them for covering the story. One can only hope that it snowballs and other countries pick up on the story.

[junglist]

When the people stop coming and the money stops flowing in the will all cry. Until then it is beyond there ability to understand the negative side effects that will transpire. Example, look at the beautiful cannels that Bangkok once had. Problems here are not addressed until it is too late to fix them.

[Gary A]

If you have never been anywhere in Thailand except Phuket, you would just think it was just normal. If you are a Pattaya or Jomtien expat, you would be livid being charged those ridiculous prices.

[h90]

Funny..Dermott Brereton reporting on Aussie tv show "Getaway" the other night stated:

"You CANNOT go to Thailand without taking a ride on a tuk-tuk"

Had to have a quiet laugh to myself

Getting off topic now but later on in the same show they reported Thailand was the 4TH (yes FOURTH) best value for money holiday destination for aussies

and counting down:

3. Tapei

2. Mexico

AND wait for it:

1. USA

<deleted>!!!!!

USA is cheaper than Thailand?????????

[anselpixel]

Here in Chiang Mai, there's at least one tuk-tuk operator who gets it ...

[smith491]

Reporting the tuk tuk rip-off won't bother the Thai's as they don't give a monkeys hoot what foreigners/tourist's think.

Thailand and it's inhabitants are not of this planet and the sooner people realise that the easier it is to deal with living or taking a holiday here.

Don't use them.

Interesting comment about the Thais way of thinking. Imagine the Thais were expats living in England Do you think they would be posters on an equivalent site to this maybe called England visa.com. Do you think they would even bother discussing what is going on in politics or all the other stuff we find on Thai visa.com? I suspect not although Im sure they would carry on doing Thai stuff such as sleeping, reading comics spending hours on their phones etc etc Perhaps they think that we waste our lives spending time on sites such as this, perhaps they are right!

[senshusband]

My wife and I were blown away when we had to pay B150 to go just a couple of blocks in Karen 2 years ago. After that, we took the beach and walked if we wanted to go somewhere. Phuket is just too expensive for me to enjoy. I will take the advice of another "If you don't want to pay, then don't come." I will just stay in Issan, but thanks for the good time.

[WeeGB]

Reporting the tuk tuk rip-off won't bother the Thai's as they don't give a monkeys hoot what foreigners/tourist's think.

Who cares that they don't care what tourists think! The point is that the more this gets around and has the potential for damaging the place, the better.

As quaint as they may be, even at realistic prices, all tuk-tuks should eventually be rubbed out as they are the bane of the roads here and are major polluters.

Thais don't care about eating MSG or drinking 50% alcohol rice wine either, but the effects upon those ingesting such things will manifest.

Whether or not the Phuket authorities care about what the foreign press prints about them - or what potential visitors say amongst each other - is a mute point. The fact remains that bad publicity has a cumulative affect. Reference the story of the 'straw that broke the camel's back'? Phuket won't cease to be a tourist magnet due to stories of Phuket tuk tuk drivers ripping off and/or going hysterical on their clients, but the number and quality of tourists will be affected.

Do Thai tourists go there?

Thai tourists don't go there, if my wife and her family are anything to go by. I've offered to take them several times for holidays, but they absolutely refuse, fearing another Tsunami. To be honest, as time has gone on since this catastropic event, I've found my self not wanting to go there either. My initial enthusiasm to pay a visit, spend some money, and help the place back on it's feet, has been soured by all the bad news that comes out of Phuket. I have advised several friends from europe to go to other places in Thailand, rather than Phuket, again due to the bad publicity that continually comes out of there.

[ozzieovaseas]

Reporting the tuk tuk rip-off won't bother the Thai's as they don't give a monkeys hoot what foreigners/tourist's think.

Thailand and it's inhabitants are not of this planet and the sooner people realise that the easier it is to deal with living or taking a holiday here.

Don't use them.

Funny, thats exactly what some Thais think of us.

One of my favourite stories from a poster here once..a guy said he was on a tour bus and the Thai lady going around collecting the fares wanted to charge the farangs (there was only 2 on the whole bus) an extra 200 baht each for no apparent reason.

When another Thai looking on asked why she was doing this, the lady not batting an eyelid stated "Its Ok, they're only farangs, they're not human"

[britmaveric]

Never had a problem with a tuk tuk in phuket. Foreign newspapers have little effect, so waste of time really.

Do you always lie so blatantly?. How is it possible not to have a problem with a tuk tuk when they are all just rip off merchants. But then your probably just one of the typical rich farangs that thais love and routinely paint over the cracks of this morbid society with your wallet.

Do you constantly lie about lying?

And then there are those that constantly whinge... recommend using the same tuk tuk lad, and becoming mates with them. Sure there are bad ones out there, but there certainly are good ones as well.

[ozzieovaseas]

Funny..Dermott Brereton reporting on Aussie tv show "Getaway" the other night stated:

"You CANNOT go to Thailand without taking a ride on a tuk-tuk"

Had to have a quiet laugh to myself

Getting off topic now but later on in the same show they reported Thailand was the 4TH (yes FOURTH) best value for money holiday destination for aussies

and counting down:

3. Tapei

2. Mexico

AND wait for it:

1. USA

<deleted>!!!!!

USA is cheaper than Thailand?????????

So they were insinuating, but no doubt the people behind the show have their own reasons for choosing which destinations they will promote at whatever stage.

Obviously where their revenue/advertising dollars are coming from, and which media bosses and travel companies they are affilliated with might have something to do with it?

They did state that the destinations promoted as best value were rated as such from the strength of the aussie $ against the various currencies, but how anyone can claim the first three are better value than the Asian countries,even with exchange rates considered is beyond me

[brahmburgers]

USA is cheaper than Thailand?????????

In some ways, yes. Cheaper autos, whether new or used. They don't charge differently depending on the color of a person's skin or the slant of their eyes, or whether or not they have arm hair. Cheaper for anything digital, but the best values in the US are at garage sales and thrift stores. When I'm about to return from the US, I load up both suitcases with as much of those things as possible; mostly clothes, but also toys and stuffed animals and lingerie (to give away). The quality is often like-new.

Cheapest shirts in Thailand, 100 to 200 baht.

Thrift store shirts in USA, like-new quality; equiv to 10 to 35 baht.

Cheapest computers in Thailand: about $600

Cheapest new computers in the USA, about $250

Used computers are ubiquitous and also about half of what you'd find in Thailand, if you can find any used ones (impossible in all but a very few locales).