War On Phuket Taxi Mafia

[thefalang]

Any progress in cleaning up the taxi mafia in Phukett?

Afraid not ....and it seems to be getting worse. The more rope these thugs are given by the authorities the more they have to hang you (the passenger) with. They are fairly much above the law now as I have heard that high up Thugs in Black are involved in the renting of the tuk tuks (Anyone have more on this??), and no doubt the boys in power in Phuket Town Hall.

They control the whole of Patong now and have commandeered every single parking space for themselves...that is the spaces left after the rental boys have taken their share of available parking. They are a really bad lot and it will take far far more effoirt now to clean up this unholy mess than it would have years ago. They, and their disgraceful practices, are too deeply entrenched and are a serious Mafia. Violent groups like these guys are not going to give up their position easily.

It's the same at all the main beaches on Phuket. The taxis and rental car companies have taken all the prime pkg spaces along the beach. Foreigners must park elsewhere.

At some beaches, the local gov'ts have actually erected ugly huts along the beach, complete with electricity, TV's, etc so that the drivers can play cards while they wait for their next victim.

[tropo]

I agree with you! I remember being in Pattaya in 1987 and sitting on a "song taew" watching the driver over-charge every Falang that got on the bus. Finally I couldn't take it any more and said "why are you cheating all these foreigners?" The bus driver lost face and challenged me to fight (along with his friend).

Thailand is like a country with an over-abundance of immature con men that you constantly have to "keep in check". It's as if there are no morals or ethics here, it's just "get what you can get away with".

I disagree. You cannot blame the con men and it's not up to you (and impossible) to keep them in check. It's the government which is immature. It doesn't matter where you live, without proper regulation public transport becomes a free for all where anything goes. People do not naturally self regulate as they are inherently greedy (and evil). They need enforceable laws to keep them in check.

Point taken but many people here are so incredibly opportunistic. They're like children who behave "naughty" unless they're constantly scolded. It seems that there is a disproportionate amount of "inherently greedy" people here.

There are enforceable laws, they just aren't enforced. Thailand ranked 3.36 police per 1,000 people as per a UN survey (that's #14 out of 48 countries). There are plenty of police, just a lack of efficient, uncorrupt police for the job.

Having lived in Thailand for 4 years and even longer in a much poorer country (the Philippines), I really have to say that I think you've got it wrong.

One could make the case that people from Western nations are more immature in that most of these nations have social welfare systems in place. In poorer countries people have to survive anyway they can. It's not really greed even though you perceive it that way, but a survival instinct taking over. Thailand is not as impoverished as many countries in the area, but it's basically the same deal - no social welfare. No money - no food. No money - no medicine. It's rough, but you really should be able to appreciate the difference.

[brahmburgers]

Shuttle buses / mini vans. At 20 minute intervals. 60 baht/person.

If Phuket really wanted to break away from its banana republic image, the shuttles would have lifts for handicapped and all rides would be free, subsidized by local admin taxes.

Airport and trip to hotel are often the first impressions of travelers, who are often weary and apprehensive.

When I think of visiting HK, part of my thoughts are with the ease and comfort of getting from airport to city. Similar for San Francisco. When I think of visiting Phuket by air, I'm repelled by thoughts of overcharging hassles and having to negotiate - like being in a hot/humid Somali market with hustlers all around. ...and getting from town to the airport is near as bad.

[katasyd]

I feel bad for the businesses that are situated on the beach road at Patong.

They pay high rents but no customers can park and enter a establishment.

I tried going for mexican at Coyote's, no parking so i just drove on and went somewhere else.

The big bike rental guys had taken 8 spots for there fleet of bikes.

If you do happen to find a spot there, out they come from behind tree's demanding 20 baht to park there.

[thefalang]

I agree with you! I remember being in Pattaya in 1987 and sitting on a "song taew" watching the driver over-charge every Falang that got on the bus. Finally I couldn't take it any more and said "why are you cheating all these foreigners?" The bus driver lost face and challenged me to fight (along with his friend).

Thailand is like a country with an over-abundance of immature con men that you constantly have to "keep in check". It's as if there are no morals or ethics here, it's just "get what you can get away with".

I disagree. You cannot blame the con men and it's not up to you (and impossible) to keep them in check. It's the government which is immature. It doesn't matter where you live, without proper regulation public transport becomes a free for all where anything goes. People do not naturally self regulate as they are inherently greedy (and evil). They need enforceable laws to keep them in check.

Point taken but many people here are so incredibly opportunistic. They're like children who behave "naughty" unless they're constantly scolded. It seems that there is a disproportionate amount of "inherently greedy" people here.

There are enforceable laws, they just aren't enforced. Thailand ranked 3.36 police per 1,000 people as per a UN survey (that's #14 out of 48 countries). There are plenty of police, just a lack of efficient, uncorrupt police for the job.

Having lived in Thailand for 4 years and even longer in a much poorer country (the Philippines), I really have to say that I think you've got it wrong.

One could make the case that people from Western nations are more immature in that most of these nations have social welfare systems in place. In poorer countries people have to survive anyway they can. It's not really greed even though you perceive it that way, but a survival instinct taking over. Thailand is not as impoverished as many countries in the area, but it's basically the same deal - no social welfare. No money - no food. No money - no medicine. It's rough, but you really should be able to appreciate the difference.

"Survival instinct"... Well, it's the pursuit of money for whatever reason. Just because there's no social welfare does not give the locals a license (or a valid reason) to steal, con and cheat. Even poverty (if it were the motivating factor) does not justify cheating people.

I have spent considerable time in the Philippines over the past 20-yrs also and happen to believe that the Philippinos are, in general, more honest than the Thais in Phuket. In Easaan and other areas, that's a completely different story.

I've been around certain areas of Phuket long enough that I am personally familiar with some of the taxi drivers and am aware of their basic economic status. I know absolutely that they are not "impoverished" and/or in a survival mode. It's just greed.

[007]

Probably some sort of blowback from the press stories of taxi drivers gouging tsunami victims for US$50 rides to the airport. "What you gonna do, walk? ha ha ha!"

I read online, that some of the drivers asked for as much as 3,000 baht; that's way more than 50 bucks.

[007]

I have spent considerable time in the Philippines over the past 20-yrs also and happen to believe that the Philippinos are, in general, more honest than the Thais in Phuket. In Easaan and other areas, that's a completely different story.

I'm not familiar with the Philippines, but many Thais on Phuket, especially the taxi drivers are not locals, but from other parts of Thailand, esp. the Northeast, and, I'd guess, not the most honest and polite elements from their home provinces. I always found the real Phuketians (like in Phuket City) to be more pleasant and friendly.

Edited November 12, 2009 by 7

[virtualtraveller]

Unfortunately as long as you are predominantly a tourist town, with tourists blithely accepting their rates, this is always going to continue, the taxi drivers will always try get away with what they can, unaware of the bigger impact, so they need to be educated properly at a forum that includes all the complaint letters from tourists and the effect on tourism.

Personally I've never been ripped off by a taxi driver in Bangkok other than when getting in on the 'wrong' level at the airport, and when they refuse the meter I simply get out and take the next one, if they did it on the highway I would calmly agree then when you reach the destination refuse to pay and ask the hotel or someone official to call the tourist police, I did this once and he backed down.

I think Bangkok taxis are some of the best value in the world, usually use meters, always one nearby and cheap. In Chiang Mai we have a taxi mafia but their objective is to cram the roads with as many taxis/songteaws as they can (strength in numbers even if they aren't earning 'cause they are always empty). They can't rip us off because most passengers are local and know better.

[JimsKnight]

I agree with you! I remember being in Pattaya in 1987 and sitting on a "song taew" watching the driver over-charge every Falang that got on the bus. Finally I couldn't take it any more and said "why are you cheating all these foreigners?" The bus driver lost face and challenged me to fight (along with his friend).

Thailand is like a country with an over-abundance of immature con men that you constantly have to "keep in check". It's as if there are no morals or ethics here, it's just "get what you can get away with".

I disagree. You cannot blame the con men and it's not up to you (and impossible) to keep them in check. It's the government which is immature. It doesn't matter where you live, without proper regulation public transport becomes a free for all where anything goes. People do not naturally self regulate as they are inherently greedy (and evil). They need enforceable laws to keep them in check.

No they don't, only dictators and tyrants use that excuse to force regulation and 'rules' on the working man.

Don't let the bad ones tar the good ones with the same brush!

[thefalang]

I have spent considerable time in the Philippines over the past 20-yrs also and happen to believe that the Philippinos are, in general, more honest than the Thais in Phuket. In Easaan and other areas, that's a completely different story.

I'm not familiar with the Philippines, but many Thais on Phuket, especially the taxi drivers are not locals, but from other parts of Thailand, esp. the Northeast, and, I'd guess, not the most honest and polite elements from their home provinces. I always found the real Phuketians (like in Phuket City) to be more pleasant and friendly.

In Bangkok, I agree and that many of the taxi drivers are from the northeast. Not so in Phuket. The "Phuketians" reserve this "license to steal" for their own.

When I spoke of "locals", I actually meant "Thais" in general, not Phuket Thais. I do maintain, however, that it's the Phuket Thais who are more 'plugged in" to the "old-boy" network and local "mafia" and hence it is the "Phuketians" that are the worst. I find many southern Thais to be "short-fused" and behave like uneducated rednecks.

The Essarn people are not educated any better but I prefer them any day! Many of them know what a day's work is and have not grown up in an economy populated by businesses (such as Phuket) that, in part, are based on cheating foreigners.

Edited November 12, 2009 by thefalang

[harleyclarkey]

War on rather than from the taxi gangsters?? It won't happen..

As posted here I really have an issue (among others) with the double/triple/quadruple fare. Why should it cost 2/3/4 times the fare to carry 2/3/4 passengers? Of course it shouldn't and this is the ONLY place I have been shafted like this. You could end up paying 1,200 baht from Patong to Chalong....the same as I have paid from Bkk to Hua Hin in a Toyota for 4 people. We as passengers and individuals can not deal with this. It is solely for the authorities and I know they haven't the stomach nor will power to sort out the mess they created and have allowed to fester over years.

[ballzafire]

Speaking of the Phuket tuk-tuk mafia, check out this photo of their fixed price list that Relayer posted a while back. It's a shocker:

http://img145.imageshack.us/i/phukettuktukmafiafixedp.jpg/

[brahmburgers]

Here's the simple version of the equation:

A. You get a bunch of Thais who are eager to make as much money as possible and have no scruples about ripping others off - particularly farang, who will forever be 'different' and who can endlessly go to any ATM and get money. Thais see farang as having no limit to their deep pockets.

B. You get a bunch of farang, who have been saving up for their big trip to Thailand/Asia, who don't speak the language, who have read in the guide books that Thais disdain getting angry, indeed they never get angry (ha ha). The farang are indoctrinated from birth to tip, regardless of quality of service - indeed, generous tipping is automatic in US restaurants and taxis. Obviously, anyone who gets a tip from a big white farang is going to expect tips from all farang, from that point on.

...So no surprise, there are rip offs going on minute by minute in places like Phuket, Pattaya, Samui, Bangkok, C.Mai where most tourists are. About half the time, the farang don't know they're getting ripped off, and about 40% of the time, they know they're getting charged too much, but just grin and bear it. That leaves 10% of the time, they know they're getting ripped off, and they make a fuss about it. What's the result? The Thai scam artist is going to get stern. If that doesn't work within 10 seconds, he/she will get angry (but how can that be? The guide books say Thais don't get angy. How odd). If anger doesn't work, then threats will ensue.

Edited November 13, 2009 by brahmburgers

[caf]

War on rather than from the taxi gangsters?? It won't happen..

As posted here I really have an issue (among others) with the double/triple/quadruple fare. Why should it cost 2/3/4 times the fare to carry 2/3/4 passengers? Of course it shouldn't and this is the ONLY place I have been shafted like this. You could end up paying 1,200 baht from Patong to Chalong....the same as I have paid from Bkk to Hua Hin in a Toyota for 4 people. We as passengers and individuals can not deal with this. It is solely for the authorities and I know they haven't the stomach nor will power to sort out the mess they created and have allowed to fester over years.

It is not stomach or will power. Think of who they are taking on? However wrong, they can not stop it.

[caf]

Here's the simple version of the equation:

A. You get a bunch of Thais who are eager to make as much money as possible and have no scruples about ripping others off - particularly farang, who will forever be 'different' and who can endlessly go to any ATM and get money. Thais see farang as having no limit to their deep pockets.

B. You get a bunch of farang, who have been saving up for their big trip to Thailand/Asia, who don't speak the language, who have read in the guide books that Thais disdain getting angry, indeed they never get angry (ha ha). The farang are indoctrinated from birth to tip, regardless of quality of service - indeed, generous tipping is automatic in US restaurants and taxis. Obviously, anyone who gets a tip from a big white farang is going to expect tips from all farang, from that point on.

...So no surprise, there are rip offs going on minute by minute in places like Phuket, Pattaya, Samui, Bangkok, C.Mai where most tourists are. About half the time, the farang don't know they're getting ripped off, and about 40% of the time, they know they're getting charged too much, but just grin and bear it. That leaves 10% of the time, they know they're getting ripped off, and they make a fuss about it. What's the result? The Thai scam artist is going to get stern. If that doesn't work within 10 seconds, he/she will get angry (but how can that be? The guide books say Thais don't get angy. How odd). If anger doesn't work, then threats will ensue.

Very perceptive; and refreshing to have a post on here with facts from someone with experience of the country.

The "bunch of Thais" bit goes deeper though. It is not only they that are on the take. It's the people above them, and above them, and so on.......

[Mousehound]

In Phuket I hire a car at the airport - Avis. Even paying their charges with top insurance I recon it is as cheap as using tuk-tuks and I like the feeling of being self reliant. In BKK - meter taxi only unless they agree to my price.