Tuk-Tuks Blockade US Military In Phuket

[tryptamine]

I notice that more and more people arriving at Pattaya Nua bus station walk across the road and hail a passing baht bus rather than patronise the bus station taxi mafia. May that long continue.

hm... mafia at Pattaya Nuea? as i remember, they always asked 20 baht (for shared trip of coz). and, considering a distance between there and, say, soi 13/1 second rd., where I often lived before, maybe it's not exactly cheap, but (for Pattaya) is reasonable

but, last time when I arrived to Pattaya few weeks ago (from Udon), tuk tuk drivers near Pattaya Klang didn't want to bargain for less than 50 for 1.5 km just straight to Klang/Buakhao corner... and yes that's while they saw I came from Udon and also while I bargained with them in Thai!

i just ended up crossing Sukhumvit myself, then catching 10 b songthaew down Pattaya Klang (was not difficult at all even at 7.30 am)

about Phuket tuk tuks... i heard a lot about them, so, when finally i visited Phuket 10 to 15 may this year after coming back from Indonesia, i even never tried to talk with them

but of course saw those crazy 900 baht prices to Patong at the airport... of course, my choice was a bus to Phuket town for 85

[souvenirdeparis]

If Farang wants to come to Thailand, they should contribute to the local economy too.

Next time, they bring their own van, to visit their own bars, and drink their own beers, and perhaps even import their own girls (from the Philippines).

This is not the story at all ; it's about a state-to-state agreement being jeopardised by uncouth mob. If it were Russian or Chinese boats instead, they wouldn't meet them with tuk-tuk but with samlows(the quaint pedal type).

[Dukeleto]

If Farang wants to come to Thailand, they should contribute to the local economy too.

Next time, they bring their own van, to visit their own bars, and drink their own beers, and perhaps even import their own girls (from the Philippines).

I think the point was the re-supply of the ships being the biggest money spinner. I agree with part of what you said, yes they should just have their R&R and re-supply in the Philippines.

[richieudon]

Agree with the general sentiments expressed but do understand it's low season (after years of low high-seasons) so money it tight. It's just such bad form for the TT drivers to all converge in a scrum like this and attempt to gouge visitors like this. (I assume the deep-water port in on the east-coast side mid-island the it's maybe a 20-30 minute ride over the mountain to Patong, so B2000 per person is ridiculous.) Now, having been to Phuket many times, I know these drivers (and their "masters" are pond scum) but even scumbags have to eat (unfortunately). So why not organize something reasonable like maybe 200 baht per person and stick 2 sailors in each TT...generating a cool 400 baht a trip (and of course, they could arrange time and place for a return trip for the same price as well. That would be a nice bit of work for most drivers no?

Good idea but it wouldn't happen. People are too greedy. They don't think about tomorrow. They don't care about the damage they're doing. They don't realise most people read about this sh_t on the internet.

They're digging their own grave. I really hope someone does something but they won't. Everyone gets paid from every activity be it sun loungers, tuk tuks, jet-ski's, parking fines, late bars, massage parlours. It all goes up the ladder to the highest point. Nothing will ever be done.

[wlcart]

Indication that Thailand's sense of free market is like their sense for democracy. How arrogant to try and force someone to using a bad product.

[zthyadat]

If Farang wants to come to Thailand, they should contribute to the local economy too.

Next time, they bring their own van, to visit their own bars, and drink their own beers, and perhaps even import their own girls (from the Philippines).

I believe they do contribute to the local economy in many ways - not just the sailors' own spending, but in supply purchases as well.

But if Thailand wants Farang to come to Thailand they have to stop screwing them so badly. Are you really speaking here in the Taxi drivers' defence? Do you honestly think it is perfectly okay for these thugs to just charge whatever they want? Has it occurred to you that possibly the reason the navy started providing the men with transport is because the taxi drivers are thieves? The taxi mafia is just a criminal gang that extorts money from people. You should be ashamed of them, not supporting them.

I get sick of some Thai people saying "If Farang want to come to Thailand... they should do this or do that" as if being able to visit this crumbling country is some blessing from the gods - and as if Farangs should behave the way Thais wish they would (like don't bother coming, just send the money). Yeah, it is still a beautiful place in spots - where it hasn't been torn up or polluted beyond recognition, and many of the people are still somewhat friendly, though not nearly as much as they were twenty or even ten years ago. But the scams continue - and get much better exposure on the internet, and farangs are beginning to realise that the Thai smile is often concealing a second row of very sharp teeth.

[souvenirdeparis]

*Palm to face* stupid, stupid, stupid...

and still no accountability ever "was just a big traffic jam really" just like the Phuket airport blockade was really just the work of "some subversive elements from BKK"

on the other hand, you've got to admit that it's the kind of explanation only a senior diplomat would be expected to come up with.

[Mamboking]

I really hope, that travel business on Phuket will collapse soon and I really hope that after they will look for the reason why it's happened.

[LiveSteam]

The Thai Navy is just down the road, can't they clear the road or do they wait and see just like they did with the Red Shirts.

If Thailand was invaded would the tuk tuk mafia ride those sailors into battle for 2000bt.

LiveSteam

[souvenirdeparis]

So why not organize something reasonable like maybe 200 baht per person and stick 2 sailors in each TT...generating a cool 400 baht a trip (and of course, they could arrange time and place for a return trip for the same price as well. That would be a nice bit of work for most drivers no?

If i were them i'd prefer the free lift to town, you could guarantee if they done as you said theyd get ripped off on the way back.

"" So why not organize something reasonable ""

they' d rather risk their lives in the Persian Gulf only ; a night trip with some tuk tuk drivers is not for the faint-hearted sometimes.

Us Navy is sensible in organizing things right .

Edited June 14, 2010 by souvenirdeparis

[Netfan]

I really hope, that travel business on Phuket will collapse soon and I really hope that after they will look for the reason why it's happened.

LOL the tourism dept will ask for and get 3 billion baht from the govt to form a committee to study the reason, which will require several trips to las vegas, macau , sydney and singapore. they will then publish a study which will recommend phuket be made the hub of tourism in thailand. problem solved.

[souvenirdeparis]

The money sailors generate is not " the tip of the iceberg" ( as compared to re-supply) but " the butter on the spinach"(a positive comparison).

[asiawatcher]

Having avoided Phuket for the 10 years I have been here I was finally unable to avoid a trip there on business. Scam upon scam and more scams on every corner. Everything from rented motorcycles travelling 112 kms and being charged 1,200 Baht for the fuel, Tuk Tuks who only would go where they wanted, and at stupid money (love to see these t*rds survive in Bangkok), hotels charging double budget rates for my Thai workers in stinking holes that were 1 star if that, and arrogance beyond belief of many an Expat 'local' I met that I was unable to avoid to do business with. And let's not forget the police!

But with no metre'd taxis available, a walking street that was the pits my clients insisted in seeing, I was appalled at the depravity which is far beyond anything available at Patpong (just) and especially Cowboy and Nana. Everything for open pedophilia to available drugs on every corner.

I have no desire to go anywhere near Phuket again and advise my clients weekly when asked do they want to work there for what I do. I have effectively turned away more than 10M Baht in business in the last year from Phuket spreading it into Krabi and other more reasonable places with far better people, and will continue to do so. I have also advised the two Govt agencies I deal with of the issues there, not that it will make much difference, and have also placed a warning on my websites which get about 10-15,000 hits a month on enquiry for Thailand. It is only small retaliation but right now this is the type of thing Abhisit should be addressing.

I would ban Phuket and all within it and force its secession from mainland Thailand. It is the pits.

Mind you - would love to see the sailors have a rumble in the jungle with the Tuk Tuk guys - now that would really have been fun - and I bet none of them wore their red shirts!

Edited June 14, 2010 by asiawatcher

[fiercesnake]

Is there no limit to the idiocy shown by these scum bags and the Thai Authorities.

Gosh when is Phukhet ever going to change. Talk about same old stuff left over from the Vietnam War era! Scumbags, absolutely. The real taxis with meters still can't get a foothold in there due to the local mafia control and of course the police are REALLY enforcing the rules of course!How dare I think this may have something to do with GREED GREED and more GREED! How brain dead are these muppets! Go on US Navy - pull out, let the local industries suffer do they can put real pressure on the local government to finally get this long ongoing dispute sorted.

But I guess not, it will still linger on as it's Thai culture never to confront a problem head on in case too many faces get lost, washed up on the sea. They'd rather wait till boils over into all out violence, just as seen a few weeks ago, and even there they still haven't really sorted anything, the problems are just festering away waiting to come back another day.

Same nonsense in Phukhet, one argument after another with scumbag Tuk Tuk drivers and pathetic authorities, turning more and more away from such a beautiful island-idiots!

[LivinLOS]

Agree with the general sentiments expressed but do understand it's low season (after years of low high-seasons) so money it tight. It's just such bad form for the TT drivers to all converge in a scrum like this and attempt to gouge visitors like this. (I assume the deep-water port in on the east-coast side mid-island the it's maybe a 20-30 minute ride over the mountain to Patong, so B2000 per person is ridiculous.) Now, having been to Phuket many times, I know these drivers (and their "masters" are pond scum) but even scumbags have to eat (unfortunately). So why not organize something reasonable like maybe 200 baht per person and stick 2 sailors in each TT...generating a cool 400 baht a trip (and of course, they could arrange time and place for a return trip for the same price as well. That would be a nice bit of work for most drivers no?

When did you last use a Phuket tuktuk.. Its 200 baht to turn the key in Patong.. 200m ride is 200 baht.

[mazeltov]

If Farang wants to come to Thailand, they should contribute to the local economy too.

Next time, they bring their own van, to visit their own bars, and drink their own beers, and perhaps even import their own girls (from the Philippines).

Contribute to the local economy? Why?

They are free people, free to go anywhere they choose, they don'y have to come to Phuket, nobody 'has to come' to Phuket, and maybe soon with the negative reputation it's strongly building nobody will come.

Nice if the US Navy does decide to come here and nice if they spend some money, but I say again, they don't HAVE TO spend money. You, Khun Rucharee are not god, you cannot dictate or make rules about what they should do, it's their choice.

Maybe in the future they will come to Phuket for supplies and all stay on the ship, would you blame them, and I say again, you cannot tell them what they should do, it's their choice.

well, concentrating on doing local business is 'Sufficiency Economy'. Khun Rucharee advocates one of the key strategies of the Democrats, can't be wrong, right?

[slipperx]

Why are these people so egotistical, selfish and ignorant - hmm why do I feel like I am describing a common trait for Thais rather than just the people involved here? Something seriously has to be done to address the wide range of issues affecting the visitor here - the people here have become far and away too complacent but sadly I think do not possess the brain power to see what they are doing to themselves.

[asiawatcher]

If Farang wants to come to Thailand, they should contribute to the local economy too.

Next time, they bring their own van, to visit their own bars, and drink their own beers, and perhaps even import their own girls (from the Philippines).

I believe they do contribute to the local economy in many ways - not just the sailors' own spending, but in supply purchases as well.

But if Thailand wants Farang to come to Thailand they have to stop screwing them so badly. Are you really speaking here in the Taxi drivers' defence? Do you honestly think it is perfectly okay for these thugs to just charge whatever they want? Has it occurred to you that possibly the reason the navy started providing the men with transport is because the taxi drivers are thieves? The taxi mafia is just a criminal gang that extorts money from people. You should be ashamed of them, not supporting them.

I get sick of some Thai people saying "If Farang want to come to Thailand... they should do this or do that" as if being able to visit this crumbling country is some blessing from the gods - and as if Farangs should behave the way Thais wish they would (like don't bother coming, just send the money). Yeah, it is still a beautiful place in spots - where it hasn't been torn up or polluted beyond recognition, and many of the people are still somewhat friendly, though not nearly as much as they were twenty or even ten years ago. But the scams continue - and get much better exposure on the internet, and farangs are beginning to realise that the Thai smile is often concealing a second row of very sharp teeth.

Yep - there are more white pointers per sq kilometre in Phuket than in the ocean! And if Rucharee had any brains he/she may realise what a sad joke Thailand is becoming. Wake up K. Rucharee, you have missed the boat.

[LiveSteam]

Just a thought maybe Phuket should try the public transport like in Samui or Pattaya with the Rot Song Teow, just jump on and pay how far you have to travel.

Why is Phuket so special?

Stupid is stupid do.

[philw]

If Farang wants to come to Thailand, they should contribute to the local economy too.

Next time, they bring their own van, to visit their own bars, and drink their own beers, and perhaps even import their own girls (from the Philippines).

Did that 20 years ago.

PM me and I'll tell you the story.

ph

[Methane]

I stopped going there regularly in the early 90's, I have been back for a couple of fishing trips since, but stayed in Chalong and rented

a car at the airport. So the car was idle for 3 days, still cheaper overall than those rip of <deleted> given the different places I went to.

Patong was already a rip off when I first went there in 1990, but I put up with it as it WAS a pleasant location, with an almost party like atmosphere.

Now it's a shithole, even Krabi is rapidly declining (developing in Thai), go there soon before it becomes Patong 2!

I have never been in a Phuket tuk tuk, and since I will never return, never will!

[BKjohn]

Can't wait until the end of the year when all those idiots checki their pockets and find nothing in there becaue the season has not materialized thanks to the red shirts antics and the way westerners are treated in Phuket. the only way Thais can learn is by pain and pain they will feel

The financial crisis in Europe, and a very expensive Thai baht will do the rest

Edited June 14, 2010 by BKjohn

[moe666]

I stopped going there regularly in the early 90's, I have been back for a couple of fishing trips since, but stayed in Chalong and rented

a car at the airport. So the car was idle for 3 days, still cheaper overall than those rip of <deleted> given the different places I went to.

Patong was already a rip off when I first went there in 1990, but I put up with it as it WAS a pleasant location, with an almost party like atmosphere.

Now it's a shithole, even Krabi is rapidly declining (developing in Thai), go there soon before it becomes Patong 2!

I have never been in a Phuket tuk tuk, and since I will never return, never will!

Where is Rucharee to defend that intelligent and well thought out post, typical Thai.

[zydeco]

Where did these people get that feeling of self-entitlement to tourists money? it's a dangerous game when you look at tourists like they're second class citizens.

Been on a domestic American air flight lately?

[alexandjing]

If Farang wants to come to Thailand, they should contribute to the local economy too.

Next time, they bring their own van, to visit their own bars, and drink their own beers, and perhaps even import their own girls (from the Philippines).

You'd better take a close look around you. The Filipinas are already in Thailand. Just a few days ago there was one offering friendship on this very site for 1,000 bht. Another thing is those military guys contribute a lot more money in a short time than a regular tourist. They have limited time and they are not concerned with saving money where it counts. In your bars and shops. No one likes a rip off transport guy. It doesn't matter where you are in the world. Thailand needs to take care of it's tourists. So does every other country. Whether they be military or not!

[victor15]

Hotels and other places should do this too and put those nasty tuk tuks out of business. They are ripping everyone off and get angry once their monopoly is broken.

They act like greedy children. The thing is Thais like Rucharee dont mind farangs getting ripped off. I really hope that tourism in this country collapses and loads of Thai loose their jobs. But even then they won't realize that they only have themselves to thank for it. Its always the outsider who is wrong never the greedy Thai.

Many Thais have already lost their jobs and livelihood this won't solve the problem, the problem is that Phuket and Chiang Mai have powerful people in charge of the Tuk-Tuks and it will take time to change the system. It will take a strong Prime Minister who is not afraid of the consequences

[animatic]

Anyone who comes to Thailand contributes to the economy.

But most all of them like to choose WHERE and with WHOM they spend their money,

and even fewer like to have it dictated to them by thugs like these tuk tuk drivers.

This is not some anit-nationalist way of not spending the sailors money her,

but the navy decidingto hire whom THEY choose.

No doubt the Navy brass know the trouble sailors have with these tuk tuk drivers at end of night.

So they intended to prevent incidents and stabbings and brawls.

And tough tits if the tuk tuk mafia loses face. Navy's got ships full of trained men

who can wipe the floor with them, but try to prevent this happening.

[robanywhere]

haha, so funny to read the same comments about the HKT tuktuk mafia year after year, with nothing changing....

And so amusing to see the TTs blockading the USN...maybe the US troops in iraq and afghanistan can take some lessons from those three-wheeled thieves...

BTW, i've read alot about the community service work that the USN does while on R&R -- homes for habitat kind of stuff

I've seen the USN ships arrive in Pattaya, too, and they seem to get a much better welcome....

RIP Phuket

[Jimi007]

If Farang wants to come to Thailand, they should contribute to the local economy too.

Next time, they bring their own van, to visit their own bars, and drink their own beers, and perhaps even import their own girls (from the Philippines).

I guess you didn't read the article or don't understand english! To quote the article: "People think the only benefit to the local economy is the money sailors spend on nightlife, but that is only the tip of the iceberg. When the USS Ronald Reagan was here they loaded 14 containers of supplies. It is a huge business and it would be a shame if we were to lose it because of the greed of a small group of taxi drivers."

They will just go to the Philippines or Singapore or somewhere else they and their money is welcomed! Talk about arrogance, the Thai's win the prize on this hugh blunder!

theres really a vessel named the uss ronald reagan

Yes... Didn't you read the article either? It is I think the newest US Aircraft carrier. Many US ships are named after US President's

[WTF]

move on. visit some developed country. problem solved.

Developed countries don't offer the same "recreation" at the same price...