Samui Airport Incident

[nocturn]

I have never been to Samui and never will go there I hear and read way to many stories about the mafia behavior there and want nothing to do with it. I tell eryone I meet to stay away from Samui if they ask if it is good place to go. To be honest I tell people to stay from the Kohs completely they are all a big rip off now full of mafia and thugs. Name me a Koh that is worth visiting without these thugs and mafia and I might listen , I have been around long enough to know there isnot one Koh here with enough to offer to off set the crap a person has to take from the thugs and mafia types.

it isn't that bad. it is just that bad stories are a very popular read. we all love to read it and we all get off on it. The truth is that i could walk all the way round the island throught the night. ( if i was storng enough ) and be safer than walking through London, Manchester, Birmingham , Staines ( Ali Gee) Pattaya and evenn Bangkok

New york.

i know they are all cities but so is samui. It is an Amper muang which makes it the size of the city but still part of the province.

I feel I should reply because my first post didnot seem to say what I was actually thinking . I am sure it is safer On Samui than many places in the world. I lived on an island for a large part of my life and I feel I understand island mentality.What I was trying to say and I get the impression many didnot see what I was trying to say . So I will try again. Places like Samui have nothing to offer me because They are mafia ran visitors are subject to direct confrontation for doing natural human interactions, if the locals donot agree with the behavior or see a baht to be made they get agressive.An island makes it own rules everywhere in the world that is island life I just wouldnot be able to tolerate the Samui rules. I donot want to vacation somewhere that I have to keep looking over my shoulder in fear I have broken a local rule . And now compared to 10 years ago the prices have gone off the deep end . Who wants to go to a place where all they want is your money and let you know it from the time you get off the plane till you get back on it.No respect treated like second class person and just give me your money or you get problems mentality is unbearable for me sorry.

i suppose the obvious question to me after reading your posts in this thread would be:

"Why bother reading an posting in the regional forum of a place you have no intention or desire to visit?"

honestly, why bother?

[MSingh]

I have never been to Samui and never will go there I hear and read way to many stories about the mafia behavior there and want nothing to do with it. I tell eryone I meet to stay away from Samui if they ask if it is good place to go. To be honest I tell people to stay from the Kohs completely they are all a big rip off now full of mafia and thugs. Name me a Koh that is worth visiting without these thugs and mafia and I might listen , I have been around long enough to know there isnot one Koh here with enough to offer to off set the crap a person has to take from the thugs and mafia types.

it isn't that bad. it is just that bad stories are a very popular read. we all love to read it and we all get off on it. The truth is that i could walk all the way round the island throught the night. ( if i was storng enough ) and be safer than walking through London, Manchester, Birmingham , Staines ( Ali Gee) Pattaya and evenn Bangkok

New york.

i know they are all cities but so is samui. It is an Amper muang which makes it the size of the city but still part of the province.

I feel I should reply because my first post didnot seem to say what I was actually thinking . I am sure it is safer On Samui than many places in the world. I lived on an island for a large part of my life and I feel I understand island mentality.What I was trying to say and I get the impression many didnot see what I was trying to say . So I will try again. Places like Samui have nothing to offer me because They are mafia ran visitors are subject to direct confrontation for doing natural human interactions, if the locals donot agree with the behavior or see a baht to be made they get agressive.An island makes it own rules everywhere in the world that is island life I just wouldnot be able to tolerate the Samui rules. I donot want to vacation somewhere that I have to keep looking over my shoulder in fear I have broken a local rule . And now compared to 10 years ago the prices have gone off the deep end . Who wants to go to a place where all they want is your money and let you know it from the time you get off the plane till you get back on it.No respect treated like second class person and just give me your money or you get problems mentality is unbearable for me sorry.

i suppose the obvious question to me after reading your posts in this thread would be:

"Why bother reading an posting in the regional forum of a place you have no intention or desire to visit?"

honestly, why bother?

The scariest thing is, he isn't far off the mark though in a lot of it..

[smokie36]

As has been said on other threads, people here who are engaged in the ripping off of tourists come to feel entitled to their scam and get upset over your intrusion into their monopoly. In this case they felt those other travelers were theirs to fleece and you had no right to get in the way. Last time I flew into the airport I expected to take the shuttle, being only one person and arriving during a time my usual ride was working. They told me no one else was going to that part of the island and I had to take a taxi for 800 baht. I was so outraged (even though I could have charged it to my employer as a business expense) that I decided to walk to the ring road just to let off some of my steam. Once there, since it was just 6pm, song taews were now charging like taxis and the best I could do was 600baht for an old truck with a lovely old man driving. He urged me to sit up in the cab of the truck with him and when I told him how I was feeling (still) jai roon (hot) about this he kept patting me on the arm and saying, 'Jai yen yen , jai yen yen' (chill). It seemed good advice.

I think getting away from the airport with your child and later talking to the airport manager sounds like the best advice.

I've noticed the taxi drivers trying to up the fares in th last few months. Its a ridiculous situation not helped by dumb tourists agreeing to pay such crazy sums.

Tend to use the same taxi whenever I can and the fee would never be more than 400 Baht anywhere on the island but put in perspective an hour long trip from Khao San Road to Sukhumvit cost me 93 Baht. Suk 23 to the airport was 183 Baht.

Just how stupid and desperate do these guys think we are!!

:o

As for the airport touts they are no different at all from the taxi guys. 400 Baht rercently asked to go to Bangrak is straightforward robbery in any tourists language. Bangkok Airways should be ashamed of themselves.

Yet again.

[Rooo]

Whatever happened to the 100 - 150 baht minibus service?

[BigC]

Whatever happened to the 100 - 150 baht minibus service?

maybe i will start one. or maybe someone else with a thai wife or husnband in the area could. maybe people with local spouses should buy taxis and charge non rip off fairs. they would probably clean up

[smokie36]

Whatever happened to the 100 - 150 baht minibus service?

maybe i will start one. or maybe someone else with a thai wife or husnband in the area could. maybe people with local spouses should buy taxis and charge non rip off fairs. they would probably clean up

Fair competition don't exist for Samui people. Its all monopoly money for them.....with a get out of jail free card thrown in as well. Only farangs land up on income tax and free parking is being removed.....even the electric is charged at a different rate.

Time for a whole new ball game!

[mattcodes]

Walk to departures, a bit of exercise after being on a plane is not a bad thing, and get one dropping someone off, still a ripoff but can get to choeng mon or bangrak for 200baht usually which isnt worth complaining about especially since you just flew in on Bang$ok Airways...

[sevenhills]

Whatever happened to the 100 - 150 baht minibus service?

I hailed a Songtow last night at 7.30 on the corner at the lake road Chaweng to get to Makro and he wanted 250 Baht.

Edited October 6, 2010 by sevenhills

[Rooo]

Whatever happened to the 100 - 150 baht minibus service?

I hailed a Songtow last night at 7.30 on the corner at the lake road Chaweng to get to Makro and he wanted 250 Baht.

Yes I understand the fares are high at night. but I'm talking about the minibuses, that dropped you off at different places from the airport, Lamai, Chaweng, Maenam etc......... used to be 100 then went to 150 baht.

[sevenhills]

Whatever happened to the 100 - 150 baht minibus service?

I hailed a Songtow last night at 7.30 on the corner at the lake road Chaweng to get to Makro and he wanted 250 Baht.

Yes I understand the fares are high at night. but I'm talking about the minibuses, that dropped you off at different places from the airport, Lamai, Chaweng, Maenam etc......... used to be 100 then went to 150 baht.

Yes was a bit off topic, but was to show that the other modes of transport were also going up. Not good all round.

[Rooo]

Again, you have a dwindling clientele with an oversupply. Higher & higher prices.

[Tropicalevo]

Walk to departures, a bit of exercise after being on a plane is not a bad thing, and get one dropping someone off, still a ripoff but can get to choeng mon or bangrak for 200baht usually which isnt worth complaining about especially since you just flew in on Bang$ok Airways...

Good advice matt - I would have given you a green for that one but.... mai mii

[BusyBee123]

Walk to departures, a bit of exercise after being on a plane is not a bad thing, and get one dropping someone off, still a ripoff but can get to choeng mon or bangrak for 200baht usually which isnt worth complaining about especially since you just flew in on Bang$ok Airways...

and you may well have flown into bangkok from your home country business class it doesn't mean the bangkok taxis triple their rates

[mattcodes]

Actually thinking about it, taxis from both Manchester airport and London airport are ridiculously expensive. 13 quid to Premier Inn on the perimeter of the airport example. Perhaps bangkok airport is the exception rather than the norm. Manchester airport fixed price to destination but super expensive. Not defending samui taxis as they are rip off outside airports too, but just accepted that airport travel is expensive both flying and to/from

[smokie36]

Actually thinking about it, taxis from both Manchester airport and London airport are ridiculously expensive. 13 quid to Premier Inn on the perimeter of the airport example. Perhaps bangkok airport is the exception rather than the norm. Manchester airport fixed price to destination but super expensive. Not defending samui taxis as they are rip off outside airports too, but just accepted that airport travel is expensive both flying and to/from

We get around this in the UK by phoning a local taxi firm and have them meet you at the airport......saving us £££.

Do the same here and it saves you Baht......its a no brainer. Stop behaving like first time tourists!!

[carmine]

I have never been to Samui and never will go there I hear and read way to many stories about the mafia behavior there and want nothing to do with it. I tell eryone I meet to stay away from Samui if they ask if it is good place to go. To be honest I tell people to stay from the Kohs completely they are all a big rip off now full of mafia and thugs. Name me a Koh that is worth visiting without these thugs and mafia and I might listen , I have been around long enough to know there isnot one Koh here with enough to offer to off set the crap a person has to take from the thugs and mafia types.

This is the most ridiculous ill informed rubbish i have read on here in months.

For someone who apparently has 'been around long enough' this is mind boggling stupidity, and they have never even been here. Commenting on and righting off places they have never been to.

I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and say you are just a troll and not a very good one at that.

Edited October 7, 2010 by carmine

[BigC]

Actually thinking about it, taxis from both Manchester airport and London airport are ridiculously expensive. 13 quid to Premier Inn on the perimeter of the airport example. Perhaps bangkok airport is the exception rather than the norm. Manchester airport fixed price to destination but super expensive. Not defending samui taxis as they are rip off outside airports too, but just accepted that airport travel is expensive both flying and to/from

We get around this in the UK by phoning a local taxi firm and have them meet you at the airport......saving us £££.

Do the same here and it saves you Baht......its a no brainer. Stop behaving like first time tourists!!

yes i know a few thais that to a phone and pick up thai service. 500 baht from lamui to the airport. In a honda city

Pirce is still 500 baht but at least you go straight there with no hassle. it is a lady driver also.

There are a few more thais i used to know. they used to charge 250 or 300 baht from chaweng to airport though that was about 5 years ago.

i would pm number of thai private cars if anyone wants them. might be handy in your mobile phone.

[BusyBee123]

Actually thinking about it, taxis from both Manchester airport and London airport are ridiculously expensive. 13 quid to Premier Inn on the perimeter of the airport example. Perhaps bangkok airport is the exception rather than the norm. Manchester airport fixed price to destination but super expensive. Not defending samui taxis as they are rip off outside airports too, but just accepted that airport travel is expensive both flying and to/from

We get around this in the UK by phoning a local taxi firm and have them meet you at the airport......saving us £££.

Do the same here and it saves you Baht......its a no brainer. Stop behaving like first time tourists!!

yes i know a few thais that to a phone and pick up thai service. 500 baht from lamui to the airport. In a honda city

Pirce is still 500 baht but at least you go straight there with no hassle. it is a lady driver also.

There are a few more thais i used to know. they used to charge 250 or 300 baht from chaweng to airport though that was about 5 years ago.

i would pm number of thai private cars if anyone wants them. might be handy in your mobile phone.

i know a few bars that do the airport taxi service at a much reduced rate too, sawasdee.com have reduced back to 500 from 600 baht for a trip to lamai from the airport.

[Rooo]

Still no one can enlighten me on the share minibuses for 150 or so baht per person .

[smokie36]

Still no one can enlighten me on the share minibuses for 150 or so baht per person .

Ahahahahaha no cheapskates here Rooo.........only yerself!!

On arrival all we want is a shower and a beer who cares about 500 Baht really?? Maybe the minibus only runs to Big Buddha pier these days......

[Samuian]

It's time to turn up the heat on BKK Airways !

Well, and what do you think might happen?

It's not exclusivly Bangkok Airways" to bash, it's the system here..nepotism, favoritism, cronyism, take advatage of "whatever there is" thing... how you want to "change" this, snap with your fingers, threaten "them", what? Everyone concerned is raking it in, for now two decades, anyone believes that this will ever change?

I don't think so... nless there is ample room given for fair competition, then maybe...

and then check out - this google ad just below my post..

propertyinkrabi.com/Krabi-Taxi Krabi Airport - Ao Nang 600 Baht Phuket - Ao Nang from 2,500 Baht

Edited October 9, 2010 by Samuian

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Still no one can enlighten me on the share minibuses for 150 or so baht per person .

I thought I had covered that in post #27.

[sevenhills]

Emailed a complaint to Bkk Air, Samui Manager re the OP's experience, not sure if anyone else did but I received an email back from him today.

"Sorry for late reply for your email,

The situation that you and your daughter got very poor treatment by Thai People in our airport.

The counter TAXI at the arrival hall had managed by the chief of villager and operate by local people, this for the relationship between Airport and the local people.

I will forwarding your complaint to the airport director for cooperate with them to prevent this problem to happen in the airport.

Very appreciated for your information and will cooperate for all concern for your problem.

Best Regards

Boonsom Phoungkaew

Senior Station Manager Samui

Bangkok Airways Co.,Ltd "

Seems like the village chief has jurisdiction in that department?