Phuket Tourist Refuge Shelter On Its Way

[webfact]

Phuket tourist refuge shelter on its way

The units might not be five-star quality, but guests will never be

able to complain about room prices or poor security.

PHUKET: -- Construction of a shelter for foreign tourists who run into difficulties in Phuket will begin within the next few weeks, the Phuket Tourist Police chief has confirmed.

Superintendent Ekachai Pramanakul, who heads the Tourist Police office for Phuket and Phang Nga, said the refuge will be located behind the Tourist Police headquarters on Yaowarat Road in Phuket Town.

To be built by students at the nearby Phuket Vocational College, the shelter will comprise two small buildings, each with two beds.

Designed for double occupancy, each unit will cover 16 square meters.

The units will not have bathrooms, but tourists staying in the shelter will have access to the bathroom facilities inside the station, Lt Col Ekachai said.

He also confirmed to the Phuket Gazette that Coca-Cola bottlers Haad Thip have been contacted about sponsorship of the shelter, but have yet to reply.

The Baumanburi Hotel in Patong has already put forward 80,000 baht – enough to pay for one of the units, which is expected to be completed by the end of next month.

Foreign tourists and expats who fall on hard times during their stay in Phuket are eligible to stay at the shelter.

The problems tourists may run into include: financial difficulties, no accommodation, and physical and mental health issues.

“Previously, tourists had to stay in the Tourist Police headquarters, but visitors coming in weren’t too impressed with them being there. Now, tourists will have their own private area,” Lt Col Ekachai added.

-- Phuket Gazette 2011-01-28

[Soutpeel]

Think Superintendent Ekachai Pramanakul has come with a very cunning plan to round up all the dead beat farangs running around with no passports/money/visa's/overstayers etc with very little effort or time from Thailand's finest...

....rather similar to the UK police who send letters out from a "company" notifiying wanted criminals they have won a prize and they need to come and pick the prize, on arrival of the persons of interest at the prize hand out location..police arrest them...

Way to go Superintendent Ekachai....10 out of 10 for initiative..

[DP25]

Now they just need a 3am songtaew service from Patong and I know where I'm staying on my next vacation

[kuffki]

Tourists who can not afford a hotel should not be in Phuket or Thailand full stop.

Rather then building housing for those who can not afford it, they should spend this money on the local kids and housing for the locals living in sheds made out of advertising boards.

[softgeorge]

So they really do care about farangs or is this because of visitors attending the tourist police station were distressed at seeing farangs locked in cells so they have decided to move them into the shed out the back out of sight.

[mystwoodcol]

I can't see a door to get inside ?

Can you?

[simon43]

I can't see a door to get inside ?

Can you?

Details, mere details - This is like a lobster pot. You push the destitute tourist through the window and then repeat the process every day or so until the hut is full. Then simply lift it with a crane onto a flatbed and deposit in Saphin Hin bay...

Simon

[jalansanitwong]

I dont believe the original news story.

[mystwoodcol]

I can't see a door to get inside ?

Can you?

Details, mere details - This is like a lobster pot. You push the destitute tourist through the window and then repeat the process every day or so until the hut is full. Then simply lift it with a crane onto a flatbed and deposit in Saphin Hin bay...

Simon

Just like a lobster pot eh?

[crusader79]

This cunning plan belongs in Not the Nation

[asiawatcher]

There goes the neighborhood. Slum dwellings for Farang - you can see the Nigerians from Soi 3 making a beeline for it now.

[blackthorn2005]

I can't see a door to get inside ?

Can you?

Details, mere details - This is like a lobster pot. You push the destitute tourist through the window and then repeat the process every day or so until the hut is full. Then simply lift it with a crane onto a flatbed and deposit in Saphin Hin bay...

Simon

Just like a lobster pot eh?

Yes, as he said, just 'like a lobster pot'..

[anon467367354]

The way I see this is it's a refuge for refugees, and what does fallen on hard times really mean? Does "hard times" equal being ripped of and beaten by a tuk tuk driver, the jet ski scam, being stabbed and robbed by a bar girl? After going to the police I've heard many say they were told to get out of Thailand because the mafia knows who they are, so better pay now and get on your way. This is not comparable to a place to seek shelter from a storm, but a place for victims after the wrath of some of the Thai locals which does include the police. What a great advertising campaign, "we have a place to keep you safe". Zoo's are to keep the animals safe. The zoo is seen from inside the cage, not from the outside looking in. This is not a remedy to the accepted practice of abusing tourists by the accepted presence opportunists.

[mikebell]

Phuket Tourist Refuge - it's called Bali. Why would any sane person wish to spend a holiday being preyed upon by Tuk-Tuk Mafia;Jet-Ski Scammers and violent taxi-drivers. That's before you call in the Police!

[Jimjim]

Tourists who can not afford a hotel should not be in Phuket or Thailand full stop.

Rather then building housing for those who can not afford it, they should spend this money on the local kids and housing for the locals living in sheds made out of advertising boards.

"should" doesn't come in to it. Not one bit. We are not talking about what you think "should" be the reality of the situation, we are talking about the reality of the situation. It happens, it's a problem, they are dealing with it as that's part of their work, to help out tourists.

Idealism and reality don't often mix.

[Bagwan]

This is a refuge for those who do not appreciate the world famous Thai sense of humour. It is not a Thai custom to open your wallet in front of anybody selling anything, not should your introduction to the Thai language translate as "help yourself'.

[zthyadat]

Tourists who can not afford a hotel should not be in Phuket or Thailand full stop.

Rather then building housing for those who can not afford it, they should spend this money on the local kids and housing for the locals living in sheds made out of advertising boards.

So if someone gets robbed and are stuck without money, they should not be in Thailand anymore?

[kuffki]

Tourists who can not afford a hotel should not be in Phuket or Thailand full stop.

Rather then building housing for those who can not afford it, they should spend this money on the local kids and housing for the locals living in sheds made out of advertising boards.

So if someone gets robbed and are stuck without money, they should not be in Thailand anymore?

2 Options.

Option 1. Contact their bank and have money wired to them, or contact their family and have money wired to them

Option 2. Go to the new shelter, pray to GOD every day and one day money will fall from the sky straight on to their head.

With option 2 though, if they had all their money stolen, how would they pay for the new housing? Also Only housing is provided NOT the food.

Also 99.9% of the tourists pre-book and PRE-PAY for accommodation, so having money stolen does not affect their living.

Which only leaves the deadbeats who are so called expats, and if those do not have $500-$600 per month for a decent accommodation, they should be "HELPED" to go back home.

Correct me if i am wrong, but i always thought people move to Thailand to improve their life style not other way around.

[AleG]

He also confirmed to the Phuket Gazette that Coca-Cola bottlers Haad Thip have been contacted about sponsorship of the shelter, but have yet to reply.

"Yes, that's the idea, you sponsor us and in return you can have ads inside the shelter... eh, yes, those people are there because they are penniless... hello? hello? anyone there?"

click

[Misterwhisper]

Can I make an advance booking now, please? :jap:

[Ricardo]

I can't see a door to get inside ?

Can you?

Phase-2, to install a door and internal-floor, is currently awaiting funding & a bidding-process which will require the usual 'application-fees', in a brown-envelope.

[DP25]

Options.

Also 99.9% of the tourists pre-book and PRE-PAY for accommodation, so having money stolen does not affect their living.

lol that's not even remotely to true. Millions of people do not and pay day by day and choose their hotels when they arrive. Being robbed means your screwed, maybe you can not reach anyone immediately to wire money to you and need a few days to arrange something. A few days free accommodation in a shelter could be a life saver for some people, who otherwise might end up offing themselves after a temporary problem leaves them destitute and sleeping on the street.

[kuffki]

Options.

Also 99.9% of the tourists pre-book and PRE-PAY for accommodation, so having money stolen does not affect their living.

lol that's not even remotely to true. Millions of people do not and pay day by day and choose their hotels when they arrive. Being robbed means your screwed, maybe you can not reach anyone immediately to wire money to you and need a few days to arrange something. A few days free accommodation in a shelter could be a life saver for some people, who otherwise might end up offing themselves after a temporary problem leaves them destitute and sleeping on the street.

Sorry i must be rare, one of a kind tourist. I only traveled to 26 countries and for some stupid reason always pre-booked my hotels, only so that when i arrive i do not need to walk around looking for one in hope i will get one.

I have also been robbed, and it took me 45 mins from the time of robbery to have money at hand, only by going to pay phone and calling my bank on reverse call charges.

There really is no excuse!!!!if there was such a need for such shelters, especially for tourists i am sure places like this would be popping up all round the country and the world, yet this is the only one and funny enough right behind police station

[DP25]

Sorry i must be rare, one of a kind tourist. I only traveled to 26 countries and for some stupid reason always pre-booked my hotels, only so that when i arrive i do not need to walk around looking for one in hope i will get one.

I've been to more countries than you, and I have never pre booked a hotel and see no reason to ever do so, outside of maybe big holidays like New Years. I'm glad you are able to get money so fast after being mugged, but sometimes there are problems and not everyone can. I fail to see how a free emergency shelter could possibly bother anyone.

Edited January 29, 2011 by DP25

[HerbalEd]

Think Superintendent Ekachai Pramanakul has come with a very cunning plan to round up all the dead beat farangs running around with no passports/money/visa's/overstayers etc with very little effort or time from Thailand's finest...

....rather similar to the UK police who send letters out from a "company" notifiying wanted criminals they have won a prize and they need to come and pick the prize, on arrival of the persons of interest at the prize hand out location..police arrest them...

Way to go Superintendent Ekachai....10 out of 10 for initiative..

Yeah .... these two shelters with two beds each should be enough to house all the dead beats.

Edited January 31, 2011 by HerbalEd