Passengers Cruiseship Stopped

[stevenl]

Happening right now, the tuktuks are blocking ao makham to prevent passengers from a cruiseship from departing.

2 buses got through, everybody else is blocked.

There apparently was a scuffle with the captain as well.

[Valentine]

Congratulations on the tuk tuks for providing another Phuket horror story that will do the rounds of the international media. However, it will be interesting see what their side of the story is. Seems like the whole island including mainly Thai businesses are continually held to ransom by these guys.

Edited April 6, 2011 by Valentine

[Wellington]

Congratulations on the tuk tuks for providing another Phuket horror story that will do the rounds of the international media. However, it will be interesting see what their side of the story is. Seems like the whole island including mainly Thai businesses are continually held to ransom by these guys.

Any police in sight?

[Who, me ?]

Any what?

Any police in sight?

[katasyd]

Why not just go to Patong and let the passengers off like the rest of the ships?

I think that's why this is happening now, less ships are docking there and are now mooring at Patong to escape their madness.

That mob has been known to charge 3000 baht for 2 passengers to Patong and 500 baht per person extra in the Taxi.

There is not much the police can do, if they arrest someone it will be another protest down the police station.

Taxi meters and all will be solved.

[grumpyoldman]

Any police in sight?

Yes, they are off duty and working as the tuk-tuk drivers.

[madmitch]

What do they hope to gain by this action? Cruise ships won't give in to some jumped up little men in funny red vans, they'll just go elsewhere, meaning that the chance os a fare from just one or two of the passengers disappears, also harming the other local businesses. Also the blocked passengers who may think about returning to Phuket for a holiday will now be having second thoughts.

Agree, the mooring off Patong is much more sensible. More sensible would be for the Mayor of Patong to tell them to back off, though of course they need the money to pay the daily 'rent'. That's assuming it's the Patong gang, it could be another; I doubt that Ao Makham has many of its own tuktuks.

[falkan]

idiots! they think short time as usual..

[supaprik]

another TIT moment...useless imbeciles

[bunta71]

The only way to fix this is to load the passengers back up and go somewhere else. That would hit a lot of businesses and that would be the best deterrent to these scum bag tuk tuks. Just a belated April Fools joke. In reality Thailand will never address the costs these criminals incur on their countrymen.

[stiggy]

what do they expect to achieve tourisim is getting hammered and there answer is this ?

I am curious however how many are actually there to stop the buses, is it just a handful of idiots or a large organised protest?

Why does the Phuket goverment stand by and allow this bunch to do as they wish with impunity ?

[Who, me ?]

what do they expect to achieve tourisim is getting hammered and there answer is this ?

I am curious however how many are actually there to stop the buses, is it just a handful of idiots or a large organised protest?

Why does the Phuket goverment stand by and allow this bunch to do as they wish with impunity ?

Usual Thailand. No law enforcement at all, just money collection by BIB....

[stevenl]

what do they expect to achieve tourisim is getting hammered and there answer is this ?

I am curious however how many are actually there to stop the buses, is it just a handful of idiots or a large organised protest?

Why does the Phuket goverment stand by and allow this bunch to do as they wish with impunity ?

What i was told by a friend of mine, who works on the ship and has lived on phuket for a few years, there are hundreds of tuktuks. May be a bit overdone, may be not, but a mob for sure.

[LivinginKata]

What i was told by a friend of mine, who works on the ship and has lived on phuket for a few years, there are hundreds of tuktuks. May be a bit overdone, may be not, but a mob for sure.

I suppose all these Tuk Tuks have nothing better to do other than waiting in a queue by the roadside all day hoping to scam the next new tourist.

[Lannatyne]

Why is it that, whenever these things happen, the local media never pin down the issue with the Governor, TAT, Mayors etc and ask why nothing was done, and what impression they thought these actions would have outside this country?

You just never read an interview with TAT about such behaviours.

[MisterMan]

Why is it that, whenever these things happen, the local media never pin down the issue with the Governor, TAT, Mayors etc and ask why nothing was done, and what impression they thought these actions would have outside this country?

You just never read an interview with TAT about such behaviours.

I think they do know but are not allowed to say.

This horrific incident is being reported in a local news blog now.

[notbritish]

cant they stop at kao lak? way more beautiful than phuket.. or even a small island like koh tao?

anyways, where do you find those cruises leaving from bangkok? i have looked everywhere online, everytime i search from bangkok, it sends me back to departure from USA

[Jimi007]

Planning, regulating and licensing? Apparently, the tuk tuk/taxi mob are more powerful than the government. Well done... The local Rawai taxi mob that I see sitting day after day at their shacks that weren't there a few years ago, wanted 900 Baht to take us to the airport (it used to be 600 to 700). I called the Meter Taxi at the airport and they picked us up at our house for 500 Baht. I hope the taxi mob enjoys sitting around as I will never hire them. I hope more people boycott them too. You can call the Taxi Meter service at 0892883374.

[saintofsilence]

Why is it that, whenever these things happen, the local media never pin down the issue with the Governor, TAT, Mayors etc and ask why nothing was done, and what impression they thought these actions would have outside this country?

You just never read an interview with TAT about such behaviours.

Anything that is to hard for TAT they ignore it , with the jet ski scam if you call them they were saying we don't get involved call the tourist police who have been exposed as part of the scam.

[katasyd]

cant they stop at kao lak? way more beautiful than phuket.. or even a small island like koh tao?

anyways, where do you find those cruises leaving from bangkok? i have looked everywhere online, everytime i search from bangkok, it sends me back to departure from USA

Most of these cruises are out of SIngapore and Hong Kong.

[iSabai]

Why not just go to Patong and let the passengers off like the rest of the ships?

I think that's why this is happening now, less ships are docking there and are now mooring at Patong to escape their madness.

That mob has been known to charge 3000 baht for 2 passengers to Patong and 500 baht per person extra in the Taxi.

There is not much the police can do, if they arrest someone it will be another protest down the police station.

Taxi meters and all will be solved.

I don't believe that for a second. Having meters and actually using them are two different things. And who would enforce that the meters are being used?

Rules, regulation, and penalties to violators is the answer.

I ain't holding my breath.......

[katasyd]

Why not just go to Patong and let the passengers off like the rest of the ships?

I think that's why this is happening now, less ships are docking there and are now mooring at Patong to escape their madness.

That mob has been known to charge 3000 baht for 2 passengers to Patong and 500 baht per person extra in the Taxi.

There is not much the police can do, if they arrest someone it will be another protest down the police station.

Taxi meters and all will be solved.

I don't believe that for a second. Having meters and actually using them are two different things. And who would enforce that the meters are being used?

Rules, regulation, and penalties to violators is the answer.

I ain't holding my breath.......

It's the only way if they want to be taken as a serious international destination.

The only reason this stuff goes down is because cruise ships have had enough of the taxi's charging $100 usd to go to Patong for a day trip and started using group buses.

Phuket is small and a taxi radio set up would be easy to implement, call centre with waiting yards in every town.

Edited April 6, 2011 by katasyd

[katasyd]

From what is updated over there.

The blockade happened at 8am, ended at 12pm only after they were allowed to transport 250 passengers in their taxi's.

Funny thing is, they boat sets sail at 2pm so going anywhere at 12pm would be a waste of time.

Feel sorry for these people who have had this leg of their holiday ruined.

[madmitch]

That's assuming it's the Patong gang, it could be another; I doubt that Ao Makham has many of its own tuktuks.

Replying to my own post: it sees that it's the Ao Panwa co-operative that's behind this. I suppose they don't get a great deal of work compared to the gangs on the western beaches but does that make me feel sorryfor them? Don't think so.

No doubt the PG bulleting will be published on TV soon, and that will also provoke some angry responses.

[webfact]

Topic/full story:

Phuket taxis blockade luxury cruise ship passengers from disembarking

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