Phuket Taxis Blockade Luxury Cruise Ship Passengers From Disembarking

[reason1]

Well aren’t they just fine Turkeys queuing to offload to be plucked by the pleasant pluckers queuing to pluckem – Don’t they all need plucking including the pluckers?

[madmitch]

These bandits always get it their own way, 'Mafia'? No just organised scum.

I thought the new Governor was going to clean this sort of shit up... obviously not.

I will not be recommending any of mtyfamily of friends visit Phuket. It is not good for your wealth or your health.

You will probably find the Governor is on the board of directors of the Tuk Tuk Mafia

The Governor of Phuket and his predecessors would love to get rid of the tuktuk 'co-operatives" but certain other politicians are more powerful than the Governor and they are the ones that are connected with the tuktuks and until this changes, unfortuately, they are untouchable.

[alstaxi]

Sometimes I think we farangs are all talk and no action. At least Thais come out wearing red shirts and burn shit down. All we do is jump on these boards and curse the shit out of the scum of Thailand.

But what do WE actually do about it?

Nothing.

There I will have to beg to differ and say that you are totally wrong.

Obviously I have made comments on this board, but I, my family and my friends have protested in the only way that we can, and for the last two years now have avoided Phuket.

Fifteen years ago i spent my honeymoon in Phuket with a group of friends, and we used to have a reunion here every year without fail, and until recently I saw myself retiring here. On top of that there would at least one holiday of up to a week here as well for two of us.

So my protest is that a hotel now has five empty rooms, resteraunts will not serve three meals a day to ten clients, beach boys lose out on ten sunbeds and a lot of beers and snacks, the bars will not benefit from our custom nor will the shops.

I also make sure that articles like this are posted on all the bulletin boards in Hong Kong in both Chinese and in English, and know for a fact that many profession big spending couples also will not touch Phuket with a barge pole.

The plus side of all this is that I have had five or six really nice holidays exploring new resorts in Cambodia, Vietnam and Malaysia, all of where I have felt far more comfortable,relaxed and appreciated than in Phuket, and all of them considerably cheaper.

Not exactly doing nothing, right?

Right you are, I have also voted with my feet, Samui and Phuket have not seen one of my satang for the last ten years.

,

[sunnyrolfe]

Once again the crabs in a barrel mentality rules. And so what if there's not so many tourists in Phuket in the future, We'll just put our prices up.

[Mobi]

Reading all this stuff about how terrible Phuket is makes my chosen town of residence, 'Sin City' Pattaya, sound like a positive heaven in comparison.

We too have taxis with meters who never use them and try to extort passengers and we have 'Baht buses' that are controlled by the Pattaya Mafia and have a rather unsavoury reputation.

But over the last year or so, I read of fewer and fewer complaints about the taxis and Baht buses and certainly when I drive down-town Pattaya, I find that most Baht buses now seem to drive much more carefully and their bully boy driving habits of old seem to have largely disappeared. I have not read any recent complaints concerning taxis overcharging too much so I assume that is also under control. I may be wrong but that is the way it seems to be to me. I don't know why this should be. Pattaya has gone through some rough times as far as tourism is concerned in the last year or so, so maybe the Thais have wised up a bit.

Or maybe the young Mayor (son of the most famous Mafia figure in Thai recent history who is now on the run but still wields considerable influence),has something to do with it - I don't believe he is scared of the Mafia, but sometimes he goes along with it for his own 'reasons', but on other occasions he does seem to stand up to them, especially when he gets vilified in the press, on farang blogs, internet forums and elsewhere for not taking action.

One of the worst recent scandals in Pattaya is the 'jet ski scam' which has only built up over the past couple of years and, I suspect, has been 'imported' from Phuket, as previously there was little or no problems with jet ski operators. But here again, the Mayor is getting involved in trying to stamp it out and has even gone down to the beach and personally observed scams in action. We shall see what happens. Maybe 'it takes a thief to catch a thief'.

Back to Phuket. Apart from a one day stop-off from a cruise some years back, I did spend a week in Phuket about 5 years ago with my wife. We found the beaches much better than those in Pattaya and some of the surrounding countryside is more picturesque. But our abiding memory of the place was how expensive it was, especially to get around. Everywhere we wanted to go would cost us a small fortune in taxi or tuk tuk fares as compared to Bangkok or Pattaya and remember, I speak pretty good Thai and my wife is Thai. The whole town seemed to be geared to extracting as much money as possible from gullible tourists, and even though my wife is Thai, many locals would tell her in Thai not to interfere when they wanted to over charge her farang husband.

Although we loved the place,especially the beaches, we hated the way the town was run and we vowed never to return. It was all too hard and spoiled our enjoyment.

Many years ago the taxis in Bangkok did not carry meters. Every trip had to be bargained in advance. The fares agreed were never extortionate, but even so it was a hassle. So the government stepped in and introduced one of the best and cheapest taxi services in any town in the world. By and large Bangkok taxis are wonderful and everyone benefits.

Of course Bangkok is a huge city and what works there will not necessarily work in smaller places like Phuket and Pattaya. But if the will was there, something could be worked out and the bad feeling and resentment on both sides would vanish and everyone would be a winner. But it will never happen in the foreseeable because the will is simply not there. One day, maybe?

[Emster23]

Pattaya must be jealous of the other P town. How dare they? Asiacheese has it right about Pattaya bus station rip offs. I walk across the street 90% of the time, but now it takes 3 trips to get to Jomtien.

Back to subject: People take cruises to relax, be pampered, and avoid the hassles. That's what they pay the big money for. They don't want to have to visit forums, research local prices, haggle with drivers and all that we living here have become accustomed to. Tour operators know that so book the day trips in advance to avoid those hassles.

If I were managing a cruise line I would make the wise easy decision: take Phuket off my list of stops. Incidents like the one here can spoil the attitudes and memories of the trip, and should be avoided at all costs. Problem solved, for the cruise line.

[IAMSOBAD]

Zzzzzzzzzzz so boring!!!!

The cruise ship companies should hire thugs with bigger sticks and end this scam in one hour.

There are hundreds of Thai drunks that would love a good fight for less than 500 baht. Just ask Thaksin. It works for him. Problem needs to be solved Third World style because modern world rules of law do not work with savages.

I know Thais hate us farang but for the right price they can hate and attack fellow Thais. Just look at REDS ... YELLOWS...

Play loud music ...set up a stage...add fireworks and let the brawl begin.

Bye bye tuk tuks.

[IAMSOBAD]

Next brawl is at the beach.

Bye bye jet skis!

Throw in a ball and call it football.

[bangkoklight]

CRUISE DIARY

DAY 15

"After nearly a week cruising around the coast and islands of Malaysia, we set sail for one of Thailand's tropical paradises. They looked so idealic in the post cards."

"We had an early breakfast and sat on the upper deck to view the approaching island of Phuket. I don't know how to pronounce it. The tour vans, we thought, would be taking us round then stopping off for lunch. We'd already seen the menu and pre-ordered. I was going to have the seafood and my wife, the chicken. We were due to set sail again in the late afternoon so we had plenty of time."

"When we arrived at port, we noticed all these monkeys shouting at us. "WHERE YOU GO?" "YOU LIKE GIRL?" They didn't look clean and were driving toy cars like in that James Bond movie. We were so frightened we decided to stay on ship and drink champagne. My wife threw down some bananas to keep them happy because we couldn't see their owners."

"After our second glass of champagne, we noticed a couple turning back to the ship. They looked rather unhappy. "<deleted> IT!" the man said. It was then I learnt how to pronounce the island."

Edited April 7, 2011 by bangkoklight

[flyfrog]

En route from Penang to Colombo, eh?

Next time, I hope the cruise company only gives these people the chance to wave at the ship as it cruises on past Laem Promthep. <profanity removed>.

They make money enough by cheating all the regular tourits, so what's the problem, what they want more? Greedy again???

[simon43]

I've checked the news reports about this incident on this web-site, Phuket Gazette, etc etc, and nowhere can I find any comment or condemnation by our esteemed island Governor or senior island police.

Exactly who is in charge of governing this island and maintaining law and order?

Simon

[tommmytucker]

I went to Phuket about 5 years ago.I was told it was so upmarket much more than Pattaya. I was dissapointed the curly haired Thais I met were not

typical of the Thais in other parts north of Phuket.

Very agressive.I was amazed at the amount of Katoys in your face in the evening.Yes and prices double and more that of Pattaya.

I couldn't wait to get back to Heaven on Earth Pattaya.Why people like to critisise I just don't know. Pattaya has everything for a good holiday and for living

as a local.The baht buses are still only 10 baht go anywhere on-route ,The hotels and some are 4 and 5 star european quality are cheap.The restuarants for 300

baht a thai orthentic dish and a beer

......oh I could go on I love it ...even the baht bus drivers are not so bad.Above all it,s mainly a safe place to be as long as you are not looking for trouble.

[notime]

LOS .. Land of Stupidity .. yes. Taxi drivers mafia fighting for the spoils .. yes. The police job was to break them up and restore the order in which the tourists should be free to go as they are pleased .. yes. Taxi mafia, jet-ski mafia connected with police (mafia) and the politicians .. yes. The latest is due to the voting might that these large groups of people yield on whoever is in power or wants to be elected locally.

But I disagree that taxis are rip-off in Thailand and on the islands in particular. I'd not like people to think that I'm on the side of scummy tuk-tuk drivers that deserve to be despised but as far as taxi prices go Thailand is not overpriced at all.

Taxis are particularly inexpensive in Bangkok where there are many people, mostly Thai customers who use them daily. That usually means that the drivers can scrape a living if they get one fare after another and manage that in a cleaver way. But in less congested places like Phuket or Samui that a taxi is usually hired for a longer trip with little hope for the driver of getting a following customer one cannot expect the fares to be as low as in Bangkok. This is something most tourists don't understand. This is why most taxi fares are "set" between the places and taxis don't want to use meters outside of Bangkok. Please compare those "high" fares outside of Bangkok to the fares in your country. Compare the costs to be fair. The cost of cars in Thailand is often higher than in Europe and the cost of petrol is comparable to prices in Australia and higher than in USA. The taxi charges 500 THB ($16.50) for the trip from Chaweng to Nathon in Samui that is 24km. And it may need to go back empty! How much will the taxi fare be in your country for that? One of the reasons that some drivers try to ask for higher than set prices is that people coming from "1st world" destinations are accustomed to their own rip-offs and willing to pay that.

[robert00]

Just another reason not to visit Phuket.

Been there once and refuse to go back the whole place is a rip off from the mafia tuk tuk drivers to the jet ski cons.

Phuket is becoming the joke of Thailand the sooner someone does something about it the better.

The problem is, that only a very few people around the world are reading THAI VISA, so unless some friends tell them about Phuket how bad it really is or they read in NEWS PAPERS will still come and think Phuket is a Paradise.

In order to stop all of those Gangsters, it needs to be WORLD WIDE publicized, in order that Tourists will absolutely BOYCOTT Phuket, only than will there be a change in tactics.

[brahmburgers]

Years ago, in Jakarta, the gov't there took all the bicycle taxis and dumped them in to a ravine. Ka-pow-eeya.

Some day, Phuket might get a leader who has the guts to do the same (in a more environmentally-friendly way) with the tuk tuks. Every day that passes, is a day closer to eradicating those rip offs.

And how about shuttle buses from the airport to the busiest tourist areas? In a more decent country, that would have been implemented from the get-go.

[ajarnmarc]

LOS .. Land of Stupidity .. yes. Taxi drivers mafia fighting for the spoils .. yes. The police job was to break them up and restore the order in which the tourists should be free to go as they are pleased .. yes. Taxi mafia, jet-ski mafia connected with police (mafia) and the politicians .. yes. The latest is due to the voting might that these large groups of people yield on whoever is in power or wants to be elected locally.

But I disagree that taxis are rip-off in Thailand and on the islands in particular. I'd not like people to think that I'm on the side of scummy tuk-tuk drivers that deserve to be despised but as far as taxi prices go Thailand is not overpriced at all.

Taxis are particularly inexpensive in Bangkok where there are many people, mostly Thai customers who use them daily. That usually means that the drivers can scrape a living if they get one fare after another and manage that in a cleaver way. But in less congested places like Phuket or Samui that a taxi is usually hired for a longer trip with little hope for the driver of getting a following customer one cannot expect the fares to be as low as in Bangkok. This is something most tourists don't understand. This is why most taxi fares are "set" between the places and taxis don't want to use meters outside of Bangkok. Please compare those "high" fares outside of Bangkok to the fares in your country. Compare the costs to be fair. The cost of cars in Thailand is often higher than in Europe and the cost of petrol is comparable to prices in Australia and higher than in USA. The taxi charges 500 THB ($16.50) for the trip from Chaweng to Nathon in Samui that is 24km. And it may need to go back empty! How much will the taxi fare be in your country for that? One of the reasons that some drivers try to ask for higher than set prices is that people coming from "1st world" destinations are accustomed to their own rip-offs and willing to pay that.

I could be mistaken but the trick of taxi drivers is to get a fare to one destination and then find a fare to another destination, yes?

Not be paid for a fare to a customers destination and a return to the starting point. If you was lucky enough to get a taxi fare from Chaweng to Nathon for only 500 baht, as you claim, that really isn't what people have been stating on this forum as an unfair price, however looking at the cost of propane (15.99 baht of less on Samui) as is the case of fuel these tuk tuk and taxi are running on, and even if they were running on 95 gasohol @ 36 baht a liter, your 24km would of cost the taxi no more than 72 baht for a round trip, so that 500 baht fare would of given the driver a profit of 428 baht, even if we don't consider it's the taxi driver job to find a fare at the destination not for the customer to pay for the return, as the taxi would like us to think. Now if we consider the cost of what it would be in our home country, then there would be no reason to pay the airfare to travel somewhere cheaper to enjoy our holiday/ vacation would there? The cost of living is cheaper in Thailand than in our home country, so the huge profit the taxi drivers and the like make on our visit goes much farther than it would if they was looking after a local.

I think that most on this forum were really talking about how they try to get over on the tourist, by treating us as if we are stupid, and don't know what is a fair price to get from one point to another. The locals act like they don't really care about the tourist coming to Thailand, as they treat us like we must pay, pay, pay if we want to visit, and this is before we get into the language barrier which again they don't see any reason to learn how to communicate, this is Thailand and tourist must take a crash course in Thai language if they wish to be understood, Thai's are special they don't need to speak English. If the focus was on service, friendliness, and not hard sell, and pay what I tell you to pay, then most probably wouldn't complain about the cost for the trip. I never see the taxi/tuk tuk drivers asking a local if they want a taxi, and ask is putting it kindly. As I read previously one guy was asked 50 times within 30 meters, by different drivers. We know they are there,

we can't miss their presence, and they are there for more than to just offer a ride. See what happens if you have a falling out with someone fluffing your bar tab, or restaurant bill, all the taxi/ tuk tuk drivers will appear to help the business owner collect the money again that they tell the customer you must pay, and even after you have calmed down and excepted the terms, the taxi tuk tuk drivers will be the ones kicking your ass all the back to your hotel. You have no rights and no say about anything, and really need to pay as you go, meaning order a drink, pay for it right away, or you will get subjected to getting ripped off, or beaten down by at least 50 of these less than friendly, certainly not helpful taxi tuk tuk drivers. This posting has gathered so much attention because so many have been ripped off, or worse, and I for one have seen it all, and luckily been able to avoid it first hand, but only because I kept my eyes open and paid attention while I was out. Just stand on a balcony some time and watch how they treat the tourist, and you'll won't have to watch long to see what you will need to avoid to stay out of harms way. I seen how they treat our fellow service men, during their port visit, it's hard for the men to just relax, and the military police are working double time just to keep trouble from starting, the taxi drivers would love to trip one or three of our men up so the 50/100 plus men standing by their cars can pound on the group of guys trying to enjoy their evening, it's a joke that they want to visit Patong. Pattaya they at least stand a chance of having a relaxing evening, and be on their way the next day or two, but for sure that isn't the case in Patong, unless you do everything you can to stay invisible, and that's hard to do when you're in uniform.

[oldsailor35]

Not only Phuket add Kho Samui , Kho Chang any island that is promoted as a tourist destination its transport system is run by the Thai mafia and the Governmnet knows it and doesn't have the balls to do anyhting about it.I have many friends who come to Thailand, they are pre warned and avoid places like Phuket like the plague.

I agree fully with you.

It seems the tuk tuk operators do not understand how the system works. Tour operators overseas or in any other country in Asia pre-sell packages like: cruise trip, pick up from port, day tour ect.for a certain price. To make sure that it goes smoothly for their customers, they make a contract with a local tour agent to provide these services and they agree on the price in advance, otherwise they cannot sell the packages overseas.

It looks like tour operators from overseas have to make a pre-contract now with every single tuk tuk driver. Will they be sure that their customers get what they paid for, are they insured, who to contact when something goes wrong? How much higher will be the fee? Who takes the costs for telephone call,to reach the driver, when customers are not picked up ??? Nobody seems to think about this.

Somebody will always be out of work, now the drivers of the minivans from local tour operators, who have very low salaries, will have no more tours.

Now there's a point ! are the taxis insured, although i doubt that Tuk Tuk 's are.

[oldsailor35]

My Thai wife arrived from Samui meeting me at Bumrungrad. We decided to go to Chinatown for a meal. As the taxi moved off i noticed he had not turned on the meter. I told my wife and she told the driver. Next thing all hell broke loose. Apparently, thinking she was a bar girl, he was trying to do a deal to overcharge me and give her half ...........BIG mistake.

[JohnAllan]

Trust the Thai authorities to capitulate, instead of pointing out the facts of life to the drivers, who have a well earned reputation for overcharging. If you must give way, gentlemen, at least do your job and warn the co-operative that ANY driver who is a source of constant complaints, particularly with regard to pricing, will be banned from the port.

[MrsMills]

Nothing in this 4th world country changes expect for more corruption, more vote buying, more coups, more violence in the south.

And more Farangs willing to live here and spend money here, Farangs who complain like crazy, yet stay in Thailand regardless.

Look at from the Thai point of view, why change a formula that works, and it obviously works, or all the complainers on ThaiVisa would be posting from outside Thailand.

Yet they're not.

[MrsMills]

Just another reason not to visit Phuket.

Been there once and refuse to go back the whole place is a rip off from the mafia tuk tuk drivers to the jet ski cons.

Phuket is becoming the joke of Thailand the sooner someone does something about it the better.

The problem is, that only a very few people around the world are reading THAI VISA, so unless some friends tell them about Phuket how bad it really is or they read in NEWS PAPERS will still come and think Phuket is a Paradise.

In order to stop all of those Gangsters, it needs to be WORLD WIDE publicized, in order that Tourists will absolutely BOYCOTT Phuket, only than will there be a change in tactics.

If Farangs would stop paying extortionate rents and key money for Beer bars and other places of decadence where they dream of making a living on the proceeeds of illegal prostitution, the bars may all close down, No Bars = No girls = No Farangs coming for girls.= No Tukk Tuk drivers ripping the Farangs off.

Farangs are squarely to blame.

Edited April 7, 2011 by MrsMills

[MAJIC]

Whatever happened to freedom of choice? to spend your money on the Mode of Transport the Passenger decides on.Typical Thai Psychology, a captive guaranteed income from,those about to be fleeced!

Edited April 7, 2011 by MAJIC

[LivinginKata]

Whatever happened to freedom of choice? to spend your money on the Mode of Transport the Passenger decides on.Typical Thai Psychology, a captive guaranteed income from,those about to be fleeced!

Freedom of choice, yes I have exercised that often and decided to walk. That's about the only option in most cases other than having your own vehicle, hiring a vehicle, or being lucky enough to be on a public bus route.

[kiwikeith]

How about mandatory use of meters in taxis - meters which are rigged to a light on the roof which indicates whether the taxi is available or already working, a system in use in many countries. Easy to enforce by BIB who will love the extra tea-money, no rip-offs of customers, and much easier to identify available cabs.

koh samui have taxis with meter signs and lights but they forgot to put the meter in.

Also some taxis all over thailand have technical problems with meter called "sorry meter no work".

plant earth tells tourist to barter in thailand so maybe they could write a chapter on how to avoid a rip off taxi or tuk tuk its called walk away and try another taxi you will win.

Apart from the bad guys ive met some awesum taxi and tuk tuk drivers that are great and they are around .

I generally give the good guys a good tip they are worth it.

[alstaxi]

koh samui have taxis with meter signs and lights but they forgot to put the meter in.

Also some taxis all over thailand have technical problems with meter called "sorry meter no work".

plant earth tells tourist to barter in thailand so maybe they could write a chapter on how to avoid a rip off taxi or tuk tuk its called walk away and try another taxi you will win.

Apart from the bad guys ive met some awesum taxi and tuk tuk drivers that are great and they are around .

I generally give the good guys a good tip they are worth it.

Yes walk away and find another taxi, you will win, problem is you will need to walk a 100 km's to find a taxi not associated with phuket taxi mob. Much easier to just not bother going to the place in the beginning.

[IAMSOBAD]

Blaming farang is like blaming a pretty girl for being raped.

[Aachen]

Before you use your own car, you have to negotiate with the local taxi authority and give them their income.

[BKK03]

Another Thai JOKE OF THE DAY!

I am glad the cruise ship passengers didn't get ripped off by the taxi and tuk-tuk drivers. It would be in the best interest of all cruise ships to rethink stopping at Phuket. In general the level of friendliness on the part of local businesses, taxi and tuk-tuk drivers has dropped drastically over the past five years. I won't mention the increased level of muggings, rape, robberies, and other violence.

[pattayabuggy]

If Farangs would stop paying extortionate rents and key money for Beer bars and other places of decadence where they dream of making a living on the proceeeds of illegal prostitution, the bars may all close down, No Bars = No girls = No Farangs coming for girls.= No Tukk Tuk drivers ripping the Farangs off.

Farangs are squarely to blame.

Your logic is plain weird, are you a Thai? Or perhaps it's just tongue in cheek? Not sure what to make of you.

[IAMSOBAD]

Today there are 2 really funny topics in the Thai News.

1 Thai men have really smal dicks

2Thai men tuk tuk drivers are biggest pricks

AMAZING THAIMEN