Phuket Tourist Forced To Pay 180,000 Baht In Jet-Ski Repairs

[travelmann]

No pity for anyone who rides a Jet Ski anymore or anyone who even visits the LOS and has something bad happen. There has been so much negative publicity about the Thailand in general but people continue to come, maybe for the excitement, sex or whatever. I expect to die here one day, hopefully by natural causes but certainly am aware of a host of other things that can go wrong as I see it daily. MY choice though! There are alot nicer places around! Islands off Malaysia, Cambodia (out of Phnom Phen), Laos (dam_n beautiful country!), even Myanmar! Philippines etc.... the only thing that Thailand has to offer more than these places (besides Philippines) is sex! Beaches, outdoors, etc, much nicer in other countries and without the hassles. I was amazed at how nice, friendly and accommodating the Cambodians are. Been there 5 times now for holidays. Genuine smiles too! I cant remember the last time I saw someone smile in Thailand! Oh! Yes I do, it was when Secretary Somchai got the new position overseeing corruption on tourists at the Airport. He is smiling all the way to the bank!

Wow it might be "big news" in Thailand for Foreigners who live here but I doubt anywhere else in the world has heard of the Thai jetski scams. I doubt any tour operators list all the scams and for Mr-Mrs average booking two weeks they arent going to know.

Its only been a minor program on a minor channel in the UK once and that was only fairly recently, Thailand is portrayed rightly or wrongly as " the land of smiles" with a kind caring gentle people, and thats how its perceived in all tourist blurb and holiday borchures.

Most of the world sees it as a place for cheap sex outside of the travel industry and thats all most peoples knowledge of Thailand is if theyve never been there.

Heres what Virgin holidays say................... no mention of Jet Ski scams Taxi scams, Gem scams, "safe beaches" hahahahahahahaah

Families

With their safe beaches, soft sands and warm waters, Thailand's many beach resorts make for great family holidays. Elsewhere, the kids will love the country's elephant learning centres and they can have great fun bamboo rafting (not to be confused with white-water rafting!) down one of the country's gentle rivers on an excursion. For teenagers, a holiday in Thailand is a real cultural learning experience

Edited April 21, 2011 by travelmann

[Deeral]

as for the repair - it is fairly obvious with the cost of labour and the standards of repair they'll get away with that "fixing" the craft will cost next to nothing.

The mechanicals seem to be untouched so all they'll do is slap some fibre-glass on the front a bit of gel coat and it'll be on the water within the week.

Edited April 21, 2011 by Deeral

[humqdpf]

would have thought the MANDATORY insurance that all rental items in Thailand require would have covered this

Did anyone "Police" ask for the Jet Ski policy and operators licence (which is a mariners licence in Thailand)....guess not

A jet ski does not cost 300,000 baht ($30,000 US!)

Nor would the repairs cost 270,000 baht

Enough said.

The tourist probably paid the right amount for the repairs. The insurance is probably fictious, just another way of getting tourists to pay extra.

[tropo]

who is still renting jets skis in Phuket??

Right!!

Obviously all the tourists who don't read this forum rent jetskis.

[LivinginKata]

The rule in Thailand is: you break it you pay for it. They got off lucky as they could have been forced to pay for a new one.

I Thought the rule was if you break it run??? Isnt that what happens after all caraccidents? according to T.V anyway.

That's the solution for Thai nationals, have an accident, take off to your home provence. Bit different for foreigners who need to handover passport, or at least hotel location.

[katabeachbum]

would have thought the MANDATORY insurance that all rental items in Thailand require would have covered this

Did anyone "Police" ask for the Jet Ski policy and operators licence (which is a mariners licence in Thailand)....guess not

A jet ski does not cost 300,000 baht ($30,000 US!)

Nor would the repairs cost 270,000 baht

Enough said.

The tourist probably paid the right amount for the repairs. The insurance is probably fictious, just another way of getting tourists to pay extra.

a yamaha 700XL like this costs 360.000 baht no more, no less. Including VAT

[Deeral]

who is still renting jets skis in Phuket??

Right!!

Obviously all the tourists who don't read this forum rent jetskis.

"who is still renting jets skis in Phuket??" this is a rather glib comment.It's all very well for those of us who either live here or visit frequently, but THOUSANDS of people come to Thailand for a one-off holiday and the operators know that.

you shouldn't be expected to have a Bachelor's Degree in "scamology" before you spend two weeks (and a load of money) in a country

As with so many things in Thailand they are all face - they look and smile like any other jetski operator anywhere else in the world, but they know and won't tell you that their service falls short of international standards by a long way.It is a shame that the Thai govenment adopts such a laissez-faire attitude in so many aspects of dealing with visitors from abroad...

".take the money and run"

should be the motto emblazoned on the doors of every TAT office and every lapel of every uniform of the tourist police

everyday on MCOT they broadcast an "advertorial" called "Happiness Thailand Paradise" - apart from the appalling English it couldn't be further from the truth. If they want to keep tourists coming they have to treat the customers with respect.

Edited April 21, 2011 by Deeral

[LivinginKata]

Sorry, but the insurance system in Thailand's a little different to other countries' policies.

People renting a motorbike with the ordinary insurance( guess it's the same with a jet ski) should be aware that if an accident occurs, the insurance will only cover 15,000 baht for any medical expenses.

You got that right. Insurance in Thailand is a lot lot different from other countries. If you really look at the policy you soon find out that the cover is not exactly what you might expect in your home country. All these street guys renting vehicle with 'full insurance' ... unlikely it's really full insurance. Same with jets kis. Always, always read the rental contract, and see what the true liabilty is going to be. Might make you just walk away and say forget it.

[Deeral]

A jet ski does not cost 300,000 baht ($30,000 US!)

Nor would the repairs cost 270,000 baht

Enough said.

The tourist probably paid the right amount for the repairs. The insurance is probably fictious, just another way of getting tourists to pay extra.

a yamaha 700XL like this costs 360.000 baht no more, no less. Including VAT

I love this - yet another example of Thai business bull-headed-ness

"No more and no less" - WHY??? Why is it just impossible to negotiate a price when buying a new vehicle in Thailand - watercraft, car whatever - because te retailers run a cartel - retail price maintenance is the norm in Thailand.

[Fishface]

You should walk round it and check for any scratches or dints before hire.

Its only a small hole at the front, maybe it was there when he hired it and he didnt notice it .

[Deeral]

You should walk round it and check for any scratches or dints before hire.

Its only a small hole at the front, maybe it was there when he hired it and he didnt notice it .

Yep - the best thing to do is photograph the vehicle - whatever it is from all angles.

Some people just don't notice blemishes like that! -

[KarenBravo]

A jet ski does not cost 300,000 baht ($30,000 US!)

300,000 Bt = $30,000. Did you run out of fingers?

Try $10,000

[kevinellerton]

Well...we regular readers and residents of Thailand all know that people should not rent the jet ski boats in the first place...but the majority of tourists do not know anything about the jet ski Mafia and the police goons who will gladly assist anyone who is a victim of the jet ski scam.

Yes hindsight says the people should have done this or that and handled it differently at the time...but when your surrounded and intimidated by all the beach goons and a police officer or police officers show up and everyone is saying: " you have to pay " ..."big problem" .....and start talking about JAIL if you dont pay..... then most people would rather pay than go to jail.

I would just like to see or hear about someone who stood up to them and said:

"OK..lets go to jail..lets get this over with ..I am not going to pay...you are not not getting a single Baht out of me." "You have insurance...deal with the insurance company.

And..." I am am going to sue you for endangering my life"

It could happen...but there would be lots of stress and grief and not a pleasant way to spend your holiday time...fighting with the local goons who quickly turn nasty and start to gang up on you all the more

There would be nothing fair about any of it.

However...I imagine a scene where someone acting as a spokesman for the victims campaigns on their behalf and somehow manages to get hundreds of ANGRY foriengners to march to the Mayors office and or the Police station... in force .....and demand that the Mayor of Phuket respond to the injustices being perpetrated against foriegn tourists.

What a lovely scene that would be.

What to do ..what to do

I got some small scratches on the side of a Honda Super-4 Motorbike I rented on Patong Beach. The guy demanded I pay 30,000 baht.

I said I wasn't going to pay 30,000 baht, and I started to call the tourist police. The owner put me in a headlock and forced my face against the bike. I thought he was going to slam my head into the bike. 4 or 5 large thai goons surrounded us so people couldn't see what was going on. Passing tourists looked on in a concerned way but clearly couldn't do anything about it. He called *his* police officer over, while mentioning that if I didn't pay, he wasn't going to sue me... "tourists disappear around here all the time." The police officer didn't want to hear anything I said, he just backed the bike owner.

Yeah. In that kind of situation, there's nothing you can do. At all. Unless you happen to have jackie-chan ninja skills and can take out 5 guys at a time, recover your passport and flee the country immediately.

That's why I bought a bike... so I wouldn't have to deal with that type of uncertainty.

Good luck guys!

-- Kevin

[katabeachbum]

Sorry, but the insurance system in Thailand's a little different to other countries' policies.

People renting a motorbike with the ordinary insurance( guess it's the same with a jet ski) should be aware that if an accident occurs, the insurance will only cover 15,000 baht for any medical expenses.

You got that right. Insurance in Thailand is a lot lot different from other countries. If you really look at the policy you soon find out that the cover is not exactly what you might expect in your home country. All these street guys renting vehicle with 'full insurance' ... unlikely it's really full insurance. Same with jets kis. Always, always read the rental contract, and see what the true liabilty is going to be. Might make you just walk away and say forget it.

The true liability of causing an accident with a motorcyle or car is: up to 10 million baht in 3rd party medical/death, up to 5 million 3rd party materials, ad own vehicles cost as agreed on in rental agreement. ad 200.000 baht bail if any casualty.

assume same figures are valid for a jet ski, and as no foreign tourists have valid Thai captain lisence, if there was any Insurance it would not cover

[eagleflyinghigh]

There are so many weirdos coming to Thailand, doing crazy things. What would you think if you were Thai??? :jap:

I can very well imagine being Thai (and am as critical towards your country and its institutions as I am regarding my home country) and fully agree with you that Thailand does not really attract the "creme de la creme" of world tourism. The new Middle Eastern and Russian markets did not improve the situation.

Welcome to the "white trash" !

So why do these people come to Thailand ? Because of the perceived lawlessness and the "anything goes" mentality. (Prostitution and no longer cheap prices can not be the only reason for Thailand's success). So no pity with them when things go wrong. I can not drive a motorbike or a jet ski and would not attempt doing so in Thailand either.

As a Thai I would lobby that police and civil servants are correctly paid and respected and so the existing Laws would be enforced. Many foreigners do behave in a way tthey would never at home while in Thailand.

.

[LivinginKata]

As a Thai I would lobby that police and civil servants are correctly paid and respected and so the existing Laws would be enforced.

[kiwikeith]

Ok, where to start. He bought a 10,000 dollar jet ski three years ago. Depreciation in the first year alone is 40% with limited use and in very good condition. This was a rental which is never properly treated by renters and im guessing never made it back to the factory shop for its regular inspection and up keep to keep it in warranty. Do you think this guy uses new parts as well to maintain it or scavenging other crafts to maintain. Just a guess but probably the cheapest he can find and hammer in place. IF you look at the skis they are all in extremely poor condition and definitely not maintained. As for the "kill" switch which is designed to inhibit the spark which will kill the motor turning the ski back to the rider. It should never proceed in a straight line always making a come back for its rider. Usually these thing are very easy to service but must be done regularly for riders safety. So what im trying to say is that the model is old and and has not been maintained to any but Thai standards. The ski did not return to the rider and proceeded at high speed into the rocks. The police negotiated the settlement! HAHAHAHAHAH . In the list of expenses he states he has to pay his staff. Poppy cock! You pay staff any way. He has to feed his family! No shit, this is not a variable and should be taken into consideration when you open a business. THIS IS WHY YOU HAVE PROPER INSURANCE! The owner of the business failed to maintain his assets in a way that properly insures the safety of the client. Jet ski owner should not be paid but in fact should be penalized and made to pay any and all current and future medical expense. My point is that you can buy a nicer ski used in good condition for around 3,000 dollars. Why 6,000 for a beat up piece of shit that almost killed the guy. Oh thats right the "Police" negotiated. I tell you one thing if a Thai rider would have been injured there his whole family would have been at the door of the owner for medical expenses asap. Amazing boobs! 00

Exactly, could have bought him a much better one second hand for a lot less, yet again tourists with no experience in Thailand will suffer.

Insurance is a joke! then its up to an official complaint from whatever embassy you belong to but then you might be on holiday in the hilton for a long time trying to sort it.

[Randee]

I think the shady bit in all of this is the compensation the operator expects. There's risk in everything and he should have insurance to cover incidents like this. The customer should not bear the burden of compensating him for loss of business and the cost of repairs. That's where it's going too far in my opinion.

No insurance company covers stupitity. Unless the tourist can prove the machine was at fault then he is most likely not covered.

If the customer was unable to pay at the time the insurance company may well pay the vendor, but make no mistake they would then go after the customer.

Either way the guy is going to pay cos lifes a B!tch

why is life being a bitch funny ?

[Randee]

A jet ski does not cost 300,000 baht ($30,000 US!)

300,000 Bt = $30,000. Did you run out of fingers?

Try $10,000

[KarenBravo]

The jet-ski renter cannot just go out and buy another jet-ski.

Each jet-ski is licensed and the serial numbers are noted.

A new jet-ski even though it replaces another would need a new license, which apparently are not being issued anymore.

This is why he has no choice but to repair the old one.

[Randee]

I got some small scratches on the side of a Honda Super-4 Motorbike I rented on Patong Beach. The guy demanded I pay 30,000 baht.

I said I wasn't going to pay 30,000 baht, and I started to call the tourist police. The owner put me in a headlock and forced my face against the bike. I thought he was going to slam my head into the bike. 4 or 5 large thai goons surrounded us so people couldn't see what was going on. Passing tourists looked on in a concerned way but clearly couldn't do anything about it. He called *his* police officer over, while mentioning that if I didn't pay, he wasn't going to sue me... "tourists disappear around here all the time." The police officer didn't want to hear anything I said, he just backed the bike owner.

Yeah. In that kind of situation, there's nothing you can do. At all. Unless you happen to have jackie-chan ninja skills and can take out 5 guys at a time, recover your passport and flee the country immediately.

That's why I bought a bike... so I wouldn't have to deal with that type of uncertainty.

Good luck guys!

-- Kevin

a shame you had to suffer that dispicable ordeal kevin, i have experienced similar. infuriating it is but what can you do??

in an earlier post on this thread here some muppet asked why thailand attracts so many wierdos (dumb question i thought) but this kind of behaviour you experienced pretty well sums up exactly why thailand attracts "lesser" quality tourists etc in many cases (not referring to you)

Certain types of Thai character's behaviour can be dispicably low and crude. thats why in a previous thread about a minister wanting only "quality tourists" to visit Thailand I laughed my <deleted> face off.

[katabeachbum]

The jet-ski renter cannot just go out and buy another jet-ski.

Each jet-ski is licensed and the serial numbers are noted.

A new jet-ski even though it replaces another would need a new license, which apparently are not being issued anymore.

This is why he has no choice but to repair the old one.

and if he where able to register a new jet ski, it would cost 360.000 baht, so the tourist here should be happy her actions only cost her 180.000 baht in repairs

There have been some jet ski scams. This incident seems to be clean, and the tourist pays for her actions. One should learn how to operate jetskis and motorbikes before renting them

[LivinginKata]

There have been some jet ski scams. This incident seems to be clean, and the tourist pays for her actions. One should learn how to operate jetskis and motorbikes before renting them

I would say that the tourist expects that he/she is covered by the advertised insurance sign in the case of any form of damage. Many might think that insurance, or lack of it, is the scam.

[FOODLOVER]

A jet ski does not cost 300,000 baht ($30,000 US!)

300,000 Bt = $30,000. Did you run out of fingers?

Try $10,000

Oh dear

[katabeachbum]

There have been some jet ski scams. This incident seems to be clean, and the tourist pays for her actions. One should learn how to operate jetskis and motorbikes before renting them

I would say that the tourist expects that he/she is covered by the advertised insurance sign in the case of any form of damage. Many might think that insurance, or lack of it, is the scam.

agree tourists can be made to believe rental bikes, cars and jet skis have Insurance. So how do we make tourist understand they usually do not, except cars from Avis, Budget and other major players

[petermach]

enough , when jet ski will be banned from phuket ! it is a pollution and it is dangerous even for people on the beach... and swindlers in jail

peter

[Arkady]

The British female jet ski renter in the video clip seems to enjoy dangerous pursuits, as evidenced by her munching on the unhygenic looking Ebola flavoured "piggy-on-a-stick" snack while describing how she narrowly escaped death on a beat up looking, poorly maintained jet ski she stupidly rented from a beat up looking, poorly maintained old turd on the beach.

Even though she obviously has nil common sense and possibly a death wish, it is obvious that the Phuket jet ski scam is alive and well, despite the protestations of the bent Phuket provincial official that he was going to ensure proper insurance for jet skis to avoid this situation. It is pretty clear that the result of his edict is that the jet ski scamsters feel justified in charging their pea brain customers "insurance premiums" as an extra. Ha ha. Obviously these premiums go straight into the pockets of the operators because no insurance company would cover these floating death traps, owned and "maintained" by criminal gangs and driven by inexperienced tourists with sh*t for brains.

Edited April 21, 2011 by Arkady

[LivinginKata]

Obviously these premiums go straight into the pockets of the operators because no insurance company would cover these floating death traps, owned and "maintained" by criminal gangs and driven by inexperienced tourists with sh*t for brains.

You sum it up rather well ...

[FOODLOVER]

The jet-ski renter cannot just go out and buy another jet-ski.

Each jet-ski is licensed and the serial numbers are noted.

A new jet-ski even though it replaces another would need a new license, which apparently are not being issued anymore.

This is why he has no choice but to repair the old one.

and if he where able to register a new jet ski, it would cost 360.000 baht, so the tourist here should be happy her actions only cost her 180.000 baht in repairs

There have been some jet ski scams. This incident seems to be clean, and the tourist pays for her actions. One should learn how to operate jetskis and motorbikes before renting them

Yes very happy i'm sure. And why did they stop accepting license applications? TOO MANY CRIMINAL JET SKI BUSINESSES!!!!

Edited April 21, 2011 by FOODLOVER

[katabeachbum]

Yes very happy i'm sure. And why did they stop accepting license applications? TOO MANY CRIMINAL JET SKI BUSINESSES!!!!

or simply a desire to limit number of jetskis on the beaches