Phuket Steps Up Fight Against Illegal Timeshare Touts

[chooka]

Looks like it crackdown week in Thai..yesterday it was Illegal musicians.....

You forgot the crackdown on farangs getting tattoos

[lovinglife]

Why all the anti-Thai comments on here? This is farangs mostly ripping off farangs with crap holiday membership scams.

Anyone that will part with their hard earned cash, often $10,000 +, so easily has to be stupid. They are mostly targeting Aussies, Russians and Scandinavians, the Brits and Germans got burnt by this crap a long time ago in Europe and the Canaries. They do have some genuine products that are worth buying as this gives them cover for their cash cow that is memberships.

[carvets]

On the way to the airport near some rubber plantations there are a number of signs that go something like ..." Care the sky " , Care the ocean " , " Care the environment " . So on the way coming in, they should have more of these new signs saying,..." Beware the time share ", " Beware the Jetskis " , " Beware the Tuk tuks ",....." Beware the accident from reading signs " .

Edited June 3, 2011 by carvets

[balo]

If they could get rid of the jetski operators and tuktuk mafia as well then Phuket will suddenly look like a place worth visiting again.

Until then I stay home.

Edited June 3, 2011 by balo

[exbelg]

if you ever want to phuket and felt the scams starting at the airport (1000 baht or more unmetered taxi's, tuk tuk maffia, jet scam professional, double pricing, etc) than those people would never bother to ever comming back let stand, buying a time share

so why not just make it illegal or forbidden , time share and all the police supported crooks

[ALFREDO]

Phuket was fine twenty to ten years ago, now is already a no, no in High Season!

Much to many from everything, tourists, thais, cars, traffic, high prices, pollution.

How the touts from time sharing still find their pray is surprising me.

I was a great fan from Phuket but not any more.

Last time I was stuck in traffic for 40 minutes coming to Patong from Kamala at rush hour, that is not my prefered beach island any more!

Only a few places near the airport are worth to be mentioned positive, as is Naithon beach and two, three more there. For how long?

Tourists open your eyes! Buy Time share for that Phuket place? And in 5, 10 years? No, no!

A place for the low season, so.

[brd]

Nothing about Samui ? where there are a lot of very creative offers like 300 years leases etc....

About time the authorities investigated these rip-off merchants in time share. The way these unscrupulous touts working illegally without work permits in Patong hassle and scam naive and unsuspecting tourists is an absolute disgrace

[LivinginKata]

Long off topic post removed. This topic is about 'illegal time share touts'.

[OzMick]

" V/Gov Somkiet warned that any officials found to be involved in any illegal timeshare operations will be reported to their office chief."

Wouldn't it be more appropriate to report illegal activity to the police? Perhaps they already get a cut, and this is to ensure the bosses get theirs'.

[johnjydee]

I assume you both either work or have close friends/relatives that work at the labour office that can confirm your statements..................probably not, so it may come as a shock to you that timeshare companies provide work permits for their foreign employees

Been in patong for 17 years, not once has a work permit been produced to me when I always requested it. That's why about 60 of them were arrested and deported 5-6 years ago , same needs to be done again.

[pinball]

Did anyone notice the Huge gold chain around this guys neck in the original post..... Oh Oh My My

Pinball

[moe666]

Illegal sales of timeshares happens in many places with different tactics, phone calls,mail,email usually with big promises. many of you guys here make your selves look like fools with the on going complaints and whining about Thailand. Maybe the announcement to look into this problem didn't meet your high standards but it is a start.So give it a break on the constant complaining.

I have to make the assumption if you didn't have anything to complain about you wouldn't have anything else

Edited June 3, 2011 by moe666

[Chupup]

Illegal sales of timeshares happens in many places with different tactics, phone calls,mail,email usually with big promises. many of you guys here make your selves look like fools with the on going complaints and whining about Thailand. Maybe the announcement to look into this problem didn't meet your high standards but it is a start.So give it a break on the constant complaining.

I have to make the assumption if you didn't have anything to complain about you wouldn't have anything else

And your point is ??

[ryladie99]

About time the authorities investigated these rip-off merchants in time share. The way these unscrupulous touts working illegally without work permits in Patong hassle and scam naive and unsuspecting tourists is an absolute disgrace

I agree with you 100% and thank for posting. I do not understand those crook people. I feel for people who get rip off. The Thai government has to step in and crack these fraud cases. Use deportation and Ban them for life. My take and opinion.

[Valentine]

Crackdowns quite often result in the arrest of small fry, in this case the ones touting on the streets, who may not even be aware they are working for a crooked company. The higher ups never get jailed.

[enuff said]

Illegal sales of timeshares happens in many places with different tactics, phone calls,mail,email usually with big promises. many of you guys here make your selves look like fools with the on going complaints and whining about Thailand. Maybe the announcement to look into this problem didn't meet your high standards but it is a start.So give it a break on the constant complaining.

I have to make the assumption if you didn't have anything to complain about you wouldn't have anything else

I agree moe666. They sound like babies just stumbling out of their prams for the first time. Time share scams occur EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD! Aussie, UK, USA, France, Germany, Canada also, so shut up about Thailand being so villainous already. Police and judges are up for bribery charges in every so-called "civilized" country, and those are only the ten per cent that are caught.

So put down that blanket you've been hiding under and wake up to the real world.

AND THE POINT IS (for those who have their "hate Thailand at all costs" blinders on): Maybe the announcement to look into this problem didn't meet your high standards but it is a start. So give us a break on the constant complaining.

'nuff said

[KarenBravo]

So give us a break on the constant complaining.

'nuff said

How about giving us a break from the constant lecturing. Take your soap-box and righteous indignation elsewhere.

[enuff said]

So give us a break on the constant complaining.

'nuff said

How about giving us a break from the constant lecturing. Take your soap-box and righteous indignation elsewhere.

I have a right to express my opinions and feelings here as a member since 2005. With less than a hundred posts, I doubt anyone could accurately accuse me of "constant lecturing".

Dismissing others opinions outright as "righteous indignation" is just the kind of blinders I was talking about.

I just happen to agree with a few other members that this forum is not being as helpful or informative as it should be; but is digressing into cheap shots, bigotry, and villainizing Thailand as if all evil was invented here.

'nuff said

[KarenBravo]

I have a right to express my opinions and feelings

Yes, as others do.

Seems you want the right for yourself, but, want to with-hold it for others.

There's a word for that........it's called hypocrisy.

[tragickingdom]

The timeshare business is not much more different than the offers from the numerous Indian and Chinese companies under which very well knows companies who do precisely the same with first time apartment builders. They put up a sign in Sukhumvit or another envious spot, in Chiangmai center or wherever else. They start selling, taking in the down payments. Run a mock up unit and in the end nothing is build. The company falls over. The old sign is taken down, a new sign with a new company set up and they start from scratch. They do this forever and the police and authorities are on the payroll.

[stevenl]

Yes, it is different because they are harassing and scamming, lying, to unsuspecting tourists.