Taxis, Tour Agencies Ink MoU To End Blockades At Phuket Deep Sea Port

[webfact]

Taxis, tour agencies ink MoU to end blockades at Phuket Deep Sea Port

Suwat Deejingtrakul (left) of tour operator Regale International makes a point

to local taxi driver representative Narong Kumban.

Phuket Marine Police Chief Phuripat Theerakulpisut vents his frustration over

further dithering at the meeting.

PHUKET: -- An hour of intense negotiations today finally ended with taxi drivers and tour agencies signing an agreement to end blockades at Phuket’s Deep Sea Port.

Most, but not all, parties present at the meeting at Provincial Hall today signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which was outlined by verbal agreement following the blockade of tourists attempting to disembark the luxury cruise liner Silver Spirit in April.

The MoU, effective immediately, invoked the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code), which is defined by the International Maritime Organization as a “comprehensive set of measures to enhance the security of ships and port facilities”.

Under the agreement, all signatories agree to not block access to the port.

Mediators and witnesses to the signing of the MoU included Vice Governor Weerawat Janpen, Phuket Marine Police Chief Phuripat Theerakulpisut and Phuket City Police Chief Chote Chitchai.

Under the terms of the agreement, the taxi operators and tour agencies serving the port are to have equal access to the tourists arriving, with no more than a “10% difference in the share”.

The tour companies also agreed to inform the taxi cartel which tour operators were scheduling tours to arrive in Phuket and how many tourists were expected to arrive – so that sufficient taxis would be available – at least one day before the cruise ship docked at the port.

A clear point was that no free bus transfer services will be allowed to serve tourists and crews arriving at the facility.

Both sides agreed that the MoU could be later amended by future agreements and that any parties wanting to withdraw from the MoU can do so with just 30 days’ written notice.

However, Suwat Deejingtrakul of tour operator Regale International, expressed his disapproval of the 50:50 split. He told the meeting that he wanted to send the MoU to his company’s head office in Bangkok.

Sea Tour representative Kanjana Sae-im also initially declined to sign the agreement, saying that she would need to get advice from her company's lawyers in Bangkok first.

Sea Tour was the company that ran the tour that brought the luxury cruise liner Silver Spirit to Phuket in April, only to have their tourists’ trips ashore blockaded by local taxi and tuk-tuk drivers.

Vice Governor Weerawat explained that signing an MoU would not require legal consultation, but Phuket Marine Police Chief Phuripat, who was instrumental in having the MoU drawn up, expressed his frustration.

“The letter informing [all the parties] about the signing of the MoU was already sent to the tour companies [before today] and we've already held meetings in order to draft this MoU.

“I would really like to finish this problem. Actually, I don’t need to work on this, but I think there must be someone to mediate between the two sides,” he told the meeting.

“If we cannot successfully resolve this problem now, I will leave it to you and you will realize how important it was to have resolved the problem [at this time],” he added.

Mr Suwat finally capitulated and signed the agreement.

Later, after speaking with her associates in Bangkok, Ms Kanjana also said she would sign the document.

Present during the discussions was Narong Kumban, village head of Moo 7 in Wichit.

He regurgitated the message relayed by Wichit Deputy Mayor Chairat Kumban, who on May 4 told the press that it was unfair to characterize the taxi drivers as “mafia”.

“They are local people just trying to earn a living to feed their families,” Mr Narong said today.

He said previous talks between local taxi drivers and tour operator Sea Tour broke down, leading to the blockade.

“The company didn’t follow through with any past [verbal] agreements, so it is important for an MoU to be signed.

“If not, and tour companies do the same again, then tour agencies will have to anchor their ships in Patong instead,” he said.

-- Phuket Gazette 2011-06-17

[Phuket Stan]

Anchor their ships in Patong !!! They just might anchor their ships in Langkawi or elsewhere !!!

[angiud]

This situation exactly mirrors the Actual Thailand status, the lack of application of every rule, the mafia-like power of the many "guilds" that outweigh the the established power, the increasing obsession with money, the complete lack of foresight

[Macx]

So basically, the taxis got exactly what they wanted.

[steveyinasia]

So the tourist has no say in their mode of transport from the ship, must bow to the taxi Mafia. Time to find a new holiday destination that does not limit my rights as a customer to the way I want to travel.

[unanimosity]

Anchor their ships in Patong !!! They just might anchor their ships in Langkawi or elsewhere !!!

Malaysia and Vietnam are attractive options. The tour ops invest in bringing ships to port. If the taxis want a piece of the pie they should shoulder a piece of the cost. This is unheard of, coercing tour ops to put groups into individual taxis to face indignant attempts to steer them away from tour op offerings. Why would tour ops agree to such counterproductive coercion? It's not an MOU, it's an MOE...................(extortion)

[Aachen]

Ridiculous. Tuk-Tuks have no aircon and no meter.

Edited June 17, 2011 by Aachen

[Dukeleto]

A clear point was that no free bus transfer services will be allowed to serve tourists and crews arriving at the facility.

So who was representing the passengers point of view? As usual, tourists are just a means to extract as much money as possible in a sort a period as possible, something that will eventually come full circle. I have to wonder if someone did not table a plan to "leave the tourists on the ship, but still charge for the tour, and then split the proceeds without having done anything with everyone (but the tourists) happy" Problemo solved!

The problem with Phuket is there are far too many people arriving in Phuket trying to eek a living out of tourism at the tourists expense.

[eddie61]

It is part of the whole capitulation of the state against vested interest groups.<div><br></div><div>Has anyone noticed how people drive these days, compared to 20 years ago? </div><div><br></div><div>Basically they are waving the finger at the powers that be. Maybe with right, but still a definite trend in MHO..</div>

[atyclb]

Perhaps competing international hospitals will blockade respective entrances coercing patients to go elsewhere. Analogous situation.

Edited June 17, 2011 by atyclb

[EvilDrSomkid]

Right, so the cruise liners know what the message is now: Don't come to Phuket. Simple.

Can you image the people coming off the cruise ship and being faced with some irate tuktuk gangster shouting at them: YOU MUST USE MY TAXI, OR YOU NO GO PHUKET!

OK, good bye, we'll stay on board and enjoy the ships amenities.

It would be wonderful if not a single foreign tourist came to Phuket ever again. I wonder if the Thai tourist would put up with this nonsense.

[Chupup]

Another nail in Pukets tourists coffin, won't be long before cruise ships just cruise by and who's to blame them.

[WithMarco]

hahahaha ... but hey if you're fool enough to holiday in Phuket you deserve to be ripped off, serves you right.

[softgeorge]

A clear point was that no free bus transfer services will be allowed to serve tourists and crews arriving at the facility.

So who was representing the passengers point of view? As usual, tourists are just a means to extract as much money as possible in a sort a period as possible, something that will eventually come full circle. I have to wonder if someone did not table a plan to "leave the tourists on the ship, but still charge for the tour, and then split the proceeds without having done anything with everyone (but the tourists) happy" Problemo solved!

The problem with Phuket is there are far too many people arriving in Phuket trying to eek a living out of tourism at the tourists expense.

Is it ilegal to walk

[prism]

I've been on many cruises and we've anchored at many destinations. For most of our destinations, we book an excursion or tour from the cruise ship company. The tour always includes all transportation. Does this mean that we will have to pay these taxi guys on top of what you already paid for the tour if we went there? Forget about it, I'll stay on the ship. They'll be another friendlier destination tomorrow.

With this MoU, Phuket looses.

Edited June 17, 2011 by prism

[somchai jones]

hahahaha ... but hey if you're fool enough to holiday in Phuket you deserve to be ripped off, serves you right.

Glad to see the construcitve comments still flowing thick and fast.......

[bunta71]

Throw these con artists in jail.

[WithMarco]

hahahaha ... but hey if you're fool enough to holiday in Phuket you deserve to be ripped off, serves you right.

Glad to see the construcitve comments still flowing thick and fast.......

we all know the dreadful situation in Phuket, i can reword it in "stay the f.. out of Phuket" if you like but

the concept remains the same.

it's also because of people like you still defending that degenerate island that people come to phuket

getting scammed as soon as they leave their boat.

my opinion ? they fully deserve to be scammed, it's well known since decades that phuket is thailand's nr.1

tourist trap, hope they learn the lesson and spread the word around.

Edited June 17, 2011 by WithMarco

[madmitch]

I've been on many cruises and we've anchored at many destinations. For most of our destinations, we book an excursion or tour from the cruise ship company. The tour always includes all transportation. Does this mean that we will have to pay these taxi guys on top of what you already paid for the tour if we went there? Forget about it, I'll stay on the ship. They'll be another friendlier destination tomorrow.

With this MoU, Phuket looses.

We have not seen the MOU wording. Nowhere in the article does it state that passengers will have to fork out themselves to pay for transport. It could be that a fee is agreed with the drivers upfront and paid directly by the cruise operators. OK, passengers may get taken on a tour of gem stores and tailor shops but they may actually like the novelty of a ride in a tuktuk rather than an aircon bus.

I do belive that the authorities should not have given into the demands but they have and now let's see how it works. We'll know it is fine if the subject is not brought up again.

[softgeorge]

hahahaha ... but hey if you're fool enough to holiday in Phuket you deserve to be ripped off, serves you right.

Glad to see the construcitve comments still flowing thick and fast.......

I get the feeling that you are a great supporter of the taxi/tuk tuk industry and other scammers. You must have a vested interest in the industry. I guess you have to make a living .

Edited June 17, 2011 by softgeorge

[Lancelot]

Another nail in Pukets tourists coffin, won't be long before cruise ships just cruise by and who's to blame them.

I hear what you are saying; however, the tourist arrival numbers continue to increase so why would the taxi mafia be willing to open up its monoply on extorting tourists? Just too much money to be made and they seem to enjoy the protection of powerful patrons.

IMHO the only thing that would kill off Thailand's lucrative tourist industry is a Super Depression

[skorchio]

Another victory for the Maf!!

And as someone else pointed out, there is a clause that says there will be no free transport provided. Just imagine that happening in another part of the world??!! I am all for supporting the local providers, but when the local provider is a Mafia agency they deserve nothing

[exbelg]

private persons taking control of streets, where is the police ???

[WithMarco]

I hear what you are saying; however, the tourist arrival numbers continue to increase so why would the taxi mafia be willing to open up its monoply on extorting tourists? Just too much money to be made and they seem to enjoy the protection of powerful patrons.

IMHO the only thing that would kill off Thailand's lucrative tourist industry is a Super Depression

that's exactly what makes me fuming... why the F... people still flock to shitholes like Phuket ?

[TheWalkingMan]

private persons taking control of streets, where is the police ???

The police? Too busy counting their cut.

TheWalkingMan

[robert00]

Anchor their ships in Patong !!! They just might anchor their ships in Langkawi or elsewhere !!!

I dont understand what all the fuss is about. BOYCOT PHUKET. Problem solved.

Surly there must be other destinations than the MAFIA ridden Phuket.

[Mugg]

It is part of the whole capitulation of the state against vested interest groups.<div><br></div><div>Has anyone noticed how people drive these days, compared to 20 years ago? </div><div><br></div><div>Basically they are waving the finger at the powers that be. Maybe with right, but still a definite trend in MHO..</div>

I will have 2 of what ever you are drinking ?

[Swlh]

[MUSHROOMHEADD]

we all know the dreadful situation in Phuket, i can reword it in "stay the f.. out of Phuket" if you like but

the concept remains the same.

it's also because of people like you still defending that degenerate island that people come to phuket

getting scammed as soon as they leave their boat.

my opinion ? they fully deserve to be scammed, it's well known since decades that phuket is thailand's nr.1

tourist trap, hope they learn the lesson and spread the word around.

Wowwww.... ermmm... Need to get something off your chest?? Did diddums get his arse kicked by a 5'2" bargirl in Phuket for acting like himself in a public place?

You know what we love? - We love guys that come to Phuket and act like degenerates, and then when their &lt;deleted&gt; are handed back to them in a Lunch Bag - go home compllaining that the locals are 'degenerates' - we love 'em...

Back to your mothers' skirts boy - and try not to go through life mistaking your own nasty Bile for Wisdom.

[TackyToo]

This situation exactly mirrors the Actual Thailand status, the lack of application of every rule, the mafia-like power of the many "guilds" that outweigh the the established power, the increasing obsession with money, the complete lack of foresight

These are the facts:

A clear point was that no free bus transfer services will be allowed to serve tourists and crews arriving at the facility.

And here is what some lunatics dream of:

The Tourism Council of Thailand will propose a new development strategy for the next government to execute in rebuilding and upgrading the entire industry.

Piyaman Tejabaibul, council president, said yesterday that whoever comes to power after the July 3 election should work closely with the private sector to ensure the country remains competitive.

What do they mean with “remain”???

Pradit Phataraprasit from the Chart Thai Pattana Party said: “The party would crack down on tourist scams and illegal tour guides along with improving service at the airport. Relief measures would be in place to assist operators when unexpected circumstances arise.”

Goanpot Asvinvichit of Chart Pattana Puea Pandin said: “The party is considering waiving visa fees for high-potential countries like China. Complimentary hotel shuttle buses are needed in Bangkok and key provinces to serve free individual tourists”.