City Hall Hollers For A Marshal To Come To Grips With Pattaya Jet-Ski Problems

[Rimmer]

City Hall hollers for a marshal to come to grips with Pattaya jet-ski problems

PATTAYA: -- A meeting took place at Pattaya City Hall on Thursday afternoon at which a raft of new ideas were laid out with the intention of finally fixing the seemingly never-ending problems with jet-ski operators. All jet-ski operators from Pattaya, Jomtien, Naklua and Koh Larn were called to attend the meeting. The meeting was chaired by Khun Chaovalit, the Marshal of Banglamung. Following a huge amount of adverse publicity in recent times, both in the local and overseas press as well as from senior foreign government officials, City Hall was finally goaded out of its inertia by a damning news report aired on Thai TV Channel 3 last month. From now on the seabed will be a rosy place because all jet-ski operators will have to be licensed on a yearly renewable basis, all their employees will be registered as will all jet-skis, and operators will have to take out proper insurance. A coupon system, similar to what is in place in many food-courts, will be set up whereby a potential customer will have to pay at a City Hall-controlled desk on the beach,

Full story with pictures of the meeting HERE

-- Pattaya One 2011-08-05

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[saintofsilence]

About time this may be a turning point time will tell .

"A coupon system, similar to what is in place in many food-courts, will be set up whereby a potential customer will have to pay at a City Hall-controlled desk on the beach, showing his or her passport, and then pay the agreed fee as well as a tax and insurance impost. All jetski operators have to be registered by the 10th of August."

[pauljones]

The problem was and is...who will enforce the laws?

Not the police I pray......

[lovetotravel]

This is a big deal!

From now on the seabed will be a rosy place because all jet-ski operators will

have to be licensed on a yearly renewable basis, all their employees will be

registered as will all jet-skis, and operators will have to take out proper

insurance. A coupon system, similar to what is in place in many food-courts,

will be set up whereby a potential customer will have to pay at a City

Hall-controlled desk on the beach, showing his or her passport, and then pay the

agreed fee as well as a tax and insurance impost. All jetski operators have to

be registered by the 10th of August.

[gmac]

Naysayers say what you will, this is actually a highly positive plan which has every chance of working. As long as it is set up with prominent booths which make it clear that all jet ski rentals must be booked through them and include FULL insurance there should be no loophole for the scammers to slip through.

[saintofsilence]

Naysayers say what you will, this is actually a highly positive plan which has every chance of working. As long as it is set up with prominent booths which make it clear that all jet ski rentals must be booked through them and include FULL insurance there should be no loophole for the scammers to slip through.

I agree with you this is very positive and now that they have to register it will show who owns the jet skis , there will be some very pissed off jet ski owners that will be resenting this plan.

Also the tax factor will hurt them as they will need to pay tax and show books of accountability.

[doingok]

I agree with you this is very positive start but surly not just in these places, scammers are not just in Pattaya there are all over thailand so it should be rolled out full and not just in jet skis.

Edited August 6, 2011 by doingok

[gmac]

I agree with you this is very positive start but surly not just in these places, scammers are not just in Pattaya there are all over thailand so it should be rolled out full and not just in jet skis.

Yes, would be good for motorbike rentals as well, but not easy to implement as there are rental businesses everywhere, not just along an easily policed seafront.

[doingok]

I agree with you this is very positive start but surly not just in these places, scammers are not just in Pattaya there are all over thailand so it should be rolled out full and not just in jet skis.

Yes, would be good for motorbike rentals as well, but not easy to implement as there are rental businesses everywhere, not just along an easily policed seafront.

magic word, extra insurance so you know you do not have hand over any money and i would guess it would only cost very little to factor in to what the hassles would be from the scammers , i am sure 200 baht instead of 150 baht a day would cover it,happy most would be happy to pay it,i would,and the honest rental people would benefit.

Edited August 6, 2011 by doingok

[gmac]

I agree with you this is very positive start but surly not just in these places, scammers are not just in Pattaya there are all over thailand so it should be rolled out full and not just in jet skis.

Yes, would be good for motorbike rentals as well, but not easy to implement as there are rental businesses everywhere, not just along an easily policed seafront.

magic word, extra insurance so you know you do not have hand over any money and i would guess it would only cost very little to factor in to what the hassles would be from the scammers , i am sure 200 baht instead of 150 baht a day would cover it,happy most would be happy to pay it,i would,and the honest rental people would benefit.

I totally agree on the insurance aspect, it's the practicality of enforcement for motorbikes that is the difficulty though as they are available everywhere. Wouldn't it be wonderful for Pattaya if they were all carted off to a central bike park somewhere on 3rd Road and rental kiosks set up all around town where you could arrange to rent your fully insured bike delivered to your hotel. There would even be somewhere to park it on Beach Road!

[rafval]

surely it shouldn't be legal to rent out motorbikes or jetskies unless the operators have insurance covering damage, just make the claims illegal, take them off the agreements, let them get violent at their insurers rather then tourists if they are that way inclined

[CatCage]

So the insurance covers the rider and any damage to the jet ski? Every customer will get an insurance surcharge? This I assume is then handed to the operator.

Methinks it will become very cumbersome claiming for a minor scratch what happens to the ski between when it is damaged and before the insurance guy comes to see the damage will it sit on the beach not earning money and will that be insured as well, so many questions.

Edited August 6, 2011 by CatCage

[gmac]

So the insurance covers the rider and any damage to the jet ski? Every customer will get an insurance surcharge? This I assume is then handed to the operator.

Methinks it will become very cumbersome claiming for a minor scratch what happens to the ski between when it is damaged and before the insurance guy comes to see the damage will it sit on the beach not earning money and will that be insured as well, so many questions.

You think the current damage is being properly repaired and the skis taken out o the water?? That's how the scam works so well, the damage is covered up with a bit of spray paint so that it doesn't show on a casual inspection but a couple of times round the bay it wears off and they scam the renters for the same old damage time after time.

[saintofsilence]

It will be interesting to see how the voucher system works and if the jet skis are relocated to one area only , and where the ticket office will be.

The next couple of months will be interesting with the scammers trying every trick in the book to beat the system.

[janverbeem]

From now on the seabed will be a rosy place because all jet-ski operators will have to be licensed on a yearly renewable basis, all their employees will be registered as will all jet-skis, and operators will have to take out proper insurance.

:cheesy: :cheesy:

Sorry but I couldn't control myself after reading this crap.They should have added,from now on no claims of scamming will be accepted anymore because we have built a watertight system?

Come on, after 14 years they still aren't able to enforce a simple helmet law but they gonna control the real mafia from now on.

Didn't they introduce a similar system of registering and insurrance system for the Phuket jetski's after the trouble in Thailand documentary?And weren't there already numerous reports that that system just worked for a few months and now everything is back to the old days.

[salty]

I feel another "crackdown" coming on.

[atyclb]

Anyone ever get the feeling that the purpose of written laws in Thailand is to enable police extortion ??

[IAMSOBAD]

I will be on the beach every single day and report back via TV and the mayors Facebook.

As of today....THE SCAMMERS ARE OUT IN FORCE.

[spidermike007]

Now, if only they would do something like this in Samui. Any effort to enforce the law, and to bring the goombas under control, is a positive effort. Thailand is not beyond salvation. All it will take is the efforts by some earnest men, who really care about this lovely land, and know what a difference it makes when farengs leave with a good impression of the place. Any fight against corruption is a worthy fight. Bring down the hooligans. Stop the goombas. Put the Thai mafia out of business.

[mikebell]

I agree with you this is very positive start but surly not just in these places, scammers are not just in Pattaya there are all over thailand so it should be rolled out full and not just in jet skis.

Yes, would be good for motorbike rentals as well, but not easy to implement as there are rental businesses everywhere, not just along an easily policed seafront.

magic word, extra insurance so you know you do not have hand over any money and i would guess it would only cost very little to factor in to what the hassles would be from the scammers , i am sure 200 baht instead of 150 baht a day would cover it,happy most would be happy to pay it,i would,and the honest rental people would benefit.

I totally agree on the insurance aspect, it's the practicality of enforcement for motorbikes that is the difficulty though as they are available everywhere. Wouldn't it be wonderful for Pattaya if they were all carted off to a central bike park somewhere on 3rd Road and rental kiosks set up all around town where you could arrange to rent your fully insured bike delivered to your hotel. There would even be somewhere to park it on Beach Road!

Was n't this insurance plan tried in Phuket? I've not noticed any fewer scam stories.

Would like to praise Pattaya One who have made this story front page news. Every bit of pressure helps.

[Sydebolle]

Deja Mooooooooo = the strange feeling having heard this bullshit before 8-)

[pauljones]

The insurance plan did not work on Phuket. Nobody trustworthy enough to enforce the law.

Even JJ, the guy that pulled the rifle on tourists, is still out there.

[Mitker]

Speedy Gonzales.

[taff33]

Speedy Gonzales.

Speedy Gonzales <deleted>,is that code or some thing. :cheesy:

[pauljones]

I went to beach road to see if the jet ski gangs are still operating.

Got off the tuktuk at Mikes Mall and a jet ski scam was happening to some Indians.

The scammers are showing the tourists 'before' & 'after' photos to prove damages.

This is the same gang I saw photoshopping the photos a while back.

What a shame.

Edited August 7, 2011 by pauljones

[gmac]

I went to beach road to see if the jet ski gangs are still operating.

Got off the tuktuk at Mikes Mall and a jet ski scam was happening to some Indians.

The scammers are showing the tourists 'before' & 'after' photos to prove damages.

This is the same gang I saw photoshopping the photos a while back.

What a shame.

The date quoted for registration of all jet ski businesses was 10th August so not surprising they are going for it 'big time' this week before the threatened crackdown date. No reason the suggested system shouldn't work but we'll have to wait and see how it is implemented, if at all.

[pauljones]

Just witnessed a 3rd scam in front of Royal Garden.

[pauljones]

And believe it or not, just saw the 4th jet ski scam happen

[pauljones]

Yes. Another scam just kicked off near Royal Garden.

That's 5 jet ski scams so far this afternoon.

[monty1412]

I went to beach road to see if the jet ski gangs are still operating.

Got off the tuktuk at Mikes Mall and a jet ski scam was happening to some Indians.

The scammers are showing the tourists 'before' & 'after' photos to prove damages.

This is the same gang I saw photoshopping the photos a while back.

What a shame.

One cannot be too careful, I you rent anything in Thailand take photo's before you take possession. Last time I hired a motorbike in Pattaya I took photos of ever little nick, scratch and dent and marked them on the form then made the guy hold the form next to the bike with his face in full view and took photo of him and the form.. He chuckled at the time and said " Dont worry bout me.. Im honest one". Point is he knew exactly what I was guarding against.

It takes 2 minutes to do, do it on your cell phone.. the mere fact you are dong it shows him you know the score and he'll mark you don as don t fuc_k with.

Cheapest insurance I 'll ever have

If you really want to top this then offer to send hi the photos on his phone there and then.

I think also we should be cognisant that its not just Thailand that has the tourist scams.... more evident as there are large numbers of tourists but everywhere that has tourists has scams.

In a jewellery shop in Gold Coast australia recently.... was looking at a bracelet for my daughter, sales attendant asked me if I could leave and come back in 5 minutes as she had errand to run. So I just waited outside and had a smoke. Mad frantic activity in shop as all the price lists were changed from their acrylic folders. A few minutes later she opened the door and went back in and noticed the bracelet I had been looking at was now 40% more expensive. Asked what was the go and she said I could buy it at old price. Just then a tourist bus pulled up and out piled a group of Japanese tourists who marched into the shop.

I left sans bracelet.. pretty shoddy behaviour.