Dutch Diplomat Warns Of Phuket Tourism 'Landslide'

[Honolulu]

I've never really understood or liked the role Ambassadors play. I believe they should be there to protect their citizens when something out of the ordinary happens, but having a say in how a place is or should change to be, is something I believe they should have no right to meddle in.

I can't see logically why it should be any bodies business but that of the Thai people. It is our choice if we want to travel to Phuket the way it is, and it should be the choice of Thai people if they want it changed.

One of the Dutch Ambassador's jobs ( as an employee of the State Dept.) is to decide weather or not to issue travel warnings to their citizens, regarding travel to Thailand.

Read between the lines. He's saying do something to improve the situation, or risk having travel restrictions placed on Dutch citizens coming to Phuket.

[Grove]

Wouldn't it be glorious to see the military come in the next time the tuk tuk mafia decides that they want to blockade somewhere? The chances of the tuk tuk cowards standing up when the odds are overwhelmingly on their side are slim to absolutely none.

I'm guessing that standing up to them once really firmly would do the trick or at least cause second thoughts about doing it again.

Ultimately, it would be nice finding out who is behind all of this and exposing them.

Looks like this Tri bloke works for the same invisible hand as the tuk-tuks. He certainly doesn't work for the tourism trade. No worries, the tour ops abroad will shut the destination down and everybody can argue over 100% of zero. Khonkaen brought in meter taxis because the tuk-tuks were getting out of hand and now the tuk-tuks have all but disappeared because a ride that used to cost upwards of 150-200 baht in a tuk-tuk (lake to airport), is now 100 baht max in a new air-conditioned taxi.

Worked like a dream. They only charge 40 thb for any trip any where in town.

[BangTaoBoy]

I've never really understood or liked the role Ambassadors play. I believe they should be there to protect their citizens when something out of the ordinary happens, but having a say in how a place is or should change to be, is something I believe they should have no right to meddle in.

I can't see logically why it should be any bodies business but that of the Thai people. It is our choice if we want to travel to Phuket the way it is, and it should be the choice of Thai people if they want it changed.

One of the Dutch Ambassador's jobs ( as an employee of the State Dept.) is to decide weather or not to issue travel warnings to their citizens, regarding travel to Thailand.

Read between the lines. He's saying do something to improve the situation, or risk having travel restrictions placed on Dutch citizens coming to Phuket.

Good, solid, logical answer. Not sure how accurate it is mind you. Do warnings ever get issued over things as small as that? I don't think they ever would.

[jitenshaman]

You're kind of making my point there. The Thais will change things if and when they want to. Nothing any ambassador says ever makes a difference, and nor should it. Grown ups make their own decissions about where to visit, and they make decisions whether to visit for a second time or not. I don't see what anything has to do with any foriegner. If someone gets hurt badly and needs help or wrongfully inprissoned or something, then fair enough, other than that they should butt out.

Actually this has everything to do with a lot of foreigners and it is great that the Dutch Ambassador is voicing his opinion. Maybe once the American, British, and Japanese Ambassadors voice theirs the situation might even slightly get talked about. How many foreigners have already been beaten with wooden planks, wrongly imprisoned, in need of fair and impartial help (not having to pay thousands of baht to get their passports back from police after being beaten to a pulp by tuk tuk drivers who ripped them off)? Precisely why Phuket is in the tourist news day after day. I would say I know at least 100 people who now avoid Phuket completely for any type of visit, and if you multiply that by other folks on these boards who feel the same way, it might be getting larger. The Dutch Ambassador is dead right. All the power to him for making his voice heard

[robertsonmartin]

Awesome Hairdo though.

[BangTaoBoy]

Actually this has everything to do with a lot of foreigners and it is great that the Dutch Ambassador is voicing his opinion. Maybe once the American, British, and Japanese Ambassadors voice theirs the situation might even slightly get talked about.

I think you'll find they probably have many times over. They just don't make a difference.

How many foreigners have already been beaten with wooden planks, wrongly imprisoned, in need of fair and impartial help (not having to pay thousands of baht to get their passports back from police after being beaten to a pulp by tuk tuk drivers who ripped them off)?

Beaten to a pulp by Tuk tuk drivers? Probably about 3 in the last 20 years. Even if it was 20 that would still be way less than 0.0001% of people who visited Phuket. (figures are approximate ) Not condoning it happening once, just putting a bit of perspective on it. You make it sound like it happens daily and it's actually only happened a few times EVER.

I would say I know at least 100 people who now avoid Phuket completely for any type of visit,

Really? I don't even know 100 people. Prove it. Name them!

[MilesCh]

I visited Phuket one time about 6 years ago and have not returned. Why? Primarily rudeness of the non-local Thais who work there which include tuktuk & taxi drivers. I went there to visit a business lady friend in the south of Phuket and had a terrible time with my taxi driver who came into the restaurant while we were having dinner and insisted on additional payment regardless of our prior agreement, and he would not stop talking (arguing). I paid him an additional 100Bt merely to shut him up and have him leave the place. I later took another taxi to my hotel from the south to the north. The next day I took the ferry to Ao Nang and haven't looked back!! And in all due respect to the perhaps few locals who live there I hope not another tourist arrives.

[kimamey]

I've never really understood or liked the role Ambassadors play. I believe they should be there to protect their citizens when something out of the ordinary happens, but having a say in how a place is or should change to be, is something I believe they should have no right to meddle in.

I can't see logically why it should be any bodies business but that of the Thai people. It is our choice if we want to travel to Phuket the way it is, and it should be the choice of Thai people if they want it changed.

I don't think the Dutch or any other Ambassador does have a say in how a foreign country is run but there's nothing wrong in pointing out as he did the consequences of all the scams against tourists. He wouldn't have to do this if the local authorities could see this themselves.

I don't know the situation in this area but surely if there is an "influential person or family" then do they have any more right to control the area. Phuket is part of Thailand and as such is controlled by the elected government working on behalf of His Majesty the King. If an "influential person" is damaging part of the kingdom in any way then if local officials can't stop them the government should. At least that's my opinion but as you say it's for Thais to decide. Mind you if they like it the way it is and they end up in more poverty if the tourists leave then that will be their problem as well.

[bkkjames]

I think this is all just a ploy to get 2000 TAT staff another all expense paid trip to Europe to restore LOS' reputation as the hub of jet skis. Could be wrong

[Bizz]

Boycott the place & when they have a lot less money, they might wake up. LOL

I've never really understood or liked the role Ambassadors play. I believe they should be there to protect their citizens when something out of the ordinary happens, but having a say in how a place is or should change to be, is something I believe they should have no right to meddle in.

I can't see logically why it should be any bodies business but that of the Thai people. It is our choice if we want to travel to Phuket the way it is, and it should be the choice of Thai people if they want it changed.

I agree completely. The ambassador, as government employee of a Euro member state had to tell: "Citizens, remind your own interests, spend your holiday and retirement money in your own economic zone, support the future of your children and grand children. Go to Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal. There you as EU citizen are protected by police and law, and you are very much welcomed. Your house and land stays always yours, is very cheap now, all will ever stay yours same as your business. NO NEED TO DO ALL KINDS OF TRICKY THINGS, as all your property is 100% legal.

Do NOT overcrowd Thai pubs and restaurants, avoid being overasked to pay for taxi and tuk-tuk drivers, you do not need to pay higher prices as locals, do not mess up with Thais to overfill their beached and parking places, do NOT disturb them with your spending and leave them as they are."

I agree when one feels overwhelmed one moves.

[virtualtraveller]

Phuket depends on tourists for its well being, full stop, If it wants to shoot itself in the foot because it's officials and people can't collectively persuade the mafia that what they're doing is ruining it for everyone, then they should suffer the consequences. The Ambassador is only being helpful in suggesting how important it is, because he gets all the complaints first hand and ends up posting warnings on his foreign office website.

Taking this step further, I produce travel guides for the web and iphones, and concur with many other travel writers that tuk tuks and jetskis should be avoided, we warn readers off them, same as shopping at King Power in Suvarnabhumi, we make it clear that the local officials aren't policing it, so alternative transport or watersports should be used to avoid rip offs. If and when less and less people use these services, many will hopefully go out of business eroding the base of their mafia cartel.

[scotto]

I have been to phuket many times along with other freinds of mine for years,

i stopped going there 4 years ago and my freinds still went another 2 years until they woke up to what was happening,

they too now say they will never go back!!

Also they are telling others who go to thailand to go straight to Pattaya or Chaing mai and do not go too Phuket

I think not too much longer and the locals will all be asking themselves where is all the Falang gone?

Then it will be tarnished for ever and it will be too late

[daiwill60]

The previous reply to your post was correct with his confusion.

You do obviously seem to be attempting to make a sarcastic and yet poignant comment on the state of many European tourist destinations, compared with what is going on in Phuket, and many other Thai tourist traps. However, it would seem that you have somehow tried to over elaborate your sarcasm, and some how managed to get totally tangled up in your wording, thus losing all the impact of your sarcastic wit.

I've never really understood or liked the role Ambassadors play. I believe they should be there to protect their citizens when something out of the ordinary happens, but having a say in how a place is or should change to be, is something I believe they should have no right to meddle in.

I can't see logically why it should be any bodies business but that of the Thai people. It is our choice if we want to travel to Phuket the way it is, and it should be the choice of Thai people if they want it changed.

I agree completely. The ambassador, as government employee of a Euro member state had to tell: "Citizens, remind your own interests, spend your holiday and retirement money in your own economic zone, support the future of your children and grand children. Go to Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal. There you as EU citizen are protected by police and law, and you are very much welcomed. Your house and land stays always yours, is very cheap now, all will ever stay yours same as your business. NO NEED TO DO ALL KINDS OF TRICKY THINGS, as all your property is 100% legal.

Do NOT overcrowd Thai pubs and restaurants, avoid being overasked to pay for taxi and tuk-tuk drivers, you do not need to pay higher prices as locals, do not mess up with Thais to overfill their beached and parking places, do NOT disturb them with your spending and leave them as they are."

I don't understand this post. I'm detecting a hint of sarcasm but can't make head nor tail of it.

If you can't understand the sarcasm in this post, that's proof you've been in Phuket far too long. lol

[thaienglish]

If the Taxi drivers ''CONTROL'' the ports what chance does have any government department have to control the RIP OFF JET SKI OPERATORS ???

[BangTaoBoy]

I have been to phuket many times along with other freinds of mine for years,

i stopped going there 4 years ago and my freinds still went another 2 years until they woke up to what was happening,

they too now say they will never go back!!

Also they are telling others who go to thailand to go straight to Pattaya or Chaing mai and do not go too Phuket

I think not too much longer and the locals will all be asking themselves where is all the Falang gone?

Then it will be tarnished for ever and it will be too late

Phuket hasn't changed that much, so you must have just been pretty slow working out what it was like. It obviously wasn't for you, it just took you a long time to realise it.

As for 'where have all the farang gone' People have been predicting this for the last ten years, it hasn't even hinted at ever happening yet.

Edited August 24, 2011 by BangTaoBoy

[BangTaoBoy]

I visited Phuket one time about 6 years ago and have not returned. Why? Primarily rudeness of the non-local Thais who work there which include tuktuk & taxi drivers. I went there to visit a business lady friend in the south of Phuket and had a terrible time with my taxi driver who came into the restaurant while we were having dinner and insisted on additional payment regardless of our prior agreement, and he would not stop talking (arguing). I paid him an additional 100Bt merely to shut him up and have him leave the place. I later took another taxi to my hotel from the south to the north. The next day I took the ferry to Ao Nang and haven't looked back!! And in all due respect to the perhaps few locals who live there I hope not another tourist arrives.

:o You did what now? You went to Phuket had a bad experience with a rude taxi driver, so you never came back. You now hope that no other tourists ever go to Phuket again. You've got issues dude.

[bifftastic]

I wouldn't hold your breath.

The answer to the problem of tourists cars being damaged by locals when parked in public parking spaces was to find the tourists somewhere else to park!

Problem solved.

When you say public parking, that's not strictly true is it. There are no Pay and Display signs or painted lines on the floor indicating seperate bays. What you in fact mean, is areas with no designated purpose, having been commandeered by the local taxi drivers. There is a difference, and seeing as there is plenty of other parking available, more so than a lot of busy tourist towns you visit, I don't see what the problem is.

People need to be left to vote with their feet. Ask the few thousand marines when they leave, if Phuket is either the dogs danglies or if it has lots of problems that need a suit to come and sort out, and I think you will get a very one sided answer. Most people are having way too much fun on Phuket to worry about the small issues, and like I said, those that don't probably shouldn't have travelled out of the safety and security of their own country.

It's not so much the parking specifically, there's always a way to find somewhere to park. It was the idea that, if people's cars are being damaged by other people because they don't agree they should park there, the solution is to park somewhere else, not to stop the people from damaging them.

It might not be a small issue if you've rented a car, parked it. wandered about for a while and when you come back, some <deleted> has pranged it because you 'shouldn't, according to them, have parked it there in the first place.

[BangTaoBoy]

I wouldn't hold your breath.

The answer to the problem of tourists cars being damaged by locals when parked in public parking spaces was to find the tourists somewhere else to park!

Problem solved.

When you say public parking, that's not strictly true is it. There are no Pay and Display signs or painted lines on the floor indicating seperate bays. What you in fact mean, is areas with no designated purpose, having been commandeered by the local taxi drivers. There is a difference, and seeing as there is plenty of other parking available, more so than a lot of busy tourist towns you visit, I don't see what the problem is.

People need to be left to vote with their feet. Ask the few thousand marines when they leave, if Phuket is either the dogs danglies or if it has lots of problems that need a suit to come and sort out, and I think you will get a very one sided answer. Most people are having way too much fun on Phuket to worry about the small issues, and like I said, those that don't probably shouldn't have travelled out of the safety and security of their own country.

It's not so much the parking specifically, there's always a way to find somewhere to park. It was the idea that, if people's cars are being damaged by other people because they don't agree they should park there, the solution is to park somewhere else, not to stop the people from damaging them.

I did get where you were coming from, that it was an unusual way round of doing things. My point was that as a solution it did work. Half glass empty/full kinda thing. If there is other places to park, just park there and get on with enjoying your day, instead of worrying that the authorities haven't addressed the issue properly. If people just concentrate on doing what works for them and stop moaning about the principle of every little thing, then they would be a lot happier.

[Mitker]

Quite unusual to see a diplomat speaking openly about such problems.

And just as unusual to hear a local politician being so explicit about the real roots of these.

In both case, a quite positive move for those who expect some change some day.

But sad to see that, again, the "solution" seems to smoothly integrate the criminals in the system.

[JRinger]

Phuket depends on tourists for its well being, full stop, If it wants to shoot itself in the foot because it's officials and people can't collectively persuade the mafia that what they're doing is ruining it for everyone, then they should suffer the consequences. The Ambassador is only being helpful in suggesting how important it is, because he gets all the complaints first hand and ends up posting warnings on his foreign office website.

Taking this step further, I produce travel guides for the web and iphones, and concur with many other travel writers that tuk tuks and jetskis should be avoided, we warn readers off them, same as shopping at King Power in Suvarnabhumi, we make it clear that the local officials aren't policing it, so alternative transport or watersports should be used to avoid rip offs. If and when less and less people use these services, many will hopefully go out of business eroding the base of their mafia cartel.

any link or direction to one of your travel guides?

[TheWizardofRnR]

I've never really understood or liked the role Ambassadors play. I believe they should be there to protect their citizens when something out of the ordinary happens, but having a say in how a place is or should change to be, is something I believe they should have no right to meddle in.

I can't see logically why it should be any bodies business but that of the Thai people. It is our choice if we want to travel to Phuket the way it is, and it should be the choice of Thai people if they want it changed.

I don't see that the ambassador was trying to say how Phuket should be run. He was simply reiterating to the Governor what loads of people have been saying about Thailand's over-developed southern island cesspool for ages. Perhaps he felt that the message coming from someone of influential status would help to get some action -- something that has failed to happen yet.

Due to the horrible attitudes and extreme greed of the local business people there, I wrote Phuket off any future travel plans a long time ago, so I really couldn't care less if it drops off into the ocean never to be seen again, but it seems the Dutch Ambassador cares. I wonder if he'll catch on before his posting ends that positive change is not likely to ever happen in Phuket.

So even the good people down here get drowned, don't blame all Thais for the greedy ones , violent people only resort to ripping off everyone, local farangs and even Thais. My wife doesn't get a break and it wasn't always like that either; but it was the advent of big spenders that created the '' all farangs are rich" misconception !

How many tourists have the same problems daily in BKK & Pattaya!

Rent a car , but they got a scam too ,plus not easy to park anymore,I guess .

[plumeria]

I wouldn't hold your breath.

The answer to the problem of tourists cars being damaged by locals when parked in public parking spaces was to find the tourists somewhere else to park!

Problem solved.

When you say public parking, that's not strictly true is it. There are no Pay and Display signs or painted lines on the floor indicating seperate bays. What you in fact mean, is areas with no designated purpose, having been commandeered by the local taxi drivers. There is a difference, and seeing as there is plenty of other parking available, more so than a lot of busy tourist towns you visit, I don't see what the problem is.

People need to be left to vote with their feet. Ask the few thousand marines when they leave, if Phuket is either the dogs danglies or if it has lots of problems that need a suit to come and sort out, and I think you will get a very one sided answer. Most people are having way too much fun on Phuket to worry about the small issues, and like I said, those that don't probably shouldn't have travelled out of the safety and security of their own country.

You sure have a knack for keeping the conversation interesting by saying some things that make a LOT of sense and then saying something really ridiculous like it is unreasonable for us to expect "safety and security" outside our own countries. I think safety and security is a basic human right anywhere on the planet whether local or visitor.

Edited September 2, 2011 by plumeria

[Jimi007]

I wouldn't hold your breath.

The answer to the problem of tourists cars being damaged by locals when parked in public parking spaces was to find the tourists somewhere else to park!

Problem solved.

When you say public parking, that's not strictly true is it. There are no Pay and Display signs or painted lines on the floor indicating seperate bays. What you in fact mean, is areas with no designated purpose, having been commandeered by the local taxi drivers. There is a difference, and seeing as there is plenty of other parking available, more so than a lot of busy tourist towns you visit, I don't see what the problem is.

There used to be lines painted for public parking along Beach Road in Patong and guys in uniform collecting parking fees. Now most of those spaces have been taken over by motobike and jeep rental "companies" etc. I think that is a problem. Why are they allowed to take over what was and is a public area?

[LivinLOS]

When you say public parking, that's not strictly true is it. There are no Pay and Display signs or painted lines on the floor indicating seperate bays. What you in fact mean, is areas with no designated purpose, having been commandeered by the local taxi drivers. There is a difference, and seeing as there is plenty of other parking available, more so than a lot of busy tourist towns you visit, I don't see what the problem is.

Erm what do you think all those bays along beach rd are ?? Bike rental shops ?? Or all fo the sides of the Rd where no red / white markings are.

Whats the government guy in the brown uniform collecting parking money for ??

Yes its public parking. City owned, for the general public use.

[TigerWan]

Phuket depends on tourists for its well being, full stop, If it wants to shoot itself in the foot because it's officials and people can't collectively persuade the mafia that what they're doing is ruining it for everyone, then they should suffer the consequences. The Ambassador is only being helpful in suggesting how important it is, because he gets all the complaints first hand and ends up posting warnings on his foreign office website.

Taking this step further, I produce travel guides for the web and iphones, and concur with many other travel writers that tuk tuks and jetskis should be avoided, we warn readers off them, same as shopping at King Power in Suvarnabhumi, we make it clear that the local officials aren't policing it, so alternative transport or watersports should be used to avoid rip offs. If and when less and less people use these services, many will hopefully go out of business eroding the base of their mafia cartel.

I seriously doubt the powers that be honestly give 1/2 of a green turd for what a bunch of farang think or want.

There is a whole new market just around the corner called India and China and these folks aren't going to be forcing their notions of propriety on the local leaders who are poised to become very, very wealthy.

They are used to corruption, pollution and general bad police behavior and any westerners that can't cotton to that, well ... I would plan accordingly.

Edited September 9, 2011 by TigerWan