Tuk Tuk Article

[GiantFan]

Anyone see that interview with a long standing Patong Tuk Tuk driver in this weeks local paper (new one)? Most of the information given was known to most of us who have been here for a while. See below:

* 20 years ago - 50 TT drivers / Patong natives. Now 1000 TT drivers / mostly from the Southern Provinces

* "Many of these guys are young and hot headed. We used to have ground rules that we worked with, but now all that has disappeared and anything

goes"

* 4 companies dominate the industry

* Few, if any, owner operators

* Drivers pay rent of THB 500 - 800 / day and pay for petrol

* Commission of THB 100 - 200 for each group delivered to tourist attractions

* High Season - Earnings of THB 4,000 - 5,000 on a good day, mostly from commissions

* "Tuk Tuks get on well with police. But unlike before when drivers respected police and would say yes to all instructions, the young hot

bloods these days can do what they like. They can block the road and attack police stations. Even police are afraid of them."

Sad state of affairs.

[ScubaBuddha]

I assume you mean the Phuket News. No sign of the article in the online version yet.

When I had a discussion with a Phuket tuk tuk driver a couple years ago, he said that drivers make about 50,000 baht a month in the high season and "never less than 20,000 a month in the low season." On par with professions that require several years of schooling. Several times a police officers salary.

[barka]

Giantfan..This is the way its turned out,the owners of the tuk tuks now make more from renting,the old Phuket tuk tuk owner... drivers are disapearing fast, and the new Mafia have taken over,and the overheads the drivers have to make,encourages the scams etc,.. The only way this can be stopped is by new rules laid down and enforced by the Government,or better still banning the unsafe vehicles off the roads....but this will never happen,because the Mafia will never allow it...its been like this for the last 12 years and got worse..