German Man Still In ICU After Dispute With Phuket Tuk-Tuk Driver

[saintofsilence]

Another victim today.

Phuket News - Taxi thugs beat up driver at Cape Sienna

The Phuket News - Sunday, 4th Sep 2011 09:33

The driver, who asked to remain anonymous because, he says, he fears for his life, was taken to Patong hospital for treatment and then went to Kamala Police Station to file a complaint.

The irate taxi drivers also damaged his car.

The attack began when he arrived at the hotel shortly after midday to pick up a couple, who had booked an elephant ride.

http://www.thephuketnews.com/wp-post.php?id=26687

[Chainsaw]

A little bit more perspective on the subject. Many posters talk about the problems with the Tuk Tuk mobs in PHUKET. Phuket is not the problem, PATONG is the place that has allowed these cowardly thugs and scammers to operate unchecked.

Although I'm sure some incidents have occurred elsewhere on the island,they are very few and far between compared to PATONG which is where these lowlifes thrive.

Please stop equating the rest of Phuket with cesspit Patong.

[steelepulse]

Another victim today.

Phuket News - Taxi thugs beat up driver at Cape Sienna

The Phuket News - Sunday, 4th Sep 2011 09:33

The driver, who asked to remain anonymous because, he says, he fears for his life, was taken to Patong hospital for treatment and then went to Kamala Police Station to file a complaint.

The irate taxi drivers also damaged his car.

The attack began when he arrived at the hotel shortly after midday to pick up a couple, who had booked an elephant ride.

http://www.thephuket...st.php?id=26687

And so the story goes. Unbelievable that these thugs/idiots get away with mob rule. When is enough enough and finally there's some intervention from the gov't to to tell those who make a shiteload of money each month off "fees" that they need to clamp down on their own people that are protected?

[LivinginKata]

And so the story goes. Unbelievable that these thugs/idiots get away with mob rule. When is enough enough and finally there's some intervention from the gov't to to tell those who make a shiteload of money each month off "fees" that they need to clamp down on their own people that are protected?

Sadly it will take the actual death of one or two tourists to even see a chance of any sort of reaction.

[iSabai]

A little bit more perspective on the subject. Many posters talk about the problems with the Tuk Tuk mobs in PHUKET. Phuket is not the problem, PATONG is the place that has allowed these cowardly thugs and scammers to operate unchecked.

Although I'm sure some incidents have occurred elsewhere on the island,they are very few and far between compared to PATONG which is where these lowlifes thrive.

Please stop equating the rest of Phuket with cesspit Patong.

And neither should you equate all of Patong with the "cesspit" area of Bangla and associated sois. I've lived happily here for many years and never had a problem of any kind with anyone.

Just saying...

[ScubaBuddha]

A little bit more perspective on the subject. Many posters talk about the problems with the Tuk Tuk mobs in PHUKET. Phuket is not the problem, PATONG is the place that has allowed these cowardly thugs and scammers to operate unchecked.

Although I'm sure some incidents have occurred elsewhere on the island,they are very few and far between compared to PATONG which is where these lowlifes thrive.

Please stop equating the rest of Phuket with cesspit Patong.

Plain wrong.

Kata/Karon gets the beatings, Cape Panwa gets blockades. Stories of problems caused by the tuk tuk/taxi mobs come from many areas of Phuket. Not long ago they formed an island wide organization so they are more powerful not than ever.

[Tolley]

A terrible situation for tourists held captive by an out of control TT mafia.

The more they get away with it the more likely it will be that things get worse and there will be deaths in the near future.

The last time I went to Phuket was 2004 and I remember asking a bunch of TTs parked on Bangla how much it was to go up the road.

I was staying about half a kilometer away and it was starting to rain.

Silly me thought 40 baht was reasonable but not one of the many TTs would take me for less than 160 baht.

I remember trying again another time to get a reasonable fare but I gave up after that and I walked everywhere rather than deal with those thugs.

As a result of not wanting to use the TTS I was nearly bashed and robbed in Phuket.

I was coming home from Bangla road and decided to walk along the Beach up to the end where i was staying about 1am in the morning after having drunk quite a few.

I had only just got onto the Beach when out of the corner of my eye I spied two Thai guys making a bee line to me at slightly different angles.

Luckily I was just sober enough to run back up to the promenade before they intercepted me in what could of been a very nasty situation.

The whole vibe of Phuket after that visist really put me off and I haven't been back since.

Interestingly enough the last few years the stories coming out of Phuket seem to be getting worse and worse.

Patong a good place to avoid IMHO.

[skiller]

Now there is report in one of the German biggest magazin

http://www.stern.de/reise/fernreisen/thailand-tuk-tuk-mafia-hat-phuket-fest-im-griff-1732287.html