Tuk-Tuks, Jet-Skis Top Complaints By Aussie Tourists In Phuket

[David48]

I was in the process of writing to Australians Foreign Minister, Kevin Rudd to highlight the problems that many tourists encounter when they visit Thailand with the action requested being a travel warning on the Jet/Ski/Tuk Tuk/Motocycle hire scams.

But before I made a goose of myself proclaiming that no action has been taken on this matter, contained within the travel advice for Thailand from the Australian Governments 'Smart Traveller' website ...

Carefully consider your safety and the implications of accidents if you hire a motorcycle or jet ski. Australian travellers continue to report harassment and threats of violence by jet ski operators on tourist beaches, particularly in Phuket. You should check with your travel insurer whether these activities are covered by your policy. You may be detained and arrested by police following jet ski and motorcycle accidents until compensation, often in thousands of dollars, can be negotiated between parties.

http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Thailand

The advice was issued after warnings about:-

• further violent civil unrest and the threat of terrorist attack
• Large scale political demonstrations
• The political situation remains unpredictable
• Penalties for drug offences are severe and include the death penalty

But before ...

• Tourists may be exposed to scams and more serious criminal activity in Thailand. Be aware that food and drink spiking occurs in Thailand, including around popular backpacker destinations such as Khao San Road in Bangkok and the night-time entertainment zones in Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket.

I'm not, for one instant, defending the Australian Government in relation to this, but simply showing that they acknowledged that it is a recognised problems for tourists visiting Thailand and communicated the way that government organisations usually do.

What the DFAT warning does show is that what bullsh*it is spoken by the Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian Embassy in Bangkok when he claims that he has not 'personally haven’t heard any complaints' ... well of course he hasn't, how many ripped off tourists actually deal with the Deputy Head within the Embassy! Yellow card ... you're warned that you are a moran.

But the hypocrisy of his statement … “Some people complain and others say that it is just the way things are and everyone knows this. You have to be careful,” … if EVERYONE knew this then there wouldn’t be a scam (moron). Red Car ... confirmed as a moran by this idiotic statement.

Result ... the article would be in line with Thai Culture ...

a face saving action or commentary, :jap:

documented through the media,

acknowledging the problem but not providing a solution.

Such is life in Thailand ... (eyes closed)

[louse1953]

As much as I agree with you I don't think Rudd would be interested at the moment.Julia is on her way out and Kevin thinks he is in the box seat to take over.

Interestingly when you talk to travel agents here(Melbourne)they say there is no problem with the jet ski operators and tuk tuks in Phukett or Patong. They even suggest it is ok to

leave your' passport with them. I have a photo copy of my passport and if any motor bike or car hire mob don't accept that then I move on to another one.

Same with me.You hand over your passport you've lost all power.

[louse1953]

"While acknowledging that the vast majority of tourists enjoy incident-free holidays in Phuket, he went on to raise the issue of a new “motorbike scam” being reported.

In this newest way to cheat tourists, unscrupulous operators rent out motorbikes to foreign tourists and then arrange for companions to steal them overnight, he said.

The foreigners are then forced to pay the price of a brand-new motorbike, even if the stolen vehicle was old, he added."

This scam is not new, it's been going on for many years. Maybe it's on the rise in Phuket. I always ask if the fee includes insurance before I rent.

That's been going on for many years. About 8 years ago one of my neighbours had the owner of the bike he rented call round to his home early morning and advised him the bike was stolen and he needed to pay for it. Trouble was that he did not even know the bike was missing, not made any report. He thought it was still parked outside his house where he parked it the night before. The owner was really caught off guard, realised he had jumped the gun, but still persisted on full payment. My neighbour told him to get lost. Not sure how that ended, but I know that he left Phuket a few months later.

D on't make it easy for them,false address would be a start.

[louse1953]

"Also at the meeting, Dutch Honorary Consul Seven Smulders said that while the British, Australian and German consuls were normally the most vocal participants, their views were backed by other consuls."

Why don't all these governments get together with a blanket warning to tourists, stop pussy footing around with talks acknowledging the problems do something possitive to fix it. Not just the problems in Phuket but other places like Pattaya, who cares if it has a drastic impact on Thai tourism, that might just make TAT and local governors as well as police get off thier backsides and do something to fix the problems. But oh no we can't warn tourists as that would be insulting to thais and they may lose face and I might lose my job. The old "I'm ok Jack F#$K you" thing. Mr Simon Farbenbloom say's he reads these sites so he is more than well aware of the problems in all areas.

Has he actually been in a tuk-tuk and bargained with the mercanaries.I would rather walk every time,what,s the hurry.

[saintofsilence]

It makes no difference if you give them a passport or not that won't stop them from surrounding you and forcing you to hand over money by threats and assault , they wont let you go to until you pay and the police are well known for siding with the owner .

[louse1953]

Living in Chiang Mai over the years I refuse to use a tuk-tuk. Why? They grossly overcharge farangs, they are noisy, and belch tons of exhaust. They should be banned in Thailand!!! Do any of you recall how nice and peaceful the country was prior to tuk-tuks?

Was there ever a time with no tuk tuks.They where here in 76,no gas bottle then.Free beer,happy 2 hours in Patpong 6-8,fond memories.Pissed every night of course.

[blabla1]

It should be like this from our countries,regardless of repercussions, " fix it or we will ban the airing of your misleading travel campaign commercials, we will also put a travel ban on Thailand, so to protect our citizens from being extorted," hmmmm, maybe a bit harsh...but if it cleans up the rot,everybody wins..

[maidu]

[Maybe a few 'sting-operations' would be helpful here ? ? It wouldn't cost a lot of money and you would have "instant-results" and lock-up these buggars ! ! !

Sting operations would be great. Trouble is, Thais are abysmal at sting operations. For starters, they can't keep secrets. Secondly, they're bad actors. Third, they'd have to hire farang, and as soon as the scammers realized the farang were acting with the Thai authorities, they'd beat up the farang (and get away with it). Fourth, even if caught, the authorities would let them off with not much more than a warning. There would be a lot of shouting, excuses, arm waving, and the culprits would be let off to scam again.

[LivinLOS]

tuks tuks are no different in chiang mai they try to over charge tourist as soon as they see your face.no jet skies thou.this problem is nation wide.how do you fix it.i don,t know.have a fixed price maybe

Sorry.. Seeing and using both.. No comparison..

Its not just the cost, its the vibe, the attitude, the smile, the joke.. Anyone saying CM's are bad, probably hasnt spent a few months with Patongs lot.

[virtualtraveller]

Write to all the guide books and tell them to put the warning in, likewise all the travel websites. If this is done effectively Jet skis will get no customers, problem solved.

[thaiorchidsource]

The best way to stop this abuse, is to not participate as a victim. I mean, simply do not rent jet skiis, motorcycles, or ride in tuk tuks and tell everyone who must go to Phuket about these scams. Same for Pattaya. Or simply come to Chiang Mai. We do not have these problems.

[moe666]

I didn't realize you Aussies where such whiners. What ever happened to the bar mat scam. heheeheh That got a bit blown out of whack, did the Shelia ever do time for that.

Speaking of Chiang mai the tuk-tuk guys there are actually very nice as they actually come from Chiang Mai. I have a driver I call when ever I need a ride and I pay what ever he ask as I know the fares and what is fair. Bobby also helped me pack all of my stuff up, drove me to the hospital, and when ever I needed something he would pick it up for me and bring to the hospital. A very nice guy, he even helped me one night get another resident of our condo out of the bar and up to his room, the guy was so wasted he could not stand up.

Come on up to Chiang Mai overall these guys are honesty and if one wants to much walk away and tell him he is ting tong with a laff. These guys are just trying to maximize their fares cannot really blame them as they have to pay rent, gas and upkeep on there tuk-tuk.

[saintofsilence]

Here is another of Mr Farbenbloom's qotes from an online source we cannot name "

"On other issues of the safety of tourists on Phuket, Mr Farbenbloom said: ''I have heard that some people have expressed concern about jet-ski operators who claim damages. I have heard also that there are tuk-tuk drivers who create problems.

''But there are others who say things are ok.''

He would not comment on the issue of Australian embassy staff who recently recorded footage on Patong beach for a You Tube video that is likely to warn visitors about jet-ski and motorcycle hire rip-offs."

[thaiorchidsource]

tuks tuks are no different in chiang mai they try to over charge tourist as soon as they see your face.no jet skies thou.this problem is nation wide.how do you fix it.i don,t know.have a fixed price maybe

Sorry, have to disagree with you on this one. Last year, from Kad Suan Kaew Mall to my house - 18 kilometers - 300 baht & 1 pack of Marlboro. lol. Guy even gave me his card and told me to call him if I ever needed him again. Sure, but drivers here will start high, but with a good sense of humor you can bargain them down. I see it happen all the time. And they are a hell of a lot friendlier here than Phuket, Pattaya and Patong, that's for sure.

Yes, I agree, and I was refering to the violence we all read about and serious criminal elements working the tourists. Farangs will usually be hit with a higher fare, but if you know what you should pay and negotiate before you get into their grips, the outcome will be better than ending up in the hospital, or hospital morgue.

[kiwiphil]

hahaha," hand over your PASSPORT to them ",,, dumpkopf !!!

Rule #1. the ONLY people to pass over your PASSPORT to is, Immigration officials,your embassy,real police.!

you do not SURRENDER your PASSPORT to the ' B.I.B.' or any commercial enterprise etc...Never !!!

#2. get several Photo Copies of your PASSPORT made at your Embassy, or at a " THAI VISA OFFICE"...

#3. Write " NOT FOR REPRODUCTION or DISTRIBUTION ", across all of the Passport photocopies ...

I have never had a photocopy of my P.P. refused there yet...

If you are staying in L.O.S. for longer than 3-4 weeks,,,

Look for a local ' Expats Club ', get good advice from them.

I always use the Same Motorbike rental guy in Pattaya,,always. He has been reliable so far ( 4 years )...

" caveat emptor " etc...:jap:

////

As much as I agree with you I don't think Rudd would be interested at the moment.Julia is on her way out and Kevin thinks he is in the box seat to take over.

Interestingly when you talk to travel agents here(Melbourne)they say there is no problem with the jet ski operators and tuk tuks in Phukett or Patong. They even suggest it is ok to

leave your' passport with them. I have a photo copy of my passport and if any motor bike or car hire mob don't accept that then I move on to another one.

[Fookhaht]

tuks tuks are no different in chiang mai they try to over charge tourist as soon as they see your face.no jet skies thou.this problem is nation wide.how do you fix it.i don,t know.have a fixed price maybe

Exactly. Just got back from Chiang Mai, and totally turned off by the over-priced haggling with tuk tuk/songthaew drivers. Some started as high as 300B just to go 3-4km, and could be haggled down to 30-40 baht. Meanwhile, they'd pick up Thai locals who, I observed, threw 10-15 baht into the cab for their fare. They're shooting themselves in the foot for return tourists.

[chooka]

As much as I agree with you I don't think Rudd would be interested at the moment.Julia is on her way out and Kevin thinks he is in the box seat to take over.

Interestingly when you talk to travel agents here(Melbourne)they say there is no problem with the jet ski operators and tuk tuks in Phukett or Patong. They even suggest it is ok to

leave your' passport with them. I have a photo copy of my passport and if any motor bike or car hire mob don't accept that then I move on to another one.

Same with me.You hand over your passport you've lost all power.

The Australian government says you must never give your passport to anyone, immigration and police officials excepted. You are told that you must keep your passport with you at all times. Why on earth are people so stupid that they hand over thier passports to complete strangers. You passport is your identity in a foriegn land and if you loose it you are stuffed. If these people can scam you for 30 or 40K baht for alledged stolen bikes or jet ski damage who says they wouldn't sell your passport for a price? Who are the BIB going to believe? He says you didn't give him your passport and you say you did. BIB investigate and conclusion you did not give the guy your passport. A person who gives his/her passport to a complete stranger in Thailand is either extreemly trusting or totally stark raving mad. My passport never leaves my sight.

[Fookhaht]

hahaha," hand over your PASSPORT to them ",,, dumpkopf !!!

Rule #1. the ONLY people to pass over your PASSPORT to is, Immigration officials,your embassy,real police.!

you do not SURRENDER your PASSPORT to the ' B.I.B.' or any commercial enterprise etc...Never !!!

#2. get several Photo Copies of your PASSPORT made at your Embassy, or at a " THAI VISA OFFICE"...

#3. Write " NOT FOR REPRODUCTION or DISTRIBUTION ", across all of the Passport photocopies ...

I have never had a photocopy of my P.P. refused there yet...

If you are staying in L.O.S. for longer than 3-4 weeks,,,

Look for a local ' Expats Club ', get good advice from them.

I always use the Same Motorbike rental guy in Pattaya,,always. He has been reliable so far ( 4 years )...

" caveat emptor " etc...:jap:

////

As much as I agree with you I don't think Rudd would be interested at the moment.Julia is on her way out and Kevin thinks he is in the box seat to take over.

Interestingly when you talk to travel agents here(Melbourne)they say there is no problem with the jet ski operators and tuk tuks in Phukett or Patong. They even suggest it is ok to

leave your' passport with them. I have a photo copy of my passport and if any motor bike or car hire mob don't accept that then I move on to another one.

Excellent advice. I likewise refuse to turn my passport over to ANYONE other than immigration officials. I have always been able to find a rental competitor who will accept a photocopy. I've even had hotels request to keep my passport while registered. When I refused they accepted a photocopy. Taking your passport is a warning sign that you're not in control any more. Don't fall for it.

[Sparkles]

Well if Mr Simon Farbenbloom of the Australian Embassy, If you really care and give a dam_n why don't you speak to Mr Kevin RUDD at DFAT and have him issue a travel warning to all the potential Aussie tourists that may want to visit Miracle Thailand warning them of the scams, dual pricing and the potential for violence. Maybe that is a big no as it may effect political relations between Australia/Thailand.

Excellent idea.How many years is this going to go on ? I am sick and tired of giving my friends who visit here a list of who, and what, to avoid. The Thai tourism honchos want to spend zillions on bringing tourists to Thailand but still let the scammers and criminals operate with impunity.

[softgeorge]

Excellent advice. I likewise refuse to turn my passport over to ANYONE other than immigration officials. I have always been able to find a rental competitor who will accept a photocopy. I've even had hotels request to keep my passport while registered. When I refused they accepted a photocopy. Taking your passport is a warning sign that you're not in control any more. Don't fall for it.

Agree 100% only the biggest and most stupid moron would give his passport to a complete stranger. They do not even need a photocopy or your full details, your passport number is sufficient to track you. Just how much would stolen passports bring on the black market. I would like to think the farangs are smarter than to hand over thier passports to complete strangers. Everyone has heard of identity fraud I am sure.

[robert00]

what Phuket needs is a Miracle ...... :lol:

No, you are wrong, Phuket needs a good lesson and the only way to do that, is by tourist's staying away. I personally do not understand why so many Australians come to Phuket at all.

Dont they read newspapers, or are they brainless Obviously they dont care if they get ripped off or have their head's bashed in.?

[blabla1]

Meters on tuk-tuks. Why not?

More to the point, meters on peoples attitude, meters don't stop em ripping you off, it's all about attitude towards the hand that feeds you, the miracle of Thailand campaign should not be aired!!!

[diehard60]

I guess I have only this to say about these scams. That is -"If you can't tell when you are being scammed then stay away". Yea know everybody knows about this type of activity and no onee does anything about - to try to stop it. The government needs to do someting. But don't ask the police they won't and can't do anything. The best thing to do is stay AWAY! So have fun.

[JohnAllan]

Of course, in common with tourist businesses worldwide, there is always an 'association' of the particular business. What would be much better and more relevant for the tourists, would be for the foreign travel agents to set up associations, widely advertised in their home markets, and which only business operators prepared to adhere to a clear set of guidelines would be invited to join, with the incentive of realistic - as in not cheap - prices, organised add-ons, such as quality insurance and discounts on parts etc, and with the understanding that failure to abide by the rules would see them blacklisted.

[JohnAllan]

what Phuket needs is a Miracle ...... :lol:

No, you are wrong, Phuket needs a good lesson and the only way to do that, is by tourist's staying away. I personally do not understand why so many Australians come to Phuket at all.

Dont they read newspapers, or are they brainless Obviously they dont care if they get ripped off or have their head's bashed in.?

Australians were in the majority as 'victims' of greed in the boiler room scandals.

[softgeorge]

tuks tuks are no different in chiang mai they try to over charge tourist as soon as they see your face.no jet skies thou.this problem is nation wide.how do you fix it.i don,t know.have a fixed price maybe

Sorry, have to disagree with you on this one. Last year, from Kad Suan Kaew Mall to my house - 18 kilometers - 300 baht & 1 pack of Marlboro. lol. Guy even gave me his card and told me to call him if I ever needed him again. Sure, but drivers here will start high, but with a good sense of humor you can bargain them down. I see it happen all the time. And they are a hell of a lot friendlier here than Phuket, Pattaya and Patong, that's for sure.

I have never had any problems with scams or tuk tuks in Chiangmai either the most I have ever paid was 200 baht (for 2 of us) from the city to sansai about 20 kms to my home, quite reasonable really.

If people in Chiangmai have problems they should try directing thier complaints to this Lady..............

Australian Consulate

Jinda Charoen Konsong

236 Chiangmai-Doi Saket Road

Amphur Sansai

Chiang Mai, THAILAND

Telephone: (66 53) 492 480

Facsimile: (66 53) 492 426

She is quite helpful with visa's etc but being Thai making a scam complaint about other Thais might be different and fall on deaf ears but worth a try.

[MrJohnson]

If a foriegn government is aware of the pitfalls and potential risks to it's citizens travelling abroad then it has a responsibility to warn then. It appears in this story that the Australian Government is aware of the tuk tuk and jetski scams operating in Thailand and I am sure they are aware of many more things as well. Why on gods earth are they not warning thier citizens? They know of the traps say nothing and when thier citizens fall victim and seek consulate or embassy assistance the wipe thier hands of them. What on earth are they here for apart from a long extended taxpayer funded holiday. Start doing something by issuing warnings and then maybe other countries will follow. The tuk tuk drivers and jet ski operator may start losing reveue and clean up thier act. Who are you working for the Australian government or the Tourism Auth of Thailand.

There is no shortage of material around on the internet about traveling in various countries. Look at this site, Tripadvisor, Lonely Planet, Travelfish etc. There is no reason anyone contemplating traveling here can claim that there was a lack of information around. Why should it be the responsibility of governments to warn their citizenry? The government would probably prefer if you stayed at home and spent your money at home. This very thing, the nanny state approach, is one that many people complain about. What's wrong with taking some responsibility for ourselves for a change.

BTW - I still think they (The THAI Government) would be well advised to sort out these reprobates as it is bad for tourism generally.

[chooka]

I have never had any problems with scams or tuk tuks in Chiangmai either the most I have ever paid was 200 baht (for 2 of us) from the city to sansai about 20 kms to my home, quite reasonable really.

If people in Chiangmai have problems they should try directing thier complaints to this Lady..............

Australian Consulate

Jinda Charoen Konsong

236 Chiangmai-Doi Saket Road

Amphur Sansai

Chiang Mai, THAILAND

Telephone: (66 53) 492 480

Facsimile: (66 53) 492 426

She is quite helpful with visa's etc but being Thai making a scam complaint about other Thais might be different and fall on deaf ears but worth a try.

I don't really think she is there for Aussies, I think she is there for Thais to help with visas and the like. There would be an Aussie if it was a service for Australians

[maidu]

tuks tuks are no different in chiang mai they try to over charge tourist as soon as they see your face.no jet skies thou.this problem is nation wide.how do you fix it.i don,t know.have a fixed price maybe

Sorry.. Seeing and using both.. No comparison..

Its not just the cost, its the vibe, the attitude, the smile, the joke.. Anyone saying CM's are bad, probably hasnt spent a few months with Patongs lot.

I did several tuk tuks recently in C.Mai. Most were good and fair. One, however, misunderstood I wanted to go to the police station (to report something) instead, he took me to the post office. When we got to the PO, I argued with him about it being the wrong destination, and I refused to pay. He had the hard beady-eyed look of a tough guy who was about to pounce on me, until he finally understood the comprehension problem we were having. He finally took me where I wanted to go, and we suffered no scrapes.

[lounger]

"While acknowledging that the vast majority of tourists enjoy incident-free holidays in Phuket, he went on to raise the issue of a new "motorbike scam" being reported.

In this newest way to cheat tourists, unscrupulous operators rent out motorbikes to foreign tourists and then arrange for companions to steal them overnight, he said.

The foreigners are then forced to pay the price of a brand-new motorbike, even if the stolen vehicle was old, he added."

This scam is not new, it's been going on for many years. Maybe it's on the rise in Phuket. I always ask if the fee includes insurance before I rent.

The insurance only covers miner damage. I have heard 50,000baht. It will not cover the cost of a new bike. The insurance is often just another scam.

Always rent from a trusted source which list should include the hotel where you are staying. The main problem is the punter thinking he/she can source a better deal at lower cost round the corner. Thailand is definitely a 'buyer beware and you get what you pay for country'..........