Phuket Taxi Mob Beats Driver In Broad Daylight

[Kananga]

Last Christmas I was in Patong with some friends. We boarded a tuk tuk (early afternoon) and before pulling off my friend (first trip to Thailand) raised his leg to show the passenger next to him a massive mosquito bite he suffered the night before. Bear in mind we are sat in the tuk tuk, not out on the street etc.

The next thing I see is another Tuk Tuk driver come running over and launch his fist at my friend. Obviously because the uptight little shit thought my friend was raising the sole of his foot at him. Even though he was clearly pointing to something on his leg, was sat in a car, looking the other way etc.

Bizarrely as his fist came into the cab to connect with my friend's face our tuk tuk pulled away moving his face away just in time and the agressor actually caught his face on my elbow as I was sat in the seat opposite. As we were all slightly drunk at the time we found the whole thing hilarious, however it just goes to show that these uptight little shits need putting in their place once and for all.

Dear tuk tuk drivers. If you dont like foreigners and tourists dont have jobs driving them around all day.

[soloman]

Unless Thais themselves protest about this, nothing will happen.

I think that most of the other Thai's love to see the Tourists being ripped off! Therein lies the problem. Those doing the ripping off are not being scorned by their fellow countrymen, but rather are being patted on their backs and having their hands shaken. Those Thais of little education have little or no concept of the damage to tourism, and financial damage to all and sundry.

[jeanelie]

Dear,

I am not surprised about the beatings because they go on at

least since 1994 in the Kamala beach area. In that period I was active with a touroperator who had lots of tourists in the former Kamalabeach resort. The hotel was situated a 15

minutes drive from Patong Beach. As Kamala beach was quiet at night, not to say deadly quiet, most of tourists were attracted to spend the evening and nighttime in Patong. In front of the hotel you could find smiling goodhearted tuk-tuk

drivers from buddhist origin who drove you for less then 100

baht to Patong.

I do not know by now, but in that period in Kamala there was a

strong muslimcommunity. One day the tuktukdrivers were all beaten up severely, lifetreathening and their vehicles

damaged. They never returned. The day after Muslim drivers

replaced them. None of them would drive for less than 400

baht, I am still speaking about 1994.

In that same period the hotel opened a beach club at kamala Beach. In the neighborhood were some small, dirty, not hygienic muslim foodstalls. after a while the hotel decided to

make a terrace and serve it's OWN clients clean drinks and healthy snacks. The beachclub became very succesfull. Unfortunately they misinterpreted the muslimcommunity. After a while the beachclub got beaten down with sticks and

machetes in broad daylight and the tourist running away. After the beachclub got build up again, but each time the same scenario. The hotel got proposed the pay a high bribe witch they, for my information, refused. After a while the

beachclub dissapeared for good.

Since then I never returned to Phuket.

Greetings to all, Jean Elie.

[ScubaBuddha]

While there's no solution in sight maybe current thaivisa members, who take this so close to heart, can come up with some new methods of delivering their cause to future potential tourists?

Twice now I have read quotes of both foreign consulate and Thai officials stating that they read "online forums" where expats and tourists have voiced their frustrations. What we write here does make a difference, even if it is a small one. The situation has now progressed (or rather regressed) to the point where there is the threat of an EU wide warning. Phuket's governor has told Phukets tuk tuks "Improve or die." Phukets police chief has told the tuk tuks, "No more beatings." yet now we have another. Would seem we are at a tipping point. These things will eventually beget change, but whether that change is Phuket's eventually withering away as a tourist destination, or a sweeping change to the islands transport system is up to those in charge. Unfortunately those in charge are currently also the ones benefiting from the current arrangement. The "not seeing past the tip of their nose." effect is in full force. It won't be a single event that does bring change if it happens. It will be a straw which breaks the camels back. Seems every incident should bring change but it doesn't. We may still be in for a long wait.

I dont know what would work but perhaps a grassroots effort like a dedicated website or something (without bias/stereotyping) that gives the known stats on these events (similar to the accident numbers they publish in the news after songkran). Either way the last 3 years I've been watching people's concerns on this issue being repeated with nothing happening and a new approach is required (if this topic is of great importance to yourself).

There is a website already. www.phukettuktuks.com Not my website, but I know the person that runs it.

I have previously posted a list of ways in which people can contact various officials and organizations to voice their frustrations. Here it is again. Perhaps next I will create a form letter.

Snailmail, email, fax, or call the governors office:[/b]

Governor Tri Augkaradacha

Vice Governor Nivit Aroonrat,

Vice Governor Smith Palwatwichai

Damrongtham Center

5 Narisorn Road,

Muang District,

Phuket 83000.

Tel: 076-211001, 0-7622-2886, 0-7622-0361

Fax 0-7622-0361

Hotline : 67927

http://www.phuketprovincial.com/Forum/Phuket-Provincial-Excutive

Each governor needs a separate letter.

Snailmail, email, fax or call the Phuket Land Transport Department:

Phuket Land Transport Office

Office Chief Kanok Siripanichkorn

42/4 Rattanakosin Song-Roy-Pee Road

Taladneua, Muang

Phuket 83000 Thailand

Phone: (66) 076.211.019, 076.220.792 076.214.930,

Direct line: 076.214.929

Thailand National Offices:

Thailand Ministry of Commerce. (In charge of consumer protection)

Minister Pornthiva Nakasai

44/100 Nonthaburi 1 Rd., Amphur Muang, Nonthaburi 11000

Tel. 662-507-8000 Fax. 662-507-7717

Here is a link to foreign embassies and consulates in Thailand. Write to your country's embassy asking them to address the tuk tuk problem with the Thai government.

http://www.thailandguru.com/thailand-foreign-embassies-consulates.html

Snailmail, fax, email or call an national English language Thai media outlet:

Bangkok Post

Pattnapong Chantranontwong, Editor in charge

Office phone: +662-240-3700 Ext. 1201

Sonchai Nokeplub, Deputy Editor

Office phone: +662-240-3700 Ext. 3401

Saritdet Marukatat, News Editor

Office phone: +662-240-3700 Ext. 3261

Atiya Achakulwisut, Editorial Pages Editor

Office phone: +662-240-3700 Ext. 3219

Chiratas Nivatpumin, Business Editor

Office phone: +662-240-3700 Ext. 3434

The Nation

1854 Bangna-Trat Road,

Bangna,

Bangkok 10260

Tel 66-2-338-3000(Call Center),

66-2-338-3333, Fax 66-2-338-3334

Snailmail, fax and email a local English language newspaper:

The Phuket Gazette

79/94 Moo 4, Thepkrasattri Rd,

T. Koh Keaw,

A. Muang Phuket 83000,

Thailand

Tel: 076-273555

Fax: 076-615240

The Phuket News

http://www.thephuketnews.com/contactus.php

99/7 Moo 1 T. Kathu

A. Kathu, Phuket 83120

Phone # 076 612 550-2 Fax # 076 612 553

The Phuket Post

http://phuket-post.com/contact.php

Pulse Media Company Ltd.

128/60 Moo 5

Ratsada Sub-District, Muang District

Phuket 83000

THAILAND

Tel: 076-376-337~9

Fax: 076-376-336

Mobile: 06-946-4966 (after hours)

If you speak or write Thai or know someone that does, snailmail, email, fax or call a Thai language media outlet:

ThaiRath

http://www.thairath.co.th/"]www.thairath.co.th/corp/contact[/url]

The Daily News

http://www.dailynews.co.th/newstartpage/index.html

http://www.dailynews.co.th/newstartpage/index.html]

Editor Daily News newspaper.

Phone 0-2561-1456.

0-2561-1329 Fax.

Editor Daily News online.

Phone 0-2561-1456 to 2658.

0-2940-9827 Fax.

MCOT TV

http://mcot.listedcompany.com/contact_board.html

Inn News

http://www.innnews.co.th/

287/195 Soi Ramkhamhaeng 21 Road Praditmanuthum Wangthonglang Tabernacle Road, Bangkok 10310.

Contact 0-2730-2400 fax 0-2184-4288.

Submit News - Internet News Desk on 51113/51026.

News.Sanook.com

http://news.sanook.com/

Personally it doesnt affect myself so much as I dont have a business here and I have my own transportation. But there definitely seems to be more than a handful of posters that are capable of tackling the issue in a more meaningful way yielding results more to their liking?

The protected taxi/tuk tuk monopoly effects you in ways you don't realize. It's reflected in the aggressive and dangerous driving attitudes of taxi/tuk tuk drivers who are immune to traffic laws. The monopoly affects you anytime while driving your own transportation you encounter stifling traffic jams that are now ubiquitous to many parts of the island. This is partly due to the lack of regular, affordable mass transportation for locals. Every resort/hotel/attraction has to have their own transport for thier tourists (and many resorts must pay protection money to the tuk tuk/taxi co-ops for the right to operate them) and locals have to buy and drive their own cars and motorbikes. Finding reliable staffing is an ongoing problem for many businesses in Phuket, and this is one of the reasons. It drives up the cost of labor which drives up the cost of goods and services in Phuket. The protected taxi/tuk tuk monopoly effects you anytime you find it difficult to find a place to park your own transportation, particularly in the tourist areas, for the same reason I mentioned above. And when you park your own transport in a public parking space and are then told to move by the local tuk tuk/taxi "co-op", you had better do it, unless you like slashed tires and keyed paint. The Swedish family learned this the hard way when they were hospitalized after being attacked by a Kata/Karon co-op driver in Kata who beat them with an umbrella post when they refused to move their legally parked car.

Remember, anti-tuk tuk speakers have been attached outside consular meetings, and this week the German consul admitted he would like to meet with the tuk tuk leaders, but feared it was not safe for him to do so.

I explain in more detail why certain approaches to the problem are not viable here: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/458426-time-for-action/page__hl__+tuk+tuk+phuket

Edited September 5, 2011 by LivinginKata
all the email addresses removed as per forum rules

[Udox]

I live on Phuket and have friends who run tour companies.

The taxi 'conglomerates' outside most of the large hotels have threatened the private drivers to stay away from 'their' patch or - if they insist on coming they have been told to pay a 'fee' each time they visit to the taxi drivers. At one hotel in Kata - this 'fee' is 1500 baht per visit.

If they refuse to pay and still turn up - they are threatened and/or their vehicles damaged.

The company mentioned in this article is known to have received threats but what is the driver supposed to do when he has pre-paid customers waiting for their trip in the hotel lobby and his boss has told him to pick up these guests?

My friends vehicle was damaged (not to the same extent as this report) and the police informed who refused to make a written report - despite CCTV evidence and suggested mediation instead with the taxi drivers !

The Hotel Manager has refused responsibility for the taxi drivers outside his hotel - stating it is out of his jurisdiction yet his staff still recommend the guests take local taxis from outside the hotel.

I know of one company now who arranges for his guests to meet him a five minute walk away from the hotel - and also drops them 5 minutes away on return, as they are both scared and completely fed up with the whole spectacle and arguments every time the taxi drivers see his car. What kind of a situation is this ?

At the end of the day - its all about money. There's a lot to be made in Phuket - and woe betide anyone who stands in the way of it. Money is far more important than life - seemingly.

[plumeria]

Great idea dedicated websites put it all online so people can read every victim reports ,media reports , forum links, dedicated sections for each scam let everyone see the truth about these crimes and corruption tourists to Thailand face daily.

Agree great idea but how long would it remain open before being forced to shut down for actually publishing fact.

TVF is still here. Among the nonsense is some cool and useful info.

I think the main 'take-home' point is the level of violence at present. And the second 'take-home' point is the violence does not discriminate between Thai and expatriate.

Unless the police develop a higher level of professionalism and make some changes for the sake of their own country, I am not optimistic.

Should take about 45 minutes to arrest the guys who committed the crime.

[plumeria]

"If the renegade drivers could not be controlled, European embassies might be forced to issue a travel advisory warning tourists not to use tuk-tuks in Phuket, Ambassador Johannes Peterlik said."

PLEASE DO IT !!!! Now we are talking. Local authorities will do nothing about the problem, that is 100% sure.

Yeah, right. Only expatriates could run this country the right way. (Not.)

[plumeria]

The Tuk Tuke problems are in every part of the country not just Phuket, people get beaten up regularily by Tuk Tuk drivers here in Chiang Mai regularily it's just not reported. They are territorial and their job is basically to rip you off. Most of them are likely using Meth so you just don't want to mess around with lunatics like that. The drivers in Phuket are much more close nit being an island but it's too much to say they are a Mafia, please, these people arn't organised.

I doubt anyone who speaks politely, doesn't park in their spot and barters the fare before going with them will ever have a problem.

It's extremely rare for a Thai to use violence unprovoked (unlike your own country where you can get shot and stabbed walking down the wrong street) but vengence is rife so don't go upsetting the locals with foul mouthed hooliganism which is why most of the farangs get smacked down.

Do you live in a cave with no outside interference? What about May 2010. The police run the law, the police are paid to look the other way, no law in Thailand. That is except when you are on a motorcycle without a helmut. Then the pllice are everywhere taking money, but not writing tickets. Where do you think that money goes. In Thier Pockets. Don't be a turtle. Stick your head out once in a while.

Well ... I think you both have basic good points but a bit simplistic and naive. Some of your suggestions are good advice for everyone in Thailand. In my opinion there is much less random violence in Thailand than the USA.

I think a payment to the cop who stops you for a traffic offense (not the motorcycle shakedowns for frivolous matters) is actually an OPTION. If you WANT a ticket I think he'll oblige.

Or would you rather have some quick and convenient justice?

MOST of the time I've done something they think was worth stopping me for I was in the wrong. And MOST of the time, when they saw I was NOT Thai they explained what I had done wrong, gave me a warning, and let me go.

I think that is so civilized.

And the "instant fines" do NOT really go into the pocket of the officer standing there. He gets very little. It goes up the chain of command and compensates for the rather low official salaries they get.

Corruption or a natural balance?

Who thinks the coppers in their country are less corrupt? In advanced countries the corruption tends to be the size of mountains and so big you can't see it for the sheer scale of it.

Look at the recent news about Scotland Yard. And the USA? ... well I just can't do the subject justice.

[blabla1]

"If the renegade drivers could not be controlled, European embassies might be forced to issue a travel advisory warning tourists not to use tuk-tuks in Phuket, Ambassador Johannes Peterlik said."

PLEASE DO IT !!!! Now we are talking. Local authorities will do nothing about the problem, that is 100% sure.

Yeah, right. Only expatriates could run this country the right way. (Not.)

maybe not run it,but help make it a little safer..

[ScubaBuddha]

One can only hope that the cesspool that is Phuket will wither on the vine and die the death it should.

No. One can only hope that Phuket gets a reasonable transport system in place some day. It's a wonderful place currently spoiled by a few greedy people.

In most places the transit systems exist to provide affordable and safe transportation to locals and visitors. Unfortunately things are currently backwards here. The transport system in Phuket exists to perpetuate itself and make a lot of money for a relatively few powerful people, and they protect their monopoly through intimidation and even at times violence as we see in this report.

For the problem to be considered solved, there needs to be about 1/3rd as many tuk tuks, and they need meters with a reasonable flagfall and per km charge. They need proper training and to be drug tested. We need metered taxi's which can pick up anywhere so customers aren't having to pay fare both ways, which is how it is currently done. We need more baht buses operating later into the night, including one between Kata/Karon and Patong. (Tuk tuk mafia pulled a driver from his bus and beat him on day number 4 of the last operating baht bus over a decade ago.) And there needs to be 20B songteaws plowing the popular routes. Other tourist destinations can do it, Phuekt should be able to as well.

The answer is simple. Getting there is not.

Agree great idea but how long would it remain open before being forced to shut down for actually publishing fact.

as long as it is not on Thai servers, they can not close you down

Closed, no. But MCOT can and does regularly block access websites themselves. They blocked twitter "accidentally" a couple weeks ago and YouTube a few years ago. Pretty sure those servers are not in Thailand. They also distribute lists to the ISP's of sites they want continually blocked. There are people sitting in jail right now that have used proxies to circumvent MCOT blocks.

[plumeria]

On my first visit to Thailand, back in 2007 at Christmas time, I booked everything through a travel agent, Hotels, Airport transfers to the hotels and back again, the lot. Big mistake, but I learned better.

After four pleasant days in Bangkok, I flew down to Phuket, arriving late in the evening. A taxi driver was waiting for me, but said I needed to talk to the rep from TAT before he could take me to the hotel. The TAT rep turned out to be an oily little man , rude and condescending, to whom I took an immediate dislike.

He told me that he would arrive at my hotel next morning "To arrange all tours, shopping, and tourist activity" for me...

I was extremely tired and my plans for the next day included a long lie in. I told the man that I wouldn't be awake early and that I was extremely tired and wanted to leave immediately for my hotel.

"No, I will come to your hotel no later that 10.00 and I will have the reception staff call you if you are not there to greet me when I arrive. I am a busy man". I explained that he would be wasting his time as I had no intention of getting involved with commercial tourist activity over and above what I had already booked. I had no intention of going shopping for suits, gems, or gifts, or booking any excursions. He got cross : "But this is my job to do this! This is how I support my family". I said that I was sorry, but that I had come on holiday to relax, not to be dragged around the island on tourist excursions.

All I needed from him was my pre-booked taxi to my hotel, and the pick-up and drive back to the airport on the day I was leaving. Both these trips had already been paid for through my travel agent, and I had booking vouchers and receipts for my money.

With a poor grace the tout walked off muttering and "Allowed" me to take the taxi to my hotel. I wont bore you with details of the holiday, which I enjoyed.

On the last morning, I was ready packed and waiting in the foyer of the hotel about 15 minutes before the 09.45 pick-up time... No taxi appeared. My flight to Bangkok was due to leave at 12.30, and I was supposed to check in before 11.30. The flight connected with my international flight home from Bangkok at 15.00.

By 10.30 I was beginning to panic... The hotel staff were somewhat amused, but agreed to phone the emergency number I had been given... no reply.

I asked the hotel to get me a regular taxi as quickly as possible... This took ages. By that stage I was a gibbering wreck, and trying to work out how I was going to get home on a maxed out credit card. The hotel taxi finally appeared at about 11.25, five minutes before I was due to check in...

I was happy to pay the driver the 600 Baht he asked for, and explained that I was now very late for my flight... how long to get to the airport?

"Airport one hour" I was told... I had about 500 baht left. I said "500 Baht says Airport in 40 minutes... if it takes longer I will need this 500 Baht to put towards a new ticket!"

"OK... airport 40 minutes" was the response. The ride to the airport must have broken every traffic law on the island, and was a frightening experience. But 39 minutes after leaving the hotel we pulled into the airport. The time was about 12.07... the driver got his 500 Baht and I was rushed through check in and made my flight... just.

When I got home I went to the travel agency and complained about the lack of my pre-paid pick-up... They said they would check and to come back in a few days. I showed them the unused voucher for the journey.

When I returned to the travel agency they said that they had been told that I had been picked up and taken to the airport as per their contract. I said this was a lie. I asked how it could be that I still had the unused voucher in that case. "The Driver said that his passenger had lost the voucher" was the response. I got a refund for what I had paid for the cab back to the airport, eventually.

It was quite obvious that the oily sod from TAT had cancelled my pick-up out of spite because I hadn't booked any of his over priced excursions or trips. I never made the mistake of pre- booking a transfer again, or of arranging a domestic flight on the same day as my international flight home.

So on that occasion the problem wasn't the fault of the taxi driver as such, rather the TAT rep, whom I would have happily beaten to a pulp if I had ever got my hands on him, lucky for him and for me... as spending time in a Thai prison wasn't part of my holiday plan.

Although I now live in Thailand, and have spent several happy weeks on Phuket with my family, I won't be going back there now... the continuing sage of violence and rip offs has soured me on the place for good now.

Very sorry to hear about your experience.

[plumeria]

The Phuket Government and Police have no interest is solving this problem. Their pockets are lined with payoff money from all the scams in Phuket. If you are planning on coming to Thailand I would suggest you change yuour plans and go to somewhere cicilized, like inside a volcano. You have a better chance of going home unhurt. " Land of Smiles" only when your wallet is out. Miracle Thailand, it will be a miracle if anyone comes next year. This is the OK corral all over again in the 21st century.

ummm, yes, errr, no, uhh I think maybe you are more right than wrong.

Be safe.

[plumeria]

Closed, no. But MCOT can and does regularly block access websites themselves. They blocked twitter "accidentally" a couple weeks ago and YouTube a few years ago. Pretty sure those servers are not in Thailand. They also distribute lists to the ISP's of sites they want continually blocked. There are people sitting in jail right now that have used proxies to circumvent MCOT blocks.

True, there is a lot of censorship. But TOR is a fairly effective and free solution most people in Thailand can still download when they want to read ThaiWikiLeaks which is also banned/censored/blocked. Unfortunately, the average person is probably not aware of the solution.

[plumeria]

And, it probably would, were you to go there!

We know why the native people go. I submit why foreign people go...

Their industry thrives on a sucker being born every minute. Thais don't recycle. They burn, consume or toss aside like there's no tomorrow. That includes tourists. Not a bash! Read the headlines and comments. And, uh... even those nice Thais don't seem to lift a finger to do anything about their naughty brethren, and that sort of fits in with the general concept of how we think they think about us; or, they don't think, and that's a problem too.

I think the question should be; How many foreigners return to Phuket?

Sorry. Simplistic nonsense racism: "Thais don't recycle." and "Thais don't seem to lift a finger to do anything about their naughty brethren".

There is a serious problem. People are getting hurt. Money corrupts. This issue has nothing to do with race or religion, just evil people.

[Kilgore Trout]

I have my parents coming out to visit us in Thailand for the first time soon for a few weeks, their first time ever travelling outside of Europe.

I was planning to take them to Phuket as I've been there a couple of times before and it seems to be a place someone who is not used to Asian/3rd world standards could have a good time, I thought a nice resort on the West coast would be perfect however after reading these daily stories of violence, threats, trouble, murders and suicides I'm seriously considering avoiding the place forever even for myself and trying to find somewhere better suited for them.

Having been to Phuket and experienced some of this sort of nonsense firsthand, I was a bit skeptical when booking a trip to koh samui (having never been there).

It turned out to be an excellent trip; nearly everyone was polite and I felt like I got good value for my money.

Definitely suggest going to samui rather than Phuket.

[brianb1944]

Great idea dedicated websites put it all online so people can read every victim reports ,media reports , forum links, dedicated sections for each scam let everyone see the truth about these crimes and corruption tourists to Thailand face daily.

Agree great idea but how long would it remain open before being forced to shut down for actually publishing fact.

I post links to these reports on my F/B wall with note to friends who are thinking of going to Phuket/ Pattaya/ Samui etc. to read link before booking.

[Jimi007]

I think that most of the other Thai's love to see the Tourists being ripped off! Therein lies the problem. Those doing the ripping off are not being scorned by their fellow countrymen, but rather are being patted on their backs and having their hands shaken. Those Thais of little education have little or no concept of the damage to tourism, and financial damage to all and sundry.

Do really think most Thais love this kind of behavior? I would say you don't know many Thais or the ones you know are gang members or in government!

[lounger]

These tuk tuk drivers should be arrested, tried, convicted, and sentenced to a minimum of 5 to 10 years of hard time, with fines of a 1,000,000 baht each. Do you know how quickly the problems would stop? Overnight. The toy police are doing nothing, and are apathetic, and incompetent as usual. In other words, business as usual. But, not for long.

Apart from the fact that the actual drivers are penniless drivers its a great idea. The police and mafia bosses could share out the millions of baht fines and be rich and happy instead of neurotic and broke through lack of business......

[blabla1]

Greed my friends greed,the root of all evils, even the Buddha after all he had taught,the kingdoms fought and threatened war so to get his ashes,in the end,his words fell on deafened ears,like all the shit we write here.

[sydneyjed]

When the Mayor of Phuket fails to show up at a meeting of honourable counsuls' earlier in the year to discuss these issues....that just about sums it all up to be honest.No wonder the Aussie representative blew up and tore strips off the ones that did bother to show....Rotten through to the core basically!!!

[bristolgeoff]

taxi mafia,flower mafia in many parts of thailand where do you start to sort it out

[ScubaBuddha]

I fully agree with you. It is not about complaining about Thailand as a whole, but about pointing out the criminal elements in this country. That is not wrong. It's constructive criticism. I have been living in this country for more than two decades. I speak, read and write Thai reasonably well, pay sizeable amounts of personal income tax every year and my visa and work permit are always in order despite the increasingly difficult conditions to renew either. But I continue to enjoy preciously few rights in this country as an 'alien' (I might move to Montenegro soon). The vast majority of Thais are amiable, genuinely friendly people. That doesn't dissuade from the fact that this kingdom is brimming with thugs, and that their numbers are increasing as more rosey-eyed 'farang' are pouring in. It's always been 'open season' on ingnorant vacationers in this country, but that doesn't mean that it's also right to milk them for everything they've got. From my experience, the knee-jerk argument "if you don't like it here, go home" is only brought forward by 'farang' who have been living here for 4 years and less. They consider themselves as staunch defenders, even beacons for Thailand. Eventually, and if they survive long enough (and haven't been cleaned out by their former prostitute-turned-faithful wife and her entire extended family), they'll cool down and their views will change. They will see a country that is far removed from 'Lonely Planet' fairytales, has massive social problems, struggles (if at all) with enormous environmental pollution, bows to a a handful of powerful families (who exploit their positions shamelessly) and where only a tiny fraction (a waitress earns perhaps 4,000 Baht a month) of the handsome profits made through tourism ever reaches the lowest echelons of society.

+1. One of the better posts I have read on TV.

[ScubaBuddha]

The Tuk Tuke problems are in every part of the country not just Phuket, people get beaten up regularily by Tuk Tuk drivers here in Chiang Mai regularily it's just not reported. They are territorial and their job is basically to rip you off. Most of them are likely using Meth so you just don't want to mess around with lunatics like that. The drivers in Phuket are much more close nit being an island but it's too much to say they are a Mafia, please, these people arn't organised.

I doubt anyone who speaks politely, doesn't park in their spot and barters the fare before going with them will ever have a problem.

It's extremely rare for a Thai to use violence unprovoked (unlike your own country where you can get shot and stabbed walking down the wrong street) but vengence is rife so don't go upsetting the locals with foul mouthed hooliganism which is why most of the farangs get smacked down.

Have you ever been to Phuket?

Have you read the reports concerning the beating of innocent tourists in front of their families?

Did you know that most of the Phuket Tuk Tuk drivers are Muslim, and therefore follow a different code?

Not sure if you are trying to make this a religious argument or what, but you are incorrect in assuming most tuk tuk drivers are Muslim. Generally in Phuket, and with plenty of exceptions, Muslims control the water transport and Buddhists/others control the land transport. I have found Muslims in Phuket to be proper and fair businessmen.

[ScubaBuddha]

Closed, no. But MCOT can and does regularly block access websites themselves. They blocked twitter "accidentally" a couple weeks ago and YouTube a few years ago. Pretty sure those servers are not in Thailand. They also distribute lists to the ISP's of sites they want continually blocked. There are people sitting in jail right now that have used proxies to circumvent MCOT blocks.

True, there is a lot of censorship. But TOR is a fairly effective and free solution most people in Thailand can still download when they want to read ThaiWikiLeaks which is also banned/censored/blocked. Unfortunately, the average person is probably not aware of the solution.

Right but the use of Tor is illegal in Thailand if it is used to access banned sites. It is essentially a series of proxies.

It is possible that any anti-Phuket tuk tuk site would eventually be banned, as any site deemed by MCOT to negatively reflect on Thailand can be deemed illegal and banned whether it contains falsehoods or not. MCOT does not elaborate on what the criteria are, but possess unilateral power to make the decision.

[Foggy Bottom]

nothings going to happen to these people, the taxi drivers are members of the red menace revolution sweeping this country

being a red gives you license to do exactly as you please, to whomever you please, without any fear of retribution from their fellow reds in authority

their motto is ''if you are not my red friend then you are my enemy''

this is only the beginning, i will get a lot worse before this country wakes up and realizes what a mistake they have made letting these thugs and their paymaster take control

Utter rubbish! You're showing your ignorance.

Phuket and nearly all southerners are Democrats.

This has been going on since before Thaksin got into power.

suggest you check your own rubbish - the majority of the front line manual workers in the hospitality and travel industries (excluding marine services) are from the North and Northeast - die-hard red territories.

[rmacdon61]

I have lived very safely & happily in PATTAYA for 19 years. I had to visit Phuket, last week, on business and I was very glad to be flying out of there again, after 3 days.

Brilliant Marinas; Terrific Restaurants (9th Floor: WAUW ! !); but the entire undertone (Patong-Beach area) I found very sub-standard and even 'un-pleasant'!

Apart from all that; the prices people charge for tings like Coffee & American Breakfast are ludicrous ! ! I like Pattaya and I am very happy to have come home again ! !

PS: Before you 'anti-Ptty-ers' start: one does not HAVE to go to Walking-Streets; Sois 6; 7 and/or 8.

Heck; We even have a Vineyard >15 minutes drive from Pattaya . . . . .

:jap:

Well said. The wife and I honeymooned here, had a wonderfull time, great food. A little crowded, but what trourist spot is not? I enjoy people, food, history and accept a certain cost to being tourist. Short stay then back home to our quiet village in north thai.

Keep your head in the game, watch your own 6 and play smart.

[philhal2]

Why do people go to phuket?

Because it is a very nice place with lots of things to see and do.

As the editor of another news source said: "It would be a shame to overstate the scale of the problem. The vast majority of people have a wonderful time on holiday on Phuket. But while there is a lawless element among the tuk-tuk drivers and jet-ski operators - and now, apparently, motorcycle hirers - Phuket will suffer. Incidents of intimidation, violence and fraud should not happen on Phuket."

In Australia we have a saying Melbourne is the asshol_e of the world and Sydney is the channel leading to it !! ( ShhhS Aussies ) ( I am one ) but this is no longer valid . Phuket is the "true' asshol_e of the world and Pattaya is the channel leading to it , confirmd by numerous actions by <deleted> and <deleted> in both towns over preceeding weeks and months and years , Flush the place and clean it out .

[TigerWan]

Wow...that must be some really delicious Kool Aide. Another nail pounded firmly into the coffin lid of Phuket.

I sold my business interests in Phuket last year and I am happy I did.

The sooner the world can stop pretending Phuket is anything more than Pattaya on an island the better. Let it die and will it to the Cheapskates, Indians and Russians like they did with Pattaya. There are plenty of other nice beaches in Thailand where there aren't roving bands of murderous thugs.

I might agree Pattaya is a better place to visit, especially with Bangkok so close eliminating travel, which is dangerous no matter what mode IMO , but to live ..

Phuket is better for many reasons One, it's a lot cooler with a fresh summer breeze that originates in the far south currents bringing pleasantly cool waters. The ocean is bracingly cool if you dare swim

I almost feel a need to wear sleeves at times in high summer.

It also has all the western conveniences and foreigner businesses, along with Thai I need to exist happily but with the middle class Thai rates for a modest home just 6 minutes from the beach, a clean beach where you can find stretches with no beach chairs. No Time share touts have ever harassed me on Bang Tao and it has none of the Jet Ski rip offs. The Laguna complex of resorts, 4 and 5 star is a first class facility to hang out, and then there is a little mini patong massage and bar area for the partiers and gents.

Also, Surin beach is very nice, still and becoming trendyish with quite a few excellent restaurants.

Trick is, IMO to stay away from Patong and the south. That is where the overcrowded, ganged tourist feeding frenzies occur. It is a huge island, and the north has areas where they still stare quite openly at western foreigners as quite strange.

[KunMatt]

Well said. The wife and I honeymooned here, had a wonderfull time, great food. A little crowded, but what trourist spot is not? I enjoy people, food, history and accept a certain cost to being tourist. Short stay then back home to our quiet village in north thai.

Keep your head in the game, watch your own 6 and play smart.

I have to agree, obviously it is famous for attracting the worst type of farangs and Thais in the world and if you watched the Pattaya One News service for 5 minutes you would never want to go outside, but of all of Thailand I find Pattaya has the most delicious and cheapest food I've had, also some of the best (non sleaze related) nights out too. The competition is so intense there you can buy a bottle of beer for like 2 Baht more than in a 7/11 so nearly everywhere offers the best quality food for the best prices.

If you could get rid of all the sleaze I would live there. It would be pretty empty though!!

Oh, as a side note, I love going to bars with live music which Pattaya is also very very good for, (the best Hard Rock band I've ever seen was in Pattaya) but it is also the only place I've been in the world where I have seen a band mime their entire set - in a bar on the seafront between soi 6 and 7.

[TigerWan]

It is possible that any anti-Phuket tuk tuk site would eventually be banned, as any site deemed by MCOT to negatively reflect on Thailand can be deemed illegal and banned whether it contains falsehoods or not. MCOT does not elaborate on what the criteria are, but possess unilateral power to make the decision.

The One-Two Go site ( since 2008 ) and the Thailand Travel Tragedies ( The Sarah Carter family re Chiang Mai deaths) sites are still up.

The other online news blog has some scathing reports. Indeed how many of these revelations would be known if not for that reporter?

There are other discussions sites that broach the realm of any pretense of respect for the country, still viewable .

Drummond has posted a doozie re Erica Fry and libel laws So ... It seems foreigners have a bit of leeway over Thais perhaps?