Phuket Taxi Mob Beats Driver In Broad Daylight

[ScubaBuddha]

Start mass emailing campaign by passing around an electronic petition that gets everyone's emails attached and then blast the foreign travel agencies, travel bureaus, embassies, hotel chains, and especially all travel magazines and travel departments of major news agencies. Basically start calling for a boycott of the island.

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?

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).

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?

Excellent Idea the electronic petition but it would be a better idea if it covers all of thailand and points out the scam and corruption and violence at all holiday resorts.

IMHO, it wouldn't be a better idea at all. You put every little thing wrong with Thailand in there, the big issues get minimized then none of it will get addressed. Make it a focused effort and you are more likely to effect change. This is about Phuket tuk tuks, not timeshares, tailor touts, or corrupt immigration officials.

[Activo]

Am I right in thinking that a consular or honorary consular for any particular country is by definition a representative of the goverment of said country and as such is is duty (& morally) bound to act on the behalf of citizens of that country when confronted with a problem such as this TUK TUK driver problem, if it presents a real threat to the safety and welfare of those citizens? Isn't that an important part of their jobs? Isn't that one of the main reasons we have them? To all you consulars who undoubtedly read this forum - DO YOUR JOB! get those travel advisories posted, go even further and inform tourists if you use a tuk tuk, you do so at your own risk. Don't call the consulate - you have been warned. Put these tosser tuk tuk drivers out of business.

"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.

[dude007]

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?

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).

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?

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.

Me too I support this idea: the web is actually a very powerful tool that can be helpful as well. More reports of incidents with tuk-tuk drivers (and I am sure they are DAILY!) completed with photo's and exact location of the incident will be a helpful tool for the police too, who are not all on the side of the tuk-tuk maffia!

[TheWizardofRnR]

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.

What complete and utter crap. If there is anything worse than tuk tuk mafia types it's the people that apologise for and defend them. Why don't you just close your eyes real tight, plug your ears and scream, "There isn't a problem! THERE ISN'T A PROBLEM!"

People that apologise for criminal behaviour are, themselves, a part of the problem. One can only hope that the cesspool that is Phuket will wither on the vine and die the death it should.

Theres still a whole lot of good people in Phuket and although I totally agree the need for transportation that

is less not more dangerous then riding in a motor vehicle in Thailand to begin with, is needed!

I sure wish you Phuket bashers realize the violence level in Thailand has risen all over the LoS ,

I mean haven't you herad the national sport is kick-boxing and the difference between soi dogs & farangs, farangs liked to be kicked.

No wonder! farangs brought in the overpaying ,no complaining , big tipping , too much complaining

bad habits that has pushed many Thais to seek the easy money from all of us richer then Thai people as their ideaology !

I suggested over 15 years ago that Patong needed a shuttle bus service. Set up similar to The French Quarter of New Orleans, where the small bus looks like a street car ,cable car but only travels both ways around the FQ. But it fell on deaf ears!

trolley_bus.bmp

Edited September 9, 2011 by LivinginKata
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[TigerWan]

Why are you lumping Rawai in with Kata an Karon? There are very few tuk tuks here and rarely any police. There are a few black plate taxis here and there, but again very few. In the not too distant past you couldn't get a ride around here. It's still pretty hard after dark to find any transport...

Not too long ago, tourists on motorcycles were being targeted for snatch theft on the hill from Patong to Karon. The police were doing nothing. In fact didn't Bangkok hand the area over to a different precinct in an effort to curb it? Hence my view it is all tied up in a connection between the gangs, taxi or otherwise, and local police who let it continue.

All the gang activity and crime against foreigners happens in the southern areas. Again, to those who don't know this island is Thailand's biggest and its sections are vastly different in population and tourist density. Bang Tao/ Cherng- Telay has many tourists and ex pat residents yet the crime against them is much lower, if almost non existent.

I also think the Thais will have a new tourist, the Indian and Chinese, They are already ingrained into corruption, racketeering, pollution etc., so I see these problems always in Phuket's future. Tourists will, are already dropping off from the western countries, and will continue, especially if fuel priced rise. I would plan any business accordingly.

[Jimi007]

Why are you lumping Rawai in with Kata an Karon? There are very few tuk tuks here and rarely any police. There are a few black plate taxis here and there, but again very few. In the not too distant past you couldn't get a ride around here. It's still pretty hard after dark to find any transport...

Not too long ago, tourists on motorcycles were being targeted for snatch theft on the hill from Patong to Karon. The police were doing nothing. In fact didn't Bangkok hand the area over to a different precinct in an effort to curb it? Hence my view it is all tied up in a connection between the gangs, taxi or otherwise, and local police who let it continue.

All the gang activity and crime against foreigners happens in the southern areas. Again, to those who don't know this island is Thailand's biggest and its sections are vastly different in population and tourist density. Bang Tao/ Cherng- Telay has many tourists and ex pat residents yet the crime against them is much lower, if almost non existent.

I also think the Thais will have a new tourist, the Indian and Chinese, They are already ingrained into corruption, racketeering, pollution etc., so I see these problems always in Phuket's future. Tourists will, are already dropping off from the western countries, and will continue, especially if fuel priced rise. I would plan any business accordingly.

What does any of this have to do with Rawai?

[TigerWan]

Rawai,... in the south.... scene of a few rapes last year of foreign women, was it ? One woman was attacked in a ditch at 8 in the morning and people walked by her pleas for help

No one caught.

Point is crime is rampant in the south, not the north ( against foreigners anyway. )

[Jimi007]

Rawai,... in the south.... scene of a few rapes last year of foreign women, was it ? One woman was attacked in a ditch at 8 in the morning and people walked by her pleas for help

No one caught.

Point is crime is rampant in the south, not the north ( against foreigners anyway. )

Source? I've lived here for many years without problems. You live in the north, so what do you know that I don't? Besides the topic is taxi drivers, is it not?

[HaleySabai]

Tuk-Tuk drivers.... the cockroaches of the transport industry..... should be stepped on!!