Phuket Tourism VP Blasts Officials Over Resort Blockade Inaction

[webfact]

Phuket Tourism VP blasts officials over resort blockade inaction

Phuket Tourist Association (PTA) Vice President Bhuritt Maswongsa.

Photo: Gazette file

PHUKET: -- Phuket Tourist Association (PTA) Vice President Bhuritt Maswongsa has lashed out against local authorities for their failure to stop taxi drivers from dictating to Phuket resorts who can and who cannot pick up guests from their hotels.

Mr Bhuritt’s rail against the Phuket regime of “transport cooperatives” comes after a driver was refused entry to the Naithonburi Beach Resort to pick up two Russian tourists on Tuesday.

“I have heard about the blockade at the Naithonburi. I do not know much about it in detail, but I do know that last week the PTA received a written complaint from a tour agency,” Mr Bhuritt told the Phuket Gazette.

According to the complaint, local taxi drivers specifically listed 26 tour companies that are allowed to collect guests from the resort, but drivers or representatives from any other companies are refused entry by the taxi drivers who guard the “checkpoint”.

“The officials who should be taking responsibility for this problem have not stepped up to say this is against the law,” he said.

“They should take action about the checkpoint on the public road – it is against the law. They should be acting against this kind of activity, which I would call ‘unlawful occupation’,” he explained.

“Months ago, Interior Ministry Permanent Secretary Pranai Suwannarat came to Phuket to personally hear what can be done about tourists being cheated.”

“Now he is the Permanent Secretary at the Interior Ministry and still nothing has changed,” he said.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/archives/articles/2011/article11357.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2011-11-04

[Moruya]

Mafia Island

[Ping]

Khun Bhuritt is a brave man.

[ChiangMaiThai]

Sick and twisted mafia island. The reality that most tourists never see.

[MikeyIdea]

Khun Bhuritt is brave indeed, I wish him luck

Unlikely to happen but yes, please act quickly

[robanywhere]

the Phuket regime of "transport cooperatives"

haha, this good, a PC moniker for "mafia"...

and what do they call the jet ski extortionists... a "personal watercraft liability syndicate"...?

[steelepulse]

The thing is, he can blast away, but the locals know that the politicians and police are in the drivers pockets. There might be some more lip service paid to end this problem, but that's as far as it will go.

[impulse]

Sounds kind of like a "Colombian Pharmaceutical Cooperative".

[peterdk]

What can be done ?

For starters, make it a public thing in Thai newspapers, that these mafia goons is running the show.

Make the police, who really should be enforcing the law, and not skimming the cream from the tuk tuks, make the police be hung out to dry, in the full view of the public.

Newspapers, TV, with names mentioned.

Then once we sort the police, enforce a taxi meter in each and every tuk tuk.

Anyone found guilty of not complying with a working, non manipulated taxi meter, well impound the bloody sardine can tuk tuk for a month.

Once impounded, place a gps marker on the tuk tuk, so the position can be monitored from Bkk.

If the tuk tuk somehow manages to get out of impound early, put the impound workers in jail for a month, and impound the tuk tuk for a further 3 months.

All we need is a group of non bribe-a-ble police officers from BKK, with big brass you know what, to set the whole thing in motion.

Why these ripping off tourist scams are allowed to continue is beyond me.

Anyone in government, the ruling elite, should be well enough educated, to understand that this image scares off tourists and thus hurting the economy and public image of Thailand.

[renaissanc]

The thing is, he can blast away, but the locals know that the politicians and police are in the drivers pockets. There might be some more lip service paid to end this problem, but that's as far as it will go.

This is exactly why nothing is done about the mafias ... the politicians and officials get lots of corruption money by allowing the scams. Action might, however, be taken once pigs have developed wings.

[peterdk]

Oh and while we are at it, make mandatory courses for drivers, teaching them polite manners and English.

Issue them a numbered license, that must be visible inside the sardine can.

Visible next to a telephone number of a complaint hotline.

3 strikes = 1 month suspension.

10 strikes = 1 year suspension.

Or something like that.

Again, any tuk tuk found guilty of not complying with that, impound the tuk tuk as mentioned in previous post.

[DieterWiehe]

should Phuket not pronounced fuc_ket like in Telephone it would hit the nail on the head.

[keestha]

Last year, after arranging a pick-up by taxi for a guest to be brought from a hotel in Phuket to my hotel in Khao Lak, I got a furious phone call from the owner of the hotel in Phuket that he should be the one to arrange a taxi (and pocket a bit of commission).

Since then, when a guest requests taxi service from a Phuket hotel to Khao Lak, I tell him to let the Phuket hotel arrange it, but not agree on more then a certain price that I know is reasonable.

[drdoom6996]

Ask the Tuk Tuk(TERD TERD) drivers. They will arrange everything for you.

OH, by the way, don't forget your wallet.

[drdoom6996]

Oh and while we are at it, make mandatory courses for drivers, teaching them polite manners and English.

Issue them a numbered license, that must be visible inside the sardine can.

Visible next to a telephone number of a complaint hotline.

3 strikes = 1 month suspension.

10 strikes = 1 year suspension.

Or something like that.

Again, any tuk tuk found guilty of not complying with that, impound the tuk tuk as mentioned in previous post.

Your dreaming, where would the local government and police get their money from? You don't really believe that these thugs can figure this out for themselves. The people in charge of these idiots are the people in charge of Phuket. Get a Grip.

[jeanelie]

In 1994 i have witnessed myself the turnover from free tuk-tuk to controled tuk-tuk in Kamala area. The old drivers were beaten up severely and treatened to death with sticks and machetes. In a few weeks of time the old drivers have disapeared and were replaced by muslimdrivers and the prices have gone up x3. The trip Kamala Patong used to be 150Bht and got up to 500 Bht.

I wonder if it is only in Kamala that muslimdrivers took this "opportunity"?

[eastlight]

In 1994 i have witnessed myself the turnover from free tuk-tuk to controled tuk-tuk in Kamala area. The old drivers were beaten up severely and treatened to death with sticks and machetes. In a few weeks of time the old drivers have disapeared and were replaced by muslimdrivers and the prices have gone up x3. The trip Kamala Patong used to be 150Bht and got up to 500 Bht.

I wonder if it is only in Kamala that muslimdrivers took this "opportunity"?

150? 500 baht? For how far? For 10 or 20 baht here in Pattaya you can go miles.

[Guest]

150? 500 baht? For how far? For 10 or 20 baht here in Pattaya you can go miles.

Everybody knows that as well as prices of meter taxies in Bangkok. No need to bring it in again and again. If Phuket residents would not know the prices in different cities, there current situation would be accepted.

[Sharp]

Good luck to you my man at least u have the balls to speak up against these thugs I wish they all went with the tsunami

Bottom feeders that's wot they r

[Sharp]

I am sure the interior minister can find out who runs these guys on a Goverment level so kick them out first then work your way down if u cut the head off the snake it will eventually die .

[LivinginKata]

2 posts removed. Any more posts advocating violence or muslim 'bashing' will result in warnings and possible suspensions being issued.

[jeanelie]

In 1994 i have witnessed myself the turnover from free tuk-tuk to controled tuk-tuk in Kamala area. The old drivers were beaten up severely and treatened to death with sticks and machetes. In a few weeks of time the old drivers have disapeared and were replaced by muslimdrivers and the prices have gone up x3. The trip Kamala Patong used to be 150Bht and got up to 500 Bht.

I wonder if it is only in Kamala that muslimdrivers took this "opportunity"?

150? 500 baht? For how far? For 10 or 20 baht here in Pattaya you can go miles.

A steep hill had to be taken in that period, now the road is a lot better. It took 30 minutes to get to Patong. 150Bht could be estimated a correct price in that period. 500 was far from correct, do not forget we are talking about the mid '90's.

Even more, many drivers coming from Patong with customers were worried to return safely. It went that far that some drivers stopped 500 metres before your resort and made you walk the rest because they were too afraid.

[Jimi007]

150? 500 baht? For how far? For 10 or 20 baht here in Pattaya you can go miles.

Everybody knows that as well as prices of meter taxies in Bangkok. No need to bring it in again and again. If Phuket residents would not know the prices in different cities, there current situation would be accepted.

What are you talking about? I know the price of a Baht Bus in Pattaya, and a metered cab in Bangkok. What does that have to do with the price of a tuk tuk or taxi in Phuket? Residents have there own transportation here because there is no decent public transportation in Phuket.

[Guest]

What are you talking about? I know the price of a Baht Bus in Pattaya, and a metered cab in Bangkok. What does that have to do with the price of a tuk tuk or taxi in Phuket? Residents have there own transportation here because there is no decent public transportation in Phuket.

The reason why we in Phuket are not happy for our transportation is that we do know that there are way better alternatives on other places.

If everywhere in Thailand, transportation prices would be same as in Phuket, nobody would care. If there would not be better public transportation in anywhere, we would not care.

But there is better solutions and better prices. Therefore we do compare our situation, which sucks like an Hoover.

Therefore it's not needed to remind that there are better alternatives as we do know that already.

[plumeria]

Bhuritt has a pair of BIG ONES!

FINALLY somebody besides Chuvit is willing to talk about the elephant in the room.

Wow!

I am impressed.

Gives me a glimmer of hope. Finally the silent majority is standing up and saying: "I WON'T TAKE IT ANY LONGER!"

Hoooooorrrraaaayyyyy!