Robbers, Greedy Boat Operators Prey On Flood Victims: Thailand

[hawker9000]

1321059721[/url]' post='4840792']

Very sad to hear about this when the country is in need of the good Thai spirit.

Good Thai spirit? You must be kidding. These people would take advantage all day long if they could. Not really any fault of their own. This country values only the baht and how much you have of it. There are no safety nets, no social programs so one must beg, borrow or steal if one wants to survive.

Oh yes. By all means. Safety nets. Here in the US we have safety nets galore! Unemployment compensation (that continues for YEARS), food stamps, housing subisidies, medical, even cellphones for the needy. And we all know there's NO begging, borrowing, or stealing HERE (or just about ANY crime for that matter)!! Yeah - no safety nets is definitely the problem.

Seriously - the problem is that Thais have become like us. With each passing day they abandon more & more of their own traditional values in favor of our bad habits, dependency, and lack of self-reliance. It will get worse.

[ARGUSEYE]

This just goes to show what the real Thai character is all about. It's funny when you hear people saying that the thai people are so nice and full of smiles. Its all an illusion!

I agree 100%!!! It just takes a while to figure that out. (In my case two decades)

[ratcatcher]

ROBBERS? GREEDY? Did anybody notice what 'color' their red shirts were????????????????

amazing somebody always has to bring this into these threads. i wonder or you people as interested in your own countries polotics as the Thai ones.

its only to be expected that they will do this, its thailand everybody out for themselves, but they dont have a lot so i guess thats the way they are brought up.

3000 baht to recover a car, thats about 2 weeks salary when you have already lost every thing, so for me it is a lot.

While I do understad the going wage for basic jobs is 6,000 baht/month (hence your 3,000 baht being two weeks wage), how many of those minimum wage workers have cars?

I've been in many, many countries - Thailand has the fewest jallopies (old, junk cars) of any place I have ever been. Most cars are near new, with 600,000 baht+ price tags. Anyone that can afford such a luxury, can afford to pay 3,000 baht to have it salvaged from a flood.

Unfortunately Thais,like many other cultures, have a thing about appearances. They will sleep on the floor of a B1500 a month room,

eat the cheapest food and still manage to have a shiny car or truck to drive around in. It's apparently something to do with "face".

Nobody goes to their room, but everyone sees their car. It's all an illusion. Same with the girls working for B10,000 a month with an Ipod

phone costing a months salary or more. Credit is a "wonderful" thing

[lujanit]

There are quite a few people on this forum who have no <Snip!> idea of what is really going on. Your posts are an insult to those of us suffering. Rabid opinions by a lot of people who probably don't even live in this country or are high and dry sitting on some bar stool pissing it up.

We have been flooded out for over 2 weeks now and the water is still rising! Sleep is a luxury that is grabbed every couple of hours as we continually have to pump out downstairs. Mosquito bites, open wounds and it's not getting any better. Try wading through this stinking rotten water everyday and maybe you might see the real side of this disaster.

These people who supply boat services are nothing but extortionists and I know as I have personally been on the receiving end of it every time we go out to try to get some supplies.

The first time it happened my wife arranged for some supplies to be delivered and 100 baht was agreed on, which was already a ripoff as the goods were delivered to the moo baan gate and they only had to be brought to our home. When the bitch in the boat got here she demanded 250 baht or she would not hand over the goods (goods a relative was giving us). She would have happily stolen the goods from us if we did not pay. I didn't know until after she left. If I had known it at the time it would have been a very different story.

And so it goes every day we have to go out. Boat owners demand a ridiculously high fee and if you don't pay it they just ignore you. Or as happened yesterday the bastard, after we paid him, decided that he didn't want to take us to our requested destination and told us to get off no where near we wanted to go. My wife said he received a phone call after we started and was obviously offered a bigger fee to take someone elsewhere.

Our neighbour and us now share a small boat so we can get to the gate. We usually leave the boat with the security guard (every time we do my wife gives him some money and always gives him some food when we return) and travel by other means to wherever we need to go. Yesterday when we finally got back the boat was gone. Where? The arsehol_e security guard 'rented' it out to someone else. He said he didn't think we would be back until much later.

I will bet my last baht that what I am describing here is going on all over areas that are flooded out.

This bullshit about 7 years fine and 140k baht fine for price gouging is just hot air, more thai police and government verbal diarrhoea. And don't even get me started on the 5k compo. What an insult!

Edited November 12, 2011 by metisdead

[eastlight]

Very sad to hear about this when the country is in need of the good Thai spirit.

Good Thai spirit? You must be kidding. These people would take advantage all day long if they could. Not really any fault of their own. This country values only the baht and how much you have of it. There are no safety nets, no social programs so one must beg, borrow or steal if one wants to survive.

Too true

[Markaew]

"Extortionate prices"? It's a free market, isn't it?

I suppose you say that about the jet ski operators as well.

[robblok]

There are quite a few people on this forum who have no fuc#ing idea of what is really going on. Your posts are an insult to those of us suffering. Rabid opinions by a lot of people who probably don't even live in this country or are high and dry sitting on some bar stool pissing it up.

We have been flooded out for over 2 weeks now and the water is still rising! Sleep is a luxury that is grabbed every couple of hours as we continually have to pump out downstairs. Mosquito bites, open wounds and it's not getting any better. Try wading through this stinking rotten water everyday and maybe you might see the real side of this disaster.

These people who supply boat services are nothing but extortionists and I know as I have personally been on the receiving end of it every time we go out to try to get some supplies.

The first time it happened my wife arranged for some supplies to be delivered and 100 baht was agreed on, which was already a ripoff as the goods were delivered to the moo baan gate and they only had to be brought to our home. When the bitch in the boat got here she demanded 250 baht or she would not hand over the goods (goods a relative was giving us). She would have happily stolen the goods from us if we did not pay. I didn't know until after she left. If I had known it at the time it would have been a very different story.

And so it goes every day we have to go out. Boat owners demand a ridiculously high fee and if you don't pay it they just ignore you. Or as happened yesterday the bastard, after we paid him, decided that he didn't want to take us to our requested destination and told us to get off no where near we wanted to go. My wife said he received a phone call after we started and was obviously offered a bigger fee to take someone elsewhere.

Our neighbour and us now share a small boat so we can get to the gate. We usually leave the boat with the security guard (every time we do my wife gives him some money and always gives him some food when we return) and travel by other means to wherever we need to go. Yesterday when we finally got back the boat was gone. Where? The arsehol_e security guard 'rented' it out to someone else. He said he didn't think we would be back until much later.

I will bet my last baht that what I am describing here is going on all over areas that are flooded out.

This bullshit about 7 years fine and 140k baht fine for price gouging is just hot air, more thai police and government verbal diarrhoea. And don't even get me started on the 5k compo. What an insult!

Must say you really have bad luck, here the mayor made sure there is a free boat service that brings people to the front of the village. Many days there is a truck to pick people up (1 time a day). Must say the guys is great he did shame the people who refuse to pay the 300bt a month upkeep for the village to run. (people not paying it is a burden for others).

We have gotten many relief packages and free food. I think it really varies from place to place. We are in Bang Bua Thong / Bang Yai area.

But once i leave the village then yes the boat people are there to steal money. Thank god we are on a large road and military and other trucks pass. But you have to be patient and lucky to catch one.

[edgarfriendly]

There are quite a few people on this forum who have no fuc#ing idea of what is really going on. Your posts are an insult to those of us suffering. Rabid opinions by a lot of people who probably don't even live in this country or are high and dry sitting on some bar stool pissing it up.

We have been flooded out for over 2 weeks now and the water is still rising! Sleep is a luxury that is grabbed every couple of hours as we continually have to pump out downstairs. Mosquito bites, open wounds and it's not getting any better. Try wading through this stinking rotten water everyday and maybe you might see the real side of this disaster.

These people who supply boat services are nothing but extortionists and I know as I have personally been on the receiving end of it every time we go out to try to get some supplies.

The first time it happened my wife arranged for some supplies to be delivered and 100 baht was agreed on, which was already a ripoff as the goods were delivered to the moo baan gate and they only had to be brought to our home. When the bitch in the boat got here she demanded 250 baht or she would not hand over the goods (goods a relative was giving us). She would have happily stolen the goods from us if we did not pay. I didn't know until after she left. If I had known it at the time it would have been a very different story.

And so it goes every day we have to go out. Boat owners demand a ridiculously high fee and if you don't pay it they just ignore you. Or as happened yesterday the bastard, after we paid him, decided that he didn't want to take us to our requested destination and told us to get off no where near we wanted to go. My wife said he received a phone call after we started and was obviously offered a bigger fee to take someone elsewhere.

Our neighbour and us now share a small boat so we can get to the gate. We usually leave the boat with the security guard (every time we do my wife gives him some money and always gives him some food when we return) and travel by other means to wherever we need to go. Yesterday when we finally got back the boat was gone. Where? The arsehol_e security guard 'rented' it out to someone else. He said he didn't think we would be back until much later.

I will bet my last baht that what I am describing here is going on all over areas that are flooded out.

This bullshit about 7 years fine and 140k baht fine for price gouging is just hot air, more thai police and government verbal diarrhoea. And don't even get me started on the 5k compo. What an insult!

I normally can't abide by posters copying huge chunks of text to make a point, but this deserves an encore!!

THATS WHATS REALLY GOIN ON!!:jap:

[fullcave]

Very sad to hear about this when the country is in need of the good Thai spirit.

Good Thai spirit? You must be kidding. These people would take advantage all day long if they could. Not really any fault of their own. This country values only the baht and how much you have of it. There are no safety nets, no social programs so one must beg, borrow or steal if one wants to survive.

socialism...actually they are doing a much better job then the western example .....

[Fookhaht]

As a foreigner who has lived here for nearly a decade, I object to all the Thai-bashing going on in this thread. I thought TV had some sort of rule against this.

I submit that the problem lies in the dog-eat-dog social conditions of larger cities. There are always more vultures in any mega-sized city such as Bangkok ready to prey on the weak.

In contrast, I live upcountry where we have experienced equally dire flood-related conditions. We've had at least 3-4 villages in my immediate area completely marooned by the inundating waters. The atmosphere here is one of neighbor helping neighbor and overall goodwill toward the less fortunate. Here, the best seems to come out in people.

Could it be that those who migrate and settle in the big cities tend to be there to pursue the bigger economic advantage? You all know the answer. Then why sound so surprised when this motivation, in all its ugly glory, bubbles to the surface in such a crises.

Well, I'll get my coat and hat while all the hi-so "we're in the city for the cultural advantages" come out of the woodwork to give us their yada yada yada. I've lived and traveled in many of the world's largest cities, and believe me, they're no place to be in a disaster, primarily because of the human element. Give me Smallsville or the "baan-nawk" any time in a storm of life.

[Markaew]

This country is beyong salvation. Good Spirits! Get real.......most big corporations were donating cash and goods because they were promised 150% tax rebates. (please refer to all ealier govt announcemenst and appeals for help.) and then many thais, yes were volunteering their services and donating goods. (according to their distorted versions of buddhism) by doing such acts of tamboon, they get their sins cleansed off....so you get people who cheat millions donating a few thousand baht of goods or small scale sinners offerring smaller amts of foods, in hope to eradicate all their sins and gain merit. Most of the volunteers at the centres were enjoying free meals and goodies. Channel Three raised a lot of money from public donations that went into paying their celebrity actors to make appearances, their transportation costs and hotel accomodations and also for the cost of production of their channel 3 relief bags that had their logos on it. Once produccer at a particular segment at Channel three was boasting how the donatione was totally subsidising his segment!

As for overcharging, there was and still there is not any bottled water at places like 7-11, tops, big c etc but outside of Bic C, etc , the bottlers of NamThip are supplying smaller vendors stocks who are then overcharging the consumers. Make a complain and they challenge you to call the police!

Was watching on TV , how some of these poeple have no sense of self respect, when their communities are flooded and they know because of the officals in charge, they will still wai when these officials come to see them or even give them a pathetic relief bag. These people will sell their mothers for a Bt 100!

Now for the most interesting part to all you foreign TV posters and readers. Got a few distrubing news that a few foreigners were turned away form some of the evacuation centres and in certain cases when relief packages were given out, foreigners were not allowed. (I am not talking about the migrant workers from Burma, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia....who off course the thais deprived them of anything reliefs and foods) but actual farands and a few malaysian chinese. Beer Chang and Singha started small centres selling bottkled water at normal prices and proof of thai identity was needed before you can buy the water. &lt;deleted&gt;! Why aren't the embassies doing anything about this discrimination! Foreigners should avoid buying beer chang and singha beer and also establishments that stock them.

Yet we have a lot of foreign aid coming in!

I simply give up. The locals deserve what they get. This country s beyong salvation!

Our US ambassador is an embarrassment. Listening to her is like watching a Mr. Rogers show.

[peteralex]

"Extortionate prices"? It's a free market, isn't it?

You better switch on your brain first, what a stupid and unqualified comment!

I wished that you were concerned when in a necessity of transport after loosing everything from the floods.

[hellodolly]

Very sad to hear about this when the country is in need of the good Thai spirit.

So now they know how it feels to be a farang , paying overpriced prices all the time .

Thai rak Thai , my ass , when it's about money a Thai only loves himself .

You only pay over priced prices because you choose to shop in those stores.

When I go to the airport mall I know I will be paying extra. I like you make a conscience choose to do so.

Leave the tourist centered areas and get out into Thailand you will be surprised.

As for the boats charging high prices I am in favor of a fine twice the prices they are getting. If they get 1000 baht a day fine them 2000 baht a day.

Not sure what over charging consist of 20 baht for a short distance is that over charging and how big a boat was it that got a car out of the flood?

Edited November 12, 2011 by hellodolly

[Markaew]

<br />

<br />Very sad to hear about this when the country is in need of the good Thai spirit.<br />

There are no safety nets, no social programs so one must beg, borrow or steal if one wants to survive.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Really???

Thailändische Funkamateure retten mit Notfunkbetrieb fast 1000 Menschenleben

Dank der Hilfe thailändischer Funkamateure konnten durch die Koordination von Rettungskräften bei medizinischen Notfällen fast 1000 Menschenleben gerettet werden. Darüber berichtete der Sekretär des thailändischen Amateurfunkverbandes RAST, HS4DDQ, bei einem kürzlich stattgefundenen Treffen. Die Aktion lief in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Gesundheitsministerium. Für den Funkbetrieb nutzte man das Rufzeichen HS0AC. Amateurfunk-Relaisfunkstellen waren ebenfalls in vielen Fällen zum Informationsaustausch hilfreich, da die Kommunikations-Infrastruktur der Regierungsstellen teilweise zusammengebrochen ist. In Thailand kämpft man noch immer mit den Folgen der schwersten Hochwasserkatastrophe seit über 60 Jahren.

That was productive

[hedonist44]

Think the guy is American, they seem to think its normal to do stuff like this.

I would find it real unfair to do business like this. Its not like people have a choice. Especially if cartels are formed like what is happening here. That is not a free market its profiteering on other peoples misery. I can understand that money has to be made. But let it be a reasonable amount.

3000 bt for a car sounds reasonable to me. But not for a short boat trip.

Just couldn't wait to have the chance to bash America could you? Could you share with us why you are so Anti-American in a separate topic perhaps? No need for your anti American remarks in this thread.

[Markaew]

There are quite a few people on this forum who have no fuc#ing idea of what is really going on. Your posts are an insult to those of us suffering. Rabid opinions by a lot of people who probably don't even live in this country or are high and dry sitting on some bar stool pissing it up.

We have been flooded out for over 2 weeks now and the water is still rising! Sleep is a luxury that is grabbed every couple of hours as we continually have to pump out downstairs. Mosquito bites, open wounds and it's not getting any better. Try wading through this stinking rotten water everyday and maybe you might see the real side of this disaster.

These people who supply boat services are nothing but extortionists and I know as I have personally been on the receiving end of it every time we go out to try to get some supplies.

The first time it happened my wife arranged for some supplies to be delivered and 100 baht was agreed on, which was already a ripoff as the goods were delivered to the moo baan gate and they only had to be brought to our home. When the bitch in the boat got here she demanded 250 baht or she would not hand over the goods (goods a relative was giving us). She would have happily stolen the goods from us if we did not pay. I didn't know until after she left. If I had known it at the time it would have been a very different story.

And so it goes every day we have to go out. Boat owners demand a ridiculously high fee and if you don't pay it they just ignore you. Or as happened yesterday the bastard, after we paid him, decided that he didn't want to take us to our requested destination and told us to get off no where near we wanted to go. My wife said he received a phone call after we started and was obviously offered a bigger fee to take someone elsewhere.

Our neighbour and us now share a small boat so we can get to the gate. We usually leave the boat with the security guard (every time we do my wife gives him some money and always gives him some food when we return) and travel by other means to wherever we need to go. Yesterday when we finally got back the boat was gone. Where? The arsehol_e security guard 'rented' it out to someone else. He said he didn't think we would be back until much later.

I will bet my last baht that what I am describing here is going on all over areas that are flooded out.

This bullshit about 7 years fine and 140k baht fine for price gouging is just hot air, more thai police and government verbal diarrhoea. And don't even get me started on the 5k compo. What an insult!

Must say you really have bad luck, here the mayor made sure there is a free boat service that brings people to the front of the village. Many days there is a truck to pick people up (1 time a day). Must say the guys is great he did shame the people who refuse to pay the 300bt a month upkeep for the village to run. (people not paying it is a burden for others).

We have gotten many relief packages and free food. I think it really varies from place to place. We are in Bang Bua Thong / Bang Yai area.

But once i leave the village then yes the boat people are there to steal money. Thank god we are on a large road and military and other trucks pass. But you have to be patient and lucky to catch one.

I have heard this said before "you have really bad luck". It's not bad luck when you have thais targeting you for misfortune. Once they target you, they have a tenacity like a pit-bull. Somewhere along the way someone got pissed off at you and you probably don't know why. Now every time you turn around you have "bad luck" from a hoard or people not just the one. Luck has nothing to do with it.

[robblok]

Just couldn't wait to have the chance to bash America could you? Could you share with us why you are so Anti-American in a separate topic perhaps? No need for your anti American remarks in this thread.

As you were quoting me (wrongly i might add) i will reply.

I have seen this argument before and its mostly American's saying its free market. While most Europeans don't agree. So its not American bashing if its based on facts. I had someone (also American) defending the high price of water and saying it was good so only people who really need it would buy it then saying else it would be wasted.

So call bashing if you like but its based on facts. I have nothing against Americans, and im sure there are a Americans who will also not condone this. But many swear with free market while this is different in Europe.

[Sailfish1]

"Extortionate prices"? It's a free market, isn't it?

Actually, No, it is a monopoly controlled by the boat owners if there is no other means of transport.

A monopoly would be when one person or one company owns all the boats. That isn't the case here. Where I live there are laws against price gouging in emergencies. To me that has never made any sense. For example if I sold bottled water, and there was a tornado 200 miles away, why would I travel that far if I could just stay at home and sell it for the same price. However if I could charge any price I wanted to do, I might make the effort, and thus help meet a critical shortage.

The high price of boat transport will induce other boat owners to go that neighborhood, and thus by the law of supply and demand. lower the prices. And for every family that is "forced" to pay the high boat price, it only means that the good samaritans are able to help another family that really can't afford that price.

In most scenarios, your thinking is correct. But you have to consider extreme situations.

Lets say your car breaks down while crossing Arizona (in the desert - 100+ miles from any town).

Very quickly, you are on the verge of thirst exhaustion. You come to a shop - they notice you are dying of thirst. You want a bottle of water: $10,000.

You pay, or you die. Its a free market.

You think that is right? I feel sorry for greedy people like you.

[robokop]

Can confirm this in Sai Mai area. When we took our boat there to help people get out we were told to go somewhere else by a group of these operators. We just ignored them and continued to do what we do for free. But I saw money handed over for boat services on many occasions from 20 baht up and down a soi to 3000 baht to move household items out. 3000 for a car to be moved out.

Another annoying thing was the amount of government and non government officials, reporters, etc,. using boats to travel around and take photos. People were asking for help but these boats were packed full of officials and reporters already and all they said was that someone would come to get them soon. I just think its a bit inappropriate to use boats in this way when people are asking for, and need, help.

As for robberies its not just in the flood areas that these are on the increase. All over Bangkok right now violence seems to be on the increase with the amount of calls that the police are getting over the radios (which my rescue friends listen to). They said motor vehicle accidents are down but violence is up, including robberies. I'm really not sure why but perhaps they believe they will not get caught because of the disaster situation; police are too busy to respond or are unable to get to a location. Either way best to be a little more vigilant nowadays, lock your doors securely, keep your belongings safe, don't get into arguments with people (turn the other cheek), etc.

During times of natural disasters, those snakes all come out from under their rocks and prey on the innocent. They I guess feel they are safer because officals are very busy helping the victims and their manpower is spread very thin. This is very normal around the world when disaster strikes. There was little reports of this happening in Japan recently, but was it true or was it covered up?

[robblok]

There are quite a few people on this forum who have no fuc#ing idea of what is really going on. Your posts are an insult to those of us suffering. Rabid opinions by a lot of people who probably don't even live in this country or are high and dry sitting on some bar stool pissing it up.

We have been flooded out for over 2 weeks now and the water is still rising! Sleep is a luxury that is grabbed every couple of hours as we continually have to pump out downstairs. Mosquito bites, open wounds and it's not getting any better. Try wading through this stinking rotten water everyday and maybe you might see the real side of this disaster.

These people who supply boat services are nothing but extortionists and I know as I have personally been on the receiving end of it every time we go out to try to get some supplies.

The first time it happened my wife arranged for some supplies to be delivered and 100 baht was agreed on, which was already a ripoff as the goods were delivered to the moo baan gate and they only had to be brought to our home. When the bitch in the boat got here she demanded 250 baht or she would not hand over the goods (goods a relative was giving us). She would have happily stolen the goods from us if we did not pay. I didn't know until after she left. If I had known it at the time it would have been a very different story.

And so it goes every day we have to go out. Boat owners demand a ridiculously high fee and if you don't pay it they just ignore you. Or as happened yesterday the bastard, after we paid him, decided that he didn't want to take us to our requested destination and told us to get off no where near we wanted to go. My wife said he received a phone call after we started and was obviously offered a bigger fee to take someone elsewhere.

Our neighbour and us now share a small boat so we can get to the gate. We usually leave the boat with the security guard (every time we do my wife gives him some money and always gives him some food when we return) and travel by other means to wherever we need to go. Yesterday when we finally got back the boat was gone. Where? The arsehol_e security guard 'rented' it out to someone else. He said he didn't think we would be back until much later.

I will bet my last baht that what I am describing here is going on all over areas that are flooded out.

This bullshit about 7 years fine and 140k baht fine for price gouging is just hot air, more thai police and government verbal diarrhoea. And don't even get me started on the 5k compo. What an insult!

Must say you really have bad luck, here the mayor made sure there is a free boat service that brings people to the front of the village. Many days there is a truck to pick people up (1 time a day). Must say the guys is great he did shame the people who refuse to pay the 300bt a month upkeep for the village to run. (people not paying it is a burden for others).

We have gotten many relief packages and free food. I think it really varies from place to place. We are in Bang Bua Thong / Bang Yai area.

But once i leave the village then yes the boat people are there to steal money. Thank god we are on a large road and military and other trucks pass. But you have to be patient and lucky to catch one.

I have heard this said before "you have really bad luck". It's not bad luck when you have thais targeting you for misfortune. Once they target you, they have a tenacity like a pit-bull. Somewhere along the way someone got pissed off at you and you probably don't know why. Now every time you turn around you have "bad luck" from a hoard or people not just the one. Luck has nothing to do with it.

If you say so, just that my experiences here are totally different. Inside the mu bahn. Outside i get targeted too but others get targeted too. I meant it more that i am lucky to live in a muh bahn where the mayor really takes care of his ppl.

But im sure if you pissed off someone for some reason and you are now targeted your at their mercy right now.

[creck]

"Extortionate prices"? It's a free market, isn't it?

Actually, No, it is a monopoly controlled by the boat owners if there is no other means of transport.

A monopoly would be when one person or one company owns all the boats. That isn't the case here. SNIP

OK. Monopoly may not be exactly the right word - it is a cartel. Extortion anyway.

[Sailfish1]

Fortunately, I don't have a problem with being ripped off. Each day I have to wade through over a kilometer of waist-to-chest deep water to get to dry land on my way to work. The guards at our moo bahn won't give farangs a ride in the boat.

Frankly, I am not all that surpirsed. Many Thais don't like farangs - they tolerate farangs only for the money.

[Fookhaht]

Actually, No, it is a monopoly controlled by the boat owners if there is no other means of transport.

A monopoly would be when one person or one company owns all the boats. That isn't the case here. Where I live there are laws against price gouging in emergencies. To me that has never made any sense. For example if I sold bottled water, and there was a tornado 200 miles away, why would I travel that far if I could just stay at home and sell it for the same price. However if I could charge any price I wanted to do, I might make the effort, and thus help meet a critical shortage.

The high price of boat transport will induce other boat owners to go that neighborhood, and thus by the law of supply and demand. lower the prices. And for every family that is "forced" to pay the high boat price, it only means that the good samaritans are able to help another family that really can't afford that price.

In most scenarios, your thinking is correct. But you have to consider extreme situations.

Lets say your car breaks down while crossing Arizona (in the desert - 100+ miles from any town).

Very quickly, you are on the verge of thirst exhaustion. You come to a shop - they notice you are dying of thirst. You want a bottle of water: $10,000.

You pay, or you die. Its a free market.

You think that is right? I feel sorry for greedy people like you.

City vulture thinking. It would never happen at the location posited by this jaded poster. He's seen too many country-bumpkin-turned-Psycho Hollywood movies to eve. come up with a believable scenario.

[blackthorn2005]

The good Pol General knows where the overcharging is taking place (from complaints??) and has obviously reacted accordingly. No charges laid, but a fair percentage of the profits appropriated.

Next we wil have the pattaya jet ski crowd coming in....

And the jet skis of Patong who have no fear of "Boatservice operators deemed to be in violation of the Prices of Goods and Services Act, BE 2542, for overcharging face sentences of seven years in jail and/or fines of up to Bt140,000, Piya said."

[Fookhaht]

Actually, No, it is a monopoly controlled by the boat owners if there is no other means of transport.

A monopoly would be when one person or one company owns all the boats. That isn't the case here. Where I live there are laws against price gouging in emergencies. To me that has never made any sense. For example if I sold bottled water, and there was a tornado 200 miles away, why would I travel that far if I could just stay at home and sell it for the same price. However if I could charge any price I wanted to do, I might make the effort, and thus help meet a critical shortage.

The high price of boat transport will induce other boat owners to go that neighborhood, and thus by the law of supply and demand. lower the prices. And for every family that is "forced" to pay the high boat price, it only means that the good samaritans are able to help another family that really can't afford that price.

In most scenarios, your thinking is correct. But you have to consider extreme situations.

Lets say your car breaks down while crossing Arizona (in the desert - 100+ miles from any town).

Very quickly, you are on the verge of thirst exhaustion. You come to a shop - they notice you are dying of thirst. You want a bottle of water: $10,000.

You pay, or you die. Its a free market.

You think that is right? I feel sorry for greedy people like you.

City vulture thinking. It would never happen at the location posited by this jaded poster. He's seen too many country-bumpkin-turned-Psycho Hollywood movies to even come up with a believable scenario.

[johnefallis]

"Extortionate prices"? It's a free market, isn't it?

Exactly, they want it to be free. Besides that, by definition, doesn't extortion presume some kind of force is used?

If the government provided these services to those who can't afford it, the ones who could afford it would likely be the same ones who benefit from unrestricted profits when their own product or service is in demand.

I wonder who pays these boat operaters at times their service isn't in demand?

Maybe everybody should buy their own boat so they won't have to hire one when they need it?

That all being said, it's appalling that they are charging so much. How much are they charging?

Hey, do they take complaints on tuk tuk drivers that charge too much?

[slipperx]

wow a 140000 baht fine....................so when tis all over lets see how many people get fined????? I think we know the answer already. Thai love Thai

Seven years in prison for overcharging - 5 years in prison for defrauding someone of their property - Thai Law

Humph

[johnefallis]

"Extortionate prices"? It's a free market, isn't it?

Actually, No, it is a monopoly controlled by the boat owners if there is no other means of transport.

OMG,..Yeah, I'm sure these boat operators carefully planned this flood and supressed any competition just so they could monopolize boat transport. Which of course would also assume all the boats were operated by the same group so as not to compete with eachother...

[animatic]

"Extortionate prices"? It's a free market, isn't it?

This is why mankind developed governments.

Because men are not all altruistic and some are utterly amoral.

Of course then MEN moved into governments to get their slices

of the control of the people pie.

Free markets must have certain limits,

because some men have none at all.

[johnefallis]

"Extortionate prices"? It's a free market, isn't it?

Actually, No, it is a monopoly controlled by the boat owners if there is no other means of transport.

A monopoly would be when one person or one company owns all the boats. That isn't the case here. Where I live there are laws against price gouging in emergencies. To me that has never made any sense. For example if I sold bottled water, and there was a tornado 200 miles away, why would I travel that far if I could just stay at home and sell it for the same price. However if I could charge any price I wanted to do, I might make the effort, and thus help meet a critical shortage.

The high price of boat transport will induce other boat owners to go that neighborhood, and thus by the law of supply and demand. lower the prices. And for every family that is "forced" to pay the high boat price, it only means that the good samaritans are able to help another family that really can't afford that price.

Agreed.