Patong Cracks Down On Street Touts

[george]

Patong cracks down on street touts

PATONG: -- Municipal officials will patrol the streets of Patong day and night this high season in a crackdown on touts and street vendors harassing tourists, Patong Deputy Mayor Chairat Sukbal has announced.

“We need to ensure that [touts] do not distribute leaflets or grab tourists’ hands to try to persuade them to buy from their shops. We will arrest them for being a public nuisance, which carries a maximum fine of 2,000 baht,” K. Chairat said.

“We have received many complaints from tourists who had been harassed by touts,” he added.

The latest move to curb street touts intrusive methods has already upset some shop owners. Patong tailor Niphon Narula explained to the Gazette that municipality officers arrested one of his shop staff for “just standing” in front of his shop on Thaweewong Rd.

“We weren’t handing out leaflets … If we annoyed tourists, we would be in the wrong, but he was just standing in front of our shop. How could they have arrested him?” he said.

K. Niphon said that on November 22 was the fourth time his staff member had been arrested. The first time incurred a 500 baht fine, and a 1,000-baht fine followed for each of the following two times. However, in his most recent arrest the staff member was let off with a warning.

K. Chairat said, “If they are just standing [in front of the shop], we will not arrest them. But we will be more strict in ensuring that tourists have a good holiday in Phuket.”

--Phuket Gazette 2005-12-01

[westcoastnative]

That's good to hear. I hope they follow through on their rhetoric.

[limbos]

That was the most annoying thing ever, the touts in Patong.

Extremely harrassing. Very disturbing to see that even Thais started to grab your hand.

[jrincon17]

That was the most annoying thing ever, the touts in Patong.

Extremely harrassing. Very disturbing to see that even Thais started to grab your hand.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It wasnt too bad ! Does anyone know if they opened that big mall at the end of bangla rd ?

[LivinLOS]

project stalled totally.. no work currently active on Jungceylon..

[Tornado]

“We weren’t handing out leaflets … If we annoyed tourists, we would be in the wrong, but he was just standing in front of our shop. How could they have arrested him?” he said.

yeah right! the typical "welcome" is, hello my friend with an out strecthed hand, followed by 500 words within 1 minute whilst still holding your hand and then following you down the street - after you have peeled the idjit from your person.

if not shaking hands, picking of nose is a major habit - unfortunately they do not go together.

[Insight]

Once upon a time a guy walked from one end of Patong to the other, went home, then invented the worlds first gun.

[Tornado]

Once upon a time a guy walked from one end of Patong to the other, went home, then invented the worlds first gun.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think that might of been Kuta Beach in Bali mate

I remember being hit by a tout selling paitings in Kuta, because I didnt want a painting. The guy was 3 foot 7 in heels. It wasnt funny at the time though.

[sadman]

That was the most annoying thing ever, the touts in Patong.

Extremely harrassing. Very disturbing to see that even Thais started to grab your hand.

That happened to me only once. While he held my right hand, I gently caressed his throat with my left, lifted him off the ground and suggested he might let go and never lay hands on me again.

The tourist policeman then walked over from the other side of the road and spoke sternly with the tout, who decided that he was on a loser and left.

[Pattaya_Fox]

Patong cracks down on street touts

PATONG: --

                                                                                                             

“We have received many complaints from tourists who had been harassed by touts,” he added.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ah! so it is true after all!!

[skorchio]

That was the most annoying thing ever, the touts in Patong.

Extremely harrassing. Very disturbing to see that even Thais started to grab your hand.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The touts in Thailand are mild by international standards - the touts in Patong are not so bad by Thai standards. The street vendors generally leave you alone with the first utterance of "mae aow Kap". Spend an evening around Nana, they'll drive you effin mental. As for the Indian tailors, if you are stupid enough to shake their hand, then dont complain here.

And as someone mentioned earller, go to Bali to fully appreciate how annoying street touts can be - indeed they can actually ruin a trip. I will never again go back to Bali, a decision I made long before terrorist activities.

Having said all that, it will be a more pleasant place without the unsolicited marketing

[sonthaya]

The touts in Patong isn't that bad, I simply walk past and ignore them, it works fine for me, no problem.

[Silent Tiger]

Thank God so not only me who thinks so then

They are a pain in the arse & should have everything taken from them & even put in jail for a month

sonthaya you probelly look worse than them so they leave you alone !!!

[solo siam]

Silent Tiger, You keep popping up in the Phuket forum, even after constantly saying how much you despise Phuket. Island envy perhaps?

[Silent Tiger]

Ben

I had some of my best times ever in Phuket in 91 to 98 & when i seen it in July this year it was a S**T hole & was shocked that such a lovely fantastic place could change so much.

We went to Patong to help local businesses i had very found memories but was taken back.

Its not envy its dispair i hope it recovers & the good days go back as i say some of my best times ever in Thailand was there in the newly built Patong Merlin the people were the nicest along with Issan people i had ever met in my life

[khall64au]

Ben

I had some of my best times ever in Phuket in 91 to 98 & when i seen it in July this year it was a S**T hole & was shocked that such a lovely fantastic place could change so much.

We went to Patong to help local businesses i had very found memories but was taken back.

Its not envy its dispair i hope it recovers & the good days go back as i say some of my best times ever in Thailand was there in the newly built Patong Merlin the people were the nicest along with Issan people i had ever met in my life 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

GET A GRIP!!!!!!!! " when i seen it in July this year it was a S**T hole & was shocked that such a lovely fantastic place could change so much." .............

You really are pushing it aren't you Silent Tiger? Were you in Phuket during the tsunami?

Do you understand what most people went through?

We don't say much..... but it was a TERRIBLE time in our lives.

Please stop your trash now!

[sonthaya]

Thank God so not only me who thinks so then 

They are a pain in the arse & should have everything taken from them  & even put in jail for a month 

sonthaya you probelly look worse than them so they leave you alone !!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You should talk, and what does my looks have to do with the subject, I think you are getting a bit personal, just because we don't agree on Phuket.