City Cracks Down On Jet Ski Operators

[Rimmer]

City Cracks Down On Jet Ski Operators

PATTAYA:--City officials have announced new rules aimed at controlling Pattaya jet ski operators who rip off tourists. Under the new rules, penalties for violations can range from arrests and fines to termination of the rental operation.

PATTAYA – August 30, 2012 [PDN]; at 10:30 a.m., stricter rules for jet ski operators were proposed by city officials at the Pattaya Administration office. The action aims to tackle the long-standing problem of crooked jet ski operators.

A well-known scam is for jet ski operators to claim that renters damaged the craft during the rental, and demand large sums of money for the bogus repairs.

Threats and occasional violence have been used against protesting tourists. Several foreign embassies now warn their countrymen not to rent jet skis in Pattaya.

To tackle the problem, a special committee was appointed on August 9 by Chonburi provincial governor Mr. Komsan Aekkachai.

The committee is chaired by Mr. Ronnakit Akasing, the Deputy Lord Mayor of Pattaya. Other group members include the head of the tourism police station in Pattaya, the head of the Sriracha sea police,harbor office Pattaya branch; the Banglamung sheriff; several private organizations; and owners of jet ski operations.

The committee found that there are 168 operators of rental jet skis in the waters off Pattaya, Jomtien and Koh Larn Island. They collectively own a total of 452 jet skis and other watercraft.

In the breakdown, Pattaya Beach has 57 operators with 154 jet skis; Jomtien beach has 85 operators with 205 jet skis; and Koh Larn has 26 operators and 93 jet skis.

Full story: http://www.pattayada...-ski-operators/

--PATTAYA DAILY NEWS 2012-08-31

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[StealthEnergiser]

1. The need to set up a central service point for rentals at Pattaya beach, Jomtien beach and Koh Lan, for the convenience and safety of customers.

2. Set a standard service price for jet ski rentals, including the insurance price for accidents in the pricing of tickets.

3. The service time for rentals will not go past 6 p.m. daily.

4. Provide notice to operators of the exact punishment for violations, ranging from a soft punishment of arrests and fines, to terminating the business.

In cases of severe violations, such as beating tourists or extorting money, the harshest punishment of terminating the business will be immediately enforced.

After the Chonburi provincial governor gives his signature to the proposed rules, all of the jet ski operators in Pattaya will be notified, and required to acknowledge and adopt the new rules immediately.

Well how long will this take and does this now mean that all jet ski's have to be insured ? or are they playing with words ?

[BookMan]

If they wanted to stop the problem it could be done in a week by banning the operators who extort. Extortion for fake damages = instant ban and confiscation of jet ski. Easy.

It seems they really don't want to stop the problem, maybe there is too much money involved for all parties to close it down?

Every 6 months some new hardline policies are trotted out but nothing changes.

The real losers of course are the tourists who come for a holiday and naively believe they might have some protection against being scammed in such a busy tourist spot

Edited August 31, 2012 by BookMan

[Satcommlee]

Sting operations using foreign volunteers, undercover police and surveillance to ensure successful prosecutions of the known Jet Ski scammers.

Edit: Using External Police and not local Pattaya police.

Edited August 31, 2012 by Satcommlee

[RayHaas]

As they are basically a tour operator (dealing with tourist) they should comply with the rules under the supervision of Tourism Authority Thailand.

1. register your company proper

2. under the rule of TAT all passengers need to have insurance

3. should anything happen to the jet ski insurance deals with it

[thaikahuna]

I will be willing to bet that teh largest violators are the ones with "ties" closest to the police...

[pepi2005]

So in clear text that means one thing: that so far, ripoffs and scams were possible without any punishment.

This kind of sounds like if Chalerm would announce that "from now on, robberies in 7-Eleven shops will be punished".

I can't repeat it again and again: in Myanmar, stealing from tourists is punished with an obligatory minimum of 5 years heavy labour.

Take an example, Thailand!

Edited August 31, 2012 by pepi2005

[upena]

Just do like Krabi - ban jet-skis - period

[Scorpio1949]

Tourist season nearly over ( Europese schools ) started again and the big money is in and by Christmas everybody will have forgotten this fantastic ?????? solution ............................

[kiniyow]

Been going on for many years..Can't believe it until I see it....

[jacquesparra]

I donot really believe these scams will ever ends.

[NomadJoe]

As long as the law requiring the operators of any Thai flagged vessel (regardless of size) to have a Thai captains license, jet-ski's operated by tourists will always be illegal.

[Satcommlee]

I donot really believe these scams will ever ends.

If the Local problem is dealt with by a National Agency, then it is possible.

There is no doubt in my mind whatsoever that these scams are perpetrated with the blessing of local officials, it must be a huge revenue stream for the local tea money fund.

That is why in my opinion it must be dealt with and prosecuted by someone other than local police, perhaps the DSI based in Bangkok.

The local officials put out these bold statements in response from complaints by the government etc.. then nothing happens.

It could be a face saving way of dealing with it for the local police, as they can simply tell those caught in the act "We didn't know, sorry but you had a good run"

[wotaplonker]

If they wanted to stop the problem it could be done in a week by banning the operators who extort. Extortion for fake damages = instant ban and confiscation of jet ski. Easy.

It seems they really don't want to stop the problem, maybe there is too much money involved for all parties to close it down?

Every 6 months some new hardline policies are trotted out but nothing changes.

The real losers of course are the tourists who come for a holiday and naively believe they might have some protection against being scammed in such a busy tourist spot

imv an above board honest jet ski operation would be a sure fire money earner, I and 000's of tourists would love to jump on a jet ski, i'd pay between 500-1,000 baht per half hour/hour, in any one year a fleet of 50 jet skis would generate a lot of baht, so why does not this happen?

the Mafia who run the scam must be doing even better from robbing the naive? with local police and local pattaya council officials getting their cut they dont want to kill the golden goose, as previous and other posters have said it would be easy to stop, sadly the use of corruption seems to be a way of life in Thailand

[prakhonchai nick]

I can't repeat it again and again: in Myanmar, stealing from tourists is punished with an obligatory minimum of 5 years heavy labour.

Take an example, Thailand!

Some of the Arab countries cut off the hands of thieves!. Scammers be warned!

[msg362]

Haven't I seen this 'crackdown' reported a few months ago? Deja vu?????

[spidermark]

Wow. Imagine thailand arresting, and sentencing the jet Ski cockroachs to hard time, with labor. Man, would that word get around fast. Don Rickles must have written this article . Let us see if there is ONE man in thailand tough enough to stand up to these goombahs. They seem far more powerful than the police, the mayor, the governor, and maybe even the PM.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect App

[soidog52]

Some of the worst scammers on Pattaya Beach (in front of Beach Rd. Soi 11) got a little payback. I have a shop right there and have seen and heard about this mob being very aggressive and constantly scamming the masses. The crowd gathered to watch this were all in sync praising the justification of this jetski fire. They were trying to fuel the craft in the water while the engine was still hot, spilled some gas and the rest is history. Hooray for our team!!!!!

No idea why the picture did not attach. Any hints from the pros?

Edited August 31, 2012 by soidog52

[maidu]

Just do like Krabi - ban jet-skis - period

I didn't know that about Krabi. It's funny, I was down there vacationing, about 3 months ago, and now that you mention it, there weren't annoying loud and smoke-belching machines around on the waves, and there weren't daily extortions and ruined vacations there. Of course, the most reasonable policy for Pattaya and Phuket would be to ban all jetskis, 100%. They should have busted the extortionists, but that's beyond the authority's abilities.

Shame on Pattaya officials for waiting years to pretend to do the right thing. In the meantime, hundreds of tourists have had their vacations ruined. If you want something done as slow as humanly possible, get Thai bureaucracy involved.

[Hamlet07]

lets see 170 odd operators-15% min scammers=25 x 2 per day @ 30000 thb=1,500,000thb / $50,000--per day !!

[thurien]

Edit: Using External Police and not local Pattaya police.

I am afraid Thai Police have the fantastic ability to quickly chum up nation-wide whereever necessary

[brianP]

Two bummers, one is the legitimate people who i have always dealt with positive results will lose business, two, the stupid industry can't or won't develop an electric jet ski that isn't so loud and obnoxious. The scammers will focus on other scams if the farang educates everyone and bypass them outright!

[drdoom6996]

It will never happen, the POLICE are the Scam Operators. The Jet Ski Operators are just doing what they are told. And I wonder who the police are paying for the priviledge of operating the SCAM

[Tatsujin]

It's Thailand . . . corruption and graft are the rule of law, and no matter what, money talks here . . . until that basic fact changes, it's all words.

[jko]

Oh dear -

We have been seeing these 'crackdown' announcements for decades, and those of us who have been here a while know very well that they are really meaningless, without foundation. I remember my first visit to Pattaya in 1978 when identical 'crackdowns' were being resolutely trumpeted.

I'd like to suggest we don't post any more 'crackdown' news on the forum - let us wait until the problem is cracked, and then announce:

Pattaya Jet Ski Activity Now Fully Regulated.

Mafia wiped out. Tourists safe at last.

That may be by 2022. Probably never.

[bobobo]

It will calm down for a while..then business as usual...

[Pinot]

1. The need to set up a central service point for rentals at Pattaya beach, Jomtien beach and Koh Lan, for the convenience and safety of customers.

2. Set a standard service price for jet ski rentals, including the insurance price for accidents in the pricing of tickets.

3. The service time for rentals will not go past 6 p.m. daily.

4. Provide notice to operators of the exact punishment for violations, ranging from a soft punishment of arrests and fines, to terminating the business.

In cases of severe violations, such as beating tourists or extorting money, the harshest punishment of terminating the business will be immediately enforced.

After the Chonburi provincial governor gives his signature to the proposed rules, all of the jet ski operators in Pattaya will be notified, and required to acknowledge and adopt the new rules immediately.

Well how long will this take and does this now mean that all jet ski's have to be insured ? or are they playing with words ?

Wai...wai...wait a second. What are the chances of something like this happening? But, good on-ya.

[rbrooks]

Let them use Jet skis during the flooding instead of boat props to divert water this time and have the Thai government pay for it.

[JanKlaasen]

Is it possible that the OP keeps us updated as soon as the first rule enforcement has been announced?

I think it would not be a good idea for anyone to hold your breath untill that time.

[jmo]

Actually I read the news as the first really encouraging sign that something really could come out from it because now for the first time they have taken up the magic word: "insurance". That is the one thing that is key to solving the problem and that has been missing from all previous plans. Once the customers know that the jetskis do have insurance they are not so easily bullied to paying for damages out of pocket. All the previous plans could be seen from mile away as only meant to look tough but not actually work at all. Now all they need to implement these rules and there is one thing to look for whether there is going to be jetskis with known insurance available for rent or not. Unified pricing is not a good thing, but maybe necessary interim solution to weed out the no insurance scammers with lowball offers that leave no other possibility for the rental business to make profit than the scamming. The rates need to be higher to make it even theoretically possible to make money the honest way.

Edited August 31, 2012 by jmo