Aussies Warned About Phuket Scamsters

[TomTao]

Once I finished reading the article I shared it on Facebook to maximise the awareness of what is going on in Phuket.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect App

[saltandpepper]

Posted 2012-06-22 16:40:28

Chalerm vows to get rid of mafia in tourism businesses

BANGKOK: -- Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung Friday has vowed to get rid of the mafia groups in the tourism business within three months.

http://www.thaivisa....within-3-month/

Obviously this is a FAIL

[LuckyLew]

Until the local cops and politicians decide to stop the scams and rips off

it will remain the same. Have lived here for 4 years and used to visit

Phuket every three months but have not been in over a year.

Not worth the hassles

From the time you step of the plane you are bombarded with local

mafias trying to rip you off. Even sitting on the beach is no longer

relaxing as you are asked to buy something every five minutes.

The embassies should all go on a massive media blitz for about a month

leading up to all high seasons to warm it's citizens.

Until the people stop coming it will remain same sam

[Payboy]

So be careful everywhere basically...or just stay in your hotel room

At least that's safe since they demolished the Downtown Inn.

[cloudhopper]

Posted 2012-06-22 16:40:28

Chalerm vows to get rid of mafia in tourism businesses

BANGKOK: -- Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung Friday has vowed to get rid of the mafia groups in the tourism business within three months.

http://www.thaivisa....within-3-month/

Obviously this is a FAIL

Obviously he never intended to do anything more than crow. The entire government structure here is nothing but a crime syndicate, and the natives are victimized right along with the foreigners.

[metisdead]

A post containing overly derogatory comments regarding Phuket has been removed.

[BuffaloRescue]

Just a question - if you were to be accused of damaging jet ski. Could you just contact your travel insurance company. Most have public liability insurance?

[masaomi]

Those scumbags are taking the noose & hanging themselves with it. I say: give them enough rope to hang themselves! The way they are abusing the tourists. They deserves it.

[terryp]

He also said there were 840k UK visitors to Thailand last year.

It would be interesting to know how this figure is obtained, is it UK based Thai visa applications?..or is it a massive round up from all Thai visas issued Worldwide onto a UK held passport

[phuketrichard]

I've never been to Phuket, and with all the things I've heard I never intend to - it doesn't sound much like the places in thailand I know and love to visit.

its a real shame to see this sort of thing - especially when there are actually wonderful places to visit with lovely people living there.

Phuket just sounds like a cesspool though...

PLease don't equate all that happens to all of Phuket, there are plenty of nice places on this island.

Just cause shit happens in Patong an karon/kata does not mean the whole island is lost ( YET)

Edited December 24, 2012 by phuketrichard

[spidermike007]

Same old scams.

Same old extortions.

Same old rip offs.

Same old corruption.

Same old lack of action by Government here to fix what is clearly having a negative impact on the tourism industry and on tourists in general.

The Sydney Morning Herald is a very widely read publication and website in Australia. The article doesn't describe Phuket as a great place for a holiday, especially the death statistics towards the end of the article, although some of those deaths would be from natural causes.

If Phuket truly wants to "brand" itself, it needs to raise the quality of the product they are advertising and marketing to the world, or face a declining market share in the future. In fact, I would say they have already lost a lot of the western tourist market to rival places in Thailand, and neighbouring countries.

Through this article, and many other similar articles, the Australian and British Government are informing their citizens that Phuket is not a quality product/place for a holiday, yet nothing has been done at a local level to address the issues that has plagued Phuket for years.

From memory, I can not think of any other tourist desination in the world where the Ambassadors of two countries have to go to the public media to release safety and security warnings to their citizens. The amount of victims here are obviously draining the Embassy's resources to cope.

The general attitude of officials here is it's the tourists fault for getting scammed, robbed, extorted, assualted etc. They view tourists with utter contempt.

I, like many others, have given up hope for positive change here. That said, the only question that remains is, just how bad are they going to allow it to get here????

Sad to see a great place slowly slip down the S bend.

Absolutely spot on commentary. Yes, the impotent government officials commit dereliction of duty every day of their lives, by avoiding the tasks they were elected to carry out. It feels as if they simply do not care, of feel the protection of foreigners, at the expense of Thai criminals, is beneath them. Well, the reality is that Thailand will pay the price over time. This in addition to not implementing the laws that would insure that Thailand moves forward in the world. They have already paid the price, in that the thai economy has continued to decline, relative to the rest of the region. Indonesia has far surpassed Thailand already, due to progressive (a word most thai officials have never heard of, nor used) legislation, and forward thinking, and Malaysia is right on it's heels. Thailand has gone from being #21 in the world just 6 years ago, to #26, in terms of overall GDP. It will continue to decline unless some positive steps are taken. Who has the wisdom, and courage to implement them?

[spidermike007]

He also said there were 840k UK visitors to Thailand last year.

It would be interesting to know how this figure is obtained, is it UK based Thai visa applications?..or is it a massive round up from all Thai visas issued Worldwide onto a UK held passport

Yes, this information is fabricated on a daily basis. Never believe a word coming from a government official, whether it be thailand, or elsewhere. But, the tourism ministry here is very unreliable.

[chooka]

Just a question - if you were to be accused of damaging jet ski. Could you just contact your travel insurance company. Most have public liability insurance?

I think that would make it difficult for the operators and the police to divide up money at the ATM.

[noddy77]

I think wherever there are tourists there will be scams and corruption. We have seen it in Rome as well. The scams that go on there is just a disgusting as Phuket. However I think the big difference is in Phuket if you stand your ground and refuse to pay 12 Thais will beat you sensless with big sticks until you offer to pay. I have seen this happen in front of the guy's daughter who was being beaten. Extremely traumatic for everyone watching. The Police looked the other way.

I think the Australian Government should do more to warn travellers to Phuket. They have an obligation to do so and they are failing at that obligation.

[chooka]

My father owns/runs a travel agency in Melbourne and he was saying Phuket/Thailand was once a popular destination amongst his customers looking for a week away but still close to home. He was telling me that over the last 3 years it is fading away as a destination amongst Aussies and many are now turning thier attention to Vietnam which he says is starting to boom as a S/E Asian holiday destination.

[Baerboxer]

He also said there were 840k UK visitors to Thailand last year.

It would be interesting to know how this figure is obtained, is it UK based Thai visa applications?..or is it a massive round up from all Thai visas issued Worldwide onto a UK held passport

I think it must be based on info obtained from the airlines and / or travel industry. Most Brtitish holidaymakers would not bother with a visa as the 30 days on arrival would be sufficient.

[stewieg]

Yes and all the other scams as well go there at your own peril

i say, have been there for holidays and will not go back

only the newbies go there till they learn then i doubt most would go back

Yes and all the other scams as well go there at your own peril

i say, have been there for holidays and will not go back

only the newbies go there till they learn then i doubt most would go back

I've just been to Phuket and didn't like it much, I'm more of a Pattaya man. What got me is the English guys hassling me with promotions where you end up in an office for hours while someone tries to sell you timeshare apartments, and the Indian tailors trying to sell suits, I also got hassled everywhere else by the massage ladies, these I don't mind as they are Thai and I love their smils even though I don't want a massage. I wouldn't give the jetski or any other scams I hear about the time of day. I've been travelling in SE Asia for 15 years now and of course I've been scammed myself. Reading on the forums helps you to become aware.

[weegee]

Merry Xmas....to all those expats in Phuket...and the rest staying in whats left of a once good place....

[A_Traveller]

The 800k figure comes from "Source: Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports" according to the FCO [Foreign & Commonwealth Office] website.

I add the link to this page because some might find it worthwhile to review what the British authorities are really saying, but I suspect that the majority of people don't read this, perhaps a pity that the page is not more widely publicised.

http://www.fco.gov.u...ceania/thailand

Regards

/Edit typo/

Edited December 24, 2012 by A_Traveller

[simple1]

He also said there were 840k UK visitors to Thailand last year.

It would be interesting to know how this figure is obtained, is it UK based Thai visa applications?..or is it a massive round up from all Thai visas issued Worldwide onto a UK held passport

As the vast majority of UK nationals would only need a 30 day entry stamp the figure provided would not be based upon visa numbers issued by Thai Embassies and consulates. Info quoted from Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports. Quote from the FCO website http://www.fco.gov.u...ceania/thailand follows:

General - Consular Assistance - Statistics

Over 800,000 British nationals visit Thailand every year (Source: Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports). 978 British nationals required consular assistance in Thailand between 1 April 2011 and 31 March 2012, including for the following types of incident: 296 deaths; 217 hospitalisations; 204 arrests for a variety of offences.

EDIT: Australian government forecasts approx 800K Australians will travel to Thailand in 2013

Edited December 24, 2012 by simple1

[Halion]

Until there is a significant shift in the Governments moral and ethical attitude and a complete dismantling of the so called Royal Thai Police, Thailand will continue on the current path of decline. The lack of integrity and honesty within the Thai police is a cancer which is destroying the quality of life for all in this country. They are beyond useless.

With the two embasy's coming out with travel alerts it is good to see that there are still people in positions of influence who have the courage and gumption to tell it like it is.

I for one would like to see the international media castigate this country for their corruption and rampant dishonesty as I feel that this is the only way to get the local population to wake up to the actual realities of their Government, or the lack there off.

[simple1]

The 800k figure comes from "Source: Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports" according to the FCO [Foreign & Commonwealth Office] website.

I add the link to this page because some might find it worthwhile to review what the British authorities are really saying, but I suspect that the majority of people don't read this, perhaps a pity that the page is not more widely publicised.

http://www.fco.gov.u...ceania/thailand

Regards

/Edit typo/

The Australian government travel advisory web site is published via the media, both print and TV. FYI go to http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Thailand

[rekkie]

The best policy is for us all, like the Ambassadors, name and shame the corruption.

1. To warn those that don't know and educate them as to what might happen to them

2. To put what pressure we can to get some action, to get a deputy prime minister to talk about it is a very positive step, the action though we do not hold much of a candle for unless more and more negtive publicity comes out.

3. To stop or slow down the earnings of these bad people as the faster they earn the more corrupt they will become.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Shouldn't the advice be to simply go to places nicer than Phuket?

But then again the scammers would just follow the tourists, maybe better to keep the number of such cesspools limited.

[cloudhopper]

PLease don't equate all that happens to all of Phuket, there are plenty of nice places on this island.

Just cause shit happens in Patong an karon/kata does not mean the whole island is lost ( YET)

Really? I'm in Phuket now and invite you to name a few.

[fish fingers]

Phuket is a pit, masquerading as 'high end'. Expensive restaurants churn out piped music for the dullard farang with money and no class. Everyone is up to something dodgy, for example the local design magazine is run by a known fraudster, who set himself up on Phuket after running away from Spain owing thousands from some property scam. There are 100s of stories like this. Also has the highest rate of HIV in thailand so beware.

[notime]

Thailand has gone from being #21 in the world just 6 years ago, to #26, in terms of overall GDP. It will continue to decline unless some positive steps are taken. Who has the wisdom, and courage to implement them?

That's only according to PPP (purchasing power parity) concept of GDP that can be easily twisted. On real, nominal GDP figures Thailand is on the position between 91 and 97 as assessed by various organisations:

http://en.wikipedia....nal)_per_capita

Not that Thai people know that, or give a dam_n. Their country is still the best and biggest in the world and all foreigners are stupid.

Edited December 24, 2012 by notime

[Beng]

Same old scams.

Same old extortions.

Same old rip offs.

Same old corruption.

Same old lack of action by Government here to fix what is clearly having a negative impact on the tourism industry and on tourists in general.

The Sydney Morning Herald is a very widely read publication and website in Australia. The article doesn't describe Phuket as a great place for a holiday, especially the death statistics towards the end of the article, although some of those deaths would be from natural causes.

If Phuket truly wants to "brand" itself, it needs to raise the quality of the product they are advertising and marketing to the world, or face a declining market share in the future. In fact, I would say they have already lost a lot of the western tourist market to rival places in Thailand, and neighbouring countries.

Through this article, and many other similar articles, the Australian and British Government are informing their citizens that Phuket is not a quality product/place for a holiday, yet nothing has been done at a local level to address the issues that has plagued Phuket for years.

From memory, I can not think of any other tourist desination in the world where the Ambassadors of two countries have to go to the public media to release safety and security warnings to their citizens. The amout of victims here are obviously draining the Embassy's resources to cope.

The general attitude of officials here is it's the tourists fault for getting scammed, robbed, extorted, assualted etc. They view tourists with utter contempt.

I, like many others, have given up hope for positive change here. That said, the only question that remains is, just how bad are they going to allow it to get here????

Sad to see a great place slowly slip down the S bend.

Yep spot on I would say ...real shame ...

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

Agreed!!

[JSixpack]

hopefully some will learn from it.

Nah.

[spidermike007]

Thailand has gone from being #21 in the world just 6 years ago, to #26, in terms of overall GDP. It will continue to decline unless some positive steps are taken. Who has the wisdom, and courage to implement them?

That's only according to PPP (purchasing power parity) concept of GDP that can be easily twisted. On real, nominal GDP figures Thailand is on the position between 91 and 97 as assessed by various organisations:

http://en.wikipedia....nal)_per_capita

Not that Thai people know that, or give a dam_n. Their country is still the best and biggest in the world and all foreigners are stupid.

The GDP figures, based on per capita, are quite misleading, as you have countries like Monaco, Luxembourg, and Bermuda on the top of the list. These are incredibly irrelevent countries on the world stage. Thailand has major manufacturing, and the point I was trying to make was that if the country does not protect it's FDI sponsors, then what direction is it going to move in?