Phuket Blockade Wins Tuk-Tuk Drivers Reprieve From Russian Operators

[chiangmaikelly]

I love tuk tuks

not sure about a Russian tuk tuk though

I think it would work.

[noob7]

I love tuk tuks

not sure about a Russian tuk tuk though

This kind? Strange taste:

[NomadJoe]

Practical improvements are rare, the pink buses are one.

Not to take your illusions, but:

The pink buses have been the small yellow aircon buses, before. Only change color and design!

They aren't meant for tourists, they are meant for locals, to get to school, to work, to university, to the big shopping markets.

It's a side effect, that they are useful for some foreigners, too.

And they are only in Phuket town! Where you still can find Tuk Tuks, that are not in line at the touristic places, are driving you from Town to Chalong, for about 200 baht!

I am aware of that. I don't really care about the tourists in particular.

If you don't care about the tourists, then do you care about the stifling traffic? The death tolls on the roads? The parking taken up by all the taxi's? The thousands of sustenance wage earning Thai's and their children that live, work, and go to school in and around the tourist areas that have no reasonably priced, safe, public transport?

[hans booreiland]

Easiest fix in the world. Introduce metered taxis to Phuket. I never understood why an area as large and well populated as Phuket doen't have taxis. Or why I had to pay 500Baht for a trip that should cost 60. I once had a business investment in Phuket. I thought it was heaven on earth. I divested a long time ago. Let the Russians have it, Phuket has long ago turned into another Pattaya snake pit.

Does Pattaya have a tuk tuk mafia? I think you are mistaken.

they have the Bahtbus mafia, its not that bad.

[Guest]

Practical improvements are rare, the pink buses are one.

Not to take your illusions, but:

The pink buses have been the small yellow aircon buses, before. Only change color and design!

They aren't meant for tourists, they are meant for locals, to get to school, to work, to university, to the big shopping markets.

It's a side effect, that they are useful for some foreigners, too.

And they are only in Phuket town! Where you still can find Tuk Tuks, that are not in line at the touristic places, are driving you from Town to Chalong, for about 200 baht!

I am aware of that. I don't really care about the tourists in particular.

If you don't care about the tourists, then do you care about the stifling traffic? The death tolls on the roads? The parking taken up by all the taxi's? The thousands of sustenance wage earning Thai's and their children that live, work, and go to school in and around the tourist areas that have no reasonably priced, safe, public transport?

Those are the areas I care.

Sent from my GT-S5360B using Thaivisa Connect App

[waza]

Charlem should have been all over this

[Suffinator]

If the Thais think it's bad now just wait for ASIAN to kick in and then all Filipinos will be at it as well. With little, or no competition the Tuk Tuk's and Taxis will continue to rape the tourist. Local officials cannot introduce a local bus service for fear of reprisals.

[fire and ice]

So the Thais demonstrate again that they are incapable to operate any business

efficiently and are to dumb to to compete. To fix this they force the efficient, smart

foreign operators to close ...

Sounds like business as usual in Thailand .....

I agree that they are terrible but don't they have a right to strike and/or blockade?

What? Striking is about employees placing demands upon employers. This is not a strike; its micro business operators demanding less competition and continuance of a (criminal) cartel.

[Jimi007]

If the Thais think it's bad now just wait for ASIAN to kick in and then all Filipinos will be at it as well. With little, or no competition the Tuk Tuk's and Taxis will continue to rape the tourist. Local officials cannot introduce a local bus service for fear of reprisals.

ASEAN is a free trade agreement is it not? I have not heard of labor laws changing, although they may because of the free trade agreement or I may not be up to date with the latest news on this as it doesn't really affect me. Current labor laws can be seen here: http://www.bdo-thaitax.com/bdo/employment-foreigners

[starkey_rich]

posted by chaingmaikelly.

"There are two Russian go go bars on Walking street. No American go go bars on Walking street"

I wonder why.?

This is Lulu an American pole dancer

.

[Unwisemonkey]

Phuket has long ago turned into another Pattaya snake pit.

Oh no. You're wrong. Pattaya has never been as low class and trashy as Phuket. Infested with lying thieves and murderers. I hope the Russians beat them flat.

I've been to Pattaya once and Phuket twice now with a much longer duration of stay in Phuket. I tend to agree with your POV after my experience Phuket just seems to be a magnet for scum and villainy. It's the Mos Eisley of Star War's where Pattaya is more like pleasure Island from Pinnochio.

[noob7]

If the Thais think it's bad now just wait for ASIAN to kick in and then all Filipinos will be at it as well. With little, or no competition the Tuk Tuk's and Taxis will continue to rape the tourist. Local officials cannot introduce a local bus service for fear of reprisals.

ASEAN is a free trade agreement is it not? I have not heard of labor laws changing, although they may because of the free trade agreement or I may not be up to date with the latest news on this as it doesn't really affect me. Current labor laws can be seen here: http://www.bdo-thait...ment-foreigners

Asean means also: No visas, can work in every ASEAN country!

Or what do you think, why the EVASON planed to come back in the beginning of 2014?

Now probably 2015.

[khaowong1]

The blockade disbanded at about 11pm, but only after Lt Col Narong agreed to the protestors’ primary demand of closing all tour service counters operated by Russian tour companies in Kata-Karon until a long-term solution is reached.

I love how the police just cave in to the demands of the tuk tuk/taxi mafia every time they do a blockade...

I was thinking the same thing.. These guys are not police by any stretch of the imagination. they are paid lackeys by the tuk-tuk mafia. I hope the Russians bring in some support. I'm not advocating violence, just saying someone needs to stand up to these jackals.

[Gerryasia]

So what kind of improvement do you see in the pink buses?

The yellow ones have been there before, for years, the improvement seems to be the 'no air', then?

The routes are well defined and documented. Bus stops are clearly marked, like in developed world. Those little changes make it official.

http://panphuket.com/pink-buses

There are some small buses going from north to the south of the island, but I guess less people who knows when and where.

That was the micro bus before, too:

(http://phuket.thaivi...-around-phuket/)

Micro Bus

These are small yellow and green buses commonly found in and around Phuket Town operating between 06.00 and 20.00, with very cheap fares between 10 and 20 baht. There are clearly marked stops on many of the roads and outside the Tesco Lotus and Big C superstores. They don’t operate anywhere else around the island, however

And since "I don't really care about the tourists in particular.": I think, the locals are knowing that, without any website in English!

So the improvement for them is....?

When I lived there...there were old open air buses running around the south end of the island all day. Are they still going? And ,for sure, the locals know how to avoid the idiot TukTuks and some hotels will 'quietly' help you with that. '_'

[NomadJoe]

Here is a sample of experiences of our guests just in the past week.

2 girls go to Nai Harn beach from Kata. 300B. To return they are told 1000B. They inquire as to why it is over 3x the price and get yelled at by the driver. Girls are terrified.

<snip>

I hear these stories every day. We have guests checking out and leaving Phuket never to come back because of this. These guys are seriously adding to the problem of the loss quality Eurozone, American, Aussie etc. travelers. What is left is the low budget, package travelers (i.e Russians, Chinese etc), They are destroying this island. I foresee our business leaving Phuket soon because of these problems.

F the taxi mafia. They will get what they deserve.

And that just n one week from one hotel. Multiply that by hundreds of accommodation places.

Yep. We are getting a lot of no shows. And sometimes they contact us after and tell us that they didn't show up because they were diverted, basically kidnapped and told they had to book somewhere else of the tour desk or taxi drivers choosing because they didn't know where we were located. I swear it's about 4 out of 5 guests have these stories. I put each one on the phone with my friends at PG or PW.

Edited January 5, 2013 by NomadJoe

[NomadJoe]

Here is a sample of experiences of our guests just in the past week.

<snip, no need to quote the whole post>

F the taxi mafia. They will get what they deserve.

Caring management. Sounds like the type of hotel I'd like to stay in when traveling. Please send me a PM AFTER you relocate out of Phuket.

Yeah, no kidding. I hear Koh Lanta is nice.

I felt so bad for the two girls trying to get back from Nai Harn. The driver apparently threatened them even raised his fists like he was going to hit them. The girls were genuinely scared to leave the hostel after that.

[NomadJoe]

posted by chaingmaikelly.

"There are two Russian go go bars on Walking street. No American go go bars on Walking street"

I wonder why.?

This is Lulu an American pole dancer

.

Apparently you haven't seen what these Russian go go bar girls on Bangla look like. Porky mingers, most of'em.

[NomadJoe]

Phuket has long ago turned into another Pattaya snake pit.

Oh no. You're wrong. Pattaya has never been as low class and trashy as Phuket. Infested with lying thieves and murderers. I hope the Russians beat them flat.

I've been to Pattaya once and Phuket twice now with a much longer duration of stay in Phuket. I tend to agree with your POV after my experience Phuket just seems to be a magnet for scum and villainy. It's the Mos Eisley of Star War's where Pattaya is more like pleasure Island from Pinnochio.

Haha, my old sig used to be "Patong; You will never find a more retched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious."

[aechzen]

i want to see a fight between tuk tuk drivers and russians !!

[Soupdragon]

I want to hear the from the Russian tourists, who are in this case the customers, why they choose not to use the local drivers.

Any guesses as to the answers ???

[stevenl]

I want to hear the from the Russian tourists, who are in this case the customers, why they choose not to use the local drivers.

Any guesses as to the answers ???

Easy, a lot of them booked a complete package tour including excursions, and don't have the money to spend anything here. That's why restaurants and bars are really hurting.

The other ones, the ones who do have money to spend, are too low in numbers to make up for the first group.

Closing these tour agents won't have any real effect, this is a fight about nothing since the money has never entered Thailand and never will.

[bunta71]

It is illegal to perform work in Thailand that can be performed by Thais - deport those Russians not complying with the law.

Thais cannot perform these simple tasks. They cannot drive safely or competently and as far as communicating?? Impossible.

[Soupdragon]

I want to hear the from the Russian tourists, who are in this case the customers, why they choose not to use the local drivers.

Any guesses as to the answers ???

Easy, a lot of them booked a complete package tour including excursions, and don't have the money to spend anything here. That's why restaurants and bars are really hurting.

The other ones, the ones who do have money to spend, are too low in numbers to make up for the first group.

Closing these tour agents won't have any real effect, this is a fight about nothing since the money has never entered Thailand and never will.

So why have 100+ tour agents. Surely they can't all be just currency cleaners.

You are assuming that only Russians are booking with the tour operators. There are other nationalities here and I would guess they are just shopping for the best deal irrespective of who runs the operation.

[spidermike007]

Everyone is talking about reform, and getting the goombah drivers to comply, but I doubt it is going to happen. The local mafias seem to be more powerful than the police, and the central or state governments seem to have zero interest in getting involved. Not sure why they can do it in bangkok, but not in phuket, or samui. Koh Samui is by far the most lawless land in thailand, and the mafias (definition - 13 year old girl in a man's body, who craves power, and money, and has no conscience. In other words a human insect) rule both the mayors office, and the police. A year or so ago the new "sheriff" in town made a big deal about announcing that the samui taxis would use their meters from now on, after a meeting with the cockroach council. There were so many complaints he felt compelled to do something. A week later not a taxi on the island would use their meters. Now, it is 300 baht to go 1km. So, that means the sheriff is incompetent, lacking power, and worse, right? So, there is your answer. Sad, but true.

[BradinAsia]

If the Thais think it's bad now just wait for ASIAN to kick in and then all Filipinos will be at it as well. With little, or no competition the Tuk Tuk's and Taxis will continue to rape the tourist. Local officials cannot introduce a local bus service for fear of reprisals.

You meant to say ASEAN, no doubt?

[stevenl]

I want to hear the from the Russian tourists, who are in this case the customers, why they choose not to use the local drivers.

Any guesses as to the answers ???

Easy, a lot of them booked a complete package tour including excursions, and don't have the money to spend anything here. That's why restaurants and bars are really hurting.

The other ones, the ones who do have money to spend, are too low in numbers to make up for the first group.

Closing these tour agents won't have any real effect, this is a fight about nothing since the money has never entered Thailand and never will.

So why have 100+ tour agents. Surely they can't all be just currency cleaners.

You are assuming that only Russians are booking with the tour operators. There are other nationalities here and I would guess they are just shopping for the best deal irrespective of who runs the operation.

Russians, Chinese and Koreans in a vast majority have all their trips already set up as a all inclusive package with their tour operator. And yes, those touroperators are exclusively Russian, Chinese, etc.

[BlackPuddingBertha]

Does Pattaya have a tuk tuk mafia? I think you are mistaken.

Pattaya has a song tiew mafia, same same.

Ah. That would be the famous Pattaya bahtbus mafia that provides transportation 24/7 along all the main thoroughfares of Pattaya for a set 10B per person per trip. Not quite same same really, is it?

Cheap, efficient and regular bahtbus transport is one of Pattaya's really strong points, closely followed by good cheap food and good cheap accommodation. All so very different to Phuket, which is nothing but a permanent rip-off from top to bottom.

[Guest]

So, the great war of Phuket has started?

http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Two-locals-attacked-by-Russian-men-in-Surin-19896.html

[stevenl]

There is a Riussian travelagent in my street, but he is open as usual. Open means he is inside the shop and nobody comes, I have never seen any potential guest there.

[noob7]

There is a Riussian travelagent in my street, but he is open as usual. Open means he is inside the shop and nobody comes, I have never seen any potential guest there.

Business is handled by the accounting office.