Phuket Opinion: Taxis – A Decade Of Blocking Progress

[Lite Beer]

Phuket Opinion: Taxis – a decade of blocking progress

Phuket Gazette -

PRESERVING SIN CITY: Taxi "cartels" and other law-breakers are being rewarded for undermining the rule of law. Image: Gazette Graphics

PHUKET: The recent police-ordered closure of tour counters run by Russian nationals in Kata-Karon is just the latest in a long series of protest-related events in Phuket that undermine the rule of law by rewarding law-breakers and punishing those who play by the rules.

The closure of the counters followed a blockade of the Karon beachfront by members of a so-called taxi “co-operative”, one whose self-proclaimed right to extort visiting tourists through collusion tactics is apparently deemed more important by police than the right of law-abiding citizens to drive on Patak Road.

The Kata-Karon co-op members are, of course, no strangers to protest tactics. They are the same group that in December 2002 took it upon themselves to form a mob to blockade Koktanode Road, successfully convincing police and other local authorities to force eco-tour operators to stop using their own vehicles to pick up passengers from local hotels – even though the practice is eminently legal.

Coming 10 years apart, the two protests serve as perfect bookends marking a full decade in which absolutely no progress has been made in tackling the activities of the local taxi syndicates, which have thoroughly besmirched Phuket’s reputation – not only among foreign tourists, but among visiting Thais as well.

The fact that protestors chose to set up the blockade right in front of the newly-opened Karon Police Station speaks for itself, demonstrating that the “drivers” have no fear of arrest and that they, not the police, will determine who can do what – and where they can do it.

We fully support the right of citizens to peaceful protest, yet this latest debacle was clearly illegal because the protesters blocked access to a public road. Once again, they thought nothing of inconveniencing thousands of people, and quite likely caused a certain number of unfortunate tourists to miss departing flights. After all, who else in their right mind would dare to help those tourists by picking them up in a place like Kata-Karon?

Let us not forget that this is the same turf where a songtaew (pickup truck modified to serve as a public transport vehicle) driver who had the audacity to run a route connecting Patong and Karon in 1994 was pulled from his vehicle and brutally beaten by local taxi drivers – just three days after he started the service. The route remains vacant to this day because no one dares to take it on out of sheer fear of a similar reprisal.

Few can fail to see the bitter irony in the fact that the illegal protesters actually appeal for sympathy as “locals” and wrap themselves in the Thai flag while breaking the Kingdom’s laws on a wholesale, daily basis – with flagrant impunity.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ress-19943.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2013-01-13

[StefanBBK]

I have decided not to go to Phuket anymore. Sorry to say, but over the last 15 years the place has become a huge rip-off. Taxi / transport being just one example.

Two years ago, on our last visit, a tuk tuk wanted to chare us 200 bhat/ person for an 800 mtr. ride.

My wife an daughter ended up taking a Bike for 10 bhat, I walked.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[hansgruber]

I have decided not to go to Phuket anymore. Sorry to say, but over the last 15 years the place has become a huge rip-off. Taxi / transport being just one example.

Two years ago, on our last visit, a tuk tuk wanted to chare us 200 bhat/ person for an 800 mtr. ride.

My wife an daughter ended up taking a Bike for 10 bhat, I walked.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

What a shame, we'll miss you.

[NamKangMan]

I have decided not to go to Phuket anymore. Sorry to say, but over the last 15 years the place has become a huge rip-off. Taxi / transport being just one example.

Two years ago, on our last visit, a tuk tuk wanted to chare us 200 bhat/ person for an 800 mtr. ride.

My wife an daughter ended up taking a Bike for 10 bhat, I walked.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

What a shame, we'll miss you.

We might not miss him, but Phuket will eventually miss the other 1,000,000 like him.

[hansgruber]

I have decided not to go to Phuket anymore. Sorry to say, but over the last 15 years the place has become a huge rip-off. Taxi / transport being just one example.

Two years ago, on our last visit, a tuk tuk wanted to chare us 200 bhat/ person for an 800 mtr. ride.

My wife an daughter ended up taking a Bike for 10 bhat, I walked.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

What a shame, we'll miss you.

We might not miss him, but Phuket will eventually miss the other 1,000,000 like him.

Oh come on. This anti phuket agenda you have is absurd.

How many threads must you ruin with it?

[Soupdragon]

Whilst it is more beneficially financially for those with the power to make changes to do nothing then nothing will change. Thai Rak Thai, don't make me laugh, Thai Rak Dollar is the language spoken here.

The cartel members have been empowered beyond their capacity to responsibly wield that power and have repeatedly demonstrated that they will fight, literally, anyone who tries to reign in that power.

[NamKangMan]

I have decided not to go to Phuket anymore. Sorry to say, but over the last 15 years the place has become a huge rip-off. Taxi / transport being just one example.

Two years ago, on our last visit, a tuk tuk wanted to chare us 200 bhat/ person for an 800 mtr. ride.

My wife an daughter ended up taking a Bike for 10 bhat, I walked.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

What a shame, we'll miss you.

We might not miss him, but Phuket will eventually miss the other 1,000,000 like him.

Oh come on. This anti phuket agenda you have is absurd.

How many threads must you ruin with it?

No agenda here. Most threads on the Phuket forum these days are negative, or asking for information. Bit hard to post something positive in a negative thread, but just to show you I am a "glass half full" kind of guy, the positive I see in this thread is the songtaew driver was only badly beaten, and not killed. :)

[saroq]

I have decided not to go to Phuket anymore. Sorry to say, but over the last 15 years the place has become a huge rip-off. Taxi / transport being just one example.

Two years ago, on our last visit, a tuk tuk wanted to chare us 200 bhat/ person for an 800 mtr. ride.

My wife an daughter ended up taking a Bike for 10 bhat, I walked.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

What a shame, we'll miss you.

We might not miss him, but Phuket will eventually miss the other 1,000,000 like him.

Oh come on. This anti phuket agenda you have is absurd.

How many threads must you ruin with it?

I think the news story speaks for itself. Some tourists have definitely decided to not be return visitors to Phuket and others may well follow if the scams, extortion and violence against tourists (perceived or otherwise) continues. There's nothing anti-Phuket about stating the obvious.

[KarenBravo]

Why hasn't anyone discussed the tuk-tuk and taxi problem with Mayor Pian and his son?

Everyone ignores the elephant in the room.

[Soupdragon]

Why hasn't anyone discussed the tuk-tuk and taxi problem with Mayor Pian and his son?

Everyone ignores the elephant in the room.

An audit of the families assets would reveal the root cause the problem.

[madmitch]

Why hasn't anyone discussed the tuk-tuk and taxi problem with Mayor Pian and his son?

Everyone ignores the elephant in the room.

The current problem is in Karon and Kata, nothing to do with the Patong mayor.

I don't know who 'controls,' the Karon and Kata tuktuk cartel but in many ways they are worse than their Patong neighbours. Perhaps their smaller numbers make them a more tight-knit group.

[Guest]

Why hasn't anyone discussed the tuk-tuk and taxi problem with Mayor Pian and his son?

Everyone ignores the elephant in the room.

The current problem is in Karon and Kata, nothing to do with the Patong mayor.

I don't know who 'controls,' the Karon and Kata tuktuk cartel but in many ways they are worse than their Patong neighbours. Perhaps their smaller numbers make them a more tight-knit group.

And Patong already fully controlled by the Tuk-Tuk mafia and therefore there is no more need for blockages?

[chooka]

So does the Russian Mafia now own Phuket?

[steelepulse]

Why hasn't anyone discussed the tuk-tuk and taxi problem with Mayor Pian and his son?

Everyone ignores the elephant in the room.

The current problem is in Karon and Kata, nothing to do with the Patong mayor.

I don't know who 'controls,' the Karon and Kata tuktuk cartel but in many ways they are worse than their Patong neighbours. Perhaps their smaller numbers make them a more tight-knit group.

And Patong already fully controlled by the Tuk-Tuk mafia and therefore there is no more need for blockages?

In case you didn't know, the mayor and his son (the president of the patong tuk tuk association) control all tuk tuk activities in Patong. IIRC, a few years back there was a gazette interview with the head of the Kata Karon association and the guy laughed when asked about kata karon tuk tuk mafia and said " do I look like a mafia guy"?

[KarenBravo]

The owner of the Tavorn hotel runs the Kata Karon tuk-tuks.

If resident expats know this, I'm sure the powers-that-be and the media know it too, yet, they are never mentioned.

[madmitch]

The owner of the Tavorn hotel runs the Kata Karon tuk-tuks.

If resident expats know this, I'm sure the powers-that-be and the media know it too, yet, they are never mentioned.

Interesting, as the rooms in the Thavorn Palm Hotel are occupied almost exclusively by Russians!

[JetsetBkk]

The owner of the Tavorn hotel runs the Kata Karon tuk-tuks.

If resident expats know this, I'm sure the powers-that-be and the media know it too, yet, they are never mentioned.

Tilok Thavornwongwongse? http://www.thavorngr...com/aboutus.htm

Not short of a bob or two:

"In year 1996, he donated over a thousand Rai of mining land to poor people in Trang; the amount is 1,500 Million Baht.

He donated land for Tavornkunaram temple, the present amount is 300 Million Baht.

He donated land for tourism transfer; the present amount is 100 Million Baht.

He donated land for Tedsabansong fresh market 300 Million Baht.

When it was folding, he donated canal to drain water to the sea 2 Kilometers, 20 Rai and the amount is 500 million Baht.

In year 1996-1998, he invested for 3,500 Million Baht to build Thavorn Beach Village

He donated 3,000 Million Baht to the Government"

http://www.tilokprop...om/about-us.htm

[steelepulse]

I was trying to find the interview with the kata karon tuk tuk president, couldn't find it, but did find this article from 2010 about how they were going to try meters..........Guess it didn't happen. http://www.phuket-info.com/forums/general/47051-more-tuk-tuk-trouble-phuket-5.html

[LivinginKata]

I was trying to find the interview with the kata karon tuk tuk president, couldn't find it, but did find this article from 2010 about how they were going to try meters..........Guess it didn't happen. http://www.phuket-in...e-phuket-5.html

[NamKangMan]

The owner of the Tavorn hotel runs the Kata Karon tuk-tuks.

If resident expats know this, I'm sure the powers-that-be and the media know it too, yet, they are never mentioned.

Tilok Thavornwongwongse? http://www.thavorngr...com/aboutus.htm

Not short of a bob or two:

"In year 1996, he donated over a thousand Rai of mining land to poor people in Trang; the amount is 1,500 Million Baht.

He donated land for Tavornkunaram temple, the present amount is 300 Million Baht.

He donated land for tourism transfer; the present amount is 100 Million Baht.

He donated land for Tedsabansong fresh market 300 Million Baht.

When it was folding, he donated canal to drain water to the sea 2 Kilometers, 20 Rai and the amount is 500 million Baht.

In year 1996-1998, he invested for 3,500 Million Baht to build Thavorn Beach Village

He donated 3,000 Million Baht to the Government"

http://www.tilokprop...om/about-us.htm

Making your tuk-tuks drive around to be used as baht buses pales into insignificance when you read those figures. Shame he wasn't so generous when it came to sustainable tourism on Phuket and decreasing the death and injury on Phuket roads due to the lack of public transport.

[Phuket Stu]

Why hasn't anyone discussed the tuk-tuk and taxi problem with Mayor Pian and his son?

Everyone ignores the elephant in the room.

I am reaching the point of looking to leave Phuket after all these years. Actually I am researching now. It has lost its charm that I fell in love with so long ago. The Tuk Tuk mafia are not above the law, they control the law to suit them.

[JetsetBkk]

Why hasn't anyone discussed the tuk-tuk and taxi problem with Mayor Pian and his son?

Everyone ignores the elephant in the room.

I am reaching the point of looking to leave Phuket after all these years. Actually I am researching now. It has lost its charm that I fell in love with so long ago. The Tuk Tuk mafia are not above the law, they control the law to suit them.

I have the solution.

There is clearly only one thing left to do...

[LivinginKata]

Why hasn't anyone discussed the tuk-tuk and taxi problem with Mayor Pian and his son?

Everyone ignores the elephant in the room.

I am reaching the point of looking to leave Phuket after all these years. Actually I am researching now. It has lost its charm that I fell in love with so long ago. The Tuk Tuk mafia are not above the law, they control the law to suit them.

I have the solution.

There is clearly only one thing left to do...