Phuket Opinion: Forever At The Mafia's Mercy

[Lite Beer]

Phuket Opinion: Forever at the mafia’s mercy
Phuket Gazette -

Sea taxis would just skirt the issue, not solve the real problem. Image: Gazette Graphics

PHUKET: The proposal by the chief of the Phuket Marine Office to launch a “sea taxi” to ferry passengers between Patong and Phuket International Airport deserves credit for innovation, but appears somewhat impractical.

There can be no doubt that visiting tourists need – and fully deserve – better public transport options between Phuket Airport and west coast resort destinations. The fact that Phuket Town enjoys not only an Airport Bus service but also the Po Thong “pink bus” service, is just one reflection of a sad reality: Phuket’s resort areas have developed a reputation among tourists – both foreign and domestic – for being mafia-controlled, rip-off destinations.

No segment of the local economy has done more to earn this dubious distinction than the tuk-tuk and taxi syndicates, which through collusion and thuggish self-entitlement make taxi fares on the island the highest in the country.

The solution to this problem is to deal with the root causes head on, rather than trying to work around them. The sea taxi proposal appears to be a tacit admission that these syndicates are here to stay – with tourists forever at their mercy.

We do not buy into this point. Change is not only possible, but fully supported by both tourists and the vast majority of island residents who are sick of the status quo. It is a huge drag on an economy that, for the most part, offers excellent value.

It always helps to try to view the issue through the eyes of visitors. Sadly, this does not seem to be understood by many of our elected officials and Bangkok-appointed bureaucrats.

Many tourists who touch down at Phuket International Airport arrive deprived of sleep and burdened with baggage after long flights and all the hassles related to Customs and Immigration, security, and so on. All they want to do is get to their hotels safely, at a reasonable price.

We doubt many of them would be keen to board a vessel, (almost surely to be driven by a cowboy), for a half-hour speedboat ride in the monsoon rains. Those prone to sea sickness might be particularly put off by the idea.

Unanswered questions include where they might disembark, as the temporary pier in Patong is only usable a few months a year. And given Phuket's long and frightening record of mishaps and deaths at sea, how would safety be assured, or even suggested in a brochure?

The solutions to Phuket's transport woes are self-evident: buses, songthaew, metered taxis and perhaps light rail. The time for change is long overdue; all that is required is a bit of leadership and courage.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Phuket-Opinion-Forever-at-the-mafia-s-mercy-20718.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2013-04-07

[NomadJoe]

Every other tourist location in Thailand, and even Bangkok, has managed to get and keep one form of reasonably priced public transport or another. Why can't Phuket? Because of "collusion and thuggish self-entitlement". Very sad indeed but exactly true. Several guests at our hotel are reporting that they are now being told the price of a taxi from the airport to the beaches is 1800B. We keep hearing that there are people with folders in the arrivals area which contain a map of the destinations with prices, showing 1800B for Kata Karon. Recently one guest was told, and so paid, 4000B to Kata. Two young female guests took a tuk tuk to nai Harn for 300B. When they were ready to return they were told 1000B. When they tried to negotiate, the driver got rude and threatening. They were terrified. They checked out and have sworn to never return to Phuket because of these interactions with the tuk tuks and taxis. These drivers tear ass around the island with impunity. One of the "back" illegal taxi's belonging to the rank opposite our hotel does burnouts in the street and speeds as fast as his black 4 door Isuzu 4-door can go on a daily basis. Do we confront him? Not unless we want to risk our lives!

Edited April 7, 2013 by NomadJoe

[johnnynmonic]

If they ever did do a ferry system, the tuk-tuk thugs would just block entry/exit at the pier.

[Johnnie99]

Why don't we publish these things around the world? Name and shame tactics?

[SiggiCM]

easy way, everybody who is effected by this make a donation, and you built a phuket foundation, hire a lawyer and every day he go to police station and make a report a criminal report, until police and official will start doing something, the crime statistic will go up more than 1000% and the police chief has to react, if every residence in phuket make a 1000 baht donation and every ripped off, angry tourist will give 100 baht you will have millions in short time, make advertising, show the pictures of the drivers and cars and places online, make everything public, invite TV channels for reports, they are happy to make a report how their tourist get ripped off, and this will make all officials make a very quick reaction, public how many crime reports are made at what police station and how many not worked out, make all tourist give the lawyer a power of attorney (can be printed and copied) so easy to fill in, and if police not start working, let the embassy make claims that police not do their work and for sure there will be change in phukets public transport, only you have to publish, and make reports, for the money comes in by donation it is enough for 4-5 lawyers full time working only to fix this problem, write comments on all Phuket connected pages, tell tourist not book phuket without a free round trip from airport to hotel, if they will do it is on their own risk and they will get ripped off, they will pay more for taxi than for the flight to phuket, if there will be every day many police reports, police can not hide and stop do nothing,

[SDH]

When you have a group like the Tuk Tuk mafia they only understand violence and that's the code they live by as well, the Police do not have thepolitical will to arrest them for attempted murder, whty would they arrest them for road blockage?

[Jimi007]

easy way, everybody who is effected by this make a donation, and you built a phuket foundation, hire a lawyer and every day he go to police station and make a report a criminal report, until police and official will start doing something, the crime statistic will go up more than 1000% and the police chief has to react, if every residence in phuket make a 1000 baht donation and every ripped off, angry tourist will give 100 baht you will have millions in short time, make advertising, show the pictures of the drivers and cars and places online, make everything public, invite TV channels for reports, they are happy to make a report how their tourist get ripped off, and this will make all officials make a very quick reaction, public how many crime reports are made at what police station and how many not worked out, make all tourist give the lawyer a power of attorney (can be printed and copied) so easy to fill in, and if police not start working, let the embassy make claims that police not do their work and for sure there will be change in phukets public transport, only you have to publish, and make reports, for the money comes in by donation it is enough for 4-5 lawyers full time working only to fix this problem, write comments on all Phuket connected pages, tell tourist not book phuket without a free round trip from airport to hotel, if they will do it is on their own risk and they will get ripped off, they will pay more for taxi than for the flight to phuket, if there will be every day many police reports, police can not hide and stop do nothing,

Do you live in Phuket?

[swerving]

Why don't we publish these things around the world? Name and shame tactics?

I have already started writiing on travel blogs, forums etc asking tourists to stop using these thugs unless absoloutely necessary. If enough expats, tourists and Thais do the same we can hit them where it hurts...their pockets.

The tourists need to be aware BEFORE they come here what to expect from these THUGS, don't let it detract from their holiday, just STOP using them. I have lived here for 16 years, not used a tuk tuk for about 14 years and yes, i have lived in karon and Patong. When in Patong, i wanted to go from one end to the other....i walked. Exercise, fresh air and great weather.

[tolsti]

What happened to that business that brought those formerly CIS (Russian) River hydroplanes to Phuket? One was sat off Patong Beach for ages last year but then I went into hospital and have not seen them since.

[h5kaf]

easy way, everybody who is effected by this make a donation, and you built a phuket foundation, hire a lawyer and every day he go to police station and make a report a criminal report, until police and official will start doing something, the crime statistic will go up more than 1000% and the police chief has to react, if every residence in phuket make a 1000 baht donation and every ripped off, angry tourist will give 100 baht you will have millions in short time, make advertising, show the pictures of the drivers and cars and places online, make everything public, invite TV channels for reports, they are happy to make a report how their tourist get ripped off, and this will make all officials make a very quick reaction, public how many crime reports are made at what police station and how many not worked out, make all tourist give the lawyer a power of attorney (can be printed and copied) so easy to fill in, and if police not start working, let the embassy make claims that police not do their work and for sure there will be change in phukets public transport, only you have to publish, and make reports, for the money comes in by donation it is enough for 4-5 lawyers full time working only to fix this problem, write comments on all Phuket connected pages, tell tourist not book phuket without a free round trip from airport to hotel, if they will do it is on their own risk and they will get ripped off, they will pay more for taxi than for the flight to phuket, if there will be every day many police reports, police can not hide and stop do nothing,

A good idea BUT which lawyer would take on such a very dangerous brief? It would not be long before there were unexplained accidents involving lawyers. The vested interests are too powerful and the greed levels are too high for any change to occur. Sad but true.

[me313]

What propaganda for the proposal to sell the package of a ferry. The "thugs" or "mafia" that are local Thai people who earn a living are charging really low fares, because 600 baht to go from the airport to a nice expensive resort in Patong/Kata/Karon is extremely inexpensive compared with other major tourist destinations. Exactly who will be owning and running the proposed ferry system? Not mafia or controlling special interests?

What about the cartel of realtors who can get away with stealing deposits, where the tenant has to pay 30,000 to hire a lawyer in order to take a landlord to court if there is some injustice? Is that also not another form of organized theft?

Edited April 8, 2013 by me313

[belg]

well, invite some thai reports and put it on the 7 o clock news, because tourists also mean THAI people...

and i guess they also don't like to be ripped off

[eezergood]

all good on paper, getting it too happen is a different matter........

[NomadJoe]

What propaganda for the proposal to sell the package of a ferry. The "thugs" or "mafia" that are local Thai people who earn a living are charging really low fares, because 600 baht to go from the airport to a nice expensive resort in Patong/Kata/Karon is extremely inexpensive compared with other major tourist destinations.

The vast majority of drivers are from outside of Phuket. Only the small number of wealthy owners are long time Phuket residents, those who own dozens of tuk tuks (and by owners I mean people like the Mayor of Patong, Pien Keesin and his son) Most the expats posting on this board are more "local people" than the members of the tuk tuk taxi mafia.

True it still possible to get a metered taxi from the airport to the beach towns for 600B. (A distance that would be about 275B in a Bangkok metered taxi). But that is only if there is one available, as there are very few and there is often a long queue for a metered taxi, in which many visitors are reporting getting harassed by the "limo" (Toyota Camry) guys while waiting and only if you arrive during the hours which "limo" cartels allow them to operate: 8am to 12M. The "official" "limo" fare to Kata Karon, for example, is now 800B but as mentioned many people are being told 1800B by touts in the arrivals area, sometimes more.

[NomadJoe]

well, invite some thai reports and put it on the 7 o clock news, because tourists also mean THAI people...

and i guess they also don't like to be ripped off

Thai's do not use taxi's or tuk tuks in Phuket. Far too expensive. They either have someone pick them up or they use the shared van at 200B, and they will use this bus service if it ever gets off the ground.

[Arkady]

If they ever did do a ferry system, the tuk-tuk thugs would just block entry/exit at the pier.

More likely they would board them at sea, make the skipper walk the plank and rape and rob the passengers.

[Arkady]

The only way is to rent a car in advance from the airport.

[eezergood]

or hope the Gov't gets their act together...............

[Fortunate]

One of the main reasons criminals have found a rip-off niche are the hotel resorts themselves. When you book a hotel in Phuket, they do not even provide a free hotel shuttle bus which is owned and operated by the hotel itself. Not even expensive 5 star hotels do this. They prefer to leave their guests at the mercy of criminal syndicates and con-artists.

At the Phuket airport, even if you stay away from the taxi booth and go (left) to the bus booth which looked like the standard public transport, you end up getting ripped-off. The bus from this booth instead took you on a detour, to a stop on the way which looked like a travel agency, were all passengers had to go in. They asked you all kinds of nosey questions and wanted everyone’s passport to copy at the back office. They were also trying to book people on all kinds of shows and hotels. All this shit despite passengers having paid the full amount from home for their stay at an expensive 5 star hotel. No wonder that there are so many false passports and identity thefts going on. All these tourists naively giving their passports and personal details (probably credit cards too) to syndicates who probably then feed it to international criminals and scam artists if they aren't doing it themselves.

When you checkout out from the hotel, the concierge then gives you a price for getting to the airport. The 5 star hotels do not have their own shuttle bus that goes every hour to the airport, for example, and so here again another rip-off niche is born- sponsored and brought to you by your hotel.

Confucious says: Never book any hotel that does not have its own free shuttle bus going straight to the hotel main entrance from airport.

[NomadJoe]

One of the main reasons criminals have found a rip-off niche are the hotel resorts themselves. When you book a hotel in Phuket, they do not even provide a free hotel shuttle bus which is owned and operated by the hotel itself. Not even expensive 5 star hotels do this. They prefer to leave their guests at the mercy of criminal syndicates and con-artists.

<snip>

When you checkout out from the hotel, the concierge then gives you a price for getting to the airport. The 5 star hotels do not have their own shuttle bus that goes every hour to the airport, for example, and so here again another rip-off niche is born- sponsored and brought to you by your hotel.

Confucious says: Never book any hotel that does not have its own free shuttle bus going straight to the hotel main entrance from airport.

You have a chicken and egg problem, Fortunate. The hotels are not allowed to run a shuttle. It has been well documented that the tuk tuk taxi mafia intimidate, blockade, and even use violence against hotels that use their own transport in Phuket. Not that long ago a friend of mine's husband was pulled from his company's marked taxi, beaten, his car smashed up with a crow bar all while the tourists were still inside. (The Koh Chang Elephant trekking Avista hotel incident). My thai former-neighbor who shows properties to potential buyers gets stopped and questioned by tuk tuk taxi mafia guys at the entrance to hotels when she picks them up. Even the staff our little hostel is getting static from the nearby rank about why we don't use them. They charge 1000-1200B to the airport from Kata, we can get it for 800B, and that is not from a "black" taxi.

[Dap]

easy way, everybody who is effected by this make a donation, and you built a phuket foundation, hire a lawyer and every day he go to police station and make a report a criminal report, until police and official will start doing something, the crime statistic will go up more than 1000% and the police chief has to react, if every residence in phuket make a 1000 baht donation and every ripped off, angry tourist will give 100 baht you will have millions in short time, make advertising, show the pictures of the drivers and cars and places online, make everything public, invite TV channels for reports, they are happy to make a report how their tourist get ripped off, and this will make all officials make a very quick reaction, public how many crime reports are made at what police station and how many not worked out, make all tourist give the lawyer a power of attorney (can be printed and copied) so easy to fill in, and if police not start working, let the embassy make claims that police not do their work and for sure there will be change in phukets public transport, only you have to publish, and make reports, for the money comes in by donation it is enough for 4-5 lawyers full time working only to fix this problem, write comments on all Phuket connected pages, tell tourist not book phuket without a free round trip from airport to hotel, if they will do it is on their own risk and they will get ripped off, they will pay more for taxi than for the flight to phuket, if there will be every day many police reports, police can not hide and stop do nothing,

Do you live in Phuket?

+1

[andreandre]

News today from the not to be mentioned blog that the airport to patong ferry is likely to go ahead..

two TRILLION baht loan...approved by senate....

Transport minister said that even if the bill faced delays, that they will press ahead with this plan...

All previous discussions basically said this was an unworkable project....but wow...how much tea money can be got out of a two trillion baht handout???

[eezergood]

Has actually been approved?

I thought it was the debate today at around 2pm???

[Paangjang]

or hope the Gov't gets their act together...............

[Paangjang]

News today from the not to be mentioned blog that the airport to patong ferry is likely to go ahead..

two TRILLION baht loan...approved by senate....

Transport minister said that even if the bill faced delays, that they will press ahead with this plan...

All previous discussions basically said this was an unworkable project....but wow...how much tea money can be got out of a two trillion baht handout???

How much is 2 trillion baht in GBP? Can someone please write the figure in words?

[eezergood]

News today from the not to be mentioned blog that the airport to patong ferry is likely to go ahead..

two TRILLION baht loan...approved by senate....

Transport minister said that even if the bill faced delays, that they will press ahead with this plan...

All previous discussions basically said this was an unworkable project....but wow...how much tea money can be got out of a two trillion baht handout???

How much is 2 trillion baht in GBP? Can someone please write the figure in words?

why, we are in Thailand?

COmparisons like this are pontless, the gove does not earn, collect, steal or squander GBP.

[Paangjang]

Every other tourist location in Thailand, and even Bangkok, has managed to get and keep one form of reasonably priced public transport or another. Why can't Phuket? Because of "collusion and thuggish self-entitlement". Very sad indeed but exactly true. Several guests at our hotel are reporting that they are now being told the price of a taxi from the airport to the beaches is 1800B. We keep hearing that there are people with folders in the arrivals area which contain a map of the destinations with prices, showing 1800B for Kata Karon. Recently one guest was told, and so paid, 4000B to Kata. Two young female guests took a tuk tuk to nai Harn for 300B. When they were ready to return they were told 1000B. When they tried to negotiate, the driver got rude and threatening. They were terrified. They checked out and have sworn to never return to Phuket because of these interactions with the tuk tuks and taxis. These drivers tear ass around the island with impunity. One of the "back" illegal taxi's belonging to the rank opposite our hotel does burnouts in the street and speeds as fast as his black 4 door Isuzu 4-door can go on a daily basis. Do we confront him? Not unless we want to risk our lives!

So why do people choose to live there? There are much better provinces in Thailand. I left last year for Chiang mai and we also enjoy our holiday house in Chiang rai. I love both provinces. I've never been happier. Leaving that "thuggish" place was the best decision i made in years. Im sad to see what has happened to the once paradise island but unfortunately i can't see it getting any better, ever!

[steelepulse]

That two trillion handout is for the politicians countrywide to stick their nose in the troughs, not just Phuket. Two trillion baht should be close to 40 billion pounds. That's a lot of tea and votes!

[Paangjang]

News today from the not to be mentioned blog that the airport to patong ferry is likely to go ahead..

two TRILLION baht loan...approved by senate....

Transport minister said that even if the bill faced delays, that they will press ahead with this plan...

All previous discussions basically said this was an unworkable project....but wow...how much tea money can be got out of a two trillion baht handout???

How much is 2 trillion baht in GBP? Can someone please write the figure in words?

why, we are in Thailand?

COmparisons like this are pontless, the gove does not earn, collect, steal or squander GBP.

Was just trying to figure out how much the project would really cost. It gets tricky when they start working in trillions... If they planned 10 of these would they talk in zillions? No, they'd use USD. Thats my point.

[LivinginKata]

I just had to check that it's really 2 Trillion baht (40 Billion pounds). That's a truely huge amount of money. If the news report is to be believed that the largest loan ever given in Thailand.