No Reason For Tuk-Tuks To Block Sea Taxi Project: Phuket Marine Chief

[Lite Beer]

No reason for tuk-tuks to block sea taxi project: Phuket Marine Chief
Phuket Gazette -

Phuket Marine Office Chief Phuripat Theerakulpisut speaking in favor of the sea taxi project at the meeting. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: The Phuket Marine office, in an attempt to keep the airport-to-Patong sea taxi project afloat, declared that the project would not affect the livelihoods of current taxi and tuk-tuk drivers.

“We do not want to steal customers from tuk-tuk and taxi drivers. We want to attract more tourists to the island by offering them a reasonably priced way to avoid Phuket traffic and the negative impressions it leaves them with,” Phuket Marine Office chief Phuriphat Teerakulpisut said at a meeting on April 26.

Mr Phuriphat went on to explain that though the project would re-direct the flow of some potential taxi and tuk-tuk customers, overall it would improve the situation for taxi and tuk-tuk drivers by lessening the traffic problems and allowing them to make more trips a day.

However, Mai Khao Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) President Sarawut Srikookam believes that if the project gains enough support and is approved, it will affect taxi drivers in Mai Khao.

“Nonetheless, Phuket is a tourism destination. Tourist should have choices on how to travel around the island. When looking at the big picture, the project will provide more advantages than disadvantages. The tuk-tuk and taxi drivers should be aware that this project would have long term benefits for the public as a whole,” Mr Sarawut said.

With an 80 per cent approval rating from Mai Khao residents for the project, Mr Sarawut gave his full support.

“We believe the project will decrease traffic problems and ease the pressure on our currently crowded roads,” said Mr Sarawut.

Patong Deputy Mayor Chairat Sukban also showed his support for the project at the meeting, saying, “It is now 2013, our city is getting bigger and bigger – it’s not what it was 20 years ago. We have to adjust our way of thinking and have to be open to new ideas that will improve our province.”

The project, which will cost an estimated 181 million baht, still has several hurdles to leap before the plan is even presented to the Marine Department in Bangkok.

Mr Phuriphat confirmed that he still needed to check with the Phuket branch of the national air traffic control authority Aerothai (Aeronautical Radio of Thailand) about whether or not building a pier will affect the safety of planes landing and taking off. Then on April 29 he will discuss the situation with relevant departments before eventually holding a public hearing at Patong Municipality.

Only after the project gains the approval of locals officials and residents will the budget be submitted to the Marine Department in Bangkok, Mr Phuriphat said.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/No-reason-for-tuk-tuks-to-block-sea-taxi-project-Phuket-Marine-Chief-20904.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2013-04-27

[JetsetBkk]

But we want them to!

Glug, glug, glug...

[SeaVisionBurma]

and this topic title will work equally well if you substitute the word "reason" with the word "way"

[KarenBravo]

and this topic title will work equally well if you substitute the word "reason" with the word "way"

Don't agree. Too much pork on offer for them to affect the decision.

[LivinginKata]

Just a fantasy idea. A quick calculation on start-up costs and operating costs versus passenger revenue - makes no sense. Only money to be made will be from skimming off any jetty construction costs.

[Valentine]

The last two sentences in the OP suggest it will be a long time coming, if ever. I can see that boat ride being a real barrel of laughs during the monsoon season with high winds & swell.

[SeaVisionBurma]

and this topic title will work equally well if you substitute the word "reason" with the word "way"

Don't agree. Too much pork on offer for them to affect the decision.

Was being tongue in cheek KB - bit difficult for tuk tuks to blockade boats....I'll get my coat.

[dartvidar]

Phuket is a tourism destination, and not a TukTuk destination.

If all the tourists leave the island, how can the people then survive? Not much money to earn from the tuktuk drivers.

Do Phuket wants to be a tourism destination or a Tuktuk destination? The goverment has to decide before it's to late.

[KarenBravo]

and this topic title will work equally well if you substitute the word "reason" with the word "way"

Don't agree. Too much pork on offer for them to affect the decision.

Was being tongue in cheek KB - bit difficult for tuk tuks to blockade boats....I'll get my coat.

Apologies. Thought I heard a whooshing sound over my head as I read your post.........

[Dr Wanchai]

and this topic title will work equally well if you substitute the word "reason" with the word "way"

Don't agree. Too much pork on offer for them to affect the decision.

Eating raw pork infested with trichinella can affect their reasoning. Let the tourists pay for the higher taxi fares.

Look after our own !

[Hadrianus]

After spending 4 months in Phuket this season, I'm surprised there are Thai people in Phuket who think long term...

[phuketsub]

I will take 'em there by black plate submarine.

[NamKangMan]

I will take 'em there by black plate submarine.

That's definately a viable option during the rainy season.

Due to flooding, you will be able to take the passengers right up to their hotel front door. :)

[biplanebluey]

Quote " building a pier will affect the safety of planes landing and taking off "-------- Sorry but you've got me beat on this one!!!!

Why am I laughing at this ???????

[hellodolly]

After spending 4 months in Phuket this season, I'm surprised there are Thai people in Phuket who think long term...

No surprise here.

Now if you were to say intelligent long term that I would have to disagree with.

[Guest]

The last two sentences in the OP suggest it will be a long time coming, if ever. I can see that boat ride being a real barrel of laughs during the monsoon season with high winds & swell.

Why the talk about low season and bad weather at all? Isn't it by default the time when the boats would not be operating?

I think this is lovely idea, but I also do not believe that it would be operating in near future. Probably in the next decade.

Lately there has been 2 larger initiatives to get around the tuktuk/taxi mafias. New airport buses and now this. Why?

Are the big boys playing the game "King of the Phuket hills" at the moment? Or are these initiatives just a way to pre-empty other possibilities than the current ones?

Remember that the new road to the airport nor (monorail) train plans seems to be forgotten already.

[SeaVisionBurma]

Quote " building a pier will affect the safety of planes landing and taking off "-------- Sorry but you've got me beat on this one!!!!

Why am I laughing at this ???????

I imagine that if they were to actually build this - then during construction there would be a lot of construction equipment and machinery in the area - including perhaps a crane. Add to that visual distractions to approaching aircraft...

[hawker9000]

Phuket taxi mafia. The fact that anyone's trying to appease them tells you all you need to know. 'Just one reason why I haven't returned to Phuket in years, and don't expect to in this lifetime. 'Doesn't matter what you're hearing from the tuk-tuk drivers. 'Doesn't matter what you're hearing from the Phuket tourist dons. 'Doesn't matter what you're hearing from the pols. 'Doesn't matter what you're hearing from the police. It's all just crap. Go spend your money somewhere else.

[belg]

they are so nice to the maffia, maybe they also have to pay monthly fees to keep operating, you know, to compensate any loss or the service might get shut anyway

just greasing the wheels

my god, only in thailand right, where maffia is controlling daily life in the open in stead of the usual dark shady places out of sight of most

[Valentine]

The last two sentences in the OP suggest it will be a long time coming, if ever. I can see that boat ride being a real barrel of laughs during the monsoon season with high winds & swell.

Why the talk about low season and bad weather at all? Isn't it by default the time when the boats would not be operating?

I think this is lovely idea, but I also do not believe that it would be operating in near future. Probably in the next decade.

Lately there has been 2 larger initiatives to get around the tuktuk/taxi mafias. New airport buses and now this. Why?

Are the big boys playing the game "King of the Phuket hills" at the moment? Or are these initiatives just a way to pre-empty other possibilities than the current ones?

Remember that the new road to the airport nor (monorail) train plans seems to be forgotten already.

Smoke & mirrors. If the bus service ever gets going it will be every limited in terms of convenience. As for the boat service why go to all the expense of building piers & supplying boats that cannot truly operate all year round unless they plan a big extravaganza with a big hyrdrofoil. I don't believe there is a power play going on as funds get channelled all the way to the top.

I would say most large urban centres initially had public buses & taxis before embarking on monorails & the like but Phuket cannot even get the basics right at present. In the early days the buses & tuk tuks were more than adequate & fairly priced but of course now the public, including most of the tuk tuk drivers, are paying the price of allowing influential persons to control the public transport.

[Guest]

I don't still see, why the sea taxi could not be only for the high season. Quite like Similan safaries and some other activities on the island.

That's the time when there is need for more transportation capabilities and when the roads are filled with cars.

Somehow I see that Phuket is a bit divided. Phuket town seems to be a bit more forward thinking and maybe more controlled by the people who live there. The beach towns are controlled by the transportation industries.

The transportation gridlock could be purged if the residents get enough annoyed of the taxi mafia. But I also don't see this happening. Phuket town residents are not interested nor is Bangkok.

[klauskunkel]

No reason for tuk-tuks to block sea taxi project: Phuket Marine Chief

Phuket Gazette -

...since when did they ever need a reason?

[eezergood]

wasnt the supposed bus to be started again after Songkran?

[KarenBravo]

How long ago was the Patong one-way system supposed to have the direction reversed??