Phuket tuk-tuk drivers protest illegal taxis

[eezergood]

I never take, but I object to them using every parking space available for their needs (where is clearly stated otherwise) their lack of driving skills/etiquette and their general thug like behaviour. I have taken 2 tuk tuks in 2 years, i would rather walk then fund them. That said I do understand the price difference between here & other places as Phuket IS more expensive. This is NOT an excuse for their general behaviour.

[pomchop]

Dunno what they're complaining about, they're getting 300 baht, its the minimum wage, no one with any balls big enough down there to really deal with this...........just like the rest of Thailand

Maybe some of the tuk tuk drivers would prefer to work 8 hours or so in the rice paddies for 200 baht a day rather than lounge around all day waiting to get ONE fare and ...oh the horror...have to actually drive someone a few miles.

It sounds like you would like that, perhaps you could be the foreman, and have a shotgun and chew some baccy, and whip their little lazy asses into shape. Are you a confederate?

Maybe YOU need to go out and work in the rice paddies for a few days and then you might have some idea of what a load of crap it is to whine about a tuk tuk driver who makes more by sitting around playing checkers all day and maybe drive someone someone a few kms than an honest thai who actually does some HARD work.

[NamKangMan]

Dunno what they're complaining about, they're getting 300 baht, its the minimum wage, no one with any balls big enough down there to really deal with this...........just like the rest of Thailand

Maybe some of the tuk tuk drivers would prefer to work 8 hours or so in the rice paddies for 200 baht a day rather than lounge around all day waiting to get ONE fare and ...oh the horror...have to actually drive someone a few miles.

It sounds like you would like that, perhaps you could be the foreman, and have a shotgun and chew some baccy, and whip their little lazy asses into shape. Are you a confederate?

Maybe YOU need to go out and work in the rice paddies for a few days and then you might have some idea of what a load of crap it is to whine about a tuk tuk driver who makes more by sitting around playing checkers all day and maybe drive someone someone a few kms than an honest thai who actually does some HARD work.

Isn't it the Burmese that are doing ALL of the HARD work in Thailand? :)

[pomchop]

I watch Thais, mostly women, work in the rice fields during planting and harvest season year after year....it is one TOUGH job and the ones I watch say they make 200 baht a day for working from 8 am to 5 pm with one hour lunch break....yes there are some Burmese around but to say they do "ALL of the HARD work in Thailand" is very far from the truth. There are a lot of Thais who work very hard, day after day, year after year. Phuket tuk tuk drivers are not among the ones I would consider to be "HARD" workers....in fact I would bet that a rice paddy worker would consider playing checkers and driving some one somewhere a few times a day to be a really really cush job.

[IrishIvan]

Dunno what they're complaining about, they're getting 300 baht, its the minimum wage, no one with any balls big enough down there to really deal with this...........just like the rest of Thailand

Maybe some of the tuk tuk drivers would prefer to work 8 hours or so in the rice paddies for 200 baht a day rather than lounge around all day waiting to get ONE fare and ...oh the horror...have to actually drive someone a few miles.

It sounds like you would like that, perhaps you could be the foreman, and have a shotgun and chew some baccy, and whip their little lazy asses into shape. Are you a confederate?

Maybe YOU need to go out and work in the rice paddies for a few days and then you might have some idea of what a load of crap it is to whine about a tuk tuk driver who makes more by sitting around playing checkers all day and maybe drive someone someone a few kms than an honest thai who actually does some HARD work.

Whats not honest about driving taxis? Would you drive someone to the airport for 600 baht less petrol and finance? I know I wouldnt.

[bunta71]

I never take, but I object to them using every parking space available for their needs (where is clearly stated otherwise) their lack of driving skills/etiquette and their general thug like behaviour. I have taken 2 tuk tuks in 2 years, i would rather walk then fund them. That said I do understand the price difference between here & other places as Phuket IS more expensive. This is NOT an excuse for their general behaviour.

Baht bus in Pattaya is ten baht for a ride. Phuket 200 minimum. 2000% increase. Not much difference...Pattaya is almost as expensive as Phuket. I lived a few years in both. Prices are not justified in any way shape or form.

[andreandre]

Dunno what they're complaining about, they're getting 300 baht, its the minimum wage, no one with any balls big enough down there to really deal with this...........just like the rest of Thailand

How elitist of you! have you tried living on 300thb a day? Thaivisa members do not dictate the salaries of occupations, the markets dictate it.

I would like to know what the honda dream driving gang cheapskates of Phuket think that public transport professionals should receive in salary? I mean because these Farang expats contribute so much to the tourism industry. Just because you eat a few Pad Krapows at a local shop and drink a few big Leo bottles out the front of 7-11, and give your wife a 5000thb a month salary doesnt make you some sort of salary dictator! The contributions that these types of expats make is less than the Russians and Chinese tour groups that they constantly complain about.

Its simple. A group of 4 Australian guys coming over to Phuket think its great that they can all throw in 200thb each and drive down to Nai Harn for the day from Patong and their freindly tuk tuk driver will wait for them and drive them back to the hotel. The tuk tuks come with booming stereos so its a mobile party, the guys can drink whiskey or beer and party on, the tourists actually LIKE IT!!!! Its only the old sexpats living on pensions and praying about exchange rates that complain about prices.

Wake up, if tourists dont like the prices they wont use them, each day I see thousands of tourists cruising around Phuket enjoying themselves. The tuk tuks add to the character of Thailand. Their prices are posted up next to the taxi stands, If you cant afford them then dont use them. Taxis all around the world are more expensive than hiring a car, thats life get used to it

How elitist of you! have you tried living on 300thb a day.....

Exactly.but the fact is that a huge amount of Thaisdo have to live on that amount, So why should they not be able to have affordable taxi transport also?

To have to pay a days wages to travel from one side of Patong to the other is laughable, but thats the fact.

Equivilent to an aussie paying $A100-150 to travel 5klms in Australia.and saying that that is fair..

What cashed up tourists can afford to pay compared to what the locals can afford is not the point at all, no matter where this is..

[NamKangMan]

I never take, but I object to them using every parking space available for their needs (where is clearly stated otherwise) their lack of driving skills/etiquette and their general thug like behaviour. I have taken 2 tuk tuks in 2 years, i would rather walk then fund them. That said I do understand the price difference between here & other places as Phuket IS more expensive. This is NOT an excuse for their general behaviour.

Baht bus in Pattaya is ten baht for a ride. Phuket 200 minimum. 2000% increase. Not much difference...Pattaya is almost as expensive as Phuket. I lived a few years in both. Prices are not justified in any way shape or form.

It's the disparity of the price for transport on Phuket, when compared to the rest of Thailand, that is distasteful to many.

It's a false economy and based around a corrupt monopoly.

Edited June 30, 2013 by NamKangMan

[IrishIvan]

Dunno what they're complaining about, they're getting 300 baht, its the minimum wage, no one with any balls big enough down there to really deal with this...........just like the rest of Thailand

How elitist of you! have you tried living on 300thb a day? Thaivisa members do not dictate the salaries of occupations, the markets dictate it.

I would like to know what the honda dream driving gang cheapskates of Phuket think that public transport professionals should receive in salary? I mean because these Farang expats contribute so much to the tourism industry. Just because you eat a few Pad Krapows at a local shop and drink a few big Leo bottles out the front of 7-11, and give your wife a 5000thb a month salary doesnt make you some sort of salary dictator! The contributions that these types of expats make is less than the Russians and Chinese tour groups that they constantly complain about.

Its simple. A group of 4 Australian guys coming over to Phuket think its great that they can all throw in 200thb each and drive down to Nai Harn for the day from Patong and their freindly tuk tuk driver will wait for them and drive them back to the hotel. The tuk tuks come with booming stereos so its a mobile party, the guys can drink whiskey or beer and party on, the tourists actually LIKE IT!!!! Its only the old sexpats living on pensions and praying about exchange rates that complain about prices.

Wake up, if tourists dont like the prices they wont use them, each day I see thousands of tourists cruising around Phuket enjoying themselves. The tuk tuks add to the character of Thailand. Their prices are posted up next to the taxi stands, If you cant afford them then dont use them. Taxis all around the world are more expensive than hiring a car, thats life get used to it

How elitist of you! have you tried living on 300thb a day.....

Exactly.but the fact is that a huge amount of Thaisdo have to live on that amount, So why should they not be able to have affordable taxi transport also?

To have to pay a days wages to travel from one side of Patong to the other is laughable, but thats the fact.

Equivilent to an aussie paying $A100-150 to travel 5klms in Australia.and saying that that is fair..

What cashed up tourists can afford to pay compared to what the locals can afford is not the point at all, no matter where this is..

Well if they only got one fare and had to split it 50/50 with the company he works for it isnt that much, I wouldnt get out of bed for that sort of money

[IrishIvan]

I have told all my friends in oz to give Phuket a miss because they will surely be ripped off by either Tuk Tuks, Taxi drivers or Jet ski scammers.

And do you know what! they have done just that! Five families all changed their itineraries and now are going to Bangkok, Chaing Mai and Koh Samui instead. If everybody with visiting friends did this i am sure they would start to notice it down in Phuket.

The same honda dream gang are prominent in Koh Samui whinging about fares and jetskis. So you managed to talk them out of coming to Phuket?? Why not tell them to rent a few honda dreams or a suzuki carribean they can all squeeze into?

[FDog]

Dunno what they're complaining about, they're getting 300 baht, its the minimum wage, no one with any balls big enough down there to really deal with this...........just like the rest of Thailand

How elitist of you! have you tried living on 300thb a day? Thaivisa members do not dictate the salaries of occupations, the markets dictate it.

I would like to know what the honda dream driving gang cheapskates of Phuket think that public transport professionals should receive in salary? I mean because these Farang expats contribute so much to the tourism industry. Just because you eat a few Pad Krapows at a local shop and drink a few big Leo bottles out the front of 7-11, and give your wife a 5000thb a month salary doesnt make you some sort of salary dictator! The contributions that these types of expats make is less than the Russians and Chinese tour groups that they constantly complain about.

Its simple. A group of 4 Australian guys coming over to Phuket think its great that they can all throw in 200thb each and drive down to Nai Harn for the day from Patong and their freindly tuk tuk driver will wait for them and drive them back to the hotel. The tuk tuks come with booming stereos so its a mobile party, the guys can drink whiskey or beer and party on, the tourists actually LIKE IT!!!! Its only the old sexpats living on pensions and praying about exchange rates that complain about prices.

Wake up, if tourists dont like the prices they wont use them, each day I see thousands of tourists cruising around Phuket enjoying themselves. The tuk tuks add to the character of Thailand. Their prices are posted up next to the taxi stands, If you cant afford them then dont use them. Taxis all around the world are more expensive than hiring a car, thats life get used to it

How elitist of you! have you tried living on 300thb a day.....

Exactly.but the fact is that a huge amount of Thaisdo have to live on that amount, So why should they not be able to have affordable taxi transport also?

To have to pay a days wages to travel from one side of Patong to the other is laughable, but thats the fact.

Equivilent to an aussie paying $A100-150 to travel 5klms in Australia.and saying that that is fair..

What cashed up tourists can afford to pay compared to what the locals can afford is not the point at all, no matter where this is..

Well if they only got one fare and had to split it 50/50 with the company he works for it isnt that much, I wouldnt get out of bed for that sort of money

Most of us wish you wouldn't get out of bed at all.

But this isn't about you. This is about what Thai's charge. The tuk tuks charge a day's wage for a 5 minute job. In any language, in any country, that is a rip off.

[FDog]

I have told all my friends in oz to give Phuket a miss because they will surely be ripped off by either Tuk Tuks, Taxi drivers or Jet ski scammers.

And do you know what! they have done just that! Five families all changed their itineraries and now are going to Bangkok, Chaing Mai and Koh Samui instead. If everybody with visiting friends did this i am sure they would start to notice it down in Phuket.

The same honda dream gang are prominent in Koh Samui whinging about fares and jetskis. So you managed to talk them out of coming to Phuket?? Why not tell them to rent a few honda dreams or a suzuki carribean they can all squeeze into?

Why would they go to the Carribean? All they have to do is go to the less rip off areas of Thailand.

[Shot]

vvvvv

vvvvv

[andreandre]

Dunno what they're complaining about, they're getting 300 baht, its the minimum wage, no one with any balls big enough down there to really deal with this...........just like the rest of Thailand

How elitist of you! have you tried living on 300thb a day? Thaivisa members do not dictate the salaries of occupations, the markets dictate it.

I would like to know what the honda dream driving gang cheapskates of Phuket think that public transport professionals should receive in salary? I mean because these Farang expats contribute so much to the tourism industry. Just because you eat a few Pad Krapows at a local shop and drink a few big Leo bottles out the front of 7-11, and give your wife a 5000thb a month salary doesnt make you some sort of salary dictator! The contributions that these types of expats make is less than the Russians and Chinese tour groups that they constantly complain about.

Its simple. A group of 4 Australian guys coming over to Phuket think its great that they can all throw in 200thb each and drive down to Nai Harn for the day from Patong and their freindly tuk tuk driver will wait for them and drive them back to the hotel. The tuk tuks come with booming stereos so its a mobile party, the guys can drink whiskey or beer and party on, the tourists actually LIKE IT!!!! Its only the old sexpats living on pensions and praying about exchange rates that complain about prices.

Wake up, if tourists dont like the prices they wont use them, each day I see thousands of tourists cruising around Phuket enjoying themselves. The tuk tuks add to the character of Thailand. Their prices are posted up next to the taxi stands, If you cant afford them then dont use them. Taxis all around the world are more expensive than hiring a car, thats life get used to it

How elitist of you! have you tried living on 300thb a day.....

Exactly.but the fact is that a huge amount of Thaisdo have to live on that amount, So why should they not be able to have affordable taxi transport also?

To have to pay a days wages to travel from one side of Patong to the other is laughable, but thats the fact.

Equivilent to an aussie paying $A100-150 to travel 5klms in Australia.and saying that that is fair..

What cashed up tourists can afford to pay compared to what the locals can afford is not the point at all, no matter where this is..

Well if they only got one fare and had to split it 50/50 with the company he works for it isnt that much, I wouldnt get out of bed for that sort of money

You didn't/couldn't reply in context to what i posted...Why?

All your ranting and raving against and about expats on honda dreams etc is crap and you know it.

The local Thai populace has a right to travel by taxi without being forced to pay the equivalent of a days wages to travel a short distance.

These drivers are no more entitled to rip off their own countrymen,than they are to rip off expats.but do so with impunity and no conscience.

[LivinginKata]

Inflammatory and off topic post, and the reply - removed

[NamKangMan]

@ andreandre

Interesting post. To my knowledge, there is no dual-pricing for the tuk-tuks here. The driver will rip off the foreigners, and the Thai's. This is the reason that most people own, or have access to, a vehicle on Phuket.

The flow on effect from maintaining all these vehicle must be huge for this island.

Gasoline consumption, tyres, brakes, accident repairs, motorbike mechanics and repair shops everywhere, spare parts, oil, new car/motorbike showrooms, road tax, car/bike wash shops, helmet sales, police fines, hospital bills, funeral expenses, insurance etc.

A huge industry survives here on the tuk-tuk problem.

[andreandre]

@ andreandre

Interesting post. To my knowledge, there is no dual-pricing for the tuk-tuks here. The driver will rip off the foreigners, and the Thai's. This is the reason that most people own, or have access to, a vehicle on Phuket.

The flow on effect from maintaining all these vehicle must be huge for this island.

Gasoline consumption, tyres, brakes, accident repairs, motorbike mechanics and repair shops everywhere, spare parts, oil, new car/motorbike showrooms, road tax, car/bike wash shops, helmet sales, police fines, hospital bills, funeral expenses, insurance etc.

A huge industry survives here on the tuk-tuk problem.

The driver will rip off the foreigners, and the Thai's.

Yes i believe that is what i also said.

And no insinuation about dual pricing..

Edited July 1, 2013 by andreandre

[NamKangMan]

@ andreandre

Interesting post. To my knowledge, there is no dual-pricing for the tuk-tuks here. The driver will rip off the foreigners, and the Thai's. This is the reason that most people own, or have access to, a vehicle on Phuket.

The flow on effect from maintaining all these vehicle must be huge for this island.

Gasoline consumption, tyres, brakes, accident repairs, motorbike mechanics and repair shops everywhere, spare parts, oil, new car/motorbike showrooms, road tax, car/bike wash shops, helmet sales, police fines, hospital bills, funeral expenses, insurance etc.

A huge industry survives here on the tuk-tuk problem.

The driver will rip off the foreigners, and the Thai's.

Yes i believe that is what i also said.

And no insinuation about dual pricing..

My point is, the transport problem here is not only making the tuk-tuk drivers rich, but also all the other shops related to the motor vehicle industry.

It creates a huge turnover in cash and employs many.

Probably another reason why this island will NEVER see anything slightly resembling the transport that exists elsewhere in Thailand.

[CantSpell]

Vice Governor Sommai gave police until July 15 to report to her the results of the crackdown.

“I do not want to see people getting away with breaking the law in Phuket,” she said.

Sure, we would not want that, would we?

Should get nominated for the Oscar with a catch line like this

[petermach]

what about the customers ???

we can see here legal scammers fighting illegal scammers ,It is good that the world knows about taxi mafia in Phuket .The only way to eradicate this scourge is to allow

only taxi meters in Phuket , to create a special taxi police force reporting directly to Bangkok Tourism minister, to punish the offenders by confiscating their taxi for an appropriate time , to develop public transport....etc solutions to have fair public and private transport system in Phuket exists , only the will is absent.

[NamKangMan]

what about the customers ???

we can see here legal scammers fighting illegal scammers ,It is good that the world knows about taxi mafia in Phuket .The only way to eradicate this scourge is to allow

only taxi meters in Phuket , to create a special taxi police force reporting directly to Bangkok Tourism minister, to punish the offenders by confiscating their taxi for an appropriate time , to develop public transport....etc solutions to have fair public and private transport system in Phuket exists , only the will is absent.

Wherever there is a baht to be made, you often find the lack of "will" to change anything on Phuket. Hence, nothing has changed to benefit tourists, locals and expats here, for years.

It's all about creating consumerism, at inflated prices, for everyone here, whilst a poor quality product and infastructure is supplied.

[DiNiro]

Poor tourists. And this happens after you get thru Thailand International Scammer Airport.

[andreandre]

what about the customers ???

we can see here legal scammers fighting illegal scammers ,It is good that the world knows about taxi mafia in Phuket .The only way to eradicate this scourge is to allow

only taxi meters in Phuket , to create a special taxi police force reporting directly to Bangkok Tourism minister, to punish the offenders by confiscating their taxi for an appropriate time , to develop public transport....etc solutions to have fair public and private transport system in Phuket exists , only the will is absent.

Agree, the will is absent..unfortunately the "tea money" is not absent and nothing will ever change whilst corruption payments are an excepted part of life.