Aus Hon Con in tense talks over Phuket jet-ski incident

[chooka]

I see some news sites in regards to Larry are now starting to be blocked in Thailand to keep everything out of the eyes of potential victims.

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[Songhua]

kudos to Australian Honorary Consul Larry Cunningham a true blue, dinky di bottler

Siriporn Tantiphanyatep.jpgPhuket official and standover person. Siriporn Tantiphanyatep:

''And it is not wise to always say bad things about Phuket while you are still living and doing your business in this city.''

I like the painted on eyebrows.

I'd like to know why a Passport Office official should be involved in the matter at all.

Sorry to quote myself but according to other sources Siriporn Tantiphanyathep is the Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Phuket Office.

[harada]

i used to love thailand, over the two years i have lived here it has manifested into hatred, i am hoping to be out of here come new year

Ive spent quite a bit of time in Thailand over the last 30years and after about 10 years of southern tourist areas I also started to hate the place, a friend suggested that I have a look around the Chiang Mai area,the best thing Iever did its the REAL THAILAND. Give it a try.

[kirk0233]

kudos to Australian Honorary Consul Larry Cunningham a true blue, dinky di bottler

Siriporn Tantiphanyatep.jpgPhuket official and standover person. Siriporn Tantiphanyatep:

''And it is not wise to always say bad things about Phuket while you are still living and doing your business in this city.''

She definitely looks like a mean, nasty despicable piece of work. Imagine waking up to that every morning. Probably just needs a hug, any volunteers?

Interesting profile in The Phuket Gazette..."The individuals profiled in "Thai Gallery" are chosen on the basis of their contributions to Phuket as an international community, and, often, for having made those contributions through successful social and/or working relationships with foreigners."

Apparently her husband or former husband is owner of Phuket Garden Hotel. Cunningham's comments potentially harmful to the family business? Her sms was a little shoddy for a master’s in Commerce from University of New South Wales, Australia.

http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuketlifestyle/2013/Phuket-People-Siriporn-Tantipanyathep-20806.html

[harada]

kudos to Australian Honorary Consul Larry Cunningham a true blue, dinky di bottler

Siriporn Tantiphanyatep.jpgPhuket official and standover person. Siriporn Tantiphanyatep:

''And it is not wise to always say bad things about Phuket while you are still living and doing your business in this city.''

She definitely looks like a mean, nasty despicable piece of work. Imagine waking up to that every morning. Probably just needs a hug, any volunteers?

Interesting profile in The Phuket Gazette..."The individuals profiled in "Thai Gallery" are chosen on the basis of their contributions to Phuket as an international community, and, often, for having made those contributions through successful social and/or working relationships with foreigners."

Apparently her husband or former husband is owner of Phuket Garden Hotel. Cunningham's comments potentially harmful to the family business? Her sms was a little shoddy for a master’s in Commerce from University of New South Wales, Australia.

http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuketlifestyle/2013/Phuket-People-Siriporn-Tantipanyathep-20806.html

Eyes like bullets dipped in Curare

[dudu]

i used to love thailand, over the two years i have lived here it has manifested into hatred, i am hoping to be out of here come new year

Ive spent quite a bit of time in Thailand over the last 30years and after about 10 years of southern tourist areas I also started to hate the place, a friend suggested that I have a look around the Chiang Mai area,the best thing Iever did its the REAL THAILAND. Give it a try.

Although Chiang mai is a sleepy town,more and more tourists are coming here,which means the scammers will be looking for new areas and opportunities, i like it here,but fear,it is changing to fast to attract more tourists, Chiang mai loves money and is starved compared to the south, we can only hope that the northern style of hospitality will remain, it is after all, still the land of smiles up here.

[chooka]

kudos to Australian Honorary Consul Larry Cunningham a true blue, dinky di bottler

Siriporn Tantiphanyatep.jpgPhuket official and standover person. Siriporn Tantiphanyatep:

''And it is not wise to always say bad things about Phuket while you are still living and doing your business in this city.''

She definitely looks like a mean, nasty despicable piece of work. Imagine waking up to that every morning. Probably just needs a hug, any volunteers?

Interesting profile in The Phuket Gazette..."The individuals profiled in "Thai Gallery" are chosen on the basis of their contributions to Phuket as an international community, and, often, for having made those contributions through successful social and/or working relationships with foreigners."

Apparently her husband or former husband is owner of Phuket Garden Hotel. Cunningham's comments potentially harmful to the family business? Her sms was a little shoddy for a master’s in Commerce from University of New South Wales, Australia.

http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuketlifestyle/2013/Phuket-People-Siriporn-Tantipanyathep-20806.html

For a career diplomat like Siriporn, whose job has taken her across continents, working in Phuket must seem like a holiday. "Providing passport services is part of the Foreign Ministry’s public diplomacy, but as the only Foreign Ministry representative in Phuket, I also assist the governor in dealing with foreign delegations and foreign affairs," says Siriporn, who took up the position in November of last year.

Dealing with them generally by the means of threats and intimidation. Not working with them but dealing with them. (The muscle)

Oh Siriporn, deal with this scumbag will you.

Edited September 1, 2013 by chooka

[TinaKohChang]

I see some news sites in regards to Larry are now starting to be blocked in Thailand to keep everything out of the eyes of potential victims.

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You don't have permission to access /opinion/is-phuket-in-trouble-answered-larry-cunningham-170744.html on this server.

Additionally, a 403 Forbidden error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.

Please check date of publishing:

It is an article from 2009! No conspiracy theory, please

Is Phuket in trouble? Answered Larry Cunningham |

Sep 28, 2009 - when you press that link you get exactly to that forbidden link, you pointed us to: ...access/opinion/is-phuket-in-trouble-answered-larry-cunningham-170744.html on this server...

[dao16]

Two course of action;

1: Since the locals don't give a ratsarse, the central government and TAT should step in or;

2: Leave Phuket to the mugs who think it is an OK place to spend their time and money.

.

I choose 2:

In some places, the locals don't like it but are scared to talk. Not kidding. Scared to explain. I was once at a beach resort and the hotel staff did tell me not to rent jet skis anywhere. When I asked why, they just said "you can find other things to do" and that was all they wanted to say about it. I imagine word getting back to the thugs who run these scams might result in a beating for the hotel staff or something.

On a side note, I can't believe people rent jet skis anymore. I remember them being fun in like the <deleted> 80s or something, but you'd think we'd have something better by now. Anyway.

[kirk0233]

I think Siriporn must answer guest complaints for her husband's Garden Phuket Hotel.

One management comment to a guest's complaint about the service at the hotel reads as follows from tripadvisor

23 June 2013

thank you for your review.
we have had some problem with some staff who didn t care enough about his job, the problem has been solve since...
but the main thing that you should blame is that thailand is not an english speaking country and skills from staff anywhere ( hotel, restaurant, shops) you go in thailand is usually limited, specially when people speak with an accent from manchester like yours. you can not blame thailand for not speaking english or you should go in an english speaking country for your holidays, or adapt to where you go and learn the basic.

our photos are done by a professional, maybe you didn t have the " glamourized" mood that day or didn t get the right day for sunset, we have some amazing sunset most of the time , i guess you were not "lucky".

:

[TinaKohChang]

i used to love thailand, over the two years i have lived here it has manifested into hatred, i am hoping to be out of here come new year

Ive spent quite a bit of time in Thailand over the last 30years and after about 10 years of southern tourist areas I also started to hate the place, a friend suggested that I have a look around the Chiang Mai area,the best thing Iever did its the REAL THAILAND. Give it a try.

Although Chiang mai is a sleepy town,more and more tourists are coming here,which means the scammers will be looking for new areas and opportunities, i like it here,but fear,it is changing to fast to attract more tourists, Chiang mai loves money and is starved compared to the south, we can only hope that the northern style of hospitality will remain, it is after all, still the land of smiles up here.

Same here... Koh Chang is still nice, we have almost no crime here, Also here police will stand up first fror their own people, but if you can proof, have evidence that you were not wrong, they will help you to get your right (happened to me on various incidents)! you won¨t find a single jet ski rental place around the entire island...during low season which is 6 months, we do not see many tourists still and everyone hardly earns a Baht and of course do they all love money the most here, Î fear that all the scumbag-mafiosi are coming here, if there is no Baht to make anymore out of tourist scams in Phuket, or other more popular destinations such as Samui, Phangan...

[asean]

With all the warnings any idiotic foreigner who rents a jetski in Thailand gets everything they deserve. I have absolutely no sympathy for these morons whatsoever. If the Australian foreign affairs department issues warnings at all exit points and informs all travel agents to advise Thailand bound tourists, post warnings in all Australian in flight magazines then we would have no jetski operators left in Thailand. If every country did the same we would all be better off. The hon consul (who went way beyond his duty) can only blame the Australian dept foreign affairs for this incident happening. If they did their job properly there would be no Australians renting jetskis in the first place. RENT AT YOUR OWN RISK AND DON'T CALL US advisories would be a good start. If there are any foreign nationals caught in a jetski scam then the blame truly lays on the that country's department of foreign affairs for not doing an effective enough advisory on the issue.

[chooka]

With all the warnings any idiotic foreigner who rents a jetski in Thailand gets everything they deserve. I have absolutely no sympathy for these morons whatsoever. If the Australian foreign affairs department issues warnings at all exit points and informs all travel agents to advise Thailand bound tourists, post warnings in all Australian in flight magazines then we would have no jetski operators left in Thailand. If every country did the same we would all be better off. The hon consul (who went way beyond his duty) can only blame the Australian dept foreign affairs for this incident happening. If they did their job properly there would be no Australians renting jetskis in the first place. RENT AT YOUR OWN RISK AND DON'T CALL US advisories would be a good start. If there are any foreign nationals caught in a jetski scam then the blame truly lays on the that country's department of foreign affairs for not doing an effective enough advisory on the issue.

Nice to see you have completely shifted the blame away from Thailand and completely exonerated them for these scams. Those damn Farangs again giving Thailand a poor image.

[TomTao]

With all the warnings any idiotic foreigner who rents a jetski in Thailand gets everything they deserve. I have absolutely no sympathy for these morons whatsoever. If the Australian foreign affairs department issues warnings at all exit points and informs all travel agents to advise Thailand bound tourists, post warnings in all Australian in flight magazines then we would have no jetski operators left in Thailand. If every country did the same we would all be better off. The hon consul (who went way beyond his duty) can only blame the Australian dept foreign affairs for this incident happening. If they did their job properly there would be no Australians renting jetskis in the first place. RENT AT YOUR OWN RISK AND DON'T CALL US advisories would be a good start. If there are any foreign nationals caught in a jetski scam then the blame truly lays on the that country's department of foreign affairs for not doing an effective enough advisory on the issue.

I agree with what you say, but the sad truth is that even if you had a large neon sign flashing a warning in bright colours that could not be missed, you would still some people staring at the sign with zero mental registration who then go out and rent a jet ski, and then call for help when they got ripped by the scam squad.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[jpinx]

Same idiots who ignore the "No Swimming" notices when there's a tide rip ?

[asean]

I just hope this guy lends his full support to Larry in this matter. This guy should follow the Chinese Ambassador's example and say "enough is enough." Maybe other Ambassadors will also take the matter seriously.

http://www.thailand.embassy.gov.au/bkok/AboutUs_Ambassador.html

In fact, Larry deserves the full support of expats and tourists, from EVERY nation, for his stance against this ongoing criminal activity.

Maybe Australian, and non-Australians alike, can email the Australian Embassy website in support of Larry.

I think I will send a short email praising his efforts.

General Contact details

Phone: +66 2 344 6300

Facsimile: +66 2 344 6593

Email: //removed//

[asean]

I think you would get more reaction from the Australian Embassy if we should suggest Mr Cunningham as the preferred Ambassador or consular general. After he is the only one sticking his neck out for Australians.

[asean]

With all the warnings any idiotic foreigner who rents a jetski in Thailand gets everything they deserve. I have absolutely no sympathy for these morons whatsoever. If the Australian foreign affairs department issues warnings at all exit points and informs all travel agents to advise Thailand bound tourists, post warnings in all Australian in flight magazines then we would have no jetski operators left in Thailand. If every country did the same we would all be better off. The hon consul (who went way beyond his duty) can only blame the Australian dept foreign affairs for this incident happening. If they did their job properly there would be no Australians renting jetskis in the first place. RENT AT YOUR OWN RISK AND DON'T CALL US advisories would be a good start. If there are any foreign nationals caught in a jetski scam then the blame truly lays on the that country's department of foreign affairs for not doing an effective enough advisory on the issue.

Nice to see you have completely shifted the blame away from Thailand and completely exonerated them for these scams. Those dam_n Farangs again giving Thailand a poor image.

Chooka. If you were at the shark tank at the marine park and you saw a child jump in and get eaten. Who would you blame? The sharks, the child, the parents of the child for not restraining him or the park? You still believe in the fantasy that you can rid a third world culture of corruption where the minimum wage is the equivalent of two coffees at Starbucks. A culture where the deputy prime minister publicly announces that extorting bribes is okay. I live and work in Thailand and i love the place and it's people. The Dept of Foreign affairs has a duty to inform all Australian citizens of all hazards they may face in certain countries. They pay millions to consulate staff to collect and assess this information with Australian tax payer funds.

[Sayonarax]

Mrs Siriporn Tantiphanyatep, Now there only going to keep digging..... The Australians will hand flyers before departing to your country warning all citizen what kind of people operate here. Stop moaning about your face before some one owns it.

Edited September 1, 2013 by Sayonarax

[Sayonarax]

With all the warnings any idiotic foreigner who rents a jetski in Thailand gets everything they deserve. I have absolutely no sympathy for these morons whatsoever. If the Australian foreign affairs department issues warnings at all exit points and informs all travel agents to advise Thailand bound tourists, post warnings in all Australian in flight magazines then we would have no jetski operators left in Thailand. If every country did the same we would all be better off. The hon consul (who went way beyond his duty) can only blame the Australian dept foreign affairs for this incident happening. If they did their job properly there would be no Australians renting jetskis in the first place. RENT AT YOUR OWN RISK AND DON'T CALL US advisories would be a good start. If there are any foreign nationals caught in a jetski scam then the blame truly lays on the that country's department of foreign affairs for not doing an effective enough advisory on the issue.

lmao, im sorry what warnings does your country post about this?

Where would the average non internet savvy first travel find this information you keep ranting on about?

And when did an outsider like your self speak on behalf of Australians?

[NamKangMan]

I think Siriporn must answer guest complaints for her husband's Garden Phuket Hotel.

One management comment to a guest's complaint about the service at the hotel reads as follows from tripadvisor

23 June 2013

thank you for your review.

we have had some problem with some staff who didn t care enough about his job, the problem has been solve since...

but the main thing that you should blame is that thailand is not an english speaking country and skills from staff anywhere ( hotel, restaurant, shops) you go in thailand is usually limited, specially when people speak with an accent from manchester like yours. you can not blame thailand for not speaking english or you should go in an english speaking country for your holidays, or adapt to where you go and learn the basic.

our photos are done by a professional, maybe you didn t have the " glamourized" mood that day or didn t get the right day for sunset, we have some amazing sunset most of the time , i guess you were not "lucky".

:

I don't think her actions in this matter have provided a good advertisement for her husband's hotel, if you know what I mean. :) .

[FDog]

With all the warnings any idiotic foreigner who rents a jetski in Thailand gets everything they deserve. I have absolutely no sympathy for these morons whatsoever. If the Australian foreign affairs department issues warnings at all exit points and informs all travel agents to advise Thailand bound tourists, post warnings in all Australian in flight magazines then we would have no jetski operators left in Thailand. If every country did the same we would all be better off. The hon consul (who went way beyond his duty) can only blame the Australian dept foreign affairs for this incident happening. If they did their job properly there would be no Australians renting jetskis in the first place. RENT AT YOUR OWN RISK AND DON'T CALL US advisories would be a good start. If there are any foreign nationals caught in a jetski scam then the blame truly lays on the that country's department of foreign affairs for not doing an effective enough advisory on the issue.

Nice to see you have completely shifted the blame away from Thailand and completely exonerated them for these scams. Those dam_n Farangs again giving Thailand a poor image.

Chooka. If you were at the shark tank at the marine park and you saw a child jump in and get eaten. Who would you blame? The sharks, the child, the parents of the child for not restraining him or the park? You still believe in the fantasy that you can rid a third world culture of corruption where the minimum wage is the equivalent of two coffees at Starbucks. A culture where the deputy prime minister publicly announces that extorting bribes is okay. I live and work in Thailand and i love the place and it's people. The Dept of Foreign affairs has a duty to inform all Australian citizens of all hazards they may face in certain countries. They pay millions to consulate staff to collect and assess this information with Australian tax payer funds.

Last time I looked sharks aren't people and subject to laws.

Look on the DFAT website, they DO warn aussies. But most aussies don't bother reading those things. Much better, as someone else suggested, is to have the pilot on all planes going to Thailand to make an announcement not to rent jet skis.

Or even better, when you are on the plane and filling out the customs declaration they also give you a slip of paper listing common scams.

But really, for you to try and make this the same as a child going into a shark tank is just....well....crazy.

[monkeycountry]

In most countries it would take a lot less for a high ranking official to lose his/her job, not to mention being charged with a crime such as abuse of power/office, but I assume threats from officials are perfectly ok in Thailand

[xenophon]

As they used to say in 'Yes Minister", very brave, Mr. C. HOwever I fear for your business, family or yourself. This, as we all know, is not a law-abiding society

[Emdog]

I would join fan club for HC Cunningham. Some of you Aussies might lobby for taking away "honorary" and making him official consul. Might prolong his life, but who knows? A diplomat that has got a pair? Such a rare and pleasant thing! If I were in Phuket I would join a support march, but am up in Jomtien. I would have to use Phuket taxi mafia, and that seems counterproductive..... But keep up the good fight.

[chooka]

In most countries it would take a lot less for a high ranking official to lose his/her job, not to mention being charged with a crime such as abuse of power/office, but I assume threats from officials are perfectly ok in Thailand

In a civilised, developed country such officials would not be making such threats to consulate staff of other countries and if they did they would imeadiately be hauled in front of the foreign minister after he had his rear end torn out and shoved down his throat by the P.M. They would be made to make a VERY Public apology and then probably fired.

But hey this is Thailand and she will probably be promoted and sent to Dubai where she can beat up on foreigner in a restaurant which Thai foreign affair staff seem to enjoy doing..

[DrDweeb]

He managed to expose the real corruption's heart.

Kahoonas as big as coconuts, he's got my vote!!!

I know Larry personally, as do many Australians living on Phuket or as regular visitors.

Lots of Australians met Larry once and were subsequently enormously grateful to him for getting them out of all sorts of predicaments, many not all of their own making. Larry is a huge asset to visiting Australians on Phuket.

He may be the "Honourary Consul") but he does a real lot of work and as far as I know is held in high regard with the higher ups in the chain of diplomatic command.

Everyone on Phuket knows exactly who runs the "mafia" on Phuket. It is not even hidden, as these events show. There have been lots of meetings between ambassadors and consular officials form all the countries that have lots of tourists on Phuket. The diplomats know what is going on, the Thais in Bangkok turn a blind eye. You can choose why you think that is the case, it doesn't matter, it is a fact that Bangkok have ignored the descent of Phuket to its present day status of a shit hole. So far, diplomatic action has failed to get Bangkok to act and given that there have been far more extreme cases of disrespect to officials of foreign countries and property on Phuket, I am not holding my breath waiting for any action.

Until Bangkok decides to take over, and displace and prosecute certain high officials and clean up the police force (though I have only had positive interactions with the local police), then it is not likely anything will happen to improve the situation. Threats such as that made to Larry are despicable and show the true colours of the Phuket administration and how the Thais have made of an otherwise beautiful place a disgraceful shit hole run by and for the benefit of crooks and thieves.

A shitstorm of global negative publicity that embarrasses the "photo op" PM in Bangkok sufficiently might help, but the western press only ever seem to see bars when they visit Thailand, so there will be no help from them The main stream media are so busy peddling their righteous christian morality and dogma that they regularly fail to see the appalling political realities of Thailand and report it backwards when they wake up with a hangover anyway.

Things that will never change on Phuket until the bottom line (tourist dollars) dry up and Bangkok is sufficiently embarrassed to do something about it.

Dweeb

[peterbkk9]

I think Siriporn must answer guest complaints for her husband's Garden Phuket Hotel.

One management comment to a guest's complaint about the service at the hotel reads as follows from tripadvisor

23 June 2013

thank you for your review.

we have had some problem with some staff who didn t care enough about his job, the problem has been solve since...

but the main thing that you should blame is that thailand is not an english speaking country and skills from staff anywhere ( hotel, restaurant, shops) you go in thailand is usually limited, specially when people speak with an accent from manchester like yours. you can not blame thailand for not speaking english or you should go in an english speaking country for your holidays, or adapt to where you go and learn the basic.

our photos are done by a professional, maybe you didn t have the " glamourized" mood that day or didn t get the right day for sunset, we have some amazing sunset most of the time , i guess you were not "lucky".

:

Maybe she did, maybe not. But I find this management comment to a guest's complaint quite arrogant.

"maybe you didn t have the " glamourized" mood that day..." <deleted>??

[dudu]

This just keeps getting better...

[DrDweeb]

kudos to Australian Honorary Consul Larry Cunningham a true blue, dinky di bottler

Siriporn Tantiphanyatep.jpgPhuket official and standover person. Siriporn Tantiphanyatep:

''And it is not wise to always say bad things about Phuket while you are still living and doing your business in this city.''

She definitely looks like a mean, nasty despicable piece of work. Imagine waking up to that every morning. Probably just needs a hug, any volunteers?

Some people just need a uniform and a bit authority, and their innate maladjustment does the rest.

Point and fire as it were ..