Phuket: DSI details cases of black taxi gangsterism

[kannot]

The season can start - happy holiday! Welcome on Phuket Island.

What about the shuttle bus service at Phuket airport? Are there operating right now?

Cheers

I saw the Patong -> Airport bus running today.

was it running away from an angry mob of black taxi drivers?

[Soi Sauce]

this is thailand all over now. fast buk and forget the future.

[NamKangMan]

This is why I moved to Hua Hin: reasonably priced accommodation within walking distance of the beach and the market. Songtaews for 10B, and taxis around town for 100B. Very little mafia-type thuggery. I don't know why anyone would spend their time on Phuket. Thailand is full of gorgeous beaches, so it's not that. More hookers I guess.

Many of the good looking hookers have left as the bars are quiet, Europeans hardly come anymore, whether it is the high Baht, European Crisis, some say they (Europeans) are scared of the Russians but I never see the Russians making problems, for that matter I never see them in the bars.

A lot of the bar girls and freelancers go home during the low season as they do not get many customers.

I think when they come back to Phuket for this "high season" they will be in for a surprise. It will not be much different from when they left for the low season.

There really will not be a high season on Phuket anymore, like we have been used to in the past.

[Sharp]

This is why I moved to Hua Hin: reasonably priced accommodation within walking distance of the beach and the market. Songtaews for 10B, and taxis around town for 100B. Very little mafia-type thuggery. I don't know why anyone would spend their time on Phuket. Thailand is full of gorgeous beaches, so it's not that. More hookers I guess.

Don't tell everyone ;-)

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

[geezer2]

message to phuket, RE: local maffia.

FROM: anyone with any sense.

dear phuket, we are not coming anymore, seeya........not.

and will the last one to leave please turn the lights off..

[geezer2]

We need Eliot Ness and his team of 'Untouchables'......

Although will they be able to assemble as many as eleven incorruptibles in Thailand??????

For gods sake----we already have the 'untouchables'------ the taxi drivers------we don't need any more !!!!!!!!!!!

At least Eliot was straight and honest

[Trouble]

Whole situation is stupid. Step 1: Government needs to require meters on all taxis. Step 2: Police need to do undercover work by acting as tourists needing taxis. Step 3: When Incidents like these described above are noted by police either through complaint or undercover work, impound the taxi and arrest the driver. Make the fine and impound costs so great that they don't do it again. Second offense jail time. Inform the Governor and Police Commander that their jobs are on the line if this continues. Problem could be solved in a month or two.

Edited October 3, 2013 by Trouble

[westsail]

If the government and police were serious about improving the situation they would impound the cars instead of fining the drivers $1,000 baht and letting them continue on.

[quiuvo]

Ouch. I thought I had been in bkk for awhile to know the difference between White taxi drivers and Black taxi drivers. Please give extra care for description of your subject at the outset.. You meant black license plates, not black drivers...

[quiuvo]

message to phuket, RE: local maffia.

FROM: anyone with any sense.

dear phuket, we are not coming anymore, seeya........not.

and will the last one to leave please turn the lights off..

I want to clean it not to demolish it. Work must be done and must be address by the highest authority, I'm not getting into politics.

[LivinginKata]

The season can start - happy holiday! Welcome on Phuket Island.

What about the shuttle bus service at Phuket airport? Are there operating right now?

Cheers

I saw the Patong -> Airport bus running today.

was it running away from an angry mob of black taxi drivers?

No, this bus service has not attracted any taxi protest, as yet. The service seems to be operating smoothly.

[pomchop]

one would think that the "black taxis" are the only taxi problem in Phuket....another very REAL problem is the "legal taxis" which charge more than a NYC taxi driver but apparently that is just fine with the Phuket politiicans....

Phuket is ROTTEN TO THE CORE....and the only way it will change is to send in a heavy military and Bangkok police force to STOP the BS.....like calling out the national guard...meters on taxis set at similar rates to Bangkok and other cities....absolutely NO claiming public TURF for parking, no intimidating tourists at hotels, airports, etc....and end to the crap of FORCING tourists to stop at some travel agency office to try and SCAM them into booking a hotel room..

What a disgraceful disgusting MESS Phuket has become.

[marell]

>>“As for the black taxi drivers who made trouble at these two hotels, we have already issued summonses to them. We will also investigate to find the people behind all these black taxi drivers.

Why weren't the police called and the culprits arrested? If the standoff took two hours at Serenity, surely some cops from Chalong could have made the journey in that time, even on foot for the 4 km distance!

Edit, what nice friendly looking fellows in this photo.

Indeed. Why didn't police "rush to the scene" as they are always reported to do? Maybe the prospect of dealng with a problem (bad) as opposed to collecting some quick easy cash (good) affects their ability to "rush".

[Valentine]

Now a youtube video is available, clearly showing the gutless maggots attacking the lone guy

Yeah. Look at them scatter when he stood up to them. Cowards!

It looked like he had a crowbar in one hand & a gun?? in the other after he opened the left door.

[spacebass]

One have to imagine, you paid a nice holiday and wether the hotel nor the authorities are able to provide for free departure because some local thugs playing war, what kind of a joke for a so called high quality tourism destination! Thailand is loosing its credibility day by day!

.... and let's go for the high spending market sector !

[Giorgio Ciotti]

message to phuket, RE: local maffia.

FROM: anyone with any sense.

dear phuket, we are not coming anymore, seeya........not.

[Giorgio Ciotti]

message to phuket, RE: local maffia.

FROM: anyone with any sense.

dear phuket, we are not coming anymore, seeya........not.

That is exactly my thought -- stopped going there -- go for a relaxing vacation elsewhere -- no need for it -- when people stop going there -- they will do something about it -- just STAY AWAY and things will change -- a ridiculous situation

[GeorgeO]

message to phuket, RE: local maffia.

FROM: anyone with any sense.

dear phuket, we are not coming anymore, seeya........not.

Hear, hear ... that is exactly my take on the subject. If they want to act this way, then f*%# 'em. Let them see their tourist industry wither and die...!!

[monkeycountry]

A day or two ago some Australian "taxi driver" was promtly arrested, and I am guessing he is not yet out on bail. How come when it comes to Thai nationals the harshest approach is almost always to issue invites for them to report to police - if and when they feel like it? (yes I know the answer to my own sily question)
Btw, the charges involved here would be intimidation, threats and extortion in any other country - not illegally operating a taxi, which is obviously a much less serious charge.

Edited October 4, 2013 by monkeycountry

[monkeycountry]

Hopefully the US navy and the cruise ships follows the news, so they can avoid Phuket this year!

[monkeycountry]

Trespass, imprisonment, extortion, threatening assault.

They gonna get a fine?

What makes you think they are gonna get a fine? I am quite sure they won't

[QualityTouristNumberOne]

as I have said before in the case of scum like this,and jestscum and the animals who treat tourists like mobile ATM's(or beat them half to death or completely to death if they resist) the best response is to vote from the rooftops.

http://s3.roosterteeth.com/images/fire_faded424629b25b389.jpg

Edited October 4, 2013 by QualityTouristNumberOne

[monkeycountry]

Reg. the video. Looks to me like 10 guys attacked the australian, but unlike most ppl who just get beaten or killed, he had the means to defend himself. What a criminal.

More importantly, seems to be quite standard that 10 ganster types stand at the entrance of each hotel intimidating the guests. What a lovely Island :-D

[eezergood]

They will make an example of these guys, to placate the uneducated masses, then business as usual around the rest of the island!

[Phuket Stan]

They will make an example of these guys, to placate the uneducated masses, then business as usual around the rest of the island!

They won't

[eezergood]

They will make an example of these guys, to placate the uneducated masses, then business as usual around the rest of the island!

They won't

Unfortunately, you are probably right!

[chrisinth]

Wonder what would happen if 100 people went to Hotels.com, Agoda, etc. and posted horrible reviews of the hotels involved, claiming they were unsafe and unable (or unwilling) to protect their guests.

There are hotel security experts that travel around the world to places a lot dicier than Thailand to deal with this type of issue...

It would be the sensible answer for the larger hotels to employ some 'security specialists' to protect their guests and property, instead of the token security service that the vast majority currently employ.

Of course the outcome of this happening could have adverse effects with the possibility of increased violence. Rock and a hard place.

NB. Notice I didn't mention if the authorities did their job this would not be happening - not worth mentioning.............

[eezergood]

Wonder what would happen if 100 people went to Hotels.com, Agoda, etc. and posted horrible reviews of the hotels involved, claiming they were unsafe and unable (or unwilling) to protect their guests.

There are hotel security experts that travel around the world to places a lot dicier than Thailand to deal with this type of issue...

It would be the sensible answer for the larger hotels to employ some 'security specialists' to protect their guests and property, instead of the token security service that the vast majority currently employ.

Of course the outcome of this happening could have adverse effects with the possibility of increased violence. Rock and a hard place.

NB. Notice I didn't mention if the authorities did their job this would not be happening - not worth mentioning.............

The Hilton tried this & failed. The 6 senes also and we know the story there

[Briggsy]

Hotels can't do much as the thugs who monitor, control and overcharge the flow of guests to and from the hotel are representatives of the powers-that-be on Phuket.

[KarenBravo]

From the original article:-

“The tourist was angry, and complained to the DSI.”
He added “After we received his complaints, we went to [the Novotel] and found that black taxi drivers were indeed blocking the way.”

......and they did nothing. Pretty much what they have consistently done since they arrived on the island. They only choose soft targets.