Minister of Tourism and Sports investigates mafia taxis in Phuket

[hawker9000]

The minister will lose face big time if the complaints continues to come. This is ammunition for the yellows.

Don't know if this will be quite the way the curtain comes down, but the fat lady HAS begun her solo. Go ahead all you proud-faced Phuket fops - keep up with the do-nothing-but-do-it-loudly routine. Just sit back and watch the slow sinking of your fortunes like a nice Andaman sunset. Go ahead and keep telling yourself those stupid farangs will just keep coming... (But meanwhile, I suggest you pick up a few words of chinese - your future bosses will appreciate it.)

[Emdog]

Ministry of Tourism and Sports: which section is looking at this? Seems national pastime is ripping tourists off (well, anyone come to think of it, but tourists are the easiest and usually don't have ready access to firearms). 50th wake up call of the morning: it's not just the illegal taxis that make it a bung hole, the legal ones are right there beside them.

[bigbamboo]

They couldnt investigate a turd floating off the coast let alone wipe it out!

The scams go right to the top the VERY VERY top that cannot be discussed.

Actually, investigating turd floating off the coast would be quite difficult because there are that many floating out there now it would be hard to identify the suspect turd.

They could always identify it by the medals it was wearing.

[shawndoc]

What's next, will the cultural minister walk the bars along Bangla and remind the girls that prostitution is illegal and they need to follow the law, and then declare there is no more prostitution in Thailand?

[geezer2]

cambodia already leading thailand on many fronts

Indeed !

Cambodia is the place to be. Growing very fast now.

I hope not the Russians will <deleted>*kit up .

2 or 3 days ago on (I think) tv russians said they are taking their business to bali

[Mangosteen1]

Its an larger Island thing. islands often have their own kind of law. their own land own rules. phuket-taxis might smile and agree too whatever the minister says. but after the tourists situation on the streets situation will not change. In the end its all about cash, and these rude people.

To tackle this problems it must come from within phuket itself. and since they are afraid for what these people are capable of... the taxi drivers can almost do what ever they want. they know phuket will always be famous and new arrivals every day at the airport. the taxi fares is also overpriced. they live a good life and will fight whatever and whoever for it. especially the real taxi locals will do this cuz its their land. That word mafia is such a wide word. but when I was there many high ranking thai business owners didn't want to have anything to do with them. sometimes they had their cars with new loud sound systems (Really loud)the whole beach were shaking and echoing in the restaurants, many complaints. they just replied: the taxi guys dangerous mafia! mafia! personally I had hard to tell who was mafia and who was a normal taxi guy. but lets say they are connected. and if you put yourself in a situation were you fight and hurt one of them badly. you better leave the island. every street there is a tuk-tuk, taxi. motorbike. the underground communication system is very fast.

And when they fight you its not a boxing fight. the brawl Ive seen(Lets say forget about fair/unfair) cuz not only are they 10 times as many but armed with glass bottles, and steel pipes. they will use it for sure.

Thailand is not like the west. even in BKK If you get a ride with motorbike taxi. when you reach your destination the taxi bike will 90% drive straight back to his own taxi street and spot.

if he has balls he could try to get customers on the new soi, street. but if the motor taxis on that street see it. it might get ruff very ruff.

[UncleJ]

Seems allot of the scammers are driven by hate, not just greed.

What caused Thais to turn against farangs?

Didn't seem so bitter 20 years ago.

[LivinginKata]

Seems allot of the scammers are driven by hate, not just greed.

What caused Thais to turn against farangs?

Didn't seem so bitter 20 years ago.

I think it's more about envy than hate. All Farangs are considered rich so why not try to extract some of that wealth. And it's getting worse because it much harder for Phuket vendors/business to make money given the decline in the freer spending tourists.

[razer]

"However, the plan to ensnare the mafia taxis did not work thanks to media reports. The team then approached cab drivers on the streets and asked them to abide by the law."

If I recall correctly the top brass in the police held a press conference announcing they would go after the law breakers the coming weekend.

[UncleJ]

The problems are just as bad in Pattaya and Samui.

Thai predators flock to the tourist towns and pay off the police for the right to abuse visitors.

3 years ago, the Pattaya Mayor spoke with the jet ski guys and asked them to stop the scamming and violence.

"It's not Thai" he told them.

Unfortunately the millions of baht they scam out of our visitors trumps Thai "values".....

.....and thousands more tourists have been scammed, assaulted, robbed, intimidated, kidnapped, held hostage, terrorized and abused since that day.

The same Mayor that didn't notice his murdering fugitive dad living on the same property all these years..

Funny too that the 'who's who' in Thai Government made their way to that house to pay tribute to the fugitive on his birthday every year.

Edited October 16, 2013 by UncleJ

[fareastguy]

I think the present "governor" of Phuket should get his hand out of the till & start to do his proper duties as a mayor of the popular tourist resort...

The story of the "golden goose" springs to mind!!

[JulesMad]

....and again another 'investigation' in Phuket mafia tuktuks, taxis...

Nothing changes, as usual and as expected....

[NomadJoe]

Lot's of investigating going on but not much action so far.

The solution is so simple. Institute 10B songtheaws across the island like in so many other tourist areas in Thailand. The taxi's and tuk tuks will all go away. I will even help with the route planning:

I had to double check that the above was written by NJ, not NKM

I think I was making these kinds of comments long before NKM was even a member.

[NomadJoe]

Lot's of investigating going on but not much action so far.

The solution is so simple. Institute 10B songtheaws across the island like in so many other tourist areas in Thailand. The taxi's and tuk tuks will all go away. I will even help with the route planning:

Coastal route: Kata to Surin.

Rawai, Nai Harn, Chalong, Kata loop.

Phuket town to Patong.

Phuket town to the airport.

Sorted.

Not sure where else other than Pattaya they have that service and Pattaya dosen't have that good a service for the tourist.

You have to know the routes. We in Chiang Mai just use Tuck tucks and trucks similar to the baht buses except you can tell them where you want to go and they will take you there, Better than having to know all the different routes and stops in the whole city.

Krabi, Samui and Chaing Mai all have baht buses/seantheaws. And there are no stops to learn. It is hop on hop off. The few times I have been to Pattaya, I found it incredibly easy to use. The routes are simple and easy to learn. It definitely seems like you haven't bothered learn them. Up to you, but I am curious what are you paying your tuk tuks and trucks to take you to your destination? It sounds as though you are paying the songtheaw driver extra just for the luxury of not picking up other people on the way. He may already be going that way and for 20B instead of whatever you have paid him for a private charter, would have taken you there.

[NomadJoe]

The problems are just as bad in Pattaya and Samui.

Thai predators flock to the tourist towns and pay off the police for the right to abuse visitors.

3 years ago, the Pattaya Mayor spoke with the jet ski guys and asked them to stop the scamming and violence.

"It's not Thai" he told them.

Unfortunately the millions of baht they scam out of our visitors trumps Thai "values".....

.....and thousands more tourists have been scammed, assaulted, robbed, intimidated, kidnapped, held hostage, terrorized and abused since that day.

The same Mayor that didn't notice his murdering fugitive dad living on the same property all these years..

Funny too that the 'who's who' in Thai Government made their way to that house to pay tribute to the fugitive on his birthday every year.

The situation with the jet ski's is an interesting one. It is remarkable how such a small group of people are allowed to continue their psuedo-legal operation when they create such a negative image for Thailand and tourism here. What is so interesting to me is that the very people responsible for enforcing the laws against them are the ones exacerbating the problem. Here's why: In order for this small group of people to continue to operate with impunity despite all the negative press and complaints from consulate officals, they have to pass a lot of money up the food chain to corrupt Thai officials. The more heat they get for scamming, the more they must pass on to the officials, thus if they want to maintain their margins, the more they have to scam tourists to pay for increasingly expensive the right to operate. It's a never-ending upwardly increasing spiral. Without the continues scams, intimidation, kidnappings, there is no money to pass onto the corrupt Thai officials. Simple economics which can also be applied to the tuk tuk/taxi co-ops.

Edited October 17, 2013 by NomadJoe

[UncleJ]

What ever happened to the insurance plan, registration, weekly inspections etc the deputy mayor mentioned?

Why is the press so quiet?

It would be very easy to trail the people running this operation.

The jet ski gang managers arrive at 10AM and leave at 6PM.

[NomadJoe]

What ever happened to the insurance plan, registration, weekly inspections etc the deputy mayor mentioned?

Why is the press so quiet?

It would be very easy to trail the people running this operation.

The jet ski gang managers arrive at 10AM and leave at 6PM.

Not all operators participate, but the real problem is the insurance policy does not cover lost of income for the number of days the jet ski must be out of the water, so the operators are still able to just make up a number on the spot and demand it through threats and intimidation just as they did before. The only difference now is they also get to collect an additional payment from the insurance company. So its basically been an utter disaster for all involved but the jet ski operators. I don't understand why they don't just shut them down. It's illegal to operate a vessel in Thai waters without a Thai captains license, so every tourist renting a jet ski is breaking the law.

[UncleJ]

What ever happened to the insurance plan, registration, weekly inspections etc the deputy mayor mentioned?

Why is the press so quiet?

It would be very easy to trail the people running this operation.

The jet ski gang managers arrive at 10AM and leave at 6PM.

Not all operators participate, but the real problem is the insurance policy does not cover lost of income for the number of days the jet ski must be out of the water, so the operators are still able to just make up a number on the spot and demand it through threats and intimidation just as they did before. The only difference now is they also get to collect an additional payment from the insurance company. So its basically been an utter disaster for all involved but the jet ski operators. I don't understand why they don't just shut them down. It's illegal to operate a vessel in Thai waters without a Thai captains license, so every tourist renting a jet ski is breaking the law.

It would be interesting to see if the insurance companies have paid one single baht for damages.

This scam runs so deep, the insurance man is probably in on it.

Left a loophole in the policy so the scammers can operate as usual.

[Fookhaht]

'However, the plan to ensnare the mafia taxis did not work thanks to media reports. The team then approached cab drivers on the street and asked them, to abide by the law'

.

Like politely asking the Devil to obey the Scriptures.....

The profound effectiveness of the effort just makes the hair of your neck stand on end, doesn't it?

Sent from my tin can via string.

Edited October 19, 2013 by Fookhaht

[fire and ice]

Lot's of investigating going on but not much action so far.

The solution is so simple. Institute 10B songtheaws across the island like in so many other tourist areas in Thailand. The taxi's and tuk tuks will all go away. I will even help with the route planning:

Coastal route: Kata to Surin.

Rawai, Nai Harn, Chalong, Kata loop.

Phuket town to Patong.

Phuket town to the airport.

Sorted.

Are you taking the piss? Or did you leave off the bit about each songthaew requiring 4+ armed guards with AK47s (or better) and 24/7 armed guards (several) escorting each driver & their family members? A turret or two on top of each songthaew wouldn't go astray either.

[pacovl46]

"However, the plan to ensnare the mafia taxis did not work thanks to media reports." = well planned tip-off to protect the tea-money flow.

Just another front-end gardening headline.

[UncleJ]

"Minister of Tourism and Sports investigates mafia taxis in Phuket"

Whenever I see the word Minister I think of the word Godfather.

[eezergood]

Investigate - YES

Action - NOT BLOODY LIKELY