Phuket Gov checks out Patong’s jet-ski stands

[webfact]

Phuket Gov checks out Patong’s jet-ski stands
Prapaporn Jitmaneeyaphan

Japanese tourists get informed about the jetski regulations. Gov Maitree is pictured centre (grey shirt).

PHUKET: -- Governor Maitree Intusut visited a jet-ski counter near the Bangla Road police box on Patong Beach yesterday afternoon (October 31) to speak to staff in preparation for the upcoming high season.

There are 286 registered jet-ski on the island, operating across six beaches. The majority of these – 170 – are based at Patong Beach.

Phuket Harbour Office official Nachapong Pranit said jet-ski staff, who helped train and educate tourists how to use the jet-skis but were not official operators, needed to be aged 18 or over, and hold a jet-ski driver licence.

A worker at one of the booths said, “We always keep an eye out on our customers when they get onto a jetski. When they are going out of the zone we blow a whistle, and wave a flag at them to signal them to come back.

“We explain to the customers what these signs and signals mean before they sign the contract to hire a jetski.

Vice President of the Patong Jet-ski Club, Nucha Petchwimol, said customers who were unsure or nervous about riding a jet-ski could ride along with a staff member.

“Then they don’t have to worry about insurance or crashing, because they will have our staff with them.”

At the booth, Gov Maitree requested a staff member named “Seu” to explain in English to the media and other tourists around about the rules and contracts when hiring a jet-ski. He showed the price list, contracts and gave information about the regulations when driving one. Contracts are written in three different languages: Chinese, Russian and English.

Gov Maitree said officials from the Phuket Harbour Office would soon set up the buoys on Patong Beach to distinguish between the area earmarked for swimming, and the one for jet-skis.

Gov Maitree said tourists in trouble swimming were often rescued by jet-ski operators, and he asked those working on Patong Beach to keep a record of the number of people they assisted in the water.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-gov-checks-out-patong%E2%80%99s-jet-ski-stands-42657.php


-- Phuket News 2013-11-01

[LivinginKata]

170 jet skis on Patong beach. That's an amazing high number for such a small area.

[asdecas]

A sweepstake on the date of the first beating of a tourist who refuses to pay "damages", anyone?

[renaissanc]

Q: "Have you ever scammed any tourists?"

A: "No."

Q: "Do you pay your money upstairs every month?"

A: "Yes."

"Move along everyone. There's nothing of concern here. All is well. The operators are good people. It's all a misunderstanding."

[casindonet]

The news actually meant 286 registered Mafias on the island.

Sent from my GT-I9200 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[kannot]

Why dont we have a mass TV day out to Phuket and hire all 100+ on the beach and then all drive head on into each other as "we dont have to worry about crashes or damage now"

This way we can have a staff member on the back..............or is that so they handout the beatings sooner??

I see now they have become "beach heroes" too.............woooooooooooooo sometimes you could really fall for this crap if you didnt know the place.

Edited November 1, 2013 by kannot

[bangarang]

"...needed to be aged 18 or over, and hold a jet-ski driver licence."

and the % of people who actually hold a jetski driver license would be...? Probably 0.5% of tourists? lol... im sure they dont even bother to check anyways... mai ben rai! Your money is good enough. Same-same but different.

[Carrerakiss]

"...needed to be aged 18 or over, and hold a jet-ski driver licence."

and the % of people who actually hold a jetski driver license would be...? Probably 0.5% of tourists? lol... im sure they dont even bother to check anyways... mai ben rai! Your money is good enough. Same-same but different.

It's the jet ski staff that need to be 18 and have a license. But no surprise that everything is sweetness and light when the Governor tours the beach, it will have all been staged for a good result. Now for the tourists, things maybe different........

[Just1Voice]

The "targeted" operators were all called the night before by the Governor's secretary to let them know of the "photo op", which is why they were so helpful and friendly today. Not gun or club in sight.

[maprao]

With all the publicity I am surprised that any tourists are dumb enough to rent a Jet ski in Thailand

[Travel Dude]

Is Gov. Maitree now trying to tell all the Foreign Ambassadors that they are wrong and don't get it? You see, those lovely Jet Ski operators speak English, nicely explain how to drive a jet ski and even save numerous people who would drown if jet ski's would not be there... Shame on you Gov. Maitree for your monkey show. You think foreigners are really stupid and buy this nonsense? I am Thai and ashamed.

[razer]

Is Gov. Maitree now trying to tell all the Foreign Ambassadors that they are wrong and don't get it? You see, those lovely Jet Ski operators speak English, nicely explain how to drive a jet ski and even save numerous people who would drown if jet ski's would not be there... Shame on you Gov. Maitree for your monkey show. You think foreigners are really stupid and buy this nonsense? I am Thai and ashamed.

Good for you. You have something these people don't have. It's called national pride ... the desire to be proud of one's own country not for what nature provided, but for what the country's people do.

[andreandre]

"...needed to be aged 18 or over, and hold a jet-ski driver licence."

and the % of people who actually hold a jetski driver license would be...? Probably 0.5% of tourists? lol... im sure they dont even bother to check anyways... mai ben rai! Your money is good enough. Same-same but different.

It's the jet ski staff that need to be 18 and have a license. But no surprise that everything is sweetness and light when the Governor tours the beach, it will have all been staged for a good result. Now for the tourists, things maybe different........

Sure..but;

Under Thai law, jet-skis may only be operated by people holding a valid Thai sea captain's license but the regulation is rarely checked or enforced by officers on the island.

Not sure how old one must be to apply for this licence.

Its been suggested before..an easy way to get rid of the noisy menaces is to simply enforce the current law!!!..no money in that tho..

[Tycoon]

3 2 1 hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

[Loles]

Lucky Japanese.

[Benmart]

The "targeted" operators were all called the night before by the Governor's secretary to let them know of the "photo op", which is why they were so helpful and friendly today. Not gun or club in sight.

Source, please.

[klauskunkel]

Phuket Gov checks out Patong’s jet-ski stands

after that Governor Maitree will visit the local taxi stands, then have lunch with some fake watch vendors and Slow Loris touts and finishing the day with drinks and some lady-boys. It is rumored that he is doing all his collecting by himself now...

[dundee48]

The "targeted" operators were all called the night before by the Governor's secretary to let them know of the "photo op", which is why they were so helpful and friendly today. Not gun or club in sight.

Source, please.

Whoooooosh.

[hellodolly]

OK I hear it all the time but common sense tells me that there are a heck of a lot more honest jet ski operators than dishonest ones,

Does any one know the facts?

286 jet skis no way is there 286 X the number of times a day scams day after day after day.

The Embassies would have travel warnings out for all travelers to Phuket.

I know Thai bashing is the national sport on Thai Visa but maybe some one will come out with the facts and not insult every one's intelligence. We all know it goes on but no where near what many posters would want us to believe. Or maybe they don't care if we believe them or not it is just another chance for them to Thai Bash.

[alfalfa19]

Hua Hin is not Pattaya or Patong, or Phuket. I'm sure there are some honest jet ski operators in those places, but I don't see how they could make a go of it. I will say that every time I visit Pattaya, if I spend a few hours at the beach, the jet ski scam is a constant circus. It goes on full time from the beginning of walking street up to past the police station. If I sit there for 3 hours, I can see the same drama 5 or 6 times up and down the beach. It seems to be a major industry, second only to the bar and sex trade industry. There are always the same cops that come out to "negotiate" for the tourists. The tourists are helpless, they have no help from the authorities, because the authorities are part of the scam. There are always a bunch of thai youths and louts hanging about the proceedings, hoping to get a tiny piece of the action, be it a few baht or a chance to delivera kick to the tourist who does not want to cough up the money. The favorite targets seem to be people from the middle east, also india, pakistan, etc, but nobody seems immune except for thai people. A farang with a thai girlfriend in tow might be safe, but maybe not. A lot of it seems to be administered by a fat cow of a thai woman, although she probably has many superiors in city hall and elsewhere.

[roger rederer]

With all the publicity I am surprised that any tourists are dumb enough to rent a Jet ski in Thailand

I spent hours and hours on jetskis in Hua Hin - had a superb time, quality jet skis, had a beer with the owner after. All good and highly recommended

You might be a tad guilty of generalisation here !

Hua Hin aint Phuket

[spidermike007]

Is Gov. Maitree now trying to tell all the Foreign Ambassadors that they are wrong and don't get it? You see, those lovely Jet Ski operators speak English, nicely explain how to drive a jet ski and even save numerous people who would drown if jet ski's would not be there... Shame on you Gov. Maitree for your monkey show. You think foreigners are really stupid and buy this nonsense? I am Thai and ashamed.

Yes, precisely. That is exactly what this brazen fool is doing. Let us ignore the problem and it will go away. That is how my mother taught me to deal with problems, and that is how I have approached problems all my life. They just seem to go away, so why address them? Why introspect? Why improve as a person? Why engage the prospect of progress? Why change things? Perhaps if we change things that will be an admission that they were not correct to begin with? Will that be seen as a loss of face? Could that be bad? Would that look bad for my country? For my region? Would that make Phuket look bad? Would some of my "associates" be displeased with me? All of these questions are so uncomfortable. Better to not address them. All my problems will go away. Maybe not.