Phuket boatmen block access to famed beach

[bangarang]

Such a sad sight... This is what happens when you have a failed education system. Produces nothing but a thug mentality a.k.a... I have 1 idea to make money and thats the only way my family will survive. There couldn't possibly be anything else I could do to support my family and make money because that would be too much effort and dont know how to adapt so I am going to fight instead of accepting change....

Thats the only thing I could think of thats going on through that thick skull of there's... Just like the the tuk tuk mafia complaining that they have to do what they do because their families used to farm rice but couldnt any more because of development and they were forced to become taxi drivers and they are supporting their family so they cant support a public transportation system to help traveller safety and convenience because they are just too greedy.

Anyone know how much they are charging anyways? Im guessing the standard rate is 300thb per person? Forget Freedom beach and head over to Koh Yao Yai/Noi for better beaches just off of phuket and its only 200thb for a 25min speedboat ride. Much better beaches over there and less developed.

[NeilSA1]

An earlier comment said "...the long tail drivers will tell you 2000THB to get to freedom beach and at tri trang the boat drivers say 1500THB..."

Far too expensive for me, I would happily pay 300 thb, if it I ever went back to Phuket, which I doubt.

[Emster23]

Oh my head hurts! Where to start? Hmmm ancestors used to fish these waters... really? but they got too polluted. Did you organize, pressure government to clean up waste water? No."It would be difficult" might be the answer. Let me clue you in on something: we in the west faced vested interests that didn't want to clean up, pay fair wages, extend the vote etc. MANY people gave their lives to get those changes. You think those in power give it up willingly? Waste problem didn't happen overnight, but the mai pen rai and never think of tomorrow view ended that fishing.

The argument about rich people getting richer is bogus. Article said people could walk across property for free. And they can't seem to comprehend that many of us prefer to walk over riding, be it motorcycle, taxi or boat. If they charge too much, the boats are floating disasters waiting to happen, etc, then maybe they should change their business model or FIND a New Job!!!!

Extortion, although modeled from the top on down, only works for very short time. As many of us note, people will stop coming to be extorted. The amount doesn't matter for many of us: we just tell ourselves "never again, scratch that place off the list".

I don't why I continue to be amazed by the depth of stupidity shown by some of those in the "service sector" of Thailand.

[EBlair48]

We need to take it over, let me think of a way.... maybe agitiatng the current crises so they all kill each other.. mmm? probably won;t need out help to do that anyway, too messy.

Mmmm. Could we buy it? I know ..we get Malaysia to take it back- it was once called Bukrit, you know, Malay for "Hill" until Light and his gang started playing politics...

Anyway ..

2000 baht !! six times the minimum wage of a this worker 10 times a Burmese. for what 20 minutes?

[EBlair48]

I'd like to see the taxi mafia fight these guys for taking away business from them, fares to the beach that people then walk down onto lost to boat owners taking fares. What about those poor taxi drivers lively hood eh?

This is a great idea- divide and conquer.

[Yahooka]

Wow.....most of the comments here are so small minded I wonder who the fools really are. Ya ya ya...boat mafia, ya ya ya...free to walk.

Has anyone caught the deep message here? Locals being squeezed because of the tourism boon. Fishing the seas was once lucrative, now they cannot because of the tourism. Education? Duh. Most governments give a sh*t about education, why do you expats blather about Thai education so much, when I'm sure most of you have very little anyway? It is called greed. And it is not the boat people's greed that started this. It was those who saw profit for tourism. Now, those once fishermen have to adjust and get their fair share of the pie.....SO QUIT YOU'RE EFFIN WHINING AND PAY THE MEASLY FAIR TO THE BEACH.

These "fishermen" hasn`t fished a single fish to make a living in the last 2 decades !!

[captspectre]

Police get of your lazy ass's - arrest these guys - do your F****** jobs for once. What a disgrace this is even allowed to happen for one minute. Phuket yet again showing it is a quality tourist destination.

in your dreams! the thai police are ineffective at best! just look at bangkok. they are usless except for tea money!

[captspectre]

Where is the police or should we file a formal complaint with our respective consulates ?

why are you in phuket? don't you have anyplace else to go? phuket is constantly in the news for dscamming so called tourist. I say "so called" because they are just fish waiting to be caught! they take all kinds of abuse from taxi driverds, tuk tuk drivers and robbers but just keep coming back.

[captspectre]

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obviously a lot of "farang" have a lot to say! maybe it's time to remind you, you are merely guests in this beautiful country! these boatsmen live here and have to make a living somehow! what is the cost of the boat ride from patong, 100bht, 200bht???? as farang, you should be supporting local small businesses ... so pay you way to get to this beautiful beach ... or FO!

Lunatic!

NO....Slipperhead....YOU are the lunatic. Although I do not agree with the "we are guests" BS....but the small business support is my way of a just world....go to Starbuck's much....do ya?

You're a lunatic. No, (insert insulting name),YOU'RE a lunatic. Way to go guys.

the lunatic is the tourist who goes to phuket in the first place!

[ttthailand]

I live here for many different reasons but have given up on ever thinking anything here could ever work logically. The mindset is so far out there that I do not even try to understand it anymore, no reason! I just get on with my life and think live and let live.... But even this is not really realistic as Thais get in your way with just about everything you want to do.... No rules or enforcement of laws. I stopped worrying about what Thais do to each other and all the other crazy stuff happening in this land. I just worry about me... Me me me !!! Maybe I have adapted

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[robertthebruce]

I live here for many different reasons but have given up on ever thinking anything here could ever work logically. The mindset is so far out there that I do not even try to understand it anymore, no reason! I just get on with my life and think live and let live.... But even this is not really realistic as Thais get in your way with just about everything you want to do.... No rules or enforcement of laws. I stopped worrying about what Thais do to each other and all the other crazy stuff happening in this land. I just worry about me... Me me me !!! Maybe I have adapted

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

With you on that one for sure...

[cloghead]

^^^ ^^^

[eezergood]

CAnt make money fishings because -

1. This invlolves hard work & skill - both are lacking here

2. The oceans have been raped, by the locals - go to see all the infant fish at the landing pier

[Dave 74]

Everybody sing together 'Khon Thai ben Khon Dee....'

[eezergood]

Everybody sing together 'Khon Thai ben Khon Dee....'

I didnt think this would last so long........

[kinmaew]

this is the way they carry on in Primitive societies. Keep it up, that's why Thailand is cheap and a blast to visit if you can avoid these situations, so what find another beach there are plenty in Phuket.

[steelepulse]

>>I just worry about me... Me me me !!!

That's Phuketness, at least from what I've seen on the roads, in queues and every other situation where it affords someone to believe that they have the divine right of way at all times.

[eezergood]

>>I just worry about me... Me me me !!!

That's Phuketness, at least from what I've seen on the roads, in queues and every other situation where it affords someone to believe that they have the divine right of way at all times.

CORRECT!!

I woul dlove to see some of these idiots abroad........

[Adeeos]

Soooo While these, "operators" are standing "guard" here,,, how are THEY making a living?,,, getting kicked back from other boat owners?,,, BESIDES the CRAZY STUPID fees,, I wouldn't put MY life, in the hands of some idiot, with a DANGEROUS boat,, NO life jackets,, etc,,, BESIDES the FACT,, the BEACH IS FREE,, AS is the ACCESS to it,,, So.. what's to keep some THUGS,, from blocking both entrances to popular areas.. and demanding to be paid an, "entrance" fee?..... this is NO different than standing on both ends of Walking Street in Pattaya,, and doing such,,,,

Edited February 28, 2014 by Adeeos

[marko kok prong]

Unfortunately Phuket is like most of tourist Thailand but sort of magnifiedx10, yes they rip poeple off because they don't think long term,and the think the well will never run dry,well while less and less westerners go,more and more russians and chinese will however often these groups may spend less than westerners,certainly the russians as i saw recently in Koh chang,as they mobbed a newly opened tesco lotus,almost emptiying it of beer and victuals in hours,this i presume they would consume back in their lodgings,thus saving on restaurant and bar bills,which as a large bottle of singha cost 65 baht in the shop and up to 125 baht in some restaurants i can see their point,as a mark up of 100% or just over seems a little excessive,however the point i am trying to make is these are two week package tourists,this behaviour i would suggest is not so common from tourists from western countries that visit so the net effect is local resturants,bars will loose out as gradually western tourists are left with a bad taste in their mouths having been the victim of one of the endless scams on Phuket and do not return their or even back to thailand.This leaves a future dominated by russian and chinese tourists who will spend less,and though i hate to generalise are not the most polite of nations,once this happens i see the place becoming like some of those dumps in Spain or Greece dominated by drunken brits,but the Thai's cannot see this. I went to Koh chang first in 1995,wow it was great,undeveloped etc,the change is incredible,as for Phuket,i cannot see myself ever going back.

[eezergood]

Unfortunately Phuket is like most of tourist Thailand but sort of magnifiedx10, yes they rip poeple off because they don't think long term,and the think the well will never run dry,well while less and less westerners go,more and more russians and chinese will however often these groups may spend less than westerners,certainly the russians as i saw recently in Koh chang,as they mobbed a newly opened tesco lotus,almost emptiying it of beer and victuals in hours,this i presume they would consume back in their lodgings,thus saving on restaurant and bar bills,which as a large bottle of singha cost 65 baht in the shop and up to 125 baht in some restaurants i can see their point,as a mark up of 100% or just over seems a little excessive,however the point i am trying to make is these are two week package tourists,this behaviour i would suggest is not so common from tourists from western countries that visit so the net effect is local resturants,bars will loose out as gradually western tourists are left with a bad taste in their mouths having been the victim of one of the endless scams on Phuket and do not return their or even back to thailand.This leaves a future dominated by russian and chinese tourists who will spend less,and though i hate to generalise are not the most polite of nations,once this happens i see the place becoming like some of those dumps in Spain or Greece dominated by drunken brits,but the Thai's cannot see this. I went to Koh chang first in 1995,wow it was great,undeveloped etc,the change is incredible,as for Phuket,i cannot see myself ever going back.

I dont like to generalise but.......

populated by drunk Brits, if you please. If you are going to insult a nation, at least do it with good punctuation!

[boisian]

The boat men, members of the Patong Longtail Boat MAFIA Association. Over and over stories with ALL the same root causes: corruption, no rule of law, no control, mai pen rai attitude. Thailand golden years are finished. Too much laxism and corruption, too many abuses without any authority and control > Thailand service level is going down the hill, Thailand scams and craps up the hill. I am really deeply concerned by Thailand future and outlook. Everything is like this and people and tourists will start to realize and go somewhere else.

TAXI = MAFIA

JETSKI = MAFIA

TOUR OPERATORS = MAFIA

LONGTAIL BOATS = MAFIA

CONSTRUCTION = MAFIA

PUBLIC VANS AND TRANSPORT = MAFIA

and so on and so on...

No standard, No control, No safety, No authority, No implementation or respect of laws and regulations. All about corruption and money.

Above is a real summary of Thailand development in the past decade. Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Samui. Krabi and Koh Chang on the way...

you missed a couple.....

BIB=MAFIA

oh I just saw the "and so on and so on"

[marko kok prong]

Unfortunately Phuket is like most of tourist Thailand but sort of magnifiedx10, yes they rip poeple off because they don't think long term,and the think the well will never run dry,well while less and less westerners go,more and more russians and chinese will however often these groups may spend less than westerners,certainly the russians as i saw recently in Koh chang,as they mobbed a newly opened tesco lotus,almost emptiying it of beer and victuals in hours,this i presume they would consume back in their lodgings,thus saving on restaurant and bar bills,which as a large bottle of singha cost 65 baht in the shop and up to 125 baht in some restaurants i can see their point,as a mark up of 100% or just over seems a little excessive,however the point i am trying to make is these are two week package tourists,this behaviour i would suggest is not so common from tourists from western countries that visit so the net effect is local resturants,bars will loose out as gradually western tourists are left with a bad taste in their mouths having been the victim of one of the endless scams on Phuket and do not return their or even back to thailand.This leaves a future dominated by russian and chinese tourists who will spend less,and though i hate to generalise are not the most polite of nations,once this happens i see the place becoming like some of those dumps in Spain or Greece dominated by drunken brits,but the Thai's cannot see this. I went to Koh chang first in 1995,wow it was great,undeveloped etc,the change is incredible,as for Phuket,i cannot see myself ever going back.

I dont like to generalise but.......

populated by drunk Brits, if you please. If you are going to insult a nation, at least do it with good punctuation!

I actually am British,or English,and sir i apologize if my tardy punctuation offended you,!!!.

[eezergood]

Unfortunately Phuket is like most of tourist Thailand but sort of magnifiedx10, yes they rip poeple off because they don't think long term,and the think the well will never run dry,well while less and less westerners go,more and more russians and chinese will however often these groups may spend less than westerners,certainly the russians as i saw recently in Koh chang,as they mobbed a newly opened tesco lotus,almost emptiying it of beer and victuals in hours,this i presume they would consume back in their lodgings,thus saving on restaurant and bar bills,which as a large bottle of singha cost 65 baht in the shop and up to 125 baht in some restaurants i can see their point,as a mark up of 100% or just over seems a little excessive,however the point i am trying to make is these are two week package tourists,this behaviour i would suggest is not so common from tourists from western countries that visit so the net effect is local resturants,bars will loose out as gradually western tourists are left with a bad taste in their mouths having been the victim of one of the endless scams on Phuket and do not return their or even back to thailand.This leaves a future dominated by russian and chinese tourists who will spend less,and though i hate to generalise are not the most polite of nations,once this happens i see the place becoming like some of those dumps in Spain or Greece dominated by drunken brits,but the Thai's cannot see this. I went to Koh chang first in 1995,wow it was great,undeveloped etc,the change is incredible,as for Phuket,i cannot see myself ever going back.

I dont like to generalise but.......

populated by drunk Brits, if you please. If you are going to insult a nation, at least do it with good punctuation!

I actually am British,or English,and sir i apologize if my tardy punctuation offended you,!!!.

Noted with thanks

I do hope that was some English style satire

[kaveh]

what's the differnce between this and a regular resort taking owneship of a beach? no difference!

and as long as it keep the nature off of people, i completely agree

[sam sen]

They are right. They really do have no future. Lazy, ill-mannered and resorting to thuggery, hopefully, like the dinosaurs, they will one day become extinct.

just another farang with too much to say about someone else's country. you're merely a guest here ... what are you doing here anyway? ... couldn't hack it in your own country, so you've come to leach off and exploit the beautiful people of thailand! if you have no respect for the thais, i suggest you pack you bags and FO back home!

Beautiful people of Thailand???

After what they are doing to each other in Bangkok.

I would not call them beautiful.

Or are the shootings and bombing of innocent children the falangs fault?

What with the taxi scum, ,the tuk tuk scum we now have the longtail boat scum.

Pooket is just a laughing stock now.

not to mention the corrupt police force, politicians, the thais who have no conscience about about borrowing money from and not paying it back, ripping off and cheating their own family and 'friends'

like every country there are good people, and if you like 'beautiful' people, here but for goodness sake take the blinkers off.

generalised comments such as 'beautiful people of thailand' only shows you are either ill-informed and/or naive about thailand and the thai's or an idiot.

[jocko]

Unfortunately Phuket is like most of tourist Thailand but sort of magnifiedx10, yes they rip poeple off because they don't think long term,and the think the well will never run dry,well while less and less westerners go,more and more russians and chinese will however often these groups may spend less than westerners,certainly the russians as i saw recently in Koh chang,as they mobbed a newly opened tesco lotus,almost emptiying it of beer and victuals in hours,this i presume they would consume back in their lodgings,thus saving on restaurant and bar bills,which as a large bottle of singha cost 65 baht in the shop and up to 125 baht in some restaurants i can see their point,as a mark up of 100% or just over seems a little excessive,however the point i am trying to make is these are two week package tourists,this behaviour i would suggest is not so common from tourists from western countries that visit so the net effect is local resturants,bars will loose out as gradually western tourists are left with a bad taste in their mouths having been the victim of one of the endless scams on Phuket and do not return their or even back to thailand.This leaves a future dominated by russian and chinese tourists who will spend less,and though i hate to generalise are not the most polite of nations,once this happens i see the place becoming like some of those dumps in Spain or Greece dominated by drunken brits,but the Thai's cannot see this. I went to Koh chang first in 1995,wow it was great,undeveloped etc,the change is incredible,as for Phuket,i cannot see myself ever going back.

I dont like to generalise but.......

populated by drunk Brits, if you please. If you are going to insult a nation, at least do it with good punctuation!

I actually am British,or English,and sir i apologize if my tardy punctuation offended you,!!!.

It's a well known fact that the Scot's write and speak the best Queens English.

Mine's a pint and half.

Edited February 28, 2014 by jocko

[jpeg]

what's the differnce between this and a regular resort taking owneship of a beach? no difference!

and as long as it keep the nature off of people, i completely agree

I'm with you! While we're (they're) at it, please fence off the once beautiful Nai Harn. Far too late for Kata, both Noi and Yai. Good idea would to herd all the tourists onto Patong and ring fence that

[jpeg]

It's a well known fact that the Scot's write and speak the best Queens English.

Is that why countries outside GB subtitle Billy Connolly?

[eezergood]

what's the differnce between this and a regular resort taking owneship of a beach? no difference!

and as long as it keep the nature off of people, i completely agree

I think you will find they have ownership of the land adjascent to the beach, this is a very different matter