What is (IYHO), the single, most unwelcome change in Phuket over the years?

[simon43]

Polluted beaches arn't an issue for me - I don't swim in Phuket.... (beaches were spoiled many years ago).

Jet ski scams, tourist trash food ==> never use/eat them

For me, the single most unwelcome, change in Phuket over the past 10 years or so is the vast increase in traffic.

Some days it is like living in BKK, or living in London.

I didn't move to Phuket to be stuck in traffic jams!

For me, that's the worst aspect of Phuket, and it won't be getting any better

Simon

[madmitch]

Totally agree, Simon. It's the one thing that affects me on a daily basis.

Overdevelopment, changes in tourist demographic, increasing prices and general attitudes of Phuket residents are also worth a mention.

[Dualeck]

Worst thing is that I find it very hard to believe there is only 300 000 people living on this big Island. When I see the traffic it feels more like it's in the class of millions. Amazing that traffic can be so massive in such a big place with only 300 000 people. The most extreme is Kathu district (which is also the district Patong is in), where there is around 35 000 people. Even though rush traffic is completely hopeless. I think a lot of the reason is that there is so few collective options her in Phuket. And the fact that Thai people drive absolutely everywhere, on any occasion. Even if it is to 7/11 100 meters down the road.

[LivinginKata]

Yes, I agree that the increase in traffic each year is the factor which most bothers me. And this last 12 months it's the number of large coaches on the roads. And it's only going to get worse as time passes by.

[Singtoo]

Traffic, polluted beaches, pricings, Thai people unkindness are the most unwelcome changes in Phuket.

Butthe same happens in many other places where lards of foreigners coming.

Bangkok, Hua-Hin, Pattaya, Jomtien, ChingMai and so on.

And worst the foreigners become more unfriendly than also.

But the number one is the polltion to worry about.

As the thai dont'd seem to understand the are killing there own natur.

Wich is the reason having such a good income now.

[Phoenix1312]

The worst thing is the increase in scammers and corruption. Driving so what it takes a bit longer. Deal with it. It's the same everywhere you go.

[YaiJung]

Definately the horrible traffic. It is getting to the point that I don't want to leave the soi anymore and that is no way to live. I have near-death experiences everytime I go anywhere.

The other annoyance is the constant burning of trash/air pollution. The locals have always been burning trash, but now the population is so large that it is becoming much more noticable.

It seems to me that not just Phuket, but most of SEA is headed this way. Just way too many people.

[KarenBravo]

As a small motorbike rider, my travel times have barely increased. Just a bit because of traffic lights.

I would have to say crime. I now make sure I'm home before midnight. Too many Thais kicking over motorbikes, or, hitting the rider with a lump of wood.

Too many crazies out there after midnight.

[schlog]

Traffic. At Songkran it was a pleasure on Phuket because no loss of irretrievable lifetime. No traffic jams and not many people around.

[sprq]

The buildings. The buildings everywhere on all the beaches where there used to be only a few huts and bungalows. The buildings on the hillsides where there used to be none. The buildings. The overbuilding that's been going on for almost three decades. The buildings.

[beechbum]

Russians being able to get a VOA.

[fiddlehead]

2 things come to my mind right away:
The traffic: Which seemed to get a lot worse after that rebate for 1st time car buyers about 2 years ago. Parking got to be a bigger problem also around this time.

Second: the fact that the word got out that Nai Harn beach is a gem.
When I moved here 14 years ago, it was a nicely kept secret. Not anymore!

Way too crowded now.

The pollution is just as bad as ever of course. I do see trash cans at Nai Harn now and only recently, so, that's an improvement.
Just more and more people.
Word has it there are a million people living here now.
The 300,000 number is only the official, registered number, not reality.
Apparently it's been figured from the amount of trash, consumables, and traffic.

[KarenBravo]

Nope, from registered voters.

[keestha]

Traffic, polluted beaches, pricings, Thai people unkindness are the most unwelcome changes in Phuket.

Butthe same happens in many other places where lards of foreigners coming.

Bangkok, Hua-Hin, Pattaya, Jomtien, ChingMai and so on.

And worst the foreigners become more unfriendly than also.

Nice post, made me reflect.

When a beach resort becomes more developed, the average tourist becomes less developed, like not speaking English unless that chances to be his native language. Maybe the average tourist also becomes less friendly, like expecting too much things will be like back home. (There is a gecko in the room! Why don't they clean properly here? And why don't they have black bread here? And why don't the taxis have meters? How come the waitress doesn't understand German?)

That's for tourists then. The expats are usually very friendly to Thai people, their positive attitude towards Thailand and its people which makes thaivisa.com such a heart warming place leaves no doubt about that.

[amse]

April 27th was suppose to be the hottest day of the year and I was driving on Chao Fa west out of Chalong going north, and at the stop light where there's a organic veggies shop, the police had the road blocked off and all traffic diverted to Chao Fa East, it was a huge back up and took at least and hour to get to Villa Dowroong.

[ggt]

The increase in crime...scams...

[stevenl]

The increase in crime...scams...

Has crime increased?

[LeungKen]

Those darned elastic bands on the plastic bags of take-away food have become even more difficult to undo................

[Dannyboy6]

Russians, all living here and working and they are not retirement age...

[simon43]

Those darned elastic bands on the plastic bags of take-away food have become even more difficult to undo................

I have given up trying. I just cut the top of the bag off with a pair of scissors......

Is that really your most unwelcome change?

[Greg Nixon]

Increased sex tourism from Australia, the United Kingdom and the rest of the world. The tourists have spoiled Phuket and Pattaya and a number of once pristine islands. A lot of these tourists have not come to experience Thailand. They would be as satisfied laying on a beach in England or Australia. What many of them have come for i to watch each other reach new heights in being obnoxious or rude. The rest came because it was bad weather in their country and they can tell their friends that they have been to Thailand but in reality they haven't been to Thailand at all. They have been to a beach in Thailand overpopulated by a sometimes rude and generally unthinking mass of human flesh. I know I have occasionally been there for a day or two and it sickens me that i have been so close to being average.

[smotherb]

Too many falangs.

[Peterocket]

Thai people unkindness are the most unwelcome changes in Phuket.

I find it amazing that people can think that Thai people are unkind (Excluding some jetski operators/tuk tuk drivers)

Personally i think the worst and ongoing change is the illegal construction of hotels, bars and shacks on the beaches.

[stevenl]

Increased sex tourism from Australia, the United Kingdom and the rest of the world. The tourists have spoiled Phuket and Pattaya and a number of once pristine islands. A lot of these tourists have not come to experience Thailand. They would be as satisfied laying on a beach in England or Australia. What many of them have come for i to watch each other reach new heights in being obnoxious or rude. The rest came because it was bad weather in their country and they can tell their friends that they have been to Thailand but in reality they haven't been to Thailand at all. They have been to a beach in Thailand overpopulated by a sometimes rude and generally unthinking mass of human flesh. I know I have occasionally been there for a day or two and it sickens me that i have been so close to being average.

I have no idea about numbers, but in my guess Phuket has become much, much more a family destination over the years and far, far less a sex tourism destination. On top of that, the sex tourism trade is very much concentrated in a small area.

[phuketsub]

Degradation of the natural environment. It's heartbreaking and I can't take it anymore, which is why I am leaving in 9 more days after over a decade here.

[nkg]

Increase in beer prices..

Edited April 28, 2014 by nkg

[Guest]

Degradation of the natural environment. It's heartbreaking and I can't take it anymore, which is why I am leaving in 9 more days after over a decade here.

Wow! Congratulations! It's most likely a very good thing for you all in a long run.

Beer party at Town before you go?

[NamKangMan]

It's not a "change" as such, because it's always been here, but it has increased to such a large degree that it effects all of us now, and I would have to say, that is, the corruption here.

Reading many of the posts on this threas, it's the corruption here that is the root cause of most of the posts, except for elastic bands on plastic bags.

Traffic has come up on this thread many times. Pretty muh everyone needs access to their own vehicle on Phuket, or face being ripped off by tuk-tuk drivers, so, more hire cars and bikes and coach buses on the roads with tourists onboard, not to mention every expat and local is the same, and the reason for that is the corruption behind the land transport on Phuket, particularly the touristy parts.

Uncontrolled constuction that causes flooding, failing infastructure, higher commodity prices, land encroachment, jet ski scams, higher crime - particularly murder drug related crime, polluting of the beaches etc - corrupt police and officials have a hand to play in it all of these.

I really do laugh when an expats says on this forum, "the corruption here doesn't effect me." Well, if you are sitting in the traffic, crawling along, in the hot sun, yes, corruption is effecting you.

Thailand in general is corrupt, but corruption on Phuket has gone unchecked for so long that I guess many are oblivious to it now.

Edited April 28, 2014 by NamKangMan

[Farma]

I blame it all on Prince Andrews Fergie. She visited back in the late 80's putting it on the tourist map. It's never been the same since.

[NamKangMan]

I blame it all on Prince Andrews Fergie. She visited back in the late 80's putting it on the tourist map. It's never been the same since.

Fergie was corrupt. Remember the "cash for access" scandal?

Maybe the corruption here all started with her.

Edited April 28, 2014 by NamKangMan