The Usual Scams

[mark lamai]

Hi Phuketians,

dropped in the other day having not been for 10 years,

except an overnight hospital stay after motorcycle crash 3 years ago.

Small scams maybe of interest to new Phuket visitors.

1. Ariived late from Ranong to Phuket town bus station 912am approx)

only 1 "taxi" offering services.

350 baht to patong was ok i guess.

Showed me cheap guesthouses.

checked in to one just off main road.

so when i spoke to the owner later she showed me that the driver gets 200 baht of the 500 i am paying for a simple fan room. every day for as long as you stay there.

I assume that the only way this can be enforced is that the taxi drivers are being managed/protected by the local police/mafia.

2. well I was sick so I just booked a bus to samui at the nearest agency.

this mini-bus service is appalling, crummy old buses, slow, waiting long time in Surat, left at 7:15am and delivered to the ferry for 3pm departure.

a real bus from the bus station would have been cheaper and quicker I imagine.

PS.

hey it rains a lot on your island.

My mate Matt went to Phuket and got sick too. Hmmm, a plot?

Quite surprised that Patong beach looks kinda OK, not as nice as Lamai though.

Why did I keep thinking I was in Pattaya.

Did like the overcast day with strong sea breeze, guess sun-seeking tourists get peed-off though.

[sadman]

OK, bye.

[jdinasia]

Hi Phuketians,

dropped in the other day having not been for 10 years,

except an overnight hospital stay after motorcycle crash 3 years ago.

Small scams maybe of interest to new Phuket visitors.

1. Ariived late from Ranong to Phuket town bus station 912am approx) you mean 21:12? 9:12 pm?

only 1 "taxi" offering services. for a real AC car 350 is ok

350 baht to patong was ok i guess.

Showed me cheap guesthouses.

checked in to one just off main road.

so when i spoke to the owner later she showed me that the driver gets 200 baht of the 500 i am paying for a simple fan room. every day for as long as you stay there.

I assume that the only way this can be enforced is that the taxi drivers are being managed/protected by the local police/mafia. (assume what you will, but you should know better than to let someone tout a room for you in Thailand .. particularly a cheap room!)

2. well I was sick so I just booked a bus to samui at the nearest agency.

this mini-bus service is appalling, crummy old buses, slow, waiting long time in Surat, left at 7:15am and delivered to the ferry for 3pm departure.

a real bus from the bus station would have been cheaper and quicker I imagine.

PS.

hey it rains a lot on your island. (yes it is Rainy Season!)My mate Matt went to Phuket and got sick too. Hmmm, a plot?

Quite surprised that Patong beach looks kinda OK, not as nice as Lamai though.

Why did I keep thinking I was in Pattaya. (Because you picked Patong? and probably stayed very close to Bangla Road?)Did like the overcast day with strong sea breeze, guess sun-seeking tourists get peed-off though. Probably not if they looked at the weather forcast/history for this time of year!

OK, bye.

LOL Sadman!

[mark lamai]

ohhh sorry sorry,

was supposed to read as ironic humour as well as info.

not dumping on the island.

[jdinasia]

No Sweat! I haven't been to Patong since last piss-up! But if you are gonna tease our fave place .... you ARE gonna get teased back

[britmaveric]

Patong not bad, Banga Rd is pissup central. Apart from that other spots are rather quiet, just depends on what you want to do.

[Kimera]

Patong not bad, Banga Rd is pissup central. Apart from that other spots are rather quiet, just depends on what you want to do.

This is Thialand the scams are everywhere the falangs are, except where there are no people or no taxi because no one wants to go enywhere, take care Its still a great place

[Kimera]

Patong not bad, Banga Rd is pissup central. Apart from that other spots are rather quiet, just depends on what you want to do.

This is Thialand the scams are everywhere the falangs are, except where there are no people or no taxi because no one wants to go enywhere, take care Its still a great place

Oh and the buses. You like long time??? take a bus from BKK to CM 14 hours 17 with the accident-- and the thai's never even complained, its only time!