Bulldozer Dawn Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 For all the mafia cleaning up in Phuket over the last 12 months, it seems all is back to normal with the taxi mafia. I have visited Phuket twice in the last 2 months, and the amount of taxis and their touts has doubled. Patong beach road and Rat U Thit road are jammed with taxis, not one parking spot. As you walk out of your hotel, along any road and all around Jungceylon the taxi touts are there hassling every visitor. Was this clean up a flash in the pan, a show that the army was going to take on a few people and make Phuket a better experience for the tourist. It shows the mafia is more powerful than the General! The army and Little P. are fabulously weak on follow up. All of these proclamations and clean ups mean so very little, if they are not followed up. It is almost as if he feels compelled to issue a new mandate every day, and as soon as the new one is issued, the last one is forgotten. Is anyone really falling for this? Is anything lasting and long term being accomplished? Yes. Small business in Phuket has been desecrated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NamKangMan Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 (edited) Excellent Tuk-Tuk service in Town now, 30 baht per person! Still 3 times the cost of a Pattaya baht bus, but at least the option exists. Phuket needs a similar service along the coast road, between the main tourist beaches. It would go a long way to luring some of the lost western tourist market back to Phuket. Edited August 11, 2015 by NamKangMan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulldozer Dawn Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 (edited) Excellent Tuk-Tuk service in Town now, 30 baht per person! Still 3 times the cost of a Pattaya baht bus, but at least the option exists. Phuket needs a similar service along the coast road, between the main tourist beaches. It would go a long way to luring some of the lost western tourist market back to Phuket. And to lowering the death toll. Edited August 11, 2015 by Bulldozer Dawn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NamKangMan Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 (edited) Excellent Tuk-Tuk service in Town now, 30 baht per person! Still 3 times the cost of a Pattaya baht bus, but at least the option exists. Phuket needs a similar service along the coast road, between the main tourist beaches. It would go a long way to luring some of the lost western tourist market back to Phuket. And to lowering the death toll. Yes, which is always good if you want them to come back for their holiday next year. Edited August 11, 2015 by NamKangMan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiantFan Posted August 14, 2015 Share Posted August 14, 2015 Took a taxi last night in Shanghai. 8.8km @ RMB 30 (THB 165). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beechbum Posted August 14, 2015 Share Posted August 14, 2015 (edited) That's when you hire an assassin from Nakhon Si Thammarat. Yep. Fee used to be 50K. Wonder what it is nowadays. Remember the poor female thai accountant from (the Hilton I think) who was shot through her car window in peak hour traffic. I sitting in the traffic behind her when it happened. Plods never made a conviction either. Had to wonder at the time, was she killed over love or money. Used to be a lot less...but hey your the guy that knows the seedier side of Phuket better than anyone else cause you've been here such a long time. Edited August 14, 2015 by beechbum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NamKangMan Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 That's when you hire an assassin from Nakhon Si Thammarat. Yep. Fee used to be 50K. Wonder what it is nowadays. Remember the poor female thai accountant from (the Hilton I think) who was shot through her car window in peak hour traffic. I sitting in the traffic behind her when it happened. Plods never made a conviction either. Had to wonder at the time, was she killed over love or money. Used to be a lot less...but hey your the guy that knows the seedier side of Phuket better than anyone else cause you've been here such a long time. Best to know "all sides" to the place where one choses to live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulldozer Dawn Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 That's when you hire an assassin from Nakhon Si Thammarat. Yep. Fee used to be 50K. Wonder what it is nowadays. Remember the poor female thai accountant from (the Hilton I think) who was shot through her car window in peak hour traffic. I sitting in the traffic behind her when it happened. Plods never made a conviction either. Had to wonder at the time, was she killed over love or money. Used to be a lot less...but hey your the guy that knows the seedier side of Phuket better than anyone else cause you've been here such a long time. Best to know "all sides" to the place where one choses to live. Yes, within the context of residing in Phuket, there is nothing axiomatic about the statement ignorance is bliss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NamKangMan Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 @ BD Met many a expat here, who when questioned about ANYTHING Phuket / Thailand related - standard answer, "I get the missus to do it." - FAIL. Lost me right there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertthebruce Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 That's when you hire an assassin from Nakhon Si Thammarat. Yep. Fee used to be 50K. Wonder what it is nowadays. Remember the poor female thai accountant from (the Hilton I think) who was shot through her car window in peak hour traffic. I sitting in the traffic behind her when it happened. Plods never made a conviction either. I remember that, poor woman had two young children,..... So sad.....and never found the person who shot her.... Had to wonder at the time, was she killed over love or money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulldozer Dawn Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 @ BD Met many a expat here, who when questioned about ANYTHING Phuket / Thailand related - standard answer, "I get the missus to do it." - FAIL. Lost me right there. My new TG doesn't speak any English. Save a few words that I taught her. At the bank, immigration, and other spots we have visited on business over the last few months the Teller or IO will start talking with her. I stop them, and then inform (in Thai of course) that my girlfriend does not speak English and that they are dealing with me not my girlfriend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcfish Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 800 Bahts to go to the airport in patong... What a shame but people here thinks it's ok like that, more tourists will come anyway... Same Same in Bangkok, all the hype, report the taxi's that refuse to use the meter has gone no where, Soi 11 Sukumvit is the same as it always as, he taxi's took a holiday for awhile, but came back in full force - Taxi to Swampy is never by meter, they threaten any other taxi hat picks up anyone on the road, 'high quality Arab, S Asian" tourists paying 1200 baht to go to the airport for a 300 baht fare. I never paid off meter for an airport taxi in over 50 trips. Open the taxi door, say airport meter only and slam the door shut as soon as he utters a price and get the next one, there are enough of them around to nab one in under 5 mins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NamKangMan Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 (edited) 800 Bahts to go to the airport in patong... What a shame but people here thinks it's ok like that, more tourists will come anyway... Same Same in Bangkok, all the hype, report the taxi's that refuse to use the meter has gone no where, Soi 11 Sukumvit is the same as it always as, he taxi's took a holiday for awhile, but came back in full force - Taxi to Swampy is never by meter, they threaten any other taxi hat picks up anyone on the road, 'high quality Arab, S Asian" tourists paying 1200 baht to go to the airport for a 300 baht fare. I never paid off meter for an airport taxi in over 50 trips. Open the taxi door, say airport meter only and slam the door shut as soon as he utters a price and get the next one, there are enough of them around to nab one in under 5 mins You will find it difficult, to near impossible, to find a taxi with a meter on Phuket, and then have them actually use the meter. Edited August 17, 2015 by NamKangMan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walkabout Man Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 800 Bahts to go to the airport in patong... What a shame but people here thinks it's ok like that, more tourists will come anyway... You reckon the taxis are expensive in Phuket?Ttry Perth...its at least 500 baht to go from the International to the domestic airport. Or $80 to $100 Aus to go to Fremantle from the airport which is like Phuket Airport to Kamala being 2500 to 3000 Baht. I dont find the fares that obscene for the longer journeys (The short ones are a rip), what annoys me is the lack of parking in Patong, I mean I challenge the mayor of Patong to grab a spot outside Jung Ceylon to go in to grab some McDonalds in an unmarked car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Croc Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 800 Bahts to go to the airport in patong... What a shame but people here thinks it's ok like that, more tourists will come anyway... You reckon the taxis are expensive in Phuket?Ttry Perth...its at least 500 baht to go from the International to the domestic airport. Or $80 to $100 Aus to go to Fremantle from the airport which is like Phuket Airport to Kamala being 2500 to 3000 Baht. I dont find the fares that obscene for the longer journeys (The short ones are a rip), what annoys me is the lack of parking in Patong, I mean I challenge the mayor of Patong to grab a spot outside Jung Ceylon to go in to grab some McDonalds in an unmarked car Try comparing these fares as a percentage of the average wage in the two countries. Phuket will be about 10 times more expensive than Perth. The big problem is that taxis in Phuket are at least twice as expensive as in other parts of the country. You know you could always park in the car park under Junk Ceylon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiddlehead Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 what annoys me is the lack of parking in Patong, I mean I challenge the mayor of Patong to grab a spot outside Jung Ceylon to go in to grab some McDonalds in an unmarked car I was so mad last night. Wanted a Kebab from the guy near the Taipan, tried to park between about 10 vans on the Jung Ceylon road (of course tuk tuks and taxis lined the WHOLE rat t tat road) A guy came up and told me 500 baht fine for parking there. I said "what about them?" pointing to the vans, he just said "500 baht fine"! Didn't get my kebab, just left madder than hell. Forget that town. They REALLY have a problem with these guys and their mafia! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiantFan Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Better for your health in more ways than one. Sorry, had to say it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NamKangMan Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 (edited) 800 Bahts to go to the airport in patong... What a shame but people here thinks it's ok like that, more tourists will come anyway... You reckon the taxis are expensive in Phuket?Ttry Perth...its at least 500 baht to go from the International to the domestic airport. Or $80 to $100 Aus to go to Fremantle from the airport which is like Phuket Airport to Kamala being 2500 to 3000 Baht. I dont find the fares that obscene for the longer journeys (The short ones are a rip), what annoys me is the lack of parking in Patong, I mean I challenge the mayor of Patong to grab a spot outside Jung Ceylon to go in to grab some McDonalds in an unmarked car Try comparing these fares as a percentage of the average wage in the two countries. Phuket will be about 10 times more expensive than Perth. The big problem is that taxis in Phuket are at least twice as expensive as in other parts of the country. You know you could always park in the car park under Junk Ceylon. "The big problem is that taxis in Phuket are at least twice as expensive as in other parts of the country." - the big problem really is, they are allowed to be. Not even the Thai Army will attempt to bring them into line with the national average. Edited August 20, 2015 by NamKangMan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schlog Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 This would be a good solution for the taxi mafia and the transport problems on hkt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Felt 35 Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 Anyone tested the "GrabTaxi" on Phuket. I have booked a car for the Mrs the coming weekend but wonder if we get what's presented online! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NamKangMan Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 Anyone tested the "GrabTaxi" on Phuket. I have booked a car for the Mrs the coming weekend but wonder if we get what's presented online! How was your "GrabTaxi" on Phuket experience? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Felt 35 Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 Anyone tested the "GrabTaxi" on Phuket. I have booked a car for the Mrs the coming weekend but wonder if we get what's presented online! How was your "GrabTaxi" on Phuket experience? He confirmed the booking with a call and was on time. Price presented online from town was between Thb 427 - 517 + 30 Baht surcharge. Price paid Thb 580,- Except from that same "safe" driving standards. What I like is that I can book on my tablet and get picked up at home++ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Croc Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 Anyone tested the "GrabTaxi" on Phuket. I have booked a car for the Mrs the coming weekend but wonder if we get what's presented online! How was your "GrabTaxi" on Phuket experience? He confirmed the booking with a call and was on time. Price presented online from town was between Thb 427 - 517 + 30 Baht surcharge. Price paid Thb 580,- Except from that same "safe" driving standards. What I like is that I can book on my tablet and get picked up at home++ Unless I missed it you didn't say where the cab took your wife. If it was the airport, the price was reasonable in comparison to other cabs, albeit costing more than they quoted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Croc Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 To me a system like this would be ideal for Phuket. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JydTAoQugcI Advantages: Cheap to build, small footprint, minimal traffic disruption during construction, able to negotiate hills without difficulty, futuristic technology for efficiency, easy to adjust for higher traffic demands, nil emissions.. Disadvantages: Towers could be considered an eyesore not in keeping with some local's sensibilities. futuristic technology could be a problem for some. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenBravo Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 There are enough cellular phone towers blighting the landscape that a few more won't make any difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Felt 35 Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 Anyone tested the "GrabTaxi" on Phuket. I have booked a car for the Mrs the coming weekend but wonder if we get what's presented online! How was your "GrabTaxi" on Phuket experience? He confirmed the booking with a call and was on time. Price presented online from town was between Thb 427 - 517 + 30 Baht surcharge. Price paid Thb 580,- Except from that same "safe" driving standards. What I like is that I can book on my tablet and get picked up at home++ Unless I missed it you didn't say where the cab took your wife. If it was the airport, the price was reasonable in comparison to other cabs, albeit costing more than they quoted. Airport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NamKangMan Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 Anyone tested the "GrabTaxi" on Phuket. I have booked a car for the Mrs the coming weekend but wonder if we get what's presented online! How was your "GrabTaxi" on Phuket experience? He confirmed the booking with a call and was on time. Price presented online from town was between Thb 427 - 517 + 30 Baht surcharge. Price paid Thb 580,- Except from that same "safe" driving standards. What I like is that I can book on my tablet and get picked up at home++ Was the extra money asked of you, or was it a tip? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiantFan Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 Used Grabtaxi several times this week. Very happy with it. Booked the Grabtaxi option from home to Jungceylon (2.5 km from my home). Yellow / red Meter taxi arrived in about 10 minutes. Fare was 75 THB plus 30 THB booking fee. So much nicer than negotiating down from 200 THB from my local tuk tuk down the road. Driver spoke English as well. Great for a night on the town. On the way back at around 11pm, Grabtaxi option had no cars available. You can see the available cars on the app. Went for the Grabcar option, with nicer SUV type green plate. No meter, flat rate of 235 THB, no extra fee. For 3 guys, one with a broken leg, was fine compared to the alternative. The Grabcar option now has a special, which I will try going to the airport. Promo code GRABCAR gives you a 200 THB discount. So 800 THB (their flat rate to HKT) now becomes 600 THB from Patong to HKT. Lowest for a long time. Promo good for 3 trips and expires in November. I will continue to use them for pick up convenience as well as not giving my money to the TT mafia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiantFan Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 Another thing. They called my on my mobile to ask how the service was and to ask for suggestions on how to improve. So looks like customer service is important to them. Overseas owner influence, no doubt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dageurreotype Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 To me a system like this would be ideal for Phuket. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JydTAoQugcI Advantages: Cheap to build, small footprint, minimal traffic disruption during construction, able to negotiate hills without difficulty, futuristic technology for efficiency, easy to adjust for higher traffic demands, nil emissions.. Disadvantages: Towers could be considered an eyesore not in keeping with some local's sensibilities. futuristic technology could be a problem for some. Fugly and carriages too small. Previously posted 'straddling bus' better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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