Phuket tour bus drivers protest ‘off-island’ competition
Eakkapop Thongtub

PHUKET: -- More than 50 people from the Andaman Tour Bus Association (ATBA) gathered at Chai Field, across from Phuket Provincial Hall, today (Apr 19) to urge officials to protect the island’s tour bus industry.

The group called for all factions of the industry to join the association in order to resolve disputes, especially to resolve the issue of tour companies in Phuket hiring buses and drivers from off-island.

ATBA President Chonnawee-ek Taewsakul presented the group’s formal complaint to Phuket Vice Governor Khajornkiet Rakpanichmanee and Phuket Land Transport Office, Jaturong Kaewkasi

“Local people in Phuket have been working in tour bus businesses for many years Each person in our association owns two to three buses,” said Mr Chonnawee-ek.

“The number of tourists has been increasing since Thailand entered AEC (Asean Economic Community), and as a result the island has attracted more independent agencies working with local tour companies and they provide buses and take tourists out of Phuket,” he said.

“To make matter worse,” Mr Chonnawee-ek added, “one local group set up the Andaman Business Tourism Association and brought buses from Isarn (Northeast Thailand) to join their association and work on the island.

Full Story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-tour-bus-drivers-protest-off-island-competition-57097.php

-- Phuket News 2016-19-04

Can't take any form of competition .... ultimate in proectionism ...

I've seen it all now, tour bus association.....seriously?

As LIK says, if these guys were providing a good product at a competitive price, they'd have nothing to worry about. It must be those "Association Fees" that make these guys less competitive............... Got to love it, the "bus mafia".

I've seen it all now, tour bus association.....seriously?

As LIK says, if these guys were providing a good product at a competitive price, they'd have nothing to worry about. It must be those "Association Fees" that make these guys less competitive............... Got to love it, the "bus mafia".

"I've seen it all now, tour bus association.....seriously?" - wait until there is a "water truck association."

Always want a loaded dice, in there favour!

That's capitalism! Love the extra special complaint, "they brought buses down from Isaan", are they for real? do they really hate northerners that much?

One of these "off island" buses recently crashed into a power pole near our house. One fatality and a number of injured passengers.

The bus was an old clapped out piece of junk.

If such vehicles can be kept off the island as a result of the associations efforts I will applaud them.

Thai mafia at work again.

Bunch of nimbys.

Translation for those who dont understand nimbys.

Not in my back yard.

Phuket bus owners want the navy (among others) to intervene because they can't compete with other tour bus companies from other provinces in Thailand.

That's what they said. Can't make this stuff up, insane.

I think the solution that all these "associations" are going for boils down to splitting Phuket into pieces and giving each piece to a certain owner (determined by "who is claiming ownership the loudest") who has than a divine monopoly and can operate without fear of competition.

ASEAN and so on will bring a lot of fun to these people. But this isn't even globalization, it's competition from within Thailand that they can't withstand. How would they compete with foreign players?

One of these "off island" buses recently crashed into a power pole near our house. One fatality and a number of injured passengers.

The bus was an old clapped out piece of junk.

If such vehicles can be kept off the island as a result of the associations efforts I will applaud them.

I think most of the tour buses here could qualify as vintage vehicles in many other countries.

One of these "off island" buses recently crashed into a power pole near our house. One fatality and a number of injured passengers.

The bus was an old clapped out piece of junk.

If such vehicles can be kept off the island as a result of the associations efforts I will applaud them.

I think most of the tour buses here could qualify as vintage vehicles in many other countries.

Not to mention most would be found unfit for public use and barred from use. Verified maintenance records, driver logs, driver drug and alcohol testing, insurance for passengers up to international standards, regular vehicle emissions......None of these things seem to be up to par or even implemented compared to what is the norm in any Western country.

Burn the bridges busses, they are are pain on the roads for everyone !

Burn the bridges busses, they are are pain on the roads for everyone !

Yes, burning the bridges would make buses coming in much more difficult.

There is of course always the waterbus.

If such vehicles can be kept off the island as a result of the associations efforts I will applaud them.

Associations care about getting the mandatory fees all buses need to pay, safety checks is not on their list in any way.

I've seen it all now, tour bus association.....seriously?

As LIK says, if these guys were providing a good product at a competitive price, they'd have nothing to worry about. It must be those "Association Fees" that make these guys less competitive............... Got to love it, the "bus mafia".

"I've seen it all now, tour bus association.....seriously?" - wait until there is a "water truck association."

Im waiting for the "turd truck association"

This comes after the second truck

One of these "off island" buses recently crashed into a power pole near our house. One fatality and a number of injured passengers.

The bus was an old clapped out piece of junk.

If such vehicles can be kept off the island as a result of the associations efforts I will applaud them.

I think most of the tour buses here could qualify as vintage vehicles in many other countries.

Not to mention most would be found unfit for public use and barred from use. Verified maintenance records, driver logs, driver drug and alcohol testing, insurance for passengers up to international standards, regular vehicle emissions......None of these things seem to be up to par or even implemented compared to what is the norm in any Western country.

Have you ever noticed that quite a few coaches have an obvious twisted chasis.

Hahaaa now it's a separate country?

No bus companies from off the island, no tour guides from other parts of Thailand, and on

and on. The tuk tuk/ taxi mafia can only work from its own area/taxi stand. It seems Phuket

residents want no competition from any where. Foreign, other parts of Thailand, even other

parts of the island.

Every day it seems there is a new bunch of whingers who are useless at their job complaining about being beaten out by people who can do their job better/cheaper. Did it ever occur to them that perhaps improving what they have to offer might solve the problem?

That's capitalism! Love the extra special complaint, "they brought buses down from Isaan", are they for real? do they really hate northerners that much?

They don't have a workpermit

One of these "off island" buses recently crashed into a power pole near our house. One fatality and a number of injured passengers.

The bus was an old clapped out piece of junk.

If such vehicles can be kept off the island as a result of the associations efforts I will applaud them.

I think most of the tour buses here could qualify as vintage vehicles in many other countries.

Not to mention most would be found unfit for public use and barred from use. Verified maintenance records, driver logs, driver drug and alcohol testing, insurance for passengers up to international standards, regular vehicle emissions......None of these things seem to be up to par or even implemented compared to what is the norm in any Western country.

Have you ever noticed that quite a few coaches have an obvious twisted chasis.

Also see quite a few with obvious suspension problems.

They want regulation?
Here's some ideas:
1/ Driving test

2 /Drug test for drivers

3/ Inspection for buses third. (including exhaust pollution test) (please)

That should weed out a few of them.

Of course, it will never happen.