China Visitor Bucks Jetski Bid for 50,000 Baht

By Phuketwan Reporter
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
UPDATE

A FEMALE JAPANESE tourist who rented a jetski then had the engine fail
at sea after 20 minutes was intercepted by a jetski operator who
turned back to shore, left her to float for more than an hour, then
charged her for the extra time. Another tourist helped her to shore.
The Governor told the media today that the behavior of jetski
operators was ''unbelievably bad.'' He said that on Monday, he had
received a letter from the Australian ambassador, highlighting
consistent complaints about overcharging and scams. ''We are going to
sort this out,'' the governor said.


Original Report

THE GOVERNOR has intervened in a case where a jetski operator was
demanding 50,000 baht from a tourist because of damage allegedly done
to the vehicle in Patong Bay.

But in this case, the tourist was a Chinese visitor who was unwilling
to meet the extortionate demand, made just last week.

Reluctant to be ripped off, the visitor called China's honorary consul
for the region, who operates from Songkla province.

The honorary consul made two phone calls: the first one to the
Superintendent of Kathu Police Station, Police Colonel Grissak
Songmoonnark, who oversees Patong.

The colonel called back, and said he had spoken to the jetski
operator, who was happy to reduce his claim to 30,000 baht.

The honorary consul was having none of that. His second call was to
Governor Wichai Praisa-nob.

As a result, the governor called the colonel and told him to let the
jetski operator know that the governor wanted him to settle for 3000
baht.

And so it was agreed by the governor, the jetski operator, the police
colonel, the honorary consul and the tourist from China.

The fee for the damage was 3000 baht.

The governor related the tale of the jetski to Phuketwan yesterday. He
has been advised by the Deputy PM and diplomats to end scams that
continue to turn tourists away from Phuket.

Only the jetski operator can say for sure whether there was real
damage to the jetski or whether it was a scam: a tourist who fails to
detect damage before taking out a jetski is urged to pay a high price
for a small, preexisting mark when the jetski is returned.

''We only need five percent of people from China to come here to
assure Phuket's future,'' the governor said yesterday. ''We do not
need these kinds of problems.''

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