Comments
So Sad for Phuket....... but its good that all this issues are finally
addressed by the media. its good in the long-term!
Fact is that public parking is reserved for car and bike rental
companies. also for tuk-tuks and vendors.
Whenever i socialize with them and ask questions, they all have to pay
some people....
Posted by KRR on Tuesday December 29, 2009 at 15:14
Been 4 years since I used a tuktuk because of my last use of one. It
was in a monsoon and we got to my apartment and the fare was something
like 280 baht. I didn't have the fare in small money so gave the
driver 500 baht and was waiting at the passenger window in the rain
waiting for him to give me change.
He told me he didn't have change...yeah right...and made some
searching moves around the cab like he was looking for money but kept
saying he didn't have change. Meanwhile I was getting soaked. So
supposedly neither of us had change. Then he leaned across and opened
the glove box on the passenger side so right by me and I saw a gun in
there! I got the feeling he wanted me to see it!
So I just told him to keep the money and went into my apartment. Never
used a tuktuk since.
Posted by Rex on Tuesday December 29, 2009 at 19:56
I drove through Karon twice in the past two years but could not stop
as they would not let me park any place. Can't spend money there so I
stay in Rawai.
The local government either does not know or does not care about this
situation. The army needs to be called in.
No kidding.
but nothing will ever come of this.
Posted by Restless in Rawai on Tuesday December 29, 2009 at 20:26
Well let's hope that this French family's incident is not in vain.
What more does the Government need to bring about some change?
Really what is also sad here is that no one, not even the other tuk
tuk drivers, stepped in.
Posted by Vfaye on Tuesday December 29, 2009 at 23:34
An inexcusable incident. It apparently happened before at the same
location, about a year ago. Lots of witnesses saw a tuk-tuk driver set
upon a hapless farang and left him severely beaten and unconscious for
parking in the tuk-tuk "space". A local media outlet sniffed out the
story at the tine but were unable to verify it.
This latest incident has got people screaming for a tuk-tuk boycott,
but this would require a boycott of Phuket itself as there are just no
other transport options available for many visitors. The local tuk-tuk
consortium is very influential and has no intention of going away
anytime soon, and TAT say they have had no tourist complaints
regarding tuk-tuks (they obviously don't read tourist-oriented media
or blogs).
Posted by Treelover on Wednesday December 30, 2009 at 06:50
Unless Thais start to object to the corruption that is destroying
Phuket, change is unlikely. Tourists don't count, unless their
complaints go to diplomats at embassies in Bangkok Pressure for change
has to come from the top. Expect more violence, and fewer tourists, as
the crazy local economy of the island, based on selfishness and greed,
goes into a spiral. Instead of signing a useless petition, call your
ambassador. Make your opinion count.
Posted by Angelfire on Wednesday December 30, 2009 at 07:48
This is a local endemic problem, not one that can be solved by
ambassadors of other countries. They can make some noise and complain
too, but this has to be solved at the grass roots level. I see no harm
of a petition to our local govenor signed by local people and tourists
alike.
There is already a petition to the Phuket Govenor running now.
www.ipetitions.com/petition/tuk-tuk/. Please do your bit to try to
save what is left of Phuket.
Editor: It's an international problem, not a local one, because
tourists from many countries are the innocent victims. Jet-ski
insurance was introduced on Phuket not because of complaints to the
TAT or an expat petition or 'Big Trouble in Tourist Thailand' but
because an ambassador from an influential country (ie, one sending
hundreds of thousands of tourists to Thailand) told the Deputy PM that
the problem needed to be fixed. The Deputy PM told the Governor to fix
it. Power works from the top down, not the bottom up. Tell your
ambassador this problem needs fixing.
Posted by innocent bystander on Wednesday December 30, 2009 at 10:51
The local Director of Transport seems to have summed up the problem:
"A proper solution is a long way off," he said. "Trains and light
rails are expensive and unlikely to be affordable at this stage."
So metered taxis and baht buses have already been taken out of
consideration?
Posted by Treelover on Wednesday December 30, 2009 at 11:47
Avoid Phuket like the plague !
Posted by SNIX on Wednesday December 30, 2009 at 16:58
I think its about time the Police did a blitz on Tuktuk drivers,
checking the vehicle for weapons and testing the drivers for Yah Bah
(amphetamines)
Posted by Antz Pantz on Wednesday December 30, 2009 at 17:16
The Director of Public Transport on Phuket, Kanok Siripanichkoon,
said:-
''A proper solution is a long way off,'' he said. ''Trains and light
rails are expensive and unlikely to be affordable at this stage.
Who says trains and light rails are needed? A basic local bus service
connecting the beaches would suffice at this stage.
Ok heard the arguments that last time this was tried the driver was
beaten up, but hey if the authorities have the will to sort it out it
can be.
I think it will take some action from the top i.e. the PM but is he
interested in protecting the tourism industry (he implied he was with
the action taken on the main airport shoplifting scams)?????
Editor: Phuketwan has argued that if corruption can be controlled at
Suvarnabhumi Airport, then the national government should try to make
Phuket the first corruption-free province, then apply the lessons all
over Thailand.
Posted by Philip on Wednesday December 30, 2009 at 19:25
Is there any update as to whether or not the attacker is in police
custody yet? I understand that the local police know who he is.
Posted by Simon Luttrell on Thursday December 31, 2009 at 07:39
It really is a never ending story,I'm going to Bali next trip and
Penang the one after. I am giving Phuket a big miss!!
Posted by TerryEmu on Thursday December 31, 2009 at 08:23
Why does this problem keep happening? these tuk tuk drivers think they
can do whatever they want. Somebody needs to stand up and sort it !
Posted by tony tibbs on Thursday December 31, 2009 at 11:07
I passed a tuktuk in Patong today carrying 9 people in the back! So
much for them bleating when they blockaded the Centara Resort that if
there are more than 4 people they have to use another tuktuk.
Posted by Rex on Thursday December 31, 2009 at 20:16
I'm not at all surprised.. Last year a girl got beaten up on the same
parking lot. A police report was done, but nothing more happened as
she feared for her life...
She parked her car, and when she returned the tyres where flat, and
these "men" attacked her meanwhile they where spitting at her...
That's what you call gentlemen, and welcome to the lands of smiles....
Do hope something will happen, as we residents might stay because of
our business, but the tourists will disappear - and then we will go as
well........
Posted by Anonymous on Friday January 1, 2010 at 11:52
No one can compare these people to normal Thai people.But don't you
think its time that the honest people of Phuket also did something to
stop all this and protect their beautiful island???
Posted by elizabeth on Saturday January 2, 2010 at 12:37
We lived in Kata Noi and after seven years in Phuket have left
Thailand for many, many reasons for good. We are now in a small artsy-
fartsy (not a resort) town in Mexico and LOVE it here. Proper taxis,
frequent and varied bus service, PARKING, genuinely friendly
people...and no humidity, no double-pricing, no "where you go?". Need
we say more? We will NEVER return and will NEVER recommend Phuket.
Posted by Ex-Phuketian on Saturday January 2, 2010 at 20:38