Another reason to avoid Phuket

Not a Gay topic but of interest.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

French tourists attacked for parking in 'wrong place'

PHUKET: Chalong Police are on the hunt for a man presumed to be a тАШtuk-tuk / taxi driverтАЩ who allegedly set upon a French family with a beach umbrella in the Kata area of Phuket on Saturday evening.

The family, an elderly couple on holiday with their 44-year old son, his wife and their three children, aged 14 months, seven and nine, claim they were attacked when they parked their rented car along the Kata Beach road.

The family claims they were confronted by a man outside the Karon Municipality offices, at the southern end of Kata Beach.

He was aggressive and told them to move the vehicle, the family said.

After checking the area for no-parking signs, and seeing none, the family refused to move their car and began unloading their beach items.

Moments later, the man returned and assaulted them with the shaft of a beach umbrella, breaking the 44-year-old manтАЩs arm. The 68-year-old father also sustained numerous bruises in the attack.

Many people saw the incident, which occurred at about 5pm, but no-one went to the familyтАЩs aid, the victims claimed.

The family escaped in their car, stopping at the Kata Palm Resort to recover from their ordeal. Staff at the resort alerted paramedics.

The family reported the attack to police on Sunday. Today, Chalong police invited the victims to study police file photos of known criminals in the area of the attack.

The victims have apparently identified their attacker and police are believed to be tracking him down.

Phuket's public transport shortcomings have been been the subject of bitter complaints from local residents and foreign tourists for at least a decade.

The complaints have intensified sharply this month, to the point where public outrage could culminate in mob action by victims of the system.

Phuket Gazette (http://www.phuketgazette.net/news/detail.asp?id=8171)

When in Phuket, I deliberately stay near the Paradise Centre precisely so that I rarely have to patronise the Tuk Tuks.

On the very odd occassion I need to use one I am well aware that it is a rip-off cartel and I don't feel easy until I reach my destination. I would never argue with them.

This incident is shocking but unsurprising.

:crybaby: :crybaby: :crybaby:

[Beachlover]

Phuket tuk tuk drivers are fuckwits. I never take them.

The community/local economy/people pay for allowing this kind of thing to continue... this along with other off-putting corruption-driven things in Phuket puts many tourists off coming.

Whilst Patong Beach is very limited in capacity (very popular holiday spot... but limited land along that beach)... its occupancy rates are still no where near its potential.

Fuckwits you got that right!. I laugh at how stupid it is for the municipality to continue to believe that allowing the tuk tuk mafia to continue to control things doesn't cost them. I see tourists haggling, scratching their heads wondering why a 300 metre ride should cost 300 baht. They park and congest Patong and Kata...98% of them sitting unused when they could be assets to the local tourism economy...and these idiots think they are living grand.

I take motorbike taxi. I love it! Cooler and quicker. If you've never seen it, it's quite a sight to see the small beach city with thousands of red, unused tuk tuks while tourists and regulars walk by ignoring them. Fuckwits indeed.

[Beachlover]

The decision by local authorities to allow the tuk tuk mafia (and other tourist-scamming arrangements) to continue isn't based on "what's best for the people/businesses/brand of Phuket"... it's based on "what's best for me".

They get kick backs. This is corruption.

It continues to happen because there's little accountability and no one with enough incentive, ability or will to stand up to things like this.

[Beachlover]

I'm not keen on jumping on motorbikes in Phuket... too many accidents and fatalities. But this is just a personal preference.

This guy... http://www.waynemaule.com/... one of the world's greatest advertising film directors was recently killed on his motorbike there.

For those who, like me aren't keen on riding... I don't think transport is necessary in Patong as long as you stay centrally. If you want to go out of Phuket, a good option is to hire one of the private taxi cars around the place. Look out for guys holding "taxi" signs and talk to the driver (not to a tout) directly. This is also the best way to get a ride to the airport without paying a middleman or tuk tuk.

[atri1666]

Phuket tuk tuk drivers are fuckwits. I never take them.

The community/local economy/people pay for allowing this kind of thing to continue... this along with other off-putting corruption-driven things in Phuket puts many tourists off coming.

Whilst Patong Beach is very limited in capacity (very popular holiday spot... but limited land along that beach)... its occupancy rates are still no where near its potential.


Same me. They only get my middle finger when they told me their price for some hundred meters

A better headline might be

"Seven cowardly French run for help after umbrella scare"

or

"Arrogant Frenchman gets comeuppance"

[Beachlover]

Phuket tuk tuk drivers are fuckwits. I never take them.

The community/local economy/people pay for allowing this kind of thing to continue... this along with other off-putting corruption-driven things in Phuket puts many tourists off coming.

Whilst Patong Beach is very limited in capacity (very popular holiday spot... but limited land along that beach)... its occupancy rates are still no where near its potential.


Same me. They only get my middle finger when they told me their price for some hundred meters

Heh... I like to give them the middle finger in my mind by tilting my head towards them.

[yedo111]

I agree , I avoid Phuket like the plague.
Why bother with all the tourist traps going on there.

The worst part is that tourists will have the impression that Phuket is the real Thailand and never return.

The worst part is that tourists will have the impression that Phuket is the real Thailand and never return.

You're right about that! Everyone knows PATTAYA is the real Thailand, right! (j/k)

Actually, Phuket is best enjoyed with people who have been there and know the pitfalls. I cringe when I see uninformed Phuket 'virgins' at the airport and around the tourist tout areas, knowing how much better their experience would be if they had done a lot of research before arriving. I always have to squelch the big urge I have to warn all those tourists, as they are set upon by the limo touts, that they only need turn right and go Taxi Meter to their hotel. But to do so would risk bodily harm and, in the end, with my luck, the TM's will be all out and they'll be stuck waiting for a ride for awhile- blaming me, to top it off.

Having said that, it is sad that so many people ultimately get turned off, but then those tend to be the ones that didn't do their homework right anyway. Saving Phuket from itself is getting to be almost impossible.

[Beachlover]

knowing how much better their experience would be if they had done a lot of research before arriving. I always have to squelch the big urge I have to warn all those tourists, as they are set upon by the limo touts, that they only need turn right and go Taxi Meter to their hotel.

Yeah... that's why I'm so glad Wikitravel exists. It always gives me a heads up about stuff like this each time I land in a new place. Such an fantastic website.

Let your hotel/guesthouse book your transportation and you will normally get good value for money. There is also some gay taxidrivers/taxicompanies on the island. http://www.beocute.com is a serious company and service is friendly and good.

[Beachlover]

Not in my experience... Hotel taxis are almost always more expensive. They need to make a margin on the driver's fee right?

I never understood why anyone books a hotel taxi these days... other than inept/nervous, old/frail or happy to pay whatever (corporate account) type travelers... I don't see any value add in it.

Maybe in the olden days without the internet to tell you the "lie of the land" ahead you might book with the hotel for some certainty... but these days a quick look at wikitravel tells you what transport options and the going rate wherever you land.

Yes, I agree. In most places that is correct. The reason for me to suggest this is in Patong, is the present situation with the tuk-tuk and taxidrivers that approach you on the street. As mentioned above it's an almost mafia situation that exists. You can normally get an airconditioned minubus at the same rate as the street tuk-tuk if you ask your hotel. Both your hotel and the driver is keen on repeat business and will probably try to give good value for money, as I mentioned in my earlier post.

[Beachlover]

Oh... thought you meant from the airport.

Yes... coming from Patong to the airport you might possibly need to (1) ask the hotel, (2) ask a tuk tuk or (3) get a tout [one of those tour agent desks] to get a taxi for you and pay their commission. Proper taxis can be hard to find in Patong at short notice.

Best solution, I found is to go for a stroll around the block till you find one of the private taxis (someone holding a taxi sign... or holding a big laminated map... will typically have a car nearby).