Phuket tourist rip off mafia strike again

[Beachlover]

From: http://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asia-n ... liner.html
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Phuket Standoff as Taxis Blockade Cruise Liner

ABOUT 180 local Phuket taxi drivers blockaded the entrance to Phuket's deep sea port today in the latest of a string of disputes involving cruise ships and the US Navy.

Passengers from a Silversea cruise ship, the Silver Spirit, were not being allowed in or out of the Phuket deep sea port, at Ao Makham on Phuket's east coast.

Phuket Vice Governor Nivit Aroonrat arrived at the deep sea port, along with police, and was attempting to negotiate a rapid settlement to the dispute.

Frequent blockades by local Phuket taxi drivers who perceive shuttle bus transport as a threat to their livelihoods have over the past 18 months blackened Phuket's name as an attractive, trouble-free holiday destination.

Today's blockade is likely to bring to a head the simmering issue of damaging Phuket blockades on cruise ships and the US Navy. Complaints have seldom brought a suitable reaction from Phuket authorities.

About 475 passengers on board the Silver Spirit were planning to use tour buses rather than local taxis to get to Phuket City and Patong, the leader of the local taxi drivers, Narong Kumbaan, told Phuketwan at the Phuket deep sea port today.

He said use of transport other than local taxis on Phuket represented a threat to the livelihoods of the local drivers. The drivers were asking 500 baht for a trip to Phuket City, 15 minutes away, and 1500 baht to Patong, 30 minutes away.

Taxi fares on Phuket are on par with taxi fares in developed countries, but often without insurance, service or suitably high standards inside vehicles.

US Navy vessels have continued to visit Phuket despite a string of blockades and broken promises from local authorities that the problem will be resolved.

Cruise ship lines have shown the same faith in local Phuket authorities to address the issue.

The blockades are the manifestation of Phuket's continuing ''public transport'' crisis.

Control of ''public transport'' largely rests in the hands of a growing number of legal and illegal taxi and tuk-tuk drivers who see a monopoly and high prices as an effortless way of earning a living.

A large number of ''taxis'' on Phuket are not officially registered as taxis. Whenever a new Phuket resort opens, local taxi drivers swiftly inform resort management that they intend to be the transport preference of the resort's guests.

In recent years, Phuket's Governors have failed to find a solution. In avoiding a confrontation, extortionate fares and standover tactics have flourished.

The Silver Spirit, launched in 2009, is regarded as one of the world's top 10 luxury cruise liners
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Unbelievable. Where the f*ck do these tuk tuk drivers and tourist rip off mafia people get off acting as if it's their exclusive right to rip off each and every tourist, which comes to Phuket?

What a f*cking joke, trying to enforce a monopoly with thug tactics. Who the f*ck wants to get into a poxy little tuk tuk and pay five times the price offered by the nearest competitor when there are other legitimate business owners offering comfortable shuttle buses?

I've visited Phuket seven times in the last five years... at least once or twice each and every year. I enjoy the beautiful picturesque beach and islands and amenities within easy walking distance at Patong. But the rip offs, price fixing and service attitude gets WORSE with every visit.

From my last two visits, I can't believe I'm having to put up with unsolicited and deceptively imposed stops at tour agencies and paying 1,000 baht (two ways) just to get to and from the airport each visit in Phuket when the distance is almost the same in Bangkok (where the airport run is half the price).

I'm not going to bother anymore. I'll spend my next beach getaway in Krabi or Langkawi Island (Malaysia).

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Agreed Beachy,

Why don't you go to Bali??? Isn't that an Island paradise much closer to your home?? :love4:

or Koh Samui??? or any of the Vietnamese islands,the islands of the Phillippines,the lis is endless! :headbang:

What has Phuket got that these places hasn't,except for arrogant taxi drivers??? :dontknow: :dontknow: :dontknow:

Why don't you go to Bali??? Isn't that an Island paradise much closer to your home??

Bali? No way. Beachlover is on a lookout for topics suitable for the busy GAY THAILAND forum.

[Diec]

Bali? No way. Beachlover is on a lookout for topics suitable for the busy GAY THAILAND forum.

I wish this bashing of beachbore would stop!! Do you people realize that he is a very young, wealthy asian man, living in Australia, who is so sexy and hot that he does not pay for sex when he visits Thailand (since been changed) 3 times per month. Not only that, he also supports his cousin's children overseas college tuition because his family is dysfunctinal and cannot support them theirselves. Beachbore has also purchased his mother a very expensive bag (over $2000) that she can take shopping with her. Beachbore also only stays at the finest hotels, the likes of which many of you who do not run multi million dollar business's will never have access to. Now you may ask why beachbore was upset paying high taxi rates in Phuket and will no longer go there, even though he is so wealth, well...that is none of your business, the same as it's none of your business when he's been to Thailand and where he's been. Beachbore is a very important person and his privacy is of the utmost importance (even though he has well more than 4000 posts) and his safety is of concern.

If beachbore were to give out too many details, some crazy person (possibly from this board?) may kidnapp him and then what would his poor non English speaking family do? Exactly!! So leave him alone, he has probably been to Thailand more than any members of this board combined!

By the way, I heard a rumor that some government is examining beachbore's doo doo, as it may have cancer healing properites. So with that said, leave hime alone!!

[attachment=0:3uuxbxj1]laugh.jpg[/attachment:3uuxbxj1]

[Beachlover]

Agreed Beachy,

Why don't you go to Bali??? Isn't that an Island paradise much closer to your home?? :love4:

or Koh Samui??? or any of the Vietnamese islands,the islands of the Phillippines,the lis is endless! :headbang:

What has Phuket got that these places hasn't,except for arrogant taxi drivers??? :dontknow: :dontknow: :dontknow:

I've been wanting to do Bali and it might be closer to Australia but my flights to Asia tend to go via Singapore, KL or Bangkok so Bali is actually further to go than any of the Thai beach places. I like to drop into Bangkok whenever in Asia and Phuket also connects to Singapore and KL with direct flights so I never have to go through the same place twice.

Krabi is seeing a lot of direct LCC flights from Bangkok, KL and Singapore now so it'll be just as efficient as Phuket...

Funnily enough, Denpasar connects directly with Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Jakarta.
And they all connect with each other so you would never have to go through the same place twice.
All with the low cost carrier Air Asia.
Imagine that!

[Beachlover]

Bali is 4.5hrs from BKK. Phuket is 1hr from BKK. Phuket/Samui/Krabi are all easier/quicker to get to from BKK, KL and Singapore.

Wait... why do I even bother? OIAW is a troll with no other purpose but to belittle and attack other members here.

If you want to go to Thailand then just go. Why mention Bali and then come up with some lame excuse why you can't go. If as you say, you have been wanting to go to Bali for some time then you could achieve that and still include BKK, KUL and/or SIN in the same trip with out backtracking. I realize you are not the sharpest pencil in the box but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out an itinerary. Anyone with your claimed extensive travel experience should have a bit more of a clue.

Bali is 4.5hrs from BKK. Phuket is 1hr from BKK. Phuket/Samui/Krabi are all easier/quicker to get to from BKK, KL and Singapore.

Wait... why do I even bother? OIAW is a troll with no other purpose but to belittle and attack other members here.

Beach as most of us know this forum is also for giving and asking advice. The hyaenas such as OIAW with his rediculous childish retorts is as you say just a troll who actually thinks he is being funny. Have you ever heard a hyaena laugh? It's not very pleasant at the best of times, so just ignore him and let him play in his own little world.