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Deputy Prime Minister,  Pracha Promnok, at today's seminar

Deputy PM Seeks a Safer Phuket, With Jet-Ski Operators Closely Watched

Saturday, August 24, 2013
PHUKET: Jet-ski operators continued to be a problem on Phuket and police should check the past of people on the beach, Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister, Pracha Promnok, told a Phuket meeting today.

''Tell everyone about the jet-ski operators,'' he said. ''Knowing who they are is very important.''

Earlier, the Commander of Phuket Police, Major General Chote Chawanwiwat, told the gathering that officers were working with Marine 5 officials to ''create more trust'' among tourists using jet-skis.

Both men were speaking at the Metropole Hotel in Phuket City to top police and Immigration officers from Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi and Surat Thani, where Samui and Phangan islands are found.

Thailand's Government is intent on creating a ''Phuket model'' for safer tourism that can be applied in all destinations.

Commander Chote made the point that the focus was now on protecting tourists on Phuket with attempts being made to ''manage'' tourism with greater care, and for more officers to learn English.

At the same time, checks were being tightened on expats and Burmese who came to work on Phuket, he said.

Thailand's Government recognised the importance of the tourism industry and wanted to develop and improve everything about it, Deputy PM Pracha said.

Emphasis was being placed on ''making the country safe, and the people hospitable.'' ''Nobody wants to visit dangerous places,'' he said.

More emphasis should be placed on controlling drugs, and on the welfare of teenagers and the unemployed, he said.

''Phuket is a very pleasant city, a very nice island,'' he told the officers. ''Every officer in the country wants to come here, so keep working well.''

Governor Maitree Intrusud also briefed the officers on progress being made to make Phuket a safer and more appealing destination.

Comments

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I notice that the deputy prime minister seeks a safer Phuket. I ask, does the Prime Minister also seek a safer Phuket

Posted by Paul on August 25, 2013 00:24

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Very Nice. The highest authorities have sworn to restore order.
However I do not hear anything about the complete lack of investment in every tourist destination in the country. Nobody is talking about the stupid budgeting process based on inaccurate and irrelevant residency registrations.
Basic law and order is certainly necessary but it is not sufficient. All of the destinations suffer from insufficient infrastructure in every category, from sanitation, transport, power, telco....
Nobody likes disorder but lousy, third world type infrastructure isn't too satisfying either.
Invest or die....

Posted by Yojimbo on August 25, 2013 00:48

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It might not be the correct response to this article, but it is the only forum I have, so I present my story.

Tonight I was out in early evening for a quiet couple of beers & a few games of pool. On returning to Kata, I dropped my friend at the entrance to his soi & headed for home in Karon. We had driven slowly from Nai Harn & not been aggressive towards anyone.

At the traffic lights Kata/Karon, 2 Thai lads on a motor bike started kicking my car & shouting abuse. They chased me all the way to Karon, throwing some objects at my car. When I finally shook them off & got home, I received a call from my friend stating he had been verbally assaulted at approx same time as me.

It could not have been the same 2 people on 1 bike, so I have to believe we were targeted. I cannot begin to reason why other than my car is not registered in Phuket.

This was a scary experience & for me, one very good reason to continue packing to leave Phuket once & for ever.

I strongly suspect there is a backlash against the DSI purge on corruption, with those Thais feeling under pressure targeting local farangs in retribution.

Posted by Logic on August 25, 2013 04:10

Editor Comment:

That's an extremely long bow, Logic. You and your friend should be at Karon Police Station ''forum'' today, reporting what happened. Police should quickly be able to tell you that you are the only one reporting trouble last night, or one of many.

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More nonsense, I can rent a car at the airport and buy a collision damage waiver. Make them mandatory for jet skis, let the operators charge what they want or agree to up front, but the renter is not responsible if he damages the thing, nothing to argue about.

Posted by Robert on August 25, 2013 06:44

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Working in travel company here, I had to be a mediator in police stations a few times when our guests got troubles from Thais. In all cases policemen strongly reccomended not file case, but negotiate. All negotiations finished in favour of Thais. I will trust police when I see their good work. Untill then I don't care what anybody says. And I go on to warn our guests, coming here, that nobody here guarantees their safety, except themselves.

Posted by Stranger on August 25, 2013 13:38

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If anyone from the government is reading this, a cheap but major improvement would be fresh water showers on the major beaches, with push button control that stays on say 10 seconds to save manage water. Phuket is meant to be one of the top two destinations in SE Asia.

Posted by Fiesty Farang on August 25, 2013 14:04

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@Logic you say you had a few drinks I think you must have driven badly I don't think people start on cars if anything they would pick easier targets on motorbikes.

Posted by Fiesty Farang on August 25, 2013 14:05

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Thailand also needs to stop being xenophobic, examples like charging three times the interest rate for Non Thais than for Thais. Risk is not an excuse, racism and greed are the reasons. With Asean coming in soon Thailand is going to have to bring itself into the 21st century.

Posted by Fiesty Farang on August 25, 2013 14:08

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@logic: maybe it was the DSI thinking you are a black taxi...

Posted by Lena on August 25, 2013 14:09

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My car is Korat registered & had a large 'Swat Cat' (Korat F.C.) sticker which my daughter stuck on. There is a bitter rivalry between Phuket F.C. & Korat F.C. Never gave it a thought but have now removed the sticker. It couldn't have been anything but that as there was little traffic & no confrontation. This was probably a bunch of stupid kids having 'fun' .

At FF: I always drive with extreme care here as I know there are some who look for the slightest excuse to make a claim.

Posted by Logic on August 25, 2013 14:46

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@Lena you make many funny comments on here, are you single?

Posted by Fiesty Farang on August 25, 2013 15:05

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@ logic
Next time do not drink and drive, much saver for all of us.

Posted by FS on August 25, 2013 15:05

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@Logic you wrote the story at 4.10am may I suggest you had more than a few drinks. You are lucky they did not have guns. I rarely travel between 2am and 6am as there are too many drunks driving around.

Posted by Fiesty Farang on August 25, 2013 16:45

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@Fiesty Farang: It doesn't matter, anyway your heart is taken by this wonderful Laotian girl you Visa-Run to every month.

Posted by Lena on August 26, 2013 00:45

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@FF: I agree with you 100% ... but the attack happened at 21:30 ... I had a bad nights sleep & woke up & wrote the article in hindsight.

Posted by Logic on August 26, 2013 10:51

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@Lena you have a good memory, she is Thai and wants to live in the North of Thailand and I want to live here as she stays in a very remote area and also no one speaks English there apart from her.

Posted by Fiesty Farang on August 26, 2013 11:20

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''I want to live here as she stays in a very remote area and also no one speaks English there apart from her''
Dear me FF, if you take that attitude I can't see you relationship lasting very long. I live in a very remote area and that's half the fun. Thai people here are some of the friendliest you could ever meet. No one speaks English! Of course not, this is Thailand - learn to speak Thai.

Posted by Pete on August 26, 2013 15:01

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@Pete horses for courses I would get bored silly in a remote place with no restaurants, shopping etc in a rice farm whether I spoke Thai or not. I like to be near a town and people.

Posted by Fiesty Farang on August 26, 2013 20:14


Tuesday October 8, 2024
Horizon Karon Beach Resort & Spa

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