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Tourists Say 'Extra Fee' Just Another Scam
By Alan Morison Tuesday, January 10, 2012
PHUKET: A group of Australian tourists say they were asked for extra money after paying for an ATV ride up Big Buddha Hill in southern Phuket - extra payments on all kinds of tours can be a scam.
One of the Australians, Wayne Solway, from Brisbane, says that he was surrounded in a threatening manner by staff of the ATV hire company when he refused to pay extra.
''They wanted to charge 1000 baht more for us to upgrade to a larger vehicle,'' Mr Solway said. ''But that's something that should have been sorted by the tour company that took the booking.''
The solidly-built Mr Solway, 49, refused to pay more that the 2100 baht cost and eventually was granted the trip he'd already paid for - 10 minutes at Big Buddha and a ride through the jungle with his wife Bunliab, 39.
His friends Brett Price and Jiraporn, who had already paid 3200 baht, was also asked for more when the steering on the ATV proved too heavy for Jiraporn to handle.
Wal Brown, an International Liason Volunteer at Kathu Police Station, says that demands for extra payments from tourists are all too common.
''Tourists who have already paid for a day trip on a boat will suddenly find they are asked for an extra 500 baht for something that wasn't in the original fee,'' he said.
''What are tourists to do when they are at the departure point and ready to enjoy an outing. Most people pay, but really, the entire cost should have already been paid earlier. It happens too often.''
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Comments
Comments have been disabled for this article.
Will there be a day that there is NOT a report of a tourist getting ripped off, scammed, run over, assaulted or left hanging dry???
What is happening to this place??? My 6+ years here have been great, but I'm done. My family's ticket home in May can't come soon enough.
There is no safety or comfort here for foreigners anymore. Heck, if I was Thai, I wouldn't feel safe either.
Congratulations Phuket...your attempt to drive everyone away is working.
Posted by
kobee
on
January 10, 2012 11:57
Talking about extra fees. On NY eve in Patong tuk-tuks charged Bt 1000 from Bangla to Nanai and Bt 1500 to Karon.
Saw a couple of negotiations quickly turn sour when tourists questioned the high fares.
Had it come to blows, I'm sure it would have been written off as another case of "drunken tourists behaving badly"
It would be great to know where to file complaints about tuk tuks because the police sure don't care to take them.
Posted by
Steve C.
on
January 10, 2012 12:57
Steve C., the distance from Patong to Karon would cost you the equivalent of at least 2500-3000 baht in London or Sydney. What are you complaining about? If you can't afford to pay a fair price, don't bother coming to Phuket. You cheap charlie.
Posted by
Len
on
January 10, 2012 16:19
Editor Comment:
Len, if Phuket was just as expensive as London or Sydney, why would people come? Where is Big Ben Patong and what about the Phuket City Opera House?
And how come in your last post you were Lim from Korea talking about full-body examinations? You are a worse-than-cheap charlie. You're a fraud.
Are you the editor or you the Fraud Bureau of Investigation? I am not a fraud!!! My name can be spelled Len, Lem, Lim in English. Sometimes I spell it different. You are a very rude and poorly educated man and I am shocked how often you insult your readers and try to show off how superior to them with your "smart" comments!!! I believe you come from Australia. Well then I should hardly be surprised that you have no class at all!!!
Posted by
Len
on
January 10, 2012 18:47
Editor Comment:
Settle on one spelling for your name, Lim, Len or Lem, then what you say may become more acceptable. My only aim is to correct inaccuracies and misinformation. You aim so far seems to be to provide it. Class? Not something that bothers most people.
Len... You must be using the wrong cabs in London, know way would it cost 50-60 pounds for that trip, i pay that to get me to the airport which is an hour's drive using the motorway
Posted by
Nick
on
January 10, 2012 18:56
Len are you totally out of control?
if u want to pay that fare in austalia. do it! but not here! its a different place, the people earn less than in australia.
you must be a very smart guy...
Posted by
mike
on
January 10, 2012 19:14
If operators jack prices because of a certain periods be it christmas, new year, people will eventually cease to come back and word of mouth goes a long way when people are ripped off. they will speak with family, creating a long chain of people thinking twice before coming to Thailand and the only people to complain are the ones who actually created the scam.
Please don't think I am bagging Thailand, I have been coming to Patong for the past 7 years and normally stay for anything from 3 to 5 months a year.Sure I have learnt how not to be ripped off and tell many people to beware. Realistically someone should step in and put an end to this.
Posted by
Alex
on
January 10, 2012 20:33
# Len
50 pounds for a 6 mile trip in London ? Riding on the Queen's horse carriage or what ?
Fair price to whom ?
A tuk tuk ride to anywhere within Had Yai costs Bt 20. How do you justify it costing a cool 75x more in Phuket ?
Fuel prices are regulated nationwide, no difference there.
You call people not willing to be ripped off cheap charlies ?
Oh, I'd love to have your business and bleed you dry because you obviously wouldn't mind at all being overcharged 75 fold.
Please leave your contact info with the editor, I have a few business proposals for you.
Posted by
Steve C.
on
January 10, 2012 21:28
It wasn't "overcharging", it was, rather, "surcharging" Mr Solway for his God-awful beard.
Posted by
Tanya Millibank
on
January 11, 2012 01:08
In Munich you drive a Mercedes-Benz taxi with leather seats, air con, ectpp for 6 km for 14,30 Euro. Or around 600 Baht. For 20 km you pay 1300 Baht.
Or you use the public bus / metro system for as much as 2-5 Euro or 80-200 Baht. In safe, fast and clean buses and rail vehicles. You can see the time of departure and arrival of every station and connections on your smart phone anytime. Connecting services are prominently displayed in the couches or at the stations.
A bus driver in Munich earns around 2850 Euro per month, or 115,000 Baht. Without scamming btw.
So Len or Lim from Korea, who is the cheap charlie here? It is insanely expensive here in Phuket if you compare value for price for getting from point A to B. I am also sorry for the low wage earners. 300 Baht a day does not bring you to work by tuktuk. By tuktuk. By an (expletive) tuktuk.
Posted by
Lena
on
January 11, 2012 04:00
I think the pricing of transport on NY or any major holiday should be expected. It's like going to an airport, and having to pay more for food and water. They do it and get away with it.
I'm not saying its fair, but if you expect it you could make possible alternate arrangements or just accept the fact.
Its a similar state of affairs for scams. They are not just a Phuket thing. Ever see the series, 'The Real Hustle'? It helps to be 'street smart'. Of course, if there is the threat of violence or actual violence then it is a different matter. Scams suck but at the same time don't be a sucker for scams.
Posted by
Matt
on
January 11, 2012 12:23
--In Munich you drive a Mercedes-Benz taxi with leather seats, air con, ectpp for 6 km for 14,30 Euro.--
That 6 km is already more than the way to Karon. So it would be about 600 Bht here in Phuket with Munich fares and leather and aircon ect. ;-)
Posted by
Alfred
on
January 11, 2012 19:05
Hi, I have lived in Australia and the UK but I do not compare them to Phuket. I hate the moaners who compare everything to their country, this would be better done in London etc. If you do not like Phuket, leave or don't come back and do more research before you come. People need to understand that this is a developing country. Yes there are things the annoy me here, mainly the stupid foreigners comparing Phuket to their home country. Imagine even developed countries where if tourists came with 100's or 1000's times the wealth of many citizens, there would be ripoffs, kidnappings, violent home robberies, murders, etc. People need to understand how poor many of the people are here. Just whilst I am on a moan, can people please note it is illegal for woman to sunbathe topless here, no brainer that is why you never see a Thai lady topless on the beach. It also offends the Thais. I wish people would read a bit more about Thailand before moaning.
Posted by
AdamMightHaveFoundEve
on
January 20, 2012 16:13
This place rates 4 stars (5 max) on a tourist scale of corruption by Tripadvisor.
Well, what can you expect from a province renowned as the most corrupt in Thailand?
Posted by
tamsin
on
March 10, 2012 15:32
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Will there be a day that there is NOT a report of a tourist getting ripped off, scammed, run over, assaulted or left hanging dry???
What is happening to this place??? My 6+ years here have been great, but I'm done. My family's ticket home in May can't come soon enough.
There is no safety or comfort here for foreigners anymore. Heck, if I was Thai, I wouldn't feel safe either.
Congratulations Phuket...your attempt to drive everyone away is working.
Posted by kobee on January 10, 2012 11:57