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For a glorious few days in November, there were no jet-skis off Patong

Phuket Jet-Ski Scams Continue

Friday, December 26, 2014
PHUKET: Scams involving jet-ski operators continue ''nearly every day'' on Phuket's Patong beach, according to one expat observer - and this week it was the turn of a Chinese tourist to face extortion.

Travelling with a large group from Shanghai, the Chinese tourist ended up paying 17,000 baht to cover an out-of-the-water fee that is often used to rip off tourists whenever jet-skis are damaged at Patong.

Patong beach is rapidly becoming Phuket's jet-ski rip-off central.

The Chinese man, nicknamed ''Dong Dong,'' admitted damaging the jet-ski. When he reached the beach after damaging the machine, jet-ski operators demanded that he pay 40,000 baht - above their insurance claim.

Far from solving the continuing extortions, says an expat who sees jet-ski crashes ''nearly every day,'' partial insurance merely leads to jet-ski operators also scamming the insurance company, the observer says.

The rip-off on Christmas Eve took place close to the centre of Patong beach.

It was an unusual day at Patong because, according to the President of the Jet-Ski Association of Patong, Nucha Petchvimol, the family of a new Phuket vice governor was also riding jet-skis and trying out a parasailer that same day.

A television crew from a foreign country who happened to be at the beach filming - many international tv crews are on the holiday island covering the 10th anniversary of the tsunami - is also believed to have captured the loud beach altercation when the jet-ski operators demanded their extra 40,000 baht.

There was ''yelling and screaming on the beach,'' according to a witness.

Some of the extortions begin and end on the beach, with terrified holidaymakers paying thousands of baht above the 50,000 baht insurance cover because they are made to fear for their lives by the jet-ski operators.

The expat expert observer, who prefers to remain anonymous out of concerns for his own safety, says: ''There are good jet-ski operators and bad ones. The bad ones ruin it for everybody. I have no doubt rip-offs occur constantly.''

The expat observer says the 50,000 baht partial insurance is inadequate, and that jet-ski operators should pay twice their measly annual fee to double the maximum payout amount to 100,000 baht.

''As long as insurance does not cover the full cost of damage, extortions will continue and tourists will be placed in danger,'' the observer said.

The tourists are also scammed a minimum 15,000 baht to 17,000 baht every time there's a dispute. This is the ''out of the water'' fee charged by the jet-ski operators for repairs.

The scam works like this: the operator tells his victim that he or she must pay for the time the jet-ski will be out of the water, and that this could be up to five days. So a fee is negotiated at 3000 baht a day to allow for five days, plus 1000 baht or 2000 baht for ''paperwork.''

Every jet-ski operator who becomes involved in a dispute over damages knows that the minimum profit he will make from the confrontation, even if the claim for extra compensation about the insurance maximum is unsuccessful, will be 15,000 to 17,000 baht.

''The jet-skis involved in the crashes are often seen back in the water the following day,'' the expat observer said. ''The operator pockets 15,000 or 17,000 baht in pure profit.''

There has never yet been a mediation where the tourist says: ''OK, I'll come back and pay you 3000 baht every day, as long as I can see the jet-ski is not back in the water.''

Footage taken by the television crew is likely to further damage Phuket's tourist image.

Patong is already being portrayed as a beach that is no longer safe for swimmers. New zoning regulations give jet-skis control of two 300-metre stretches in the best part of the beach.

''The jet-skis make the beach smelly, polluted and unsafe,'' the expat observer said.

''Swimmers don't know the zones are strictly for jet-skis and wander into the area where they're in danger. Jet-skis and speedboats have also already been seen in the swimmer-only zones.''

The Jet-Ski Association's Khun Nucha says many of the problems are caused ''because not all tourists are good tourists.

''But we did have some good tourists on Christmas Eve. Vice Governor Panlop Singhaseni called and asked if I could organise an outing jet-sking and parasailing for members of his family, so we did that.''

Phuket's honorary consuls and ambassadors in Bangkok have been suggesting for years that the jet-skis and parasails should be banned completely to prevent tourists being scammed.

Jet-ski rip-offs and the extortionate fares charged by Phuket's taxis and tuk-tuks are the two problems that cause most tourists to complain.

Comments

Comments have been disabled for this article.

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And the authorities continue to allow this disgraceful behavior

Posted by Amazing Thailand on December 26, 2014 08:38

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Well that the family of the Phuket vice governor makes a good example, and oh wonder, nothing happens. The Jet-Ski Association's Khun Nucha says not all tourists are good tourists. Well then, the falangs to blame, the jet-ski operators are poor victim.
This is possible only in Thailand, what a shame.
It can be so wunderfull on the island when there are no jet-ski, para sailor and taxi problems.
What has changed since cleaned the beach? Taxi are even more expensive, at the beach everything has become worse. Only the beach chair are gone.
If someone was also clean the beach, (ruins and rubble from demolition and waste) then at least see the beach better.

Posted by steve on December 26, 2014 09:01

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Instead of complaining to the Thai authorities, embassies and consulates should give out flyers to arriving tourists or advertise in airline magazines about the risks of hiring a jet ski or using tuk tuks or illegal taxis.

Posted by Sascha on December 26, 2014 09:09

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I did read in this article that tourists were to fear for their lives by jet sky operators. Is the mayor of Phuket not the first responsible person for at least safety of lives of tourists in Patong? What is the differents in action of this Mayor and previous Mayor? With world wide broadcasting/showing patong beach problems, I think this Mayor has a big problem to handle . The image damage of Phuket becomes bigger and bigger.

Posted by Kurt on December 26, 2014 09:50

Editor Comment:

The problems will continue as long as elected councils have to make decisions about the actions of their voters on the beaches. It's a no-brainer. Phuket needs an independent Phuket Beach Authority. The governor is seeking to implement changes that don't quite go that far.

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Does anyone believe that this "extortion" game will ever change?...as long as people continue to rent jet skiis, the game will continue....Stop renting jetskiis

Posted by sky on December 26, 2014 09:50

Editor Comment:

Oh yes, that's going to work, sky.

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steve

"falangs to blame"? The tourist in this case was chinese, hardly a "falang".

Posted by christian on December 26, 2014 09:52

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There's nobody got the guts in phuket to ban all jet skis from the beachers? But no problem social media will do it for us, as you can see been coming here for 13 years and I've never ever seen it so quite !!!!

Posted by Johnboy on December 26, 2014 09:56

Editor Comment:

You must have skipped the year after the tsunami, johnboy. This year isn't so quiet. There are more people than ever, but also much greater competition for them.

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Mr. Editor, I agree with you. But, who is this very moment responsible in Patong for the safety and lives of tourists? Now, this moment? The Mayor, or a not known councilor who perhaps lives beside a jet sky 'operator'? Tourists must be granted safety! Who is responsible?

Posted by Kurt on December 26, 2014 10:13

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I would like to see the officials start to sweat when they found out a foreign news crew filmed it.

Posted by rc on December 26, 2014 10:19

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Jet skies are what should be taken away fist. And then the Tok Tok. These two are evil

Posted by Hannah on December 26, 2014 10:34

Editor Comment:

The jet-ski that killed a Russian actually was named 'Evil.'

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"Vice Governor Panlop Singhaseni called and asked if Khun Nucha (Jet-Ski Association) could organise an outing jet-sking and parasailing for members of his family, so we did that.''

Shame of senior civil servants to support jet-ski and parasailing business operators by renting jet-skis and sending his family to do parasailing when so much problems are still in place like scams on tourists and lack of safety to operate them on beaches.

Posted by Whistle-Blower on December 26, 2014 11:15

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Ban parasail and jetski mafia from all Phuket Beaches, if not Phuket will loose many, many more tourists. In my country, Thailand is a place that scare peoples to have their vacation. Many negative stories reach Europe countries, so I think that Phuket soon will be a place only for Chinese and Russians. Bye, bye, Phuket.

Posted by expat scandinavian on December 26, 2014 11:18

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.
What is inacceptable is the money asked by jet-ski operators for the days the jet-skis are out for rental business for repair.
Try to do the same for your car in a garage following an accident and you will get a large smile from the insurers even you are 100% in your right and your car was badly damaged by any other vehicle.

Posted by Whistle-Blower on December 26, 2014 11:35

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Nothing wrong with Jetskis at beaches, if that is what tourists want...what is wrong is the same that was wrong in the past and that is the unwillingness to enforce Thai law, because of course it is not legal to extort money from anybody ,but as long as there is no consequence then it will go on. The same goes for traffic laws and anti corruption laws, they are there but since they are not enforced or only enforced on special occasions , well then the the systems don't work.

Posted by Sailor on December 26, 2014 12:02

Editor Comment:

The present system of zoning is dangerous with swimmers mixing with machines and that's what's wrong with jet-skis at Patong. Whether a small minority of tourists want them is not the issue.

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Ed: "You must have skipped the year after the tsunami, johnboy. This year isn't so quiet. There are more people than ever, but also much greater competition for them."

Don't think that is a very sensible comparisson. And more people then ever? Guess you take the propaganda numbers of the government. Never seen this place so empty.

Posted by Sascha on December 26, 2014 15:21

Editor Comment:

You're probably going to the same places you always go to, Sascha. Tourism is changing. Maybe you're not. Without figures, your comment is negative propaganda.

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Ed:"You're probably going to the same places you always go to, Sascha. Tourism is changing. Maybe you're not. Without figures, your comment is negative propaganda."

So where are your figures about more than ever?
Guess that is positive propaganda on your side.

Posted by Sascha on December 26, 2014 15:44

Editor Comment:

We report the airport arrivals and departures every month. They go back seven years or so. Look them up yourself.

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Wasn't it that the Givernir requested to inform him of EVERY jet ski payment request ? Like 2 weeks ago ?

Posted by Sue on December 26, 2014 16:42

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@Whistle-Blower

Renting it is when you pay money for rent...

Posted by Sue on December 26, 2014 16:43

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Marine 5 boss what hold do these ingrates have over you and the rest of Phuket Islands officials to allow them to continue this BS. This small island travel mag constantly reports the BS these crooks get up to but it's just wasting it's time as no attention ever seems to be paid to it by anyone of
consequence so this story will just repeat and repeat .....

Posted by Scunner on December 26, 2014 19:40

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Editor Comment:

We report the airport arrivals and departures every month. . . . (moderated)

Posted by Sascha on December 26, 2014 21:03

Editor Comment:

No point in commenting again, S, unless you add value. Your opinion has no value.

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Yepp,The only change is a tourist has to sit on a towel nowadays,and a few nice places on the beach are gone,but everything that sucks on Phuket stays in place,but I have to admit it is still my favorite place on earth,and we are back for songhkran with a bunch of friends,lucky bastards they have us with 15 years Thailand ripp off experience to instruct them how to be a clever falang in Thailand,and you know what stupid people are the victims allover the world so think before doing something and never rent a jet ski,and negotiate your ride,allways carry a copy of your passport and never hand over the original,leave it in your hotel safe,going to yhe beach just carry smaal amounts cash,use ATM machines inside schopping centre banks,never rent a car or motor bike from road side renters they are from the same breed than most of the jetski mobsters,and if you still want to rent a piece of floating garbage take pictures with your phone and schow all the damage to the friendly operator,they will know that you are not the one to ripp of that day,,be carefull and enjoy Phuket believe me Thailand is still one of the safest destinations to go on a vacation and if you look around and go away from the heavily touristic areas it is still very affordable,and most of the Thai are lovely people

Posted by khunphilip on December 27, 2014 00:12

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Beach boys and alike don't have the cash to buy these machines, big boys and girls own these things and they wont ruin their investment..

Posted by Anonymous on December 27, 2014 18:12

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consular and ambassadors should launch a campaign to inform tourists to avoid these bandits. Easy to do with a campaign in media and good advertising.

Posted by Anonymous on January 3, 2015 12:22


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