PHUKET: The aftermath of yet another Phuket jet-ski scam thundered on today and now threatens to make headlines across China that could impact on tourism in Thailand.
In a series of developments that followed allegations of extortion, a demand for 200,000 baht and intimidation at the weekend:
.. A Chinese tourist forced to pay 99,800 baht so his friends would no longer be held captive on a Phuket beach went to the Phuket Ombudsman's office to lodge a formal complaint.
.. Phuket's Governor Nisit Jansomwong said the jet-skis involved would be banned from operating if troubling accusations proved to be accurate.
.. The owner of the jet-skis volunteered to refund 10,000 baht of the 99.800 baht he seized in cash at the weekend.
.. A friend of the Chinese tourist said he saw one of the damaged jet-skis back in the water at Bang Tao beach, north of Patong, today.
Tourist Zhang Cheng, 27, told Phuketwan today that he feared for the lives of his friends, being held to ransom on Saturday by three jet-ski operators on Bang Tao beach near the five-star Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket Resort.
''There were six of us and we hired four jet-skis for 9600 baht,'' he said. ''Soon after that, we crashed two jet-skis and the owner demanded 200,000 baht in compensation.''
Zhang Cheng was allowed to leave the beach to get some money. He told Phuketwan that he borrowed the cash and ''paid the money to save our lives.''
He reported the alleged extortion to Cherng Talay Police Station yesterday and went to the Damrungtam complaints office at Phuket Provincial Hall in Phuket City today to register a complaint about the treatment of the tourists.
Governor Nisit visited the office briefly and said that if accusations against the jet-ski owner were proven, the jet-ski would be banned from registration.
Zhang Cheng told Phuketwan he had taken a five-day holiday on Phuket, staying in the Laguna complex, with family, his girlfriend and some of her family. He said he had a successful shoe-making business in China and had tried jet-skiing on a previous visit to Patong.
He said he had gone to police because he believed the lives of he and his friends were seriously threatened by the three jet-ski operators.
''The men told us, 'If you don't pay money, you don't leave here,''' he said.
He said he had chosen to complain to police at the Cherng Talay station rather than go through the Chinese embassy.
Ambassadors and honorary consuls on Phuket have for years been saying that serious travel advisories will be issued about the dangers of jet-skis on Phuket if the scams continue.
Marine Office 5 is supposed to oversee the enforcement of rules governing jet-skis on Phuket.
Although 286 jet-skis are said to be fully insured and registered on the international holiday island, reports continue to surface of illegal jet-skis at more beaches.
Reports of scams are constant. The ones that become public knowledge are believed to be just a few among many.
The owner of the four jet-skis hired by the Chinese tourists, Ae Yotharak, arrived at the Damrungtam office soon after Zhang Cheng departed today.
He said he was prepared to refund 10,000 baht but that the repairs to the jet-skis in the crash had cost 80,000 baht.
Another person who had seen the damage reckoned the fibreglass shells could be fixed for about 20,000 baht. At least one of the jet-skis in the crash was reported to be back on the water at Bang Tao beach today.
It's not known whether Khun Ae was also making an insurance claim as part of his assessment of damages.
Usually Marine Office 5, in overseeing the registration of jet-skis, claims that there are no problems with scams or rip-offs because the jet-skis are all fully insured. The insurance is, in fact, not comprehensive.
Most scam victims are asked at the least to pay a 16,000-17,000 baht ''time out of the water'' fee calculated at 3000 baht a day for five days, plus paperwork. Often, the damaged jet-skis are back in the water the following day.
A Marine Office 5 representative who was at Phuket Provincial Hall today about another issue had little to say about the latest scam.
A plan to phase out all jet-skis from Phuket over seven years was abandoned because governors constantly compromised on the promise.
Polls continue to show the vast majority want jet-skis banned.
In a series of developments that followed allegations of extortion, a demand for 200,000 baht and intimidation at the weekend:
.. A Chinese tourist forced to pay 99,800 baht so his friends would no longer be held captive on a Phuket beach went to the Phuket Ombudsman's office to lodge a formal complaint.
.. Phuket's Governor Nisit Jansomwong said the jet-skis involved would be banned from operating if troubling accusations proved to be accurate.
.. The owner of the jet-skis volunteered to refund 10,000 baht of the 99.800 baht he seized in cash at the weekend.
.. A friend of the Chinese tourist said he saw one of the damaged jet-skis back in the water at Bang Tao beach, north of Patong, today.
Tourist Zhang Cheng, 27, told Phuketwan today that he feared for the lives of his friends, being held to ransom on Saturday by three jet-ski operators on Bang Tao beach near the five-star Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket Resort.
''There were six of us and we hired four jet-skis for 9600 baht,'' he said. ''Soon after that, we crashed two jet-skis and the owner demanded 200,000 baht in compensation.''
Zhang Cheng was allowed to leave the beach to get some money. He told Phuketwan that he borrowed the cash and ''paid the money to save our lives.''
He reported the alleged extortion to Cherng Talay Police Station yesterday and went to the Damrungtam complaints office at Phuket Provincial Hall in Phuket City today to register a complaint about the treatment of the tourists.
Governor Nisit visited the office briefly and said that if accusations against the jet-ski owner were proven, the jet-ski would be banned from registration.
Zhang Cheng told Phuketwan he had taken a five-day holiday on Phuket, staying in the Laguna complex, with family, his girlfriend and some of her family. He said he had a successful shoe-making business in China and had tried jet-skiing on a previous visit to Patong.
He said he had gone to police because he believed the lives of he and his friends were seriously threatened by the three jet-ski operators.
''The men told us, 'If you don't pay money, you don't leave here,''' he said.
He said he had chosen to complain to police at the Cherng Talay station rather than go through the Chinese embassy.
Ambassadors and honorary consuls on Phuket have for years been saying that serious travel advisories will be issued about the dangers of jet-skis on Phuket if the scams continue.
Marine Office 5 is supposed to oversee the enforcement of rules governing jet-skis on Phuket.
Although 286 jet-skis are said to be fully insured and registered on the international holiday island, reports continue to surface of illegal jet-skis at more beaches.
Reports of scams are constant. The ones that become public knowledge are believed to be just a few among many.
The owner of the four jet-skis hired by the Chinese tourists, Ae Yotharak, arrived at the Damrungtam office soon after Zhang Cheng departed today.
He said he was prepared to refund 10,000 baht but that the repairs to the jet-skis in the crash had cost 80,000 baht.
Another person who had seen the damage reckoned the fibreglass shells could be fixed for about 20,000 baht. At least one of the jet-skis in the crash was reported to be back on the water at Bang Tao beach today.
It's not known whether Khun Ae was also making an insurance claim as part of his assessment of damages.
Usually Marine Office 5, in overseeing the registration of jet-skis, claims that there are no problems with scams or rip-offs because the jet-skis are all fully insured. The insurance is, in fact, not comprehensive.
Most scam victims are asked at the least to pay a 16,000-17,000 baht ''time out of the water'' fee calculated at 3000 baht a day for five days, plus paperwork. Often, the damaged jet-skis are back in the water the following day.
A Marine Office 5 representative who was at Phuket Provincial Hall today about another issue had little to say about the latest scam.
A plan to phase out all jet-skis from Phuket over seven years was abandoned because governors constantly compromised on the promise.
Polls continue to show the vast majority want jet-skis banned.
let's be clear:
THERE IS NO LEGAL OBLIGATION TO PAY THOSE 3,000THB PER DAY - whatever insurance company written in their policies (if at all, alas!) , the policy , that is a contract between jets rap owner and insurance company, can't create obligation for a pilot; the very same if , say, a Marine Office 5 or whoever else , says it - as no one of them has a power to amend Civil Code of the Thailand on regional basis - and the latter one is typical one for a civil law country, say, like for Germany.
I hope he will get proper lawyer involved , may be Australian consul (paying to her as a lawyer)..? That will demonstrate that she don't afraid to deal with controversial local issues.
Posted by Sue on February 9, 2015 13:27