When are big hotel and resort companies are going say enough is enough and get the central government in Bangkok involved? The local government is not going to do anything.

A small minority is clearing getting away with breaking the law in Phuket. Hotels, restaurants, bars, and tour companies should join together and hold the government accountable.

A small group is hurting the majority of the residents and tourist of Phuket.

Posted by Billy on July 16, 2011 17:09

Why aren't arrests made as a warning?

Posted by william Dale on July 16, 2011 17:42

Metered taxi fares in Bangkok are 35 Baht to set meter and 5 Baht per kilometer. Compare that to rates being charged in Phuket. Cars and gas are the same price. The only thing different is the attitude of the operator and the lack of a metering system of taxis at locations other than the airport.

Posted by Bill Gates on July 16, 2011 18:38

"Local taxi drivers on Phuket usually monitor the entrances of virtually all Phuket resorts and protest whenever their customers appear to be using other forms of transport."....

THEIR customers ???How do they become " THEIR" customers?? Do they get off the plane with a sign on their back saying please rip me off, please disrupt my holiday ?Please provide me with no transport options other than the high priced criminal who might rob me or beat me or rape me ?Forget the big hotels, let's try some responsible journalism and not this fait d'accomplis where YOU the journalist are indicating that these criminals have a right to be and do so. Come on, you don't have to love the people to the point of bending over....I guess when you moderate this as you have done so many times in the past I will just have to post it on the Gazette or Thai Visa...cheers

Posted by ridiculous on July 17, 2011 04:47

Ridiculous is 100% right .
Sorry Ed time to shut it .

Posted by lord Jim on July 17, 2011 07:05

Now is the time for the new government to come and sort out the ills here once and for all.

Posted by Dun on July 17, 2011 08:02

All Phuket residents do not understand why Thai Hotel Association, ATTA (Association of Thai Travel Agents), Phuket Tourist Guide Association do not ask their members to strike one day by sending thousands to Phuket Governor's House all their thousand Thai staff and ask local Thai people to join that day for breaking that deadlock which is a pain since too long.The "Mai pen rai" situation may be fun some time but become a nuisance in Phuket.

Posted by Whistle-Blower on July 17, 2011 09:38

@Editor Comment:
If the anonymous online expats who constantly complain staged such a march, others would certainly follow.

Do you want I take all my truck and block Phuket police station or Governor's house to show them how fun it is to be hostage by unruly stubborn local folk?

Posted by Whistle-Blower on July 17, 2011 10:34

Last Tuesday I took an air conditioned mini bus ride from Koh Lanta to Phuket. This entailed 2 ferry crossings that took close to an hour (included in the price) and a 3 and 1/2 hour drive to Phuket Town. The cost? 220 Baht. To put it all in perspective later that night I was quoted 300 Baht for a 10 minute Tuk Tuk ride from Karon to Patong? I was just interested in the price. Editor I think you could take a more realistic approach to the problems in Phuket rather than attempting than excusing and buoying them with your pettiness and personal attacks. Phuket is going down the drain and you have a part to play in rescuing it if its not all ready too late. I voted with my shoes 2 years ago and left Phuket to the rats and unfortunately I had to visit last week. 2 observations... The airport car park had hundreds of empty parking spaces and my friend had a choice of car parking spaces on the main street in the ghost town of Karon. He could have even parked where once the Taxi drivers ruled. I finally comment on the coast road along Karon to Kata.. I thought that the road works were to be cleared last January at least that is what I think you reported at the time? Well they aint!

Posted by Nip on July 17, 2011 11:37

No Whistle-Blower - just take half of your truck, the backside, leave the front and engine at home.

Posted by Pete on July 17, 2011 11:44

Editor Comment: This Governor and his predecessor have both said they welcome protests at Provincial Hall rather than in the streets.

No problem; as soon as Phuket hotel, tourism associations and disgusted Phuketians will organise a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall, I will send all my company staff to support them for a drastic change about public transport choices such as buses with A/C and metered taxis.

Posted by Whistle-Blower on July 17, 2011 12:41

"Local taxi drivers on Phuket usually monitor the entrances of virtually all Phuket resorts and protest whenever their customers appear to be using other forms of transport".
Editor, I also read it as the taxi driver's customers. It is ambiguous at best and one could stretch the meaning to being the resort's customers but I suspect most everyone reads the former meaning. I think your response is not professional. If you can't handle criticism then you are in the wrong business. Also, resorting to immediate insults just debases your response. Please raise your standards.

Posted by first comment on July 17, 2011 12:54

"Editor Comment: #1
'Their,' meaning the resorts' customers. Feel free to jump to wrong conclusions wherever you fancy.

Editor Comment: #2
Ridiculous lives up to his (or her) name. And your comment is up to your usual standard, lord jim."

Sorry Ed, both of these are insulting even if you use innuendo and sarcasm. You are obviously a smart guy and run a good site. Keeping a civil tongue and admitting when you have goofed will only gain you readers and respect.
Just my two cents worth.

Posted by 2nd comment on July 17, 2011 13:21

Would it not be a good idea for these big resorts to have their own fleet of private tuk tuks that would take their customers around the island for a reasonable fare instead of exposing them to the rip offs outside their gates?

Posted by Jamie on July 17, 2011 16:32

I give up. This is my first visit to Phuket although I'm retiring in LOS at the present. I for one won't be held hostage by a bunch of unskilled taxi and tuk tuk drivers.

It's unbelievable that such a large and developed place as Phuket allows these guys to run the place and deny the rest of us transportation options.

Yes I won't let the door hit my rear on my way out and i also will let my feet do the talking for this otherwise lovely city.

It's a shame I have to do this but I won't return until there are transportation options that aren't born out of corruption and greed.

Posted by dannythered on July 17, 2011 16:39

They just need to put a banana in the tailpipe of the taxi guy hiding around the corner, like in Beverly Hills Cop. It works!

Posted by JingJing on July 17, 2011 17:29

Enlighten me. How many of you posting negative comments were inconvenienced by this? How long did it last? What were the consequences to you? Why not enjoy the island for what is instead of what it is not? If the big hotels and resorts really want to fix this problem they will or they will at least do something. But, honestly I don't see them doing much and that makes me think that they at least don't see it as a end of the world problem.

If you left Phuket and or are not coming back then good on you but I am more interested in those who are staying and working as part of the community to fix the problems. I read the news to learn something, I read the comments because I am interested in solutions or new ideas. Not because I want to see the same complaints every day. We know there are transport problems, the Government knows there are transport problems, the Embassies know, the locals know. Guess what? Europe and America have transport problems. Here they are working on it and have added local buses in Phuket and would like to expand. They have discussed light rail, tunnels, expanded routes, etc. They have formed a committee to review the corruption and the transport issues. That's the way it works, steps are being taken, there will be no instant solution, by contacting someone and participating in a solution instead of saying "I quit/want out/left already/I give up/I am really going to protest this time" is doing something. Waiting until another issue like this comes up and writing the same thing again is doing nothing. Similar to the hotels I guess if it really bothers you then you will do something and if not then you just want to moan. I may be alone but I am really tired of the whinging, woe is me stuff. If you want to complain write the mayor, the Governor, the PM, this site can do no more than it is doing. That is to report on the news and point out problems, they can't solve them by writing its all fixed and writing the world is going to end is not going to make it better. If you want this to ruin your day it will, but keep it to yourself.

It's a lovely day, go enjoy it.

Posted by Martin on July 17, 2011 17:42

Martin, while you have some valid points. I think you are missing a few points. Hotels have taken a stand in the past only to have the hotel managers,staff, and even family members threatened. I know of one expat hotel manager who left Phuket because of what the taxis/tuk tuk drivers threaten to do to him and his family.

Also in the past when a bus service was set up, local bus drivers were beaten. The local taxis driver I use in Phuket can't pick up people in certain locations because he is worried about what will happen to him by the taxi group that runs that area. Check out all the illegal taxis out there and check out the sticker on their car plates. You will see on many of them a "Playboy" sticker. That means that they have paid their "fee."

Yes everyone knows that there is a problem but nothing is being done about it. There has been years of talking but no action. When you lived here for many years you get sick of the talk and want some action to take place. Not just lip service.

Meters in taxis/tuk tuks are easy to implement.
A proper bus system that covers the whole island can be set up in no time.

Building tunnels and light rails takes years and lots of money. Buses and fair taxis prices and polices will have a immediate positive impact not just for tourist but all the residents of Phuket.

I really hope change will come sooner then later. Phuket is wonderful place to live but has some serious problems with corruption that need to be fixed. A small minority is allowed to be above the law.

Posted by Billy on July 17, 2011 21:54

Re: Martin

I'll answer your first question first. Yes, for darn sure I was inconvenienced by the taxi/tuk tuk situation here.

I for one was caught off guard by the whole transport issue in Phuket. Although I didn't specifically try to find out in advance information about it, i feel it's only fair for me to post on the numerous travel boards to which I belong that anyone coming here should make transportation costs a reasonable/significant part of their budget.

I will not be involved with any solution of the problem. I came here for two weeks on this journey and as I stated I will not be returning. There are too many nice places to visit in Thailand and SEA. I won't put up with a place where I feel so blatantly ripped off.

Enjoy your day as well Martin. I hope you save up some extra cash so you can see some more of this area. Maybe you can donate some of the money towards the formation of even one more committee.

Posted by dannythered on July 18, 2011 11:52

Thank you Billy for taking the time to offer up some rational comments that actually add value to the discussion.

I have lived here since the early 90's and certainly get frustrated by the fact that what I see as simple solutions are not implemented. I would like to suggest some things.

First, I think it is far to easy to overlook how rapidly this island has grown and how many of problems we now face here were not problems just a few years ago (infrastructure, political issues, the sheer number of people foreign and local and all their demands and problems).

Next, that problems that are simple to fix and are not fixed are usually not so simple, there are other issues that we perhaps don't see. Finally, if everyone who complains on this site and others about this issue simply cut and pasted the comments posted by Billy from here to the Governor, their local tessabaan and their Embassy instead of writing "I give up, etc". That would have far more of a positive effect.

Yes, I have sent my thoughts to these people and others.

dannythered, I meant how did this specific story impact you, but no worries. I am sorry that you feel so "blatantly ripped off". Your feelings are your feelings and no one can argue with that, but I do wonder how much is perception and how much could be worked around with little effort.

As stated above, I have lived here a long time, travel extensively throughout the country and SE Asia and still find that in Phuket the positives outweigh the negatives and the benefits of anywhere else verse their negatives. All places have problems, I believe that Phuket's are livable and workable.

I also (although I think some prices have gotten too high) still find it a very economical place to live compared to others. No one is denying that the transport situation is an issue, what we disagree about is whether it can and will be fixed and I guess whether it is worth the time and effort of being a part of the solution.

There certainly are alternatives to tuk/tuks and unfortunately those are not "posted on numerous travel boards" since I think solutions are probably of more interest to people than hearing the same complaints restated over and over again. Perhaps if they were, that in and of itself would reduce the problem.

The fact is that many people are able to come here, enjoy their holiday and return having enjoyed themselves. As reported and commented elsewhere on this site, this is primarily a Patong/Karon/Kata issue. In and around Phuket City, for example, I don't ever see the same things.

Thanks for the kind wishes, did enjoy the day and have been enjoying the day today as well. Beats sitting in a cubicle or at a board meeting. Where ever you end up, dannythered, I hope it meets your needs and expectations and sorry you find Phuket lacking. I guess it is not for everyone, and in the end that is probably a good thing.

Posted by Martin on July 18, 2011 14:55

I too have lived here for many years. I used the tuk tuks when they were reasonably priced (150 Phuket Town to Chalong) but have given them a miss over the ensuing years.

What, many expats living here fail to understand, is that these exorbitant prices, affect the local Thais, too. I hear a lot of them complaining that the motosais are way too high now. And when was the last time you saw a Thai passenger in a tuk tuk?

An accident left me unable to drive anywhere. I walk. The buses may or may not appear for an hour or more. And this on an International Holiday Destination. Pah.

Posted by Tamsin on July 18, 2011 16:50