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Phuket Protest Leads to Anti-Russian Talk But Little Action
By Sert Tongdee and Nuttaporn Thongsri Monday, January 28, 2013
PHUKET: About 200 people gathered to protest the Russian business presence on Phuket this afternoon by hanging out protest signs and pulling a couple of others down.
A couple of locals used loud-hailers to remind people of the jobs in tourism that are supposed to be the preserve of Thais.
A British man who sells time-share became swept up in the fuss at one stage and found himself invited to Cherng Talay Police Station.
A few tourists strolled bemused around or through the crowd at Bang Tao beach. But mostly, there was little of the anger that has marked previous outbursts against Russian businesses in Karon, further south on Phuket.
Cherng Talay taxi leader Kasam Samran and Mayor of Cherng Talay Ma-Ann Samran made impassioned pleas for people in the area to take photographs of businesses they suspected of being illegal.
However, most of the shops around the Dalar Resort in Bang Tao remained firmly shuttered. Plenty of notice had been given that today's gathering would put Russian businesses under scrutiny.
Some of the businesses, for example, would sell bedroom fittings and furniture up front and offer massage services inside, according to Khun Ma-Ann.
Restaurants in the district were sometimes staffed entirely by Russians, the crowd heard.
Local government officials planned to meet to work out the next step in the campaign, Khun Ma-Ann said.
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Comments
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So the head of the taxi mafia and the mayor are brothers? Shouldn't this be mentioned in the article?
Where else in the world.....
Posted by
jimmy
on
January 28, 2013 17:04
The lack of outcome is no real surprise. I think the Mayor of Cherng Talay has already shown his disregard for commonsense with the Sydictive fiasco, not much hope this problem can be solved in a professional unbiased manner.
Posted by
Duncan
on
January 28, 2013 21:22
But IF the Labour Office is issuing Work Permits to thee businesses, then shouldn't the Labour Office be under scrutiny?
I don't see how these Russians are the problem when its the Labour Office who issues the permits for them to work.
All this Anti Russian, Anti-Whatever just shows how bigoted people are.
Posted by
Tbs
on
January 28, 2013 22:10
the Mayor and taxi leader bros explains reports of drivers being bailed by district councilors for jailable matters
anyone see a conflict of interest here?
i see the photo campaign didnt extend to illegal taxis.
Posted by
slickmelb
on
January 28, 2013 22:33
I remember a couple of years back being told by a Thai bar owner that soon they would not need Westerners, as they would have plenty of customers from Asia & Russia. Well, Thailand, you made your bed, now lie in it. The truth is out.
Posted by
Logic
on
January 29, 2013 00:09
These mob protests are ugly and do far more harm than good for Phuket. Blaming one small group of people for the problems of the island as a whole are just unhelpful and diversionary.
Posted by
colin
on
January 29, 2013 05:20
Just Imagine, If white people did this. This would be a front page news in CNN and world over and whites would be tagged as racist "hurting the sentiments of minority" shop owners. Now, White people are minority in Thailand and where are their rights?
By the way I'm Asian and I believe Russians, Americans, Europeans have as much rights as we Asians do when we go to their country and ply taxis, open up business and become lawyers, engineers, doctors, hell we are even allowed to open strip clubs in western countries.
I hope all farangs in Thailand unite and not divide themselves among Russians and English speaking ones. For us, Asians...you all look the same :o). Its the Russians today, tomorrow it could be another English speaking business owners.
Posted by
Jack choi
on
January 29, 2013 10:22
In all fairness, I dont think the Russians are the problem here. I think the blame lies squarely on the shoulders of the corrupt officials, the tuk tuk and the taxi mobsters. You stole from the tourists and the honest Russians moved in and offered a better service than you AND at a cheaper rate. You going to love ASEAN 2015 / 2016 /2017 or whenever it comes into being. Bottom drawer for all you crooks and thieves.
Posted by
Robin
on
January 29, 2013 10:22
@Logic....TAT officials here in Phuket several years ago also bragged about how they were developing Phuket in a way to only attract "Quality Tourists"...I'm still scratching my head on what that means
Posted by
sky
on
January 29, 2013 11:03
Thai democracy: "social and tourism problems are solved by mobs, not by the authorities. " What an anarchist democracy.
Posted by
George
on
January 29, 2013 13:14
@ Jack Choi - well stated. Just wait till son of Gengis Khan rides in!
Posted by
Logic
on
January 29, 2013 16:57
Do these Russian massage parlours hire Thai masseuses? DO these Russian companies hire Thai staff for admin, cleaning, driving? So they are creating jobs for Thai aren't they? THis is an investment, that means money brought into Thailand to pay Thai people for their services.
Mob-mentality, all thanks to the yellow shirt protest many eons again - when unhappy, gather in numbers and protest. To hell with reason and other point of views. To hell with the competition and different opinions.
Posted by
May
on
January 30, 2013 15:51
OK let's get rid of ALL the Russians, you know the one's that spend big money here in the shops and if you've been there The big jewery store, the one's that book loads of hotel rooms, the one's that support the speedboat day trip companies, the one's that go to Fantasea, the one's that support endless local vendors, shops, restaurants, gift shops etc etc etc. Then these mindless mafia idiots will complain, my wife lost her job at the hotel, my brother lost he's job driving a minibuus for the Russians, my mother-in-law has not sold any fruit outside the hotel this month, my brother only has half the customers riding he's elephants and so on and so on. Outside the hotel there was once 10 drivers all trying there best to rob as much money as they could out of about 600 guests, now there's 600 of us trying to help 10 guests. Get the Russians out, the the Aussie's, then the Yanks, Brits and the rest "bite the hand that feeds you" OFF
Posted by
terry
on
January 30, 2013 17:27
If anyone has any doubts about Thailand overcoming these sort of problems wait until 2015 "The Chinese Are Coming" and when they come they will completely take over and it will all be legal. May be this is not the forum for this but a very highly qualified person Dr Rober Ian McEwin is to visit Phuket on 8th Feb to talk about the 2015 changes in Asia, well worth listening if you have time to attend The A2 Resort on the by-pass road, the event is run by IBAP so I suggest you may have to contact them...
Posted by
terry
on
January 30, 2013 17:35
@TERRY.....im pretty sure China is not part of asean. SO hopefully that will calm yourfears
Posted by
Ciaran
on
January 31, 2013 06:20
@Ciaran, ASEAN Plus 3, China/Japan/South Korea. so, yes TERRY, China is a member.
Posted by
frankie v
on
January 31, 2013 09:24
CIARAN, Understand yes, but anyone who thinks that ALL the surrounding countries are not going to jump on this in some way should think again....look at Europe. Anyway great for tourists...
Posted by
terry
on
January 31, 2013 10:18
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So the head of the taxi mafia and the mayor are brothers? Shouldn't this be mentioned in the article?
Where else in the world.....
Posted by jimmy on January 28, 2013 17:04