Today's Updated Report
FAIR fares for Phuket tuk-tuks and taxis have been suggested and will be pursued at talks involving key parties and the Governor of Phuket, Wichai Praisa-ngob, next week.
The suggested rates: 80 baht flagfall for Phuket's taxis, with three baht for every kilometer after that, and for tuk-tuks, a 20 baht flagfall, with 20 baht for the first kilometre and 1.5 baht for each kilometre after that.
Those proposed fares won the endorsement of Germany's honorary consul, Dirk Naumann, during a remarkable summit meeting last night between the governor and representatives from 16 nations that provide the majority of Phuket's tourists.
In a frank exchange of views for the first time, several key issues relating to tourism were discussed, with the focus primarily on Phuket transport.
Governor Wichai told the honorary consuls and observers that the transport problem was a long-standing one that could not be resolved overnight, but a start would be made with a ''holistic approach.''
Any attempt to resolve the issue straight away was likely to meet ''lots and lots of backfires,'' the governor told the national representatives, with the help of a Foreign Ministry translator.
He said he will also look at the example of Haad Yai, the southern city hub, where there are many tuk-tuks running, but with fares much lower than on Phuket.
At the meeting were representatives from Germany, Australia, Britain, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Russia, Korea, Finland, Austria, Italy, France, Iceland, the Czech Republic, Denmark and Estonia.
The governor said that if there were attacks on expats on Phuket, police would be instructed to inform the governor who would inform the relevant honorary consul, or for police to inform honorary consuls directly.
Mr Naumann said: ''We appreciate this very much and we would like to ask police to report not only on arrests but on any foreigner who is taken into custody, any foreigner who has an accident, any foreigner who dies, and we would lke this to happen immediately.
''If it happens tonight, I should receive a call [by] tomorrow morning.''
He said that honorary consuls met on December 24 and agreed to raise one problem at the meeting with the governor: transport on Phuket.
''The Phuket taxis are not only the worst taxis in South East Asia - and I'm talking about the tuk-tuks, not the taxis.
''Taxis are all right. They need meters and we appreciate your comment to propose 80 baht for the first flagfall then three baht for every kilometre.
''They are air-conditioned, they are comfortable, and they are nice.''
''However, I think your justification for the higher fees, saying that taxis cannot pick up people because there are not enough people, not enough users of the taxis, is to me somewhat difficult to accept.
''The reason why taxis cannot pick up passengers in Patong, in Karon, in Kata in Surin and wherever on the west coast is because if they do, they get shot.''
Governor Wichai did not require this section translated. He understood.
''If the reason that the taxis are more expensive on Phuket than in Bangkok, is because Phuket is very expensive, in fact the most expensive place in Thailand, there I would support you.
''Now let's talk about tuk-tuks. Before coming to this meeting, I searched the Internet to see whether I could find an article by someone in the world, some newspaper, complaining about tuk-tuks.
''February 6, Sydney Morning Herald, one article: 'Phuket rip-off: the trouble with tuk-tuks.'
''Noone talks about taxis. The taxis here on Phuket are expensive, and your proposal is good. They talk about tuk-tuks, and I can assure you if I look back I can find an article every week in Germany, in Sweden, in Denmark, in the UK, in the USA, in Australia, even in Estonia, about the rip-offs, the unruliness and the mafia-style activities of the tuk-tuk drivers.
''I firmly believe, and I think I speak with the voice of all my colleagues when I say that for the tuk-tuks, we do need a different approach.
''The tuk-tuks threaten their passengers. They go into a dark road, and force more money. They charge many more hundred baht per person, not per tuk-tuk trip, per person.
''They cause constant trouble.
''If a private organisation wishes to pick up people from a hotel, they make a protest in front of the hotel and let nobody in, nobody out, and they win.
''The hotel cannot do anything. I believe that the tuk-tuks, which are very uncomfortable, very expensive, and I would add very cheap to run, they should not charge 80 baht for initial fee.
''They may start with 20 baht and maybe 20 for the first kilometre and 1.5 baht for each additional kilometre.
''That would be justified, But for a tuk-tuk to charge 80 baht, we would have the same . . . on and on and on.''
The governor said he was ready for any reaction from the tuk-tuk drivers once changes were proposed. ''It will be a systematic approach for the long run so that all Phuket will benefit because we expect to increase the numbers of tourists coming in to Phuket in the near future,'' the translator said.
''Hopefull the tuk-tuk operators will come to their senses as to what is needed. They need to change as well.''
Korean honorary consul Tossapon Teppaboot said there was a need for tourists to present proper international licences when hiring vehicles to prevent problems with insurance in the event of an acident. Many of the hirers do not have licences.
British honorary consul Martin Carpenter added: ''There are many good, reputable rental companies on the island who look for licences and ask you to fill the forms in.
''There are also companies not so reputable who do not take driving licences, who take a passport as a deposit. Maybe that's something within the operating procedures, that they are not allowed to take the passport. If they take the passport and the person gets caught riding without a driving licence, they also get caught without a passport, not only do they have to deal with the traffic police, they also have to deal with the Immigration department.''
Finland's honorary consul general, Pamuke Achariyachai, called for a review on how people could become good hosts because tourism is an important income earner for Thailand.
He also called for the Tourism Authority of Thailand to hold training seminars for tuk-tuk and taxi drivers, to provide them with education and possibly English language training, and ''how not to take advantage of the tourist.''
Khun Pamuke, a former president of the Tourism Association of Phuket, said he fully understood all the issues. He sees that that the airport taxi issue could be resolved within a few months.
The jet-ski issue has already begun to be on the right track by involving an insurtance company. He believes the tuk-tuk case may need the involvement of an insurance company, too.
He called for the TAT and the Tourist Police to come up with ways during the low season to better train tour operators and tuk-tuk drivers.
''Once the world financial crisis is out of the way, Phuket can expect more and more tourists,'' Khun Pamuke said. ''There will be more and more problems associated with that.''
He said he would also like to thank the governor for being fully intent on resolving all these issues.
The governor made a final comment, saying he would like to see Phuket as the ''Gateway to Thailand'' and so had placed great emphasis on being peaceful, the airport would have to be very orderly, to create a great impression for tourists coming in; He would like to see Phuket as a comfortable city, and Phuket needs many many more roads so that everyone can travel around; He is pushing through to get one final approval from the environmental agency for another major road; Phuket needs to be cleaner and more beautiful, hence his emphasis on the palmyra palm as Phuket's symbol.
Governor Wichai reaffirmed that he has no hidden agenda and sees the meeting as a new dimension of the relationship between the foreign community and the private and the government sectors.
He would like to have these kinds of meetings every three months, depending on the schedule, and welcomed all the recommendations made.
He said he would like tourists to keep coming back to Phuket five or six times and enjoy each holiday.
Despite the meeting's importance to Phuket's future, not a single arm of the local Thai media covered the entire gathering at Royal Phuket City Hotel.
In attendance were representatives from the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the director of the Foreign Ministry, Phuket, the Orborjor, the Chamber of Commerce, Immigration at Phuket Airport, the Resources and Environment Phuket Office, Phuket Tourist Police and the Chief of the Provincial Administration Group.
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Great Coverage. Thank you and thank you to Mr Naumann and the rest of the consuls.
Editor, Why do you think there was no Thai media there?
Editor: An unwillingness to accept that expats have anything to say of relevance to Thai readers and viewers. Thais are only ever told about the upside of tourism.
Posted by VFaye on February 9, 2010 10:30