A LEADING travel agent in Australia has called on Phuket's administrators, Chamber of Commerce and police to resolve Phuket's problems or become ''another Pattaya.''

He named scamming jet-ski operators, aggressive tuk-tuk and taxi drivers and non-Thai touts as the turnoffs for tourists from Phuket's most important market.

Change was needed quickly ''before it is too late and Phuket goes into decline,'' the agent said.

''There are serious concerns about the direction Phuket - and in particular Patong - is heading in terms of safety, security and the loss of genuine Thainess that has always been a major part of the success of the destination,'' said Jim McCoy, general manager of Sydney-based Specialist Holidays.

Mr McCoy, whose connections with Phuket go back to 1988, told Phuketwan: ''We have recently had clients return from a holiday to Phuket who overall had a very enjoyable time, but had a very bad experience in Patong with these rogue jet-ski operators.''

He quoted the following message from the Australian visitors to Phuket who told him:

''The ONLY bad experience we had in Thailand was when we hired three jet-skis in Patong. Within the first five minutes, one of the jet-skis starting sinking, with two children aboard. We were told to bring all the jet-skis back and they retrieved the sinking one from the water. After much discussion (and a very ill feeling) we paid over $A600 to the "owner" who turned out to be Winai ''JJ'' Naiman - who we now know after Googling is notorious for extortion of tourists in Patong.''

Mr McCoy added that another issue with Australian tourists was ''the very aggressive nature of the taxi and tuk-tuk operators and the excessive prices they charge for even the shortest of rides.''

''Their attitude is nothing short of threatening and the whole experience of a ride is now dangerous,'' he said.

Mr McCoy was commenting at a time when a series of blockades on cruise liners and US Navy warships by disgruntled taxi drivers at Phuket's deep sea port has brought the holiday island's chronic lawlessness even more unwanted international attention.

Third on Mr McCoy's list of issues that need to be addressed by Phuket authorities are Patong's touts.

''The way the touts badger tourists when simply walking around Patong is nothing short of pestering and certainly leaves a very poor image of Thailand and Thais.

''The unfortunate element of this is that the majority of these 'salesmen' are not Thais.

''Many are illegal residents from neighboring countries who are passing themselves off as Thais.''

The consequence of the jet-ski scams, taxi and tuk-tuk rip-offs and uncontrolled touts, Mr McCoy said, was that Phuket and Patong now had ''a very non-holiday feel.''

''It will end up with the same issues and reputation that Pattaya suffered from in the '90s and still has the associated image issue today,'' he added.

''The local government, police department, and the Chamber of Commerce need to act now to weed out these types of businesses and operators before it is too late and Phuket goes into decline as a much sought-after holiday destination.

''It is also becoming very expensive for basic services and the service levels also need to be addressed.''

In a brush with a jet-ski thug recently, two Phuketwan journalists were threatened with physical violence when they came across a jet-ski scam being carried out on Patong beach.

The two Australian tourists involved admitted crashing a pair of jet-skis, but were aghast at the 280,000 baht being asked for repairs.

The owner of one of the jet-skis threatened to ''smear blood over the faces'' of the Phuketwan journalists.

In that particular encounter, ''JJ'' Naiman, who is often called in by jet-ski operators to negotiate because of his English skills, was a calming influence. He told the angry jet-ski operator: ''Don't do it.''