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Patong Mayor Pian Keesin: pressure is mounting with complaints about touts

Time Running Out for Patong Share Touts, Says Mayor

Wednesday, February 16, 2011
THE ATTENTION of Patong Mayor Pian Keesin is now focused on time-share touts after a Patong council meeting was told that complaints were being made by an increasing number of tourists.

The tourists not only complained about harassment by the salespeople, who are mostly expats, and who intrude on holidaymakers and coerce them with offers of free t-shirts and other giveaways.

Complaints were now also being made about lack of service once the tourists had signed on, said condominium owner and councillor Sahu Jarungklin at a council meeting on Monday.

He said a growing number of victims had complained to him and to others about the tactics used by the touts. There had been two years of sustained harassment by the touts with no real action by the local authorities to control them, Khun Sahu said.

The touts were nearly all expats, he added, and scepticism about the methods they used and sometimes the lack of after-sales benefits was damaging tourism on Phuket, he said.

Some of the plans for time-share involved selling schemes that ran for 30 years, he said. It was difficult to see the benefit to Thailand of these schemes, Khun Sahu added.

Mayor Pian said he needed to learn more about the activities of the touts but if he discovered they were acting against the best interests of Patong and tourism and the appropriate authorities were not reacting, then he would find another way to make the touts understand they were not welcome.

A growing number of authentic and responsible organisations sell holiday club and alternative ownership package for Phuket. None of them employ time share touts in Patong.
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Comments

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The touts trying to sell taxi rides are in everyone's face outside Junk Ceylon on the Banzaan Market side all day! Why is this not being stopped?

Posted by Zig on February 16, 2011 13:44

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And the complaints to the Mayor about tuk tuks, jet skis, tailors...........??????

Posted by mike on February 16, 2011 14:32

Editor Comment:

The mayor doesn't have responsibility for those issues.

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Thats the easy part getting rid of Farlang touts..what about cleaning his own back yard up? So many THAI touts etc to get rid of...

Posted by STAN on February 16, 2011 14:42

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I welcome the mayor looking into this situation. The share touts are pain in the butt to tourist. I would be very surprised if they have work permits. I have talked with a few and I was told they were backpackers on holiday.
More important item to deal with would be the tuk tuks. I think thats the one of the most important items for the mayor to deal with. I am pretty sure he won't do much. So much for the new deal that a tuk tuk would cost no more in Patong. I had a tuk tuk driver try to charge me 300 baht for less then a 1KM ride two days a go.

Posted by Billy on February 16, 2011 16:09

Editor Comment:

Did you get the number of the tuk-tuk?

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So the Mayor is actually concerned about the image of Phuket and the fact that Thailand (Thais) do not receive any benefit from these (foreign) touts.

Little mind all the scams that Thais are involved in providing they clean up the Foreign influence.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Sure, I appreciate that the touts are an unwanted element and should be eradicated but once again the onus is on the Big Bad Foreigner.

What's the Mayor really worrying about, creating a bad image for Patong and Phuket as a whole... ummm, haven't the authorities with the lack of ANY form of control already created the bad image he attest to?

It's no good wiping your feet on the door mat if the house is full of S***. It all needs cleaning but we are all fully aware of how ineffective the authorities are.

Still another amusing Blog issue... well done.

Posted by Graham on February 16, 2011 17:47

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Ed... interesting remark to Billy... "Did you get the number of the Tuk Tuk? Care to elaborate what good that would do - obviously it's in the context of filing a complaint but with who... well more to the point to who that will actually care?

Would be interesting to see if anyone has made a complaint and that complaint dealt with in a professional manner.

Posted by Graham on February 16, 2011 17:50

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Editor, no I did not get the number of the tuk tuk. You are correct I should of. I asked about the agreement but he did not care. He still wanted 300 baht. I was with friend and did not want to cause a problem if front of her. We moved on and took a motorcycle taxis instead.

Posted by Billy on February 16, 2011 18:09

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I really hate to sound cynical but does not this look like one of those, "the foreigners are causing problems, I need to deal with it," sort of things?

Meanwhile, the jet ski and the baht bus locals continue to cause problems.

Posted by Anonymous on February 16, 2011 18:21

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I have met a few of these touts and they claim that their company pays for protection from the work permit "checkers".

Posted by GiantFan on February 16, 2011 20:18

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could it be the time shares are not paying off as well as the have in the past


one only need look at google with the words timeshare, phuket, and scam to see what goes on.

Posted by mikey on February 16, 2011 23:04

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It's a lot of hot air and it won't last, just as the newly implemented maximum tuk tuk fares won't last as shown in one of the above posts.

Posted by Hot Air on February 17, 2011 08:30

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Dead right Hot Air.. Phuket deserves a name change..along the lines of "PROCASTINATION-ET"very fitting, when you look back at all the things that some VIP or other is going to change!!!Big headlines and hu-ha and then ...nothing!These VIP's are suddenly realising that Phuket is far from becoming the much touted "5 star' tourist destination..instead has become a rotten sewer and attracting the sewer dwellers in greater and greater numbers. Why???apart from the well recognised GREED factor, the simple fact that near 100% of the neccessary clean-up of touts, tuk tuks, jetskis,aggressive sellers,availability of drugs,etc,etc,is talked about, highlighted, drum-roll!! and then..NO FOLLOW UP!Talk about shooting themselves in the foot!!They've shot the whole leg to pieces.Pathetic and also sad.

Posted by david on February 17, 2011 09:52

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What exactly does the Mayor have responsibility for if you don't mind? Maybe you could give us a contact number for the body to report the touts to, somebody with responsibility, please. Good luck with that, ED

Posted by Steve on February 18, 2011 06:27

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Yes, please get rid of these 'wide-boy' cockneys that hassle unsuspecting tourists. They are almost as gross as the suit sellers!

Posted by surfer on February 21, 2011 11:38

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Believe me, Thais of phuket get a lot of benefits from the time share industry here!!

Posted by pauly on February 21, 2011 16:38

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I have gone along for the ride, it's a genuine Phuket experience to take home and for an interesting and profitable experience try and get the touts to split their commission with you (make sure they pay upfront). Nothing wrong with a free taxi ride coffee and enough baht to pay for your hotel. Ya just gotta think out of the box, be cool and friendly. Don't sign up at the end though.

Posted by milo on May 2, 2011 11:50

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Sir/Madam,
My name is Mario Ferns, my wife and I have been victims of a scam realted to Time share. We were stung by a British man and his wife a Thai girl to the tune of approximately 6 Million Baht, they have since left Thailand with our money. All my wife and i have been able to do upto now is, we reported the scam to Patong Police and after engaging lawyers from Bangkok who managed to issue a "Warrent for their Arrest"
To date I spent a lot of money and been through heartache and trauma, and have been coming to Phuket for over 2.5 years to finalise the matter. These scammers even forged our Signitures and stole our money and our livelyhood and our dignity. The money they stole was money from my Retirement Fund. I will arrive in Phuket on 18 February, 2013 to continue persuing these touts and scammers. The Mayor said he would like to talk to anyone who can give him proof of such cases about touts and scammers, I would be happy to meet the Mayor and show him documentation of what this expat and his wife have been involved in.
Not only did they run off with my money, they took bookings of Australians, Singaporeans, South Africans, Kiwis, American and failed to pay them back their money before they ran away. They told all their customers that they were no longer Directors of their company, that they sold their business to my wife and I, this was not true, they forged our signitures and documents to make out we bought their business. Why would anyone buy a business which is deeply embedded in debt. I would love to talk to your paper, and or the Mayor. My phone number is .....My wife and i are Australian Citizens, please dont let our nationality deter you from exposing these criminal scammers.
Regards, Mario Ferns.
Please beleive me I will be in Patong on 19 February this year , I will be staying at the Deevana Spa Resort in patong, call the hotel if you dont beleive me after I arrive. Meetings have been set up with the DBD, and Captain Jirasak of Sam Kong Police station.

Posted by Mario Ferns on February 1, 2013 13:33


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