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A tourist pays a tuk-tuk driver in the Kata-Karon area near Dino Park

Phuket Power Failure? Never if You're a Phuket Taxi or Tuk-Tuk Driver

Saturday, May 25, 2013
Phuket News Analysis

PHUKET: Phuket's Governor Maitree Intrusud flew out yesterday on a six-day trip to France, Spain and Italy to look at deep sea ports. Travelling with him is the Chief of Phuket's Marine Office 5, Phuripat Theerakulpisut.

Perhaps on their Mediterranean journey the Phuket pair will catch a taxi or two as well.

Here's hoping they take the opportunity to compare the fares and service in Europe with the hell on wheels here, on the so-called international holiday island of Phuket.

Transport on land and water was the focus of a particularly long week on Phuket, with the governor himself finally interceding but unable to solve the growing tangle over Phuket's taxis and tuk-tuks.

Plenty have failed before him. Gripped by local chieftans at the wheel, with fares designed to give the drivers, not the paying passengers, the easiest of rides, Phuket's taxi and tuk-tuk system is a massive mess.

Indeed, ''massive'' was the adjective of the week. A massive blackout across 14 provinces - the worst since Thailand's entire power system failed in 1978 - plunged all of Phuket into darkness.

But then, a cynic might say, Phuket's public transport has always been free from any sign of light, even at the end of the long-awaited Patong Tunnel.

Amid Phuket's darkest hours, one outcast group of illegal taxi drivers even camped outside the Governor's Mansion this week, hoping for help. But the governor failed to emerge, torch in hand.

A little while later, another group of taxi drivers protested and blocked traffic at Phuket International Airport, Phuket's most important piece of infrastructure.

Airport managements are supposed to ensure the free flow of passengers, especially paying tourists. But nothing comes free - or flows the way it should - for the vast majority at Phuket airport.

There are simply too many taxis on Phuket and the fares they demand from passengers are among the highest in the world. (Governor Maitree and Khun Phuripat, please check that.)

Airports of Thailand ''manages'' the airport in its own peculiar way, screwing large rents from the taxi drivers at the same time as it denies having to take any responsibility for the taxi mess.

During Phuket's blackest week for a while, it emerged that tuk-tuk drivers in Kata-Karon had decided to close down a couple of tour counter operators.

By flexing their muscles, the tuk-tuk and taxi drivers of Phuket have taken control of their own workplace. They set their own working conditions and regulate their own rewards.

The drivers we met this week outside the Governor's Mansion happen to be among those excluded from the ''approved'' Phuket taxi and tuk-tuk driver's own preferred form of transport - the Phuket gravy train.

The chances of a massive gravy train derailment are growing more likely with every passing day.

If Phuket's amazing expanding tourist economy slows or falls off-track, the social consequences of having an army of taxi and tuk-tuk drivers suddenly unemployed are grim.

These people are used to getting what they want. When the gravy train stops, as it inevitably must, sooner or later, what will happen?

Phuket's powers-that-be must avoid that kind of total darkness, at all costs. Let sanity prevail, please. Give Phuket the sensible, practical public transport system it needs, now.

Switch on the lights.

Comments

Comments have been disabled for this article.

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Yes one would hope they can learn from there trip OS and create some change for the better, I was nearly run off the road yesterday on the by-pass road by two green plated taxis racing, the traffic was heavy and they were exceeding 140km's weaving in and out. When I travel now I park my car at the airport even if I have to pay more, I cannot deal with airport taxis!

Posted by coxo on May 25, 2013 10:06

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Great article. Keep up the good work.
I pray that commonsense prevails and we get some respite from the chaos that is Phuket transport.

Posted by Tom on May 25, 2013 12:38

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Good article that reflects the views of the Island's visitors.
Now get it translated into Thai and make sure the Governor gets a copy (after he returns from his Mediterranean holiday....i mean "Fact Finding Tour").

Posted by jimbo34 on May 25, 2013 13:23

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the fares they demand from passengers are among the highest in the world... let's compare: france; average taxi pick up point is 1,95 euro starting price and 1,27 euro for every km.(marseille) so a distance of 40km is about just over 2000 baht. Italy;start price 4 euro plus 1,03 euro for every following km.(milan) a ride of 40 km cost over 1700 baht.Spain ( cordoba) start price 2,5 euro and 1,55 euro per km. for a 40 km ride you pay over 2400 thai baht. these are average prices and are calculated at 38 baht to the euro. Tuk tuk's are not amongst the most expensive taxi's around the world. they are however not the nicest.

Posted by charles on May 25, 2013 16:05

Editor Comment:

They are when compared to the average income of Phuket residents, which is the accurate way or comparing prices around the world. Are the French, the Italians and the Spanish unable to catch taxis because they cannot afford them? Please do your sums again, charles, properly this time.

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@Ed: don't misunderstand me, but i think in countries like Italy, Spain and France, ( 3 countries where the crisis is going on in its full glory ) there will be not many locals flagging the taxi's down either. But the tourists will. ( from airports and in tourist places.)I personally do not agree with the tuk tuk gangs and their aproach to tourists and locals alike, but that problem is not likely to go away as long as it is "affordable" for visitors to have a bit of an adventure in a tin can. Even for visitors from mainland Thailand.

Posted by charles on May 25, 2013 19:00

Editor Comment:

What i don't understand, charles, is why you would try to disprove the statement that Phuket's taxis and tuk-tuks are the most expensive in the world . . . allowing as economists always do for the cost of living comparison.

Another defence of the extortionate fares, mounted by you. Whose side are you on?

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@Ed: as you have most likely have been reading my comments , you know i am not on the side of the tuk tuk's.Maybe on your last comment, i can add: Please do your sums again, Ed, properly this time.

Posted by charles on May 25, 2013 19:48

Editor Comment:

I don't have a clue about your comment history, charles. With 40,000 comments so far and contributions by the score every day, do you really expect me to have a profile of your character? If you didn't comment in support of the taxis previously, why are you doing so now? Were you just point-scoring? Is your ego bruised?


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