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Phuket Taxi Outrage: Why Envoy Walked
By Chutima Sidasathian Monday, November 23, 2015
PHUKET: Irish ambassador Brendan Rogers said today that he had been told recently that the tuk-tuk taxi fare from Kata to Karon on Phuket was 500 baht, so he thought: ''I might just walk.''
The outrageous fares on Phuket were not a key issue of safety or security but something that Phuket officials needed to deal with to avoid tourists going to other destinations or other countries, he said.
Ambassador Rogers, a veteran of the 2004 tsunami aftermath on Phuket, was one of five top envoys from Bangkok who joined with the island's governor and other administrators to discuss safety, security and scams today.
Mr Rogers made the point that beach environment and excessive taxi fares were not urgent issues for embassies compared to safety and security, but the island's administrators needed to bear them in mind.
''If I come to Phuket on holiday and it's a wonderful beach and I want to get out there and listen to my iPod and read and lie on a beach for four or five hours, I would like to have a little bed, have a parasol, buy some bananas or whatever and have a wonderful time.
''I am willing to pay for it, and i have done just that over a number of years on my visits, at Nai Harn and at Kata.
''But when I went to Nai Harn a few months ago, and I have very fair skin, I couldn't hire anything. I wasn't aware of it [beach changes] so I stayed under a tree. But the experience was less for me. it's not a problem. I just won't go back.
''From the embassy's perspective, that's not really a problem , but from your perspective, it's important that you maximise the financial inflow so that should be resolved if you can.
''And transport costs . . . well I can go from Satong in Bangkok to Soi HarSipHar for 50 baht and with a tip of five baht.
''When I tried to go from Kata beach to Karon recently, I was asked for 500 baht. I think I might as well just walk.
''Again, safety and security are not involved. From an embassy perspective, it's not that urgent, really. But I do know if that continues to happen, people will go to another resort destination or they will go to another country, so I think it's in your own interests to note these issues.''
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Comments
Comments have been disabled for this article.
I am surprised it's not seen as safety issue: high prices force people to rent motorcycles (inherently dangerous) and also walk through streets with no sidewalks and scarey traffic. Or walking late at night in the dark, again, a risk of attack or accident:
To me, it's a HUGE safety issue.
Posted by
Discover Thainess
on
November 23, 2015 14:39
To Ambassador Brendan Rogers:
it's not a problem for you. But you won't go back ?
Posted by
Bjorn Ronningen
on
November 23, 2015 17:53
Editor Comment:
It's not a security/safety problem for the embassy. But as an individual holidaymaker, the ambassador has lots of other choices for destinations that provide better standards of service, Bjorn.
Thank you, Mr. Ambassador and thank you Phuketwan. Could somebody please show this article to the Governor?
Posted by
Janeeta
on
November 23, 2015 18:09
@ Discover Thainess,
The Ambassadors are diplomats, some of their sayings you have to 'read' between the lines.
Touching a subject, but sometimes not very outspoken about it gives 'opponents' the opportunity 'to pick it up' and given chance to handle it
Posted by
Kurt
on
November 23, 2015 18:19
I just won't go back said the ambassador. Many tourist do as the ambassador. Only people who were young 50 years ago want Phuket as it was in the old days. Then they stayed in a bamboohut. Now they stay with their 30-40 years younger Thai in their villa.
Posted by
tourist
on
November 23, 2015 18:29
Editor Comment:
What about the ones who can still only afford bamboo huts, tourist?
Normally I dont speak out loud, but I am tired of this.. My ex wife who is thai would never take a taxi. It is just to much.. Myself.. I feel I was forced into buying a car. So not to use them. Hey.. Give us a reasonable price for taxis. I then I will use them....
Posted by
chris
on
November 23, 2015 19:21
Well said, Discover Thainess! I agree. Also, fair skinned people would be wise to wear a high factor sun-cream, and not expect shade everywhere they go outside.
Posted by
Matt
on
November 23, 2015 21:38
As I am that spent 8 years in Phuket I have seen it from a happy party place for of people all over the world to mainly Chinese. Chinese - how many do you see take cabs, tuk tuks. Phuket is imploding ask Thai bar staff, retail small shops the whole atmosphere has changed. I left and want to remember the good times but will not go back. It's full of greed like a disease it has eaten people alive.
Posted by
O dear
on
November 24, 2015 05:10
A five baht tip? What a generous man.NOT!
Posted by
Loder
on
November 24, 2015 06:43
Editor Comment:
A five baht tip on a 50 baht fare is a very reasonable 10 percent, Loder. A 500 baht fare to travel 500 meters is the unreasonable point your stingy mind appears to have overlooked.
In Korat, if I go into town or surrounding villages for a night out, I can get a metered taxi home at 10 p.m. for approx 100 baht for approx 8 km. Of course at that time of night I give a fair tip for a safe journey home, when I am enjoying myself & others are working.
The last time I walked Karon Beach it was approx 4 km long. Therefore to ask for 500 baht is by comparison, quite outrageous; almost 10 times the cost of other parts of the country.
Of course, depending on the time of day or rather night, it might be a good investment to avoid harassment by the lady boys that used to hang out on their motor bikes along the beach road.
Posted by
Logic
on
November 24, 2015 07:04
The greedy who operate the so called 'taxis' won't give a toss. I am proud to say that in 25+ years I have never taken a taxi in Phuket, but 100s of times in Bangkok.
Posted by
Ian
on
November 24, 2015 07:21
This is all about supply and demand
If people will pay these fares then the tuk tuk and taxi drivers will take the money, why not ?
Every one who works wants the most pay they can get for their labour or service they offer, that is natural and the tuk tuk and taxi drivers are not an exception.
Without enforced regulations and other competition they can charge whatever they like and I see no reason why they cannot double or treble their prices, what regulations are there in place to stop them ? I do not see any
Posted by
Paul
on
November 24, 2015 10:26
Editor Comment:
Most of us choose not to become apologists for rip-off and scam merchants, Paul. The taxi drivers are notorious for blockading and bullying resorts and for threatening to do the same again whenever their demands are not met. Legitimate competition would permit more scrupulous drivers to charge lower fares - you know, supply and demand. Because the drivers maintain their monopoly, that doesn't happen because they will not allow it to happen. Nobody enjoys paying the high fares but sometimes, one has no choice. Why not apply your rose-colored glasses to the perspective of a local resident for whom catching a taxi in an emergency could cost two days' pay - on the minimum wage of 300 baht a day. The regulations stipulate maximum fares that the taxi drivers always demand and seldom negotiate downwards. It is, literally, highway robbery.
Ambassador Rogers says what has been said by many others for a decade. Sure an envoy cannot do much more but chances are locals will just shrug their shoulders and say:
" Why would we care about a drop in Irish tourists ? Plenty of Chinese to rip off instead "
In over a decade on Phuket I've only used a taxi once. A metered Taxi from the airport I agreed to pay Bt 500 to Chalong (apprx 3y ago) as long as he would also let me see the meter he had covered with his hat. The meter read Bt 308 at destination.
Funny enough, the "special" Phuket Meter today would show around Bt 800.
Posted by
Herbert
on
November 24, 2015 10:38
Dear Ed,
I do not wear rose coloured glasses, I dislike the tuk tuk and taxi drivers as much as anybody , I was being factual
They are effectivly an unregulated monopoly with no competition and they can and do charge whatever they want
Of course I feel sorry for people earning the Thai minimun wage and less, many Thai's are paid less than the minimum wage, but until there is a will to control the tuk tuk and taxi drivers in Phuket I see no reason why they will behave in a reasonable manner
The present situation is a disgrace which reflects on the officials who allows it to continue
Phuketwan has quite rightly highlighted this problem for many years, there has been no noticeable improvement in the situation, it is very sad
Posted by
Paul
on
November 24, 2015 11:33
@ Paul
You wrote
" Every one who works wants the most pay they can get for their labor or service they offer, that is natural "
No.
That is not natural, that is the essence of greed.
I always have and always will charge a fair price for my services, quite often actually less than the customer offers to pay.
I can see this will be quite a stretch for you to understand or fathom but most people I've worked with apply the same principle.
Do the concepts of ethics and morals mean anything to you ?
Posted by
Herbert
on
November 24, 2015 12:10
@ Herbert. Yes, I 100% agree with you about that fare matter to Chalong.
Now, it is just metered transport mafia rip off. Things got worse, not better.
And the Phuket government Authorities? They all know about this.
Posted by
Kurt
on
November 24, 2015 12:19
Editor Comment:
A five baht tip on a 50 baht fare is a very reasonable 10 percent, Loder. A 500 baht fare to travel 500 meters is the unreasonable point your stingy mind appears to have overlooked.
(moderated)
Posted by
Loder
on
November 24, 2015 19:02
Editor Comment:
PLAY OF THE DAY
The Editor is going to have some fun in the last few weeks of Phuketwan, rewriting all comments from haters, loathers, loafers and doomsayers into words of praise. So get to it - waste your time one more time!
What Loder meant to say was: I didn't realise, Ed, but what you say always does make sense when compared to my drivel. To think that I overlooked the fact that someone had been charged 500 baht for a 500 metre journey to quibble instead about a five baht tip that, when I think about it, is actually very fair. I must be losing my mind. Sorry to be such a pain.
No,i didn't mean that , not at all you senile,demented,geriatric, boorish oaf.You need to see a shrink, comeon al,surely you have one true friend[on second thoughts, you probably don't..oh well] who can talk to you and help you see what a total , absolute fool you are making of yourself now..In your demented state, you may think you are just having fun, but believe the hundreds of readers who can only see a train crash in slo-mo.Get yourself fitted for a straight jacket al, you sure could use it .How embarressing you have become..bet you wet your nappies at night also.
Posted by
Loder
on
November 24, 2015 21:04
Editor Comment:
Thanks for that, Loder.
I am sure readers can figure out for themselves who needs help . . . and why the PW editor's job isn't easy.
Getting a car was one of the best investments I did in Phuket/Khao Lak - for my safety and for my wallet. Would have never happened in Bangkok or Chiang Mai.
Posted by
Jakub P.
on
November 24, 2015 21:55
Yikes! Loder needs to lighten up. I think he's embarrassing himself.
Re taxi drivers in Phuket. Would never give them the satisfaction of using them. Way over priced, aggressive, mean, rude and dangerous. They give Phuket a very bad name. This island is a happy place and authorities should endeavor to keep it that way. Take heed because word of mouth and social media spreads far too quickly.
Posted by
Paradise
on
November 25, 2015 08:54
Loder,
Your compliments to Alan could be applied to most of us demented souls but by the time we finished reading we will have forgotten who you were talking about.
Thats why we keep reading this newspaper and know that electronic media will never take off.
Posted by
MoW
on
November 25, 2015 10:12
@ Herbert
I was referring to people who are paid a wage to do a job Herbert, I did not make myself clear. Most self employed business people will as you say adjust their prices to suit market conditions and this is how the tuk tuk and taxi drivers behave, being in a monopoly with apparently no controls they can and do charge very high rates for their services
I am pleased to hear from you that you and some of your friends behave in a fair and proper manner.
Posted by
Paul
on
November 25, 2015 17:04
good on the ambassador saying no. I do it alot, just because you are a farang doesnt mean you throw money away. Time these locals earnt an income rather than lie about cost.
Posted by
expat tiger
on
November 29, 2015 12:37
Hi, Just use GrabTaxi. I have been using it since its launch. You agree the fare before you travel as it shows the fare before you accept. My place to tesco's was 500 baht normal taxi, Grab Taxi 315 baht, everytime.
Posted by
Conquestador
on
December 1, 2015 10:34
Maybe he should have tried one of the yellow-top Tuk-Tuks, which are officially not allowed to provide service out of Phuket City. There are at least three of them driving in Karon, equipped with the usual Ghettoblasters. But I bet they do NOT offer 30-Baht-rides.
Posted by
Beer Chang
on
December 1, 2015 12:05
(moderated)
Posted by
slickmelb
on
December 3, 2015 15:16
Editor Comment:
We don't carry speculative derogatory remarks about real people made by anonymous online commenters. If you want to say something, his number is in the book.
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I am surprised it's not seen as safety issue: high prices force people to rent motorcycles (inherently dangerous) and also walk through streets with no sidewalks and scarey traffic. Or walking late at night in the dark, again, a risk of attack or accident:
To me, it's a HUGE safety issue.
Posted by Discover Thainess on November 23, 2015 14:39