PHUKET: The Ministry of Culture recently took exception to the harm done by religious tattoos. But perhaps the ministry's officers should look up the next time they visit Phuket and consider signs like this one in Karon.
Is this how Phuket and Thailand wishes to be portrayed? The sign was drawn to Phuketwan's attention by Javed Shaikh, who runs Horizon Resorts in Patong and Karon and has a good idea how the two neighboring Phuket beach destinations compare.
''I don't hear much about jet-skis in Karon but we've never had complaints in Patong about tuk-tuks,'' he said. ''Karon? Yes. Lots of complaints, and I am sure it is not from my resort alone.''
Mr Shaikh, on the executive committee of the Phuket Tourist Association, said Karon tuk-tuks prevented tour operators from picking up guests, and that was bound to have an effect on tourism.
''I was in Khao Lak about two weeks ago,'' he said. ''Khao Lak and Krabi do not have this kind of problem. If we lose Phuket guests, it will be very difficult to win them back.
''Pattaya was once a beautiful, famous destination. Now they spend a lot of money on marketing, and they get not much in return.
''If guests have even a small problem with their hotel in Phuket, they can change hotels next time. But if they have a problem with tuk-tuks, they will go to another destination that doesn't have tuk-tuks.''
Karon, he said, was fortunate to have a long beach road stretch that mostly consisted of resort frontages. But he said that Karon was gradually being turned from a family-friendly destination into a Patong-style destination.
''It's still a good place for families but some have already noted the changes and moved on to other beaches,'' he said. ''It's not right to have sexy signs where families bring their children.
''When these kinds of advertisements are allowed, quality three-star, four-star and five-star resorts suffer.''
Scandinavians in particular were on the move, he said. Having once shifted from Patong to Karon, they were now moving on to places with a commitment to nature.
''Once they move, it's difficult to win quality guests back again,'' he said. ''With prices going down, and quality going down, Phuket needs to work harder to maintain all its standards.
''It's a vicious circle that we need to bring to an end. We still have a chance to recover. I hope so . . . but i don't know how long we have.
''Five years? Ten years? The problems that assail Phuket need to be stopped as soon as possible.''
Oversupply of resort rooms was another problem, he said. ''Every three years or five years, all resorts on Phuket should renew their establishments, and their should be controls to make sure new resorts are not just competing with existing resorts for the same guests. We have to have a balance or quality suffers.''
Tourists on Phuket were safe compared to other destinations, Mr Shaikh said. ''I don't understand though why some women will walk on the beach half-drunk at 2am or 3am,'' he said. ''No place in the world is entirely safe if people look for trouble.''
How is Patong looking? ''Patong is Patong,'' he said.
''There is no more land near the beach to be developed. If the good points about Patong can be maintained - and the place can be kept attractive and clean - it will stay a good destination for everybody.
''People will come again and again.''
Is this how Phuket and Thailand wishes to be portrayed? The sign was drawn to Phuketwan's attention by Javed Shaikh, who runs Horizon Resorts in Patong and Karon and has a good idea how the two neighboring Phuket beach destinations compare.
''I don't hear much about jet-skis in Karon but we've never had complaints in Patong about tuk-tuks,'' he said. ''Karon? Yes. Lots of complaints, and I am sure it is not from my resort alone.''
Mr Shaikh, on the executive committee of the Phuket Tourist Association, said Karon tuk-tuks prevented tour operators from picking up guests, and that was bound to have an effect on tourism.
''I was in Khao Lak about two weeks ago,'' he said. ''Khao Lak and Krabi do not have this kind of problem. If we lose Phuket guests, it will be very difficult to win them back.
''Pattaya was once a beautiful, famous destination. Now they spend a lot of money on marketing, and they get not much in return.
''If guests have even a small problem with their hotel in Phuket, they can change hotels next time. But if they have a problem with tuk-tuks, they will go to another destination that doesn't have tuk-tuks.''
Karon, he said, was fortunate to have a long beach road stretch that mostly consisted of resort frontages. But he said that Karon was gradually being turned from a family-friendly destination into a Patong-style destination.
''It's still a good place for families but some have already noted the changes and moved on to other beaches,'' he said. ''It's not right to have sexy signs where families bring their children.
''When these kinds of advertisements are allowed, quality three-star, four-star and five-star resorts suffer.''
Scandinavians in particular were on the move, he said. Having once shifted from Patong to Karon, they were now moving on to places with a commitment to nature.
''Once they move, it's difficult to win quality guests back again,'' he said. ''With prices going down, and quality going down, Phuket needs to work harder to maintain all its standards.
''It's a vicious circle that we need to bring to an end. We still have a chance to recover. I hope so . . . but i don't know how long we have.
''Five years? Ten years? The problems that assail Phuket need to be stopped as soon as possible.''
Oversupply of resort rooms was another problem, he said. ''Every three years or five years, all resorts on Phuket should renew their establishments, and their should be controls to make sure new resorts are not just competing with existing resorts for the same guests. We have to have a balance or quality suffers.''
Tourists on Phuket were safe compared to other destinations, Mr Shaikh said. ''I don't understand though why some women will walk on the beach half-drunk at 2am or 3am,'' he said. ''No place in the world is entirely safe if people look for trouble.''
How is Patong looking? ''Patong is Patong,'' he said.
''There is no more land near the beach to be developed. If the good points about Patong can be maintained - and the place can be kept attractive and clean - it will stay a good destination for everybody.
''People will come again and again.''
May i suggest that Mr Shaikh takes a look at Pattaya more closely, i was there last week and there are thousands more tourists there than in Phuket. Cheap rooms, 10 baht for a tuk tuk , a fantastic shopping centre right on the beach.The old pattaya is fading away and being replaced by a more modern and exciting place. A city on the sea.
Posted by Lord Jim on June 20, 2011 12:13