News Analysis
PHUKET: The Phuket jet-ski operators who cheat Phuket tourists by claiming huge amounts for damage will be first to feel the new ''Phuket Model'' of policing, Thailand's Deputy Police Chief, Lieutenant General Pansiri Prapawat, said today.
He told Phuket's officers - and officers from neighboring provinces around Phuket - that they should no longer fear the ''local mafia politicians'' who have based their power on the support of illegal taxi drivers.
''Their days of influence are over,'' Lieutenant General Pansiri said. ''You have nothing to fear. There is no need to give them your support any longer.''
What appeared to be emerging today was the makings of a showdown between the national government and Phuket's local powerbrokers for control of Phuket's future.
As has become increasingly obvious in the past few years, tourists from Europe and Australia are being dissuaded from returning to Phuket in growing numbers because of the rip-off mentality, the sense that extortion is the aim.
This is at its most blatant in two areas identified today by Lieutenant General Pansiri - the jet-ski operators at Patong beach and the illegal taxi drivers, who already number in many thousands because of their inflated fares monopoly.
It's been some time coming, but as Phuketwan has noted, despite cynicism, it has been coming.
The regular honorary consuls' meetings, the open calls from ambassadors for reform, the bad international publicity surrounding the worst of the violence have all been leading to intervention by the national government.
Now, with the horrific murder of Australian travel agent Michelle Smith - whose only aim was to promote tourism on Phuket - the prospect of real change has arrived.
We hope the breaking of the power of the local chiefs extends to the beaches and the hillsides, where some rich expats are also engaged in breaking Thailand's laws for their own selfish gain - at the same time pretending to be ''environmentalists.''
We welcome the day when the only Phuket jet-skis are offshore on pontoons, when beach vendors, restaurants and party clubs are banned from Phuket's beaches, and when rich expats appear in court alongside the Phuket ''mafia'' for their part in breaches of Thai law.
Once it was just a dream. Now we hope to see it fast become reality.
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Their days of influence are over,'' Lieutenant General Pansiri said. ''You have nothing to fear. There is no need to give them your support any longer.''
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Wonderful news! I hope the General has time to speak to the dozens of illegal taxi drivers who hassle arriving tourists each and every day and night at the airport. (I know because I am present at the airport every day and night).
Despite the proclaimed crack-down a few months ago on black taxis at the airport, with every unmarked car being checked, it was - alas - all just empty words. There were no checks, just a few new signs warning illegal taxis not to trade at the airport - and those same illegal taxi drivers usually lean against these signs as they continue their hassling of tourists.
I welcome a crackdown, but it is oh so easy to spout empty words - it has happened so many times before that I'm not going to hold my breath in this case
Simon
Posted by Simon Luttrell on June 23, 2012 15:39