kamui Posted June 23, 2012 Report Share Posted June 23, 2012 i see these comments often about Phuket. can someone explain what the jet-ski scam is?. and stories of the 'taxi mafia' attacking tourists makes me mysterfied,again where,when,how often does this happen?. what or who exactly are the 'taxi mafia'? i don't use them or tuk-tuks so i'm unsure of what they do to piss people off. after 12 Years of visiting i've never encountered any problems concerning these stories. I guess you weren't really following what had been going in Phuket in the past years. Aussies Tell of Jet-Ski Scam Nightmare http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztR6tT9179c The taxi mafia problem got so worse that in the end that Thai government is getting involved. Now even Chalerm, the guy for the dirty work in the current government, ist stepping in. This is from *today*: 'Mafia gangs gone in three months' PHUKET: Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung vowed yesterday (June 22) to get rid of mafia gangs in Thailand tourism hotspots, including Phuket, within three months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coss Posted June 23, 2012 Report Share Posted June 23, 2012 Pattaya is a hell hole and I like it. Phuket? never been and won't. Just from the press. I think Sayjann flies under the radar, as he's got his modus operandi sorted and is also, it seems, something of a regular, and so maybe immune to the, fresh off the plane, tourist exploits... JMHO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted June 23, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2012 And this: PHUKET: The future of Phuket as a rest and relaxation destination for US Navy ships is in jeopardy following a blockade of the access road at the Phuket Deep Sea Port by taxi drivers demanding sailors use their service instead of a free transport service provided by the US military. ... Taxis block US Navy on Phuket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sayjann Posted June 23, 2012 Report Share Posted June 23, 2012 Pattaya is a hell hole and I like it. Phuket? never been and won't. Just from the press. I think Sayjann flies under the radar, as he's got his modus operandi sorted and is also, it seems, something of a regular, and so maybe immune to the, fresh off the plane, tourist exploits... JMHO you are totally correct. i have never wanted to rent a jet-ski,so immune to any sort of scam. taxi's i do not use off the streets,my hotel has their own and i book any taxi with them. i watched the video and it indicates men coming ashore after a few Months at sea and they just go crazy or get scammed. some people of many ages,sexes just hit the bright lights and lose all common sense. i like to people watch and from a barstool i can see what is going on with the newbies and fear for them. i imagine many of you who are regulars in Bangkok or Pattaya see similer things happening. as you say i know the place and am easy with what happens. most ladies i have known have had their own motorbike so a ride anywhere local is no problem. or my hotel rents out a motorbike for 100bt per day so the lady i'm with and i just hire one and off we go. i get motorbike taxi's as a last resort but as my usual hotel is within 10 minutes walk of everything i need i can walk,not really a problem. in the past i have had ladies moaning about having to walk so i've just said 'bye-bye'. i used to have a regular ride at Christmas when a good friend of mine used to see me on the street,in her words 'zig-zagging' and would stop and give me a lift back to my hotel. lovely lady and i always bought her a drink the next day for her kindness. i personally don't see the need for any transport but i can understand some people find it hard to walk 400 Yards back to their hotel and feel the need for a taxi because they are pissed,lazy and have no idea of what they are doing. but that's down to them........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wallenda Posted June 24, 2012 Report Share Posted June 24, 2012 i personally don't see the need for any transport but i can understand some people find it hard to walk 400 Yards back to their hotel and feel the need for a taxi because they are pissed,lazy and have no idea of what they are doing. but that's down to them........... The airport is 35km from Patong. But you're right, most passengers are too lazy to walk that far with their luggage in tow. It's their own fault if they get scammed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gobbledonk Posted June 24, 2012 Report Share Posted June 24, 2012 The jetski scam is as old as prostitution - you bring your jetski/motorbike/whatever back to get your deposit on the rental and, surprise surprise, its 'damaged'. You argue with the guy telling you that damage wasnt there when you hired it, and suddenly ten of his mates turn up and things get distinctly nastier. It happens in Patts, but I get the impression that its more prevalent in Phuket. As I pointed out in the other thread, this could have happened to these women in Sydney or Melbourne, but I disagree that prospective tourists ignore incidents like this. Younger Aussies will continue to think 'it wont happen to me', but families might think twice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sayjann Posted June 24, 2012 Report Share Posted June 24, 2012 The airport is 35km from Patong. But you're right, most passengers are too lazy to walk that far with their luggage in tow. It's their own fault if they get scammed. naughty,naughty. i never said people were too lazy to walk from the airport. i mentioned that some people are not prepared to walk short distances after a night out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted June 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2012 The jetski scam is as old as prostitution Wow! They had jet skis in biblical times? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Central Scrutinizer Posted June 24, 2012 Report Share Posted June 24, 2012 i see these comments often about Phuket. can someone explain what the jet-ski scam is?. and stories of the 'taxi mafia' attacking tourists makes me mysterfied,again where,when,how often does this happen?. what or who exactly are the 'taxi mafia'? i don't use them or tuk-tuks so i'm unsure of what they do to piss people off. after 12 Years of visiting i've never encountered any problems concerning these stories. Sayjann, read the Thaivisa Phuket forum. It's all there the past couple of years what has been going on there. I wouldn't holiday there if you paid my way really. Pattaya seems less problematic really, and that is surely saying something. I wish there was some way to warn the clueless tourists who go there that seem to not know how fucked up it is down there. No one should go there now from what I have read the past 24 months. It just seems to get worse and worse these past couple of years. Seems the cops and gov don't give a shit about the tourism. Would really like to see it all bite them in their stupid asses really. I tell everyone I know not to go there on their holidays and give them the news links to follow. The Thais just do not seem to give a fuck about the farangs and their tourism business, and Phuket seems to be the the worst of the Thai holiday destinations these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gobbledonk Posted June 25, 2012 Report Share Posted June 25, 2012 Looks like the cops picked up a couple of likely lads - hope they got the right lowlifes. Looks like our criminal masterminds tried to do a runner - all the way to Chumphon ! My link Two men have been arrested in Thailand over the stabbing murder of Australian travel agent Michelle Smith on the holiday island of Phuket last week, according to reports. The men are being questioned over the murder of Mrs Smith, 60, who was stabbed in the heart in a suspected botched bag snatch on Phuket's west coast on Wednesday. The Phuket Gazette reports that two are in custody in Chumphon province, in southern Thailand, and are expected to be returned to Phuket later today. Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/aussie-tourist-murder-two-arrested-in-phuket-20120625-20y1j.html#ixzz1yn4sy72j Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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