City Cracks Down On Jet Ski Operators

[Pattaya Daily News]

City officials have announced new RULES aimed at controlling Pattaya jet ski operators who rip off tourists. Under the new RULES, penalties for violations can range from arrests and fines to termination of the rental operation.

PATTAYA – August 30, 2012 [PDN]; at 10:30 a.m., stricter RULES for jet ski operators were proposed by city officials at the Pattaya Administration office. The action aims to tackle the long-standing problem of crooked jet ski operators.

A well-known scam is for jet ski operators to claim that renters damaged the craft during the rental, and demand large sums of money for the bogus repairs.

Threats and occasional violence have been used against protesting tourists. Several foreign embassies now warn their countrymen not to rent jet skis in Pattaya.

To tackle the problem, a special committee was appointed on August 9 by Chonburi provincial governor Mr. Komsan Aekkachai.

The committee is chaired by Mr. Ronnakit Akasing, the Deputy Lord Mayor of Pattaya. Other group members include the head of the tourism police station in Pattaya, the head of the Sriracha sea police,harbor office Pattaya branch; the Banglamung sheriff; several private organizations; and owners of jet ski operations.

The committee found that there are 168 operators of rental jet skis in the waters off Pattaya, Jomtien and Koh Larn Island. They collectively own a total of 452 jet skis and other watercraft.

In the breakdown, Pattaya Beach has 57 operators with 154 jet skis; Jomtien beach has 85 operators with 205 jet skis; and Koh Larn has 26 operators and 93 jet skis.

After a two-hour meeting, the committee released a summary of proposed new RULES for jet ski operators:

1. The need to set up a central service point for rentals at Pattaya beach, Jomtien beach and Koh Lan, for the convenience and safety of customers.

2. Set a standard service price for jet ski rentals, including the insurance price for accidents in the pricing of tickets.

3. The service time for rentals will not go past 6 p.m. daily.

4. Provide notice to operators of the exact punishment for violations, ranging from a soft punishment of arrests and fines, to terminating the business.

In cases of severe violations, such as beating tourists or extorting money, the harshest punishment of terminating the business will be immediately enforced.

After the Chonburi provincial governor gives his signature to the proposed RULES, all of the jet ski operators in Pattaya will be notified, and required to acknowledge and adopt the new RULES immediately.

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Type : Tourism News
Story : Tanasab
Photo : Tanasab

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[Klongwater]

So,beating and extortion means the business is closed.....does that mean passed on to another owner? No confiscation,no jail time??

 

And the jet ski operators are on the panel???

[padfoot]

Yes, a big press conference. Every one poses for the cameras. And then nothing changes.

[biggles]

I bet there isn't one person on this board who believes anything will change, and probably no one on the committee does either !!

[ChuckWow!]

A bunch of bullshit, changes were proposed a while ago yet the scam continues. It is backed up by the police themselves so its not the operators that they need to enforce its the corrupt police. There's just too much god damn money to be made and I'll bet the money train rolls up pretty high up the police ranks to the Chief himself. The police pay huge sums of money just to be allowed their positions in Pattaya. They paid for their job for a reason.

[sinbad5]

Unlike the rest of you, I don't have the ability to see the future, so I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

[dean2926]

I was surprised that Pattaya Beach has 57 operators and 154 jet skies.

 

This scam must be a lot bigger than any of us ever imagined.

 

If these guys just ripped off one tourist each per day we are probably talking about a turnover of more than a million baht every single day just for the scams.

 

This is in addition to the genuine rental charges.

 

No wonder the officials don't want the problem fixed.

[Scumbag]

Yet another gush of hot air!!!!!

[jocky king]

No chance of me taking the chance... I never got scammed but after seen a load of stories about it, is enough to put me off Jet Ski for life.