Best/Cheapest non scammy Jet Ski rentals?

[nicetoseeyouagainPatty]

Anyone have anyone to recommend? Thanks if so

[ekin314]

I've tried posting this before and I've only received negative responses. There seems there would have to be some companies that are on the up and up. I don't even mind if they charge more, I just want to go jet skiing 555. I would ideally like to find a place that allows you to buy insurance for any damage that you cause. Not sure why that isn't the way of doing business as it seems there is a very negative reputation for the jet ski companies. 

[nicetoseeyouagainPatty]

I wonder if you just show up with the agreed upon price and no other cash and no debit cards and just walk away when they start to try and pull something how they would react.... probably just let you go if the claims they make arent legitimate

 

 

[FROST MEDIC999]

17 minutes ago, nicetoseeyouagainPatty said:

I wonder if you just show up with the agreed upon price and no other cash and no debit cards and just walk away when they start to try and pull something how they would react.... probably just let you go if the claims they make arent legitimate

 

 

Tell me your going to try this, I will pull up a seat and see how it all works out for you 5555.

[Kandinski]

48 minutes ago, FROST MEDIC999 said:

Tell me your going to try this, I will pull up a seat and see how it all works out for you 5555.

Like ringing the bell in a beer bar or feeding pidgin; first there where one; a split second later you are surrounded. 

 

1 hour ago, nicetoseeyouagainPatty said:

I wonder if you just show up with the agreed upon price and no other cash and no debit cards and just walk away when they start to try and pull something how they would react.... probably just let you go if the claims they make arent legitimate

 

Extremely bad idea. What happen is they will call a police guy who is in on the scam and the will boil, fry and spit you out until bill is paid.

Didn't paid much attention  to jetski operators on my walk but can see a few from Mike's toward WS ...no skies in the water though.

Edited August 10, 2023 by Kandinski
pic

[mixedberrys]

The operators generally will want to hold your passport as security. This makes it hard to just walk away if they start demanding money to cover damages. 

[Hamchang]

Not forgetting that they have the cops in their pocket. Rule of thumb though is to only hire a jetski that is out of the water and you are able to video and photo every single part of it. Treat it like renting a car and point and with agreement from the renter any scrape or bit of damage on the craft, especially under the water line. Ultimately they are costly bits of kit. Personally its not for me, but taking precautions like this would reduce the chance of engine up in a repair shed with a gun pointing at you whilst you negotiate. 

[Kandinski]

9 minutes ago, mixedberrys said:

The operators generally will want to hold your passport as security. This makes it hard to just walk away if they start demanding money to cover damages. 

It's totally U2Y. Believe not even authorities (officially) can withhold a passport without a court order

[Thomaz73]

1 hour ago, Kandinski said:

Extremely bad idea. What happen is they will call a police guy who is in on the scam and the will boil, fry and spit you out until bill is paid

Exactly this. Or, at least, that's the traditional story. 

One thing that puzzles me a bit, though. I've seen many of these. Particularly around Ko Larn. Yet, I don't see any news stories or postings in various groups about this. Could it be that it's less of a problem these days? 

[Kandinski]

Beside the entertainment value of watching the scam unfold (pre-covid) I have never paid much attention to jetskies but wasn't there a crack down a while ago that sorted out the rough operators, limited number of licences and restrict the areas at sea  where skies were allowed to be operated  ?

[Thomaz73]

23 minutes ago, Kandinski said:

Beside the entertainment value of watching the scam unfold (pre-covid) I have never paid much attention to jetskies but wasn't there a crack down a while ago that sorted out the rough operators, limited number of licences and restrict the areas at sea  where skies were allowed to be operated  ?

I think I vaguely remember some chatter to that effect. 

[nicetoseeyouagainPatty]

Do you guys really think they are physically going to stop you from walking away if it is a scam?

 

Some might, but I would venture to guess most would just wait for an easier target in the future

[kd_traveller]

2 hours ago, nicetoseeyouagainPatty said:

Do you guys really think they are physically going to stop you from walking away if it is a scam?

Yes, I don't think, I know!

I have seen it a few years ago on almost a daily basis on Pattaya Beach.  I think it may have improved now, but at one time you could be guaranteed daily "entertainment" in the late afternoon watching the scam taking place, people were physically restrained from leaving the beach and then the "police" arrive and "negotiate" a settlement which is always favourable to the Jet Ski owners.

Years ago in Phuket some Jet Ski operators even took on some British Royal Marines and effectively "won" after the Jet Ski operators produced a firearm!

So, whether it is still happening now, I don't know, but in the past not only were they happy to physically restrain you, many people were physically beaten up if they tried to leave.  Do a search on the board and you will find loads of references to Jet Ski instances!

[Thomaz73]

39 minutes ago, kd_traveller said:

loads of references to Jet Ski instances

True. But leads back to what I was hinting at above. It really doesn't seem a thing these days. If it was, it really should be on some of the forums+/news outlets I follow. Haven't seen a single complaint or story "post" covid. 

[Hamchang]

4 hours ago, nicetoseeyouagainPatty said:

Do you guys really think they are physically going to stop you from walking away if it is a scam?

 

Some might, but I would venture to guess most would just wait for an easier target in the future

You need a bit of perspective. It's their country. Their patch. their bribes to the filth. Their scam. They would not bat an eyelid at sticking a sharp pointy stick into your kidneys for 1000 baht. Start running away, every jet ski boy on the beach will catch you for a beating. Start mouthing off they will all surround you. Cal the cops the cops will make you pay. Life is cheap in Thailand especially if you start dishonoring these lads making them lose face. 

[vimto66]

Used to always go on a jet ski years ago and personally never had any problems, didnt bother in later years and maybe my luck might have run out if i did. Thomaz73 is right though, we dont seem to read much about rogue operators/scammers as much now, at least not on here.

[seaman]

Last trip, I rent a Jetski on Ko Larn Island, TAWAEN BEACH, in the middle of the beach

It was 1200 bth for 1/2h (not 75 $ like in Maldives !)

Was a perfect engine, good power

Perhaps a better trip than to rent it in Pattaya Beach

Just a paper to sign in Thai ! (My LLT fullfill it and sign )

Just take care of the multiple speedboat and other jetski ...

[bungee]

9 hours ago, Kandinski said:

It's totally U2Y. Believe not even authorities (officially) can withhold a passport without a court order

Yes your passport belongs to your government. But after you have handed over your passport and they are refusing to hand it back how quickly do you think you could get your local embassy staff down to the beach with sufficient police support to get them to hand your passport back?

Best option would be to walk away and report your passport lost or stolen and get a new one and hope the local police did not take you away for questioning to help you see the error of your ways or you are stopped at immigration as they have registered something against your passport.

Sounds like a complete waste of time when for less money you could be riding a few 18 year old hotties rather than a tired old jet ski.

[Kandinski]

7 hours ago, bungee said:

Best option would be to walk away and report your passport lost or stolen

Disagree on this, best option would be not to hand over your passport to a rouge jetski scammer in the first place.

[nicetoseeyouagainPatty]

When is the last time you guys saw anyone being physically restrained by someone other than the police anywhere?

When is the last time you guys saw someone get their kidneys jabbed by something sharp and pointy in public?

You aren't getting stabbed on the beach over a scam, you aren't getting beaten to a pulp on a crowded beach in broad daylight for walking away

If you escalate the situation then sure, but if you keep your cool and there are witnesses around the odds of it turning violent are so slim

But like someone else said... unfortunately doesnt seem worth it

 

 

[bungee]

14 hours ago, Kandinski said:

Disagree on this, best option would be not to hand over your passport to a rouge jetski scammer in the first place.

Yes absolutely agree, best option is not to go near the guys and leave your passport somewhere safe.

My reply was based on Kandinski's reply that the Jet Ski guys could not legally keep your passport once you had handed it over to them.

[Pat56]

I think things have settled down a bit in relation to scams involving wet bike hire.

its probably due to the global bad press it bought to thailand thus forcing the powers in bangkok to do something about it.

like most crack downs in thailand after a while things tend to go back to how they were before.

it's still the same people renting the things out and it's still the same police officers patroling the streets nearby and i see no reason it won't return once they think they can get a way with it again.

a fair amount of governments worldwide posted offical warnings about hiring wet bikes in thailand on their websites and last time i checked my home countries government page about dangers and annoyances in thailand the warning was still there.

if you hire one and you get scammed out of a heap of money you only have your self to blame.

 

 

[Cropped Shaggy]

They do like they might be good fun for 20-30 mins of zipping about. However, I can't stand the noise of the bloody things when trying to chill on the beach and wish they were banned everywhere, so, in addition to the potential scams putting me off, my reluctance to be a complete hipocrite also keeps my wallet intact.

Shame they can't just bugger off a bit further out really, most of the time.

[Firepole]

On 11/08/2023 at 00:51, nicetoseeyouagainPatty said:

When is the last time you guys saw anyone being physically restrained by someone other than the police anywhere?

When is the last time you guys saw someone get their kidneys jabbed by something sharp and pointy in public?

You aren't getting stabbed on the beach over a scam, you aren't getting beaten to a pulp on a crowded beach in broad daylight for walking away

If you escalate the situation then sure, but if you keep your cool and there are witnesses around the odds of it turning violent are so slim

But like someone else said... unfortunately doesnt seem worth it

 

 

So, how many days will it be until you make your 1st trip to Thailand?

[Vespa]

I’ve used quite a few times, the guys right next to the rescue centre in Jomtien. To be fair they look kinda intimidating, but actually nice guys. Pretty sure they are older but rather fast jetskis they sound great and really are quick. I always buy a few beers for them as if to say thanks for not scamming me! The big boss guy invited me to his birthday on the beach!