What happened after Phuket governor vowed changes in jet ski industry

[QuotaMan]

(Pure comedy folks)

 

September 10, 2009

 

http://phuketwan.com/tourism/china-anger-jet-ski-scammers-told-behave-11553/

 

AN EXTRAORDINARY meeting today over jet-skis in Patong resolved to fix the problems of scams, excessive numbers, zone intrusions, insurance and registration.

 

The meeting comes as a climax to a number of developments, including the dramatic arrest of one jet-ski operator over a television show that screened half a world away in Britain on Monday night.

 

The meeting was scheduled to take place before the arrest and the visit of the dignitaries from China, but both events certainly concentrated attention more thoroughly at Tessaban Kathu this afternoon.

 

More than 100 people turned out, with jet-ski owners from all over the island there in large numbers behind a congregation of officials.

 

The Mayor of Patong, Pian Keesin, was there, along with Deputy Mayor, Chairat Sukkaban, Kathu Police Superintendent Colonel Grissak Songmoonnark, along with four other police station chiefs, Rear Admiral Amornchot Sujirat, the local deputy in charge of the Army's Internal Security Operations Command, representatives from the Phuket Insurance, Revenue and Tarrif Departments, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the director of the registry of tourist guides, Marine Police, Marine Transport department, plus the mayors of Karon, Rawai, Kamala, Cherng Talay and Saku, Mai Khao, all island administrations and the lifeguards.

 

Using a video camera to fight fire with fire, Governor Wichai Praisa-nob ordered that the tape of the gathering be sent to Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban in Bangkok.

 

The Deputy PM has been fielding complaints from ambassadors, including those from Australia and Britain, about jet-ski scams. He may have already heard from China, too.

 

The meeting was told by Khun Chairat that the number of jet-skis in Patong had risen to 167 registered vehicles, with a total of 219 for the entire island.

 

There were another 27 in Patong in use that had not been registered.

 

''If they come to the beach, police will arrest them, from tomorrow,'' the governor said. ''If there's a breakdown among the 167 registered vehicles, then there can be one replacement.

 

''Police will be checking documentation. Everybody on a jet-ski must be properly licensed.''

Operators are now also prohibited from taking passports from tourists who go for rides.

 

If there is any kind of accident requiring an additional payment from the user, the jet-ski involved must be brought to a police station, the governor said.

 

The Marine Department now has one week to check every jet-ski's registration and ownership, and licensed driver before reporting back, the governor said.

 

Addressing the operators, he said: ''You have broken the law many times. Now you must be aware that the image of Phuket, which you have damaged so badly, must be repaired.

 

''I don't care about the past. But we must get it right from now on. If you do not live up to the standards people expect when they come here, I will ban the jet-skis.

 

''They were intended for use here as a sporting activity, not as this kind of business.''

 

April 27, 2011

 

http://phuketwan.com/tourism/scams-rip-offs-touts-phuket-danger-decline-warns-aussie-veteran-14010/

 

A LEADING travel agent in Australia has called on Phuket's administrators, Chamber of Commerce and police to resolve Phuket's problems or become ''another Pattaya.''

 

He named scamming jet-ski operators, aggressive tuk-tuk and taxi drivers and non-Thai touts as the turnoffs for tourists from Phuket's most important market.

Change was needed quickly ''before it is too late and Phuket goes into decline,'' the agent said.

 

''There are serious concerns about the direction Phuket - and in particular Patong - is heading in terms of safety, security and the loss of genuine Thainess that has always been a major part of the success of the destination,'' said Jim McCoy, general manager of Sydney-based Specialist Holidays.

 

Mr McCoy, whose connections with Phuket go back to 1988, told Phuketwan: ''We have recently had clients return from a holiday to Phuket who overall had a very enjoyable time, but had a very bad experience in Patong with these rogue jet-ski operators.''

 

He quoted the following message from the Australian visitors to Phuket who told him:

 

''The ONLY bad experience we had in Thailand was when we hired three jet-skis in Patong. Within the first five minutes, one of the jet-skis starting sinking, with two children aboard. We were told to bring all the jet-skis back and they retrieved the sinking one from the water. After much discussion (and a very ill feeling) we paid over $A600 to the "owner" who turned out to be Winai ''JJ'' Naiman - who we now know after Googling is notorious for extortion of tourists in Patong.''

 

July 22, 2011

 

http://phuketwan.com/tourism/aussies-tell-phuket-jet-ski-scam-nightmare-14443/

 

PHUKET: A holidaying Australian couple have told how they were abused and intimidated by Phuket jet-ski operators who sought to rip off the tourists in an extortion scam.

 

At a Phuket police station, where an officer was supposed to act as the independent mediator in the dispute, the officer handed a passport to the jet-ski operators, one of the Australians said.

 

The Australian couple, Belinda Josephson, 25, and Abraham Jlailaty, 20, from Sydney, were so concerned about possible repercussions that they spoke to Phuketwan on condition that the account of their experience was not published until after they had left Thailand.

 

On the second day of their holiday earlier this month, the Australians rode two jet-skis at 1500 baht for 35 minutes, then paused to take photographs of each other.

 

During the snapshot session, a wave nudged the vessels against one another, causing minor damage that the tourists believed could have been repaired in the space of an hour or two.

 

''The current pushed out jet-skis into each other,'' Ms Josephson said. ''We bumped the jet-skis.

 

''We just wanted to do all the touristy thing here on Phuket, so we decided to try jet-skiing at Patong. It was pretty much in the middle of the beach.''

 

Mr Jlailaty said that in the incident, a piece of putty from a previous repair job cracked off. ''There were a couple of minor scratches,'' he said.

 

Back on shore, the jet-ski operators became aggressive and demanded payment for the damage.

 

''As soon as the 3000 baht payment got into the jet-ski owners' hands, their smiles disappeared,'' Mr Jlailaty said. ''One grabbed me and said 'No, damage.'''

 

September 8, 2011

 

http://phuketwan.com/tourism/phuket-needs-action-tat-rep-tells-talk-committee-14675/

 

PHUKET: It's time for action if Phuket wants to fix its tourist rip-offs, Tourism Authority of Thailand regional director Bangornrat Shinaprayoon told a meeting in Phuket City today.

 

Her call for Phuket's authorities to do their jobs came after 90 minutes of committee talk among 37 authorities or their representatives at Provincial Hall today.

 

As the TAT's regional representative for Phuket, Khun Bangornrat knows what Phuket needs. Usually she is demure and diplomatic. Today, after an hour and a half of still more committee discussion, with some participants clearly perplexed about what to do, she made her thoughts plain.

 

''Everybody knows what Phuket's problems are for tourists,'' she said. ''Jet-skis, tuk-tuks, taxis, touts. We know these things.

 

''Instead of talking, we need to act. These are urgent issues. It doesn't take a committee of 37 to resolve them. Those who can solve these issues should do their jobs immediately.''

 

:rolleyes:

[bobdickgus]

Not at all strange. Smile and say they will look into doing something about it, wait till end of term and say they didn't have enough time to do anything. Rinse and repeat for ever.

[QuotaMan]

Not at all strange. Smile and say they will look into doing something about it, wait till end of term and say they didn't have enough time to do anything. Rinse and repeat for ever.

 

There' a bright side.

 

Next time some thai politician pontificates about cleaning up the "sleaze" in their neck of the woods (read: crackdown on P4P), just laugh and realize how 'effective' these politico types have been in the past with their fake promises and threats.

 

And go bar fine a hot young lady.

[smartbuy]

Don't Take their shit.

 

Go to Wikipedia, Wikitravel and other popular tourist pages and EDIT in the JetSki scam - do it in several different languages. Get Chinese/Indian/Russian friends to add to their equivalent. Bad press and folk law will develop, and people will go elsewhere - or simply avoid the beach. Say that besides the Jetski scam, breathing in high coliform sea spray can make you sick with god knows what viruses, and simply avoid any beach with a jetski on it.

 

Go to google maps, add a special reference point marker 'Dishonest Jetski operator who will blackmail' label.

 

But it gives one a thought. If ever in an accident, ask if the vehicle is 'registered and licensed' and the owner 'registered' . It is an angle , except if one business is so cozy that all its boats are unregistered - because it is so well connected. I really dislike the mob with fake 'insurance' policies, who unwired the safety cut out.

 

Fine - do nothing. In the electronic age - mischief and mayhem can be easily produced

 

If crazy do this furtively

print an A4 Sign saying

 

JetSKI Hire (Jetski Hire in Thai)

 

Danger: Cutthroat operator who will blackmail for

damage to a rigged and unsafe jestski - run away, danger

(In Chinese) - It lasted 1/2 day.

 

Also in Japanese

Jetski hire at own risk. High sewerage levels in water may make you sick'

 

Thais love to post dual price lists, and I love to make dual meaning signs.