Invasion EU ambassadors Phuket
It gradually has all the characteristics of a tragicomic play: expeditions of foreign ambassadors to Phuket.
This impression is reinforced by the wry joke with which Phuket's governor Maitree Intusut welcomed 17 EU ambassadors to the peninsula on Friday: "It seems that Phuket is not only attractive to tourists, but also to diplomats".
After individual visits by various EU representatives, it was the first time that a joint trip to Phuket was made to urge a quick(er) approach to practices that cause major problems for tourists: fraud, robberies, violence, corrupt police, bad or missing safety features on the beaches and during water activities, transport from the airport, etc. Governor Maitree should be able to recite the list in his sleep after all ambassador visits, but judging by the reports in the local media, this time he did not get away with his usual reply ' the problems are there, but improvements are slowly but surely taking place'. According to the Bangkok Post, the governor presented the European party with plans to improve the situation, particularly with regard to jet ski rental scams.
The comments were reserved. "Practice will show whether the situation for tourists improves," Deputy Chief of Post HenkCor van der Kwast told the Phuket Gazette (which conveniently promoted him to Dutch ambassador). According to Van der Kwast, Phuket's problems must be tackled at a national level and for this purpose the EU representatives will soon again jointly report to the new tourism minister, Somsak Pureesrisak.
Action Calendar
He has prepared himself well, because he happened to be in Phuket with a delegation from the Senate the day before. After making an inventory of all the problems with jet ski scams, tuk-tuk and taxi drivers and drowned tourists, Somsak concluded that it was high time to take action. Governor Maitree was apparently so impressed by this that he informed the European representatives a day later that tourists in trouble can call his office directly. This confidence in the effectiveness of the local police was underlined by the Phuket Gazette with the ironic addition of the telephone number.
Loss of face
However, the diplomatic language used during the two-day meeting could not hide the fact that 'problem child Phuket' has acquired an adult status as a symbol of national loss of face in recent years due to the intensive involvement of foreign ambassadors. Earlier, the local authorities were already washed their ears by, among others, the British, Dutch, Russian and Chinese representatives. However, the tough message from the Chinese ambassador (Phuket is corrupt) was more than compensated last Wednesday by the US ambassador Kristie Kenney.
Syrup pot
She apparently judged that the syrup jar produces a better result than the sledgehammer. According to local media, Kenney praised Phuket when she visited Phuket. I am deeply grateful to every police officer on Phuket for their commitment to ensuring the safety of Thais and foreigners, especially Americans. The police have a very difficult job here, the assembled press noted after a conversation between Kenney and Phuket Province Police Commander General Choti Chavalviwat.
He replied with a list of figures that should show that there is an increase in the number of crimes committed by foreigners. "Americans, however, are not among those who cause us problems," he reassuringly added.
Covenant
Kenney apparently did not want to be inferior to that and replied: ,,After a number of incidents, Phuket has acquired a negative image in the eyes of some. But I understand very well that you are doing and have done your utmost. You cannot control everything”.
While saying goodbye to Maitree, the Phuket Gazette noted this bouncer from Kenney: Phuket is beautiful, a great tourist destination. It shows a perfect connection between city life and beautiful nature.
Perhaps the assembled EU ambassadors should have a cup of tea with Kenney before meeting the tourism minister to strengthen European-American cooperation.
I think the problem is quite easy to tackle, namely a stricter travel advice from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Phuket. If every EU country does that, it will hit like a bomb and make all the newspapers in Europe.
Good idea Peter to give all countries a negative travel advice about Phuket.
I myself have been living in Thailand for years, and from photos and films it is a nice island.
But where I live in the north of Thailand I have spoken to some farangs who have lived there and have left for the same reasons.
I have never been to Phuket myself, and I don't feel the need to travel there because of everything I hear and see about it every day.
Greetings from Jan Beute.
Khan Peter,
Completely agree with you. With such a travel advice you at least put something down.
With the joint action of all those diplomats we only make ourselves
ridiculous.
Cor van Kampen.
I doubt whether a negative travel advice is the solution. With some good - or bad - such advice could also be issued for Amsterdam, for example, and for many other places in the world where you as a tourist run the risk of being lifted.
Reading is also an art. There is stricter travel advice. That is different from a negative travel advice. There are different qualifications of the travel advice.
Excellent editorial article. The Phuket Police has a tough case because some officials have worked for years to make Phuket what it is today. The best solution: just stay away - that will dry up on its own. Because if the Tourist stays away, who wants to rob, lift or cheat you? Just No Body. Martin
Staying away will be a bit difficult if Phuket is designated as a venue for Formula 1.
I don't think this problem can ever be completely solved, but we can make it less easy for these people to lift people.
For example, with fixed fare indications in tuk-tuks and taxis, and requiring a meter in every taxi.
And we the tourist, we also have to be more alert ourselves, because it is sometimes made very easy for these people if you read the events of recent years, then you read that some people are very naive, sometimes it looks like they haven't been outside since the war.
If the taxi driver refuses to turn on his meter, don't step in, don't hand over your passport at a jet ski or motorcycle rental, and first take a picture of the one you rent if there is visible damage, this can already save you a lot of trouble prevent etc.
Cornelis, so again not completely read.
Are we going to use Amsterdam as an example or the Netherlands.
Is the Amsterdam mafia of the kanalbike, s also checking whether there is still a scratch on that bike that has to be paid for. Are we going to make a boat trip to the Wadden Sea where you will be robbed along the way (with the captain's knowledge). Are most of the Dutch taxi drivers also scammers.
Are you also regularly stopped by the police in the Netherlands who accuse you of something you did not do and then put an amount (as pure theft) in their pocket.
Are people robbed or murdered with the same regularity.
People go to Paris, Barcelona, London, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Berlin or anywhere in Europe. Of course things sometimes go wrong. For Phuket and Pattaya.
As previously written by Khun, a heavier travel advice and therefore (read carefully) no negative travel advice.
Cor van Kampen.
There is nothing wrong with my reading ability, Cor, but sometimes you have to exaggerate your statement a bit - just like you do in your response - to make your opinion clear. Moreover, you can't call 'reinforced travel advice' as positive, can you?
What I just want to say is that as a tourist in many places in the world you can – and will – be lifted in any way and that it will be a very long list if you have to dedicate travel advice to all those places.
At Phuket airport you will see a list of taxi prices at the baggage carousel. Take a picture of it if you are going to use a lot of taxi. There is also a telephone number if you have any complaints. It not only shows the prices from the airport, but also from Patong to Karon or Phuket town. I have found that these prices are also negotiable.
If you know you can get bugged then act on it. Keep smiling and you might even make friends.
But be honest, you have a busses in Phuket or wherever. Say a restaurant, where you give little service, not very good food and at a high price. It is packed every day. Would you lower your prices now because there is a complaint????
During my economics studies I learned; “the sales price is the price that the customer is willing to pay for it.” That is one of the reasons why a lot of money is being made on “new” mobile phones.
And that governor, last Sunday he was 10 minutes late to kick off the Laguna Phuket marathon. (total 6.400 participants)