Aus Hon Con in tense talks over Phuket jet-ski incident

[Arkady 3,436]

Good for the Ozzie consul in refusing to be intimidated by this repulsive gang of thieves all colluding to rip off tourists.

He is actually acting in the best interests of Thailand. Now that the ruling party has botched economic management so badly with unproductive hand outs and growing corruption, the PM is desperation is saying they will have to boost tourism to avert a current account deficit, since exports have slumped. Firing all the corrupt government officials in tourist resorts from the provincial governors down to police station commanders would be a great place to start. But she wants her cake and eat it - allow rip offs, rapes and murders of tourists to go unpunished and hope that bare faced lying will always work to sweep the truth under the carpet and keep the mugs coming.

[deesquared 121]

Sounds like it's time for Mr Cunningham to be transferred out. He now has an adversarial relationship with the Thai authorities and has become ineffective.

[leewood 3]

It's very simple - word should be put out there that NOBODY should rent these jet ski's. Come on holiday to enjoy yourself - would you really have had a poor holiday had you gone home having not rented out a jet ski? doubt it.

How's the Phuket taste in your mouth now that this has happened tot eh kid? And what's he gonna do first thing he does when he goes home? Tell everyone his story and damage Phuket even more.

These toe rags need to be put out of business and it's only by stopping renting them that it will happen!

Good luck to mr Cunningham though - he's being very brave here doing his duty but i worry for him because these guys can be dangerous!!

[Just1Voice 24,314]

Will we see some BOYCOTT PHUKET as we saw some Boycott Sochi ? I have to congratulate the Hon Con in this mater. Could be an example for the other consuls on the island. Anyway the threat from this lady is absolutely amazing .

It actually wouldn't be too hard for someone with the technical know how to have an Anti-Phuket webpage rank very highly on a google search using some simple SEO techniques. I don't feel the need to personally dissuade people from going, but a boycott campaign will really hit them where it hurts. I am actually surprised it hasn't been done already, given the amount of people who get ripped off there.

Tell me how to do it, I will pay for it!

Actually, you wouldn't even have to set up a web site. You can set up a Facebook account where incidents and photos can be placed. The hard part would then be getting it listed on Google, and other search engines, so that it pops up when anyone does a search. Otherwise, simple enough to do.

1) Purchase, download and install a program that hides your IP address.

2) Set up a new email address to use when setting up the Face Book page, using the IP hiding software.

3) "Share" it with all of your friends, and ask them to also share with all of theirs, and so on.

4) Every time there is an article in regards to scams, attacks, murders, etc, against foreigners by Thai, post it.

I have a feeling it wouldn't take long for it to become "viral" and, of course, the Thai government would be looking for ways to shut it down because it gives Thailand a "bad image". lol

[scorecard 20,715]

Seems that Mrs Siriporn is responsible for passport matters only, but in this case she's talking / acting way outside of her role.

[bangkokheat 1,693]

i used to love thailand, over the two years i have lived here it has manifested into hatred, i am hoping to be out of here come new year

[dudu 420]

i used to love thailand, over the two years i have lived here it has manifested into hatred, i am hoping to be out of here come new year

You are easily deterred and 90 percent of the things posted here have probably never affected you, Thailand is a big place, where do you live to have grown such a hate?

Edited August 31, 2013 by dudu

[Raybo 22]

The word needs to spread throughout Europe, Australia, and the USA, just don't go to Phuket!

Whatever happened to Thai's saving face?

ChuLai 6768

[Lancelot 1,219]

Larry Cuningham has a spine, unlike the Australian Embassy in Bangkok which are pathetic and run by Thais that side with Thais when there is ever an issue.

M Cuningham is an honorary consul, not a Australian civil servant / diplomat. He's not protected by any law. I'm afraid his visa will not be renewed.

We don't know this to be true. Ms Siraporn's comments wwere not well thought out; however, I would think they are not rtepresentative of all Thai officials attitudes. (We live in hope...)

This will Never Stop happening as long as the authority's allow These Thai Thug Mafia Scammers to operate... Never.... They Know that they can and will get away with it.

Phuket, Samui and Pattaya all the same...

So sad....

True but tourists continue to rent jet skis.despite the increased awareness. So, other than superficial "We are on it" press releases from the Thai authorities, why should they change their ways? The money keeps rolling in

Edited August 31, 2013 by Lancelot

[k9guy62 29]

He did well, but also he did his job so we don't go overboard with praise.

Are there people knowledged about jet skis who know what kind of damage a submerged jet ski incurs? Surely a watercraft like this is designed to withstand a dunking?

There is no damaged caused by submerging a jet ski. It may foul the plugs in which case you remove them, clean them and put them back in. I've seen the jet ski's they use in Phuket and they are all pretty recent models which means that most of those issues have been fixed. Jet ski's are designed to be submerged. I had two early models and that was nearly 10 years ago and I could completely submerge them and as long I kept my hand on the throttle it would not die. If it so happened that it did die, about 90% of the time you could reboard and it would start back up again. If you get water in the engine hold, you simply put the jet ski on the trailer and pull the plug and drain out the water. These guys are simply just shaking folks down. The bottom line is don't rent from these thugs. Unless your stay in a local condo includes watercraft, don't bother renting from the thugs bad, bad, things happen.

[CNXTim 132]

Two course of action;

1: Since the locals don't give a ratsarse, the central government and TAT should step in or;

2: Leave Phuket to the mugs who think it is an OK place to spend their time and money.

.

I choose 2:

[dudu 420]

In the end.it has nothing to do with jetskis or scammers,it has to do with enforcing the law...this is something they are not willing to do, even at the top.reminding the consul,that he has a business here and should be more catious with his words, there is no real law and order,end of story, we can discuss this till we are blue in the face, like water off a ducks back and guess what? tomorrow we will have another story to discuss, groundhog day guys....

[Gummigalgen 101]

Does anybody happens to have the cell.phone nr. of K. Siriporn Tantiphanyatep, the Director of the Phuket Passport Office..............?

I have a sms prepared for her.

[Maggusoil 1,150]

Its worth noting over and over that in Thailand it is wise to enjoy the food, the fashion . . and whatever

and keep as low a profile as possible

As noted by many, Mr. Cunningham has stuck his neck out for a fellow Australian, somewhere a man

with his profile could easily be targeted.

[mikemac 5,360]

Good for the Ozzie consul in refusing to be intimidated by this repulsive gang of thieves all colluding to rip off tourists.

He is actually acting in the best interests of Thailand. Now that the ruling party has botched economic management so badly with unproductive hand outs and growing corruption, the PM is desperation is saying they will have to boost tourism to avert a current account deficit, since exports have slumped. Firing all the corrupt government officials in tourist resorts from the provincial governors down to police station commanders would be a great place to start. But she wants her cake and eat it - allow rip offs, rapes and murders of tourists to go unpunished and hope that bare faced lying will always work to sweep the truth under the carpet and keep the mugs coming.

Than you Arkady, for a well written comment.

I think the reason I still love Thailand after 8 years here, on and off, is because I have never set foot on Phukhet, Samui or in Pattaya, and avoid Bangkok unless I have to go to the Embassy etc.

Have spent my time in Chiang Rai, 4 years, and now Chiang Mai for the last 4 years, and really don't have too many bad experiences to relate. I am careful when I go out for a beer and avoid Karaoke bars like the plague. Have trouble feeling sorry for anyone ripped off by such well known scumbags such as jet-ski touts etc.

I do like the idea of a website telling overseas visitors of the dangers of local scams, probably the best way to get the message to the masses.

Would have to be set up outside of Thailand, of course, and even then it would eventually be blocked for telling the truth.