Goh Kena Conned in Phuket!

[makapaaa]

<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>Beware of vanishing cabbies and pressure sales tactics in Phuket
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I WOULD like to warn Singaporeans of some unsavoury sales tactics I encountered in Phuket during my recent visit with my family in the second week of June.
When we arrived at Phuket airport, one taxi driver approached us. He agreed to drive us to our hotel for an agreed sum. He then asked us to follow him.
We thought he was taking us to his taxi. Instead, he took us to a counter near the exit. A woman tried to sell us a Marriott hotel holiday package, but we said we were not interested. When I returned the brochure to her, she snatched it rudely. And as for the taxi driver, he had disappeared.
We made our way out and were greeted by many taxi drivers. We took one.
About 20 minutes into our journey from the airport to our hotel in Patong Beach, the cabby turned into a carpark outside a tour agency, saying he had to sign something, and jumped out.
We waited for a few minutes. Two women from the tour agency approached us and spoke for more than 15 minutes, asking us to book an island tour. The driver did not come out and we felt stranded and pressured. In the end, we gave in and signed up for the tour at an overpriced rate, as we discovered later.
On the day of our tour, the driver came earlier than the specified time and claimed we did not show up. Fortunately, we had many witnesses who saw us waiting at the hotel lobby and carpark.
We took a cab to the office to claim a refund. The tour agency agreed to 50 per cent refund or another tour for us the next day. However, our trust in the agency was broken and we did not want to continue.
We called the police for assistance, as the situation was becoming aggressive - one of the staff members threatened to pour water over me and my camera because we had taken a photo of the office. With the aid of the police, we managed to get a full refund, minus the 3 per cent charge for using our credit card for payment.
I urge the public to be wary of taxi drivers from Phuket airport.
First, do your homework on taxi fares to your destination. It is better to hire only metered cabs.
Second, as a precaution, tell the taxi driver beforehand you do not want to make any stop on the way to your hotel. I found out it is against a government rule to do so.
Third, the number you can call if you run into trouble in Phuket is 1155 (tourist police). Check out the website at phuketdir.com/pkttouristpolice. Goh Toke Nang (Mdm)

 

[halsey02]

<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>Beware of vanishing cabbies and pressure sales tactics in Phuket
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I WOULD like to warn Singaporeans of some unsavoury sales tactics I encountered in Phuket during my recent visit with my family in the second week of June.
When we arrived at Phuket airport, one taxi driver approached us. He agreed to drive us to our hotel for an agreed sum. He then asked us to follow him.
We thought he was taking us to his taxi. Instead, he took us to a counter near the exit. A woman tried to sell us a Marriott hotel holiday package, but we said we were not interested. When I returned the brochure to her, she snatched it rudely. And as for the taxi driver, he had disappeared.
We made our way out and were greeted by many taxi drivers. We took one.
About 20 minutes into our journey from the airport to our hotel in Patong Beach, the cabby turned into a carpark outside a tour agency, saying he had to sign something, and jumped out.
We waited for a few minutes. Two women from the tour agency approached us and spoke for more than 15 minutes, asking us to book an island tour. The driver did not come out and we felt stranded and pressured. In the end, we gave in and signed up for the tour at an overpriced rate, as we discovered later.
On the day of our tour, the driver came earlier than the specified time and claimed we did not show up. Fortunately, we had many witnesses who saw us waiting at the hotel lobby and carpark.
We took a cab to the office to claim a refund. The tour agency agreed to 50 per cent refund or another tour for us the next day. However, our trust in the agency was broken and we did not want to continue.
We called the police for assistance, as the situation was becoming aggressive - one of the staff members threatened to pour water over me and my camera because we had taken a photo of the office. With the aid of the police, we managed to get a full refund, minus the 3 per cent charge for using our credit card for payment.
I urge the public to be wary of taxi drivers from Phuket airport.
First, do your homework on taxi fares to your destination. It is better to hire only metered cabs.
Second, as a precaution, tell the taxi driver beforehand you do not want to make any stop on the way to your hotel. I found out it is against a government rule to do so.
Third, the number you can call if you run into trouble in Phuket is 1155 (tourist police). Check out the website at phuketdir.com/pkttouristpolice. Goh Toke Nang (Mdm)

Mdm Goh, should have done her homework before going to Phuket, or anywhere else, if she hadn't being there.

For those who are familar with Phuket airport...they are plenty of 'sharks' out to fleece you...that goes with any airports in the world.

She should have arranged for a pickup from the airport....don;t know how much it is now... I think it is around BHT600 from airport to hotel(s) at Patong Beach & a pickup from hotel(s) to airport, when she is leaving...

She should have done her homework...:p

 

[tonychat]

The driver did not come out and we felt stranded and pressured. In the end, we gave in and signed up for the tour at an overpriced rate, as we discovered later.

The sinkie stupidity shows. He should show his middle finger and tell them to fuck off. And pls do a bit of research on phuket in the internet and get a map as well before going to ( in his context) unchartered territory.

 

[tonychat]

Mdm Goh, should have done her homework before going to Phuket, or anywhere else, if she hadn't being there.

For those who are familar with Phuket airport...they are plenty of 'sharks' out to fleece you...that goes with any airports in the world.

She should have arranged for a pickup from the airport....don;t know how much it is now... I think it is around BHT600 from airport to hotel(s) at Patong Beach & a pickup from hotel(s) to airport, when she is leaving...

She should have done her homework...:p

I have been to phuket and the taxi driver is very nice to me and help me carry my luggage and half way through , i ask him how much , he dun wanna tell me , i ask him the 2nd time, he told me 600. I tell him to stop and i snatch my luggage from his hand and walk back. The driver damn LL.

i walk around the street and finally got a tuk tuk like taxi and pay a 500 baht and i got no choice, that is 6am. Even in chiangmai, there are many taxi drivers at the train station as well asking you where you wanna go.

THat is the norm and it is this part where you should use your streetwise smartness, and of course those over protected, egoistic sinkies will lose their way there.

 

[SIFU]

I have been to phuket and the taxi driver is very nice to me and help me carry my luggage and half way through , i ask him how much , he dun wanna tell me , i ask him the 2nd time, he told me 600. I tell him to stop and i snatch my luggage from his hand and walk back. The driver damn LL.

i walk around the street and finally got a tuk tuk like taxi and pay a 500 baht and i got no choice, that is 6am. Even in chiangmai, there are many taxi drivers at the train station as well asking you where you wanna go.

THat is the norm and it is this part where you should use your streetwise smartness, and of course those over protected, egoistic sinkies will lose their way there.

thailand is full of crooks and ah guas..

 

[SIFU]

The sinkie stupidity shows. He should show his middle finger and tell them to fuck off. And pls do a bit of research on phuket in the internet and get a map as well before going to ( in his context) unchartered territory.

so the touts are of no fault at all huh..

CB kia tonychat:oIo::oIo:

 

[shOUTloud]

THat is the norm and it is this part where you should use your streetwise smartness, and of course those over protected, egoistic sinkies will lose their way there.

That's why Goh is writing this letter to the press to share her experiences. Soon there will be no over protected, egoistic sinkies for the phuket sharks to makan.

 

[tonychat]

First, do your homework on taxi fares to your destination. It is better to hire only metered cabs.
Second, as a precaution, tell the taxi driver beforehand you do not want to make any stop on the way to your hotel. I found out it is against a government rule to do so.
Third, the number you can call if you run into trouble in Phuket is 1155 (tourist police)

Learn from experience, that is life. Nothing special in that.

The good thing is , at least, she never fly back to Singapore to make a police report, like some sinkie goondu who went to JB.

 

[yinyang]

General rule of thumb for any airports: Go to public taxi counter (avoid touts). Not unless you have pre-arranged transfers.

 

[tonychat]

General rule of thumb for any airports: Go to public taxi counter (avoid touts). Not unless you have pre-arranged transfers.

Taxi counter also kanna conned.

I always go to the part where they alight the passenger and i hop right in after that and declare the meter turn on Or else my middle finger will show.

 

[suteerak1099]

<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>Beware of vanishing cabbies and pressure sales tactics in Phuket
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>




<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I WOULD like to warn Singaporeans of some unsavoury sales tactics I encountered in Phuket during my recent visit with my family in the second week of June.
When we arrived at Phuket airport, one taxi driver approached us. He agreed to drive us to our hotel for an agreed sum. He then asked us to follow him.
We thought he was taking us to his taxi. Instead, he took us to a counter near the exit. A woman tried to sell us a Marriott hotel holiday package, but we said we were not interested. When I returned the brochure to her, she snatched it rudely. And as for the taxi driver, he had disappeared.
We made our way out and were greeted by many taxi drivers. We took one.
About 20 minutes into our journey from the airport to our hotel in Patong Beach, the cabby turned into a carpark outside a tour agency, saying he had to sign something, and jumped out.
We waited for a few minutes. Two women from the tour agency approached us and spoke for more than 15 minutes, asking us to book an island tour. The driver did not come out and we felt stranded and pressured. In the end, we gave in and signed up for the tour at an overpriced rate, as we discovered later.
On the day of our tour, the driver came earlier than the specified time and claimed we did not show up. Fortunately, we had many witnesses who saw us waiting at the hotel lobby and carpark.
We took a cab to the office to claim a refund. The tour agency agreed to 50 per cent refund or another tour for us the next day. However, our trust in the agency was broken and we did not want to continue.
We called the police for assistance, as the situation was becoming aggressive - one of the staff members threatened to pour water over me and my camera because we had taken a photo of the office. With the aid of the police, we managed to get a full refund, minus the 3 per cent charge for using our credit card for payment.
I urge the public to be wary of taxi drivers from Phuket airport.
First, do your homework on taxi fares to your destination. It is better to hire only metered cabs.
Second, as a precaution, tell the taxi driver beforehand you do not want to make any stop on the way to your hotel. I found out it is against a government rule to do so.
Third, the number you can call if you run into trouble in Phuket is 1155 (tourist police). Check out the website at phuketdir.com/pkttouristpolice. Goh Toke Nang (Mdm)

this is a classic example of stupidity as tourists. the rule of thumb is not to be a cheapo when going on overseas travels. if unsure, always take a decent (minimum) package comprising of flight+ accommodations + airport transfers. especially when going to places where language barrier can cause inconveniences.

if its the maiden voyage, there's a choice to take a full guided tour, or partial guided tour, or 1 day tour. this serves as an orientation route, so to better familiarize oneself with the place. there're always free tourists maps available at the airport arrival, or at the hotel reception. these maps come in pretty handy if one endeavors free & easy unguided roaming.

clearly, this chap who complaint is 1 of the dumb suckers who don't know anything & tried to be a smart alek, ended up getting skinned by commission hunting cabbies. from the moment he boarded the taxi (without meter), already proves he was sending himself into the tiger's mouth.

 

[SIFU]

Taxi counter also kanna conned.

I always go to the part where they alight the passenger and i hop right in after that and declare the meter turn on Or else my middle finger will show.

huh?? thai taxi drivers also got con ppl meh?? i tot in your CB eyes all thais are saints..

fuck u lah CB Kia tonychat.. if a thai tourist come to spore n get con by spore taxi drivers, will u sing the same tune??:oIo::oIo:

will u say thai tourist r stupid? or will be skin the spore taxi drivers?:oIo:

 

[hairylee]

All we sinkies have the mentality of LKY, that's why he could not do business with the Chinese in Suzhou. He can only be a bully in Singapore.

 

[tonychat]

this is a classic example of stupidity as tourists. the rule of thumb is not to be a cheapo when going on overseas travels. if unsure, always take a decent (minimum) package comprising of flight+ accommodations + airport transfers. especially when going to places where language barrier can cause inconveniences.

if its the maiden voyage, there's a choice to take a full guided tour, or partial guided tour, or 1 day tour. this serves as an orientation route, so to better familiarize oneself with the place. there're always free tourists maps available at the airport arrival, or at the hotel reception. these maps come in pretty handy if one endeavors free & easy unguided roaming.

clearly, this chap who complaint is 1 of the dumb suckers who don't know anything & tried to be a smart alek, ended up getting skinned by commission hunting cabbies. from the moment he boarded the taxi (without meter), already proves he was sending himself into the tiger's mouth.

Sinkie mah.. that is how they behave.. what do you expect?

 

[zhihau]

Third, the number you can call if you run into trouble in Phuket is 1155 (tourist police). Check out the website at phuketdir.com/pkttouristpolice. Goh Toke Nang (Mdm)

hmm... for my maiden voyage to Phuket recently, i just managed to get transport from Airport to Patong beach at 100baht per head, and regarding the tour package, i managed to find one at BangLa road area, total of 2000baht per head for 2 days, inclusive of full transport to/fro hotel to locations (PhangNga & don't-know-what-pier), lunch/fruits/drinks, river rafting 5km, ATV ride, elephant ride, 30min speedboat ride to Raya Island, snorkeling, empty beaches, good massages at 200baht, then another 100baht per head from Patong to Airport... is this expensive or what?

 

[tonychat]

hmm... for my maiden voyage to Phuket recently, i just managed to get transport from Airport to Patong beach at 100baht per head, and regarding the tour package, i managed to find one at BangLa road area, total of 2000baht per head for 2 days, inclusive of full transport to/fro hotel to locations (PhangNga & don't-know-what-pier), lunch/fruits/drinks, river rafting 5km, ATV ride, elephant ride, 30min speedboat ride to Raya Island, snorkeling, empty beaches, good massages at 200baht, then another 100baht per head from Patong to Airport... is this expensive or what?

It is cheap..2000 baht is just like $80 to $90.

I just have a buffet and i treat my birthday fren.. 930 baht per head.

 

[SIFU]

It is cheap..2000 baht is just like $80 to $90.

I just have a buffet and i treat my birthday fren.. 930 baht per head.

CB Kia tonychat,

u r a fucking cheapo..:oIo:

 

[johnny333]

For those who are familar with Phuket airport...they are plenty of 'sharks' out to fleece you...that goes with any airports in the world.

Yah. sardines from Spore have little chance against the sharks out there

They say travelling broadens your horizons. As more Sporeans travel, hopefully they'll learn more about live outside Spore & start asking questions from our local piranhas in white

 

[yinyang]

hmm... for my maiden voyage to Phuket recently, i just managed to get transport at 100baht per head ...BangLa road area.. is this expensive or what?

Definitely cheaper than succumbing to floozies in sois bangla/eric:p

 

[streetsmart73]

hi there

1. honest, what does goh expect from thailand, world-class service with no cheats or what.
2. get real, in developing countries & 3rd world countries, there are plenty of stuffs, sinkies fail to see, and expect to see no evil and do no evil.
3. even in sin, there are but could not be seen by the naked eyes.
4. goh, wake up! and when you travel the next time, trust yourself and not any other persons.