News Forum - Recent crimes in Phuket are damaging its reputation

[Thaiger]

Just when Phuket thought it was about to revive its crippled tourism economy, the recent murders, thefts, and taxi ripoffs on the Island province are scarring its public image. The most high profile event of all was the murder by two hitmen of deported Canadian gangster Jimi Sandhu at a resort. The murder made a lot of international headlines and poor publicity for the southern island, so Thailand’s senior police flew to Phuket to review the investigation. But it’s not just the story of Jimi Sandhu that’s tearing Phuket up. The province’s bad press dates back to August when a […]

The story Recent crimes in Phuket are damaging its reputation as seen on Thaiger News.

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[francoa]

Lot of violence and homicides around Thailand. The police does not much.

 

Maybe they are focusing on farang abuse, own people bullying and closing bars way too much, instead of doing something actually worthy. 

[Marc26]

10 minutes ago, francoa said:

Lot of violence and homicides around Thailand. The police does not much.

Maybe they are focusing on farang abuse, own people bullying and closing bars way too much, instead of doing something actually worthy. 

Farang abuse?

You guys are out of your mind and just make shit up in your heads, I swear

 

You guys all just want to feel special

And when you aren't made to feel extra special in Thailand,  you make up some weird farang abuse 

 

News flash, none of you are special 

 

[dj230]

I will admit, I was thinking of eventually travelling to Phuket but probably won't now, not just from the shooting but overall what I learned from just reading about Phuket in the past month or so.

Sounds like a tourist trap, I have no clue why people go there. 

 

 

[Soidog]

12 minutes ago, Marc26 said:

Farang abuse?

You guys are out of your mind and just make shit up in your heads, I swear

You guys all just want to feel special

And when you aren't made to feel extra special in Thailand,  you make up some weird farang abuse 

News flash, none of you are special 

But aren’t we customers? Shouldn’t the customer be made to feel special and treated with respect? It’s like any other business. You can say you value your customer and basically do nothing and take advantage. Or you can walk the talk and make your customer feel valued and special and continue to grow your brand and grown your revenues. 

[Jason]

Interestingly, it's all about perception..... but having gone to the trouble of jumping through all the hoops and the Thailand Pass, you better get your act together, by the time I get there. It's been two years in the making and I want a holiday!!

[Lowseasonlover]

And the German woman who got Mugged 

[MrNovax]

"Recent"???  Are they just now figuring this out??? 

[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

1 hour ago, Thaiger said:

I was never great at maths.

Don't bother, you'll need to go far beyond reality.

[Graham]

All I can say to this is, Som Nam Na. 

[vlad]

Well, the nail has finally sunk in. I first came to Phuket in 2008. It was great no rip-offs or scams felt safe walking around or riding around from Patong to Rawai. I noticed it going downhill when JJ Naiman the Infamous Jet ski operator. Openly filmed holding a crew member from HMS Albion at gunpoint demanding thousands from him for damage that never happened. We then witnessed the Taxi Mafia moving in slashing tyres from tourists who parked on Patong beach rd. Many were assaulted in front of children but they were never prosecuted and it was known as a free for to assault and attack tourists because they argued or were being ripped off. Nothing was done incoming police chiefs were removed if they tried to tackle crime. I think it was Chan o Cha that said " well if you walk around in a bikini what do you expect if you get raped ". Now maybe 15 years later crime is rampant in Phuket and my opinion has driven tourists away due to the rip-offs, overpricing, our safety, and lack of Police protection. It is more expensive than some Spanish or Greek destinations.

[TimothyN]

1 hour ago, Lowseasonlover said:

And the German woman who got Mugged 

To be fair, that was in Phang Nga, not Phuket as originally claimed.

[Chatogaster]

1 hour ago, Transam said:

What are you actually afraid of that is different to any other holiday destination......?  

 

Scams are everywhere, but a) in some places more than others and b) there's a big difference between scams are easy to avoid, and scams that aren't

It's relatively easy to avoid scams like discounted gems, jet-ski damages, inflated bills, etc. 

But being fully aware from the start you're getting ripped of by a cab driver, just because there are no viable alternatives to get to your destination... That bites.
 

 

[koute]

2 hours ago, Soidog said:

But aren’t we customers? Shouldn’t the customer be made to feel special and treated with respect? It’s like any other business. You can say you value your customer and basically do nothing and take advantage. Or you can walk the talk and make your customer feel valued and special and continue to grow your brand and grown your revenues. 

maybe you are the customer nobody wants.

money makes you special.. good booiiii

equal is the magic word... special my ass

[Cabra]

It use to be Pattaya (and Bangkok) that would get most of the bad press for lawlessness. It's disappointing that Phuket has slipped the way it has. Honestly, I've never felt unsafe in any of those places. But I've lived within the city limits of both Detroit and Oakland, CA, so it's all relative.

[Poolie]

31 minutes ago, Chatogaster said:

Scams are everywhere, but a) in some places more than others and b) there's a big difference between scams are easy to avoid, and scams that aren't

It's relatively easy to avoid scams like discounted gems, jet-ski damages, inflated bills, etc. 

But being fully aware from the start you're getting ripped of by a cab driver, just because there are no viable alternatives to get to your destination... That bites.
 

Oh yes there is. If you patiently wait, you can share a minibus and get dropped off at the door. I did this last time in Phuket and staying in Patong. Cost me 150baht if I remember right. Four years ago. 

[JustAnotherExpat]

3 hours ago, dj230 said:

I will admit, I was thinking of eventually travelling to Phuket but probably won't now, not just from the shooting but overall what I learned from just reading about Phuket in the past month or so.

Sounds like a tourist trap, I have no clue why people go there. 

I went there for a month in 2008 to do my TEFL course. Other than Fantasea, I found it to be a great big "meh." The scuba was dead coral, the nightlife wasn't anything you couldn't find anywhere else - bottom line, I would never recommend it.

[Cathat]

phuket has had an increasingly poor reputation for decades among visitors, particularly the europeans.

All the same old annoyances have been reported on over and over again and nothing  has ever been done about any of them by the industry or the authorities.

the whole places reputation is broken beyond repair, quite justifiably.

people have voted with their feet and who can blame them.

the whole island is a disgrace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 13, 2022 by Cathat

[Stonker]

4 hours ago, Thaiger said:

Just when Phuket thought it was about to revive its crippled tourism economy, the recent murders, thefts, and taxi ripoffs on the Island province are scarring its public image. The most high profile event of all was the murder by two hitmen of deported Canadian gangster Jimi Sandhu at a resort. The murder made a lot of international headlines and poor publicity for the southern island, so Thailand’s senior police flew to Phuket to review the investigation. But it’s not just the story of Jimi Sandhu that’s tearing Phuket up. The province’s bad press dates back to August when a […]

The story Recent crimes in Phuket are damaging its reputation as seen on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

So what's new?

What "reputation" is being damaged?

It's like damaging a dog turd by stepping in it.

While Phuket may have it's attractions for retirees and long term expats, I've never been able to see why tourists would want to go there - Pattaya has plenty of faults, God knows, but if you want sun, sand and sex which is what most tourists go to either for then why spend more going to Phuket just so you can avoid saying that you went to Pattaya?

[Guest1]

4 hours ago, dj230 said:

I will admit, I was thinking of eventually travelling to Phuket but probably won't now, not just from the shooting but overall what I learned from just reading about Phuket in the past month or so.

Sounds like a tourist trap, I have no clue why people go there. 

So, you are a thug from Canada? Or any other country? No? Why should someone send killer for you?

And if you have LEARNED about the things, going on on Phuket, aren't you prepared, then?

You should be grateful that you could learn about all (most of) the scams /dangers beforehand. Most of the people, who got in trouble on Phuket, could have learned about it, too. It is widely reported in the medias, over the past decade/s. But they didn't, some of them even called it "they are so negative about this island", came, got scammed, complained, but still: That was an accident (That they got in contact with this one person, who scammed them) and that's why it still is, how it is.  Realism is not that much liked, over optimism however ....!

Aside: The one or the other thing can happen everywhere, in Thailand, in the world. Just, perhaps, not so good documented. Yet!

 

[Soidog]

1 hour ago, koute said:

maybe you are the customer nobody wants.

money makes you special.. good booiiii

equal is the magic word... special my ass

Thanks for your kind words to a total stranger. You’ve missed the point of course, but never mind. 
 

As for your comment about equality. Yes please. I’m all for that. Like equal pricing. Equal policing. I’d trade everything being equal for foreigners and Thais in Thailand in place of being treated special as “customers” should. You can’t have it all ways…

[Fundok]

4 hours ago, Marc26 said:

Farang abuse?

You guys are out of your mind and just make shit up in your heads, I swear

You guys all just want to feel special

And when you aren't made to feel extra special in Thailand,  you make up some weird farang abuse 

News flash, none of you are special 

I do not ask for or expect to be treated "special" (whatever that means).

But in fact I do expect that I am treated decently in the host country. Too much to ask for?

[Poolie]

If its for you, all well and good. If it doesn't suit, don't go, no-one is making you go.

[Soidog]

8 minutes ago, Fundok said:

I do not ask for or expect to be treated "special" (whatever that means).

But in fact I do expect that I am treated decently in the host country. Too much to ask for?

Not only is it too much to ask for in Thailand. The good news for the Thai authorities is that there are plenty of foreigners who support and encourage it. A form of self punishment I assume?

As many have already said. The authorities knows what’s wrong. Fixing it is easy. It’s the will to do it that’s the problem. 

[Fundok]

4 hours ago, whitesnake said:

Good luck on that one!!! Thailand is in a sorry state at present I'm afraid. Most tourist destinations are either still closed or gone out of business! Chiang Mai (where I work!!!) is still like a ghost city! There's more life at a village cremation service than there is in the city centre at present! I'm sure "other" destinations in Thailand have a similar story to tell.

A holiday is meant to be time to relax and have fun and divert one's attention to more frivolous things to do; alas, you won't get that any of that here, at present.

Suggest: bring "War & Peace" or, "Calculus Theory Explained!" Both these will provide way more entertainment during your long days sat there thinking, "should I twiddle my thumbs a bit more?!" Apologies for p@ss$%g on your bonfire! 

Can confirm: been to Anusarn Night Market in CM last month on a Saturday night. Pre-Covid it would have been full with people, hard to make your way. This time: many shops closed, as well as the food outlets, hardly any visitors. So it really depends on what you are looking for in your holidays to determine if you will enjoy yourself or not.