News Forum - Phuket Airport officials pulled tourist from van, insisted they use airport taxi

[Alavan]

9 hours ago, stapoz said:

I was in Puket about 10 years ago.  I was surprised there is no bus, train or shuttle bus to the city from the airport.  There were only taxis.  Took a taxi and paid 700B for the 15 minute drive.  After returning to the airport, I couldn't find anything cheaper either and had to pay 700B again. 10 years ago!  At bkk, I paid 100B for a similar ride. Since then, I have never been to Puket again, even though I have been several times to Surat Thani, Krabi and Ko Samui which are close to Puket. 

I wonder how you got from the airport to the city (Phuket Town) in 15 minutes.
I count 45 minutes to kathu or Phuket Town, one hour to Patong.
700 Baht is not such a bad price for private transport to those destinations.

[Alavan]

2 hours ago, Yuwatida said:

If I want to from Patong to the airport do I have to order a taxi from the airport to pick me up ??                       A taxi from Patong will probably be stopped before entering the airport so I will have to carry all my luggage to the entrance or order an airport taxi to drive the last few hundred meters. Crazy system.  

Never seen an arriving taxi stopped at the airport entry. Just take a local taxi from Patong if the price is right.

 

[Gene]

Greed and corruption really takes the enjoyment away from an otherwise lovely place.

[JamesR]

15 hours ago, MrStretch said:

Boycotting Phuket would seem the logical thing to do.

Government officials are always droning on about "damaging Thailand's reputation", yet they not only accept boorish, mafia-like behavior from the taxi consortia but like here, they actually participate in this reprehensible activity.

These behaviors clearly damage Thailand's reputation, but the brown envelopes make it worthwhile to be hypocritical, I'm sure.

Let's hope you and your daughter (in the picture) do boycott Phuket, I would like it to become a moan free island.

There are too many petty farang moaners around.

I have been taking taxis from Phuket airport to Kathu for decades, a nice easy system, you go to the taxi counter at arrivals after collecting your bag, you pay in advance from a clear list of prices displayed, the prices are very reasonable, you sit in the taxi and they take you to your destination.

What a terrible system.

The cheapskates need to stay away.

Go to Isan or some other cheap backward place where it probably costs 2 shilling to go wherever you want to in a taxi. 

[JamesR]

4 hours ago, Alavan said:

I wonder how you got from the airport to the city (Phuket Town) in 15 minutes.
I count 45 minutes to kathu or Phuket Town, one hour to Patong.
700 Baht is not such a bad price for private transport to those destinations.

He forgot to mention the taxi driver was Superman and they flew there.

700 baht is nothing compared to a 45 min taxi drive in London for example which would be about 3500 baht. 

Plus the taxis at Phuket airport are new and comfortable. 

 

[Pinga]

5 minutes ago, JamesR said:

The cheapskates need to stay away.

Another taxi-mafia apologist. The issue here isn't cheapskates - Phuket is the most expensive place in Thailand so by definition anyone going there for vacation is NOT a cheapskate. The issue here is lack of competition and choice. Taxi-mafia types can and do run scams, sometimes drunk or high, and overall scary to ride with. I'd much rather pay an app-based driver the same or more to ride with them than have to deal with taxi-mafia drivers.

Bottom line is the taxi-mafia is paying to have exclusive rights to pick up passengers at the terminal. This has nothing to do with safety and goes directly against the benefit of the tourists the airport is supposed to serve. It also slaps tourists in the face with the fact that they're walking ATMs on the island, right as they arrive.

[JamesR]

45 minutes ago, Pinga said:

Another taxi-mafia apologist. The issue here isn't cheapskates - Phuket is the most expensive place in Thailand so by definition anyone going there for vacation is NOT a cheapskate. The issue here is lack of competition and choice. Taxi-mafia types can and do run scams, sometimes drunk or high, and overall scary to ride with. I'd much rather pay an app-based driver the same or more to ride with them than have to deal with taxi-mafia drivers.

Bottom line is the taxi-mafia is paying to have exclusive rights to pick up passengers at the terminal. This has nothing to do with safety and goes directly against the benefit of the tourists the airport is supposed to serve. It also slaps tourists in the face with the fact that they're walking ATMs on the island, right as they arrive.

It is a good system.

The taxis need a licence to operate at the airport, the taxis are cheap and safe, you pay at the fixed price taxi desk and not the taxi driver, a very cheap and efficiently operated system.

There is provision for people with less money, you can share a mini bus to your destination with other travellers, also controlled at the taxi desk. It does take longer though as the passengers will be dropped off at various hotels in turn. 

Moaners and cheapskates please stay away, go to Pattaya or elsewhere if the low prices are not to your taste. 

 

[ThaiFoodGuy]

I've booked private rides through Klook multiple times from the Phuket airport to Rawai, the furthest destination from the airport, with no issues ever. Usually costs about 700 baht. Of course, once I'm IN Rawai, it's a pain in the ass to get a taxi or a ride anywhere really, even the blue shuttle bus that takes everyone around the island will refuse if I don't pay 500 baht to anywhere. Sucks but...at least @JamesRdoes have a point and I agree that the system, from the airport at least, works and isn't the issue.

[MrStretch]

4 hours ago, JamesR said:

Let's hope you and your daughter (in the picture) do boycott Phuket, I would like it to become a moan free island.

My 50-year-old wife thanks  you for the compliment.

As to the rest of your post, meh...

[Sumlee]

In view of the airport taxi prices it's probably cheaper (or not much more expensive) to have your hotel send you a car.

[BillO]

This actually made the news in the US and reflects very badly on Thailand. The report was warning Americans from traveling to such a dangerous and corrupt country. Not exactly the way they want to be seen here I suspect.