- By James R Urban
Beautiful beaches in Thailand are one of the main reasons why there are lots of tourists coming in. Phuket is among the well known developed beach resorts in Thailand having its beautiful spot, clear water and wide range of accommodations. But despite of these great things about Thailand, there is still a negative side. For foreign tourists, Thailand's worst cases are linked to the Thailand Jet Ski Scammers. On many areas of Thai beaches, you will see jet skis for rent. They are easy to operate and can be great for fun especially when you are with your friends or family but before you decide to have a go, you need to be aware of this scam. It is very common in Phuket, Pattaya and Koh Samui and has been going on for years all around Thailand where tourists were accused of some scratch damage and suddenly the operator will charge you a ridiculous amount of about 40,000 baht for the repair. Be careful with them as there are a lot of scammers who have guns, and they will use it.
- How does the Jet Ski scam operate?
The tourist will rent a Jet Ski for 30 minutes or so and when they come back to the shore to surrender the ski, like the usual, the operators will inspect the ski for the damage. The tourist will then be surprised to know that they have caused damage and therefore they will be asked to pay a huge amount of money to compensate for the damages. Of course, the tourist will refuse to pay because they know they did not do anything to cause the scratch on the ski. Tourists are often threatened with knives and guns if they refuse to pay, and they are surrounded by thugs to back up the scammers. There are also evidences that prove that policemen are also involved by acting as negotiators and thus they get 20% of the money. Tourists complain to the daily city officials on the Jet Ski operators asking for large sums of money for damages known as the Jet Ski Scam. Sometimes the damage is real, but mostly it's old damage that has not been picked ahead of the tourist. And the scammers/operators are courageous enough because in Phuket, operators are now covered by insurance, where the tourist has to pay a small amount if the damage is caused. As read from different sources, Thai scammers don't hit Thai people or foreigners who live in their locale. Their primary victims are the first time visitors or the tourists as they think that it makes them easy to fool. It is highly recommended that one should avoid doing business with Thai Jet ski operators. But if you do, please be updated with these tips:
- Never leave your passport to an operator even if they're asking for
- Be diligent, and check out any scratches before renting a ski.
- Take several photos with a digital camera as this will make good evidence when problems occur.
- Check the sound of the machine. If you find something wrong, do not rent it.
- Simply agree on a price before getting in.
- Drive carefully and stay away from other craft and swimming areas.
- Be sure that skis are under Thai law.
- If you decide to ski, remember the Tourist Police's phone number 1155.
Like many others who have undergone this type of scam, these people now think twice about returning to Thailand. They are also worried that one of their friends will come when they were told about this scam. You can always research and you will see all the reports and stories about the scam.
Pattaya, on the other hand, has not done anything else to resolve the Pattaya scam other than meeting with the people involved and discuss the issue on another meeting. It's basically the same thing but there are no resolutions. In Pattaya, the scam is not a case of insurance but a registration system. According to delegates, traders are discouraged from scamming tourists. In case that they violate this, they will lose their right to move on beaches. No details of when the registration scheme will start or how it will work but it were agreed in a formal meeting, which will be followed by other meetings in the future.
To site a specific case, a 28-year old man was arrested and charged after an altercation injury to personal watercraft in Patong which was made public all over the world. He had an argument with the British Navy who took a leave from Phuket, was filmed and became part of the first episode of a television series which was screened in Britain on Monday.
- It is instantly recognizable that the man faces counts of demanding money with threats and possession of a weapon. A screening of the television program entitled "Big Trouble" shows tourism in Thailand and it took place in Kathu police station. The first of the eight-part series are aired on British television and it features the scam in Phuket at its peak. Thais who saw the show were shocked by the image of tourism in Thailand. It represents several incidents of Jet Ski scams including the ones that occurred in Phang Ngan.
Kathu Police Station had a history of involvement in similar incidents in which operators demand large sums of money for pre-existing damage to skis. The governor dismissed the appeal for bail of the family of the man arrested because although the weapon was a BB gun, intimidation of the type shown on television is unacceptable. The whole story is a bit funny because the new rules are the rules for the old days. If you have insurance then the company should have been registered. None of the operators are registered, do not pay taxes, and are not insured. The concern at the highest level comes as a similar restraint which took place at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok where gangs of illegal taxi drivers and tour guides are arrested for extortion. Thailand now seem to be willing to clean up its image as a tourist destination, but numbers of valuable industries may pay a high price for years of neglect and corruption.
- Phuket Andaman coast tourism as well as neighboring provinces of Phang Nga and Krabi had already banned Jet Skis on its resorts. Many people believe that it is time that the authorities wake up and take action because these scams are becoming more and more alarming. To avoid being scammed, it is advisable to not rent a ski in Thailand and never pay for damages in case you come across this problem. Or another way to avoid this if you really want to ski is to rent a room in a resort where they also offer rides in a package. Make sure that you make a research for the resorts that has good feedback of their services. Since 2009, Thailand has received a lot of negative feedback from the international press. Tourists have been telling their locals about their bad experiences dealing with Thailand Jet Ski scammers. Like many other people who have encountered this nightmare, some maybe in doubt of spending their vacation to Thailand beaches. It's sad that the local government has done nothing for a very long time and many residents of Phuket claimed that police are involved with the operations.
The rules and possible problems concerning Thailand Jet Skis gone from bad to worse. If you are still planning to visit Thailand's beaches to spend your vacation, just a piece of advice - never ride a Jet Ski. The rats who hire them will rip you off and then call their police friends who are just after their cut so there is no way you can win.
Young girls in Pattaya grew so concerned by the Thailand Jet Ski Scammers and posted a lot of information about it to warn others and avoid more victims.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_R_Urban
http://EzineArticles.com/?All-Tourists-Have-to-Know-About-Jet-Ski-Swindling-Incidents-in-Thailand&id=5961738
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