Big boost for Phuket

The unprecedented arrival in Phuket of five US Navy ships at the same time has given a boost to the island’s tourism industry and local economy, with about 5,700 US sailors and marines enjoying R&R on Phuket over the next few days.

The USS Boxer has returned to Phuket while on an extended tour of duty that will have kept the 2,982 crew members away from home for nine months. The Boxer is joined by the USS Comstock with a crew of 857; the USS Gridley destroyer with a crew of 380; the USS Thatch guided missile destroyer with a crew of 217; and the massive 208-meter stealth ship the USS New Orleans amphibious transport vessel, with just over 1,000 crew members, about 10% of whom are female officers.

Benefiting greatly from the steady stream of crew members venturing onto Phuket island are numerous taxi and mini-van operators waiting dockside to take visitors to entertainment areas such as Patong. According to one of the crew members who spoke with the Gazette, taxi drivers are charging an extortionate 2,000 baht per trip – about 1,400 baht more than the price local expats would consider a reasonable fare.

Food and souvenir vendors near the dock at the deep sea port are also charging high prices for their wares. Small bottles of water that usually sell for about ten baht each in convenience stores are sold on the dockside for 20 baht each.

USS New Orleans Commander Scott Davies said it was the ship’s first visit to Phuket. Mr Davies explained that the USS New Orleans has expanded medical capabilities and larger flight decks specifically designed for humanitarian missions, and that the ship’s crew are well versed in such scenarios from practice drills in the US.

When asked why Phuket was chosen as a port of call for all five ships, Mr Davies explained that Phuket was the destination of choice among crew members due to the island’s diverse options in entertainment. That sentiment was confirmed by other crew members who said that they always receive a warm welcome from the locals in Phuket.

(Phuket Gazette)

Hello Money.... errr, Mr!

Admin wrote:
Benefiting greatly from the steady stream of crew members venturing onto Phuket island are numerous taxi and mini-van operators waiting dockside to take visitors to entertainment areas such as Patong. According to one of the crew members who spoke with the Gazette, taxi drivers are charging an extortionate 2,000 baht per trip – about 1,400 baht more than the price local expats would consider a reasonable fare.

Food and souvenir vendors near the dock at the deep sea port are also charging high prices for their wares. Small bottles of water that usually sell for about ten baht each in convenience stores are sold on the dockside for 20 baht each.

I guess I am at the wrong place... I should be there and drive the sailors from the ship to the fun places... 2000 a trip... can't go wrong there...

There should be some regulations on that kind of scam... Giving the sailors/ tourists a bad view of the island..

Regulated scams.... I love it! 55!!

Yes, let's please protect Phuket's image as an innocent and fair priced destination... 55! Won't someone please protect Phuket?!

Cheers, snowflake!

How many of you guys would fly off the walls... if a taxi guy said 2000B for a 15min trip???

Sure, charge more, but 2000!!!! That is just silly... Everyone knows that you pay more when you are a tourist, but still, for a much needed tourist boost it does not help themselves to overcharge and then let the people travel back to USA and talk how much they got over charged...

they should think about the whole country, not only Phuket...
Take a Taxi fromt he airport, set fee for different parts of Bangkok/Phuket/NST... scam, yes, but still they do have some control over them...

Just like when you jump off the bus in Pattaya, there are price lists over how much you pay to get to different hotels and places, all scams but it prevents the taxi drivers to go become seriously greedy and stupid!

Just my opinion...
(I refuse to take a taxi in Phuket now since they come with some stupid figures).

I agree, I would never take a taxi in Phuket either! They are completely over-priced, IMO. But calling price fixing a scam isn't quite right.

If I see a list of prices, however high or low, and I'm actually charged the price listed, that's the furthest thing from a "scam"! A scam would be listing one price and charging more once at the destination or charging per person, rather then by the trip (as it should be by taxi in Phuket, for example). Another example of a scam would be charging a "fee" or "tax" for leaving the airport when no fee is levied on the taxi drivers. But this is not the case if the driver really does have ot pay a fee.

Stating a price and sticking to it NOT a scam but actually a very fair business practice. If the price is too high, then you have option not to pay but that is not a scam. You don't go to Saks Fifth Ave and tell them they're scammers just because every price tag is double what you want to pay, do you?

Scam: Fraudulent deal; To defraud or embezzle