A Tale of two Tales; "Taxi Mafia" in Nai Thon ?

[KAPPA]

.. or misunderstanding between the locals ? Here is The Phuket News Version , it differs in may aspects from Phuket Wan, including the point of view - which is more reliable? As the Phuket News has a name , and PW is quoting anonymous...

________

Phuket News - Taxi
PHUKET: Local taxi drivers on Nai Thon Beach got into a confrontation today with a driver who they believed was hired by an unregistered Russian tour company to sneak in and pick up two guests at Naithonburi Beach Resort.

The village headman of Sakoo Moo 4, Sompong Panyawai, said people believed this was the case because the minibus did not display a tour company logo, only the name of the vehicle owner, “Sudarat”, on the side.
Sharp-eyed local taxi drivers said they set a “temporary checkpoint” to stop the minibus entering the resort, and found the driver could not produce a voucher from the tour company.
Then, they said, he denied that he had come to pick up guests, turned his vehicle around and stopped about 100 metres away from the resort.
Suspecting that he had called the guests to come and meet him, they kept watch and soon saw two Russians walk out of the resort in the direction of the minibus.
The quick-thinking local drivers then swiftly surrounded the minibus and, said Mr Sompong, told him to go away in language that cannot be repeated here.
The two guests turned back to the resort.
The incident was reported to Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha at noon, prompting him to order the Clerk of Thalang district, Buri Thammarak, and the Superintendent of Tha Chat Chai police station to investigate.
Mr Sompong insisted that there had been no fight. “It’s not a big deal. We just had a little disagreement,” he said.
Mr Buri said he had confirmed – by talking to the locals drivers – that the minibus had been hired by an unregistered Russian company.
“We also received information that these two guests might have bought a tour from a small booth, which might itself be illegal,” said Mr Buri.
He added that about 20 legal tour companies have an agreement with local taxi drivers in Nai Thon to pick up guests who book tours with these companies.
The minibus involved in today’s dispute was not in this list of tour companies.
Mr Buri was quick to play down any talk of violence. “When it comes to taxi violence, Nai Thon Beach is the calmest beach in Phuket. We don’t usually have this sort of problem,” he said.
He agreed with the local drivers that today’s dispute had been caused by the minibus driver who had not followed Phuket’s unofficial but rigidly enforced taxi zoning rule.
There are currently about 30 taxis based on Nai Thon beach. Some of them are not licensed.
______________



And Phuket Wan version : Note the dramatic headline , based on one opinion

Phuket Taxi Group 'Has Control in Nai Thon,' says Whistle-Blower - Phuket Wan

PHUKET: A man who alleges local taxi drivers have set up a checkpoint on a public road at a Phuket tourist beach destination disputes what local taxi drivers have said about their actions.

The drivers told a Phuket news outlet that they set up a ''temporary chechpoint'' to stop minibuses from picking up tourists at resorts along the beachfront in Nai Thon, a Phuket beach destination near Phuket International Airport.





But the man, who wishes to remain anonymous, told Phuketwan that he was driving a saloon car when he went to meet a Russian friend at a Nai Thon resort. The car was stopped as he and his friend drove out of the resort, the man said.

''I have no connection with the travel industry,'' the man said. ''I was just picking up my friend. My friend was gobsmacked when the taxi drivers refused to let him go with me.''

The local taxi drivers' spokesperson later told another Phuket outlet how the drivers yesterday surrounded a minivan that they believed had picked up two tourists, without the local taxi drivers' permission.

Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha ordered local authorities and police to investigate the man's claims about the first incident, which took place last month.

If what the spokesperson for the taxi drivers told the other Phuket news outlet is correct, vehicles are stopped at their ''temporary checkpoint'' quite frequently.

The man who told Phuketwan about the first incident said: ''This happens every day. Nobody does anything, and nobody is likely to ever do anything. The local mafia has total control.''

Taxi and tuk-tuk drivers are said to decide who comes and goes in vehicles from virtually every resort on Phuket.
_______

[phunphin]

I have friends from nz coming at xmas, if any taxi's try and stop me from leaving their resort there will be unpleasant scenes.

[harrybarracuda]

I have friends from nz coming at xmas, if any taxi's try and stop me from leaving their resort there will be unpleasant scenes.

Yes there will, as 20 of them beat you to a pulp with bits of 4x2 with nails in them, before kicking you in the head repeatedly after you drift into unconsciousness, finally fracturing your skull and leaving you to bleed to death.

After which there will be no witnesses.

Pur-lease.

[Albert Shagnasty]

I have friends from nz coming at xmas, if any taxi's try and stop me from leaving their resort there will be unpleasant scenes.

Yes there will, as 20 of them beat you to a pulp with bits of 4x2 with nails in them, before kicking you in the head repeatedly after you drift into unconsciousness, finally fracturing your skull and leaving you to bleed to death.

After which there will be no witnesses.

Pur-lease.

s'right arry, how can you compare "unpleasant scenes" wi feral pissing grounds

[baldrick]

why do people actually go to Phuket ? or Samui for that matter ? much better islands in the southern hemisphere than those 2 overdeveloped sh1tholes.

are the hookers 10x better or something ?

[Chairman Mao]

Another few tourists who'll never go back to Phuket.

Must be quite a number of them now at this stage.

[sunsetter]

russians, tours, all a big fcuking sham, saw some russian tour guides inside a well known park in pattaya in january, no way they have work permits, hows that fair to the thais then?