Aussies Tell: Our Phuket Jet-Ski Scam Nightmare

**dirtydog** · 22-07-2011, 05:41 PM

Aussies Tell: Our Phuket Jet-Ski Scam Nightmare

PHUKET: A holidaying Australian couple have told how they were abused and intimidated by Phuket jet-ski operators who sought to rip off the tourists in an extortion scam.

At a Phuket police station, where an officer was supposed to act as the independent mediator in the dispute, the officer handed a passport to the jet-ski operators, one of the Australians said.

The Australian couple, Belinda Josephson, 25, and Abraham Jlailaty, 20, from Sydney, were so concerned about possible repercussions that they spoke to Phuketwan on condition that the account of their experience was not published until after they had left Thailand.

On the second day of their holiday earlier this month, the Australians rode two jet-skis at 1500 baht for 35 minutes, then paused to take photographs of each other.

During the snapshot session, a wave nudged the vessels against one another, causing minor damage that the tourists believed could have been repaired in the space of an hour or two.

''The current pushed out jet-skis into each other,'' Ms Josephson said. ''We bumped the jet-skis.

''We just wanted to do all the touristy thing here on Phuket, so we decided to try jet-skiing at Patong. It was pretty much in the middle of the beach.''

Mr Jlailaty said that in the incident, a piece of putty from a previous repair job cracked off. ''There were a couple of minor scratches,'' he said.

Back on shore, the jet-ski operators became aggressive and demanded payment for the damage.

''As soon as the 3000 baht payment got into the jet-ski owners' hands, their smiles disappeared,'' Mr Jlailaty said. ''One grabbed me and said 'No, damage.'''

In talks that followed on the beach, the jet-ski hire contract was produced and the couple admitted that their jet-skis had hit.

The operators then said the couple would have to pay extra because the jet-skis would be out of the water for seven days while the damage was repaired.

''I do admit to knowing I scratched it,'' Mr Jlailaty said. ''We were liable for 1000 baht excess, and 3000 baht a day for every day the jet-skis were out of action.

''So they wanted 44,000 baht for a couple of scratches.

''That's basically when things started getting ugly. I began walking away to the Tourist Police. I remembered seeing a sign.

''He [the jet-ski manager] grabbed me and said 'You're not going anywhere.'

''I eventually got my partner to go find help.''

Ms Josephson, who had never ridden a scooter before, headed to the couple's Kalim resort where she picked up a mobile telephone.

The receptionist at the resort gave her the telephone number of Australia's honorary consul on Phuket, Larry Cunningham. His immediate advice to Ms Josephson was not to hand over cash, or her passport.

Back at Patong beach, Mr Jlailaty was now on his own with the jet-ski operators.

''The manager came over and stood very close. He was just shouting, 'She better be back with the money, she better be back with the money.'

''He spat right in between my two feet. At that point, I was pretty worried. There were seven or eight of them, and they formed a circle around me.

Continued here Aussies Tell: Our Phuket Jet-Ski Scam Nightmare - Phuket Wan

**Mid** · 22-07-2011, 05:47 PM

It is believed that as a result of the way that the couple's settlement process was handled, the officer involved will no longer be involved in mediation cases.

http://phuketwan.com/tourism/aussies-tell-phuket-jet-ski-scam-nightmare-14443/

why ?

is it because he failed to extort the necessary .............?

**Anteak** · 22-07-2011, 06:20 PM

All the publicity this scam gets and yet up they roll like fresh born lambs to the slaughter. I'm starting to think that these people deserve all they get and are not worthy of any sympathy.

**blue** · 22-07-2011, 06:32 PM

Originally Posted by Anteak

. I'm starting to think that these people deserve all they get and are not worthy of any sympathy

with a muslim sounding name like Abraham Jlailaty he won't get any sympathy from me ,
they should have kept his passport and dropped him in the North African desert

**brettandlek** · 22-07-2011, 06:37 PM

My next door neighbour is going to TL in two week to and staying in Phuket. I told him to be careful using the jet ski's. He is going with his father and mother in law who go to thailand many times but would never have used them. He took it on board and said he would be careful and had never heard of such a thing.
See what happens, i just told him to watch his ass.

**harrybarracuda** · 22-07-2011, 06:41 PM

Sounds like they need another "crackdown".

**phunphin** · 22-07-2011, 07:12 PM

Sounds like a group of concerned citizens should hire all the jetskis at once ride them out to deep water, and scuttle them.,,and then make a quick getaway in a waiting speedboat.

Just a thought, i'm moving to phuket in a couple weeks, and i need a hobby.

**terry57** · 22-07-2011, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by Anteak

All the publicity this scam gets and yet up they roll like fresh born lambs to the slaughter. I'm starting to think that these people deserve all they get and are not worthy of any sympathy.

Not true at all and a miss informed statement.

Many tourists coming to Thailand are not aware of this scam and do not expect to be extorted for minor damage done to a Jet Ski.

Most are in a bad situation when surrounded by a bunch of aggressive Thais and become an easy target which is made much worse when they find out the pigs are in on the scam as well.

The situation is fuked and well passed it's use by date.

If these conts can extort American and English service personal from a war ship what chance do two piss ants from Australia have ?

**terry57** · 22-07-2011, 07:51 PM

Wheres Socal.

**Aussie Tigger** · 22-07-2011, 07:59 PM

With all the publicity that has taken place why would any sensible person hire a darn jet ski in Thailand.They did do some damage and this resulted in a penalty,the size of the penalty was the only debate.

**blue** · 22-07-2011, 08:08 PM

do they look sensible ?
he's a immigrant
and she looks like a thick slapper

**blue** · 22-07-2011, 08:09 PM

and the photographer who has a tree growing out of her head is not much smarter

**BaitongBoy** · 22-07-2011, 08:10 PM

Originally Posted by phunphin

Sounds like a group of concerned citizens should hire all the jetskis at once ride them out to deep water, and scuttle them.,,and then make a quick getaway in a waiting speedboat.

Just a thought, i'm moving to phuket in a couple weeks, and i need a hobby.

Let's fck these cnuts up 'proper'...since nobody else is helping...

That's what it's going to take...

**terry57** · 22-07-2011, 08:11 PM

^^ ^

Your a hard man Blue, thank fuk he's not gay as well.

**terry57** · 22-07-2011, 08:16 PM

Originally Posted by Aussie Tigger

With all the publicity that has taken place why would any sensible person hire a darn jet ski in Thailand..

If people know of the scam and then get caught up in it, Tough shit to them I say but the innocent friggin tourist that does not know should never have to be involved in this shit.

I love Thailand but foking hate the place every time these stories are raised.

The place is so corrupt its a bladdy screaming joke.

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