A lady was stabbed to death when she refused to give up her handbag to a mugger this article talks about the taxi mafia and speculates that if cheap transport was allowed she might still be alive - they keep talking about doing something, but nothing is done http://phuketwan.com/tourism/murdered-phuket-tourist-showed-bravery-phukets-turn-16222/
Unfortunately, at this point, I am also not visiting nor recommending to anyone to visit Phuket until the situation is clarified and there is a distinct effort to improve safety. If you have any collaboration with any arm of the Thai government- please let them know the same- it is important the problem is fixed in a short time to save this wonderful place.
Sadly, I too have decided not to visit Phuket again - it is really a shame b/c there are honest people trying to make a living (hi Sean ), but local and foreign mafia, corrupt police, etc. coupled with all the violence that has been going on for years makes it just too unattractive compared to the alternatives.
You can still visit Samui, Krabi, Samet, Ko Chang- there are a lot of beautiful islands and coastal areas in Thailand that don't have this problem which is confined to Phuket. I would not avoid Thailand- just Phuket until this is cleared up.
For a family beach destination- I would really recommend Samet or Koh Chang. For a romantic getaway- Krabi is pretty darn good as is Samui (although Samui is a bit overpriced IMHO).
We are still doing Thailand (Bangkok, Hua Hin, Kanchanaburi). We thought of other islands in Thailand but like the look of Pangkor Laut.
Worser and worser Phuket tuk-tuk driver gets suspended sentence for attack on tourist http://www.phuketgazette.net/archives/articles/2012/article16320.html
Here, British tourist Iain Barnes, at the start of his trip traveling through Asia, describes his "welcome" to Phuket from the taxi touts stationed at the Phuket International Airport. More bad news! ... The Director of Human Resources at Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa at Karon, was the victim of the execution-style slaying just south of Phuket Town: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket...ted-was-beloved-mother-wife-friend-20007.html
OMG I honestly don't understand why people continue to go to Phuket (sorry Sean), it just seems to me (and I'm probably wrong) that if tourists stopped coming the mafia would leave and there would .a hope to return to some kind of normal. So sad for her family.
I had near the same experience as Mr Barnes and I will definitely not be returning to Phuket. We had an excellent time in Chiang Mai, and I would return there.
Recent headline in Thai newspaper "Record 10 deaths of foreigners in 10 days". Some were of natural causes apparently.
Hmm.. I am a little bit hesitant about the headline. My understanding is that there are more than 1 million foreigners legally residing in Bangkok alone- so 10 foreigners would be statistically a very low number only from natural causes.
Whoops sorry the headline was 10 deaths of foreigner in PHUKET in 10 days (a record). I agree if it had been the whole country that wouldn't have been surprising. http://phuketwan.com/tourism/phukets-biggest-losing-streak-foreigners-die-days-17469/ Phuket's Biggest Losing Streak: 10 Foreigners Die in 10 Days By Chutima Sidasathian Tuesday, January 22, 2013 PHUKET: Ten foreigners have died on Phuket between January 11 and January 20 in the worst run of foreign deaths on the island that anyone can remember. The irony is that 100 extra police arrived on Phuket on January 11 to bolster Phuket's undermanned police force and make the island safer for 30 days.....
Is that including the Kiwi who "fell" from his boat and drowned? http://www.pattayamail.com/news/new-zealander-dies-in-fall-from-boat-in-phuket-21374
don't know - but where was the friend he picked up when he "fell" and hit his head? If someone can give such detail (or maybe it was conjecture by the police?) I would have thought some effort to save him could have been provided by the observer.
Phuket Police search for jet-ski operator after anchor attack on German tourist - See more at: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket...erman-tourist-20144.html#sthash.mahPd1w6.dpuf What the *?** is going on in Phuket that causes these nasty extreme acts of violence - rhetorical question!
This moron chased after her purse's thief & pulled him off his motorcycle!!! Holidaymaker pistol-whipped in Thai robbery
