[SEAJ]

Just another little heads up.

The Mafia-like taxi/Tuk-Tuk services in Phuket has long been a blight on it's great reputation as a tourist and sex destination. This and the criminality of the jet ski operators have been THE regular topic of discussions at the monthly meeting of foreign countries' consul generals, as problems with these two items regularly befall their visiting nationals.

This being so, I routinely recommend to visitors to Phuket to arrange for their own self drive car rental, which can be as low as thb 1,000 per day all inclusive during the low season for a nice smaller air conditioned car like a Honda jazz; cheaper jeeps and even motorcycles for those of you more adventurous and willing to negotiate a two-wheeler amongst the crazy drivers of Phuket are also available. You should arrange for pick up/return of your vehicle at the airport (several good car rental companies at the airport).

This negates the need to take the overpriced/rip-off transportation offered by the con artist sharks preying on tourists at the airport - which invariably also necessitates the very unwelcome, practically forced detour/stop to go shopping at some over-priced joint or even having to attend some high pressure time-share sales pitches; a truly appalling and irritating welcome to this true island paradise.

And of course, do also try to stay away from the temptations and joys of getting on a Jet Ski in Phuket!!
Yeah, seems like a nice, exciting thing to do whilst there - but when you try to give back the jet ski to the operator, don't be surprised when the guy then claims that you've incurred some scratches or cracks on his "Pristine" craft; followed by some quite menacing moves unless you pay up!

Just to illustrate how serious this problem is, a couple or so years back, some lads from the British Special forces got trapped by this con and guns and knives etc were even produced.....but our Angmo brethren eventually paid up, even after intervention by the British Consul himself.
LOL!

SEAJ