THEPHUKETNEWS.COM FRIDAY, JULY 9, 2021 thephuketnews thephuketnews1 thephuketnews.com Friday, July 9 – Thursday, July 15, 2021 Since 2011 / Volume XI / No. 28 20 Baht ‘PHUKET SHOULD BE PROUD’, SAYS PM PRAYUT > PAGE 2 NEWS PAGE 3 Airport taxis stand queued up ready to transport tourists First Sandbox to their hotels across the island. Photo: AoT Phuket tourists touch down in Phuket LIFE PAGE 9 Sailing into clearer waters FAST START at Kata Rocks AIRPORT TAXI RIP-OFFS HIT RADAR JUST DAYS AFTER SANDBOX TOURISM OPENING Eakkapop Thongtub Chief Mr Banyat, in a post online Mr Nattakorn’s post was also reduce the fare to B400 for [fares from [email protected] in Thai language only, last Sunday tagged in Thai with “#sameoldproblem the] airport to Patong. Why don’t they confirmed that the taxi fare of B900 and #classicproblem. think of the tough time?” he said. ourists finally returning to from Phuket International Airport “If you can [charge] do less, please “Some of the tourists were invited Phuket had been underway to a hotel in Patong was an old rate. do. To all operators in the tourism to come to promote Phuket tourism. If Tjust days since the Phuket His response came after a post industry. The first group of tourists they are not satisfied and post about SPORT PAGE 16 Sandbox reopening on July 1 when online about the taxi fare started is our leading actors and actresses their negative experience, what will airport taxi prices were already going viral, even among the Thai in our Phuket tourism advertisement we do? Will tourists want to come causing concern, with Phuket Land community. that they have to pay for us. If the taxi if they are taken advantage of like Bad blood at the Transport Office (PLTO) Chief Banyat Mr Banyat specifically responded fare is overpriced, who will help us? this?” he asked. ACG as cricket Kantha responding with a public to a Facebook post by Nattakorn #donotruinourreputationbysameold- “Tourists come to Thailand be- statement about how much taxis from Ruengroj, a registered tour guide problem,” he wrote. cause of our great hospitality, delicious tempers flare the airport should cost. who operates his own tour company Mr Nattakorn told The Phuket foods and beautiful nature which is On Monday (July 5), Phuket in Phuket, posing serious questions News last Sunday (July 4) that he different to their home countries,” Governor Narong Woonciew ordered about the fares being charged by taxi was shocked after seeing the post Mr Nattakorn said. relevant officials to investigate claims drivers in Phuket. by the foreigner about the taxi fares. “I want to remind operators to that airport taxis were already over- Mr Nattakorn shared posts online “I do not want to use the word think of Phuket as a priority. Do not charging foreign tourists and to take by foreigners trying to figure out ‘take advantage’, but the fare is take advantage of tourists in this appropriate action. what fares are being charged, and overpriced for this situation. When situation. You know well what you That order came after PLTO what fares are considered appropriate. the pandemic first came, they could are doing,” he concluded… CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 @thephuketnews 2 PHUKET NEWS THEPHUKETNEWS.COM FRIDAY, JULY 9, 2021 [email protected] DSI Chief probes forest News felling > p4 Prayut: ‘Phuket should be proud’ The Phuket News together to create history in port this morning on the first [email protected] Thailand, to lead the nation flight to touch down under the through this crisis,” he added. scheme said the bureaucratic huket people “should be PM Prayut welcomed the procedures were not a serious proud of their mission smiles he saw. “Today I’m issue for them. Pfor the country”, Prime happy, seeing smiles on both One tourist, who identified Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha sides of the road, there are himself as Reno, said, “If you said on July 1 at a meeting people waving their hands… take care of the Thai embassy held for him to be brought Everyone is happier even dur- plan, it’s not complicated. I up to speed on the COVID ing difficult times,” he said. did it in four days.” prevention measures in effect He called the Phuket Sand- Reno arrived in Phuket to ensure the Phuket Sandbox box project a “great challenge”. on the Etihad Airlines flight model is a success. “It will prepare to open that touched down in Phuket Speaking at the Royal in other island areas, which at about 11am. He began his Phuket City Hotel in Phuket is a great challenge. and is journey in Paris and arrived Town, PM Prayut noted the considered an urgent neces- in Phuket via Abu Dhabi. importance Phuket Sandbox Prime Minister Prayut sity to revive the economy, Reno explained he had has in reopening Thailand to Chan-o-cha at the launch of especially in Phuket, which come to stay in Phuket for receiving international visitors. the ’Hug Thais Hug Phuket’ has more than 90% of its two weeks, and after that He also said “he felt more campaign at Central Phuket economy dependent on the planned to travel elsewhere reassured” after listening to on July 1. Photo: PR Dept tourism sector, which is one in the country. clarifications from all sectors of the reasons for choosing “I have a house in Hua involved, including businesses will need to be taken to control cooperation in complying and procedures at Phuket Phuket as a pilot province,” Hin. After [Phuket], I will and members of the public. the disease again.” with the prescribed measures, International Airport and at he said. visit my house and after that “If this is successful, it can “This opening of the coun- this may cause some incon- the Phuket Check Point at Tha The Thai government has I will travel in your beautiful be expanded to other tourist try must be done carefully venience, but I would like to Chatchai. come under intense criticism country,” told The Phuket areas of the country according and we must accept the risks leave hope to the people of He also visited Sirinath Na- for its rollout of the Phuket News Thai-language sister to the steps,” he said. together. The government is Phuket. If Phuket Sandbox is tional Park, where he presided Sandbox scheme, with many newspaper Khao Phuket. PM Prayut noted that the always concerned, but has successful, it will be practiced over a turtle release, and he rules and requirements chang- “After that, maybe I go number of travel bookings to never left anyone behind,” in other areas. What do you marked the Phuket launch of ing up until as recently as late shopping in Bangkok and Thailand is already on the rise. PM Prayut said. need help with?” he said. the ‘Hug Thais Hug Phuket’ Tuesday, when the conditions maybe later I will visit Chiang “The number of tourists “Phuket Sandbox is not PM Prayut concluded his tourism campaign at the Cen- of entry were finally pub- Mai,” he added. coming to Phuket is now only a matter for Phuket resi- speech by calling for a round tral Phuket shopping mall. lished in the Royal Gazette. English tourist Kiefer said increasing. Some flights are dents. It’s about the people of of applause “to support the The Prime Minister not- The conditions were publicly his flight was “very good”. from airlines that have never the whole country, so that the doctors, nurses and public ed that the ‘Hug Thais Hug announced only on Monday. However, he noted, “The traveled to Phuket before, but country can move forward in health personnel who are Phuket’ event was to pass on Also heavily criticised documents were hard to pre- at the same time some are accordance with the mission working hard”. encouragement and “embrace has been the late issuing of pare. It’s a lot of work, but from countries where there of re-opening the country in “And please give encour- the Thai people with love”. Certificates of Entry needed it’s okay.” have been recent outbreaks,” 120 days,” he added. agement to all Phuket people,” “When all Thai people by tourists wanting to enter Kiefer explained that he he said. “The people of Phuket he said. need encouragement to get Thailand through the Phuket was a regular visitor to Phuket However, he also recog- should be proud of their mis- During his visit to Phuket, through this challenge to- Sandbox scheme. on holiday over many years. nised, “If there is another sion for the nation, for your PM Prayut this morning in- gether,” he said. However, tourists arriving This time he planned to stay COVID-19 outbreak, measures country. Also, by asking for spected the checking processes “Today we are working at Phuket International Air- two months. Airport ‘limousine’ taxi fares take centre stage as tourists return Continued from page 1 yet come to Thailand but was sched- tive [PBC] told us that the company Mr Banyat also did not comment The post Mr Nattakorn shared uled to arrive on July 14. The tourist will have a meeting on July 5 about on any of the other comments by was a screenshot of another post, has stayed at the hotel several times giving discounts for tourists under foreigners posted with the initial saying, “Quick Question. My before, Mr Banyat said. the Phuket Sandbox scheme,” he post about being charged B900. hotel wants to charge me 900 “The B900 fare is the old rate by added in his post last night. The comments confirmed that baht one way from the airport the hotel, but right now it is reduced The Phuket News interviewed foreigners were still being charged to Patong, to what I would call to B600-700.