Phuket Thailand is once more a disappointment for both of us, and frankly I don't care if I ever return here. We are very open and positive people, but this is our second visit and the events of the day put a negative impression on the country for us.
Back to back ports of call are not easy in the heat and humidity. For one thing everyone is intent on packing everything they can into the little time we are in port, and if you are not on a tour, negotiating the taxis and getting to and from wherever you are going takes time, and can lead to mistakes or adventures like we had today.
There was a humongous local market set up on the pier by 8 am and the heat and humidity were just as humongous at that hour of the day. We had arranged to share a taxi with Leslie and Brenda into Phuket town, at 9:30 am. as we were at a different port than last year. So Barry and I headed for the pier to shop. I had to return to the ship to put my hair up, and wash up again after only 30 minutes out in this heat.
A little backstory is necessary to set up the events of the day. Last year we were at anchor off Patong Beach (which we didn't really know till later in the day), and had to tender ashore. This year we were at a dock about 17 miles away from Patong and about 10 miles from Phuket Town. Sadly none of us knew where we had been last year. We had also been told on the ship that the powerful taxi union on the island would not allow the local tourist board to provide a shuttle into any town, so we knew we had to get a taxi. What we were not prepared for was just how powerful this mafia group of thugs were. Nor did we understand the level of corruption.
Leslie negotiated with one taxi driver after a mob of them tried to hassle her, all of us agreeing to let one person do the haggling and directing. Off we went to Phutket Town. Last year Barry and I, and Karen and Jonathan had cancelled our elephant rides to go on the abortive Phi Phi Island tour so we had absolutely no idea whether we should be headed to Phuket Town or Patong. Karen and Jonathan had planned to be on crew tour to do the elephant ride this year.
Well after a 40 minute ride to Phuket Town, and another 30 minutes trying to orient ourselves, we realized we had never been here and really didn't want to be here, but the taxi driver finally took us to an air conditioned mall. We arranged for him to wait for us, and said we would be back in 2.5 hours. That was our first mistake. Second mistake Leslie and Brenda left their pier shopping purchase in the van. Within 20 minutes we understood we didn't want to be in this mall which was filled with US brand stores. Down we went to find our van driver was not in the parking lot - probably didn't want to pay the parking fee, and perhaps also went to get additional fares.
Barry gets the hero of the day award, as he agreed to sit in McDonalds and meet the van at 1 pm. as he by now had zero appetite for following us on another wild goose chase. Leslie, Brenda and I went out to find another taxi to Patong Beach which Leslie said was where we should find what we were all looking for. Enter once again the taxi lobby, which took us a good 20 minutes to negotiate a fair price in what we found out later was a taxi outside the union. Suddenly we were in more familiar territory as we wended our way over the hills.
Phuket is largely a Buddhist island, with a mishmash of slums, little stalls and more modern buildings. We spent an hour wandering the stalls along the beach, with Leslie revisiting a massage place where she got a great massage and pedicure, and Brenda had her feet eaten by piranha fish (just the dried skin).
We were all thoroughly exhausted from the heat and hungry so we headed back to the ship. At the gate to the pier, our cab driver had to ask us to pay a little "entry" fee from the armed guards who are also obviously on the take as he wasn't part of the taxi union. Unfortunately Barry, who was now back on the ship, had failed to find Leslie's pier purchase bag which she had left under her seat, so that added to the disappointment of the day.
The best is yet to come though. At dinner Karen and Jonathan, reported on their horrible experience. Their tour bus was prevented from leaving the port by this same group of taxi thugs, who in a gang, intimidated them, swore at them, told The Captain to "F" off, and said it was their country not his, and basically aborted the crew from leaving the ship. Imagine the power of this group. Jonathan of course handled it back at the ship, bringing in the port agent and even the Governor made an appearance. We all agreed that the apology was useless, as this group had been allowed to have far too much power and that corruption was at the basis of it all. This led us to an even more depressing dinner conversation, as Leslie had lived in Thailand 3 years ago, for 6 months, working at an orphanage. She had become distraught about the pedophilia that is rampant and sanctioned here. Thailand is the number one offender in this horrifying crime, perpetrated on children of all ages.
None of us wants to return here again. The only positive thing I will say, is that the merchants we met were all very kind, polite and easy to do business with. There are lots of places in this world to visit, and Thailand will no longer be on our list. Too bad, as it has a lot to offer.
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