PHUKET, July 19 (TNA) – Phuket International Airports fined the van operator, accused of ripping off Australian tourists.
The Australian tourists filed a complaint to the Karon police station in Phuket on July 16 that they hired a van from the airport to a hotel in Kata. They were charged 3,000 baht for the distance of about 50 km.
Phuket deputy governor, Supoj Rodrueng Na Nongkhai said that the two tourists contacted the hotel for airport transfer service but while waiting at the airport, they were approached by a van operator, Naruemon Champathong, who offered them the van to the hotel.
The van driver, Puripat Chankaew took them to the hotel and overcharged them for the service, they said.
Initially, Nuruemon was fined 2,000 baht for convincing and picking up passengers at airports without permission. They could face more charges if found guilty for violating the Land Transport Act.
Deputy governor said that officials will strictly implement the law to prevent such a wrongdoing and violators will face the maximum penalty for the offence.
According to the van driver, they said they received 2,000 baht from the tourists not 3,000 baht as claimed by the passengers.
He said he told the tourists to pay 200 baht fare for each person but they had to wait for other passengers until the van was full.
If they wanted to leave the airport immediately, they had to pay for a charter trip at the cost of 2,000 baht. The tourists agreed with the price, according to the driver.
He conceded that the fare was slightly higher than the normal price at 1,600 baht for the charter trip from the airport to Karon area. (TNA)
