Phuket Airport’s ‘limousine service’ operating as usual

To those used to living at local rates in Thailand, getting anything in Phuket for 100B ( ± USD 3) might seem like a break, but for years the Phuket Limousine and Business Services Cooperative (PBC) has been offering a ‘limousine service’, as they called their communal van service, for 100B for the ±30 kilometers from the airport to main destinations in the southern part of the island (there is also an airport bus service to Phuket City for the same price). In an article in the Phuket Gazette (Limo drivers vow to fight AOT over airport service, Nov 22, 2007) the PBC announced that on August 12 they had introduced a direct service for 100B to Phuket City.

Presumably this was the same service that had been offered all along, only without the intermediary stop on the bypass road, where tourists were redirected onto vans heading for the city or for separate beach destinations on the west coast. According to the Gazette report, ‘unscheduled stops’ were made, enabling touts to sell tours and other ‘unwanted services’ to tourists, who subsequently had complained to the AOT (Airports Authority of Thailand).

The article said that the AOT was going to restrict the PBC to less vehicles (90 instead of 150) for a reduced concession fee (877,400B per month in the second year till the concession runs out end June 2009 as opposed to 1.2m currently paid per month). The article did not say that the AOT was going to offer an additional concession to another group of operators. It did say that the PCB complained that some of their staff would be shut out of operations if the AOT went ahead with its restriction.

Visitors can almost be guaranteed that things will stay the same, however, since the PCB has a ‘verbal agreement’ with the AOT to continuing running 150 vehicles until a new concession is signed. And if the AOT goes ahead and restricts the PCB? Why, Airport access roads might be blockaded if previous form is anything to go by.

Pay for a taxi and there should be no touts, unless, that is, the taxi driver himself tries to flog you a tour. If such should happen to you, politely say ‘no thank you’.