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det kan ikke siges for tit pas på de snyder og bedrager nogle få Jet-Ski udlejere ødelægger hele branchen ry

A FAMILY group of Australians holidaying on Phuket was forced to pay 56,500 baht today for ''damage'' to four jet-skis that they say they did not cause.

The group from Melbourne argued for two hours before giving in and paying the money, having been told by the jet-ski operators that the Patong Tourist Police ''do not work at weekends.''

Phuketwan arrived by chance under the jet-ski operator's umbrellas in the middle of Patong beach soon after the money had been handed over, a few minutes too late to prevent what appeared to be an obvious rip-off.

Some of the younger women family members in the group were clearly distressed by the altercation, and went back to their resort in tears.

Michael Galijan, senior member of the group of family and friends, said that the group had hired eight jet-skis at 2000 baht each for 50 minutes.

When they returned to the beach, the operators made their claims for damages.

''We were silly,'' another member of the Melbourne group said. ''The jet-skis were all in the water when we hired them. We didn't have the opportunity to see if there was already damage underneath.''

The faces of the group told what effect the rip-off had had on what until then had been an enjoyable break in Thailand. The group came to Phuket from Samui two days ago - and probably wished they'd stayed in Samui.

It was their first time on Phuket. And it is unlikely that any of them will return again.

As one of the group, a woman, told Phuketwan: ''It's such a shame. These people will ruin Phuket for their country.''

The Australians ended by paying 72,500 baht for their 50 minutes of jet-ski fun at Patong beach.

Thailand may pay a heavy price once the group of 13 returns to Australia and each tells their friends what took place on Patong beach while they were on their Phuket holiday.

The Aussies trusted the jet-ski operators, thinking there was no danger of them being ripped off in a place so many Australians visit and enjoy.

Two of the group, as it happens, are managers in the insurance business back in Australia. Sadly, the faith that Australians and other tourists place in Phuket is not returned.

All the efforts by the authorities to end the scams have failed. These days, it's hard to find anyone who will even acknowledge that the rip-offs are still happening.

Phuketwan has taken three afternoon strolls along Patong beach in the past few years, and each time come across a jet-ski scam.

As the family member said: ''It's such a shame. These people will ruin Phuket for their country.''

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