Assaulted on Phi Phi Islands Tour by tour guide
On the 12th of February 2016 I went on a Phi Phi islands Tour from the Tour operator "Hong Yok Marine CO.,LDT" This was the Flyer for the tour: http://i.imgur.com/aUtpteL.jpg It all started wrong, as we had to wait for one and a half hours for no apparent reason before boarding the boat. (all this time was being deducted from the actual trip where we should have been visiting the nearby islands) As we finally boarded, one of the boats engines had a problem and we were stuck in the middle of the sea for 10 minutes. As we arrived on our first island (Khai Nai) we were told we had 20 minutes to look around and would than leave to another island. TWO hours later, the tour guide finally arrived, as everyone was already asking what was going on, and informed that the engine was broken and we had to wait for another boat. As I asked how long it would take he answered jokingly that he didn't know and as I and other people asked how we would make it to all the island he answered that we would go to all 4 island as planned. This was obviously not possible as we should have left that island at 10 and it was already 12:30 and the replacement boat still was on its way. I stared to get a little annoyed by his sarcasm, and says that most of us just did want to know what now the plan actually was? Could we still go swim, should we better eat there as some of us were getting hungry (and at 12:00 we should already be eating at the buffet). The tour guide became very irritated by the questions and out of the blue became like possessed, started shouting STOP STOP and pushing me with all his strength on my chest, over and over again! I didn't even realize what was going on, until all his buddies from the other tours started to walk towards us, he was acting as if I had become violent with him and waiting for all his buddies to come to scare me, and I have to say, he really succeeded! At that precise moment, on an Island with no authorities in sight, and a possessed tour guide shouting STOP! STOP! I just thought I'm going to get beaten up by all his tour buddies but luckily some of our boats tourists, came between us and told him he could not act like that and tried to offer me protection. After everything had calmed down, I was sill afraid but still boarded the new boat only thinking about to make it to land safely. But the nightmare did not end here. After that the tour guide advised that we would spend only 15 minutes on every Island, he handed out snorkeling gear and informed right away that if we lost it, we would have to pay around 30$. After snorkeling on Maya Bay (the most anticipated beach, on which we never laid foot, as there was no time) the tour guide started taking note of who was giving the snorkeling gear back. One couple who had asked for snorkeling gear gave the gear back, 2 glasses and one tube as the guy did not take a tube. The tour guide started right away accusing him of loosing the tube in the water to what the guy went to get his girlfriends phone on which he had pictures of him before going into the water with the glasses on but with no tube. The tour guide said he didn't care and he had to pay! As he answered back and said he didn't loose it the tour guide started shouting again as if possessed STOP! STOP! and the guy said: NO, I don't stop, I did not steal any tube, I'm not paying for it, so the tour guy starts pushing him again on the chest repeatedly and a fight is almost starting (while the boat was already on high sea). A couple of us started telling the guide he should not hit him, but he wouldn't stop, and as the guy also did not stop shouting that he did not steal anything, showing his bag as proof he didn't take it and the phones pictures, the "captain" stands up and with his most aggressive face, shouts to the guy "Stop now or I trow you out!!" We could't all believe what we just heard, and for the second time that day I was just wishing it all to end, but the guy stood still, and said, he would not stop as he did not take anything. I have to admit that guy had a lot of courage, but I'm only happy it did not end in disgrace. After that everyone on the boat was only quiet and stood still, and didn't even go out snorkeling on our last stop, and the guide then even had the balls to walk to the guy with the tube and say "you can also take this one as a souvenir" mocking him. As we came to the hotel, we then asked if there was a tourist police we could get in touch with, to alert the authorities about what happened but we were in Patong and the police was 40 minutes by away by car, so we didn't want to ruin our holiday even more by losing so much time. The receptionist offered to call there, but after 2 or 3 calls and nobody answering, she said is was probably nobody there. I'm not sure what to think about all this.. After that we went to the Tour kiosk where we had bought the tour at the beach and after showing much concern about the tour being a fiasco both in terms of not having been on the promised island she the whole aggressive experience, the asked about pictures of the tour guide I have, but after speaking to the manager and 45 minutes into us being there, they said there were simply "sorry". As we would not take that for an answer, and explaining we either wanted a refund or to go on another tour on their costs, and if needed we would stand in front of the kiosk and warn other tourists about how business is handled there, they treated with calling the police and telling them we were being aggressive, so in order to avoid ending our vacation in jail or worse we decide to go away. Does anyone know if there is something that can be done, now that we are home? Write somewhere or make a complaint? If not, then at least I leave my testimony here for others to avoid this "Hong Yok Marine CO.,LDT" tour operator. Thank you for reading
TL:DR "Hong Yok Marine CO.,LDT" tour operator's tour guide assaults people and nobody takes responsibility. Avoid at all cost!
Posted Feb 21, 2016, 9:29 PM UTC