Video supplied by Bongo Bob.
The tuk-tuk drivers appealed to Governor Maitri Inthusut and Provincial Police Chief Pol Maj Gen Ong-art Phiewruangnont to step in a resolve the dispute.
The blockade began at around 8pm when more than 200 tuk-tuks blocked Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Rd at the intersections with Sai Nam Yen Rd and Bangla Rd, and on the beach road, the intersection with Soi Haad Patong.
Sakol Srisompotch, Director of the Patong Small Four-Wheel Club, explained, “Yesterday four [yellow-plate] tuk-tuk operators were arrested while preventing [unlicensed] "black-plate" tuk-tuks from parking in public parking [provided for tuk-tuks].”
This infuriated yellow-plate drivers who feel that the police – instead of tackling the large numbers of illegal black-plate vehicles on the streets of Patong – have been concentrating on giving yellow-plate drivers grief.
The angry yellow-plate drivers made three demands before they would lift their blockade: that the problem of illegal black-plate tuk-tuks be seriously tackled; that no charges be brought against those joining the blockade; and that Kathu Police Chief Col Jirapat Phochanapan be transferred out of Patong.
Col Jirapat earlier met with the protesters to ask them to open the roads. They refused, telling him that they had already talked with him many times and he had failed to solve their problems.
After 20 minutes of fruitless debate, Col Jirapat gave up and went back to the police station.
As the yellow-plate drivers grew more frustrated they extended the siege, blocking the three gateways into Patong, parking their vehicles across the road near the Sea Pearl Villas on Patong Hill, the road in from Karon in front of Simon Cabaret and the road in from Kamala near the circle at the north end of the beach road, near the Novotel.
In front of Sea Pearl Villa, tourists had to walk down the hill in order to get transport on the other side of the road block, and traffic going east towards Kathu was blocked entirely.
This morning, the yellow-plate drivers opened the roads again, but warned the lifting of the siege was temporary and they will continue closing the roads without warning until they receive satisfactory answers to their grievances.
A Phuket News reader, asking not to be identified, told the newspaper, “At 5am there was no way in or out of Patong for vehicles. People were rolling their luggage from two kilometres outside Patong hoping to find their hotel after a 30-to-45-minute walk into town.
“Most of the police seemed to gather in groups away from the tuk-tuks, in well-lit areas, minding their own business and looking helpless.
“I talked to three officers who all said they feel “powerless against the tuk-tuk mafia” and tired of the grey areas of the law. I suggested they call in the Royal Thai Army and their expressions indicated they wished they could.
“On my way home, two kilometres past the last blockade, police were stopping motorbikes and searching people for drugs. I guess they decided to get away from those they fear and perform other duties.”
Later today, it was revealed that the tuk-tuk siege had scored one victory, when it was confirmed that Col Jirapat had been moved to a temporary post in the Phuket Provincial HQ, pending reassignment.
He has been replaced temporarily by Pol Col Sakjai Limcharoen.