Phang Nga, Dramatic clip of Callan and Phi Chong visiting Koh Panyi, the district chief leads a team to investigate the facts, the pearl souvenir seller apologizes for the miscommunication.
Reporters reported that after a hot issue occurred online, when fans watched the latest clip on the Cullen Hateberry channel of Cullen and Phi Jong, a famous South Korean YouTuber who went to Koh Panyi, Phang Nga Province, it became a hot issue online. The image was captured and criticized, from the boat fare to Koh Panyi, the boat fare was expensive, buying souvenirs such as pearl jewelry, until there was a wave of criticism that selling souvenirs at this price was unreasonably expensive. It was also found that there were various comments in the form of selling expensive things, both food, accommodation, etc., until it became a very hot issue, causing damage to the people of Koh Panyi and the tourism atmosphere in Phang Nga Province.
This afternoon, at the Phang Nga District Office meeting room, Mr. Phiraphat Ngernchar
oen, Phang Nga District Chief, held a meeting with relevant agencies, including local leaders, local administrators, TAT Phang Nga, Tourism and Sports of Phang Nga Province, Phang Nga Provincial Commerce, Phang Nga Consumer Protection Board, Phang Nga Provincial Police, Tourist Police, Ao Phang Nga National Park, ISOC, and Special Branch Police, to investigate the facts of this matter. The village headman in Ban Nai Hong explained the boat fare, saying that 1,000 baht is the standard price for a round trip to Koh Panyi. The price for a round trip to Ao Phang Nga is 2,000 baht. As for Ban Tha Dan Pier, a one-way boat fare is 50 baht per person, but the round trip fare is not fixed because the boat must wait until it has enough passengers before it can depart. Regarding the issue of expensive food, the operators confirmed that the prices are clearly displayed at every shop.
While Mr. Prasert Hemmin, Deputy Mayor of Koh Panyee Subdistrict Administrative Organization, said that from the media interview yesterday
, he apologized for not watching the clip of Kallan-Phi Chong to the end and had his team ask the seller, so he gave an interview based on the information he had received. Today, the seller will clarify himself and apologize for the miscommunication. As for the part about using the law against those who commented to cause damage, he confirmed that there will be no such thing and will fix and manage in the area. While contacting Kallan-Phi Chong’s team, they were shocked that their clip was used to create drama on social media, which also damaged the people of Koh Panyee.
Then we traveled to Koh Panyi and met tourists and shops on the island. We found that some tourists, both Thai and foreign, were walking around shopping for souvenirs on the island. When we asked about the made-to-order restaurant where Kallan and Phi Chong ate, they said the starting price was 50 baht, while the roti shop was 20 baht per sheet. As for the souvenir shop that was a hot topic on social media, a 63-year-old woman said that she
did not know Kallan and Phi Chong. They came to choose to buy a large pearl shell for 500 baht and a bracelet for 300 baht, totaling 800 baht, which were the normal prices they were selling. She picked up another bracelet for 300 baht and said that she was giving it away for a total of 1,000 baht. She thought that she did not speak correctly and caused a miscommunication. She accepted the whole incident and said that she did not really sell products at a high price. Meanwhile, another grandmother who sold souvenirs said that she chose to buy products for 1,000 baht and bargained them down to 800 baht, so she gave them a discount. However, the buyer said that he did not need to give her change, so she picked up more products worth more than 200 baht.
Mr. Phiraphat Ngerncharoen, the District Chief of Mueang Phang Nga, added that from the investigation into this matter, it was found that the boat fare was normal. As for the made-to-order food, it was 50-60 baht per plate, and the roti was 20 baht per sheet. As
for the souvenirs, they were handmade and the raw materials and equipment were different, so the prices of each shop were different. They had to display the selling prices more clearly.
From asking the souvenir shop in question, it was found that the prices were normal and there was a communication error. The seller admitted the mistake that happened. Therefore, he wanted everyone to come down and test it out in the field. After this, the Governor of Phang Nga has a policy and guideline for developing Koh Panyi by setting a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for services, prices, and other things to be standardized in order to increase the efficiency and quality of welcoming tourists to Koh Panyi and Phang Nga as a whole.
Source: Thai News Agency