Thai Services

This is a list of some of the services available in Phuket Island, Thailand.  It used to be on our Cruising Thailand page, but was split off because the page was getting too big.  This list was originally compiled by the East Marine Chandlery but we've added to it with some of our recommendations.  East Marine is based in Boat Lagoon on the east side of Phuket so this list is rather Boat Lagoon centric, even though the main anchorage in Phuket is Ao Chalong, on the southeast corner of the island.  If you ask at the chandlery, they may give you a more up-to-date paper copy of this list which may includes a map of central Phuket town &/or addresses.  Our original information was dated April 2011.  If the Name is a link, it usually goes to the website for that business.

This list does NOT imply our recommendation unless we specifically mention someone in the header (above the information block).

Phone Numbers:  When phoning from outside Thailand, substitute the Thai country code (+66 or 0066) for the initial zero (0) in the phone numbers listed.  Nine digit numbers are usually land lines while 10 digit numbers are usually mobiles.  (F) denotes a Fax line.  A dash or slash (‑ /) indicates multiple lines/numbers.

This list currently includes over 40 service headings:

This list was copied by hand and is obviously still evolving, so comments, corrections, & additions are most welcome!

Useful Phone Numbers:

Marinas and Slipways: (listed here from north to south)

• Phuket Premier is a new yard just a mile or so NW from Yacht Haven marina.  Boats are taken out with a hydraulic trailer and the hardstand is crushed rock.  They have good 3‑phase power and a small lunch stand, but they're VERY remote (you drive through rubber plantations for 10 minutes to get there by road) so you need to bring everything with you that you'll need.  It's primarily a DIY yard but the manager can help you find workers if necessary.  Reports we've heard from here are good.
• Yacht Haven is a marina only, although one arm is for boats doing work.  You can also anchor off the marina and for a small fee you can use their dinghy docks, exercise room, WiFi, and pool.  The marina food is expensive but good local restaurants are nearby.
• Ao Po Grand Marina has an excellent yard with a paved hardstand and the South African manager, Derrick, is very friendly.  Boats are taken out with a big (and quite flexible) hydraulic trailer, controlled by a HUGE caterpillar tractor.  They have only limited supplies on site but they're only 20 minutes to the chandleries and businesses around Boat Lagoon (and Toi's chandlery is just next door).  As of late 2013 there were many new condos being built, but they shouldn't impact the boatyard.
• G & T Boatyard is a new slipway just south of Ao Po with a smaller hydraulic trailer and a crushed rock hardstand.  Gerry is British and very friendly, and Toi has worked in the marine industry for years and has an additional chandlery in Boat Lagoon.  Mudflats limit the draft of boats that can be hauled to about 2 meters.  They're catering to cruisers and DIY types by putting in cheap bungalows to rent above the yard (next to their own house) and a discount chandlery.
• Boat Lagoon and Royal Phuket are right next to each other.  They are (by far) the most upscale, with big travel‑lifts, concrete hardstands, fancy marinas surrounded by condos, lots of chandleries and workers and everything you could want at relatively upscale prices.  Boaters are expected to rent a condo for the duration.  Getting in can be a challenge, as you have to follow a long, snaking line of posts through the mudflats.  Most boats touch the side/bottom at some point, but it's only soft mud.  Since this is where the money congregates, this is also where workers congregate, but it's sometimes difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff.
• Rattanachai, Asia Marine & etc are 3 big marine railways on or near Ko Siray island just off Phuket Town.  They tend to serve the fishing fleet but there are usually 1‑2 yachts hauled out as well.  We have limited information on them, but they reputedly tend to charge for EVERYthing they can, which has left a bad taste in some people's mouths (of course, Thais tend to see westerners as walking moneybags).
• There is new yard just next to Coconuts that is just getting started, but we have no info on it at this time.
• Coconuts is the only yard near Ao Chalong, the primary anchorage.  They can take some shoal‑draft monohulls but they deal almost mostly with cats and power boats, pulling them out with one of their many homemade trailers.  They can take out quite large cats, up to 60' and 25 tons, but the hardstand is just sand.  In 2012 charges were B240 ($8) per foot for in/out and 3 days on the hard.  Extra lay days are B10 ($0.33) per foot per day.  This works out to $360 in/out and $15/day for a 45' boat.  There is a nominal additional charge for electricity and garbage, but electricity is only about 170vAC, which tends to burn out motors (air‑conditioners don't work).  They have a big generator on site which they charge for.  They sell no supplies at all, but Top's Chandlery is only 1km away (Top shows up at the yard most days) and Phuket is only 20 minutes away.  Unfortunately, the owner (Manop) and his brother (Manoon) speak very little English.  The yard manager (Cris) speaks excellent English and can arrange for work to be done, but he will be leaving in early 2014 and there are no plans to replace him.

All slipways except G & T will charge boat owners for outside workers who come in to work, typically B100/worker/day (~$3).  There is a new marina being built in Ao Chalong, attached to the pier, but it seems to have many issues (breaking up, and it squeaks badly) and has never opened.  Folks are using it for a dinghy dock, but there are no cleats, so finding a place to lock your dinghy requires some creativity.  When phoning from outside Thailand, remember to dial +66 then the number without the 0 in front.

Police and Security:

Medical/Dental:  Phuket has some excellent medical services specifically for foreigners, especially at the International Hospital.  There are several dental clinics in the Ao Chalong area.  Cleanings at Happy Tooth (by the dentist herself) were B900 ($30) in 2011, and crowns were $175‑$500 depending on how much gold you wanted in the alloy (Jon opted for a $300 crown with 3% gold under the enamel).  Prices were probably slightly better in Malaysia, as Jon had 3 crowns done in Labuan in 2010 for a total of $600.  (Jon wasn't real happy with the way his Labuan dentist cemented them down but Labuan's a tiny place and she was undeniably the best dentist on the island).

Air Conditioning: Also check Refrigeration, as there's considerable overlap

Airports:

Batteries:

Bicycles and Repairs:

Boat Brokers:

Boat Care and Maintenance:

Boat Design:

Canvas Supply and Services:  We've used Rolly Tasker to build new trampolines for us.  They're good and they have a wonderful assortment of goodies to buy, but require a taxi (or knowledge of the bus routes) to get to.  Palm Sails is a water-sports shop with a small sail/canvas loft upstairs, but they've recently had to move.  They can do sail repairs, but they only make smaller sails.  In 2011 they charged about $100/day for their work.

Car Rental:  There are many more of these, of course.  We used Nina's a lot, back past the Lighthouse Restaurant.  In 2011 rates were B100 ($3) for a manual scooter, B150 ($5) for an automatic, and B600‑1,000 ($20‑30) for a car.  Gasoline is about $1/liter.

Carpentry:  We haven't used Nai at Putket Inter Woodworking, but friends on Roxy speak very highly of her.  She organized much of their complete refit: all their interior varnish, laid all new teak decks (and their deck has lots of curves, so a difficult job), and sprayed all exposed fiberglass surfaces (topsides, cockpit, etc) plus some smaller jobs, all completed on time.  All the work looked top notch to us.  New teak deck costs depend on thickness, but 12mm (½") in 2011 cost about $500/square meter.

Chandlers:  We use Top a lot, as he's very close to the Coconuts boatyard.  Top himself speaks good English, as do Mike and Wiwat at AME, East Marine, Yacht Supply, GC Huat, and Rolly Tasker (we haven't visited the others).  AME Marine, on the left just as you enter Boat Lagoon, is a good discount chandlery that also does some fairly high‑tech (carbon, vacuum, etc) boat repairs.  East Marine probably has the biggest stock, but they also have the biggest prices.  If they don't have what you want, they can probably get it in fairly quickly.  Yacht Supply will be opening December 2012, just south of Ao Po Marina.

Chrome Plating:

Computers: This list is woefully incomplete - there are LOTS of computer shops around

Electrical:

Electronics:

Engine Suppliers and Services:  We have used Craig at C&C for Yanmar parts and general engineering work, but most Yanmar parts seem to be much cheaper in Malaysia or Singapore.  Engineering Marine did a good job of fixing our outboard after it seized going around Phi Phi Le.  They're just next to the big Villa Shopping Center in Au Chalong, and they'll pickup and deliver from the waterfront if you ask nicely.  Manas speaks good English and also does some diesel work.  We used Hem for our diesel work and feel he did a thorough job, but the only contact info we have for him is the Coconuts Boatyard.

Flags:

Fiberglass Work and Boat Repairs:  This heading is not in the original paper list.  Mark helped organize Luck Engineering to build up new rudders for us in stainless steel.  Mark has a few crews working for him.  He's usually quite busy building boats and tends to get distracted, so you sort of need to keep bugging him (which he's OK with).  He has a boat building operation about half way between the Ao Chalong circle and Rawai.

Gas Services:  US/Aus type gas bottles (internal reverse thread) can be filled up by Boat Lagoon, on the little road out towards C&C Marine

Hardware:  There are, of course, LOTS more hardware shops all over the place.  Huat tries to cater to boating needs but he's deep in Phuket town.

Hydraulics and Hoses:

Inflatables and repairs:

Insurance Agents:

Laundry:  There are, of course, many more of these, especially just up from the Ao Chalong dock

Marine Supply:

Paint Supplies:

Painters:  We haven't used either one, but friends speak very highly of both Nai at Phuket Inter Woodworking, & Oh at Oh Service.  We can say that their finished products look excellent.

Perspex and Plexiglas:  Basically, hard plastics (acrylics, Delrin, etc)

Provisions:

Refrigeration:  See Air Conditioning as well, as there's considerable overlap

Rigging:

Rope:  Rolly Tasker makes their own double braid rope and it seems like good quality and a good price, but it's a pretty tight weave so doesn't have that nice hand-feel of some US ropes.

Sail Makers and Repairs:  Rolly Tasker is a dangerous place to go into, as he's got way too much wonderful stuff to buy.   Palm Sails is a water-sports shop just near the Ao Chalong circle with a small sail/canvas loft upstairs.  They can do repairs but they don't make new sails for bigger boats.

Services:  This is sort of a catch-all heading for stuff that doesn't fit elsewhere.  There are, of course, LOTS of taxis around, but you have to bargain hard to get a good price.

Stainless Steel:  Luck is apparently the best in Phuket.  He welded up new rudders for us in 2011.  The shop is big and the cleanest we've ever seen in SE Asia, but difficult to find.  They certainly know their stuff, but they only speak a little English.  Best to have good drawings of what you want (and/or someone who speaks Thai).

Surveyors:

Vinyl Signs and Names:

Visas:

Upholstery:

Watermakers:

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