Khao San Road: Your views and comments as sent to khaosanroad.com!

If it's too good to be true, it usually is. But despite people realising this, numerous people get caught by a scam every year. People who are usually sensible about things get sucked into schemes that on the face of it seem reliable, but which almost always turn out damaging. It is easy enough to blame people for their own manipulation - greed is often an influencing factor; possibly some people are just innocent. But there's more to it than that... Many of the people involved in scams are credible and convincing enough to make even the most careful person get involved in things without realising what they are doing.

What follows is a list of scams travelers have come across... Be warned!

Aces low ...

Jacko writes: "I was approached by a pretty girl who saw I was from New Zealand, she said her sister was going to Auckland Uni and would I speak to her mother, to put her mind at ease. At this point her brother turned up and they hailed a taxi to the outskirts of town. They lived in a nice house and I was offered some rice, [no problems so far] must wait for mother not long, father comes in, he is a dealer in the casino and has a very rich friend who will be coming by shortly to play a few hands of 21, the other guy arrives and plays the hands against the brother of course he doesn't mind if I watch (before he arrived the dealer showed us both a code he would use to tell us what the rich guy had in his hand - how would he know??? The rich guy was so arrogant that he shows his cards to the dealer) yeah right! The rich guy makes a bet on 16 ,but the brother did'nt have enough to cover the bet although I know he will win, the rich guy is asked if I can support the brother with funds. Of course, I stand up thank them for the experience shake their hands and leave knowing that I have been very lucky that they were such amateurs - this started outside the Pantip Plaza.

Please note: Gambling is illegal in Thailand - don't get involved or you will suffer the consequences.

It happens...

Seb Li writes: "Regarding the jewelry scam - In 2000 I was stupid enough to fall for this scam, hook line and sinker. It happened exactly the way it has been described, and it was on my first day, but I remember the guy who first approached me said he was a teacher. Yes the store did take me to another shop to buy gold for them, and in return I ended up with worthless jewelery. They even checked how much money I could spend on my credit card to get the most out of me. I fell for it, but all along I felt a little uneasy but it felt impossible for me to say no. The experience ruined me financially for quite some time. However..... I NOW LIVE IN THAILAND AND LOVE THE PEOPLE AND THE COUNTRY, THE GOOD OF THIS COUNTRY DEFINITELY OUTWAYS THE BAD. EXPERIENCE THE GOOD AND YOU WILL SEE THAT THE BAD HARDLY EXISTS. Oh and if you call yourself a traveller try not to stay in just the tourist towns they are for holliday makers. Hak Isan li li!

What happened?

MBKUDU writes:

"This is just another scam to look out for. This happened to my brother and I back in 1993 in Bangkok. Two well dressed men in a car stopped alongside us while we were just walking along. They asked us if we would be interested in doing some film advertising work. At the time we were looking for work to stay in Thailand. We agreed and got in the car. He went on and about how much money we could earn, etc...

We finally arrived at a town house way out on the outskirts of the city. We were new in Thailand, but we were uncomfortably out of the city. We kept asking about details of the work, but the main "Talker" of the two slowly trailed off the subject of work and casually mentioned playing a card game while we waited for the agent to arrive.It instantly smelled of a rat. We refused to play cards and they became agitated by our refusal. Upstairs we heard a crackling sound much like the sound of a police radio. That was it for us. We didn't know what was in store for us, and we weren't about to find out either. We got up and suddenly left much to their disappointment, walked about two blocks and flagged a taxi back to the city.

When we look back on it, we feel very fortunate that we let our instincts take over the situation. Moral of the story, don't get into something that seems like a good oportunity, and if you do, think about backing out at the last minute. Don't worry about offending people's feelings, bail out. Most good oportunities come from your motivation to act on it, not someone else's motivation to act on you. Be alert and stay safe, MBKUDU"

Sorry - but how exactly was this a scam?

Peanuts, fruit and warm towels

Bryan Rilinger writes: "I was scammed to a much lessor degree than some of the stories I have seen here. I truly feel bad for the people that have fallen folly to the gem scam. I have been touted to a tailor, but I knew I wasn't going to buy anything, the Tuk-tuk driver did feed me the usual story about the "gas coupon" etc, and did drop me off several blocks from where I asked to be. Just something little to look out for: At Karoake bars (the real karaoke ones) will often bring peanuts and fruit, warm towels, etc. to your table. As a westerner, you may assume that these are complementary items designed to keep you in the establishment. THEY ARE NOT! They are usually outrageously priced and even if you do not consume them, you are charged for them. So if you are ever brought a plate of fruit, tell them you do NOT WANT it, and send it back. Else, you will end up paying 500 BHT for it."

A bad experience on my first day

Andy writes: "I was in bangkok for 5 days, from the 23rd Dec to 27th Dec.. had a bad experience on my first day there. Check into Novotel on Siam Sq. at about 12noon. had an hour's rest before going out to visit the grand palace. I flagged a taxi cab on the main road of the hotel. Asked him to bring me to grand palace and made sure he used the meter. He said ok. Now, thats where my adventure begin. He began telling me and my girlfriend about thailand, and his wife working in my country, singapore. All along he never thought that i know he was taking a long way round Silom to get to the grand palace (i had a map) i was telling myself, maybe he just wanted to earn more, so i was fine with it. But then, half way during the journey, he told me that the grand palace would be closed soon.

The time was 2:30pm and i know that grand palace closes at 3:30pm. So without my approval, he turn off the meter (was about 70 baht on the meter)and told me he would send me back to my hotel for 50 baht only. He then drove me to a Gem shop or factory along Rama VI road... i sensed a rat... and when we reached there, luckily for me, he went to the toilet, and i gave him the slip.

The next few days (all 5 days of my stay), i saw this guy, the same taxi driver hanging around my hotel (Novotel on siam sq.) waiting for other tourists to prey on...he did came up to me and told me that i didn't pay him on that day, but i didn't bother about him. Last thing. never allow any driver or tuk tuk rider to being u anywhere besides the place u wan to go. on my second day, i took a tuk tuk from chinatown to silom. I wanted to visit a seafood restuartant along Pan Road. This tuk tuk driver reccmended me a seafood market oppsite Lumpini park, behind the suan lom night bazzar.

This place is not marked on my map. so i presummed it was new. So i said ok, and he brought us there. My girlfriend and i ordered 1 bbq lobster, 1 big crab fried with chilli, 1 fresh steam garupa fish and a plate of vegetables. its not very much, but when the bill came. my god... 3920 baht WITHOUT 10% VAT... i ended paying up about 4200 baht for my meal... for 2 persons...well...

Once bitten twice shy...

I got scammed!

Bret writes: " I got scammed in 1999, in Bangkok. I had just arrived in Thailand, and was still suffering from jetlag. The scam artists can tell when you are 'green' or just off the plane. He took me in his tuk-tuk to a local tailor shop. I ended up buying a tuxedo, which I have yet to wear, 4 years later. It was over-priced, but at least, well made. Once I realized my scam, I confronted the main tailor, who was a European national. He said the tourist police would do nothing to help me, since I agreed to buy the suit. Now, after my 4th trip to Thailand, I will never be scammed again."

More on the jewelry scam...

Provided by 'See'

I got the same experience regarding the jewelry scam as well. Both Tuk Tuk drivers came up with the same story about once a year for 7 days sale tax free, how this event came about because the government is giving Thai students a chance to earn some money this way instead of from heroin... blah blah blah. Anyway I was shown to a few places on the first day but thanks to the travel guides and your website, I was onto them immediately. Both promised me 10b/hr and took me to gem stores and tailors shops. The first one, after prodding said he needed the coupon for petrol and I had to spend 10 mins above in these shops. He didn't bring me to the Marble temple but to some other place with a small reclining Buddha where I met the accomplice "coincidentally". I saw the Buddha from the doorway and decided that I didn't want to go in. The accomplice, who was going in in the first place, did a turnaround and followed me, asking me questions and finally telling me about the so-called famous jewelry sale. The second one, after I told him about the first Tuk Tuk driver (outside Wat Pho), changed tactics by pretending he is government-licensed and the first wasn't. I went along and halfway, he wanted to show me some Wat with the happy Buddha and some import-export place. I was really disappointed that I got another Tuk Tuk driver like that. I decided to get it all over with and said that he must bring me to Chinatown after the so-called import-export shop he's going to bring me to. Incidentally, it's the same shop that the previous Tuk Tuk driver brought me to yesterday. I didn't go in and guess what, he dropped me off at least 2 streets away from Chinatown. Being new, I didn't know where Chinatown is. The only help I had was the map I got from the airport. Anyway, these drivers dumped you the minute you outlived your usefulness to them. Given a chance, I would recommend taxis instead if you can afford them. They are a/c and you can insist on the meter.

See

The Bangkok Gem Scam

Provided by The Thai Gem Scam Group (thaigemscamgroup@yahoo.com)

This scam has been working for over 20 years, and succeeds due to several factors:

1. Local authorities inability to deal with the scam effectively
2. The complicated relationship between Thais and "Farangs"
3. Tourists can't stay in the country to press charges
4. Tourists don't get to talk to one another and share information
5. Everybody is greedy and wants to get rich quick

There are several excellent sites that outline the process of the scam, but here is an overview that includes warning signs to watch for so that you recognize the scam.

THE SET UP

There are, in fact, two variations on the scam, but both involve you paying far too much for jewelry. The other one is where a Tuk Tuk driver simply takes you to a gem shop (or tailor) and tells you to look around for 10 minutes; he gets a free gas coupon for each customer he brings in. This is simple and obvious, and most people don't make a purchase in this case.

The scam discussed on this page involves "coincidental" meetings with "friendly" people. Because of the coincidences and the friendliness of the people involved, the victim's guard is let down, thus ensuring the scam's success.

The usual set up involves a tourist (or tourists, as couples get targeted as well) walking out of their hotel, on the street, near a tourist attraction, and being approached by a friendly local.

Thais, as a rule, do not approach foreigners alone. This is the first warning sign.

The person who approaches you will be very friendly and ask where you are from, where you are going, etc... perhaps identifying himself (herself) as a guide, a student, a government employee, a Tuk Tuk driver, etc.... Regardless of what you answer with regards to your destination, he/she will give you some reason as to why you can't go there. People going to the Grand Palace or Wat Pho are commonly told that it is closed for some holiday involving Buddha or the Royal Family.

The Grand Palace and Wat Pho are a main attraction of Bangkok, one that provides a large amount of revenue through admission fees. As such, they are both open 365 days/year; why would they close? This is the second warning sign. They both open at 8am and the Grand Palace closes at 15:30pm while the Wat Pho closes at 17:00pm. Note there is only one entrance for the Grand Palace and that *parts* of the Grand Palace may be closed for royal functions, but never the entire complex.

Never fear, however, your new "friend" will tell you about another temple or Wat that is open. They usually say that it is not normally open to the public, it is just today. He/she usually also mentions the Asian economic crisis, and how it is harder for Thai students to pay for their studies abroad with the devaluation of the Thai currency. Usually, there will be a mention of how the government lets Thai students sell one jewelry set a year, tax free, to help fund their studies abroad. It may or may not be mentioned that foreigners are allowed to participate in this scheme once a year, in a bid to promote tourism.

You are then told about the special Tuk Tuks that take tourists around for a special rate, due to the holiday. Usually this is 20 Baht/hour or something like that, and they'll always tell you there are only certain Tuk Tuks that do this. There are no government or special Tuk Tuks. They are all privately owned. This is the third warning sign.

Your new friend may now choose a Tuk Tuk for you (he has to in order to get his accomplice). He will arrange things for you and send you off to this other temple.

In fact, there is nothing too special about this temple, but it is quiet and deserted. The Tuk Tuk driver will send you in, assuring you that he will wait. Of course he will, he has to be the one to take you to the gem store.

You wander around the temple where you will meet a second "friendly" local. He may approach you, asking you questions or offering some advice; you may approach him, because he dropped his keys and walked away. In all cases, it is a casual, chance encounter, with all the necessary friendliness and coincidence to disarm your suspicions. He will identify himself as a businessman, student, whatever he thinks will allay your suspicions.

This second person will ask various questions about you and somehow steer the conversation back to jewelry. They often get you to mention it, as you've heard about it from the person you met earlier. Almost always, they make no effort to sell to you; they drop some hints that lead you to ask questions. You are made to feel like you are lucky to know about this, or that you would be foolish to miss out. They tell you that foreigners are allowed to participate in this for only a short time each year, and today is always the last day. They even have a receipt showing that they just bought jewelry that very day.

The Thai government does not have a 195% export tax on jewelry. Your own country's Customs, however, does care about how much you import back into your country. This is the fourth warning sign.

Note that at this point, a foreigner might join the conversation, if not at the temple, then at the shop itself. The foreigner will assure you it is all legitimate, that he/she uses it to pay for his trip all the time. It may also be another local who tells you they live abroad and come home once a year for this. In either case, it adds to the legitimacy of the scam, and adds to the number of "coincidences" that you encounter.

By now you are curious. The Tuk Tuk driver may take you to yet another temple, for yet another "chance" meeting with someone who confirms the story. Usually, you are now on your way to the gem store. This is your last chance to save yourself from a very bad experience.

The gem store itself will make every effort to look respectable. There will be staff in uniforms, display cases, etc....but most shops will not have windows, or else they are covered up. Officially recognized jewelry stores should have a Jewelfest logo in plain view, although this is not a guarantee.

You will always be taken to a separate room, not left in the main selling area. There will be almost no other customers, and if there are, it will be a foreigner again, who confirms the story and tells you exactly what everyone else said. In this smaller room, you are told the same story, shown a book with photocopies of other passports of "customers", and assured that you can get your money back under any circumstances.

The transaction involves mailing the jewelry back to you, or to whatever address you give them (parents, Poste Restante in another country, etc...). The reason for this is can vary, but usually it is because the courier service ensures the goods against theft or loss.

Your country's Customs treats goods imported by you the same, regardless of whether they are with you or were sent to you via the mail system. If this is a tax-free purchase, they should not object to you taking the jewelry with you. The use of the mail system is essential in making this scam work. This is the fifth warning sign.

Most people do not have the cash with them. The stores never have credit card machines so those people wanting to pay via credit cards are told the shop does not usually do business with the public, so they have no credit card machine. Fear not, their other store does sell to the public, so they will loan you their car, driver and escort to that store to run your credit card through the machine. This is a gold store, where you are told you have to buy gold (for whatever reason, inventory, tax purposes, etc...) and take the gold with you. You will trade the gold for the jewelry set.

If you pay cash, they will give you their car, driver and escort to take you to your ATM or wherever else you need to go to get your cash.

Back at the jewelry store, you get all kinds of official looking receipts, they show you the courier package they put the jewelry in, make you sign the envelope once it's sealed to ensure no one tampers with the package, and you've now overpaid for cheap, though usually real, jewelry.

As a sign of their gratitude, they will always give your their car and driver and take you around town, to a restaurant, tourist attractions, Thai massages, etc...They do this to distract you and get your package to the mail center as quickly as possible. If they can get your package out of the country before you realize you've been scammed, it will take you over a week to get the gems back in your possession, giving them time to close up shop and vanish forever.

WARNING!

Provided by Morrisy from Leicestershire, UK:

As you already have been told about Tuk Tuk drivers, I'll tell you about my adventure. A fine young local approached me outside the Grand Palace asking for 10 Baht to visit jewellery and clothes shops. Once in the shops they try to sell you as much they can - as much as you say 'no' they bombard you! I ended up buying a suit. This was my first day in Bangkok so I had them hold on to the suit until I had finished travelling. When I arrived back in Bangkok I gave a Tuk Tuk the address and agreed on a price to go there. But en route he hassled about the fare - he wanted to take me to two more shops and he got quite angry when I wouldn't go.

DONT let Tuk Tuk drivers give you the sob story that they are poor either. I bumped into some from Khao San Road in a posh place on the other side of town.

DONT leave valuables in bags under the busses - I had some jewellery pinched. They have a second driver sleep in there as well.

Morrisy.

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