9 Scams to Watch out for in Thailand
Thailand is one of the most tourist friendly countries in the world and it has become very popular with Western travelers in the recent years.
The travelling is not excessively expensive; the culture is rich and colorful; the people are warm and welcoming and the shopping is excellent. However, there are always a few opportunists who are ready to take advantage of the tourists. So, if you are planning a Thailand tour, you should be aware of some of the common Thailand scams that you may face.
Some common scams in Thailand to avoid:
Here are short descriptions of some of the most common scams in Thailand and how to avoid them.
1 It is recommended that you ride this vehicle at least once to get the essence of Bangkok. However, this also offers the opportunity of being scammed.
The tuk tuk driver may drive you very slowly and take you to gem stores or tailor shops where you will be showed every type of merchandise until you buy something just to get out. It wastes a lot of time.
It is not unheard of for tuk tuk drivers to take tourists to out of the way places and then demand a very high price for returning them to the city. It is best if you flag down a tuk tuk outside the tourist areas and negotiate the price beforehand.
2 Be prepared to face two tiered pricing if you are a western tourist in Thailand. You can engage in some lively haggling, but it is probable that you will still end up paying more than a local.
3 The gem scam is one of the most common Bangkok scams. Your tuk tuk driver takes you to a gem shop where you will be offered a beverage. Maybe the effect of this beverage or the persuasive powers of the shopkeeper makes you buy a “precious gem” which you soon find out, is not so precious after all.
4 Do not get into a taxi where the driver claims the meter is broken. This is definitely a scam and you will be charged an exorbitant amount of money.
Board the taxi and ask the driver to turn on the meter. If he says that the meter is broken, get out and catch hold of another taxi.
5 Tell your driver clearly what your destination is and what spots you wish to visit. A vague generalization will most likely land you in the famed red light district of Bangkok and you might be charged a very high rate to get back to your hotel.
6 Unfortunately, you may be fined by the Bangkok police as well, often for minor offences like smoking in public. This is prohibited by law but this is not commonly enforced. If you are caught, there is nothing to do but pay the fine. Hence the safe thing to do is not to light up.
7 Another scam that you may face is that your taxi driver tells you that the Grand Palace is closed and instead he “will take you to a few shops or temples” that he knows. Actually, the Grand Palace is practically never closed – even during the holidays.
8 A surprisingly effective Thailand scam is best described as the bird shit scam. Bird shit lands on you and suddenly, a friendly local arrives with a smile, a towel and offer of help. You will soon find your valuables missing as you accept his help.
9 If you are hiring a motorbike in Thailand, carry around a set of chain and locks as well as your passport. Someone in your rental company may “steal” the bike and make you pay for it. This has also happened to people renting cars from unscrupulous rental companies.
This does not mean that travelling in Thailand is fraught with danger. Just keep your eyes open and exercise solid common sense and you will have a wonderful trip.
there are a NATGEO series called scam tourists. there the scams most common in TAILÂNDIA are showed since the first step till the foreign costumer…
this series is very interesting. see it…
I will check it out Sam. Thanks for sharing
Good website! I’ve saved it for further reading. I was praying that some of you guru’s could supply some guidance. I’ve recently moved to thailand and met a Thai lady in Phuket. She does not speak too much english so I managed to communicate with her using my phrasesbook. The hassle is that she wants to get married and says I’ve to pay up some baht to her folks for this right. Im a newbie in Thailand so is this correct, do I have to pay her mother and father cash or is she scamming me? Any help would be appreciated dudes. Cheers.
Thanks for the comment Evan. Sorry for the delayed answer but I was away this weekend.
Yes paying money to her family is normal practice in Thailand. That being said I am married for the 2nd time to a Thai lady and I never paid anything to either family to get married (though I have helped them economically before and after getting married). Another thing is that it is also normal for the kids to support their family by sending part of their salary every month, (just thought I should mention that as that also often causes conflicts).
I do not know you or your girlfriend, but a friendly word of advice is not to rush into marriage. Chances are that it will not work out in the long run. I do not mean to be a pessimist, but I know from personal experience and talking to many farangs here that it often does not work out. So if I were you I would take it easy and at least try to live together for an extended period first and really get to know her. Learning the language is key.
Hope this helps. If you have any other questions or whatever feel free to write here or send me an email:
[email protected]
Yes you are right, the taxi with meter is really cheap. Those without taxi meter are really expensive. Have been to Bangkok, Hua Hin, Chiang Mai, and going to Koh Lipe next year April.