{"id":939,"date":"2011-01-12T10:47:20","date_gmt":"2011-01-12T03:47:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bangkokbeyond.com\/blog\/?p=939"},"modified":"2026-09-01T11:16:07","modified_gmt":"2026-09-01T04:16:07","slug":"bangkok-scams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bangkokbeyond.com\/blog\/bangkok-scams","title":{"rendered":"<strong>Bangkok Scams: Common Tourist Scams and How to Avoid Them<\/strong>"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>Originally published January 12, 2011 \u00b7 Updated September 1, 2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bangkok scams are not that difficult to avoid once you know what to look for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most are not about somebody stealing your wallet. They are more often about getting you into a tuk-tuk, taxi, shop, bar or boat where the real cost comes later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I first wrote this article many years ago. Since then it has received <strong>124 comments<\/strong>, many from travelers sharing what happened to them in Bangkok. Going back through them, the interesting thing is how little the basic scams have changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The prices change. The shops change names. We now have Grab, smartphones and Google Maps. But the methods are often much the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And one thing is worth remembering:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>An unusually low price can be just as much of a warning sign as a very high one.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes the first ride is almost free because the real money will be made from you somewhere else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>Bangkok scam warning signs<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You don&#8217;t need to remember every scam on this page. Look for the pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Be careful when:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>A stranger near a tourist attraction tells you it is closed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A tuk-tuk driver offers to take you sightseeing for next to nothing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your driver wants to make an unexpected stop at a tailor, gem shop or travel agency.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Somebody mentions a special government promotion, export sale or one-day-only offer.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Several people who appear unrelated recommend exactly the same shop.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A very low transport price suddenly leads to a much more expensive purchase somewhere else.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You are taken somewhere different from where you thought you were going.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>One of these things doesn&#8217;t automatically mean it is a scam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Three or four together normally tell you enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>1. The Grand Palace is closed scam<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This is probably Bangkok&#8217;s most famous tourist scam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You are walking towards the Grand Palace, Wat Pho or another major attraction when a friendly stranger stops you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;The Grand Palace is closed this morning.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;The monks are praying.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Special ceremony today.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fortunately, he knows somewhere else you can visit while you wait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even better, there is a tuk-tuk nearby that can take you around several temples for a ridiculously low price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What luck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Except the Grand Palace normally isn&#8217;t closed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>What should you do?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Just walk to the official entrance and check yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is no need to argue with the person. Attractions can occasionally change their opening arrangements, so I wouldn&#8217;t tell you that the Grand Palace can never be closed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The point is simple:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Check with the attraction, not with a stranger standing down the road.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our old article also said places such as the &#8220;Big Buddha&#8221; didn&#8217;t exist. That was too broad. There are of course real Big Buddha attractions in Thailand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The important part of the scam is not whether the temple exists. It is where the cheap sightseeing trip eventually takes you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>2. The cheap tuk-tuk, gem and tailor scam<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The tuk-tuk scam and the Grand Palace scam are often the same operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You get into the tuk-tuk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You see a temple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Maybe another temple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then the driver asks you to stop at a tailor or gem shop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Only five minutes.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;I get petrol coupon.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Government promotion today.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is often why your tuk-tuk ride was so inexpensive in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The driver can earn money, fuel vouchers or another benefit for taking tourists into selected shops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>The Bangkok gem scam<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bangkokbeyond.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/01\/Jewelry-Scam-Thai-Gem-Scam.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"259\" height=\"195\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bangkokbeyond.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/01\/Jewelry-Scam-Thai-Gem-Scam.jpg\" alt=\"Bangkok Scams - Thai Gem Scam\" class=\"wp-image-5342\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Thai Gem Scam<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The gem scam often comes with a good story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is a special government export promotion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Foreigners can buy Thai sapphires tax-free today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can take the gems home and sell them for twice the price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And naturally, today is the last day of the promotion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One correction from our original article is important here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The gemstones don&#8217;t necessarily have to be fake.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A stone can be a real sapphire or ruby and still be worth much less than the price you paid for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So the scam may not be selling you a piece of glass. It can be selling a genuine but low-value gemstone at a very inflated price, together with a story about how much money you will make when you get home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My advice is simple:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>If somebody you met on the street explains how you can make easy money exporting gemstones from Thailand, don&#8217;t buy the gemstones.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>What about Bangkok tailors?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Bangkok has plenty of legitimate tailors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The warning is not &#8220;don&#8217;t buy a suit in Bangkok.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is: don&#8217;t buy an expensive suit from a shop you never planned to visit because your tuk-tuk driver insisted on taking you there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want a suit made, research the tailor yourself and choose the shop yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>3. The Damnoen Saduak Floating Market transport scam<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This one is worth including because we have seen it affect our own customers over the years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A taxi driver offers a very low price for a private round trip from Bangkok to <strong>Damnoen Saduak Floating Market<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Khao San Road is one place where tourists can come across offers like this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The traveler looks at the transport price and thinks they have found a great deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the transport is not necessarily where the driver expects to make his money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>What happens when you arrive?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of simply taking you where you expected to go, the driver stops at a particular private boat pier outside the main market area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now you are told about the boat trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And the price can be much higher than you expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You have already travelled a long way from Bangkok. You probably don&#8217;t know exactly where you are, how far the market is from the pier or how you are going to get back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That puts the boat operator in a very good position to make the sale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The taxi driver can receive a commission or other benefit for delivering customers to that particular pier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you refuse the boat, you may suddenly find that your bargain round-trip taxi driver is no longer very interested in taking you anywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>How much should a boat at Damnoen Saduak cost?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;m not going to give you a &#8220;correct&#8221; boat price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are different boats, different trip lengths, different routes and different private or shared arrangements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The variation is real, and unfortunately that makes the whole thing confusing for travelers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The warning sign is <strong>how the deal is structured<\/strong>, not one particular boat price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Very low transport price \u2192 particular private pier \u2192 unexpected expensive boat offer \u2192 pressure to buy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before accepting one of these transport offers, ask:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Where exactly will you drop me?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is the price for the round trip?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Will you wait for me?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do I have to buy a boat from a particular pier?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Will you take me back to Bangkok if I don&#8217;t buy a boat?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If the answers are vague, I would find another way to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>4. Bangkok taxi and airport scams<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Most Bangkok taxi drivers are simply doing their job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The common problem for tourists is a driver refusing to use the meter and asking for a fixed fare instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This happens more often around hotels, nightlife areas and major attractions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want a metered taxi and the driver refuses, don&#8217;t spend ten minutes arguing about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Take another taxi or use Grab or Bolt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>Are Bangkok airport taxis a scam?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>No.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is another part of our old article that needed updating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bangkok&#8217;s airports have official public taxi systems, and legitimate airport charges and expressway tolls can be added to the fare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The better rule is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Follow the airport signs to the official transport area instead of accepting a ride from somebody who approaches you inside arrivals.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also be careful with desks or people that look like official &#8220;Tourist Information.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some are private businesses selling hotels, tours and transportation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is nothing wrong with a private travel company selling services. The problem comes if you are made to believe it is an official information desk or told that normal taxis, trains or other transport are unavailable when that isn&#8217;t true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>5. Chao Phraya River boat scams<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Bangkok&#8217;s river boats are a great way to get around, but the piers can be confusing when you use them for the first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That creates an opportunity for touts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You may be told:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;The public boat finished.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;No more boat today.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;That boat doesn&#8217;t stop there.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fortunately, the person telling you this can arrange a private longtail boat instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The private boat may be completely real.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It just isn&#8217;t what you were trying to buy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want the public river boat, go to the official ticket or boarding area and check there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don&#8217;t let somebody standing outside the pier decide what boat you need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>6. The upstairs bar bill scam<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This one has been around for a very long time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A street tout offers you a cheap drink, free entry or a show and leads you upstairs into a bar you cannot really see from the street.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You order a drink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then the bill arrives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Suddenly there are show fees, performer drinks, service charges or other costs you didn&#8217;t expect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And because you are now upstairs inside a venue with staff around you, arguing about the bill can become uncomfortable very quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our old article focused mostly on Patpong. I would use the same caution anywhere a street tout is trying hard to lead you into a hidden upstairs venue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Choose the bar yourself and check the prices before ordering.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>7. Paying by card: choose Thai baht<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This isn&#8217;t really a Bangkok scam, but it catches enough travelers that it is worth mentioning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When paying by foreign credit or debit card, the machine may ask if you want to pay in <strong>Thai baht (THB)<\/strong> or your own currency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your own currency feels easier because you immediately see the amount in dollars, pounds, euros or another familiar currency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the currency conversion offered by the merchant or payment provider can be poor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In most cases, choose <strong>Thai baht<\/strong> and let your own card provider handle the conversion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You may see a similar choice when using an ATM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>8. Fake monks and aggressive donations<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Thailand is a Buddhist country and visitors naturally want to be respectful towards monks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Occasionally that respect is taken advantage of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Be cautious if somebody dressed as a monk approaches tourists in the street, gives you something such as a bracelet and then aggressively asks for money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Giving a donation at a genuine temple is normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Being pressured into handing over money on the street is something different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>What 124 comments taught us about Bangkok scams<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The old comments on this article may actually be the most interesting part of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Reading through them again, three things stand out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>Scammers may work together<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>One person tells you about a government gem promotion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Someone at a temple mentions the same thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then another apparently independent person confirms that he has made money buying Thai gems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After hearing the same story from three different people, it feels much more believable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But those people may not be independent at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is one of the cleverer parts of the classic Bangkok gem scam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>Shop names change. The scam doesn&#8217;t.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Over the years readers have mentioned different tailors, gem shops and other businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I don&#8217;t think keeping a blacklist of names is particularly useful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A shop can close tomorrow and another one can take its place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Learn the method instead:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Friendly approach \u2192 very low-cost transport \u2192 unexpected stop \u2192 special promotion \u2192 pressure to buy.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>Ask how the person is making money<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This may be the most useful question in this whole article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes a very good price really is a good price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But if somebody is offering to drive you around Bangkok for hours for almost nothing, or drive a long distance to a floating market for an unusually low fare, ask yourself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>How is he making money from this?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the answer turns out to be &#8220;by taking me somewhere I never asked to go,&#8221; the low price suddenly makes much more sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>What should I do if I think I&#8217;m being scammed?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Most of these situations are easiest to deal with <strong>before you pay<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If somebody says the temple is closed, walk to the entrance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If a taxi refuses the meter, get another one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the tuk-tuk wants to visit shops, say no.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If a sales pitch starts to make you uncomfortable, leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don&#8217;t worry about being rude. A polite &#8220;no thank you&#8221; and walking away is normally enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the situation has become confrontational, especially over a large bill or purchase, avoid turning it into a physical argument.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thailand&#8217;s <strong>Tourist Police number is 1155<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>Is Bangkok safe for tourists?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I don&#8217;t want anybody to read a long article about scams and leave thinking Bangkok is full of people trying to cheat them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It isn&#8217;t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most Thai people you meet are just going about their lives, and many will genuinely go out of their way to help a visitor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You don&#8217;t need to distrust everybody.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Distrust the pattern.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A stranger asking where you are going isn&#8217;t automatically a scammer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But if he then tells you the Grand Palace is closed, finds you an almost-free tuk-tuk and starts talking about a special government gem sale, you probably know where this is heading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>Bangkok scams FAQ<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>What is the most common scam in Bangkok?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The &#8220;attraction is closed&#8221; scam combined with a very low-cost tuk-tuk tour is one of the classic Bangkok scams. The ride may later include commission-paying gem shops, tailors or other businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>Is the Bangkok gem scam still happening?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Variations of the gem scam are still reported. The gemstones don&#8217;t necessarily have to be fake; the problem may be a real but low-value stone sold for a highly inflated price together with false claims about resale profits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>What is the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market taxi scam?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A driver offers unusually low-cost transport from Bangkok and then takes passengers to a particular private boat pier, where they are pressured to buy a much more expensive boat trip. The driver may benefit from bringing customers to that pier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>How much should a boat at Damnoen Saduak cost?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There is no single correct price because boat type, route, duration and private or shared arrangements vary. The important thing is to understand the price and service before agreeing and not feel forced to buy a boat simply because your driver brought you to a particular pier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>Are Bangkok airport taxis safe?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Official airport taxis are a normal way to travel into Bangkok. Follow signs to the official taxi area or approved ride-hailing pickup point rather than accepting unsolicited transport offers in the terminal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>What number should tourists call if they need help in Thailand?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Thailand Tourist Police hotline is <strong>1155<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bangkok can be a place where all your dreams come true but be careful or you might get scammed. The first section will discuss some common scams in Bangkok, Thailand and the second section will provide you with some helpful advice to avoid these Bangkok scams.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5343,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[608],"tags":[469,467,468,55],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bangkokbeyond.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/939"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bangkokbeyond.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bangkokbeyond.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bangkokbeyond.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bangkokbeyond.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=939"}],"version-history":[{"count":59,"href":"https:\/\/www.bangkokbeyond.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/939\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12181,"href":"https:\/\/www.bangkokbeyond.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/939\/revisions\/12181"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bangkokbeyond.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5343"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bangkokbeyond.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=939"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bangkokbeyond.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=939"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bangkokbeyond.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=939"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}