invex

This scam is going on for years. I, by myself lost 1.000 US with her and had to pay 2.500 US to get a ticket back from Europe. I spent the whole day finding a solution at the airport. Coming back I went to the police. They have hundreds of complaints and are doing nothing at all. We are talking about millions. She canceled my return flight while I was in Europe and pocketed the money. I had to buy a new return-ticket.

I put my story with names and all on TV about 2 years ago. Yes, with names, I am not afraid of bad things even done by policemen.

Yesterday in Chiang Mai:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/2010/07/25/national/Big-bang-in-Chiang-Mai-30134496.html

Again and for so many times already:

all this has NOTHING to do with safety, nothing at all. They don't care about your safety for 1 millisecond; it is to extort money from you only, by following the law by just a fraction. Care about your safety would mean they have to change their attitude in thousands of other things and that is NOT going to happen, believe me......

If they care safety, they would wear a helmet by themselves; many don't.

-It is like in BKK; when you drop a cigarette-bud on the street, they will fine you 2.000 Baht or 500 for themselves. You think they care about a clean city when you see the dirt 1 meter away from were you dropped your cigarette?

-Now again with the elephants; they will charge the tourist up to 10.000 Baht for feeding them. They law is that the elephants cannot enter they city at first. The so called "mahouts" pay. You think they care about the animals?

-When a special brigade had to come from BKK to shut down many brothels in CM with underage kids, ran by them; do you really think they care about those kids?

-When you see all the shops with piracy cd's. I noticed when they pass they look at the other side. Why? You think they care about piracy?

-When they kill people, and there are thousands of examples of it. The worst case scenario for them is to get transferred to an area where they cannot extort money anymore (too poor). Do you really think they care about the victims?

The list is longer than this board can handle.

There are hundred of thousands examples of them how they behave in every aspect of society.

If you are honest to yourself, try to get some info on the net, in the papers, or listen to people who were very close to observ the way they handle things here.

You will see, they have NO good intentions; not to assist you, not to help you. They only thing they want is money. They not have the same attitude as in the western world.

Short; if you like to do a test about safety with them. Wear a construction-helmet, those plastic things. You will pass.

All the elephants I've ever seen on the town and city streets of Thailand have always looked very well fed and healthy.

Come on man, are you serious? So many articles about the mistreatment of the elephants. Even in foreign countries when tourists discovered long steel nails in the neck of some elephants (in Chiang Mai) to keep them calm. Blood came out of the fresh wounds and pictures of that were released in many foreign countries. Recent in City Life magazine; how cruel it is that the elephants have to walk on hot concrete streets (they burn their feet). 3 pages + and the cover about their suffer. Inform yourself better please.

It was, and is still forbidden, years ago as many bad articles appeared in the foreign press. There were pictures, taken in the city of Chiang Mai, of elephants with nails in their necks etc....

It was really sad as those people treat the animals very bad. For years, we did not see elephants in Chiang Mai city however, since about a year they are back.

Only yesterday I saw 2 policemen on a motorbike passing an elephant at Loy Kroch near the Le Meridien hotel. They did nothing because the mahouts have to pay the police to enter the city. With the new law, the police can even extort money for the farang aswell. They earn twice now on the back of the poor animal.

Hey police, why not just apply the law; those animals cannot enter the city!

More and more I think the law is made by or at least in favor of the police with just one goal…

This must be Thailand I guess.

Today I was stopped also.

I know I am wrong and accept the ticket but the way it happened made me sick.

I got a ticket by a young policeman who is NOT wearing a helmet by himself while riding his motorbike.

When I told him that in foreign countries the police will try to give the good example and always wear a helmet, he answered me “we are in Thailand and I am a policeman, so I can do that”… That made me furious and speechless at the same time.

In the mean time, I have about 20 pictures of policeman riding a bike without a helmet in Chiang Mai. I am getting more and more nervous about the attitude of them. 3 times I needed them (for different reasons, one was a scam for 70.000Baht) and all 3 times they did do NOTHING, nothing at all. They hardly listened to me.

I am thinking for a long time to prepare an “open letter”, or start a petition or… whatever what. I don’t know but I would like to do something.

I know that many “farang” have the “mai penrai” attitude and will not leave their sleep for anything. However, I fought my entire life against corruption and want to do something.

Maybe others feel the same. If so, let me know.

Today I was stopped in Chiang Mai.

I know I am wrong and accept the ticket but the way it happened made me sick.

I got a ticket by a young policeman who is NOT wearing a helmet by himself while riding his motorbike.

When I told him that in foreign countries the police will try to give the good example and always wear a helmet, he answered me “we are in Thailand and I am a policeman, so I can do that”… That made me furious and speechless at the same time.

In the mean time, I have about 20 pictures of policeman riding a bike without a helmet in Chiang Mai. I am getting more and more nervous about the attitude of them. 3 times I needed them (for different reasons, one was a scam for 70.000Baht) and all 3 times they did do NOTHING, nothing at all. They hardly listened to me.

I am thinking for a long time to prepare an “open letter”, or start a petition or… whatever what. I don’t know but I would like to do something.

I know that many “farang” have the “mai penrai” attitude and will not leave their sleep for anything. However, I fought my entire life against corruption and want to do something.

Maybe others feel the same. If so, let me know.

Its actually the law.. Thai police are legally exempted from wearing helmets.. Something to do with wearing their police uniform, including the cap.

Cant remember where I read this but do remember reading its an actual exception.

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At my knowledge that is for special events only; f.e. if the Royal family will pass and they have to stand on the road every 20 meters. In normal circumstances, I tought they have to wear the helmet.

Try to remember where you read it, I would like to know for sure.

Thanks

Today I was stopped in Chiang Mai.

I know I am wrong and accept the ticket but the way it happened made me sick.

I got a ticket by a young policeman who is NOT wearing a helmet by himself while riding his motorbike.

When I told him that in foreign countries the police will try to give the good example and always wear a helmet, he answered me “we are in Thailand and I am a policeman, so I can do that”… That made me furious and speechless at the same time.

In the mean time, I have about 20 pictures of policeman riding a bike without a helmet in Chiang Mai. I am getting more and more nervous about the attitude of them. 3 times I needed them (for different reasons, one was a scam for 70.000Baht) and all 3 times they did do NOTHING, nothing at all. They hardly listened to me.

I am thinking for a long time to prepare an “open letter”, or start a petition or… whatever what. I don’t know but I would like to do something.

I know that many “farang” have the “mai penrai” attitude and will not leave their sleep for anything. However, I fought my entire life against corruption and want to do something.

Maybe others feel the same. If so, let me know.

It points always to the same direction.... the police.

Do I read "illegal internet café’s"? Isn't that the police's job to check? I am sure there is much more to this story however, we will never know. My guess is that they were suddenly confronted with too big of a fish. The next day, that fish was free on bail already while he had to stay in Thailand. Nevertheless, he booked a flight and left the country immediately.

Amazing immigration. Amazing police.

In the mean time, I tried to find out what happened.

Apparently there was some kind of maneuver, what I don't understand.

I drove around the HQ and there is no open place to hold an exercise like that. However, they did. It was a loud blast with a dark 50m high smoke stack and almost at the same time something like automatic gunfire. This could have been a chain of smaller explosions.

Again I don't understand holding a maneuver like this at that particular police station. A few months ago, there were 2 real explosions; one was intended to kill the colonel.

Amazing.

I just heard a loud explosion at the Police 5 HQ on Super Highway, next to the Ping River. There was also dark smoke and something like automatic gunfire, immediately after the explosion.

Are they holding some kind of exercises / training at the HQ?

I live in Thailand for 10 years now.

2008 was really bad with 3 or 4 major quakes.

I was at the 15e floor at a condo and it is really scaring. + 7 Richter quakes rattle a lot believe me. When it happens one cannot walk.

The worst was at Mae Rim and if I remember well it was 7.6 on the Richter.

The December 2006 was also quite spectacular in CM, will remember the rest of my life. The top of some buildings (Sheraton, now Holiday Inn) was moving half a meter. All mirrors broke and came down at the lobby.

I witnessed 5 or 6 with 4 being over 7 Richter. I never saw major damage as all the high buildings are quake-proof in Thailand.

Remember though, Chiang Mai was completely destroyed about 1.000 years ago by a major quake.

Blablablabla bla bla bla and

bla bla bla bla bla bla bla,

Already 7 years ago we were told that many imported goods (such as wine, fruit, motorcycles, cars) would go down considerably in price. The papers were full of it, as Thaksin signed many important agreements with Asian partners.

Last year again and in all papers, on TV and radio; many prices from imported goods from Asian countries (including Australia and New Zealand) will go down a lot because of the Asean+6 trade agreements.

In the mean time, nothing happens. I have been told that if they have to lower the import taxes following those agreements, Thailand will just impose other taxes on those goods so the price remains the same for the customer………………….

And I am so thirsty for a delicious (correct prized) wine.

This is the world we live in; you and me cannot change this.

It is all about money and power, as simple as that.

He is there to put the cover on the pot for Thailand. Many issues you will not hear from anymore. Remember the truck and the killings at the temple in the South, under Thaksin? Remember the drug related killings? The people left with nothing in open sea..... the..........

Mark my words; not hear of anymore or investigation will finish and nobody to blame coz lack of proof. blablabla

This cover up happens every day, around the clock and around the world, and right now in the (Gulf) States.

Silly question but where in the world does dirt burn?

Environmental Yellow Pages® - Dirt Burning Services

Sorry, maybe I was too quick to post the message.

Let's say "trash"; you feel better now?

Take care.

For days now I see a lot of smoke near Superhighway in the South of the city. The smoke is most of the time gray/blue but sometimes really dark and almost black. It must be somewhere between Chiang Mai Land and Central Airport.

It cannot be grass or dirt burning as it is going on for at least 4 days and sometimes even at night.

I did not had the time to go there and check so has anyone more information?

Thanks.

In my humble opinion two things have to be done immediately:

- Educate

- Tackle all corruption whether it is the Government, Customs, Police, Military, and Schools etc…. I mean ALL corruption.

Automatically, the gap between the poor-rich levels will narrow.

However, this will never be done in Thailand as it needs a lot of brave MP’s and goodwill from everybody. In the Thai climate of last decennial this will be sheer impossible to achieve.

.

"you better do a test by yourself, THAT would be a normal thing ... POST THE RESULT, OK!"

I don't have a Thai Credit Card and don't need one, so I couldn't do the test if I wanted to.

THE BURDEN OF PROOF IS ON YOU!. You're the one who claims to have a Thai CC but still refuses to provide evidence that any on-line transaction was rejected. You could still do a transaction NOW to validate your RIDICULOUS claims, but you won't.

You seem to forget that this thread was about trying to help people who were scammed in Pattaya find a way to book on-line, so they wouldn't be scammed again by a travel agency.

This issue was about a Bangkok Bank on-line credit card, not about Kasikorn. You attempted to hi-jack the thread because of some petty gripe you have with your local bank. It was never about something that you claim happened to you in NZ, Australia, or anywhere else.

Wake up and smell the coffee! -- And stop wasting people's time by trying to divert attention from this thread to your petty gripe with your local bank.

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This is my last post on this thread because some posters here have more than one screw loose.

Correction: all screws loose.

On top they have a very short memory and they are writing the direction where the wind comes from at that very moment.

SurfRider, it was YOU who came up with this Debit card issue, remember your post?

Quote SurfRider #113

Posted 2010-06-15 05:08

"Buying tickets on line is all very well "if you have a credit card"... Not everyone in the world has a credit card, so they use Travel Agents to purchase tickets for them."

Some Thai banks offer a Debit Card that can be used on-line, the same as you would use a Credit Card. Here's Bangkok Bank's blurb on their on-line card:

"With a Be1st Visa Debit Card you can make cash withdrawals at ATMs across Thailand and the world, and use it shop at any store in the world displaying a VISA sign. You can also use it to shop securely online. "[/i]

and this post...

Quote SurfRider #128

Posted 2010-06-15 11:36

"Have you tried as a Falang to get a Credit Card in Thailand."

Yes! - as mentioned previously, it's very simple!

Some Thai banks offer a Debit Card that can be used on-line-- it functions just like a Credit Card. Here's Bangkok Bank's blurb on their on-line card:

"With a Be1st Visa Debit Card you can make cash withdrawals at ATMs across Thailand and the world, and use it shop at any store in the world displaying a VISA sign. You can also use it to shop securely online."

Now suddenly you change to a CC, while all time you were talking about a Debit Card!

Moreover, you are putting in my mouth many words I have never said. Stop doing that man, it is very low. F.e. among many other things; I have never stated that I have a Thai CC !!!!

Geeeeeezzzzz

Wisdom is the reward for a lifetime of listening ... when you'd have preferred to talk. --D.J. Kaufman

.

invex,

You ask "Why should I do the test?"

Very simple - you made a claim that you're unwilling to prove. You're misleading people in this Forum by presenting information that you won't back-up with evidence.

"We are here to help each other, right?"

Yes, but you're making claims that it's possible that two of the largest banks in Thailand might be involved in a Credit Card scam, yet you're unwilling to provide any evidence to prove your claim.

You don't seem to understand that the subject was about making on-line transactions, not about events in New Zealand or wherever.

You're fortunate that you're not in a court of law where you would be held accountable for your statements

.

------------------------

TAWP

Posted Yesterday, 14:21

The bank tried to issue me a debit card three times that was supposed to work online, the girls said. It did not.

Called the support and they said only credit cards for BKK Bank work online, NOT the debit cards.

Ignore whatever the tellers or staff tell you, they have no clue it seems.

-------------------------------

Read above what another (TAWP) says about this.

For me I am done; some people on this board have lost a "screw" I think.

Again SurfRider, you better do a test by yourself , THAT would be a normal thing. And... SurfRider,instead of posting those irritating nonsense blabla, POST THE RESULT, OK! And please BTW SurfRider, the result only. We don't need your blabla. One of the coming days OK? Thanks SurfRider.

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"It doesn't work neither online nor at any shop in a foreign country ,,, Maybe we can call it a scam haha"

Extremely doubtful that the largest bank in Thailand is running a scam and nobody else has complained except you -- you seem to be the only one who knows anything about it. Sounds like you have some personal grudge against Bangkok Bank. I suspect you haven't even tried to use the card on-line. In fact, maybe you don't even own such a card!

If you have evidence of a rejected on-line transaction, why don't you post it? -- Or better yet, try to do an on-line transaction NOW and post the evidence of the rejection.

.

@ SurfRider

No, I not have the Bangkok Bank debit but the Kasikorn debit. However, they all use the same (card) system. I not say that Bangkok Bank in scamming the people, read my post better please.

Why should I do he test? I tested it for at least hundreds of times in many different countries and YES, yesterday I complaint again about it at the Kasikorn main office at Thapae road, CM for the 3rd time. Go there and ask the customers service. YOU should do the test to convince yourself and report back here. Please go to NZ, Australia, USA and Europe and check by yourself if you not believe me. I think it would be better for everyone. We are here to help each other, right? You might have a different opinion but thats your problem, not mine. I am NOT on this board to bring incorrect statements and I do hope most of us feel the same about this.

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"Dont believe it for 1 satang. They promised me that (use the debit card with the Visa sign for purchases outside of Thailand)"

Invex,

The original focus of the post was about using the Bangkok Bank VISA debit card on-line - Have you attempted to use it for any on-line Internet purchases? - and if so, what happened?

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@ SurfRider

It doesn't work neither online nor at any shop in a foreign country.

Maybe we can call it a scam haha

.

"Have you tried as a Falang to get a Credit Card in Thailand."

Yes! - as mentioned previously, it's very simple!

Some Thai banks offer a Debit Card that can be used on-line-- it functions just like a Credit Card. Here's Bangkok Bank's blurb on their on-line card:

"With a Be1st Visa Debit Card you can make cash withdrawals at ATMs across Thailand and the world, and use it shop at any store in the world displaying a VISA sign. You can also use it to shop securely online."

.

@SurfRider,

Dont believe it for 1 satang. They promised me that (use the debit card with the Visa sign for purchases outside of Thailand) for a long time ago and I can CONFIRM you; IT DOESN'T WORK. I just got back from the bank in CM to complain about it, after being to New Zealand. Not one shop or business in NZ accepted the card. I tried everywhere and with business normally accepting every card. NOT ONE; they all commented: this card is NOT VALID in our country. The same for Europe, USA and Australia. Nobody accept that debitcard for payment. ATM is OK every where.

Just wonder - why people do not use online booking available now from almost any airline (or, if too lazy to check all the options/can't find cheap tickets themselves, online travel agencies or ticket search engines) and resort to "offline" travel agencies, especially in Pattaya.

As they book tickets FROM Thailand, guess they live here for a while, and, as such, should be aware that travel agencies in Thailand are rip offs more often than no (or occasionally worse, as in this case).

Even in this day and age, a lot of people haven't got or have been declined Credit Cards. That's one possibility

Pls read my post #37 first.

I live in Thailand year round.

I did not used a CC because I was scammed in BKK with my card before. I stayed at a BKK hotel and paid with my CC. 3 months later I went to Europe and checked my mail. My CC was used in Londen and Tokyo while I was in Thailand and even crossed the border with Laos that very same day. Went to the police, my bank and the CC company immediately. My bank told me I was too late, as one has 1 month only to complain. Registered letters to the bank and CC company, and many calls did not help. I could clearly prove my CC was not stolen nor lost (I still had my original card) and I stayed in Thailand all time and crossed the border with Laos (with my pasport). I lost 4.000 euro (+/- 200.000 Baht) and not be refunded. My bank takes the money from my account immediately. The police told me the scammers just made a completely new card with my name and number on it and signed the back by themselves.

2 unpleasent and expensive things, amounting to about 320.000 Baht I lost.

To all those clever people who give strong words/advice and who think the victems are stupid and have no knowledge: be careful, it might happen to you.

This is terrible. Its a common scam. My friend lost the prices of 2 tickets to England 4 years ago from another travel Agent in Chiang Mai. The Police where not interested. But threatened to arrest my friend if he caused a breach of the peace.

Another example that ripping people off in this country is fine but don't complain its not polite.

Exactly the same happened to me last year. It was Mau Tours in Chiang Mai. I had to buy a new and very expensive ticket at the airport in Europe to get back (I stayed all day at the airport to find a solution). Apparently, she canceled the return when I left for Europe and payed the carrier for a one-way only. I had a proof of payment and e-ticket (for a return flight) but Ethihad refused to give me a seat. They closed the check-in in front of me and told me I had to find a solution by my own. Ethihad did do nothing at all to help or give some advice. NOTHING at all. They even not gave me the opportunity to make a call.

I went to the police (a low policeman first and later to the highest ranked in CM) and , knowing they had hundreds of similar cases, they did do nothing at all. It was a feeling of protecting Mau Tours and being aggressive to me!

Very expensive lesson but also very frustrating as I know for sure, after me, more farangs got scammed the same way and by the very same lady.

TIT

If you take the quality of the "beer" into concideration, 60B small bottle is high, if the place is nice or there is entertainment then thats an ok price. I think Darets is good deal for some farang food. They make a great club sandwich for 60B. Their beer prices are very cheap, last I checked the dreaded beer Chang was 50 for the large bottle.

"Darets" owners/staff (still) are very fanatic and extreme supporters of the Red Shirts. That's why many of my friends and myself don't want to go there anymore.