French Tourist Assaulted Over 30,000 Baht Karaoke Bill in Chiang Mai

5 hours ago, smedly said:

30k baht for 6 bottles of beer - are they having a laugh, were they 10lt bottles

1st of April is approaching - maybe a dry run

I don't care wether you are in a bar or restuarant in Thailand or texas or Toowoomba and you want to aviod a situation like this you must get a menu or price list of the food and drinks and enquire about the price of any personel services that you may be intereted in Before you go ahead and order anything. That way you won't have the same trouble as this dumbo did .He was lucky to get his money back plus expenses.

33 minutes ago, wavodavo said:

I don't care wether you are in a bar or restuarant in Thailand or texas or Toowoomba and you want to aviod a situation like this you must get a menu or price list of the food and drinks and enquire about the price of any personel services that you may be intereted in Before you go ahead and order anything. That way you won't have the same trouble as this dumbo did .He was lucky to get his money back plus expenses.

they are experts at this sort of thing, this seems to be common in Chang Mai, they didn't get away with it on this occasion because this "dumbo" got the police involved and they sided with him, you can certainly do things to protect yourself somewhat but at the end of the day they can write what they want on the final bill

5 hours ago, mushroomdave said:

So 35-year old Kevin is a "tourist" that lives in Chonburi ?????

Very good point. I missed that detail.

4 hours ago, jimgilly said:

This BS never stops where often they first rip you off and then attack you when you refuse to pay and instead of the perpetrators getting arrested and given serious jail time they get a slap on the wrist. And they call this the Land of Smiles.

Because the perps and the cops are always smiling ...

Ching Ching 555

I have been told on many occasions by expats who speak fluent Thai, to avoid these karaoke parlors like the plague. Padding the bills is very common, and I'm told you only visit these places with a Thai who knows how they operate.

These are small-time, lowlife, mafia style skim joints like you see on in the Patong area, and this kind of behavior is to be expected, and I wouldn't expect much help from the police.

Visiting one of these places is risky behavior, and it ranks right up there with spending time with a ladyboy in Pattaya.

I thought this kind of 'strong arm rip off bar' scam was a thing of the past in Thailand. The infamous ping-pong rip off shows in Patpong were legendary. But they were reported ad nauseum years ago, and as far as I know, they and others like them closed down for good. It's like the old 'gem sales' scam - again - you never hear of that anymore. That's why I'm surprised to see the karaoke scam again.

11 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Exactly - all part of the pantomime and theatre - these places do not exist without 'police assistance' - meaning, ownership / partnership...

I am sure brown envelopes regularly oil the wheels of justice

If I needed another reason not to go to Chiang Mai... got it!

This is not the first time tourists have been attacked at go go bars in Chiang mai look at this from last year on the same road.:- https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2025/07/17/nine-karaoke-staff-charged-for-assaulting-british-tourist-in-chiang-mai/

Wonder what the "extra services" were ?

Golden rule of the thumb in Thailand when in a hooker bar or say "entertainement karaoké bar". Always....always pay as you are served and keep the bill. Always.

22 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Another illegal establishment.. selling alcohol outside the legal hours. And how is it possible that 8 beers cost 30k?? That is almost 4k a beer. I don't believe that the price was announced as it is far too much and people don't pay for it.. Maybe there are other customers that can file a complaint too for scamming. But as usual the tourist will complain and a sorry and a wai and it will be finished...

Over the ears there have been many rip off complaints against Chiang Mai karaoke places. A long term saga as was the jet ski scam for Pattaya. Drunk in charge of a wallet or ATM card has its risks.

10 hours ago, peterrabbit said:

This is not the first time tourists have been attacked at go go bars in Chiang mai look at this from last year on the same road.:- https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2025/07/17/nine-karaoke-staff-charged-for-assaulting-british-tourist-in-chiang-mai/

Same road but different bar

The one in your article was shut down and reopened a few weeks later with a new name but only lasted a few weeks and also shut down Stayed shut for a month or so and has reopened without any name or signage and often still has customers inside at 6AM.

Although no signage to say what it is the 12 or so scantily clad young women and the loud music tell you what it is open for!

I know where all the bars in cnx are karoke and like that and i would not step inside one of them.The stories over the years have told me that it is a place where u get ripped off and never enter.If he lived in thailand he should have known better too.The girls look pretty and friendly outside but never go inside