Tourists Complain Of Being Cheated In Double Pricing Scams

[jaidam]

Ah yes, one giant prawn.

Does anyone know how much one giant prawn can be worth?

A few years back I was cadging some prawns from the trawlers moored in Sairee bay on Koh Tao. It was easy to swap a bottle of whisky and some smokes for a nice bag of wild giant prawns. The captain then showed me a live tank with a couple of live giant prawns laden with eggs. He reckons these sell for around 20,000 baht each. The best I could understand is that Thai prawn farmers buy these? From the fishermans net price of 20k its not impossible the retail could be 40k, especially in a Bkk restaurant.

There is no excuse however for the Thai govt to charge 10 times more for farangs to visit national parks. None whatsoever.

[vegas]

45k for food? Sounds like an urban legend to me. I've been hearing this sort of nonsense since I first came here 18 years ago and I've never met one credible person who could back it up.

I assume the seafood place is the one in soi 24, or the one near the corner of Asoke? I think it's time to don a hawaiian shirt, beige shorts, long socks and sandals and go there myself.

[Pdaz]

IsaanBrit

[secondly - FERANG ARE RICHER THAN THAIS - its a fact. Paying an extra quid for something when we can easily afford it is fine by me - stop being such tight fisted @*$&@($%&$($('s

/quote]

Kind of a broard sweeping statement... Might be true if you are the only farang living in a mud hole village somewhere in Isaan.. But in reality there are many many Thais who are wealthier than their farang counterparts.. I have an excellent salary (by western standards) but have several Thai friends who have a far higher net worth.. Be that as it may it doesn't make double pricing acceptable.. Just because I am richer than my neighbor should I pay more for my electricity or water ? You will also notice that the wealthier Thais are far more likely to check their bills and be concerned about the cost of items they buy.. They realise that anybody (whatever nationality) here with money is a target for scams and rip-offs..so they are cautious..So don't try the guilt trip ''we are richer so its okay to pay more'' nonsense.. If you feel so guilty about it give you money to the local Wat.. If you pay over the odds here Thais will just think you are foolish..nothing more.. In twenty years here (I'm fluent in Thai and canboth read and write) I have never heard anything from a Thai which would make me think different..

[bmanly]

Coming to this thread made me feel like I am not alone. On another thread there is a few farangs who think that paying 10 X more to enter a Thai National Park is justified. To me they must be either be filthy rich or just retarded.

[Drafi]

I am wondering why no tourist complaint about the double pricing at the National Parks.

40 THB Thai, 400 THB foreigners is a joke!

Well, this is not a good example because it's not necessarily a pricing scam. In Europe you'll find on the community level public institutions maintained by the municipality and subsidized with communal taxes which have different entry prices for residents and non-residents. The municipality may provide that its residents may use their public institutions for a lower price. That's perfectly legal.

[womble]

Issan Brit say........

"Secondly - FERANG ARE RICHER THAN THAIS - its a fact. Paying an extra quid for something when we can easily afford it is fine by me - stop being such tight fisted @*$&@($%&$($"

Pdaz replies...........

"Kind of a broard sweeping statement... Might be true if you are the only farang living in a mud hole village somewhere in Isaan.. But in reality there are many many Thais who are wealthier than their farang counterparts.. I have an excellent salary (by western standards) but have several Thai friends who have a far higher net worth.. Be that as it may it doesn't make double pricing acceptable.. Just because I am richer than my neighbor should I pay more for my electricity or water ? You will also notice that the wealthier Thais are far more likely to check their bills and be concerned about the cost of items they buy.. They realise that anybody (whatever nationality) here with money is a target for scams and rip-offs..so they are cautious..So don't try the guilt trip ''we are richer so its okay to pay more'' nonsense.. If you feel so guilty about it give you money to the local Wat.. If you pay over the odds here Thais will just think you are foolish..nothing more.. In twenty years here (I'm fluent in Thai and canboth read and write) I have never heard anything from a Thai which would make me think different.."

Yeah, that's the funniest thing, all the Thai's would just see him as a complete mug, and someone easy to take advantage of.

And us expats view you pretty much the same, anyone who accepts being overcharged and ridulcules those that don't................

Well............................

I'll let the rest of you be the judge of that.

Edited January 7, 2007 by womble

[bkkharry]

Secondly - FERANG ARE RICHER THAN THAIS - its a fact. Paying an extra quid for something when we can easily afford it is fine by me - stop being such tight fisted @*$&@($%&$($('s

I bet the Thai's just love to see you comeing. Easy money

[1Lucky]

A few dishes for 10 guests. They must have left both hungry AND broke!

Why did they pay?

Hmmm. Fear of arrest for not paying a bill for items consumed would work for most.

They certainly should have demanded a detailed explanation of the bill.

You really think the con-merchants would have called the police if the customers had offered to pay a fair price but not the con price? It should be the other way around - if they con-men won't accept the fair price the customers should call the tourist police - then see how the price changes. It worked surprisingly well for me with a rogue taxi driver who suddenly turned the meter off and demanded 500 baht off me. When I called the tourist police on my mobile and told him in thai that the police wanted to speak to him - amazingly the ride became free. Its the tourists that allow this kind of thing to happen to them that encourage it. If no one put up with it it wouldn't flourish.

[Dupont]

Stop the presses!! Foreigners are being overcharged in Thailand!

Can't believe it was on the front page of Today's Bangok Post..

There must be no news.

There was more prominent news even than this...

Wait for it..

It was headlined Goolgle Geriatrics!! Apparantly some old people are learning to use the internet. It was the larger of the two main leads, the other being "Prem blasts bombers as low lifes.

I love this place

[astral]

You really think the con-merchants would have called the police if the customers had offered to pay a fair price but not the con price?

It should be the other way around - if they con-men won't accept the fair price the customers should call the tourist police -

then see how the price changes. It worked surprisingly well for me with a rogue taxi driver who suddenly turned the meter off

and demanded 500 baht off me. When I called the tourist police on my mobile and told him in thai that the police wanted to speak to him -

amazingly the ride became free. Its the tourists that allow this kind of thing to happen to them that encourage it.

If no one put up with it it wouldn't flourish.

A good tactic.......

I wonder if the tourist police speak English well enough to understand the complaint,

or whether 1Lucky speaks Thai?

[bkkmadness]

A few dishes for 10 guests. They must have left both hungry AND broke!

Why did they pay?

Hmmm. Fear of arrest for not paying a bill for items consumed would work for most.

They certainly should have demanded a detailed explanation of the bill.

You really think the con-merchants would have called the police if the customers had offered to pay a fair price but not the con price? It should be the other way around - if they con-men won't accept the fair price the customers should call the tourist police - then see how the price changes. It worked surprisingly well for me with a rogue taxi driver who suddenly turned the meter off and demanded 500 baht off me. When I called the tourist police on my mobile and told him in thai that the police wanted to speak to him - amazingly the ride became free. Its the tourists that allow this kind of thing to happen to them that encourage it. If no one put up with it it wouldn't flourish.

Obviously many tourists don't know this though which is why the threat of Thai police is so effective. Especially in a country like this where the thought of Thai police/jails adds to the fear.

[1Lucky]

You really think the con-merchants would have called the police if the customers had offered to pay a fair price but not the con price?

It should be the other way around - if they con-men won't accept the fair price the customers should call the tourist police -

then see how the price changes. It worked surprisingly well for me with a rogue taxi driver who suddenly turned the meter off

and demanded 500 baht off me. When I called the tourist police on my mobile and told him in thai that the police wanted to speak to him -

amazingly the ride became free. Its the tourists that allow this kind of thing to happen to them that encourage it.

If no one put up with it it wouldn't flourish.

A good tactic.......

I wonder if the tourist police speak English well enough to understand the complaint,

or whether 1Lucky speaks Thai?

I speak enough Thai to have frightened the taxi driver into a free ride but actually the tourist police that I spoke to spoke excellent english. The tourist police concept in Thailand is something which in my opinion should be given a higher profile to help stamp out the con-men and help thailand develop its tourist friendly image further. I've certainly heard tales where they haven't been massively effective but in other cases they certainly have and I'm sure the service and its profile could be beefed up to benefit thailand. I also think guide books should take their share of the blame for directing tourists to the same tired tout-infested sites (emerald budha, khao sarn, etc.) - perhaps they could show a little more imagination.

[vegas]

Guide books, forums, word of mouth warn tourists that restaurants, taxis, bars etc in ASIA will try to rip you off. Then some stupid mug complains cos he was too stupid to read the menu or clearly give instructions to a waiter. Or a uneducated taxi driver got the best of him. Boo bloody hoo. Wake up!

The only reason people get angry is cos they have been dumb enough to let their guard down and predicatably get ripped off. 45k for a meal is total nonsense. OK, if you are overcharged, ask for an itemised bill just like everywhere else in the world. If they refuse then ask them to call the police. I am sure the rest of the tourists sitting at other tables in a restaurant would love to see the outcome.

I left Australia for Asia in 1989. I got ripped off changing money on arrival, then again I was overcharged at the hotel. That was on the first day and for the next 18 years I pretty much managed to avoid being swindled by these cunning taxi drivers, bar girls and waitresses. I think I'll write a book as I seem to be the only genius in Asia that can avoid being fleeced.

[marquess]

A few dishes for 10 guests. They must have left both hungry AND broke!

Why did they pay?

Hmmm. Fear of arrest for not paying a bill for items consumed would work for most.

They certainly should have demanded a detailed explanation of the bill.

You really think the con-merchants would have called the police if the customers had offered to pay a fair price but not the con price? It should be the other way around - if they con-men won't accept the fair price the customers should call the tourist police - then see how the price changes. It worked surprisingly well for me with a rogue taxi driver who suddenly turned the meter off and demanded 500 baht off me. When I called the tourist police on my mobile and told him in thai that the police wanted to speak to him - amazingly the ride became free. Its the tourists that allow this kind of thing to happen to them that encourage it. If no one put up with it it wouldn't flourish.

[thai_narak]

This is nothing. I had a couple of glass of whisky in China for 65,000 Baht. They've screwed me quite well. I agree with some posts that this crappy mentality of ripping richer folks is from chinese culture...

[raybkk]

Some research was done on this scenario in London a few years ago, where they sent out some people, who pretended not to speak English ("Solly, no speakee Ingrit") to buy simple things like a can of pepsi from a street vendor, and many of them were overcharged. I'm not excusing it here, just making the point that its not unique to Thailand.

And you know the Black Cab drivers love a foreign tourist as well.

By the way, I took out my wallet to pay the 400 baht National Park fee on Koh Samet the other day, and when the official saw my Thai Driver's Licence he only charged me 40 baht. Good for me, but the tourist friends I was with were mightily p****ed off with it!

With enough people you are better taking the speedboat over there, drops you right off on the beach and you don't have to pay entrance fees that way.

Unless you get stopped right on the beach by the park officials. They are on the look out.

[Tony Clifton]

Some research was done on this scenario in London a few years ago, where they sent out some people, who pretended not to speak English ("Solly, no speakee Ingrit") to buy simple things like a can of pepsi from a street vendor, and many of them were overcharged. I'm not excusing it here, just making the point that its not unique to Thailand.

And you know the Black Cab drivers love a foreign tourist as well.

By the way, I took out my wallet to pay the 400 baht National Park fee on Koh Samet the other day, and when the official saw my Thai Driver's Licence he only charged me 40 baht. Good for me, but the tourist friends I was with were mightily p****ed off with it!

With enough people you are better taking the speedboat over there, drops you right off on the beach and you don't have to pay entrance fees that way.

Unless you get stopped right on the beach by the park officials. They are on the look out.

Also on Koh Samet

[Bottlerocket]

I'm a longterm resident and I pay my taxes. Therefore, I have a tax ID card. It has never failed. I present this card and say that I work here and I am not a tourist.

I'm not to keen about double tier pricing, but Law of the Universe #217 Subsection A states: Tourists shall pay more for everything.

In the U.S., when driving through a national park or paying for tickets to the Chicago Museum, no one will charge you extra for being from a foreign country. However, for a person with little English capacity on the streets everything is possible: from scam to murder.

[bkkmei]

This is nothing. I had a couple of glass of whisky in China for 65,000 Baht. They've screwed me quite well. I agree with some posts that this crappy mentality of ripping richer folks is from chinese culture...

These type of scams (as well as the nice tea ceremonies) are prevalent in China but to say that that Thai scamming come from Chinese culture is nonsensical. Tourists getting scammed is a worldwide phenomenon.

p.s. I assume you didn't pay??

[naka]

Well how about the double price smams AGAINST Thais???

I heard that a bus ticket to Kho Samui the other day, would cost 450 for a ferang or 700 baht for a Thai.

Secondly - FERANG ARE RICHER THAN THAIS - its a fact. Paying an extra quid for something when we can easily afford it is fine by me - stop being such tight fisted @*$&@($%&$($('s

:-)

What a Plonker

Naka.

[gburns57au]

Well how about the double price smams AGAINST Thais???

I heard that a bus ticket to Kho Samui the other day, would cost 450 for a ferang or 700 baht for a Thai.

Aha...the Thais actually get the ferry ride as well.....the farang have to stay on the bus.....

[gburns57au]

At the old Mor Chit many years ago while on my way to Buriram, I decided to buy a beer from the little eating place in the corner....the guy wanted 120 baht for a can of Singha.....He had a price board behind him and of course he didnt realise I could read Thai...he thought I was just another white face farang....

I pointed the price board out to him and his face dropped....many wais later I paid the 35 baht that was the real price and gave him a smiling admonishment...told him to be careful because he doesnt know what the customer may know.

Chalk a small one up for the farang....

[bkkandrew]

Some research was done on this scenario in London a few years ago, where they sent out some people, who pretended not to speak English ("Solly, no speakee Ingrit") to buy simple things like a can of pepsi from a street vendor, and many of them were overcharged. I'm not excusing it here, just making the point that its not unique to Thailand.

And you know the Black Cab drivers love a foreign tourist as well.

By the way, I took out my wallet to pay the 400 baht National Park fee on Koh Samet the other day, and when the official saw my Thai Driver's Licence he only charged me 40 baht. Good for me, but the tourist friends I was with were mightily p****ed off with it!

With enough people you are better taking the speedboat over there, drops you right off on the beach and you don't have to pay entrance fees that way.

Unless you get stopped right on the beach by the park officials. They are on the look out.

Not at night. Never been stopped disembarking at night...

[1Lucky]

This is nothing. I had a couple of glass of whisky in China for 65,000 Baht. They've screwed me quite well. I agree with some posts that this crappy mentality of ripping richer folks is from chinese culture...

These type of scams (as well as the nice tea ceremonies) are prevalent in China but to say that that Thai scamming come from Chinese culture is nonsensical. Tourists getting scammed is a worldwide phenomenon.

p.s. I assume you didn't pay??

Narak - I can't find any posintgs that suggest the rip-offs are from Chinese culture and to suggest this smacks of rascism. These types of scams are present for ripping off tourists all over the world - its a bad side of human nature at work not some kind of racial characteristic that is being discussed here. I would have thought that would have been pretty obvious.

[Kan Win]

last year i went to pha taem national park with my family. we had a whole bus full of people. about 10 thais and 3 farangs. when we reached the entrance, the admission fee was 50 baht per thai and 500 baht per farang. i'm not joking. obviously i was a bit angry, but was going to pay it anyways. my wife decided against it however so we went somewhere else instead.

therefor, instead of the national park guards making 650 baht (13x50 baht), they made 0 baht. we came back at 7am the next day and no guards were there and the gate was open ...everyone driving in free of charge.

So what are you saying then…………

Yours truly,

Kan Win

[Tony Clifton]

One scam that hasn't been mentioned yet. Businesses accepting payment with a credit card but adding a 3% charge on top. Has happened to me twice so far, they both lost a sale, not small items either.

Edited January 8, 2007 by Tony Clifton

[Cpt_M0ney_Sh0t]

National Parks no problem, They are supported by Thai taxes, if you don't pay tax, cough up your fair due and pay the 400baht.

HOWEVER thats were the line is drawn...everything else is just racist bullshit and I make it a point to never support any business or persons that will charge me more because I'm not Thai. UNLESS they are supported by Govt Tax money then it's all good and understandable. But for private businesses that try and pull that shit, I hate them with a passion. And I loath the yellow back gutless farang who KNOWS he's being screwed and just bends over and takes it without a fight...like he has some farang guilt complex or something over having a lil dough in his pocket, so he's ready to let some bigot looser screw him out of it.

[Cpt_M0ney_Sh0t]

Well how about the double price smams AGAINST Thais???

I heard that a bus ticket to Kho Samui the other day, would cost 450 for a ferang or 700 baht for a Thai.

Secondly - FERANG ARE RICHER THAN THAIS - its a fact. Paying an extra quid for something when we can easily afford it is fine by me - stop being such tight fisted @*$&@($%&$($('s

:-)

What a Plonker

Naka.

Indeed why not just pay more to everyone who has less money than you untill your broke and see if the favor gets returned. What a wiped moron.

[Kan Win]

There are two or more different topics going on this “Fred” mine is:-

For “National Parks”.

I pay the price, I Kan take the Photographs, you’re the sorry losers not to go there, not me.

Just to be there and feel this place is worth much more than, as “Clint Eastwood” in the movie “For a Few Dollars “

Worth ever Cent, Dime, Penny and Pound to me as well as all the Baths that I have had and spent in National Parks around Thailand. (or should that be Baht)

Happy days.

Yours truly,

Kan Win

[rainman]

National Parks no problem, They are supported by Thai taxes, if you don't pay tax, cough up your fair due and pay the 400baht.

thai taxes? you mean the taxes paid by the thousands of street vendors? or the taxes paid by thaksin?