Motorbike Rental Scam

[Macmundi]

Anyone here experienced a short term motorbike rental that ended up in blown up charges?? or have any of your friends experienced it?

Yesterday I returned a motorbike to a shop on Koh Tao. Although I've hear of it before, I didn't think it will happen to me.

Anyway, I also recall approaching a few shops who kind of declined my inquiry. Most of them said, we mostly rent to 'farangs'. Okay, so now it's clear to me which group is their preferred target. I am not Thai, but Asian, I can speak very fluent Thai, so most of the time I get away as a Thai, well, until they ask to see my ID. Thats when they asked for a 10,000 bht deposit. Came out with a phone to record a physical condition of the motorbike.

200bht for a days rent? Damn cheap. I even filled the tank to the brim. Oh! and I only rented it for the day so I could take my wife and kids out around the island.

There wasn't really much to see because most of the beaches were inaccessible by road, so the bike was mostly parked for that one day.

The next morning I woke up and took it to the shop because it wasn't of any use and just wanted to get it out of the way.

The same big lady came out in the rain, walked around the bike, went back in, took out the cash deposit out of the envelop and put it in her safe. Ahah..! I thought to myself.."here we go"

She asked me to go outside with her and said," we have a problem. The bike has many marks around it. she pointed out 5 spots which I thought looked nothing different. Oh! one of the side panel stickers peeled off abit."

Then back in her office. The back page of the rental contract was the price list of the different parts and prices around the bike.

That's it. She didn't show me the price list of the parts yesterday! Because if we look at that list, We can see that's a "shaft up your ass" list.

none of the panels were cracked. only one of the stickers started peeling, as if someone used his nail and had a scratch at it.

She added the 5 parts up and came to total of 10,600bhts. How coincidental. 

I cannot win this. This money will not kill me, but I hope it will be the beginning of the end to this scam.

[lovelomsak]

I would not mess with anyone on that Island its nickname is Death Island . No lie you could end up dead. Get you wife and kid and leave.

Edited January 28, 2018 by lovelomsak

[billd766]

For 50 or 60,000 baht you can buy a brand new scooter in your own name and never have to worry about renting again.

 

You can sell it after a year and not lose too much and buy another new one.

 

Second hand ones are much cheaper.

[tifino]

she's tried to compile enough:

 

because, maybe she saw yous?

 - and now punish you indirectly, for having had 3 pers on the machine;

contravening Clause #6

 

If you have more than 2 pers:   ++ little , you have to take it back straight away. 

 

only a local can get away with that!

[notmyself]

Shall I give a tip away? Oh go on then....

 

Look into their eyes and say nothing. Do not avert your gaze even of they get up (they will) whilst at the same time showing no facial expression. Make's them (all of SE Asia and S Asia) feel uncomfortable because of a religious thing. Generally they back off because of this religious thing. 

 

 

[HooHaa]

1 hour ago, lovelomsak said:

I would not mess with anyone on that Island its nickname is Death Island . No lie you could end up dead. Get you wife and kid and leave.

When were you last there?

[HooHaa]

1 hour ago, billd766 said:

For 50 or 60,000 baht you can buy a brand new scooter in your own name and never have to worry about renting again.

 

You can sell it after a year and not lose too much and buy another new one.

 

Second hand ones are much cheaper.

Remarkably helpful advice for a weekend at the beach.

Edited January 28, 2018 by HooHaa

[HooHaa]

Make your own recording and never leave a deposit. 

 

Sorry you got done.

[billd766]

13 hours ago, HooHaa said:

Remarkably helpful advice for a weekend at the beach.

 

But much cheaper than 10,000 baht a time for "damages".

[HooHaa]

11 minutes ago, billd766 said:

 

But much cheaper than 10,000 baht a time for "damages".

indeed, if not wholly unrealistic.

 

in fact as he said he needed the bike for a whole day. 50-60000 sounds about 5 times more expensive. its a false economy, pure and simple, especially if you take devaluation once you ride it into account.

perhaps you meant a wallet size travel scooter?

 

irrelavent advice for someone travelling to the beach of the highest degree.

 

Edited January 29, 2018 by HooHaa

[billd766]

14 minutes ago, HooHaa said:

indeed, if not wholly unrealistic.

 

in fact as he said he needed the bike for a whole day. 50-60000 sounds about 5 times more expensive. its a false economy, pure and simple, especially if you take devaluation once you ride it into account.

perhaps you meant a wallet size travel scooter?

 

irrelavent advice for someone travelling to the beach of the highest degree.

 

 

But renting a scooter 5 weekends in the year and getting stuffed each time is the price of a new one plus you get to keep the new one too..

 

 

[HooHaa]

14 minutes ago, billd766 said:

 

But renting a scooter 5 weekends in the year and getting stuffed each time is the price of a new one plus you get to keep the new one too..

 

 

you just dont get it do you?

PEOPLE DONT TAKE THEIR SCOOTER ON HOLIDAY. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE. SO THEY RENT.

 

 i think you are being purposely obtuse.

have a lovely day, you do not warrant any further attention.

[Briggsy]

Koh Tao has a very poor reputation. The best you can do is to post this information on multiple social media such as Facebook. A lot of the posts will get taken down as defamatory but don't give up. There is no authority in Thailand that will assist you with this.

[KneeDeep]

That's why you leave your passport and not cash. They are not allowed to keep your passport, as it is the property of the Government that issued it.

You just report the theft to your Embassy and the police.

Then claim on your travel insurance for a new passport if necessary.

 

Did you not think to take your own pictures at the beginning on the rental? It puts them on notice.

[evadgib]

2 hours ago, KneeDeep said:

That's why you leave your passport and not cash. They are not allowed to keep your passport, as it is the property of the Government that issued it.

You just report the theft to your Embassy and the police.

Then claim on your travel insurance for a new passport if necessary.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Identity_theft

Edited January 29, 2018 by evadgib

[notmyself]

2 hours ago, KneeDeep said:

That's why you leave your passport and not cash. 

 

Illegal.

 

I thought I'd posted on this thread yesterday. 

 

[Edit: I did]

 

 

Edited January 29, 2018 by notmyself

[Peterw42]

OP, you need to get your story straight, you say you didnt see the price list until after but your signature is on it, you mention a 10,000 baht deposit but the contract says 8,000 baht paid.

 

OP seems to say the bike was videoed prior to rental when you paid the deposit.

 

Quote

"Thats when they asked for a 10,000 bht deposit. Came out with a phone to record a physical condition of the motorbike."

Edited January 29, 2018 by Peterw42

[Macmundi]

3 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

OP, you need to get your story straight, you say you didnt see the price list until after but your signature is on it, you mention a 10,000 baht deposit but the contract says 8,000 baht paid.

 

OP seems to say the bike was videoed prior to rental when you paid the deposit.

 

Quote

"Thats when they asked for a 10,000 bht deposit. Came out with a phone to record a physical condition of the motorbike."

My intention is to warn other people.

not to wake up the jobless investigators.

[KneeDeep]

7 hours ago, notmyself said:

 

Illegal.

 

I thought I'd posted on this thread yesterday. 

 

[Edit: I did]

 

 

 

Nonsense.

 

You show me where leaving your passport with a vendor is illegal.

It's illegal for them to withhold it.

 

No different from a security guard holding a Thai's ID whilst they are a guest. But if they refused to give it back without good reason, they would have a problem.

[KneeDeep]

8 hours ago, evadgib said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Identity_theft

 

Zzzzzzzzzz.......

 

Has it happened to anyone you know in all of the years you/they have been visiting Thailand?

I have been visiting since the nineties. Not even once heard about such a thing occurring. 

 

Just a nonsense post. 

[Macmundi]

9 hours ago, KneeDeep said:

 

Nonsense.

 

You show me where leaving your passport with a vendor is illegal.

It's illegal for them to withhold it.

 

No different from a security guard holding a Thai's ID whilst they are a guest. But if they refused to give it back without good reason, they would have a problem.

 

[evadgib]

10 hours ago, KneeDeep said:

Has it happened to anyone you know in all of the years you/they have been visiting Thailand?

I have been visiting since the nineties. Not even once heard about such a thing occurring.

Kneedeep....?

Edited January 30, 2018 by evadgib

[KneeDeep]

4 hours ago, evadgib said:

Kneedeep....?

 

 

Shall I take it that you have no intelligent response to offer?

 

 

Edited January 30, 2018 by KneeDeep

[Macmundi]

6 hours ago, Macmundi said:

 

Yes thats 

 

6 hours ago, Macmundi said:

 

Yes thats very true. If you can’t shoe your passport when the authorities ask you to see it, you will have a problem.

You are required to have your passport on you at all times to prove your identity.

[evadgib]

1 hour ago, KneeDeep said:

Shall I take it that you have no intelligent response to offer?

Nah, just that I've given up 

[KneeDeep]

2 hours ago, Macmundi said:

Yes thats 

 

Yes thats very true. If you can’t shoe your passport when the authorities ask you to see it, you will have a problem.

You are required to have your passport on you at all times to prove your identity.

 

 

This is also nonsense. You can have a copy of the relevant pages.

 

Is most everyone just making it up as they go along on this thread?

 

So what happens if your passport is in a foreign Embassy awaiting a Visa?

Think before posting.

A copy of the Entry stamp and picture page will suffice.

Edited January 30, 2018 by KneeDeep

[Justfine]

Never paid a deposit. Anyone who asks for 10,000 baht for a crappy scooter is a scammer.

[Justfine]

21 hours ago, KneeDeep said:

 

Nonsense.

 

You show me where leaving your passport with a vendor is illegal.

It's illegal for them to withhold it.

 

No different from a security guard holding a Thai's ID whilst they are a guest. But if they refused to give it back without good reason, they would have a problem.

It's stupid. If they don't accept a copy they are dodgy.

[Macmundi]

1 minute ago, Justfine said:

Never paid a deposit. Anyone who asks for 10,000 baht for a crappy scooter is a scammer.

Very well said. Should highlight your words and post it everywhere there are motorbike rentals.

[Justfine]

On 29/01/2018 at 3:47 PM, KneeDeep said:

That's why you leave your passport and not cash. They are not allowed to keep your passport, as it is the property of the Government that issued it.

You just report the theft to your Embassy and the police.

Then claim on your travel insurance for a new passport if necessary.

 

Did you not think to take your own pictures at the beginning on the rental? It puts them on notice.

Smart people don't leave anything more than a copy.

 

Applying for a new passport is a hassle and insurance excess is usually around $100-200.

 

Just daft giving up a passport.