Tuesday Travel Tip: Five traveller scams to watch out for in Thailand

By Katherine Scott, 9Honey Travel Editor, unsolicited food critic, and Pinterest nerd

 

Home to some the world's best beaches, tastiest food, most epic parties and very favourable exchange rates, it's no surprise Thailand is a hugely popular destination for Aussie travellers.

 

Sadly, like most tourist towns in the world, it also shares the more sinister reputation as being a hotspot for holiday scams, with unsavoury folks targeting unsuspecting visitors' wallets.

 

But there's no need to let scam fears turn you off a visit to this stunning pocket of the world.

 

9Honey Travel caught up with community manager at insurance company Travel with Jane, Michelle Legge, to see which cons we should be wary of before hitting the beaches of this beautiful country.

 

Full story: https://travel.nine.com.au/2018/05/15/10/47/five-traveller-scams-to-watch-out-for-in-thailand

 

-- 9Honey Travel 2018-05-15

Falling in love with a hooker,should be at the top

of any list.

regards Worgeordie

1 hour ago, webfact said:

very favourable exchange rates

Why would I read the rest of the article when the writer can even get that right.

Lets not forget the police checkpoints and the few hundred baht to get past them

Oh, and the dual pricing and scamming farangs wherever you go to buy something, except supermarkets

 

Alas, the article omitted the "You Hansum Man, I Lub U Long Time" scam.

Edited May 15, 20188 yr by Misterwhisper

Tons of people come to Thailand to see things other than hookers. It's not the top scam. And it takes far more common sense to not be victim to that scam than others.

So according to the article Thailand is actually a TOWN!

3 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Falling in love with a hooker,should be at the top

of any list.

regards Worgeordie

Absolutely, mine has made me very very happy since the day I met her 11 and a half years ago, so your spot on with that comment 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Five traveller scams to watch out for in Thailand

5 ??? Here is a hint: the missing zeros are on the far right side where the numbers on the keyboard are located.

3 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Falling in love with a hooker,should be at the top

of any list.

regards Worgeordie

What's wrong with falling in love with a Thai hooker? Just make sure your wallet only has enough for the shag and beer money, Worked for me loads of times. 

Home to some the world's best beaches (sic)

 

is this actually true? i've travelled round thailand and i've never seen any beach to match those i've seen in australia, never mind the rest of the world.

 

OP, could you provide evidence that that thailand has not one but 'some' of the best beaches in the world? and where are they?

 

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/TravelersChoice-Beaches-cTop-g1

 

Edited May 15, 20188 yr by samsensam
clarity

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Home to some the world's best beaches, tastiest food, most epic parties and very favourable exchange rates, it's no surprise Thailand is a hugely popular destination for Aussie travellers.

 

Do you ever been in Thailand?? 

They beaches is so polluting full of garbish 

Food is disgusting and not safe to eat meaby only the best farangs restaurant is good 

Parties is fun yes just be careful not get or take drugs because tourists is easy target for robbery 

Exchange rate have not been so bad for the last 6 years end that is now

So perhaps you should rewrite your fantasy story or do you get money from tat in Thailand for writing this?? 

Posts containing offensive language have been removed:

 

11) You will not post slurs, degrading or overly negative comments directed towards Thailand, specific locations, Thai institutions such as the judicial or law enforcement system, Thai culture, Thai people or any other group on the basis of race, nationality, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

Where ever you go there are scams,

basic opinion is humans sucking off humans

been going on since, way before  the shared apple.

19 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

Why would I read the rest of the article when the writer can even get that right.

That was my first thought, but my second was that Australia has become quite an expensive place, so the cost of things here still looks attractive. 

Seems like a good thread for the complainers.

21 hours ago, webfact said:

and very favourable exchange rates

 

Hmmm... webfact... get your facts straight! Aussie dollar, as all other currencies, are doing crap against the Thai baht.

The most important one: Thai police pretending to be police whilst they invent offences that will cost you.

On 5/15/2018 at 1:55 PM, Dingle 60 said:

Oh, and the dual pricing and scamming farangs wherever you go to buy something, except supermarkets

 

By all reports the scamming farangs are the most sophisticated and, ultimately, the most expensive to be taken in by.

9 hours ago, mikebell said:

The most important one: Thai police pretending to be police whilst they invent offences that will cost you.

Verified examples please, not bar stool myths.

Don't include not having a license to drive when you don't have one or not wearing a helmet when you are not wearing one.

 

Edited May 16, 20188 yr by tryasimight

On 15/05/2018 at 5:35 AM, webfact said:

9Honey Travel

Stopped reading at this point. 

 

Not a company name and that inspires confidence. 

5 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

Stopped reading at this point. 

 

Not a company name and that inspires confidence. 

No, not a "company name" (whatever validation that provides), but travel guides from international contributors. 

On 5/15/2018 at 1:46 PM, 4MyEgo said:

Absolutely, mine has made me very very happy since the day I met her 11 and a half years ago, so your spot on with that comment 

i still love them all.

 Very good they mentioned the jet-ski scam and the taxi cheats in Bangkok. But there are more then 5 scams, sorry !

 

Keep in mind, the ping pong show scam, where a guilable tourist is lured into a shady show place under the pretext it is free. But when the tab arrives, just a drink and seeing the show of the hottie laying her ping pong balls can run up to THB 2000,--  Of course, be ready to get bashed up if you argue. Flee such venues like the plague.

 

Also be aware of the tailor scam.  If the tailor asks you to fully pay in advance, it's obviously a scam as the quality of the stiches and materials will be obvious, once you get back home. And above all if any shop has been recommended by the tuk tuk or taxi, just flee....

 

The motorbike rental scam is something also well heard of that is similar to the jet ski scam. One should make it a point to film the entire bike before rental under each corner and make sure the rental company has some sort of insurance that covers use of his bike by a farang. It is apparently something different then if a Thai rents the bike. Not sure about the details on this , so if anybody has more info...But things can go further, as once you rent it, an accomplice will follow the renter and steal the bike on the fist occasion,

 

More Thai scams on : http://travelscams.org/asia/common-tourist-scams-thailand/

 

Be smart, use common sense, be polite when you refuse and let's enjoy this lovely country with its food and it's hotties !

Edited May 16, 20188 yr by observer90210

29 minutes ago, OldSiamHand said:

No, not a "company name" (whatever validation that provides), but travel guides from international contributors. 

Yes, and the name of that travelers guide company [with contributions from international contributors] is...

Edited May 16, 20188 yr by Bluespunk

11 hours ago, jacko45k said:

That was my first thought, but my second was that Australia has become quite an expensive place, so the cost of things here still looks attractive. 

Seems like a good thread for the complainers.

Yep lots of complaining. I've seen some great beaches in Thailand. Some people don't know where to look.

13 hours ago, terminatorchiangmai said:

i still love them all.

I only love my wife, but still give the others a serve now and again, only human 

14 hours ago, tryasimight said:

Verified examples please, not bar stool myths.

Don't include not having a license to drive when you don't have one or not wearing a helmet when you are not wearing one.

 

Here are two from my 12 year sojourn. 

I was waiting at a U-turn when two tear-a-ways smashed into me at 90kph.  Ten minutes later a Thai cop adjudged it was my fault as I had crossed a major road from a minor one.  He never subsequently interviewed the licenceless/helmetless boys.  It cost me about 90K in compensation' to my victims with lawyers' fees.  He took 12K under the table from my wife on pains of making my visa application impossible next year and/or confiscating my passport.

 

My S-in-L rented her car out & it was stolen.  The female culprit was 'arrested' by family members some months later.  I drove the thief + traffic cop to Jomtien police station where a fat-ursed cop refused to proceed without a 10K payment up front.  I was in the room and witnessed this.  S-i-L, a nurse, had to continue paying a bank loan for three more years despite having no car. 

Both these incidents happened to me - I verify the above as being a true statement; I never drink and drive; I have two Thai licences - car/motorbike.  I envy your innocence.

9 minutes ago, mikebell said:

Here are two from my 12 year sojourn. 

I was waiting at a U-turn when two tear-a-ways smashed into me at 90kph.  Ten minutes later a Thai cop adjudged it was my fault as I had crossed a major road from a minor one.  He never subsequently interviewed the licenceless/helmetless boys.  It cost me about 90K in compensation' to my victims with lawyers' fees.  He took 12K under the table from my wife on pains of making my visa application impossible next year and/or confiscating my passport.

 

My S-in-L rented her car out & it was stolen.  The female culprit was 'arrested' by family members some months later.  I drove the thief + traffic cop to Jomtien police station where a fat-ursed cop refused to proceed without a 10K payment up front.  I was in the room and witnessed this.  S-i-L, a nurse, had to continue paying a bank loan for three more years despite having no car. 

Both these incidents happened to me - I verify the above as being a true statement; I never drink and drive; I have two Thai licences - car/motorbike.  I envy your innocence.

You made your choice.

Now let it go.

it's eating you like a cancer.

 

18 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

Yes, and the name of that travelers guide company [with contributions from international contributors] is...

They probably don't work for a travelers guide company, and I didn't see one mentioned in the article.