Thais Giving Thais A Bad Name

[bkkmadness]

I don't agree with your reasoning Qualtrough, just because someone is scammed doesn't mean they will not come back, the good far outweighs the bad in most cases. I wouldn't be shocked if his figures are pretty accurate.

A little common sense keeps you from getting scammed, even when I first came here when I was 22 I can't say I ever got ripped off, maybe I paid a little too much for a tuk tuk or taxi at some point but overall most of the attempted scams gem stones/tailors etc. are so transparent that you'd have to be an idiot to get caught for them.

I should add that I was backpacking around though, I guess staying at some of these hotels round Sukhumvit or Silom (and look like you have some money) you are more likely to get caught for something.

Edited March 27, 2007 by bkkmadness

[meadish_sweetball]

how about working as a teacher and u want to rent a place to live and the thai,s charge you 3000 baht more unless you have a thai wife or girl frend with you, where i come from this would be called racist ..............

this is not the norm. where you are applying for accomodation?

it is not the norm.

Sorry, Terence. You know you have my deepest respect and admiration for the work that you do in the parish of Rambuttri, but I must beg to differ on this point. It is normal amongst some landlords. I have rented 2 houses & come up against it both times

ok MISS rain,

since you and maddy have my top respect , i'll take your word for it and withdraw my statement that farangs dont pay more to get accomodation than thais.

im a little bit confused and have reached a conundrum.

i thought i was once wrong but i was mistaken.

anyway,

i must offer you this top bit of inside information concerning my detective work regarding renting accomodation in bangkok.

when i was last in bangkok in december, i was pricing rental accomodation in some condos around banglamphu.

all the places were giving me printed prices, negotiable if staying long term.

do you think that they had 2 different pricing scales regards farang and thai.?

when i get back in may im going to get my mates thai wife to ring up and find out if this is true.

thank you very much MISS rain.

the reverend.

Some places do, some don't - and it can be hard to judge. It is fairly common with farang prices for accommodation though.

Having a Thai ask first unfortunately has become standard mode of operation for me as well. It does not always help to speak Thai, it just reduces the risk slightly.

My experience of landlords in Bangkok (and the extended experience including my friends) is unfortunately mostly negative.

Be careful. Some places will do anything to get to keep the deposit (often 3 months rent) when you move out. So if you do not check religiously that everything is in working order when you move in, do not be surprised if they try to charge you for it when you move out...

At least in my experience there are more honest people outside Bangkok and the tourist areas.

Usually doesn't have anything to do with racism, it is purely an attempt to get extra cash out of somebody. The same people would scam other Thais too if they think they can get away with it.

[marc288888]

I don't agree Qualtrough, just because someone is scammed doesn't mean they will not come back, the good far outweighs the bad in most cases.

A little common sense keeps you from getting scammed, even when I first came here when I was 22 I can't say I ever got ripped off, maybe I paid a little too much for a tuk tuk or taxi at some point but overall most of the attempted scams gem stones/tailors etc. are so transparent that you'd have to be an idiot to get caught for them.

[bkkmadness]

Usually doesn't have anything to do with racism, it is purely an attempt to get extra cash out of somebody. The same people would scam other Thais too if they think they can get away with it.

That's a point that's often missed. If you want proof of it get off a bus at Mochit, the Taxis drivers will be just as quick to try to overcharge the country Thais that have just arrived in Bangkok as they will a farang.

Edited March 27, 2007 by bkkmadness

[guru]

2.= over charging at restaurants. check prices first.

A while ago the wife and her mates went over to the Colliseum. Tong Lo for some tucker and a night out and ordered food from the menu.

When the bill came she queried it as it seemed a bit pricier than predicted so asked to see the menu. The service replied that the food prices had increased but the menu had not yet been updated!

It would have been nice of the buggers to tell them first!

One that happened to me was when I ordered room service and the bill that came was 300 bt more than the menu price.

Went downstairs to complain at which point they showed me the new room service menu that hadnt been distributed to all the rooms yet. I dont reckon any of the rooms had it.

I huffed and I puffed but unfortunately the house didnt blow down.

[meadish_sweetball]

In such cases where you as a customer have been quoted one price from the start I think it is perfectly acceptable to refuse to pay if they want to charge more - unless they have added value to the bargain.

They have led you to believe one thing and they should suffer the consequences for being negligent, not you. Does not always work in practice, but often enough.

It is something of a trade-off. If you do eventually win something like this, you may find it becomes difficult to deal with the concerned people afterwards. So if you are dependent on them in some way, when all is said and done, perhaps better to cough up anyway.

[cdnvic]

I'm in the tourist industry and I hear allot about the ripoffs our guests encounter EVERY DAY, ALL DAY LONG.

When you advertise your business, do you warn people up front that they will be subjected to this, or do you wait until they've arrived and you've been paid?

I get big a THANK YOU! from my guests because I provide an honest service.

If you are so convinced that Thailand is a place where visitors are certain to be ripped off left and right isn't this a bit like enticing someone into a burning building then offering them a cold drink?

Seems if you were genuine about wanting to protect tourists you'd tell them to avoid the country altogether. If there is in fact little chance to come to Thailand without being ripped off.

Please point out where in your advertising that you warn potential customers that they will most likely be scammed if they visit.

[mark lamai]

as a frequent visitor and sometimes resident/worker in Thailand,

what I have found is that I have got progressively more and more annoyed by the constant

attempts to rip me off.

it used to be a game, but now I am just simply so sick of it,

it can ruin your daily experience because I have developed a constant low level defensiveness.

like carrying a gun in new York i guess, the anxiety from always being on guard.

think about a simple road trip from Samui - bangkok.

taxi to the pier 400 baht when a meter would be 120.

change train ticket at Surat station - 50% (350 baht) when its really 50 baht.

worry about belongings being stolen while sleeping.

attempt to lodge complaint about ticket ripoff to man at Hua Lamphung - flatly says he doesn't believe me and becomes insulting.

meter taxi to hotel - ohhh thank my Buddha!! i can do something without the annoyance of bargaining.

little dig:

seems to me that many of the long term farangs who post here have become insulated from a lot of what the average visitor experiences.

when you drive your own car, speak Thai, have local knowledge and relatives and pots of money,

you are like a kid in a candy shop, king of the castle , gliding around without a care.

no wonder you love it.

[chrisspursbkk1]

Hi,

i've already put a post on here but now i'm well pis$ off as two more freinds have just come BKK and been charged 700 baht from the new airport to Sukumvit 97, i told my mate what to say but he said after being on his long flight he could not be bothered to argue which i totally understand, to answer the topic title this gives them a very BAD name. The going rate is 50 baht airport charge then around 300 to sukumvit taking bangna road, thus making it 350 baht!!! Why do they rip of jet lagged farang???

Chris.

[onzestan]

Hi,

i've already put a post on here but now i'm well pis$ off as two more freinds have just come BKK and been charged 700 baht from the new airport to Sukumvit 97, i told my mate what to say but he said after being on his long flight he could not be bothered to argue which i totally understand, to answer the topic title this gives them a very BAD name. The going rate is 50 baht airport charge then around 300 to sukumvit taking bangna road, thus making it 350 baht!!! Why do they rip of jet lagged farang???

Chris.

Maybe because, as you state yourself, they know that some passengers couldn't be bothered after a long flight. If your friends had followed your advice you would have nothing to complain about.

So who is at fault here?

In any tourist country visitors WILL get ripped of. In my home country I can by a postcard of our cathedral at Euro 0,25 at any supermarket and the tourist pay 4 to 5 times more at the souvenir shop next to the cathedral. The locals just don't buy there and shrug their shoulders. It's common practice.

Same here in Thailand, I don't buy sunglasses from hawkers on the beach but from Luk Dod where the

hawkers buy them also.

And let's not forget that a lot of farangs hanging around here, do rip of other farangs also, and then not for a couple of hundred bahts, but thousands.

And thank god the airport tax is now included in the price of a ticket. How many of you have been approched by farangs that didn't know they had to pay the 500 baht and didn't have them and dear me they were going to loose their flight.

Cheers

Onzestan

[chrisspursbkk1]

Hi,

i've already put a post on here but now i'm well pis$ off as two more freinds have just come BKK and been charged 700 baht from the new airport to Sukumvit 97, i told my mate what to say but he said after being on his long flight he could not be bothered to argue which i totally understand, to answer the topic title this gives them a very BAD name. The going rate is 50 baht airport charge then around 300 to sukumvit taking bangna road, thus making it 350 baht!!! Why do they rip of jet lagged farang???

Chris.

Maybe because, as you state yourself, they know that some passengers couldn't be bothered after a long flight. If your friends had followed your advice you would have nothing to complain about.

So who is at fault here?

In any tourist country visitors WILL get ripped of. In my home country I can by a postcard of our cathedral at Euro 0,25 at any supermarket and the tourist pay 4 to 5 times more at the souvenir shop next to the cathedral. The locals just don't buy there and shrug their shoulders. It's common practice.

Same here in Thailand, I don't buy sunglasses from hawkers on the beach but from Luk Dod where the

hawkers buy them also.

And let's not forget that a lot of farangs hanging around here, do rip of other farangs also, and then not for a couple of hundred bahts, but thousands.

And thank god the airport tax is now included in the price of a ticket. How many of you have been approched by farangs that didn't know they had to pay the 500 baht and didn't have them and dear me they were going to loose their flight.

Cheers

Onzestan

Hi,

I totally understand what you are saying but! why do they have taxi meter on top of there cars??? it dose seem a little unfair on people to get this reception after a 11 an a half hour flight.

My point is if it was your first time to LOS and you got this what would your first opinion be?

If someone can say this is fair then i asume your a taxi driver, just kidding lol.

Chris.

[canuckamuck]

I think threads like this exist because people want to know they weren’t the only ones who got ripped off. I guess you feel better if you can tell yourself the country is to blame. I have had opportunities to be ripped off in every country I have visited. It is possible I did get ripped off once and a while. The less you know about any place the more likely you are to get scammed. That’s why the arrogant, fresh off the boat chatterboxes are the main target, they haven’t stopped talking about how cheap everything is here, long enough to notice the guy down the road is selling the same service at half price.

Rule #1 ask around, especially if you have access to a neutral local.

Rule #2 never use the word cheap in a conversation. Most people know a few English words. This is one of the first ones they learn. Use it, and they know you’re a soft target.

Rule #3 Never buy something the first time you hear about it, or see it. Your ignorance will be like a flashing light bulb on your head.

Rule # 4 if at all possible, have a Thai person do your negotiating until you understand the system.

[dgoz]

This morning I caught a taxi from Suk Soi 15 to Suvannabhumi Airport, using meter and paying tolls of 65 baht. About 300 meters from airport terminal building, the taxi conks out on highway. Luckily we got onto shoulder lane, out of main traffic, and a motorcycle policeman came by to help. Taxi driver couldn't get motor restarted. So I hopped out of taxi, paid driver baht 200 for the 185 showing on the meter. And began trying to flag any empty taxi on way to terminal.

Luckily, or so I thought, a private car with single driver stops, and offers me a ride. I hop in and off we go. First thing, driver says is, "This is limousine service." I said, "Thank you for picking me up." 15 seconds later, we reach the departure level of the terminal, and the driver pulls out this card, and wants baht 600 for picking me up. I said, "Jing jing? Only song roi meter (200 meters)" and offer him baht 40 for what a taxi would have cost to go the 2 - 300 meters.

Then I just got out of the cab, extended the two 20 baht notes to him, and of course he took them.

I can understand Thais wanting to earn a living, but something like what the driver wanted shows to me, a lack of human decency. I think it's indicative of Thais who are trying to make a living off of foreigners and visitors to Thailand.

dont worry about it mate as he did not try and kill you.

just think how much the dude earns ( which is bugger all ) and he was just testing you to see if you were silly enough to give him the coin.

not a problem, and just have a little giggle to yourself.

thank you very much.

Yeah but when you're subject to this type of rip-off, scamming, insulting behaviour day after day after day just because of the colour of your skin and the shape of your nose it does get a little annoying.

LOS?

[cdnvic]

Well at least you won't have to worry about that because nobody ever gets scammed in Cambodia.

In fact, other than putting almost a fifth of their population to death once, the country has a sterling reputation.

[dgoz]

Well at least you won't have to worry about that because nobody ever gets scammed in Cambodia.

In fact, other than putting almost a fifth of their population to death once, the country has a sterling reputation.

Once again you're attacking my comments about Thailand, but, typically, you're shooting the messenger.

I am only replying to these threads, not starting them. Ever wonder why more than 50% of topics posted on this forum is of a negative experience in Thailand?

As for your comments about Cambodia killing their own people, that was a one-off incident by a lunatic that ended some 28 years ago. But if that is the only negative you can come up with about the place it goes to show.

Did you see the 7 minute special on BBC world recently about "Sihanoukville, the rising star of South East Asia"?

[bendix]

Once again you're attacking my comments about Thailand, but, typically, you're shooting the messenger.

I am only replying to these threads, not starting them. Ever wonder why more than 50% of topics posted on this forum is of a negative experience in Thailand?

As for your comments about Cambodia killing their own people, that was a one-off incident by a lunatic that ended some 28 years ago. But if that is the only negative you can come up with about the place it goes to show.

Did you see the 7 minute special on BBC world recently about "Sihanoukville, the rising star of South East Asia"?

dgoz, I'm sure everyone is delighted you have left the horrors of Thailand behind you and are so happy in Cambodia. Now you can put this awful place behind you and focus on building a wonderful life in that oasis of calm, that land of plenty, that is Kampuchea.

Please spare a thought for our suffering now and again, and do pop in to gloat occasionally. We'll look forward to it.

[Heng]

its has happened 3 times to me phayothin and rangsit and ramkhaem all charging me 2000 /3000 baht more and its happened to every teacher at my school unless they have a girl freind who is thai so it does seem the norm .....

Even if you turn up with a Thai many places will still try to squeeze you out of a bit extra. Get the places called by a Thai first, it's the best way to be ensure the right price unless you know other people in the building.

True. Unfortunately a lot of less than honest vendors or merchants will interpret the situation to mean 'clueless foreigner' + 'likely clueless country local.' Racist, no. Opportunistic, unscrupulous, yes.

[bendix]

True. Unfortunately a lot of less than honest vendors or merchants will interpret the situation to mean 'clueless foreigner' + 'likely clueless country local.' Racist, no. Opportunistic, unscrupulous, yes.

And a perfect example of the free market at work, as it should.

I've said it before, and i'll say it again, it's only possible to be scammed if you let yourself be scammed. The guys who's mate is here complaining about the 700 baht taxi ride weren't scammed. They quote "couldnt be bothered arguing". Huh? They entered into the agreement fully aware of the service they would get, and the price they would pay.

You see, it's like this. It's a big bad world out there. There are honest people and less honest people. The less honest will target those they see as innocent naives, fools ready to be parted with their cash.

And bloody good luck to them in my view.

[LoveDaBlues]

as a frequent visitor and sometimes resident/worker in Thailand,

what I have found is that I have got progressively more and more annoyed by the constant

attempts to rip me off.

it used to be a game, but now I am just simply so sick of it,

it can ruin your daily experience because I have developed a constant low level defensiveness.

like carrying a gun in new York i guess, the anxiety from always being on guard.

think about a simple road trip from Samui - bangkok.

taxi to the pier 400 baht when a meter would be 120.

change train ticket at Surat station - 50% (350 baht) when its really 50 baht.

worry about belongings being stolen while sleeping.

attempt to lodge complaint about ticket ripoff to man at Hua Lamphung - flatly says he doesn't believe me and becomes insulting.

meter taxi to hotel - ohhh thank my Buddha!! i can do something without the annoyance of bargaining.

little dig:

seems to me that many of the long term farangs who post here have become insulated from a lot of what the average visitor experiences.

when you drive your own car, speak Thai, have local knowledge and relatives and pots of money,

you are like a kid in a candy shop, king of the castle , gliding around without a care.

no wonder you love it.

drive your own car = yes

speak Thai = nignoy

have local knowledge = some

relatives = yes

pots of money = pretty much so

a kid in a candy shop, king of the castle , gliding around without a care. = yes yes and yes

no wonder you love it. = of course

uhhhh........why do you consider the last part a dig?

[qwertz]

Why hang this tag just on the Thais? If you're on tourist turf anywhere, makes sense to watch your a#se. Don't you know yet? The sharks can spot a punter from a mile away.

Edited March 28, 2007 by qwertz

[soundman]

Why hang this tag just on the Thais? If you're on tourist turf anywhere, makes sense to watch your a#se. Don't you know yet? The sharks can spot a punter from a mile away.

So true!!

Thai's giving thai's a bad name.

Aussies giving aussies a bad name...

Etc etc.

Soundman.

[jdinasia]

as a frequent visitor and sometimes resident/worker in Thailand,

what I have found is that I have got progressively more and more annoyed by the constant

attempts to rip me off.

it used to be a game, but now I am just simply so sick of it,

it can ruin your daily experience because I have developed a constant low level defensiveness.

like carrying a gun in new York i guess, the anxiety from always being on guard.

think about a simple road trip from Samui - bangkok.

taxi to the pier 400 baht when a meter would be 120.

change train ticket at Surat station - 50% (350 baht) when its really 50 baht.

worry about belongings being stolen while sleeping.

attempt to lodge complaint about ticket ripoff to man at Hua Lamphung - flatly says he doesn't believe me and becomes insulting.

meter taxi to hotel - ohhh thank my Buddha!! i can do something without the annoyance of bargaining.

little dig:

seems to me that many of the long term farangs who post here have become insulated from a lot of what the average visitor experiences.

when you drive your own car, speak Thai, have local knowledge and relatives and pots of money,

you are like a kid in a candy shop, king of the castle , gliding around without a care.

no wonder you love it.

You'd think that a guy that has owned a bar here ... etc etc etc ... would be a little more wise ... (and have the proper visa etc!)

[soundman]

as a frequent visitor and sometimes resident/worker in Thailand,

what I have found is that I have got progressively more and more annoyed by the constant

attempts to rip me off.

it used to be a game, but now I am just simply so sick of it,

it can ruin your daily experience because I have developed a constant low level defensiveness.

like carrying a gun in new York i guess, the anxiety from always being on guard.

think about a simple road trip from Samui - bangkok.

taxi to the pier 400 baht when a meter would be 120.

change train ticket at Surat station - 50% (350 baht) when its really 50 baht.

worry about belongings being stolen while sleeping.

attempt to lodge complaint about ticket ripoff to man at Hua Lamphung - flatly says he doesn't believe me and becomes insulting.

meter taxi to hotel - ohhh thank my Buddha!! i can do something without the annoyance of bargaining.

little dig:

seems to me that many of the long term farangs who post here have become insulated from a lot of what the average visitor experiences.

when you drive your own car, speak Thai, have local knowledge and relatives and pots of money,

you are like a kid in a candy shop, king of the castle , gliding around without a care.

no wonder you love it.

You'd think that a guy that has owned a bar here ... etc etc etc ... would be a little more wise ... (and have the proper visa etc!)

Simple answer..

Don't go to Samui.

The place is a hole & money trap for thai's & falangs alike.

Cheers,

Soundman.

[terry57]

This morning I caught a taxi from Suk Soi 15 to Suvannabhumi Airport, using meter and paying tolls of 65 baht. About 300 meters from airport terminal building, the taxi conks out on highway. Luckily we got onto shoulder lane, out of main traffic, and a motorcycle policeman came by to help. Taxi driver couldn't get motor restarted. So I hopped out of taxi, paid driver baht 200 for the 185 showing on the meter. And began trying to flag any empty taxi on way to terminal.

Luckily, or so I thought, a private car with single driver stops, and offers me a ride. I hop in and off we go. First thing, driver says is, "This is limousine service." I said, "Thank you for picking me up." 15 seconds later, we reach the departure level of the terminal, and the driver pulls out this card, and wants baht 600 for picking me up. I said, "Jing jing? Only song roi meter (200 meters)" and offer him baht 40 for what a taxi would have cost to go the 2 - 300 meters.

Then I just got out of the cab, extended the two 20 baht notes to him, and of course he took them.

I can understand Thais wanting to earn a living, but something like what the driver wanted shows to me, a lack of human decency. I think it's indicative of Thais who are trying to make a living off of foreigners and visitors to Thailand.

dont worry about it mate as he did not try and kill you.

just think how much the dude earns ( which is bugger all ) and he was just testing you to see if you were silly enough to give him the coin.

not a problem, and just have a little giggle to yourself.

thank you very much.

Yeah but when you're subject to this type of rip-off, scamming, insulting behaviour day after day after day just because of the colour of your skin and the shape of your nose it does get a little annoying.

LOS?

i dont know why you have such a hard time in los getting ripped off all the time dogz ?

seriously,

its just not that bad mate.

i travel all over bangkok by taxi, river ferry, sky train , metro and visit a many new destinations every time im here.

i dont speak thai, but have an advanced scam radar embedded in my brain.

i hardly ever have to use it and i dont come across all these scams that you are on about.

i just cant understand why you have these problems. ?

im just a normal punter but thais dont try the scam with me.

thank you very much.