Rip-off at famous Thai floating market: "Long running con" investigated after tourist pays 5,000 baht for two hour trip

[Dave0206]

7 hours ago, bradiston said:

You think it's any different in your country, wherever that is? You come from the land of no scams? Ha! Pull the other one. Everyone's a scammer babe, and that's no lie...

Other countries of course tourist attractions are overpriced but same price for all I like to think I am not 100% stupid but certain things you get caught out with in Thailand.

For example I remember taking a longboat up the dirty bkk river to go see palace only to be charged a “landing fee” at the pier 

get to palace and to show respect must buy hippie pants then pay 500 baht to see nothing very interesting but Thai are free.

When in Thailand no need for a catheter coz some places are very good at taking the p*ss

[SunsetT]

'Been there, Done that'!  

 

Was caught by this taxi driver/boat scam when I first came to Thailand in 2006. So yes it has been going for years!

[Stargeezr]

First, I have never stayed anywhere in Thailand for over 2000 baht per night. If you insist on staying at a 5 star hotel

then expect to be considered rich.  A fool and his money are soon parted in many places in the world, not just Thailand.

  On my first trip to Thailand I met a few touts, who were trying to scam me. One said he was a pilot for Thai airways, 

but his uniform was very tattered. I led him up to a soldier at the Grande palace, and I asked the soldier if he thought

the guy was a pilot. The guard laughed and said, he is a tout, or a thief, then he shooed the guy away. 

  Another tout was trying to get me to go to a temple half way across the city, as it was only open to public on special days.

    If this fool tourist and his wife got stung, I hope that they learned their Thailand lesson. Don't people

listen to the Murray Head song, One night in Bangkok anymore. I took that song seriously the first time I heard it.

 

[ArtVandelay]

First Offer : Sucker's price

* end of lesson

[Tropposurfer]

Hahahaha ???? Reminds me of how in 2009 on my first trip back to LOS since the early eighties I went with a gal to the same markets (first time to the markets ever) by boat and the boat fella just left us there after we paid for a round trip lol ???????? 

[heybuz]

14 hours ago, Mavideol said:

did you took a close look at the scammers in Paris, were they "real" French or north africans, roumanians/gipsy gitans, eastern europeans... usually french people don't have time for scams, they work on regular jobs

The only time I got caught in Paris was a long time ago and it was only change from a cup of coffee , turns out it was German invasion money.

[Resident Alien]

17 hours ago, ignore it said:

I tried calling the TAT office about all this  but nobody answered the phone.

Maybe try calling the TAT office about something else, and they might answer the phone?

[nigelforbes]

8 hours ago, Stargeezr said:

First, I have never stayed anywhere in Thailand for over 2000 baht per night. If you insist on staying at a 5 star hotel

then expect to be considered rich.  A fool and his money are soon parted in many places in the world, not just Thailand.

  On my first trip to Thailand I met a few touts, who were trying to scam me. One said he was a pilot for Thai airways, 

but his uniform was very tattered. I led him up to a soldier at the Grande palace, and I asked the soldier if he thought

the guy was a pilot. The guard laughed and said, he is a tout, or a thief, then he shooed the guy away. 

  Another tout was trying to get me to go to a temple half way across the city, as it was only open to public on special days.

    If this fool tourist and his wife got stung, I hope that they learned their Thailand lesson. Don't people

listen to the Murray Head song, One night in Bangkok anymore. I took that song seriously the first time I heard it.

 

Hahaha, I ran into the, "I'm a 747 pilot for Thai Airways" guy also, I asked him how much thrust a 747 developed at takeoff speed and he got up and walked away. 

[Road Warrior]

Thais are expert on ripping off non Thais 

[Fairynuff]

22 hours ago, Celsius said:

I said no to Trudeau taxes and immigration

So you decided to become an immigrant. Or do you call yourself an expat because you think it means you’re not an immigrant.

Edited February 2, 2023 by Fairynuff

[Lorry]

On 2/1/2023 at 9:51 AM, nigelforbes said:

What kind of tourist

a Thai, according to OP

[Aussieroaming]

Bring back the tourists they said, we need them they said, all the while wringing their hands together at the loss of "opportunity".

 

 

 

 

 

[joecoolfrog]

On 2/1/2023 at 7:32 AM, Jonathan Swift said:

When you have doubts you walk around and ask people. There is always an ex pat somewhere, or a Thai person, who will be glad to advise or help. But you should get your advice before you even set foot in a place. I've been here ten years and I'm still learning and noticing details that I wasn't aware of. 

For sure there are plenty of scams in Thailand , but this isnt one of them. As you say , do the research , know the prices , if you consider a rip off is in play then just walk away.

I actually did this floating market almost 20 years ago , paid what I expected to pay , wasn't an excessive sum.

[orchis]

also the floating markets, for there are a few there, at damnoen saduak haven't been a floating market for decades and must be among the lamest attractions in Thailand

[BananaStrong]

5000 baht for two hours, not bad!!!!  Imagine if you spent $19,000,000 just on LUNCH to eat with some old guy in America (Buffet, or something, stock market guru. lol).   Or you bought a NFT of a picture of an ape eating a banana for $1,498,000.

 

I stay at 6-star hotels, tip everyone 1000 baht, never carry under 1000 in my wallet, and have never wore the same clothes twice (including my gold chains, rolexes, etc...)

 

LOSuperRich.      

 

I also helped them with their sign.

 

1 hours.          

 

I spent years trying to get kids to drop that "s"................in fact, I spent 4 year and 13 month and 1 minutes and hopefully you get the joke.  lol

[schvonsky1]

On 2/1/2023 at 9:51 AM, nigelforbes said:

That's really very naive!

 

What kind of tourist comes to Thailand and spends 5k a night on a 5 star hotel and then thinks a boat trip on the river cost between 5k and 20k! Tourists need to use some common sense and help themselves just a little bit, nobody ever said you couldn't get ripped off in a tourist area but that happens almost everywhere in some shape or form.

 

Not with me it doesn’t ????????????????