Name This Scam! (it Almost Happened To Me)

[canadiangirl]

Many people have been posting various scams that happened and almost happened lately to them lately ... which brought back to memory a strange encounter I had in Chiang Mai. It was most surely some scan or other, but what, exactly? Do you know?

(if you're bored like I am right now, there's no better time to play:)

Name That Thailand Scam!

I was just walking down by myself one of the big Chiang Mai streets, no doubt looking a bit touristy, in the middle of the afternoon. I stopped outside a bookstore to light a cigarette, and this Thai man approached me and asked me for something random like a light or the time.

I'm wary of strangers, so I gave him the info, but wasn't too friendly.

He then launched into this introduction about himself: he had gone to school in the States, was a Muay Thai champion, bla bla blah, asked me how I liked Thailand. His English was very, very good, which puts me off a bit, and he opened up his wallet to show me some Muay Thai teacher credential he had. All of this was a bit weird, and sounded like a practiced speech, he was talking a bit fast, not letting me put a word in edgewise. He was well-dressed, looked good, etc. I've been chatted up by Thai blokes before, but this was nothing like it. He didn't ask me to buy anything, or visit any shops, or visit anything either. But something was just off in his approach.

He asked me if he could come walking with me, and I said no. He insisted a bit and, and I said "nice talking to you", and walked away. That was the end of it.

Can anyone tell me <deleted>? What this just a random weirdo, or a recognizable weirdo?

Edited September 5, 2007 by canadiangirl

[uptou]

maybe he thought you had the potential to throw a good right hook.

[britmaveric]

Sounds like he wanted to shag you.

[uptou]

Sounds like he wanted to shag you.

yes,men can sometimes be that way.

[mikethevigoman]

Many people have been posting various scams that happened and almost happened lately to them lately ... which brought back to memory a strange encounter I had in Chiang Mai. It was most surely some scan or other, but what, exactly? Do you know?

(if you're bored like I am right now, there's no better time to play:)

Name That Thailand Scam!

I was just walking down by myself one of the big Chiang Mai streets, no doubt looking a bit touristy, in the middle of the afternoon. I stopped outside a bookstore to light a cigarette, and this Thai man approached me and asked me for something random like a light or the time.

I'm wary of strangers, so I gave him the info, but wasn't too friendly.

He then launched into this introduction about himself: he had gone to school in the States, was a Muay Thai champion, bla bla blah, asked me how I liked Thailand. His English was very, very good, which puts me off a bit, and he opened up his wallet to show me some Muay Thai teacher credential he had. All of this was a bit weird, and sounded like a practiced speech, he was talking a bit fast, not letting me put a word in edgewise. He was well-dressed, looked good, etc. I've been chatted up by Thai blokes before, but this was nothing like it. He didn't ask me to buy anything, or visit any shops, or visit anything either. But something was just off in his approach.

He asked me if he could come walking with me, and I said no. He insisted a bit and, and I said "nice talking to you", and walked away. That was the end of it.

Can anyone tell me <deleted>? What this just a random weirdo, or a recognizable weirdo?

I think you had the visit to the jewelry factory on the cards, .my uncle was approached in the same manner, very smart business looking even, told my uncle frank he was over from hong kong where he now lives and makes a living exporting jewelry from chiang mai ,,my uncle is 70 and wasnt too wised up, and after the offer to take frank to the factory off they go, ,frank ends up buying some crap for 45000 baht, when he got home was told its 50 quids worth,..be aware of anyone on the street id say,.

[Prakanong]

I am bored with my exam revision so I will have a go

1) He wanted to shag you

2) Jewellery

3) Way down the list as you are a girl - the card game scam

[mikethevigoman]

Then again ,you could have missed out on the best sex you have ever had !

[canadiangirl]

Then again ,you could have missed out on the best sex you have ever had !

I can think of a few occasions when, looking back, this might have been the case.

For this situation though ... he opened up his wallet to show me some kind of license or other -- men trying to shag me don't usually try to show me their license. :D

I did get one Thai guy once who spoke no English at all, and tried to pick me up with gestures: he pointed to himself, to me, motioned "let's go", and then gestured "to sleep". I think I'm still laughing about that guy.

[canadiangirl]

maybe he thought you had the potential to throw a good right hook.

My kick to the knee is famous on four continents.

[sutnyod]

Showing you licenses and credentials? Hm. Had something like that happen to me in Colombo a few years back. But, being a bit stupid and overwhelmed I know the end.

This guy also chats me up, makes a show of flashing his licenses etc., but of course he is no Muay Thai teacher, but a teacher for the blind (teacher! another common element, ha!). So of course I tell him that it is nice of him to devote his time blablabla. Also got to see some pictures of him and (blind?) children. Nice and cute. Then he said he really likes to chat with foreigners to improve his English and could I sign his guest-book and write my name next to the signature? (well, I should probably name it encounter-book). Stupid me did. I mean if anybody tells me to sign I sign. But then I know my reflexes and the trouble they could create for me and decided to give him a nonsense-signature and a phantasy-name. As soon as that was done he uncovered the left half of the paper he had been holding and Ta-Da! there was an empty column for a donation amount. For the school of the blind. I told him I will write a zero. I know enough people in the aid business to give them donations whenever I feel depressed by the amount of money I possess. That was that and it's a possible scenario for your encounter. Except for the blind children.

[hiromj]

Showing you licenses and credentials? Hm. Had something like that happen to me in Colombo a few years back. But, being a bit stupid and overwhelmed I know the end.

This guy also chats me up, makes a show of flashing his licenses etc., but of course he is no Muay Thai teacher, but a teacher for the blind (teacher! another common element, ha!). So of course I tell him that it is nice of him to devote his time blablabla. Also got to see some pictures of him and (blind?) children. Nice and cute. Then he said he really likes to chat with foreigners to improve his English and could I sign his guest-book and write my name next to the signature? (well, I should probably name it encounter-book). Stupid me did. I mean if anybody tells me to sign I sign. But then I know my reflexes and the trouble they could create for me and decided to give him a nonsense-signature and a phantasy-name. As soon as that was done he uncovered the left half of the paper he had been holding and Ta-Da! there was an empty column for a donation amount. For the school of the blind. I told him I will write a zero. I know enough people in the aid business to give them donations whenever I feel depressed by the amount of money I possess. That was that and it's a possible scenario for your encounter. Except for the blind children.

Had a similar thing happen to me in KL Mayaysia except it was a monk(?). I gave him a little money so he would go away and he got really angry and told me how much he expected that I should give. At that point, I walked away.

[Prakanong]

Showing you licenses and credentials? Hm. Had something like that happen to me in Colombo a few years back. But, being a bit stupid and overwhelmed I know the end.

This guy also chats me up, makes a show of flashing his licenses etc., but of course he is no Muay Thai teacher, but a teacher for the blind (teacher! another common element, ha!). So of course I tell him that it is nice of him to devote his time blablabla. Also got to see some pictures of him and (blind?) children. Nice and cute. Then he said he really likes to chat with foreigners to improve his English and could I sign his guest-book and write my name next to the signature? (well, I should probably name it encounter-book). Stupid me did. I mean if anybody tells me to sign I sign. But then I know my reflexes and the trouble they could create for me and decided to give him a nonsense-signature and a phantasy-name. As soon as that was done he uncovered the left half of the paper he had been holding and Ta-Da! there was an empty column for a donation amount. For the school of the blind. I told him I will write a zero. I know enough people in the aid business to give them donations whenever I feel depressed by the amount of money I possess. That was that and it's a possible scenario for your encounter. Except for the blind children.

This one but with Scouts getting the donations has been going on in Thailand for years - I saw the same guy doing it on lower Suk for at least a decade.

[Donnyboy]

Showing you licenses and credentials? Hm. Had something like that happen to me in Colombo a few years back. But, being a bit stupid and overwhelmed I know the end.

This guy also chats me up, makes a show of flashing his licenses etc., but of course he is no Muay Thai teacher, but a teacher for the blind (teacher! another common element, ha!). So of course I tell him that it is nice of him to devote his time blablabla. Also got to see some pictures of him and (blind?) children. Nice and cute. Then he said he really likes to chat with foreigners to improve his English and could I sign his guest-book and write my name next to the signature? (well, I should probably name it encounter-book). Stupid me did. I mean if anybody tells me to sign I sign. But then I know my reflexes and the trouble they could create for me and decided to give him a nonsense-signature and a phantasy-name. As soon as that was done he uncovered the left half of the paper he had been holding and Ta-Da! there was an empty column for a donation amount. For the school of the blind. I told him I will write a zero. I know enough people in the aid business to give them donations whenever I feel depressed by the amount of money I possess. That was that and it's a possible scenario for your encounter. Except for the blind children.

Had a similar thing happen to me in KL Mayaysia except it was a monk(?). I gave him a little money so he would go away and he got really angry and told me how much he expected that I should give. At that point, I walked away.

I would have taken the money back as he probably didnt deserve it

[t.s]

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/34118

If not relevant, certainly amusing.

Edited September 5, 2007 by t.s

[Kf6vci]

Mmh, quite likeky that he wanted some of your money. I was approached by a lady in her 30s who struck up a conversation, rpoceeded to wanting to arrange dates for me and ultimately offering herself. --- At a young age, kids often practice the few English words by saying "Hello, Sir" or something. Others like to have a chat on a Song Tao Taxi or anywhere. There is a genuine kindness, a wish to please. At some hotels, guests are offered a drink (some sweet juice) and over time, I learnt to smile, accept and tip the bell boy while in the past I would carry the luggage myself and decline the drink.

Once I was walking with luggage when a taxi stopped and the driver insisted on giving me a lift. I made it a short trip and bought him a coffee as a guesture.

Watch out for any ulterior motifs like getting married to you

[meemiathai]

This is called the Shag Scam!

[LindsayBKK]

There are a few Thai guys that walk around the front of Central World Plaza trying to chat with farang. I've been stopped by both guys & seen them outside Indra Hotel. They just wanted to chat. 1 was a teacher who was wanting to practice his English (so he said) so don't judge so fast. Chat but don't go anywhere with anybody.

But saying that I have seen the way some Female European tourists dress with short skirts or singlet tops with 50% b@@bs showing that get lots of looks by locals. I'm sure thats not you darling

Edited September 5, 2007 by LindsayBKK

[Prakanong]

There are a few Thai guys that walk around the front of Central World Plaza trying to chat with farang. I've been stopped by both guys & seen them outside Indra Hotel. They just wanted to chat. 1 was a teacher who was wanting to practice his English (so he said) so don't judge so fast. Chat but don't go anywhere with anybody.

But saying that I have seen the way some Female European tourists dress with short skirts or singlet tops with 50% b@@bs showing that get lots of looks by locals. I'm sure thats not you darling

My first ever trip to Thailand and it was outside the Indra where a Thai guy talked to me and said he liked chatting with farangs. He even bought me a bottle of coke which was maybe 6 THB then - it was 34THB to the GBP I got or something - he was alwyer apparently who funded his overseas trip by buying during the great once a year jewellery fair and was I not lucky to be there exactly the same time.

Well I was backpacking then so he must have been pretty piss poor at chhosing victims - when he found out I did not have a credit card his interest wained and he said I could have the coke

[Cobalt60]

I am still trying to get to MBK, every time I set off some bugger tells me its closed and I have to go with them somewhere else, its getting bloody tedious now to be honest.

[Naam]

Sounds like he wanted to shag you.

yes,men can sometimes be that way.

only sometimes?

[meemiathai]

Sounds like he wanted to shag you.

yes,men can sometimes be that way.

only sometimes?

When they are not gay.

[khunopie]

I think this scam is called "your igloo or mine, Canadian chica"

[uptou]

i only get lady men accidently on purpose bumping into me & saying,"sollee".

[meemiathai]

i only get lady men accidently on purpose bumping into me & saying,"sollee".

How much do you usually pay?

[uptou]

i only get lady men accidently on purpose bumping into me & saying,"sollee".

How much do you usually pay?

up until now i have always pretended nothing had happened,& manage to force a smile & been on my way way rather sharpish with clenched buttocks,but they say a change is as good as a rest.

and yourself?

[katana]

Many people have been posting various scams that happened and almost happened lately to them lately ... which brought back to memory a strange encounter I had in Chiang Mai. It was most surely some scan or other, but what, exactly? Do you know?

(if you're bored like I am right now, there's no better time to play:)

Name That Thailand Scam!

I was just walking down by myself one of the big Chiang Mai streets, no doubt looking a bit touristy, in the middle of the afternoon. I stopped outside a bookstore to light a cigarette, and this Thai man approached me and asked me for something random like a light or the time.

I'm wary of strangers, so I gave him the info, but wasn't too friendly.

He then launched into this introduction about himself: he had gone to school in the States, was a Muay Thai champion, bla bla blah, asked me how I liked Thailand. His English was very, very good, which puts me off a bit, and he opened up his wallet to show me some Muay Thai teacher credential he had. All of this was a bit weird, and sounded like a practiced speech, he was talking a bit fast, not letting me put a word in edgewise. He was well-dressed, looked good, etc. I've been chatted up by Thai blokes before, but this was nothing like it. He didn't ask me to buy anything, or visit any shops, or visit anything either. But something was just off in his approach.

He asked me if he could come walking with me, and I said no. He insisted a bit and, and I said "nice talking to you", and walked away. That was the end of it.

Can anyone tell me <deleted>? What this just a random weirdo, or a recognizable weirdo?

Could have been your soul mate in life and you just threw it away...

[canadiangirl]

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/34118

If not relevant, certainly amusing.

Hahaha, that has become the catchphrase among my friends for people saying "why does this keep happening to me?" when it's really obvious why.

In my case, this never happened again, but hey, good article anyways.

[Rincewind]

There are a few Thai guys that walk around the front of Central World Plaza trying to chat with farang. I've been stopped by both guys & seen them outside Indra Hotel. They just wanted to chat. 1 was a teacher who was wanting to practice his English (so he said) so don't judge so fast. Chat but don't go anywhere with anybody.

But saying that I have seen the way some Female European tourists dress with short skirts or singlet tops with 50% b@@bs showing that get lots of looks by locals. I'm sure thats not you darling

Funny, but a similar thing happened to me the last time I was in town. I was taking pictures of the shrines outside Isetan at CWP when I was approached by a slightly older/middle aged Thai woman. She started talking to me about where I was from, what I did, and pointed out the Big C across the road as a good place for shopping. I'm not sure if she noticed the small green Big C bag i was carrying -- I had just gone for a florescent starter to fix a light. Then she asked me where I was staying in town... what hotel. I replied that I was staying at my fiancee's apartment. She then asked if my fiancee was Thai, and I told her that she was. I still chuckle when I remember how her face changed and she ran off after that! I knew t had to be a scam -- no one ever comes up to me like that -- and my little camera probably had something to do with being targeted. But I still wonder what the scam was.

[gentman]

He's just a stranger. I just walk pass. I dont say a word. If you ever reply and say "no thank you" or even "bye". You already give in to a conversation. By ignoring him without a word, he knows it difficult to get on. It works for me.

[realmadrid25]

sounds like they just want to take you somewhere.