Three Times In One Day

[poshthai]

libya i agree with you.This forum is so nasty at times,and probably the worst i have ever come across.I post on here because of the few good guys.

[scotsman]

I have also came across these people on motorbikes When walking down to big c on 2nd road, They ask if you speak English, the first time was last year I did not answer him and he drove off. The same Indian man who comes from the uk stopped me again about a week later at the same place this time i gave him my answer I said NO and walked off. Then this year I was stopped again at the same place by 2 people a man & woman from the uk but this time I wanted to know what it was all about. They asked me if I was on holiday or do I live here so I played along so I told them I lived here, they then ask you what country are you from then the city just to play the Friend. They wanted to give me free tickets to some club they were promoting but I refused and I said goodbye. They tried to ask me more questions about where I lived but I had enough of them as I found out what I wanted to know TOUTS so I just walked away. If its a scam they are very bad at it.

Regards

Scotsman

[Jingthing]

I don't care if you call it a scam or not, but driving aggressively to stop people walking on the road to present an unsolicited sales pitch is just plain obnoxious. The fact that they have been doing this for years shows that it is working.

[issanpaul]

I noticed that the female passenger had a small claw-hammer in her back pocket. I would not have noticed but the handle was acid-green.

If the 'acid-green' handle was sticking out of the back pocket, how could you see that the other end being inside the pocket was actually a 'claw-hammer'? You have x-ray vision too?

Howzat for a glib response from the +1k club?

[dee123]

scratch card.....you've won......go somewhere remote only taxi back cost a fortune was the scam in Torremolinos or buy timeshare...same thing has started in Pattaya I reckon,....never paid or fell for it but some people must have,....an English bloke on motorcycle,....started with"I thought you were another f--kin German"...done his speil then I said "I see your lot in Spain".....he sped off....

Edited August 11, 2008 by dee123

[bobbin]

I am suspicious of all posts on TV. Many posters gain vicarious pleasure from the Pattaya residents misfortune. A kind of vitriolic shadenfreude that has enveloped many worthwhile posts. Ridicule can be tolerated but unkind and nasty responses are becoming all too familiar, and this suggests that TV is the target of sociopathic and possibly psychopathic trolls.

Thank you.

Thank you.

You, sir, fit my definition of a troll with your morbid insistence on posting every crime story you can cull from the local "rags".

[tropo]

I am suspicious of all posts on TV. Many posters gain vicarious pleasure from the Pattaya residents misfortune. A kind of vitriolic shadenfreude that has enveloped many worthwhile posts. Ridicule can be tolerated but unkind and nasty responses are becoming all too familiar, and this suggests that TV is the target of sociopathic and possibly psychopathic trolls.

Thank you.

I seem to remember a condescending response from you on a steroid thread recently. You can give it, but you can't take it.

Interestingly you came up with a similar psychological analysis. Are you or were you a psychiatrist perhaps?

[britmaveric]

I'm still wondering what the scam was?

[stiggy]

Threatening!!

I see these guys in Samui, Pattaya, Bali, Spain ..

People who play the scratch card game then go to the sales pitch then actually part with there money, are just plain mad Or shock horror actually want whats on offer...

There is obviously a market for this practice otherwise these sales people wouldn't bother .

When approached be civil and generally they will soon see you are not a buyer and drive off.

Be confrontational and they will probably get upset.!

Anyhow never do they take up more than 30sec of my time and annoying as they can be do not ruin my day by a longshot.........Now the tailors that grab my arm....#@%@^* rs

[Tolley]

Since no one has yet answered what the scam is I'll relate my experience. A couple of months ago I was walking along Jomtien Beach in the afternoon and a youngish Indian guy pulled up on a motorcycle beside me and asked if I spoke English. I saw some kind of sales pitch/scam coming but since I didn't have anything better to do I thought I would see what he had to say. He showed me a number of cards, kind of the type you get when you buy a lottery ticket in the US, that you scratch off and it shows what you won. He said they were having the drawing very shortly and said he would give me 3 of the cards and that I could win some very nice prizes, like a digital camera etc. That's when I told him I had something better to do and he went on his way. He wasn't threating at all. I would assume when you got to whereever the drawing was being conducted, if you weren't robbed, then their was probably some kind of sales pitch for timeshares, condo etc.

Yep that is the same game they have been playing in Pattaya for quite a while now.

It was Feb. when they approached me with the exact same game.

I assume it is timeshare or real estate of some sort.

I never felt threatened or was i in the remotest bit worried.

The only reason i stopped was because i had nothing to do and i wanted to see what sort of game they were playing.

Generally I never answer to anyone who I don't know just keep on walking. Anyone who walks up to you is scamming that is just the way it is in Thailand.

Unfortunately i have noticed in the capital cities around Australia now that anyone who approaches you is begging for money so i adopt the same philosophy in Australia as well.

[BugJackBaron]

Since no one has yet answered what the scam is I'll relate my experience. A couple of months ago I was walking along Jomtien Beach in the afternoon and a youngish Indian guy pulled up on a motorcycle beside me and asked if I spoke English. I saw some kind of sales pitch/scam coming but since I didn't have anything better to do I thought I would see what he had to say. He showed me a number of cards, kind of the type you get when you buy a lottery ticket in the US, that you scratch off and it shows what you won. He said they were having the drawing very shortly and said he would give me 3 of the cards and that I could win some very nice prizes, like a digital camera etc. That's when I told him I had something better to do and he went on his way. He wasn't threating at all. I would assume when you got to whereever the drawing was being conducted, if you weren't robbed, then their was probably some kind of sales pitch for timeshares, condo etc.

Yep that is the same game they have been playing in Pattaya for quite a while now.

It was Feb. when they approached me with the exact same game.

I assume it is timeshare or real estate of some sort.

I never felt threatened or was i in the remotest bit worried.

The only reason i stopped was because i had nothing to do and i wanted to see what sort of game they were playing.

Generally I never answer to anyone who I don't know just keep on walking. Anyone who walks up to you is scamming that is just the way it is in Thailand.

Unfortunately i have noticed in the capital cities around Australia now that anyone who approaches you is begging for money so i adopt the same philosophy in Australia as well.

I think it's the same real-estate tout - I'm not ready to say scam yet - that those people with their "surveys" are

involved in on the beach..except they are on foot. You participate in the draw but to collect your prize you have to come to

the crappy overpriced hotel where you will be hard selled a membership fee which will give you a discount

at all members of the hotell..you get the idea.

This happened to me in Bangkok four years ago and I declined the memebership(to the manager's obvious annoyance)

but still collected a small prize - some small bag or something- so I'm not sure if it's technically a scam.

It's a style of sale that I think was popular in America maybe 50 years ago but no longer is used much..(I hope)

[sweetchariot]

Shock and horror. Libya was approached by a lady carpenter who probably wanted to sell a kitchen, or maybe a wardrobe. Hold the front page, this is headline stuff.

Then again maybe you would be better off cutting and pasting 'news' articles from the local rags, at least the only criticism received is not aimed directly at you, but at the third party.

Perhaps you have been reading these 'news' articles too much, and now believe that anyone who speaks to you is going to gang <deleted> you, steal your gold, and motorbike, then hit you with rocks and throw you off the nearest highrise.

[issanpaul]

I'm still wondering what the scam was?

so am i

[LtCol]

One would suppose if he had stopped & spoken we would then know what the scam is/was.As it is who knows????

But that has been going on for years for the timeshare biz

[thaihome]

...But that has been going on for years for the timeshare biz

And worth noting it happens in resorts all over the world.

TH

[jeanpierre]

I noticed that the female passenger had a small claw-hammer in her back pocket. I would not have noticed but the handle was acid-green.

If the 'acid-green' handle was sticking out of the back pocket, how could you see that the other end being inside the pocket was actually a 'claw-hammer'? You have x-ray vision too?

Howzat for a glib response from the +1k club?

yoehoe yoehoe if i had a hammer a hammer in the morning

[innovator]

OK> I will give you the answer about 'What is the scam'.

The primary objective is to bring you over to Jomtien for a 1 hour time share presentation. There is no scam in that part of the equation.

The scam is that they tell you that you might win a camera, 500 bucks, or some other nice prize. But, the only thing that they give away is a free, one week stay at a timeshare location of your choice. (There are many restrictions, rules and limitations to this Free giveaway and you must sit through the entire presentation, even if you feel like reaching across the desk and choking them to death).

The OP mentioned the SCAM, but I am here to express my main concern. I don't care about the scam or the sales pitch. In fact, if they are operating legally, then it is fine. But, most of them do not have work permits, so, this is an illegal activity.

The worst part about this is not the content or the message, but rather the dangerous tactics that they use when running people down on their motorbikes in extremely aggressive manners.

Some of them will let you go quickly. Some travel in packs of 4 or 5, closely following behind one another. Others, well, quite frankly they do pose a danger to your safety if they crash into you or someone else at high speeds and bad driving. The primary objection for me is the manner in which they carry on with this sales activity.

So, I hardly go out onto the streets anymore to avoid all of the crime, motorbikes and these types of folks. But, when I do go out, I bring a long stick or a metal pole/ or my baseball bat along for the walk. If approached by a lunatic on a motorbike, I would not hesitate to play Indian or British baseball under the condition of self defense. If left alone, then these village idiots can drive around wasting precious and expensive gasoline, up to them.

[Jingthing]

The worst part about this is not the content or the message, but rather the dangerous tactics that they use when running people down on their motorbikes in extremely aggressive manners.

Exactly

[whatsoever]

I'm still wondering what the scam was?

Time share - for f-ck sake Are you realy so dim.

They have been at it for years. Usualy English or Pakis. I have been approached by them on numerous occasions. They usualy open with - 'are you English mate'. I always reply - 'yes but i am not <deleted>-king stupid' or simply 'f-ck off'. Depends how nice i feel.

Cant say i have ever felt intimidated, more pestered!

Edited August 12, 2008 by whatsoever

[Kerryd]

But, when I do go out, I bring a long stick or a metal pole/ or my baseball bat along for the walk. If approached by a lunatic on a motorbike, I would not hesitate to play Indian or British baseball under the condition of self defense.

Soon to be a head-line in one of the local papers.

[BigSnake]

Maybe a couple of sets of swingers and a bi-guy all looking for a little action, who knows?

[poshthai]

so innovator,if i see a guy walking around with a basball bat i will introduce myself to you lol.

[poshthai]

innovator,

i have something much better but still in the uk.my father in law left it to me after his death(amongst other things).its a walking stick with a silver horse on the top and you press a little lever and it releases this big sword from the sheath.bloody awesome but i dont think i could bring it thru customs.

[innovator]

Postthai: Well, I think you could find a similar walking stick with sword inside in one of the black markets here. Only problem, I am a good guy and have no idea where to find these black markets, nor would I wish to go looking for them.

Maybe we could form a local baseball team? IF the streets were smooth, we could rent rollerblades and have field hockey practice.

[Tarqin]

If its the Jomtien mob then yes its time share touts.

They operate out of the Ace Café, not suggesting they are involved with the owner, just that they use it as a base. They hunt in packs and can get aggressive. None of the falangs involved have work permits.

They also run the Thais that hang out on Beach Road near the first Starbucks.

Its the usual. Promise you the world to get you down to Jomtien for an hour and then a VERY HIGH PRESSURE sales pitch.

They are backed by a high profile Costa villain who I'm sure you've all heard of but I won't name him here.

He himself has never been to Pattaya to my knowledge but some of his lieutenants have been spotted here.

I occasionally have breakfast at the Ace plus one of the Thais on Beach Road is an old friend so they don't bother me as they know I am not buying.

Best response to 'Do you speak English' is 'yes go away'.

[britmaveric]

I'm still wondering what the scam was?

Time share - for f-ck sake Are you realy so dim.

I did mention earlier that's what I thought it was mate, however instead of beating around the bush libya should just say so.

[mgjackson69]

"Time share", if it is legit, is *not* a "scam".

Questionable value? Stupid "investment"? In my opinion, yes.

My father and step-mother bought one in USA several years ago, in Branson MO. After Pops died, my step-mother offered it to me at no cost.

I politely declined.

[whatsoever]

"Time share", if it is legit, is *not* a "scam".

Questionable value? Stupid "investment"? In my opinion, yes.

My father and step-mother bought one in USA several years ago, in Branson MO. After Pops died, my step-mother offered it to me at no cost.

I politely declined.

SCAM Ilegal canvisers. Phoney - everyones a winner - scratch card to get the dim wits to the pitch. Worthless end product. SCAM

Edited August 12, 2008 by whatsoever

[thaidiver]

FYI

I spent the last year in Thailand and was befriended by the clean-cut, well-built British guy whom touts timeshares, his name is Nicolas, he is a scumbag. He had just moved here and was looking for a friend whom could show him the ropes. He was actually raised in California and Florida before returning to Britain with his British parents when he was 12ish. He is wanted in UK, Spain, and some other Mediterranean country. He is very charismatic, and tried to get me involved many time with his timeshare outfit, and also borrow money from me(to no avail). He has a Filipina girlfriend whom speaks perfect english and they sometimes work in pairs, covering the larger 5 star hotels is their specialty. He is THE most succesfull tout and pulls in at least 150,000 baht a month, has a work permit, works out of Jomtien. I don't believe they carry weapons though or physically assault people. Timeshares are never a good idea.

[innovator]

Thaidiver seems to have very personal and in-depth information about these guys. So, if they are legal and offer legit products or services, then I don't have any problems with them. But, if this Brit or any of the others come at me in an aggressive manner on a motorbike, then I won't hesitate to use my long pole or bat to knock them into the next life.