Turbaned Charlatans

[camerata]

What is it with these turbaned Indian guys who loiter around Starbucks outlets in central Bangkok? I hadn't seen one for a few years and then yesterday near Ploenchit Plaza I got the same old routine, "Excuse me, sir. I see you are a lucky man..." I can't imagine they hang around all day just to tell fortunes to the occasional gullible farang, so what's the scam?

[bkkjames]

What is it with these turbaned Indian guys who loiter around Starbucks outlets in central Bangkok? I hadn't seen one for a few years and then yesterday near Ploenchit Plaza I got the same old routine, "Excuse me, sir. I see you are a lucky man..." I can't imagine they hang around all day just to tell fortunes to the occasional gullible farang, so what's the scam?

Interesting topic, especially from a Super M.O.D.

It's pretty easy to handle this crowd in my opinion. My reply is usually along the lines of "If I am so lucky, why the <deleted> are you bothering me with this nonsense" or if I am having a particularly off day it would be something like "I see that your current line of bs is gonna make for a very unlucky day for you, so shut up and go take a shower"

or if I am feeling polite I usually reply "Yes you are correct, I am lucky man for I have had the great honor of meeting yourself on such a fine day like to day. Furthermore, I feel like bestowing some of my luck upon you as it appears you are having a rough time. Therefore, I command you to go walk in the middle of the traffic and shout shiva shiva shiva until you are struck by an overpowering feeling...of pain."

[Groongthep]

Yes, I too have noticed that there seems to be a resurgence of these guys lately. It's an old fortune telling scam that's been around a long time. Twenty years ago when I first came to Thailand I remember having fallen for it once. The guy, who appeared to be a Sikh, was clean, well dressed and polite and having not seen this particular scam before he got me to let my guard down and before I knew it I had given him 2 or 3 hundred baht. I'm glad this is an anonymous forum because I would be embarrassed to admit to anyone face to face that I fell for such a easy con. The scam is a simple one: they strike up a friendly conversation, gain your trust, starting telling your fortune and then lay a really heavy guilt trip on you if you are so rude to turn down their request for payment. Yeah, I know I should have walked away but I just wanted to get away from the guy so I gave him the money in hope that he wouldn't start a big scene on the street. I know better now and when I see these guys (and all scammers) today I just smile, say nothing and keep on walking.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Yes, I too have noticed that there seems to be a resurgence of these guys lately. It's an old fortune telling scam that's been around a long time. Twenty years ago when I first came to Thailand I remember having fallen for it once. The guy, who appeared to be a Sikh, was clean, well dressed and polite and having not seen this particular scam before he got me to let my guard down and before I knew it I had given him 2 or 3 hundred baht. I'm glad this is an anonymous forum because I would be embarrassed to admit to anyone face to face that I fell for such a easy con. The scam is a simple one: they strike up a friendly conversation, gain your trust, starting telling your fortune and then lay a really heavy guilt trip on you if you are so rude to turn down their request for payment. Yeah, I know I should have walked away but I just wanted to get away from the guy so I gave him the money in hope that he wouldn't start a big scene on the street. I know better now and when I see these guys (and all scammers) today I just smile, say nothing and keep on walking.

About like those weirdos selling plastic flowers at U.S. airports 30-40 years ago, hare krishnas and the like. I once got a couple flowers, politely thanked the robed gal who handed them out and walked away with her sputtering unkind words.

Court case on airport begging went all the way to the top.

See this item: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html...755C0A964958260

THE SUPREME COURT; Justices Uphold Airports' Right To Ban Begging

By LINDA GREENHOUSE,

Published: June 27, 1992

The Supreme Court today upheld the Port Authority's ban on begging in the terminals of the three New York-area airports, but said the First Amendment gives people the right to hand out pamphlets and other literature there.

(more at the url)

Mac

[katana]

They've been at Khao San Rd for years too. Guess they must be making a living at it.

[bendix]

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

Any conversation which is is initiated by a complete stranger in the street trying to be overly friendly can only lead to destinations I have no interest in visiting.

I've seen these guys increasingly in the last couple of weeks (in fact, was approached by one today). I just walk past and ignore them.

[brahmburgers]

that just reminded me .....sorry to hijack this topic, but in C.rai there were a couple 'monks' who were hitting up farang for spare change. They didn't dress like Thai monks. Though they had the same colors, their robes had collars and the two guys were bigger and slicker than Thais - smiling non-stop. They also had a book for 'donors' to sign. Their whole act smelled like a scam, but it was working rather well, as several farang gave them money as I stood back and observed.

[tw25rw]

If they say it's your lucky day, just say 'yes but it's not yours' and walk on.

I've had other people try to start conversations with comments about my shoes or height, but I ignore them.

[AlexLah]

I had one once that promised me to tell me the name of my mother for 300.

Me: I know the name of my mother

He: It is very difficult sir

Me: You tell me she has been lying to me for all those years

He: Sir sir this is very difficult, it will be only 300

Me: You mean she is not my real mother

Me: And you tell me a different name how do I know who she is

He: It is just 300 sir, you are very lucky

I ended with: Well if you know so much you know where to find me later today, have a nice day Swami.

[AmeriThai]

Years ago I had one approach me with the usual annoying big smile with a "Welcome to Thailand sir," then started in with his routine. He claimed he knew everything about my past, present and future. I asked him if he knows everything about me then he should also know my name. He ended up getting frustrated and started ranting about how I was not taking the matter seriously, and finally stormed off, no doubt looking for a willing sucker.

[tommyj4]

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

Any conversation which is is initiated by a complete stranger in the street trying to be overly friendly can only lead to destinations I have no interest in visiting.

I've seen these guys increasingly in the last couple of weeks (in fact, was approached by one today). I just walk past and ignore them.

Same anywhere.....everybody wants ur money...lets face it it aint friendship people are after...

[Naam]

It's pretty easy to handle this crowd in my opinion.

Therefore, I command you to go walk in the middle of the traffic and shout shiva shiva shiva until you are struck by an overpowering feeling...of pain."

opinion not applicable. a Sikh does not shout "shiva shiva shiva"

[Naam]

have a nice day Swami.

not applicable

[PhilHarries]

If they say it's your lucky day, just say 'yes but it's not yours' and walk on.

I've had other people try to start conversations with comments about my shoes or height, but I ignore them.

Never had the shoe line pulled on me in Thailand. In KL I got so p1ssed off with them I seriously considered going barefoot but figured I'd get mistaken for a denizen of KSR and deported. In KL the shoes/T shirt etc thing is often a lead in to a dodgy card game in which you lose the shoes and a lot more.

In Thailand I've had a lot of the fortune tellers approach me but I just blank them out, do not even register their existance. They get the message and I keep the blood pressure in check.

have a nice day Swami.

not applicable

How 'bout "have a nice day, f##k off".

[bkkjames]

It's pretty easy to handle this crowd in my opinion.

Therefore, I command you to go walk in the middle of the traffic and shout shiva shiva shiva until you are struck by an overpowering feeling...of pain."

opinion not applicable. a Sikh does not shout "shiva shiva shiva"

[bkkjames]

If they say it's your lucky day, just say 'yes but it's not yours' and walk on.

I've had other people try to start conversations with comments about my shoes or height, but I ignore them.

Never had the shoe line pulled on me in Thailand. In KL I got so p1ssed off with them I seriously considered going barefoot but figured I'd get mistaken for a denizen of KSR and deported. In KL the shoes/T shirt etc thing is often a lead in to a dodgy card game in which you lose the shoes and a lot more.

In Thailand I've had a lot of the fortune tellers approach me but I just blank them out, do not even register their existance. They get the message and I keep the blood pressure in check.

have a nice day Swami.

not applicable

How 'bout "have a nice day, f##k off".

That seems applicable to all pull starts.

[huggybear]

What is it with these turbaned Indian guys who loiter around Starbucks outlets in central Bangkok? I hadn't seen one for a few years and then yesterday near Ploenchit Plaza I got the same old routine, "Excuse me, sir. I see you are a lucky man..." I can't imagine they hang around all day just to tell fortunes to the occasional gullible farang, so what's the scam?

Have a couple of these guys in Phuket too. Quite hilarious. One day while I was drinking coffee the guy sat down, with his "you are a lucky man" nonsense, proceeded to do a couple slight of hand tricks with numbers (a magician friend of mine had shown me the tricks years ago) and babble on.

When I got up to leave he asked for money. When I gave him five baht he said "oh, do you not have any paper money to impart on me" I replied "you should already know the answer to that" and walked off.

[camerata]

In general, it's very easy to just ignore these guys. They don't hassle you if you just walk away. I guess the trick is not to let them show you or tell you anything at all. I remember one who approached me inside the Amarin Plaza Starbucks a few years ago. When I asked him if he was a fortune teller he looked a bit miffed and said, "I am an astrologer!"

I don't know what the situation is these days, but in the 80s the ones who tried to get you involved in card games were always Filipinos. The only one who ever approached me was hanging about outside the Sukhumvit Soi 13 Asia Books store. He told me he was an Immigration officer and had seen me at the airport the previous week. Since I had come through the airport the previous week, I stopped to listen to him. But I immediately caught the Filipino accent and I almost laughed when he said it was his birthday and he was looking for someone to celebrate with.

For a while the black guys claiming to be Rwandan refugees were a pest. A couple of them once cornered me in a Sukhumvit minimart and told me their luggage had been lost by an airline and they needed money. The fact that they were well-dressed, smooth-talkers who reeked of cologne didn't exactly support their case of being war refugees.

[Jockstar]

They've been at Khao San Rd for years too. Guess they must be making a living at it.

Happened to me a few years back. Before he said too much. I told him "I'm not a tourist. Not interested! Now piss off!"

[hanno]

but in the 80s the ones who tried to get you involved in card games were always Filipinos

They started here in Saigon. Mostly on the KSR equivalnet, Pham Ngu Lao Street.

[Naam]

If they say it's your lucky day, just say 'yes but it's not yours' and walk on.

I've had other people try to start conversations with comments about my shoes or height, but I ignore them.

Never had the shoe line pulled on me in Thailand. In KL I got so p1ssed off with them I seriously considered going barefoot but figured I'd get mistaken for a denizen of KSR and deported. In KL the shoes/T shirt etc thing is often a lead in to a dodgy card game in which you lose the shoes and a lot more.

In Thailand I've had a lot of the fortune tellers approach me but I just blank them out, do not even register their existance. They get the message and I keep the blood pressure in check.

have a nice day Swami.

not applicable

How 'bout "have a nice day, f##k off".

applicable as well as appropriate! reason: don't reveal to strangers that you are an utter ignorant

[PhilHarries]

I remember back in the 70's there were cards available, a little bigger than business cards, that had a message along the lines of:-

"I have listened to your story of woe and misery with tears in my eyes. Never before have I heard such a harrowing tale of suffering and hardship. How a human being can endure such a life of untold pain is quite beyond my comprehension. I can honestly say that your words have touched my heart and awoken in me sentiments I had long forgotten.

Now F##k off and quit bothering me!"

All we now need is someone to recreate these to suit a variety of panhandling situations and in a variety of languages and we are sorted.

[Cuban]

...I can honestly say that your words have touched my heart and awoken in me sentiments I had long forgotten. Now F##k off and quit bothering me!"

All we now need is someone to recreate these to suit a variety of panhandling situations and in a variety of languages and we are sorted.

Great - print millions and package them up in 50 card sets and sell them via kids that tour the bars and hang around on street corners for 20 Baht a hit.

A good few years ago when I used to hang around sois with beer bars etc. I would play around doing palm readings with the bar staff, I couldn't tell a Love Line from the Maginot Line, but could talk the talk that people expected, generalize responses to the average life that many bar staff has lived through. It was a bit of fun on my part - I would suggest good futures, be careful about your friends that you have doubts about etc.

On one occasion the bar complex (Pattaya) I was in was visited by a troop of the hill tribe people (from the mountains in Pong for all I know), they milled around with silver bells and wooden frogs etc. but took a great interest in The Farang Swami holding court at one particular bar. So playing the game I read one of the old girls' palms - bar staff translating - I said you have 3 children, a quick response from one of her fellow tribe, ' no she has two - you are no good ', but she piped up, ' I did have another - but he died - this farang is good he knows '

It was all I could do to close the 'reading' with, good future through honest work - good spirits etc. and refuse all offers of silver bells & wooden frogs for my services.

A game I don't play anymore.

[permanent_disorder]

real turbaned indian charlatan guys or fake turbaned indian charlatan guys?

beware of the fake ones.

[bergen]

real turbaned indian charlatan guys or fake turbaned indian charlatan guys?

beware of the fake ones.

All indians who approach me automatically gets my bloood boiling................

it does'nt matter if they are turbaned scammers or tailor mafia who wants to shake my hand

So I keep my hands out of reach, and as politely as possible tells them to <deleted> OFF!

[Razzler1973]

Used to do the 'ol Fortune Telling thing years back in Hong Kong, even used to go office to office!

[hanno]

All indians who approach me automatically gets my bloood boiling................

Couldn't agree more, holds true anywhere in the world.

[camerata]

All indians who approach me automatically gets my bloood boiling................

Couldn't agree more, holds true anywhere in the world.

It's especially unnerving in India.

[PhilHarries]

All indians who approach me automatically gets my bloood boiling................

Couldn't agree more, holds true anywhere in the world.

It's especially unnerving in India.

and Bradford.

[johna]

I work with a lot of Indians all well educated and good people, check out some of the Indian literature at your local bookstore there are some great books.