Drugged And Mugged In Bangkok

[churchill]

Drugged and mugged in Bangkok

On the morning of July 7 I left my hotel in Sukhumvit Road to walk into central Bangkok. A young woman of perhaps 30 and a Filipino man of about 50 approached me in a friendly manner. Finding I was English, the man said that his sister was coming to London to work as a hospital nurse.

As she was apprehensive about living in Britain, he asked if I would come to his home to reassure her. I said I would be happy to help as, by coincidence, my grandson was also a nurse in London.

He called a taxi and after 15 minutes we arrived at an attractive bungalow set in a garden. I accepted a soft drink and the sister came and sat beside me. I spoke to her about nursing in London and she listened politely.

Then the man asked me to come into another room, where he produced a pack of cards and said he would educate me in the secrets of card play.

By this time I seemed to be floating in a dreamlike place. I started giggling, which annoyed the man. He asked to see my wallet and roughly went through it. Other people came and went. We played cards but I had no idea what I was doing. He then took my camera and put it in a cupboard. I was incapable of saying or doing anything.

Finally, I was told to get into a taxi and taken to a modern shopping complex by the man and his "nurse" sister. I was told to hand my bank card to a shop assistant. I remember signing the till printouts and seeing the man and his sister head off with shopping bags. The taxi driver then took me back to my hotel.

It was not until I reached my room that my brain seemed to clear and the enormity of what I had done dawned on me. It was clear I had been drugged. I phoned my bank to cancel my debit card but three transactions totalling £2,550 had already been cleared and the money taken from my account.

The following morning the Filipino man rang my hotel room and made it clear that I should tell nobody. He said if I told the police then we would both go to a Thai jail (I had already informed the police and the British embassy). Fortunately, I did not hear from him again.

It was such a frightening experience that I want to warn other travellers to Bangkok. I will not be able to recover any of the £2,550 because I had voluntarily signed for the sums being taken from my account.

Name and address supplied

Gill Charlton replies

Bangkok is known for its sophisticated ways of parting tourists from their money and this appears a particularly elaborate swindle.

Beware people who befriend you on the street and ask favours or offer taxi tours. As this male senior citizen discovered, it can prove a life-threatening encounter.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/columnis...in-Bangkok.html

[PastEgo]

:D

did the guy have rick with a silent P writ on his forehead

possibly the oldest scam in the book worthy of a Daily Mail editorial

PastEgo

[dmax]

last time i was in bkk i was took for 20,000 baht,pickpocketed

[Soutpeel]

Well at least he wasnt claiming he had been hypnotised and then robbed...

[Joints]

What´s so funny? Are all tourists and new comers expected to behave like thai experts on everything? Laughing at others misfortune and pretending to know it all just show how cynical and sad some people really are.

[thaicbr]

Joints. come on now....... if you are stupid enough to go with a stranger to their house.... DOHH

[Garry9999]

What´s so funny? Are all tourists and new comers expected to behave like thai experts on everything? Laughing at others misfortune and pretending to know it all just show how cynical and sad some people really are.

No need to be a Thai expert, just a little common sense is required.

[changnaam]

wow, the topic has been going for nearly 2 hours and there is not yet a mention of the preverbial "nail and coffin"...... are the cynics all sleeping today.

Sad story though that an elderly gent can be taken off like this, yes he should have had more common sense but thought he was doing a good deed. Tales like this just add to people putting up their guard and is why people will not stop and help those in need these days.

Shame

[jackdanielsesq]

Next is we will have Nigerians trying to scam us into sharing their deceased uncle's $55m inheritance, via email

BR>Jack

[cyb]

The victim knowing that he had being drugged in someway should have gone for a blood test.

This should have shown even just a residue of the drug in his blood stream.

That in it's self would have being enough for him to claim compensation from his bank or credit card company.

Having said that he was extremely foolish to be taken in by that no matter what country he was in.

[JamieP]

I was approached by 2 Filipinos a couple of years ago at Chatuchak with exactly the same scam, fortunately for me I was a little more cynical than this poor guy.

I was only slightly surprised when about 20 minutes later I was approached again by yet another guy with a sister whos was going to work as a nurse in the UK.

[kurnell]

What a load of <deleted>. This crap only happens in movies...and dcikhead's imaginations

[zzaa09]

Wonder what BKK was some 70-80 years ago.....??

[meom]

I think the whole article is BS but assuming it to be true any ideas as to what drug could have been used that makes you give away things giggly?

[NanLaew]

My take is Gill Charlton is a poor travel hack who had to find something to add the current 'bad Bangkok' theme. Unfortunately she 'googled' this, cut and pasted it, filed and buggered off home for the weekend. So the average punter reading this will think that this is a current and high-profile threat. I won't even call it bad journalism... just laziness.

Oh yes, and irresponsible.

Edited August 1, 2009 by NanLaew

[sunnymarky]

My take is Gill Charlton is a poor travel hack who had to find something to add the current 'bad Bangkok' theme. Unfortunately she 'googled' this, cut and pasted it, filed and buggered off home for the weekend. So the average punter reading this will think that this is a current and high-profile threat. I won't even call it bad journalism... just laziness.

Oh yes, and irresponsible.

Some on here hate it when a poster puts a news item that talks about the cheating of Falang Tourists

Of course dont trust anyone you don;t know here, From Taxi Drivers who take an extended journey to your destination to the scams of scaring you into giving money. I have them approaching me often when in BKK, But a big shout of MAI and I mean a big shout usually does the tricket . even the taxi drivers who think I am a "buffalo" and will pay the round the houses trip. I pay them less and when the rant comes Its .." Come on lets go to the Police".. I have no confidence in them but it usually does the trick

Edited August 1, 2009 by sunnymarky

[beerchang]

Drugged and mugged in Bangkok

On the morning of July 7 I left my hotel in Sukhumvit Road to walk into central Bangkok. A young woman of perhaps 30 and a Filipino man of about 50 approached me in a friendly manner. Finding I was English, the man said that his sister was coming to London to work as a hospital nurse.

As she was apprehensive about living in Britain, he asked if I would come to his home to reassure her. I said I would be happy to help as, by coincidence, my grandson was also a nurse in London.

He called a taxi and after 15 minutes we arrived at an attractive bungalow set in a garden. I accepted a soft drink and the sister came and sat beside me. I spoke to her about nursing in London and she listened politely.

Then the man asked me to come into another room, where he produced a pack of cards and said he would educate me in the secrets of card play.

By this time I seemed to be floating in a dreamlike place. I started giggling, which annoyed the man. He asked to see my wallet and roughly went through it. Other people came and went. We played cards but I had no idea what I was doing. He then took my camera and put it in a cupboard. I was incapable of saying or doing anything.

Finally, I was told to get into a taxi and taken to a modern shopping complex by the man and his "nurse" sister. I was told to hand my bank card to a shop assistant. I remember signing the till printouts and seeing the man and his sister head off with shopping bags. The taxi driver then took me back to my hotel.

It was not until I reached my room that my brain seemed to clear and the enormity of what I had done dawned on me. It was clear I had been drugged. I phoned my bank to cancel my debit card but three transactions totalling £2,550 had already been cleared and the money taken from my account.

The following morning the Filipino man rang my hotel room and made it clear that I should tell nobody. He said if I told the police then we would both go to a Thai jail (I had already informed the police and the British embassy). Fortunately, I did not hear from him again.

It was such a frightening experience that I want to warn other travellers to Bangkok. I will not be able to recover any of the £2,550 because I had voluntarily signed for the sums being taken from my account.

Name and address supplied

Gill Charlton replies

Bangkok is known for its sophisticated ways of parting tourists from their money and this appears a particularly elaborate swindle.

Beware people who befriend you on the street and ask favours or offer taxi tours. As this male senior citizen discovered, it can prove a life-threatening encounter.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/columnis...in-Bangkok.html

COMLETE BULL*HIT. Unless you are..... well, I have to respect other TV members. What the heck were you thinking, even if it's true, getting into a taxi with a Thai girl and Phillipino man and letting them take you somewhere and not even knowing where? Holy cr*p! Just what kind of an I.Q does one have to have to do that? (question...not calling OP low I.Q)

Have you ever been to ANY foriegn countries on holiday? You came here without doing ANY research about Thailand on the net? Then did what you did? OMG.

As for what Gill says...I ask...how on earth is the way you got into a cab with 2 strangers and let them take you somewhere...sophisticated? I'm gobsmacked at your.....naievety, to say the least.

You're either a troll or sometging that I can't say on here. Amaze me.

[Geekfreaklover]

I've heard about this new scam going around. A young Thai women approaches a man - normally in one of the entertainment or tourist areas. The young Thai women hypnotises the foreigner and five years later he awakes to realise that he has a bought a house, a car, and often a business - all of which is in her name!

[lazygourmet]

Wonder what BKK was some 70-80 years ago.....??

[beerchang]

And how did they know your hotel to ring it the next day IF they picked you up walking, then drugged you? Nice druggees if they steal that much and know you couldn't find them, to take you back to the hotel that they didn't know you were staying at!? and then call you next day...they even knew your room number? at the hotel where they didn't pick you up. This stinks guys. IMO

[endure]

I've heard about this new scam going around. A young Thai women approaches a man - normally in one of the entertainment or tourist areas. The young Thai women hypnotises the foreigner and five years later he awakes to realise that he has a bought a house, a car, and often a business - all of which is in her name!

[thaimate]

Reminds me of that other scam where a girl has sex with you and steals your wallet ,ive lost 5 already this week.

[gwynt]

What´s so funny? Are all tourists and new comers expected to behave like thai experts on everything? Laughing at others misfortune and pretending to know it all just show how cynical and sad some people really are.

No need to be a Thai expert, just a little common sense is required.

This guys name must be Richard Cranium, anyone whi has traveled the least little bit would have just smiled and said yea like hel_l, it is tried every where in the world.

[beerchang]

Plus it's 1st August. This supposedly happened on 7th July...Strong drugs they gave to you if you can only recall it now!

[Geekfreaklover]

Reminds me of that other scam where a girl has sex with you and steals your wallet ,ive lost 5 already this week.

GFL Top Tip # 1: Allways take your wallet into the bathroom with you when you freshen up.

[Arkady]

There seem to be quite a lot of Filipino conmen and women in Thailand. A lot of the scams seem to involve gambling and card tricks and ATM cards. It is the first time I have heard of the nurse scam. Obviously nonsense when you think about it for a few seconds. There are so many thousands of Filipina nurses in the UK who are constantly on the phone home using Skype. Any Filipina thinking of working there would have any number of choices to talk to other Filipinas who are working in the UK or have worked there. You would have to wonder why she would have to send her brother out to accost complete strangers in the street who wouldn't have a clue of the kind of information a Filipina would want to know anyway e.g. how much does it cost to send a balikbayan box back to the Phils and how many nurses can be squeezed in one bedsitter etc. There is one born every minute.

Edited August 1, 2009 by Arkady

[jupiler]

Maybe better to start a topic, where all the scams are taking place.

My experience:

Suk soi 2 = Africans trying to make contact/scam.

Pantip plaza = same

Robinsons Sukhumvit = same

Chatuchak market = Filipina's (2) who try to scam you

In front off World trade center(ZEN)= Older man (i think from Malaysia)

[beerchang]

OP 's location is stated as Samui. One must assume he know s Thailands reputation. How did he get caught like this? Why post this now? Stinks beyond belief. (have you read my previous posts? took him back to a hotel they didn't pick him up from, knowing he could never find them again and phone him next day. Waits 3 weeks to tell us this?)

Incredible. Amazing churchhill!

[NCFC]

OP 's location is stated as Samui. One must assume he know s Thailands reputation. How did he get caught like this? Why post this now? Stinks beyond belief. (have you read my previous posts? took him back to a hotel they didn't pick him up from, knowing he could never find them again and phone him next day. Waits 3 weeks to tell us this?)

Incredible. Amazing churchhill!

I think you need to go back and read the original post.

[cyb]

Drugged and mugged in Bangkok

On the morning of July 7 I left my hotel in Sukhumvit Road to walk into central Bangkok. A young woman of perhaps 30 and a Filipino man of about 50 approached me in a friendly manner. Finding I was English, the man said that his sister was coming to London to work as a hospital nurse.

As she was apprehensive about living in Britain, he asked if I would come to his home to reassure her. I said I would be happy to help as, by coincidence, my grandson was also a nurse in London.

He called a taxi and after 15 minutes we arrived at an attractive bungalow set in a garden. I accepted a soft drink and the sister came and sat beside me. I spoke to her about nursing in London and she listened politely.

Then the man asked me to come into another room, where he produced a pack of cards and said he would educate me in the secrets of card play.

By this time I seemed to be floating in a dreamlike place. I started giggling, which annoyed the man. He asked to see my wallet and roughly went through it. Other people came and went. We played cards but I had no idea what I was doing. He then took my camera and put it in a cupboard. I was incapable of saying or doing anything.

Finally, I was told to get into a taxi and taken to a modern shopping complex by the man and his "nurse" sister. I was told to hand my bank card to a shop assistant. I remember signing the till printouts and seeing the man and his sister head off with shopping bags. The taxi driver then took me back to my hotel.

It was not until I reached my room that my brain seemed to clear and the enormity of what I had done dawned on me. It was clear I had been drugged. I phoned my bank to cancel my debit card but three transactions totalling £2,550 had already been cleared and the money taken from my account.

The following morning the Filipino man rang my hotel room and made it clear that I should tell nobody. He said if I told the police then we would both go to a Thai jail (I had already informed the police and the British embassy). Fortunately, I did not hear from him again.

It was such a frightening experience that I want to warn other travellers to Bangkok. I will not be able to recover any of the £2,550 because I had voluntarily signed for the sums being taken from my account.

Name and address supplied

Gill Charlton replies

Bangkok is known for its sophisticated ways of parting tourists from their money and this appears a particularly elaborate swindle.

Beware people who befriend you on the street and ask favours or offer taxi tours. As this male senior citizen discovered, it can prove a life-threatening encounter.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/columnis...in-Bangkok.html

COMLETE BULL*HIT. Unless you are..... well, I have to respect other TV members. What the heck were you thinking, even if it's true, getting into a taxi with a Thai girl and Phillipino man and letting them take you somewhere and not even knowing where? Holy cr*p! Just what kind of an I.Q does one have to have to do that? (question...not calling OP low I.Q)

Have you ever been to ANY foriegn countries on holiday? You came here without doing ANY research about Thailand on the net? Then did what you did? OMG.

As for what Gill says...I ask...how on earth is the way you got into a cab with 2 strangers and let them take you somewhere...sophisticated? I'm gobsmacked at your.....naievety, to say the least.

You're either a troll or sometging that I can't say on here. Amaze me.

This is my 3rd try at posting a reply (and you guys think the net in thai is bad try doha)

Read the original post not once but twice, the op is report something from a uk newspaper and not personal experience.

beerchang i think another case of read and not see and assimulate.

to all those that read and don't understand what you read.

Resitance is futile YOU WILL BE ASSIMULATED.

May be it is a bogus post in the newspaper, But who knows for sure? Stranger things have happened in thailand.