Airport Scams

[hazelandhoward]

Hi, as quite a regular tourist visitors to Thailand we are getting quite concerned about all these various scams that we keep reading about going on at the airport, just because we have never seen anything going on we are not daft enough to think it doesent happen so what are the best tips to avoid any of them ?

Hazel and Howard

[Electra]

Quite simple really, go to Malaysia instead......or Viet Nam.......or Cambodia .........or Sri Lanka.

[hazelandhoward]

Quite simple really, go to Malaysia instead......or Viet Nam.......or Cambodia .........or Sri Lanka.

Take it you no longer like thailand then.

[mmcsusnret]

Aviud the duty free shops, don't even look. Avoid any touts, just ignore or bypass any you see. Check your baggage for tampering before you approach customs. and ask for assistance if you suspect tampeing. Do not exceed any duty free allowances. Don't look confused, act knowledgable and confident.

Use the taxi line or take a bus if needed. Don't use the airport currency exchnges and have your money (cash type) checked for possible bogus notes before you arrive here. Have fun!

[saintofsilence]

The best advice is google these two words Scams Thailand do your research and make notes.

[chiang mai]

Hi, as quite a regular tourist visitors to Thailand we are getting quite concerned about all these various scams that we keep reading about going on at the airport, just because we have never seen anything going on we are not daft enough to think it doesent happen so what are the best tips to avoid any of them ?

Hazel and Howard

I suggest you ignore all the noise about scams and just enjoy your holiday. When you fly into Thailand, know in advance how you are going to travel from the airport to your hotel, best to use a hotel car but even a meter taxi is just fine - if someone on the way tries to suggest you do differently, ignore them - same rule would be true for everything else you plan to do whilst on holiday here. Basic rule I reckon is to ignore people who approach you with idea's, offers or money saving ways to do things.

[Jonathanpattaya]

Quite simple really, go to Malaysia instead......or Viet Nam.......or Cambodia .........or Sri Lanka.

Quite right. Not cynical, but been here long enough to know it is true.

[ozzieovaseas]

Hi, as quite a regular tourist visitors to Thailand we are getting quite concerned about all these various scams that we keep reading about going on at the airport, just because we have never seen anything going on we are not daft enough to think it doesent happen so what are the best tips to avoid any of them ?

Hazel and Howard

do not pass "go"

do not collect $200 ect ect!!

Maybe more fitting:

do not pass kingpower

do not collect duty free goods

do not look sideways when walking through airport

Seriously though thousands pass through the airport per day without trouble so the percentages of reports of majour stings is still VERY low in my opinion.People complain about touts and taxis but IMO you can control your own destiny here..either walk away or negociate..ask for meter first and make it clear you want the meter on or you will get out..(i travel light and never put my bags in the trunk!hehe)

In any case its not like these guys are holding a gun to your head. And ive never heard of anyone getting stuff stolen from luggage either but im sure it does happen to some extent. Not sure what you can do if the unthinkable does happen though, other than insurance and precautions of putting certain valuables in hand luggage

I know HAVING to address these issues in the first place is what bothers us most...and who would be prepared to take such risks anyway? and we shouldnt have to..

BUT to be fair about it, it has to be said that SOME people who were "scammed" were responsible for putting themselves in harms way in the first.

The Brit couple (if you've heard) certainly were up to something dodgy and it can be argued that people who buy more than the allocated ciggies & liqour dont do themselves any favours either....

doesnt excuse extortion though..As always, if you dont do anything wrong your chances of not being "scammed" improove greatly

[ozzieovaseas]

oh and does anyone know if you can get that plastic cover treatment with the packing strap for your bags at swampy? I got this somewhere but cant remember now.

sort of like a condom for luggage..any use?

[saintofsilence]

yes its available 100 baht per bag

[lor]

"The Brit couple (if you've heard) certainly were up to something dodgy"

No stolen items were found on them, and the police say there was no evidence to detain them. Please do not slander innocents.

Chris

[cdnvic]

Quite simple really, go to Malaysia instead......or Viet Nam.......or Cambodia .........or Sri Lanka.

And get different scams

Seriously, if you go directly from customs to an AOT taxi and get out of there you'll be free of the place. There's no reason to shop there and nothing a tout is offering will help you.

Also, things get overblown on public forums with a lot of "I heard that" and "My mate's cousin's best friend's stepdad said...." when in reality most people never have any problems worse than a broken trolly wheel.

[thailife69]

best advice, just don't be ignorant. walk with your eye open.

[phetaroi]

Hi, as quite a regular tourist visitors to Thailand we are getting quite concerned about all these various scams that we keep reading about going on at the airport, just because we have never seen anything going on we are not daft enough to think it doesent happen so what are the best tips to avoid any of them ?

Hazel and Howard

I guess I've visited Thailand about 17 times (give or take) and I'm now living here. I have fallen for little scams a couple of times (the bird feeding one near the Grand Palace, for example), but to be honest I think it's when you're being naive that you're likely to get scammed. So my question is, how naive are you?

Since you've read so much about the scams, you should be pretty well up on them. I've never been scammed at the airport. But, I always take an AOT taxi. But let's say you do pay an extra 200 baht for a taxi. Oops -- $9 too much, but still less than that taxi ride you paid for in the States to get to the airport near where you live.

A good third of the "scams" talked about here aren't scams at all. Just an unhappy customer. Some are just plain hysteria. A few are real.

I will say this, if you want American standards of travel (assuming your American, but if you're not substitute your own nation), then stay there. This is the third world and things are different...and that' what makes it so intriguing.

[rodcourt49]

Hi, as quite a regular tourist visitors to Thailand we are getting quite concerned about all these various scams that we keep reading about going on at the airport, just because we have never seen anything going on we are not daft enough to think it doesent happen so what are the best tips to avoid any of them ?

Hazel and Howard

I suggest you ignore all the noise about scams and just enjoy your holiday. When you fly into Thailand, know in advance how you are going to travel from the airport to your hotel, best to use a hotel car but even a meter taxi is just fine - if someone on the way tries to suggest you do differently, ignore them - same rule would be true for everything else you plan to do whilst on holiday here. Basic rule I reckon is to ignore people who approach you with idea's, offers or money saving ways to do things.

Spot on !..call 1155 if you have any problems.

[britmaveric]

"The Brit couple (if you've heard) certainly were up to something dodgy"

No stolen items were found on them, and the police say there was no evidence to detain them. Please do not slander innocents.

Chris

Wallet was found in the loo after the lad dropped it off there when he knew the game was up. Thieving scum couple get what they deserve!!

[TongueThaied]

Quite simple really, go to Malaysia instead......or Viet Nam.......or Cambodia .........or Sri Lanka.

Take it you no longer like thailand then.

That's not the point. I am married to a Thai woman and will stay. But I hope tourists will continue to shun this place until the "powers that be" feel the wake-up call -- and act. Between unchecked airport scams, taxi scams, police shakedowns, unpunished (actually rewarded) criminals taking over the airport and a ridiculous exchange rate, this IS NOT to place to come spend money. The most effective vote is the money vote (not pay-offs, but WHERE you choose to spend it). Reading the newspapers, I am left with the feeling that there is recognition of these problems, but nothing but lip service as a solution. Frankly, I suspect the "powers that be" do not want change. Because foreigners often bring change with them, I think they may be feared to some extent by the "powers that be," that is, the people that already have everything and fear change. In the case of Thailand, it is no secret "change" is nothing but a euphemism for redistribution of wealth and power.

[jacquesparra]

Hi, as quite a regular tourist visitors to Thailand we are getting quite concerned about all these various scams that we keep reading about going on at the airport, just because we have never seen anything going on we are not daft enough to think it doesent happen so what are the best tips to avoid any of them ?

Hazel and Howard

I have warned my family and all my friends who come here to visit me to avoid shopping at the "duty free" shops at the Bangkok airport. Some tourists from a.o. the UK an Denmark have had serious problems there. They have been accused of shoplifting and had to pay large amounts of money to avoid being put in prison. Also take care that your arriving luggage is locked and sealed. There are very handy luggage security bands for sale at luggage shops and at many airports. These can be put around your suitcases/bags and locked. This will avoid airport staff to open easily your luggage. Understand that thiefs are always in a hurry and they will look for easy to open bags. For transportation go outsite the airport building there where the taximeters are waiting. Pay an extra 50 Bath and you arrive safe in your hotel or apartment. The staff of the taxi counter will give you a receipt and inform you what to pay. Really great service.

[olsen]

Do as I do....stay away from the duty free area....it is a scam anyway.... I mean....duty free....then the stuff you buy there should be cheaper than in say Bangkok or Phuket, right? But the fact is that most of the stuff you can buy, is actually cheaper anywhere else in Thailand than in the duty free shops....last time I visited King Power Duty free I wanted to buy a bottle of local Thai whisky....I found a bottle pricec at 250 THB and bought it.

When returning to Thailand 2 weeks later I discovered the same bottle of whisky at my local mom and pop shop priced at 100 THB!!

Duty free....my arse

[Tawai]

Spot on !..call 1155 if you have any problems.

 the only time I tried that I had about 5 tries to reach TP, when I reported my problem with the very agressive threatening cab driver, Tourist Police recommende to contact the airport  !! Why?? Cause I took the taxi there 

[budmak]

http://www.bangkokscams.com/

[PattayaParent]

<br />

"The Brit couple (if you've heard) certainly were up to something dodgy"<br /><br />No stolen items were found on them, and the police say there was no evidence to detain them. Please do not slander innocents.<br /><br />Chris

<br />Wallet was found in the loo after the lad dropped it off there when he knew the game was up. Thieving scum couple get what they deserve!! <img src="style_emoticons/default/mad.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="mad.gif" /><br />

<br /><br /><br />

Gotta agree with Britmaveric.

I always shop at the Duty Free and have never had any problems.

But then I don't pilfer stuff.

[hhgz]

The biggest scams are run by tourists who try to steal, and the TVers who support them. The latest tourist complaint is that "I didn't know that I was leaving the store with unpaid goods. Dang, the stores need to post signs that people are leaving the store, and should pay for their stuff. Dang." The tourists are half-way down the concourse when accosted, and then they act surprised. Oh my. Apparently the tourists need to go someplace that has nothing worth stealing.

[tw25rw]

Another pr*ck. There was no conclusive evidence that they took anything, but you and Britmaveric seem to have better information? God help us!!!

I think you need to read up on forum etiquette.

[britmaveric]

^indeed, but better to let muppets like this show what they are really like.

[phetaroi]

Yes, I think we should aspire to be better than those we criticize.

But as to your original point, that we have no conclusive evidence (your point) that the tourists stole anything...do we have any conclusive evidence it was a scam?

[cdnvic]

A few posts deleted on points of etiquette. If you have something intelligent to bring to the discussion feel free to challenge the statements of others, but if name calling is all you have please mutter to yourself while moving on elsewhere.

Thank you.

[redman]

Yes, I think we should aspire to be better than those we criticize.

But as to your original point, that we have no conclusive evidence (your point) that the tourists stole anything...do we have any conclusive evidence it was a scam?

Good point, and you are right. I don't have conclusive evidence it was a scam. No one has. Several governments and travel authorities issueing warnings, the Thai Prime Minister asking for action? Maybe Britmaveric and his buddies are right.

There are no scams at the airport?????

However, the couples' narrative, the interviews with the Sri Lankan, being allowed to leave after paying the ransom, being told by the police that they faced no charges, and their subsequent actions after getting back to UK (professional couple going to the newspapers)etc. all indicate that something went on. But that doesn't matter for some people.

A grainy film which would never be accepted in a court, then King Power refuting allegations, is all these people need to be convinced of guilt????

[tw25rw]

From seeing the video, it does appear that she was concealing the wallet. I hadn't heard about a wallet found in the gents.

Shaking them down for money which no doubt ended up in the pockets of security people would count as a scam, but it's one they were better off suffering than going through the legal process. They should have just kept quiet and the CCTV would never have come to light.

[givenall]

best advice, just don't be ignorant. walk with your eye open.

Good advice. Only fools get scammed. Be aware and intelligent. My advice is don’t bother shopping at the airport. Things are not really cheaper than Bangkok anyways

Also no one should shop at King Power since they do not stop these scams in their shops so I call for complete shopping ban by everyone in any King Power shops in airport or outside airport