Shkumvit Area Scammers

[mca]

The saddest part is I made that post using the true experiences of a number of westerners I've run into in Khon Kaen. Sad? What am I saying? Quite amusing really.

[Spaniel]

There is a scam running in some of the bars near Sukumvit - the girls approach you and talk with you after a few drinks you take them back to your room for sex and in the morning they want money - I think they are prostitutes and that's illegal in Thailand so do not pay just run away.

Good point. It's been quite a while since I have been to any bars in Nana Plaza or Soi Cowboy and I didn't realize this scam was still going on. If you dont object I'll make it number 8 on my list.

8. Bar girls/go-go dancers: They operate in all the bars in the aforementioned areas. Some are very attractive and all will tell you how handsome you are. If you decide to take one of these girls back to your room for sex you can be assured that they will then demand money. As "kenallday" mentioned prostitution is illegal in Thailand so under no circumstances should you give them money. I recommend that you immediately call the police and let them sort it out.

Surely these are honest people plying an illegal trade........the ones that drug you and take the money without asking are the scammers!!!

Yes, #8 is a "joke". Dont take that one seriously.

Can see that your Christmas lights aren't quite switched on, if you think that Spaniel was being serious.

[chippmunk]

There is a scam running in some of the bars near Sukumvit - the girls approach you and talk with you after a few drinks you take them back to your room for sex and in the morning they want money - I think they are prostitutes and that's illegal in Thailand so do not pay just run away.

can your room run away with you . thai girls dont take kindly to not being paid for services rendered.

[kumkoot]

africans have it tough here. why does everyone think they up to no good.

[PattayaParent]

There is a scam running in some of the bars near Sukumvit - the girls approach you and talk with you after a few drinks you take them back to your room for sex and in the morning they want money - I think they are prostitutes and that's illegal in Thailand so do not pay just run away.

Eh, but it's your room???

[coolerking]

"africans have it tough here. why does everyone think they up to no good."

Are you suggesting that they may not be?

[neverdie]

OP said: "Filipino guys: I at least suspect they a from the PI. You will be walking down the street or waiting for a bus and a guy will approach you saying something like, "I really like your shoes, where did you get them?" He could care less about your shoes, this is just a come on to get the conversation going. No mater where you say you're from he will have a sister/cousin either already there or going to that area shortly. His scam is to get you to accompany him and get you into a card game with his friends where your odds of winning will be pretty slim."

This scam was tried on me not long ago, except it was two African men. "Wow, I really like your glasses!" My reply: "Really? They're just the kind of glasses old men like me wear. Really out of style. Now -- goodbye."

Yes thats what exactly happen to me, "Wow, I really like your sunglasses". My reply, "<deleted> off, your not having them, now get out of my way". Worked a gem, they retreated and I continued on my way. Simple.

[neverdie]

8. Bar girls/go-go dancers: They operate in all the bars in the aforementioned areas. Some are very attractive and all will tell you how handsome you are. If you decide to take one of these girls back to your room for sex you can be assured that they will then demand money. As "kenallday" mentioned prostitution is illegal in Thailand so under no circumstances should you give them money. I recommend that you immediately call the police and let them sort it out.

Or alternatively I recommend you marry them, move to a village about 100 kilometres from the nearest western style toilet, convince yourself that when you stroll round the village the locals are laughing at you because you're a "quirky farang" rather than the fact that your wife is being knocked off by her "brother" every afternoon at 4pm and losing 10k baht a day playing hi-lo with her mates behind the temple, revel in the fact that the person who you intend to spend the rest of your life with comes out with in depth opinions such as "You bad maak maak" and " You no love me no more", once again bail out her pissed up cousin from the local nick who borrowed (without permission natch) the Isuzu pick up you bought and stacked it into a parked car, endure 3 days of "the little woman" not talking to you due to being a basket case, open a hair salon for her which lasts all of 3 months because it's less about cutting hair and more a place for her and her mates to sit and natter all day and then drink yourself to death on the cheapest beer and spirits you can find trying to tell yourself this is all a terrible nightmare and you'll wake up soon.

Merry Christmas Everybody!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now thats a funny post, cheers mca, ur a legend.

[neverdie]

There is a scam running in some of the bars near Sukumvit - the girls approach you and talk with you after a few drinks you take them back to your room for sex and in the morning they want money - I think they are prostitutes and that's illegal in Thailand so do not pay just run away.

Eh, but it's your room???

Sum folke don't think em things out so well. Ohh and don't worry abou the girl, her thai boyfriend or brother will sort out the outstanding money.

Edited December 26, 2009 by neverdie

[djleeflorida]

Has anyone seen the pick pocket boy selling roses on Sukhumvit around soi 11? I could of swore I saw him as shoe shine or am I mistaken?

[needforspeed]

8. Bar girls/go-go dancers: They operate in all the bars in the aforementioned areas. Some are very attractive and all will tell you how handsome you are. If you decide to take one of these girls back to your room for sex you can be assured that they will then demand money. As "kenallday" mentioned prostitution is illegal in Thailand so under no circumstances should you give them money. I recommend that you immediately call the police and let them sort it out.

Or alternatively I recommend you marry them, move to a village about 100 kilometres from the nearest western style toilet, convince yourself that when you stroll round the village the locals are laughing at you because you're a "quirky farang" rather than the fact that your wife is being knocked off by her "brother" every afternoon at 4pm and losing 10k baht a day playing hi-lo with her mates behind the temple, revel in the fact that the person who you intend to spend the rest of your life with comes out with in depth opinions such as "You bad maak maak" and " You no love me no more", once again bail out her pissed up cousin from the local nick who borrowed (without permission natch) the Isuzu pick up you bought and stacked it into a parked car, endure 3 days of "the little woman" not talking to you due to being a basket case, open a hair salon for her which lasts all of 3 months because it's less about cutting hair and more a place for her and her mates to sit and natter all day and then drink yourself to death on the cheapest beer and spirits you can find trying to tell yourself this is all a terrible nightmare and you'll wake up soon.

Merry Christmas Everybody!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[changnaam]

Amazing,

I bumped in to the indian guy three times this week, and on every occasion he told me I have a lucky face and I am going to run into some good luck.....

low and behold I just checked my lottery and I have won a tenner. There must be something in these guys skills, I think I will drop them a grand next time I see them and thank them for their assistance

[IanForbes]

There is a scam running in some of the bars near Sukumvit - the girls approach you and talk with you after a few drinks you take them back to your room for sex and in the morning they want money - I think they are prostitutes and that's illegal in Thailand so do not pay just run away.

What is prostitution? Is that like the system called marriage, only less expensive? You better beware of the REAL costs!

The Filipino scammers are VERY clever. If they can't scam you then they will ask enough questions to scam the next guy. They've got memories like a steel trap and can remember the finest details.

Edited February 6, 2010 by IanForbes

[RickBlaine]

Thanks to everyone for the info', it could us all a few baht.

I am coming to BK soon (from Isaan) for a short holiday with the wife - I usually go straight from BKK to the coach station on my way north, so I've still never done the 'tourist' thing.

A couple of observations;

On my first visit here at Suvar' airport; hot, tired, slightly overawed, I was looking for a flight north ( I was rich then). I almost bought a ticket from a very nice team who had 'almost' the right Thai Airways uniforms. Unfortunately we were stood in the airport entrance at the time, and there was a perfectly good TA desk just around the corner. I found out later that they were probably commision agents, and there was no guarantee that their ticket would have been honoured at (as then) Don Mueng airport.

I think some of the following may have been in BK a while: When I was in Marrakesh, Morrocco there was a big problem with street scammers waiting outside hotels - 'I'm collecting for the local football club', 'would you write a few words of English in my book (and give some money for a new pen)'. The nastiest were the, 'can I walk with you for a while? No money! I just want to improve my English.' Of course, they gradually became your unofficial guide as you walked, and got very abusive if they did not get a 'donation'. Some of the female tourists were too frightened to walk alone, even during the day. Funny though, phrases like '<deleted> off' are universal and worked wonders.

There is one more that I am told is in BK - 'sorry the museum/garden... is closed today, however (as luck would have it) my brother/cousin has a gem store/new attraction only a short tuk-tuk ride away...'

Anyone got anymore for us out-of-towners?

[bkkjames]

here some Taxi advice:

Bangkok Easy

First time travelers to Bangkok often find themselves overwhelmed by the frenetic pace and sensory overload upon exiting Suvarnabhumi airport. Combined with the tropical temperatures, masses of people and inevitable traffic congestion a city of 12+ million offers up, it can an intimidating first impression for those just off a long haul flight.

A natural tendency for many is to grab the first available transport and hang out for the next few days at their hotel or nearest shopping mall. But for those who do a little bit of planning, a more enjoyable way around the City of Angles is close at hand.

At the very heart of managing your time in the city is taking the time to plan out an itinerary to overcome and take advantage of getting around this sprawling metropolis. The city has a host of transport options from the century-old tried and true to the latest elevated mass transit and subway systems. But for most people their first and most common transport experience is likely to come in the form of a taxi.

While abundant and extremely affordable when using the meter, mastering the taxi riddle will go a long way to making your stay in Bangkok more enjoyable.

Just getting out of Suvarnabhumi Airport can be a challenging experience with ever-present touts and private transport companies vying for your business. Assuming you just want a regular taxi and have managed to locate the taxi-stand outside the terminal, you are well on your way to getting to your hotel.

At the stand itself you will need to tell the attendants where you are headed and thankfully most hotels are known. They will hand you a paper slip which you subsequently hand over to a waiting driver and away you go.

A couple of things to keep in mind that if you want to speed your way into the city center quickly you will need to tell the driver to take the highway or ‘Tung Duan’ in Thai. It is also worth pointing out that as you approach the toll booths along the way, you are expected to hand the driver the money to pay for it. Not only that, taxis taken from the airport require an additional 50 baht over and above the final fare according to the meter, so it’s a good idea to have some smaller Thai bank notes on hand.

If you are like most travelers and are staying a centrally-located hotel, you are likely to come across a few conveniently-parked taxis at the doorstep of your hotel when you head out sightseeing or shopping. Permanently positioned to offer assistance to travelers like you, their convenience, along with their usually decent grasp of the English language often comes at a premium because of their refusal to use the meter. So if you are comfortable in negotiating a fare, they are an option to consider.

For many a better option, if you are prepared and have your desired destination written down in Thai by the hotel’s concierge, is to walk past aforementioned parked taxis and head to the nearest main road to seek out a regular metered taxi. With hundreds of thousands on Bangkok streets on any given day, you won’t generally have to wait very long to flag one down. Easy to spot because of their illuminated ‘for hire’ sign in the front window, a simple up and down motion with your hand is usually enough to get one to stop.

However, be ready for a couple of issues that may make taking a normal meter taxi a bit unnerving for novices. The first is the real possibility that your taxi driver has little or no English language capability, and without pre-written directions in Thai from your concierge, they may wave you off if they don’t understand where you are asking them to go. While on this point be sure to keep with you a few hotel cards with its name and address in Thai to facilitate an easier return journey after a day out in the city.

Some other things to watch out for during your Bangkok taxi experience include annoyances such as drivers not wanting to go where you ask, demanding surcharges for late evening trips, or taking you to the wrong place.

While it is almost unheard of in the west for a taxi to refuse to take you, in Bangkok this can be quite common, especially during heavy rain or the time nearing the driver’s end of shift. So don’t get upset, just wait for the next one to come by and try again.

If you are like a lot of visitors to the city and enjoy taking part in some Bangkok’s terrific dining and late night entertainment options, you may come across a few taxi drivers who will not use the meter and demand an inflated set-fare late. Considering that this is generally in the 100-200 baht range, it’s not a huge mark-up if you don’t want to stand around waiting for one that won’t charge you a little extra.

In the event that your taxi takes you to the wrong place, there is not much you can do at that point other than getting out and finding one that has an idea of where you need to go. One trick that regular visitors and local expats do is to use their mobile phone to call the establishment they wish to visit and get the establishment’s Thai staff to speak directly to your driver.

So you see with a little bit of planning and patience, you can make your Bangkok taxi experience more efficient, economical and definitely less stressful!

[cdnvic]

7. Tuk Tuk drivers that will take you anywhere in Bangkok for 20 bhat per hour: These guys are in front of Robinsons at Sukhumvit Soi 19. Before you ever get in a tuktuk at that price you better have a real good agreement with the driver.

No matter what price you agreed upon before getting on the tuk tuk, the price will change once you reached the destination. best to avoid tuk tuk at all times and take the meter taxi instead.

Explorer

I always have the video camera on my phone discreetly running while haggling.

[yabaaaa]

6. Budhist Nuns: I usually see these gals near the corner of Soi 5. My wife assures me that a real nun wouldn't be standing on the corner solicting donations so you would probably be better off giving your change to the fake, but needy, beggar a little farther down.

Im kind of excited by this one??? I wonder how much short time is? hahaah

[yabaaaa]

Rule #1.

Never give money to anyone who asks for it on the streets.

Rule #2.

Never give money to anyone asking for it on the streets.

Rule #3.

See Rule #1 and Rule #2.

Rule #4.

See Rule #3.

Easy no?

Easier rule 5 never give money to anyone............I prefer this

[yabaaaa]

8. Bar girls/go-go dancers: They operate in all the bars in the aforementioned areas. Some are very attractive and all will tell you how handsome you are. If you decide to take one of these girls back to your room for sex you can be assured that they will then demand money. As "kenallday" mentioned prostitution is illegal in Thailand so under no circumstances should you give them money. I recommend that you immediately call the police and let them sort it out.

Or alternatively I recommend you marry them, move to a village about 100 kilometres from the nearest western style toilet, convince yourself that when you stroll round the village the locals are laughing at you because you're a "quirky farang" rather than the fact that your wife is being knocked off by her "brother" every afternoon at 4pm and losing 10k baht a day playing hi-lo with her mates behind the temple, revel in the fact that the person who you intend to spend the rest of your life with comes out with in depth opinions such as "You bad maak maak" and " You no love me no more", once again bail out her pissed up cousin from the local nick who borrowed (without permission natch) the Isuzu pick up you bought and stacked it into a parked car, endure 3 days of "the little woman" not talking to you due to being a basket case, open a hair salon for her which lasts all of 3 months because it's less about cutting hair and more a place for her and her mates to sit and natter all day and then drink yourself to death on the cheapest beer and spirits you can find trying to tell yourself this is all a terrible nightmare and you'll wake up soon.

Merry Christmas Everybody!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

STAY AWAY FROM MY WIFE U F******g G*t............

[jayjayjayjay]

8. Bar girls/go-go dancers: They operate in all the bars in the aforementioned areas. Some are very attractive and all will tell you how handsome you are. If you decide to take one of these girls back to your room for sex you can be assured that they will then demand money. As "kenallday" mentioned prostitution is illegal in Thailand so under no circumstances should you give them money. I recommend that you immediately call the police and let them sort it out.

Or alternatively I recommend you marry them, move to a village about 100 kilometres from the nearest western style toilet, convince yourself that when you stroll round the village the locals are laughing at you because you're a "quirky farang" rather than the fact that your wife is being knocked off by her "brother" every afternoon at 4pm and losing 10k baht a day playing hi-lo with her mates behind the temple, revel in the fact that the person who you intend to spend the rest of your life with comes out with in depth opinions such as "You bad maak maak" and " You no love me no more", once again bail out her pissed up cousin from the local nick who borrowed (without permission natch) the Isuzu pick up you bought and stacked it into a parked car, endure 3 days of "the little woman" not talking to you due to being a basket case, open a hair salon for her which lasts all of 3 months because it's less about cutting hair and more a place for her and her mates to sit and natter all day and then drink yourself to death on the cheapest beer and spirits you can find trying to tell yourself this is all a terrible nightmare and you'll wake up soon.

Merry Christmas Everybody!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reads like a Thai soap opera. As my old boss use to say.... Thai gf asks- buy mobile, thxs sweetheart, then Thai gf asks- buy gold, thxs sweetheart, then Thai gf asks- motorbike, thxs sweetheart, then Thai gf asks- buy pickup truck, thxs sweetheart, then Thai gf asks- buy house, thxs sweetheart, then Thai gf says bye bye

[Brigante7]

8. Bar girls/go-go dancers: They operate in all the bars in the aforementioned areas. Some are very attractive and all will tell you how handsome you are. If you decide to take one of these girls back to your room for sex you can be assured that they will then demand money. As "kenallday" mentioned prostitution is illegal in Thailand so under no circumstances should you give them money. I recommend that you immediately call the police and let them sort it out.

Or alternatively I recommend you marry them, move to a village about 100 kilometres from the nearest western style toilet, convince yourself that when you stroll round the village the locals are laughing at you because you're a "quirky farang" rather than the fact that your wife is being knocked off by her "brother" every afternoon at 4pm and losing 10k baht a day playing hi-lo with her mates behind the temple, revel in the fact that the person who you intend to spend the rest of your life with comes out with in depth opinions such as "You bad maak maak" and " You no love me no more", once again bail out her pissed up cousin from the local nick who borrowed (without permission natch) the Isuzu pick up you bought and stacked it into a parked car, endure 3 days of "the little woman" not talking to you due to being a basket case, open a hair salon for her which lasts all of 3 months because it's less about cutting hair and more a place for her and her mates to sit and natter all day and then drink yourself to death on the cheapest beer and spirits you can find trying to tell yourself this is all a terrible nightmare and you'll wake up soon.

Merry Christmas Everybody!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LMFAO, what a joy to behold you are.

Brigante7.

[hawthorne]

There is a scam running in some of the bars near Sukumvit - the girls approach you and talk with you after a few drinks you take them back to your room for sex and in the morning they want money - I think they are prostitutes and that's illegal in Thailand so do not pay just run away.

Is that really a scam or is is just a case of some farangs being so naive that when the bar girls yell to them "hello, sexy man" they take it as evidence of their ability to sweep women off their feet?

I did not realise I was so attractive till I moved to LOS, I now realise however that I am very Hansum, Super Intelligent and a fabulous lover.

You too!!!!

[Meridian007]

Are they still doing the littering scam on Sukhumwit? I remember there was even a website about it. The "police" between soi 12 and 8 would watch foreigners, (especially smokers), to see if they dropped anything. Then they jump you and try to push for some unbelievable fine within the thousands of baht.

I remember hearing a few where the "police" would even try to nab a foreigner based on someone else's cigarette butt. I've never experienced it myself, but I remember hearing about it a lot, not too long ago.

If you want to see all the different flavours of the taxi scam, go to the Suvarnibhumi forum on here.

[scorecard]

"7. Tuk Tuk drivers that will take you anywhere in Bangkok for 20 bhat per hour: These guys are in front of Robinsons at Sukhumvit Soi 19. Before you ever get in a tuktuk at that price you better have a real good agreement with the driver. "

Some tourists appreciate that. They now what will happen, enter the gems shop and leave it and get for that a free tuk tuk ride.

It probbaly means that he will very quickly take you to a jewelly shop where he get's commission or a voucher for gasoline.

[Tonto21]

There is a scam running in some of the bars near Sukumvit - the girls approach you and talk with you after a few drinks you take them back to your room for sex and in the morning they want money - I think they are prostitutes and that's illegal in Thailand so do not pay just run away.

Now! I've been had on this one a few times, for the first dozon or so times, I though my luck had changed.... Oh the pain in the morning when I realse they were just after me money, and I'm not a "sexy man" We live and learn a? Well some do.

[Travel2003]

4. Broke/recently robbed expat: This guy/gal will approach you with the story that he/she was recently robbed and needs money. They will not accept any advice, only cash. After talking to them for a few min. their stories usually fall apart.

theres an english guy down soi 3/4/5 who uses this one..

Saw this guy sleeping next to the bank (ATM) by the Starbucks, by the entrance to Sukhumvit soi 3, the other day.

4-5 days ago, around 10 PM.

Strange, as he looked newly shaved, clean.

A lot of people around, but nobody seemed to care.

[jayjayjayjay]

4. Broke/recently robbed expat: This guy/gal will approach you with the story that he/she was recently robbed and needs money. They will not accept any advice, only cash. After talking to them for a few min. their stories usually fall apart.

theres an english guy down soi 3/4/5 who uses this one..

Saw this guy sleeping next to the bank (ATM) by the Starbucks, by the entrance to Sukhumvit soi 3, the other day.

4-5 days ago, around 10 PM.

Strange, as he looked newly shaved, clean.

A lot of people around, but nobody seemed to care.

Looks like he sleeps at the office 555+

[YanTree]

Been living on lower sukhumvit for five years and I have never encountered most of these. I got one of the indian fortune tellers within my first year and went along until the money part and then left - got the approach once more and ignored them.

Also got one tourist giving me a sob story and I gave him 100 baht and said good luck and gave him some advice I can't recall. I'd be willing to help out pretty much any farang with 100 baht no matter their situation or how they lost their money. If they are that much in need their story doesn't matter, they are obviously in a bad spot. This cannot be a big moneymaking opportunity.

I saw a guy get his wallet robbed in a large crowd once and handed him 2,000 baht (he didn't ask me or even notice me, I just walked up to him, could see the anguish on his face). I think the expats here should focus more on taking care of each other instead of being snobs and looking down on each other because of how much Thai we know or how long we've been here or how much more we understand the culture or where we met our girlfriends or wives or how rich their families are or whatever. Thais of all social classes are aligned against us when conflict occurs - we should be aligned against them, not each other.

Obviously the tuk tuk's offering to take you around for 40 baht are scammers though I've never taken any up on the offer to find out exactly how. I assume they take you to overpriced shops where they get a cut of what you spend. I remember needing a ride once and offering one a very reasonable sum (more than he initially offered) and once he found I had a specific destination and was coming right back (and not willing to go anywhere else) he said no.

All of these other people I have never seen and I suspect they exist in very small numbers.

One to add is the Thai people doing surveys. They just want to get your information to sell you something or make you some offer. They could care less about the information you are giving them. They usually stand in front of Robinsons or near the Landmark.

I've also encountered young foreigners (I believe Americans) doing surveys in front of Nana and Soi Cowboy who are actually Christian Missionaries trying to get you to convert to their religion and make you realize how immoral what you are doing is. I wanted to punch the guy once he got to this pitch after 15 minutes of talking with him.

Another that is sort of a scam are the career beggars. I have seen the same people in the same spots everyday during the same hours for years now. The people I give money to are the ones I see sleeping at 4am in some terrible spot who I've never seen before in that spot.

A good way to get all of these people to leave you alone is to not look them in the eye and act like an expat - which is to say not looking at everything in bewilderment and stopping and listening to or talking to people getting your attention on the street. Also not walking around hand in hand with an obvious bar girl is a good idea - such people might as well wear a bulls eye on their chest for all the scammers. Just look straight ahead and give them a slight 'no' shake of the head (without looking them in the eye) when they start talking to you. You can also say 'mai owe krab' (i don't want) and that shuts them up instantly. And never ever shake some dudes hand when it is outstretched on the street - I consider that an insult because they never shake hands with each other and are assuming I don't know that (and thus assuming I'm some dumb tourist who will fall their shit). Camera's also make you an obvious target - which sucks for me because I'm taking photography lessons now and take my camera everywhere. I haven't gotten this much attention from scum touts in years

Edited February 19, 2010 by YanTree

[YanTree]

There is a scam running in some of the bars near Sukumvit - the girls approach you and talk with you after a few drinks you take them back to your room for sex and in the morning they want money - I think they are prostitutes and that's illegal in Thailand so do not pay just run away.

So I should run away and leave her in my room??

On a serious note, even when I know it is a business transaction I never mention money before, during or after. At least 20% of the time they never ask and just go home - don't know if they are just shy or possibly thinking I didn't know they were a hooker and that I'm going to call them and want to be their boyfriend.

So ya, tip of the day, don't mention money and make them ask for it!

[jayjayjayjay]

There is a scam running in some of the bars near Sukumvit - the girls approach you and talk with you after a few drinks you take them back to your room for sex and in the morning they want money - I think they are prostitutes and that's illegal in Thailand so do not pay just run away.

So I should run away and leave her in my room??

On a serious note, even when I know it is a business transaction I never mention money before, during or after. At least 20% of the time they never ask and just go home - don't know if they are just shy or possibly thinking I didn't know they were a hooker and that I'm going to call them and want to be their boyfriend.

So ya, tip of the day, don't mention money and make them ask for it!

u'r nice!