Motorbike Rental Turns Into Stickup

[DharmaBumm]

Just spent the week on Koh Tao. Fresh off the boat, a friend and I go to rent a bike and stop at the first place that has dirt-bikes. I stupidly tell the lady that I've never ridden a bike, so I just want to drive to the end of the street and back to see if I can get the hang of it. I drive up the street and turn around (not without stalling it)-- but didn't hit anything and didn't drop it. I get back and as we're walking into the shop, she points out a scratch-- I believe she gouged the bike while we were walking in front of her. She calls up the boss and demands 2800 baht to fix a scratch. We argue in Thai and English for 15 minutes, then she calls her boss. As he arrives, she goes in the back of the shop and comes out with a Heckler and Koch pistol case, and sets it behind the desk. The boss comes in and hits me in the jaw, then tries to keep coming at me. The female says, "I can pay the police, 500 baht to do something to you."

We decided that we'd rather drop 2800 baht (to recover my friend's passport) than get killed, so I hand over the money. Oh wait, it's going to be 3200 baht because we "rented" the bikes.

The shop is located on the left side of the road directly outside of the Lomprayah pier:

Edited July 30, 2011 by Rooo
Removed name & pictures. Against forum rules.

[BigC]

i beleive u but i doubt this post will stay up hear longer better off putting it on your facebook as all that innocent till proven guilty.

though if u have time u could fight it out in court. I wonder if that man had a liscence for that firearm. shame one of your friends did not film it. then if u could show that he was using it to threaten u. even if he did have a liscence then unless he had gfood reason like his life was in danger then u could do him for that aswell.

sound

[carmine]

I've heard of this thing too many times before not to believe you. Put it down to experience . These people think they are above and beyond the law and they are basically, because out there its the law of the jungle.

You might also find yourselves victim to the thai mob mentality whereby they all surround you and menace you for money in the full understanding that you are, or might be innocent, but justify their actions because you are a "farang."

Sorry if people don't like these sentiments but unfortunately they are true.

[Rooo]

I originally deleted the post as per forum rules & pictures of individuals. I have since edited a fair portion & reinstated the post.

[simon43]

.. The boss comes in and hits me in the jaw ..

Happens all the time - this is why you should always insist on full-face crash helmets when you rent a motorbike

Simon

Edited July 30, 2011 by simon43

[DharmaBumm]

.. The boss comes in and hits me in the jaw ..

Happens all the time - this is why you should always insist on full-face crash helmets when you rent a motorbike

Simon

T'was after I took off the full-face helmet

Didn't realize you can't post information like that-- sorry.

Also, forgot to mention that the two long-haired guys on the main strip in Sairee, across from Farangos, were super cool to rent bikes from-- they simply asked if the bikes had any new scratches when we took them back, and didn't even look when we said no. (speaking a little Thai probably helped).

[doingok]

.. The boss comes in and hits me in the jaw ..

Happens all the time - this is why you should always insist on full-face crash helmets when you rent a motorbike

Simon

T'was after I took off the full-face helmet

Didn't realize you can't post information like that-- sorry.

Also, forgot to mention that the two long-haired guys on the main strip in Sairee, across from Farangos, were super cool to rent bikes from-- they simply asked if the bikes had any new scratches when we took them back, and didn't even look when we said no. (speaking a little Thai probably helped).

Will i have read a number of posts on TripAdvisor about this sort of thing and it does happens all the time know matter where you are,i think the trick is not to hand over your passport but a copy of it,plus if you cannot ride then you shouldn't be riding at all if not that you will kill your self be someone else.

[saintofsilence]

Don't rent anything in thailand keep your money in your pocket and your body intact.

[BigC]

.. The boss comes in and hits me in the jaw ..

Happens all the time - this is why you should always insist on full-face crash helmets when you rent a motorbike

Simon

yes and take photos of with the time and date stamp of the bike or vechele. I don't know about Koh Tao but if these people tried the same thing on samui and really beleived that they could pay the police 500 baht to do something to u. then i think that either the Thais were drunk or just trying to put pressure on you to not call the police when the Thai people already know themselves that they have commited a crime.

in this case i would find out exactly where the Thais are from. If they are not local then they are just a bunch of no good talking thugs.

Corr u really think the police would do there job for 500 baht :cheesy: specailly when the Thais themselves had commited the crime. infact if u know where he has the gun stashed u could still try to have a go at trying to get the police to give it a check. if no gun is registered to that shop. then bingo but i do not fancy your chances.

I no poeple won't agree with this but in some occasions if u know how to talk to the police they can be quite helpful but if people go into their police station and start screaming and shouting in a lannguage that they do not understand then they just turn def ears and u might have more head aches than u first had.

better off going inthere with loads of snacks and goodies have a chat with them about something serious. shake hand qai them smile. they it is in their hands. though ppersonally i would just let it slide. saying that if someone pulled a shooter on me i mmight not be too happy.

[BigC]

.. The boss comes in and hits me in the jaw ..

Happens all the time - this is why you should always insist on full-face crash helmets when you rent a motorbike

Simon

T'was after I took off the full-face helmet

Didn't realize you can't post information like that-- sorry.

Also, forgot to mention that the two long-haired guys on the main strip in Sairee, across from Farangos, were super cool to rent bikes from-- they simply asked if the bikes had any new scratches when we took them back, and didn't even look when we said no. (speaking a little Thai probably helped).

Will i have read a number of posts on TripAdvisor about this sort of thing and it does happens all the time know matter where you are,i think the trick is not to hand over your passport but a copy of it,plus if you cannot ride then you shouldn't be riding at all if not that you will kill your self be someone else.

yes i agree if u have never riden a dirt bike before. then here is not the place to learn. better off buying a brand new one if u want to do that. as for the photo copy that does not work as much as the owners of the bikes can be ass holes. so can the customers.

some people completly neglect the motorbike because it is not theirs and a photo copy of a passport is no guarentee that the person is going to pay for their damage. on a deposit of the value of the bike.

Should speak to the people across the road and ask them where those Thai people are from. They might just b mouthy northerns. in that case. U might be able to find some local people to help u as they hate that sorte of behavier on their island as much as we do.

[OlafStapleton]

Why did you wait for boss?

Can't see lady chase you as walk away.

But you did break law, ride bike without licence, so did deserve some sort fine.

Edited July 30, 2011 by OlafStapleton

[doingok]

we are looking to buy one instead of renting saves all the hassle and a have had bikes for over 20yrs and it works out cheaper to cause we can sell it close to what we payed for it. it might be a pain at first to sort be should be worth it in the end.

1 if you do not ride then you should not ride anyway never mind on holiday.

2 people should not rent them out to people who have no experience, of course there will fall off are even worse kill them self

i know its all down to money at the end of the day but if you rent out to someone who as not ridden then some of the blame should go the the renta as well as the renter as i wouldn't left anyone ride my bike without knowing he/she can ride

was in bali last year and rented a tiger 200cc for only 4 quid a day and had no hassle what so ever except went for a KFC with no helmet with my wife and got pulled over by a police man and i bride him to let us off with only 50,000idr and he excepted BRILL

after we had done this he offered us to tea and to meet his family as a think you for the money lol

[NALAK]

sorry to read another ripped tourist thread, most people living here dont have a licence. just make sure when you get home you pass the word, things might stop. even when shown on tv documentaries its dismmised. jet ski's tuk tuk's taxi, until the country stops the corruption against Thailand numbers will keep dropping. never ever give up your passport to anybody, its not yours to give and the law here states you have to have it with you. must have been a scary time. civil matter and nothing to do with police.

sorry you had bad experience here but you are far from alone.

go to police with loads of snacks and goodies, jeez what sort of advice is that.

[doingok]

they has been documentaries about the jet ski's in Thailand on UK TV a sailor was done over and the camera crew filmed the guy with a rifle and MP turned up and he was arguing with the guy cause he had been there lots of times cause of this guy trying to ripping the sailors off.# i wouldn't touch one after watching that not in Thailand anyway think they are butting people off because of the scams.but if someone does damage the bike then there need to pay for it repaired but only repair as some of the prices are way over the toip.

not looking good?

Safety and Security - Local Travel - Road Travel

An international or Thai driving licence is required to drive in Thailand.

Riding a motorcycle or scooter in Thailand can be dangerous. On average 38 people a day die in motorcycle accidents in Thailand. Take the same safety precautions as in the UK. According to Thai law, safety helmets must be worn.

The motorcycles or scooters for hire in beach resorts are often unregistered and cannot be used legally on a public road. Before you hire a vehicle, check your travel insurance policy to ensure that you are covered and check the small print of the lease agreement. Never hand over your passport as a guarantee against returning a motorcycle or scooter. Unscrupulous owners have been known to hold on to passports against claimed damage to the motorcycle or scooter.

Riding ‘Quad-bikes’ can also be dangerous. It is illegal to drive these on the roads in Thailand even though they are available to hire on the roadside.

http://www.fco.gov.u...eania/thailand/

Edited July 30, 2011 by doingok

[samuiseagull]

Ahh....The Land of Smiles eh!!!

Something very peticular about the quality of "service" and "hospitality" on these little Islands in the Gulf!!

[Rooo]

Ahh....The Land of Smiles eh!!!

Something very peticular about the quality of "service" and "hospitality" on these little Islands in the Gulf!!

What a statement. No licence, never ridden a bike of this type before, you never know what lip service he gave them & it's always the islands & Thailand's fault. Get real.

[doingok]

Ahh....The Land of Smiles eh!!!

Something very peticular about the quality of "service" and "hospitality" on these little Islands in the Gulf!!

What a statement. No licence, never ridden a bike of this type before, you never know what lip service he gave them & it's always the islands & Thailand's fault. Get real.

there is always two sides to a story but the guy hadn't ridden before accident waiting to happen though no need top scam anyone like that

[dom samui]

Ahh....The Land of Smiles eh!!!

Something very peticular about the quality of "service" and "hospitality" on these little Islands in the Gulf!!

AGREE 100 p/c with you . Samui is in Thailand , but definitly NOT thailand.

Was on holidays one month ago in the North , Chiang Mai,Rai ,Mae hong sorn etc.... one real dream : nice people , food , hotels ,

roads(real ones yes ) clean....polite educated.....etc etc

And YES these little Islands in the Gulf have a lot to learn..... from the North for example about hospitality.....

But it takes time...... and they aren't in a hurry!

[NALAK]

the land of Scams, try getting a taxi meter in taxi to do what is legally required and put on his metre. its not just the islands its endemic in the country tourist places. a bike rental guy i knew in Samui told me he made more money out of accidents damage than rentals. every bike that came back he had 3 guys go over the bike looking for the slightest scratch. the rental is a means to an end the same as the jet ski's in pattaya. the rental bit is peanuts. compare the qoute of a repair from honda dealer against price of rental shops qoute. no sign of it slowing down as cops get paid off as well. Nobody is allowed to take your passport office except maybe immigration.

personally i can beleive the OPs version, and as such is the only one who knows what happened to suggest he gave lip without witnessing it is a little disrespectful to the OP. even if i gave lip does that give reason to scratch the bike and rip them off. who in there right mind lets somebody without a licence and never having ridden before rent out a bike, but they did, happy days another victem.

[smokie36]

If you want to rent a bike rent from a foreigner. At least you might be asked to provide a driving licence before being handed the keys.

[BigC]

Why did you wait for boss?

Can't see lady chase you as walk away.

But you did break law, ride bike without licence, so did deserve some sort fine.

come on thats a bit harsh. He admitted he was stupid at least he admits he was wrong but that is not a shooting affence. i think pulling a shooter out on sommeone whilst the lady willing let him test drive the bike then try to scam him afterwards.

don't forget the lady had his passport or his mates passport so he could not go anywhere without paying the un just fine for a scratch that they did not do. unfortuatly this happens allot with jet skis and motorbikes and cars.

its a shame ( excluding ) the jet ski people for people who try to do an honest car and bike rental because things like this make it hard for the rest of the renters. there is not that much money to be made out of renting as it is.

scamming someone for shit that they haven't done.

well that speaks for itself they got 1 months rent in one day a they had to do was pull out an alleged pistol

[thrilled]

you definitely to get it out there,pictures,name of the shop,put it on advisor,facebook etc.It's bad news

[BigC]

you definitely to get it out there,pictures,name of the shop,put it on advisor,facebook etc.It's bad news

if u want to live here and u do not have hard evidence then i would just let it slide. u might have bigger problems otherwise.

don't ask me why just trust me.

[doingok]

you definitely to get it out there,pictures,name of the shop,put it on advisor,facebook etc.It's bad news

there is a lot of names on TripAdvisor that i have found to be a no no but people also saying good things about others so all you have to do is search specially in koh tao one name also pops up what bad comments,so just look and you will find,mind saying that i will do my best to buy a scooter then to rent one cause of the hassle bullsh.. you have but up with and i guess i would be the perfect renter for 6 month but a scratch here and a scratch there its a joke and i will never hand over my passport just a copy of it as not mine.

[samuiseagull]

Ahh....The Land of Smiles eh!!!

Something very peticular about the quality of "service" and "hospitality" on these little Islands in the Gulf!!

What a statement. No licence, never ridden a bike of this type before, you never know what lip service he gave them & it's always the islands & Thailand's fault. Get real.

Get real?....yeah right, about time this region and it's inhabitants woke up to the real World....but then..this aint the real World if you can accept everyday situations like this as normal.

[Rooo]

Ahh....The Land of Smiles eh!!!

Something very peticular about the quality of "service" and "hospitality" on these little Islands in the Gulf!!

What a statement. No licence, never ridden a bike of this type before, you never know what lip service he gave them & it's always the islands & Thailand's fault. Get real.

Get real?....yeah right, about time this region and it's inhabitants woke up to the real World....but then..this aint the real World if you can accept everyday situations like this as normal.

No one said the situation is normal, no one said extortion is normal. Your blanket comment & generality about the islands is not normal. Not everyone is a thief, conman or extortionist.

Again as another poster said, always 2 sides to a story .

[dom samui]

Ahh....The Land of Smiles eh!!!

Something very peticular about the quality of "service" and "hospitality" on these little Islands in the Gulf!!

What a statement. No licence, never ridden a bike of this type before, you never know what lip service he gave them & it's always the islands & Thailand's fault. Get real.

Get real?....yeah right, about time this region and it's inhabitants woke up to the real World....but then..this aint the real World if you can accept everyday situations like this as normal.

AGREE totaly with you .Amd again : Samui is in Thailand , but definitly NOT thailand.

These little Islands in the Gulf have a mountain to learn..... about hospitality..... versus scams.

Your comments reflect the sad reality of what these little islands became in a few years,and people accepting these everyday situations

should take out their pink glasses at least one day in their life. Not everyone , certainly, but a n impressive percentage are either thieves, conmans ( woman) or extortionists .

It's improving since two years ,yes we got a new major, but so slowly that the tourist having their information on the REAL Internet , not only here , are staying away (look how empty are the streets in July...) from the islands and they are right compared to what they can get on the mainland. The prices here are absolutely STUPIDS and make the place the most expensive of the whole country.

Certainly too much sun damaged the brain of a lot of people here, changing the reality in a nice pink sweet and comfortable unreal dream...

[outofoz]

Rent the bike through your hotel....don't have to hand over your passport that way...

The scooter I rented in Samui came with delivery and a sheet with all the scratches marked on... the guys let me add willy nilly to the damage report..

I left the scooter at the hotel when i caught my flight out..(undamaged)...

cost about 50 baht extra a day (above other rental places)....but worth it to avoid any 'damage' headaches.

id think the majority of the hirers are above board...but how do u know without local knowledge?

[Rooo]

Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya NO scams. Anywhere in the world that you have an influx of tourists, NO scams, only the islands of the gulf.

Perhaps we should get several of the real honest expats ( biggest scammers IMHO ) living here, to help them out on brushing up on their scam techniques, so you can walk away with a big smile on your face without knowing whatever happened to you.

Perhaps obvious here because of the nature of products you require, bike rental, souvenirs touristy stuff etc.

[BigC]

you definitely to get it out there,pictures,name of the shop,put it on advisor,facebook etc.It's bad news

there is a lot of names on TripAdvisor that i have found to be a no no but people also saying good things about others so all you have to do is search specially in koh tao one name also pops up what bad comments,so just look and you will find,mind saying that i will do my best to buy a scooter then to rent one cause of the hassle bullsh.. you have but up with and i guess i would be the perfect renter for 6 month but a scratch here and a scratch there its a joke and i will never hand over my passport just a copy of it as not mine.

i agree if u r here for more than 6 months then i think it works out cheaper to buy one but if u r going to koh tao for a couple of days then u might have to bite to bullet and rent but if u cannot drive it then u have to take the rough with the smooth should anything happen.

thailand they like to say " no problem " but when there is a problem it is a big problem. be warned.

there is 2 sides to every story though have a shooter pulled on you for scratching a bike even if he did do it and giving a bit of lip is a bit extreme. if someone done that to me i would have gone mental.

well mental then i am now lol

ps i 80 per cent believe your story because i see not reson for u to make it up unless u were a tour operater competitor if not then it is not hard to beleive

Edited July 31, 2011 by BigC