“Life Jacket” Scam Reported By Chinese Tourist Group At Pattaya Police Station

[Rimmer]

“Life Jacket” scam reported by Chinese tourist group at Pattaya Police Station

PATTAYA:--A “Life Jacket” scam was reported by 47 Chinese Tourists who converged on Pattaya Police Station on Saturday.

The scam occurred on Larn Island and also present at the Station was the suspected scammer, Khun Cherchai aged 28. Police were told, via an interpreter, that the group was on the beach, in front of the Fur Long Restaurant when they were allegedly approached by Khun Cherchai who demanded that each tourist rent a life jacket at a cost of 1,500 Baht.

One of the tourists, Mr. Yee Jong Gwang aged 66, refused to pay the 1,500 Baht but misunderstood the situation and put on the Life Jacket. Khun Cherchai demanded payment again which was refused and a fight between Khun Cherchai and friends of the Chinese Tourist took place with some of them sustaining minor facial injuries. Police listened to both sides of the story and decided that Khun Cherchai and a Thai colleague should be fined 500 Baht each for fighting

Full story:http://www.pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/50752/life-jacket-scam-reported-chinese-tourist-group-pattaya-police-station/

-- Pattaya One 2012-03-12

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[pattayadingo]

Nice to see the Chinese standing up for their rights

Two Thai men fined 500 Baht and one suspected of having a Class 1 drug in his system. Maybe he will get a bit more come uppance for his dirty deeds.

This also goes to show that others, including Asians do get scammed, it is not only us. Though I do not see a lot coming out of this 'investigation'.

[TexasRanger]

500 Bt, that'll show em.

[Basil B]

500 Bt, that'll show em.

Loose change...

They need to be harder on scammers regardless of nationality if they do not want to see Pattaya labeled as the most corrupt place on earth, which it seems to be.

[TheWalkingMan]

Would have been better if he was made to pay 500 baht to each of the Chinese tourists.

[PoodMaiDai]

500b seems to be the going rate Thais have to pay for violence. I've known a few Thais to get into knock down drag outs and they both had to pay 500b fines.

So long as it's not a falang at fault for the fight it's cheap. But if they fault the falang the price can skyrocket. Know of another guy in Pattaya who had to pay out over 50k to two Thai guys he beat the hell out of after they attacked him.

[soihok]

^" An investigation into the alleged scam is now underway by Police stationed at the Island."

No doubt to see if this one is as worth while joining in on, as the ongoing one with jet skis.

[mrtoad]

500 baht is the going rate

[Gone]

Thailand obviously wants all of it's tourists including us expats to get out of Thailand with the lates report on foreign land ownership now and these scam artists getting a 500 baht fine. That is an insult to the Chinese and I'm sure the word will travel fast through China regarding these scams in Thailand.

Say goodbye to one of your wealthiest tourists Thailand !!!!!!!!!!

[BookMan]

The lesson here is that an easy way to avoid being scammed is travel in a pack of 50 people.

[jcw]

So do they just demand people wear life jackets or what?

[Spalpeen]

47 people, 1,500 baht each. That would have yielded about 70,000 baht in one go. And they fine the scammer 500 baht?

[PoodMaiDai]

47 people, 1,500 baht each. That would have yielded about 70,000 baht in one go. And they fine the scammer 500 baht?

Is it any wonder the scams never end?

[Jayman]

This never would have happened if they just stuck to the designated safety zones.

[pauljones]

Certainly this guy will never be allowed back on the beach to scam again.

[dighambara]

500b seems to be the going rate Thais have to pay for violence. I've known a few Thais to get into knock down drag outs and they both had to pay 500b fines.

So long as it's not a falang at fault for the fight it's cheap. But if they fault the falang the price can skyrocket. Know of another guy in Pattaya who had to pay out over 50k to two Thai guys he beat the hell out of after they attacked him.

Cheaper to have them wacked.

[sportsman69]

Advanced Members

1,747 posts

Posted 2012-03-12 18:53:15

TexasRanger, on 2012-03-12 17:44:54, said:

500 Bt, that'll show em.

Loose change...

They need to be harder on scammers regardless of nationality if they do not want to see Pattaya labeled as the most corrupt place on earth, which it seems to be.

A few things have changed since your last post. Krabi / Phi Phi are making very strong claims in expats eyes to knock Pattaya and Phuket off the podium.

I know its a long read and possibly best read from the last post back if you are anyway familiar with the case, you will soon get the sentiment involved The whole story beggars belief. Phi Phi and those that control it, and the police involved, Rotten to the core.

Especially the Fathers comments, " they died in a hotel room, they weren't hit by a train " How they must be grieving.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/588694-case-closed-on-the-deaths-of-canadian-sisters-audrey-and-noemi-belanger-krabi/page__st__75

[asiawatcher]

The cost of the jackets is less than the hire - to buy. So simply another scam. All the stupid comments about the Koreans refusing to pay - being cheap Charlies, all comes back to vitriolic crap spread by uninformed bloggers. Being aware of the prices and refusing to be scammed does not make them ignorant as some of the OP's try to claim.

[jbrain]

Thailand obviously wants all of it's tourists including us expats to get out of Thailand with the lates report on foreign land ownership now and these scam artists getting a 500 baht fine. That is an insult to the Chinese and I'm sure the word will travel fast through China regarding these scams in Thailand.

Say goodbye to one of your wealthiest tourists Thailand !!!!!!!!!!

Just got a call from a friend who's in China, and he told me that it's on the 8 o'clock news all over the Nation and and all newspapers frontpages.There are fears for riots so they are considering a curfew

[Jayman]

The cost of the jackets is less than the hire - to buy. So simply another scam. All the stupid comments about the Koreans refusing to pay - being cheap Charlies, all comes back to vitriolic crap spread by uninformed bloggers. Being aware of the prices and refusing to be scammed does not make them ignorant as some of the OP's try to claim.

If you are korean then I am sorry if I offended you. Sarcasm doesn't read well with you I take it.

Edited October 5, 2012 by Jayman

[Jaivin2011]

Please help by desiminating this news to all your firends and media back home. People need to know that in places like Pattaya and Phuket , scams never end and more people should boycott these scum places. also good to know that these scammers are possibility related to the local police or authorities there...take a look.... the police only fined the scammer Bt 500. Encourage all your friends and locals back home to treat Thai expats and thai tourists in ur home countries the same way , if not worsts.

[biplanebluey]

Certainly this guy will never be allowed back on the beach to scam again.

What a comedien-----you ought to be on the stage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SlyAnimal]

Selling a service at a very high price isn't illegal I don't think lol, maybe a grey area at best

That's probably why the police only fined the guy for fighting, and did nothing about the scam.

The scam they'll have to investigate and see if there were any actual laws broken. By which time the witnesses will have left Thailand, so it's unlikely they'll do anything further unless they have more complaints

[Jayman]

The scam is charging a separate price for something that should be mandatory. Like renting a motorbike. Do they ever try and charge you extra for the helmet rental? If course not. It's the law that everyone that drives a motorbike must wear one.

Could you imagine if you bought an airplane ticket only to board the plane an be told you have to pay extra for use of the emergency gear? All safety equipment should be included in the price of the passenger ticket no matter what the mode of transport.

Edited October 6, 2012 by Jayman

[Rimmer]

The original post refers to an incident in March of this year

[CWMcMurray]

Chinese tourist usually always travel in large groups which will help them in these cases

Many of the times these scammers will have friends with them to try and intimidate the 'mark'

This may be useful when the scammer and 5 of his friends are trying to extort monies, but when the 'mark's' 50 friends in his tour group come running over , this changes things quite a bit

It is quite funny to see these tourists turn the tables on the scammers...

[dezeure]

500 Bt, that'll show em.

20 Chinese x 1,500 THB = 30,000 THB - (2 x 500 THB fine) = 29,000 THB.

Pattaya police 10,000 THB remains with 19,000 THB or in other words not bad business at all!!!