Do You Leave Your Passport With The Motorbike People?

[BigC]

I understand the concept of notifying the authorities to attempt to stop you from leaving the country, but this being Thailand, I have little confidence that anything would actually happen.

Also, if I wrecked a bike that I had rented and wanted to pull a runner, I would organize it so that I was out of the country before I turned the bike back in. That shouldn't be too hard.

But this is taking things to an unlikely extreme.

More realistic is when you drop a bike (this is apparently very common on KP) and the shop totals up the "damage" and it is absurdly high. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have seen this. The "damage" could hardly be considered to the point of having to replace the slightly scratched plastic, but the shop owners insisted that every blemish, no matter how trivial, needed to have that part replaced. A guy I knew at a dive shop in KP said this practice was so rampant that he told me that some people start renting bikes primarily in the hope of renters scratching them.

And if you have a deposit of 3,000 baht, and the owner wants to say that there is 14,000 baht worth of damage (Hey! There's a contract, but nothing that says what constitutes real damage), it will be difficult to get any more money out of the farang renter.

well in amarket where everyone is corrupt opens a vacum for an honest business and business shall come through word of mouth,

personally i thuink if you are going to stay here more than 6 months it is cheaper to buy brand new then try to sell before u leave. even if you donot get much for it.

funny thing is that a rental company would probably buy it off you.

there again you cannot take your bike everywhere. so unless you have knoldege of your surroundings then you it is just pure luck ifyou get an honest rental shop.

The only thing one cando is take many photos of the bike beofre renting.

if the owner has a problem then there is not ashortage of companies out there.

time and date stamp would help.

they might give all the acting as if you can trust them and you are being stupid but if that is the case then you could be more amorewealth stupidperson rarther thanpayinghigh price for damage.

there again if you do drop the bike then it is all in the renters hands . Maybe go to a temple before going to the bike shop.

or put a deposit in your own safe of aroun 15 k that you are prepared to lose if something goes wrong,

expect the worst and hope for the best.

good luck.

u also have to rememeber that some shops don't actually own the bikes and they get commission for renting out bikes that belong to another company or person so. in the case of damage the shop owner may want or have nothing to do with it.

i know some reputable rental companies on samui.

Phuket is hit and miss.

Everywhere else i amjust another tourist.

[Razzler1973]

I understand the concept of notifying the authorities to attempt to stop you from leaving the country, but this being Thailand, I have little confidence that anything would actually happen.

Also, if I wrecked a bike that I had rented and wanted to pull a runner, I would organize it so that I was out of the country before I turned the bike back in. That shouldn't be too hard.

But this is taking things to an unlikely extreme.

More realistic is when you drop a bike (this is apparently very common on KP) and the shop totals up the "damage" and it is absurdly high. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have seen this. The "damage" could hardly be considered to the point of having to replace the slightly scratched plastic, but the shop owners insisted that every blemish, no matter how trivial, needed to have that part replaced. A guy I knew at a dive shop in KP said this practice was so rampant that he told me that some people start renting bikes primarily in the hope of renters scratching them.

And if you have a deposit of 3,000 baht, and the owner wants to say that there is 14,000 baht worth of damage (Hey! There's a contract, but nothing that says what constitutes real damage), it will be difficult to get any more money out of the farang renter.

I assume KP is Koh Pha-Ngan?

I must say I have not had hassle with invented damage but I am usually there when it's not full moon and a bit quieter

[insertmembernamehere]

No. 1 states: "The hirer mush (sic) leave the passport with the renter as deposit."

No. 8 states: "Our Motorbike (sic) do not have insurance renter will be held responsible for all damages including scratches. Renters are NOT permitted to fix or change or paint parts himself or herself. Fine will be 10000 bath (sic) if renter Changed any part of the Motorbike. The renter has to inform shop immediately."

The total of all the individual parts, added together is 73,450 baht.

"Please note that as there are no cicars (?) on Koh Phangan all parts must be ordered from the mainland there fore (sic) the following prices included (sic) shipping losts (sic)."

I think this is a bald-faced lie. Moreover, it is interesting to note that the "front indicator" replacement cost is 5,000 baht. This is one of the most common parts to be damaged in a small fall, therefore whoever made this list knew which side his bread was buttered on.

I also find the "Thong Sala Rental Group" interesting. This was, and probably is still, the form used by more than a couple shops.

So there you go. Must leave your passport, cannot fix anything yourself (for obvious reasons -- $ka-ching$) and scratches are included as damage in the contract form commonly used.

[Rooo]

No. 1 states: "The hirer mush (sic) leave the passport with the renter as deposit."

No. 8 states: "Our Motorbike (sic) do not have insurance renter will be held responsible for all damages including scratches. Renters are NOT permitted to fix or change or paint parts himself or herself. Fine will be 10000 bath (sic) if renter Changed any part of the Motorbike. The renter has to inform shop immediately."

The total of all the individual parts, added together is 73,450 baht.

"Please note that as there are no cicars (?) on Koh Phangan all parts must be ordered from the mainland there fore (sic) the following prices included (sic) shipping losts (sic)."

I think this is a bald-faced lie. Moreover, it is interesting to note that the "front indicator" replacement cost is 5,000 baht. This is one of the most common parts to be damaged in a small fall, therefore whoever made this list knew which side his bread was buttered on.

I also find the "Thong Sala Rental Group" interesting. This was, and probably is still, the form used by more than a couple shops.

So there you go. Must leave your passport, cannot fix anything yourself (for obvious reasons -- $ka-ching$) and scratches are included as damage in the contract form commonly used.

Perhaps you can have a whisper in his ear. But that's another topic.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/564552-chalerm-vows-to-get-rid-of-mafia-in-thai-tourism-businesses-within-3-month/

[Tropicalevo]

I also find the "Thong Sala Rental Group" interesting. This was, and probably is still, the form used by more than a couple shops.

So there you go. Must leave your passport, cannot fix anything yourself (for obvious reasons -- $ka-ching$) and scratches are included as damage in the contract form commonly used.

Wow - what an amazing document. Do people actually sign these things?

All I can say is that I have never seen one before and would never sign one.

A good scam would be for the owner to come to your hotel and wreck the bike!

[evadgib]

...more profitable (2 for 1) to recover it using spare keys & bill the unwary for the "loss".

Edited June 28, 2012 by evadgib

[Sharp]

I have done but tend to rent from the place I am staying where I figure they have a bunch of my money from the place so perhaps won't pull a 'oh look at this scratch' scam on me. I have to say I have never, ever had an issue with that kind of thing renting a bike in Thailand but a lot of people are adament about leaving the passport.

In my experience if you don't then they are more than happy for you to walk away and not rent the bike so what can you do?

Never ever give your passport to these maggots

Sent from my GT-N7000B using Thaivisa Connect App

[BigC]

answer is Yes i also leave my gold rolex watch with the fake watch people while i go to the atm to get some money to buy a new fake watch. i know they would not steel it or cipy it.

also leave my money to taxi drivers to hold for me as i do not trust banks.

never had a problem then again i never need to draw out money from a taxi driver yet.

also leave all my house weapons with the well experience name protected for legal reasons with tommy the axe murder who just got out 3 days ago.

oh yes al all ladies that work in the bar are trust worthy. each one told me they wanted money for things and i gave it.

some even said they ony like me becuase i had money. so they telling the truth

now they not like my because my bank taxi driver has been with a customer for the last month so haven't been able to get my money yet but better than leavign my money in iceland.

or better question would you leave your passport in a bank box in Iceland????