Foreign Diplomats Urge Thai Government To Tackle Tourist Scams

[WhizBang]

I note that several respondents state that foreign governments should recommend that their nationals not visit Thailand, yet these very same people are either resident in Thailand or are visitors. Think about it. The respondnets are aware of the "dangers" and yet still travel to or reside in Thailand. The warnings about jetski scams are on every major travel website. Most governments have advisories on their related websites and yet there are still people that will go and rent the jetskis. What exactly would a restrictive recommendation from a foreign government accomplish?

People have the option of not renting the jetskis. There iis absolutely no excuse for someone that has been ripped off by the jet skis to whinge. These people are engaging in irresponsible behaviour to begin with (and yes, the rental of the jetskis is a stupid selfish act because they are used in areas filled with swimmers, damage the environment with the noise and gas spillage and encourage organized crime, because it is common knowledge who and what is linked to the rental scams) and we're supposed to feel sorry for these renters? If a person wants to be irresponsible and has been warned, then tough tittie. Getting ripped off is well deserved and I have no sympathy.

Yes, the taxis and tuk tuks on Phuket rip tourists off. Is it as serious as the current LIIBOR scandal that once it unravels will show that multiple banks have cheated millions of people over the years? I don't think so. Overcharging someone A/US/C $20on a taxi ride is not worth a massive retaliatory response. Intervening when foreign nationals are harmed is justified. Unfortunately, in many cases, foreigners have engaged in irresponsible acts or have been responsible for their own demise (e.g. driving a motorbike without a helmet, transacting with nefarious types, associating with prostitutes). These "bad" foreigners make it very difficult for foreign governments to intervene. We've had several cases of foreigners stealing and making false claims. Everytime that happens, it undermines the efforts of the foreign diplomatic corps to protect the law abiding respectable foreigners. Visitors have to take control of their own destinies. It is their choice to take the junket to Thailand and to interact with many of these dangerous locals. It is common knowledge that their is lax approach to maritime safety and yet one will see tourists heading out on boats in dangerous weather conditions. All the foreign intervention in the world will not transfer common sense to some people.

Wow, what a load of horse manure. But then I realized who wrote it.

Geeze guy, you really do need to get a life.

[WhizBang]

And what about the Canadians.. or are they all wannabe French and Americans anyway!

Most Canadians (that includes me), do not want to be French or American. In fact, most are quite happy that we are not American (or French).

[jerrysteve]

If they can't even spell Australia right they are in very deep poopoo

[jerrysteve]

Let us pray to the Holy Mother of the Buddha they can spell the name Thailand correctly!!!

[edgarfriendly]

This is a good one. Nothing ever gets done here, in regard to protecting tourists, unless there is extreme egg on the face, due to negative international media exposure. Then, and only then, does the feeble government kick into action, and make multiple pronouncements. The question is, will they arrest anyone, with the power and the cash to buy their way out of trouble? If so, will they get convicted? If so, will they actually serve any time? Thailand is probably the most lenient country in the developing world, when it comes to crime against tourists. It is not taken seriously by anyone, much less Chalerm or Yingluck. Very rarely does anyone serve prison time for an offense committed. Though I love this country dearly, they do little to protect the tourists, or the ex-pats living here. In many countries, it is the exact opposite. Here, mai pen rai.

Not Mai Pen Rai....

Som Nam Nar/Naa.!!!

[maidu]

Let us pray to the Holy Mother of the Buddha they can spell the name Thailand correctly!!!

Thailand could be spelled; Tailand. Better than that, the country should revert to being called Siam, a perfectly good name.

For a period of time, not long ago, some hyper-intellectual linguists decided to complicate the transliteration of Thai - using the Latin alphabet. Hence, we have a plethora of Thai words which are confusing (sometimes flat-out ridiculous) for those who are not abreast of the manipulation.

here are just 3 of thousands of examples:

Suwarnbhumi (airport) - when spoken by a Thai person, sounds like Suwanaboom

Tha thon or Tha Thorn " " " " " " " Taton

Korn (meaning; 'person') sounds like 'kon'

putting h's everywhere is confusing, unnecessary, and sometimes just plain stupid. H's after T's, ...after P's, even after K's. Transliteration is not for pleasing Thai sensibilities, it is for easing the pronunciation of Thai words by foreigners.

sorry if this rant is off-topic. Not really.

Edited July 13, 2012 by maidu

[kerryk]

Let us pray to the Holy Mother of the Buddha they can spell the name Thailand correctly!!!

Thailand should be spelled; Tailand. Better than that, the country should revert to being called Siam, a perfectly good name.

Sometime, not long ago, some hyper-intellectual linguists decided to complicate the transliteration of Thai - using the Latin alphabet. Hence, we have a plethora of Thai words which are confusing (sometimes flat-out ridiculous) for those who are not abreast of the manipulation.

here are just 3 of thousands of examples:

Suvarnbhumi (airport) - when spoken by a Thai person, sounds like Suwanaboom

Tha thon or Tha Thorn " " " " " " " Taton

Korn (meaning; 'person') sound like 'kon'

Say Am

[Moruya]

Let us pray to the Holy Mother of the Buddha they can spell the name Thailand correctly!!!

Thailand could be spelled; Tailand. Better than that, the country should revert to being called Siam, a perfectly good name.

For a period of time, not long ago, some hyper-intellectual linguists decided to complicate the transliteration of Thai - using the Latin alphabet. Hence, we have a plethora of Thai words which are confusing (sometimes flat-out ridiculous) for those who are not abreast of the manipulation.

here are just 3 of thousands of examples:

Suwarnbhumi (airport) - when spoken by a Thai person, sounds like Suwanaboom

Tha thon or Tha Thorn " " " " " " " Taton

Korn (meaning; 'person') sounds like 'kon'

putting h's everywhere is confusing, unnecessary, and sometimes just plain stupid. H's after T's, ...after P's, even after K's. Transliteration is not for pleasing Thai sensibilities, it is for easing the pronunciation of Thai words by foreigners.

sorry if this rant is off-topic. Not really.

Quite right - it's all Phuket up.

[maidu]

Let us pray to the Holy Mother of the Buddha they can spell the name Thailand correctly!!!

Thailand could be spelled; Tailand. Better than that, the country should revert to being called Siam, a perfectly good name.

For a period of time, not long ago, some hyper-intellectual linguists decided to complicate the transliteration of Thai - using the Latin alphabet. Hence, we have a plethora of Thai words which are confusing (sometimes flat-out ridiculous) for those who are not abreast of the manipulation.

here are just 3 of thousands of examples:

Suwarnbhumi (airport) - when spoken by a Thai person, sounds like Suwanaboom

Tha thon or Tha Thorn " " " " " " " Taton

Korn (meaning; 'person') sounds like 'kon'

putting h's everywhere is confusing, unnecessary, and sometimes just plain stupid. H's after T's, ...after P's, even after K's. Transliteration is not for pleasing Thai sensibilities, it is for easing the pronunciation of Thai words by foreigners.

sorry if this rant is off-topic. Not really.

Quite right - it's all Phuket up.

I'm so livid, I might phi phi in my pants.

well at least that's better than phoo yai'ing, or khap khoon khrap'ing all over the place.

Edited July 13, 2012 by maidu

[swillowbee]

Let us pray to the Holy Mother of the Buddha they can spell the name Thailand correctly!!!

Thailand could be spelled; Tailand. Better than that, the country should revert to being called Siam, a perfectly good name.

For a period of time, not long ago, some hyper-intellectual linguists decided to complicate the transliteration of Thai - using the Latin alphabet. Hence, we have a plethora of Thai words which are confusing (sometimes flat-out ridiculous) for those who are not abreast of the manipulation.

here are just 3 of thousands of examples:

Suwarnbhumi (airport) - when spoken by a Thai person, sounds like Suwanaboom

Tha thon or Tha Thorn " " " " " " " Taton

Korn (meaning; 'person') sounds like 'kon'

putting h's everywhere is confusing, unnecessary, and sometimes just plain stupid. H's after T's, ...after P's, even after K's. Transliteration is not for pleasing Thai sensibilities, it is for easing the pronunciation of Thai words by foreigners.

sorry if this rant is off-topic. Not really.

Quite right - it's all Phuket up.

I'm so livid, I might phi phi in my pants.

well at least that's better than phoo yai'ing, or khap khoon khrap'ing all over the place.

.

... okay, enough! ... we need no mor chit from you two on this!

[Moruya]

I'm so livid, I might phi phi in my pants.

well at least that's better than phoo yai'ing, or khap khoon khrap'ing all over the place.

.

... okay, enough! ... we need no mor chit from you two on this!

Wai not?

[connda]

It would probably get more press if the diplomats go directly to Puket or Pattaya, rent a jet ski, wait for the swindle, and have one of their top news agencies descend on the scammers in the act. Get it on tape. Diplomats can't be touched by the authorities, so they can essentially laugh in the faces of the scammer and the "helpful police negotiator" and tell them to bugger off -- get it on camera and broadcast it prime time in their home counties.

Perhaps the 'loss of face' would carry more weight then mere words.

[connda]

Let us pray to the Holy Mother of the Buddha they can spell the name Thailand correctly!!!

Thailand could be spelled; Tailand. Better than that, the country should revert to being called Siam, a perfectly good name.

For a period of time, not long ago, some hyper-intellectual linguists decided to complicate the transliteration of Thai - using the Latin alphabet. Hence, we have a plethora of Thai words which are confusing (sometimes flat-out ridiculous) for those who are not abreast of the manipulation.

here are just 3 of thousands of examples:

Suwarnbhumi (airport) - when spoken by a Thai person, sounds like Suwanaboom

Tha thon or Tha Thorn " " " " " " " Taton

Korn (meaning; 'person') sounds like 'kon'

putting h's everywhere is confusing, unnecessary, and sometimes just plain stupid. H's after T's, ...after P's, even after K's. Transliteration is not for pleasing Thai sensibilities, it is for easing the pronunciation of Thai words by foreigners.

sorry if this rant is off-topic. Not really.

There is no TH sound in the Thai language. So why transliterate with it? It makes no sense.

If there was, Thai would sound like Thigh (as in the upper portion of your leg), and Thailand would be Thigh-land (which might be more appropriate for the sex-tourist).

"Hey Bob, where ya gonna vacation this year?"

"Well, I'm thinking about a sex-holiday in Thighland. I hear the Thigh girls are hot!"

"Watch out of those Thigh jetski scams. I hear our diplomat is talking to the Thigh authorities."

That sounds better, 'eh? lol

Edited July 13, 2012 by connda

[MunterHunter]

It would probably get more press if the diplomats go directly to Puket or Pattaya, rent a jet ski, wait for the swindle, and have one of their top news agencies descend on the scammers in the act. Get it on tape. Diplomats can't be touched by the authorities, so they can essentially laugh in the faces of the scammer and the "helpful police negotiator" and tell them to bugger off -- get it on camera and broadcast it prime time in their home counties.

Perhaps the 'loss of face' would carry more weight then mere words.

And what a headline it would make "High counsel of <insert country here> Brutally beaten/killed by Jet Ski mob"

[ttthailand]

Sat on beach in Pattaya for two days watching people get scammed by the Jet Ski operators. Every group or single person who went out got scammed....I mean every <snipping> one of them....really !!! I could not believe it....

Edited July 13, 2012 by metisdead
: Profanity.

[Jingthing]

Sat on beach in Pattaya for two days watching people get scammed by the Jet Ski operators. Every group or single person who went out got scammed....I mean every <snipping> one of them....really !!! I could not believe it....

That sounds like if you DON'T get scammed you should be insulted. What, I don't look rich enough to scam?

[ginjag]

I'm so livid, I might phi phi in my pants.

well at least that's better than phoo yai'ing, or khap khoon khrap'ing all over the place.

.

... okay, enough! ... we need no mor chit from you two on this!

Wai not?

Have to be careful here when in Thai company when and how you refer to the term Him==HEE...also being careful speaking Thai --buffalo and cock sound a little similar