Maybe some BKK old-timers remember that well-dressed, older Thai gentleman scrounger often seen around the tourist areas back then who'd offer you a friendly handshake, ask you if you spoke English, what country you're from, and at which hotel you stay.

My, my, what a nice hotel, he'd say !! Must be expensive !! Well, I teach English at the Police Academy near Don Muang Airport and I've come to town to buy books. Unfortunately I've locked myself out of my car - keys and wallet left inside. Could you please give me enough to pay for a taxi to take me home where I can retrieve a spare set of keys ?

His clever ploy was making you compare in your mind your expensive hotel bill to his modest taxi fare demand ...

He was hard at work, daily ?, pulling that little scam and, at the time, we used to refer to him as the "English Teacher"

And, yes, he spoke quite good English ...

I think I met that Thai "English Teacher" around 6 years ago , outside my hotel in Bangkok .

He walked with me for a while , very well dressed and asked me a lot of questions . But I was in a hurry so I could not "help" him .

Maybe some BKK old-timers remember that well-dressed, older Thai gentleman scrounger often seen around the tourist areas back then who'd offer you a friendly handshake, ask you if you spoke English, what country you're from, and at which hotel you stay.

My, my, what a nice hotel, he'd say !! Must be expensive !! Well, I teach English at the Police Academy near Don Muang Airport and I've come to town to buy books. Unfortunately I've locked myself out of my car - keys and wallet left inside. Could you please give me enough to pay for a taxi to take me home where I can retrieve a spare set of keys ?

His clever ploy was making you compare in your mind your expensive hotel bill to his modest taxi fare demand ...

He was hard at work, daily ?, pulling that little scam and, at the time, we used to refer to him as the "English Teacher"

And, yes, he spoke quite good English ...

Similar line I got from a chap in Ghangzhou, China; Panama City, Panama and San Francisco. There are these dishonest creatures world-wide. I've heard some sob stories in Pattaya, some genuine and some not. It makes for an interesting day and I've helped a few whose stories I found true after some investigating.

As far as never talking to strangers, I stopped that when I became an adult. I exercise caution and take in my experience with them as just another day with the living. Enjoy life as it comes and be safe.

Edited July 28, 201312 yr by Benmart

Next we'll start to pay a deposit upon ordering in a restaurant.

Now I understand the deposits which has to paid for reserving/ordering all kind of items from houses, cars to coffee-makers.

Well this type of scam would never work at the Lek or Apex.