T_Dog Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Ran into a tour operator in Chiang Mai that was advertising great VIP bus rates from Chiang Mai to Ko Chang. When we went to book, the operator said my wife and step son were not eligible as the bus was only for foreigners. We tried to get an explanation but ended up leaving with no tickets and no idea what is going on. Has anyone run into this that can explain the rules, regulations, or agreements that are at play here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chao Lao Beach Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 As a ast resort, did you offer paying Thai Price ? (somewhere between 50% -900% less? ) That would have confused em. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samran Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 No, it can't be. It is only the poor hard working farang who gets regularly done over in Thailand. Thai's being refused service by those in the hospitailty and services industry in their own country - say it ain't so! Acutually, it happens a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacificperson Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 (edited) The tour company may want to have more control over their passengers than they would have if your wife and son were along to translate. Edited February 7, 2014 by Pacificperson 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevenl Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 They want to steal from the tourists, with Thais on board that is much more complicated. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T_Dog Posted February 7, 2014 Author Share Posted February 7, 2014 The tour company may want to have more control over their passengers than they would have if your wife and son were along to translate. For what purpose though? I even offered to pay more for my wife and stepson as the price for me was so low. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Bender Posted February 7, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted February 7, 2014 this tour operator is really fishy, stay away of it! I strongely smell a scam... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ajaan Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 The tour company may want to have more control over their passengers than they would have if your wife and son were along to translate. For what purpose though? I even offered to pay more for my wife and stepson as the price for me was so low. Control and most likely stealing, possibly drugging the passengers via the free cokes offered...as another poster said, this is made much more problematic with Thais on board. Farangs are much easier to manipulate and control. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktm jeff Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 T-Dog , you had a lucky escape. Farangs often carry plenty of money / phones / laptops with them. Once drugged and/or asleep you and / or your luggage are then robed. With Thais on board its more difficult as they are mainly aware of this and can call / talk to police. Happens on cheap rides from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post sustento Posted February 7, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted February 7, 2014 Remarkable thread. Man cannot book bus ticket because the bus company intend to drug the whole bus and steal all their belongings. Only on Thaivisa... 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post poohy Posted February 7, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted February 7, 2014 Used to work in tourism business This is common practice ,probably nothing to do with drugging, but manipulating yes your Mrs. would not be happy to pay farang prices at designated service station(s) and would maybe voice her opinion bearing in mind these several food stops re factored into cheap price so 2 pax would not be contributing so best keep Thais especially those English of foreign language speaking ones away from farang punters on our tourist busses. its been going on for years . 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricardo Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Perhaps delivering passengers only to certain more-expensive guesthouses or hotels, who give a kickback, to the bus-company ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T_Dog Posted February 7, 2014 Author Share Posted February 7, 2014 T-Dog , you had a lucky escape. Farangs often carry plenty of money / phones / laptops with them. Once drugged and/or asleep you and / or your luggage are then robed. With Thais on board its more difficult as they are mainly aware of this and can call / talk to police. Happens on cheap rides from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. Years ago those stories appeared fairly often, but have not heard of any recent hijinks like that. A "break-down" in the middle of nowhere and suitcases go missing. My wife tried to get the straight story from the tour operator but not much was forthcoming. She got a real bad feeling about the whole deal, rightly so. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iamemjay Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 (edited) Yeah. Happened to me to attempting to take VIP from Krabi to BKK - would not take wife (even with me) - only for foreigners. OK for the foreigner to travel on the Thai bus though. There was no way they would shift from this position, no matter what I offered.... and yes I agree - Avoid VIP for all sorts of reasons! Edited February 7, 2014 by Iamemjay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkksteviejai Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 T-Dog , you had a lucky escape. Farangs often carry plenty of money / phones / laptops with them. Once drugged and/or asleep you and / or your luggage are then robed. With Thais on board its more difficult as they are mainly aware of this and can call / talk to police. Happens on cheap rides from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. Really?....I never heard about that before. Not saying it's BS but never heard that one, you got any links to news articles and so forth?. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briggsy Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 The bus company makes money by stopping the bus 20 km short of destination and arranging accommodation and tours there. No point with Thais, they would ask too many difficult questions. Theft from bags is very, very possible. Also stopping along the way at designated shops and restaurants for commission. These buses are totally unregulated, unlicensed and illegal. Safety standards are much lower than on buses operating under govt. concessions. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T_Dog Posted February 8, 2014 Author Share Posted February 8, 2014 T-Dog , you had a lucky escape. Farangs often carry plenty of money / phones / laptops with them. Once drugged and/or asleep you and / or your luggage are then robed. With Thais on board its more difficult as they are mainly aware of this and can call / talk to police. Happens on cheap rides from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. Really?....I never heard about that before. Not saying it's BS but never heard that one, you got any links to news articles and so forth?. I do remember some Thai Visa threads from many years ago. Doubt any of the events ever made it into the news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theslime Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 At the Old Southern Bus Terminal, I.ve seen young Thai,s shut in with a Hammock, in the Baggage Section,s plenty of times. Too easy to go through bags, if you were that way inclined. Thats why I always carry P/Port and wallet on me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuckyLew Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 T-Dog , you had a lucky escape. Farangs often carry plenty of money / phones / laptops with them. Once drugged and/or asleep you and / or your luggage are then robed. With Thais on board its more difficult as they are mainly aware of this and can call / talk to police. Happens on cheap rides from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. Really?....I never heard about that before. Not saying it's BS but never heard that one, you got any links to news articles and so forth?. http://www.pattayadailynews.com/en/2013/03/23/more-bus-drivers-caught-stealing-from-passengers/ if link is not allowed, just google "Thai bus operator steals from sleeping passengers" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravip Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Remarkable thread. Man cannot book bus ticket because the bus company intend to drug the whole bus and steal all their belongings. Only on Thaivisa... Of course, these things happen ONLY to very special people on this earth. Is there a word to describe this phobia in the dictionary? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevenl Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 (edited) Remarkable thread. Man cannot book bus ticket because the bus company intend to drug the whole bus and steal all their belongings. Only on Thaivisa... Not the drugging or all belongings, but valuables, yes. This has been going on for years and years. Plus dropping off people in the middle of nowhere, keeping people hostage to force them to bo0ok accommodation, etc. Edited February 8, 2014 by stevenl 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Briggsy Posted February 8, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted February 8, 2014 Remarkable thread. Man cannot book bus ticket because the bus company intend to drug the whole bus and steal all their belongings. Only on Thaivisa... Not the drugging or all belongings, but valuables, yes. This has been going on for years and years. Plus dropping off people in the middle of nowhere, keeping people hostage to force them to bo0ok accommodation, etc. What steven says is right. If you don't book the accommodation you are brusquely dismissed to a songthaew and you will be charged another 60 baht per head to be 'taken in to town'. The reality is you were not taken anywhere near the bus station in the first place. You are on some patch of ground somewhere on a highway 10 to 20 km short of your destination. The first thing a Thai would do would be to know something fishy was going on, complain, state this is not the bus station, demand to be carried to the destination, ask where they were, phone a friend, complain about the price of the songthaew, etc. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuang Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 So double pricing again in thailand...but this time it's the locals who pay more not the foreigners....amazing... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattayaPhom Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Years ago I booked tickets on a minibus for a friend from BKK who was in Samui for Songran. 4 tickets for her and her friends to return to BK.k When went to get the bus, as they were Thai, operator asked them to pay more...it does happen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T_Dog Posted February 8, 2014 Author Share Posted February 8, 2014 So double pricing again in thailand...but this time it's the locals who pay more not the foreigners....amazing... Until you find your laptop went missing or pay a few thousand baht more for a room. Still surprises me that this scam is still running. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricardo Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 I didn't realise that there was a direct VIP-bus from Chiang Mai to Koh Chang, I know about NCA to Rayong via Pattaya several-times-per-night, but just how many tourists would there be going direct to Koh Chang ? It does sound odd, doesn't it ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briggsy Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I didn't realise that there was a direct VIP-bus from Chiang Mai to Koh Chang, I know about NCA to Rayong via Pattaya several-times-per-night, but just how many tourists would there be going direct to Koh Chang ? It does sound odd, doesn't it ? VIP is a govt. minimum standard of inter-city travel. They cover bus standards of prap ahkaht 1 and higher. They have to conform to standards regarding the number of stops, the route, refreshments, insurance and safety and many more. These tourist only buses which do not allow Thais on are self-appointed VIP. They are completely unlicensed and unregulated and are often involved in criminal behaviour including theft from bags. There are many tourists going direct from one tourist ghetto to another e.g. Pattaya, Koh Chang, Phuket, Koh Samui and Koh Pha-ngan, Chiang Mai, etc. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thongkorn Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 (edited) I have been on many Over night buses, no once have i been asked to pay extra while with my Thai wife. But that as from the bus depots. Sounds like the travel Agent is putting the price up foreigners, and they know the Thai pay the real price. So by taking a Thai person they lose out on the fair. Edited February 18, 2014 by Thongkorn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevenl Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 I have been on many Over night buses, no once have i been asked to pay extra while with my Thai wife. But that as from the bus depots. Sounds like the travel Agent is putting the price up foreigners, and they know the Thai pay the real price. So by taking a Thai person they lose out on the fair. You're talking about the government regulated buses, the OP is talking about the tourist buses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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