Jet Ski Scam Update - Still happening in Pattaya

[kolah]

Despite any news stories to the contrary, I can verify the Jet Ski scam is still going strong, at least in Pattaya.

On Nov 12, 2014, at about 3:30 pm, my buddy and I decided to rent 2 chairs and have a beer on South Pattaya Beach. We’d been to Jomtien Beach the day before but figured, since we don’t go in the water anyway, does it really matter that the ocean may have E.coli in it?

At any rate, very nearby, 3 young adventurous Indian men rented 3 jet skis for a half an hour. My buddy and I observed the Indian guys buzzing around Pattaya Bay harmlessly and without incident. When they drove back, a half an hour later, the Thai men who rent the skis stopped them in the water about 6 meters from the shore line and brought the Jet Skis in themselves either by driving them so fast that their momentum carried them onto the sand or by dragging them on shore. The Thai renters also buzzed in a circle around a hapless Russian lady, who was swimming near shore, creating waves large enough to flood over her head. (yuck;remember those E.coli?). She was not a happy camper and gave them the universal dissatisfaction sign of the arm flexed to a 90 degree angle and thrust upward.

Anyway, to get back to the point, once the jet skis were on land, the Thai Jet Ski inspector carefully assessed the Jet Skis for any possible damage. The first two passed muster but, lo and behold, the third Jet Ski was found to have damage to its side. Amazingly, out of nowhere a Canon Elph camera was produced to photograph the damage and to show to the hapless Indian boy who was the unlucky driver of this ill-fated Jet Ski. Again, out of nowhere, a calculator was produced to make an initial estimate of the damage. Next, the Indians were asked to sit down in a circle of chairs with the 3 Thai renters to discuss how they were going to pay for the damage. For some reason, these Indian fellows were less incensed than what one would expect from a Western Farang if confronted by the same scheme. So, the usual scenario where a complicit BIB shows up to negotiate, did not happen. At this time, we went back to our hotel where I decided to let anyone interested know that this problem still has not gone away.

Buyer (renter) beware.

[jaywalker]

I was a NEW newbie (first trip) in 1999.

Had a bar girl I had brought from Tilac Bar on Soi Cowboy with me.....Woof! Can you say NEWBIE?

Kept her for a week at that! (Stupid!)

Rented a jetski for 700 baht. Luckily for me the scam had not yet formed in their minds at that point of their evolution.

<image removed>

[petercool]

TWO posts using profanity removed. Note this forum rule please ...

8) You will not post disruptive or inflammatory messages, vulgarities, obscenities or profanities.

[schweizer]

In an effort to give some balance in a world without any, I used to rent a Jetski from a guy named Wat (temple I know) he was positioned about 100 metres south of Central Mall. Never had a problem with him and never saw any one else have any.

[petercool]

So ..... you saw no actual outcome and have no idea whether damage was real or not or what was paid - if anything.

So what is still happening exactly ?

[4evermaat]

In an effort to give some balance in a world without any, I used to rent a Jetski from a guy named Wat (temple I know) he was positioned about 100 metres south of Central Mall. Never had a problem with him and never saw any one else have any.

Was this recently?

[schweizer]

In an effort to give some balance in a world without any, I used to rent a Jetski from a guy named Wat (temple I know) he was positioned about 100 metres south of Central Mall. Never had a problem with him and never saw any one else have any.

Was this recently?

Last time I saw him was about 18 months ago, so fairly recent and certainly while other less scrupulous operators have been conning people, he was an older guy, over 50, and worked alone maybe that makes a difference to the younger scam artists

[ezzra]

I was a NEW newbie (first trip) in 1999.

Had a bar girl I had brought from Tilac Bar on Soi Cowboy with me.....Woof! Can you say NEWBIE?

Kept her for a week at that! (Stupid!)

Rented a jetski for 700 baht. Luckily for me the scam had not yet formed in their minds at that point of their evolution.

<image removed>

1999, wow.. that was a good year, Tilac bar, Andy the boss there, cheap drinks and even cheaper

pay for play, ahhh, those were the days, they will never come back again...

[Lostpack3t]

Yes I've seen it recently with Indian customers too. My advice, just bring along a thai girl with you. No Thai man would dare cross a mad thai girl. Instant insurance with benefits.

[StealthEnergiser]

They can never be trusted and the prime minister has let many people down by allowing these jet ski mafia too get away with it.

If you watch what some jet ski people do, they take the sd card out of the camera and send it away to photo shop the images .

The rented jet ski would have always had marks on it but the scammers photo shop the marks out and show you a nice clean picture with the scammed tourist sitting on it .

Witnessed this many times so i know it goes on.

[circusman]

I was a NEW newbie (first trip) in 1999.

Had a bar girl I had brought from Tilac Bar on Soi Cowboy with me.....Woof! Can you say NEWBIE?

Kept her for a week at that! (Stupid!)

Rented a jetski for 700 baht. Luckily for me the scam had not yet formed in their minds at that point of their evolution.

<image removed>

What was the point of this post?

[Borzandy]

Why would you want that to change, the live is so nice in LOS.

[schweizer]

Why would you want that to change, the live is so nice in LOS.

It sure is, I mean was, or is, or was, settled on was,

still better than being cold and lonely at home though

[rwhoov]

So what else is new? Taxis in Pattaya still won't use meters, BIB can't control parking so driving in town is almost gridlock due to cars, taxis everywhere, and the new Thappraya, Jomtien 2nd Road still get major pot holes every time it rains (is it really 2 whole years old all ready!). Doesn't seem the general's reforms have hit here.

[Billy The Kid]

I saw the similar incident from my own eyes , outside the mike shopping mall beach rd Pattaya , I have heard few stories before that incident , so I wanted to go have a look while on holidays , was amazed to see the happening even though it was my first look . Three Indian was pressured to pay the damage of the jet ski , I witness everything from start to finsh , they never did the damage to the jet ski . They even checked those before using them , I believe the scammers paint them , faded off while in the waters . I told the Indian not to pay , but got warned off by the four scammers , I wisely made my way out of trouble . Was silly trying to help . That was in 2010. Not surprised they are still doing the scam. That is why I will never never never rent the jet ski.

[NoshowJones]

I was a NEW newbie (first trip) in 1999.

Had a bar girl I had brought from Tilac Bar on Soi Cowboy with me.....Woof! Can you say NEWBIE?

Kept her for a week at that! (Stupid!)

Rented a jetski for 700 baht. Luckily for me the scam had not yet formed in their minds at that point of their evolution.

<image removed>

To the OP, be careful TiT, you can get sued for slander.

[slipperylobster]

Well then...ok.

Seems we still need to be careful.....everywhere. Even on the Jet skis.

Nothing fixed yet....

[TaaSaparot]

Rented a jetski for 700 baht. Luckily for me the scam had not yet formed in their minds at that point of their evolution.

I can assure you, the Jetski scam goes back at least a further decade from 1999.

Although back then, the motorcycle rental scam was more popular.

[slygeeza]

nothing has changed at Mikes, and those guys are quite dangerous as well, i wont say what they did a few days ago as it wasnt reported in the media and will be deleted from here, but those guys are a menace to society

[Alwyn]

You got a table and chairs and a beer on the beach?? It's a disgrace, don't you know that it's illegal? Well, in Phuket it apparently is anyway. This is what sickens me about this so-called cleaning up of beaches and scams in Thailand, it's so selective! Good on you for being able to enjoy yourself and do what a lot of people are now forbidden from doing, sitting and enjoying a nice brew on the beach.. As for the jetski bozos, nothing new there then.

[alocacoc]

Well, not only in Pattaya. Phuket as well. Just this week:

Phuket Jet-Ski Scammers Still at Work

By Alan Morison

Monday, November 10, 2014

PHUKET: Extortionists in Patong demanded $US80,000 (2.6 million baht) to replace a jet-ski after a crash at the popular beach at the weekend, said a Russian tourist who lives and works in London..........

http://phuketwan.com/tourism/phuket-scammers-wanted-million-baht-replace-crashed-patong-jet-ski-21348/

[DennisF]

I was a NEW newbie (first trip) in 1999.

Had a bar girl I had brought from Tilac Bar on Soi Cowboy with me.....Woof! Can you say NEWBIE?

Kept her for a week at that! (Stupid!)

Rented a jetski for 700 baht. Luckily for me the scam had not yet formed in their minds at that point of their evolution.

<image removed>

Do I know you?? Was her name Lee??

[jaywalker]

I was a NEW newbie (first trip) in 1999.

Had a bar girl I had brought from Tilac Bar on Soi Cowboy with me.....Woof! Can you say NEWBIE?

Kept her for a week at that! (Stupid!)

Rented a jetski for 700 baht. Luckily for me the scam had not yet formed in their minds at that point of their evolution.

<image removed>

What was the point of this post?

That 15 years ago I was new & naive, the internet/information age was still a twinkle in Al Gore's eye, I had a blast on my first trip to Pattaya, rented a jet ski and did not get scammed.

I can only guess they had not dreamed up this scam back then or I just got lucky.

It's called nostalgia. That was the point of my post.

[SOTIRIOS]

...oh well....could it be that the wonderful coup has fizzled.....

[jaywalker]

I was a NEW newbie (first trip) in 1999.

Had a bar girl I had brought from Tilac Bar on Soi Cowboy with me.....Woof! Can you say NEWBIE?

Kept her for a week at that! (Stupid!)

Rented a jetski for 700 baht. Luckily for me the scam had not yet formed in their minds at that point of their evolution.

<image removed>

Do I know you?? Was her name Lee??

Don't think so Brother. Her name was Ging.

I came back in 2001 (to live) & bumped into her again at G-Spot in Nana Plaza.

She immediately hit me up for 500 baht on sight (Thai girls have amazing memories). She was quite the money-grubber. I told her to take a hike.

[Thongkorn]

I sat on the wall opposite the police station and watched an Indian man get scammed, In Pattaya a couple of years ago He went to the police, after the usual intimidating attitude from the jet ski mafia.. A police officer came out, after a short heated discussion was told to pay what the Thai mafia, sorry Jet ski operators wanted, . after The Indian man payed and left, about one hour later the policeman came out and was handed some thing from the Mafia, sorry ski operator. I saw that with my own eyes, So how is it going to stop when the Police are involved.

[kingstonkid]

TELL ME A COUNTRY THAT DOES NOT HAVE PEOPLE TRYING TO RIP OFF TOURISTS.

Taxis try to rip you of in every country i have been to if you do not speak the language and look lost.

there are bar girls ( some countries they have different names) that try to ripoff male tourists

Rental car agencies used to try the same scams as the jet ski people that is why the brought in the walk around and the sheet.

Get over it. Tell people that it is not safe and to be ware.

The big issue is that no matter how many people you tell there are always going to be people that say who me.

I still do not understand why people suppose that life should be perfect and ideal and unlike the rest of the world.

This is not NIRVANA FOLKS. sHANGRILA DOES NOT EXIST (except in cheap or expensive hotels)

[ggt]

The more the rhetoric about change...the more things stay the same...This is Thailand...

[jaywalker]

I was a NEW newbie (first trip) in 1999.

Had a bar girl I had brought from Tilac Bar on Soi Cowboy with me.....Woof! Can you say NEWBIE?

Kept her for a week at that! (Stupid!)

Rented a jetski for 700 baht. Luckily for me the scam had not yet formed in their minds at that point of their evolution.

<image removed>

To the OP, be careful TiT, you can get sued for slander.

Anybody from/in Thailand that wants to sue me is welcome to do so in the fine state of Georgia, USA.

Anyhow, I'm pretty sure slander is about spreading lies, not opinions nor facts.

[In Search of Space]

I was a NEW newbie (first trip) in 1999.

Had a bar girl I had brought from Tilac Bar on Soi Cowboy with me.....Woof! Can you say NEWBIE?

Kept her for a week at that! (Stupid!)

Rented a jetski for 700 baht. Luckily for me the scam had not yet formed in their minds at that point of their evolution.

<image removed>

What was the point of this post?

That 15 years ago I was new & naive, the internet/information age was still a twinkle in Al Gore's eye, I had a blast on my first trip to Pattaya, rented a jet ski and did not get scammed.

I can only guess they had not dreamed up this scam back then or I just got lucky.

It's called nostalgia. That was the point of my post.

It was around long before that, they did the same thing with the predecessor to the Jet-Ski, don't know what they're called but had a small outboard motor on the back.

I would guess thatthe only way to control them is to have them licenced and forced to take out insurance and have it advertised as such. That way, a tourist would know that they don't have to pay more than the rental charge - if they then treated the jet-ski's badly then the operator might be entitled to something, but too many people are making too much money out of this scam.