Jet Ski Scam Update - Still happening in Pattaya

[surangw]

even if we read about someone losing their life in this scam, I doubt it will go away

[CapeThai]

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)

I Could not agree more..

[CapeThai]

If you rent a ski you should actually inspect it with them and show them if there is and scuffs or marks on it before taking your joy ride.

This should piss them off and shut them up for a while ?

Or maybe put them in a state of Shock..... Hey Boss... the farangs is us one ahead, what to do now ??

Edited November 15, 2014 by CapeThai

[jacko45k]

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 ?

If you read the OP, it says damage was found and discussions were required.

[jacko45k]

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)

Saudi Arabia.

Is the fact that other countries have criminals relevant. Does the fact that it can happen elsewhere make it irrelevant that it happens in Thailand? In these other countries are the police involved too? This forum is about Thailand, and the OP is focused on Pattaya. What happens on the beach in Nigeria isn't what worries me as I live here.

[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.

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.

It was said sort of tongue in cheek. but it's true, Thailand has very strict slander rules, maybe slander is the wrong word, if you put in print anything negative about someone or something, or a company, even though it's 100% true, you can be sued, but obviously not with you being back in America.

[petercool]

Some posts removed for contravening one or more forum rules regarding profanity or slurs against Thais in general etc.

[KittenKong]

So easy to solve the jetski scam problem:

1) introduce full obligatory insurance with zero excess

or

2) ban jet skis completely

Personally (2) gets my vote as they are noisy, dangerous, pointless, polluting things.

As both solutions could be implemented in a matter of hours the fact that neither is can only indicate a lack of desire on the part of the authorities, which is shameful.

[Tolley]

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.

Your dreaming there. I was on the beach a couple of years back near Mike Shopping Mall with my tilac when these guys scammed a bunch of thai gals from Bangkok. It was disgusting. I got a direct translation of everything from my gal.

I doubt whether they have stopped doing it but I haven't been looking of late.

[Beardog]

As long as the police have any investments in the jet ski's the scam will never stop. Been this way for the 11 years I have been here. Rule # 1 never rent a jet ski in LOS

Rule # 2 refer back to rule # 1 & you will be unscathed. All over Thailand same problem. Even if you are tempted to ride one & photograph every sq. inch of the Jet Ski you will lose. All they have to say is you took the picture before you rode on it. You incurred the damage. I have seen the same over & over & was foolish to get involved in 2006 & was prompted by the authorities to leave the area or face the consequences. Either jail or somehow implicate the other farang I imagine. Best solid advice just say no. Go to Bali instead if you want to ride a jet ski in Asia & not get hosed! This country is not the most honest in their dealings & you know how it goes here .....The farang is always wrong- but I have seen them nail some students from Bangkok some years back. money is money & I am pretty sure they purchace the Jet ski's with damage so they can hit the ground running. Sad but so true!

[KittenKong]

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.

Taxis in the UK have meters and use them. They also all have both plate numbers and badges, and can be traced and can easily lose their licence if caught cheating.

And if a foreign tourist rents a boat for an hour in the UK I can pretty well guarantee that he will not be scammed out of thousands of GBP for non-existent damage. And if he was scammed in that way then the local police and the local trading standards would both be very interested to hear about it.

So yes, other countries probably do have some scammers but nothing on the scale of the jetski scamming that goes on here.

[morrobay]

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.

Taxis in the UK have meters and use them. They also all have both plate numbers and badges, and can be traced and can easily lose their licence if caught cheating.

And if a foreign tourist rents a boat for an hour in the UK I can pretty well guarantee that he will not be scammed out of thousands of GBP for non-existent damage. And if he was scammed in that way then the local police and the local trading standards would both be very interested to hear about it.

So yes, other countries probably do have some scammers but nothing on the scale of the jetski scamming that goes on here.

Ive given up on responding to the :" It happens everywhere" ad nauseam, crowd

[hawker9000]

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.

I think the stuff that goes on in Pattaya & Phuket is like having a really persistent virus on your PC. The only way you're ever going to get rid of it is to completely reformat the hard drive and reload everything from scratch...

[attrayant]

Anyone who has ever rented a car knows that before you leave the rental agency, you do a walk-around the vehicle to make sure there's no damage that you'll be charged for when you return the car. Why don't people do this with jet skis?

[StealthEnergiser]

Anyone who has ever rented a car knows that before you leave the rental agency, you do a walk-around the vehicle to make sure there's no damage that you'll be charged for when you return the car. Why don't people do this with jet skis?

Try doing that and taking photos you will be assaulted and most likely have your camera smashed . They get very aggressive if are trying to outsmart them.

[attrayant]

What do you need to take photos for? Just tip the damn thing over (it floats on the water so it shouldn't be that hard) and see if there's any damage. If there is, don't rent the damn thing. End the transaction before it even starts. No photos needed.

Edited November 16, 2014 by attrayant

[Awohalitsiktoli]

Given that a certain element (who will go nameless) is involved, it does not matter how many photographs you have of an undamaged jet ski. The only people the "nameless" listen to are the jet ski mafia types. I agree with the poster who said that you would likely be beaten up if you tried to take photographs. What amazes me now is that even the military does not seem to have the power to stop this scam. Why? Money and power rule.

[attrayant]

It seems like you didn't read my follow-up reply post #46. I never said anything about taking photographs. I said check (look at, visually inspect) the jet ski out before you rent it. If it's visibly damaged, walk away.

[Tolley]

It seems like you didn't read my follow-up reply post #46. I never said anything about taking photographs. I said check (look at, visually inspect) the jet ski out before you rent it. If it's visibly damaged, walk away.

What you don't seem to get is it doesn't matter what you do if they decide to scam you then you are stuffed.

[attrayant]

What you don't seem to get is that they can't scam you until after you've agreed to take the jet ski out (and presumably signed some kind of damage waiver).

What I'm saying is that this can't happen if the renter would at least spend 30 seconds to do a cursory check of the equipment before they sign on the dotted line.

[StealthEnergiser]

What you don't seem to get is that they can't scam you until after you've agreed to take the jet ski out (and presumably signed some kind of damage waiver).

What I'm saying is that this can't happen if the renter would at least spend 30 seconds to do a cursory check of the equipment before they sign on the dotted line.

every jet ski has lots of marks especially underneath but they condition is not perfect as far as checking them out how you say is so easy as they won't help you at all . And if you disagree how will you win if it your word against theirs ? don't forget the police won't take your side.

[attrayant]

I've never seen the underside of a used jet ski so I'm not prepared to comment on what normal wear and tear looks like. You usually hear the scam perpetrators claim that the jet ski appears to have collided with a rock or other substantial submarine obstruction. Based on these kinds of stories, the jet ski sounds like it's pretty well banged-up after the rider brings it back.

But if that's the case that the renters are being charged a hundred thousand baht (or whatever) to compensate for the minor abrasions of normal wear and tear, then I guess I'd say that a camera makes sense. And if they don't let you take pictures beforehand, then that's the point when I'd walk away.

In short, you won't get my name on a damage waiver unless I can thoroughly inspect what I'm signing responsiblity for. And if you don't let me take a picture of some minor scrapes and worn paint, then there will be no transaction. I guess when people are on vacation, they really let their guard down.

Edited November 16, 2014 by attrayant

[StealthEnergiser]

I've never seen the underside of a used jet ski so I'm not prepared to comment on what normal wear and tear looks like. You usually hear the scam perpetrators claim that the jet ski appears to have collided with a rock or other substantial submarine obstruction. Based on these kinds of stories, the jet ski sounds like it's pretty well banged-up after the rider brings it back.

But if that's the case that the renters are being charged a hundred thousand baht (or whatever) to compensate for the minor abrasions of normal wear and tear, then I guess I'd say that a camera makes sense. And if they don't let you take pictures beforehand, then that's the point when I'd walk away.

In short, you won't get my name on a damage waiver unless I can thoroughly inspect what I'm signing responsiblity for. And if you don't let me take a picture of some minor scrapes and worn paint, then there will be no transaction. I guess when people are on vacation, they really let their guard down.

it's not just minor scrapes it's also

1.rubber strips that are not stuck on correctly and come off as soon as you leave ,

2. Paint that comes off after a bit of time in the water.

3. plugs that are deliberately not fully screwed in and come out and fill the jet ski up with water .

4. scammers that arrange another jet ski to deliberately run into you.

5. dealing with a group of thugs that will threaten your life if you don't pay up.

6. foreign negotiators that they hire.

7. photo shopping pictures while you are out on the water.

the moment they ask you what hotel your are staying in "that determines how much you will scammed " and they have your passport you are in there control.

It is impossible to win with them and they will hold you on the beach out of the way of cameras for hours and hours until you pay.

[slygeeza]

just for the record, those thugs op soi 11 scam every single group that rents off them, and the policeman, whose relationship with the scammers we cant mention, is always there waiting before the jetskis even get to shore, not to mention the the violence and rudeness that they use to extort the money, anyone who thinks that this isnt a scam or that police arent involved has obviously never observed it. and I wonder why, considering that Pattaya has tourist police to help tourists, they never attend? I know why because I have talked to several about it, but I cant post that here either. actually one day a farang tourist police did attend, he was physically attacked and chased across the road and had to hide in the modern supermarket til he could make his escape. incidentally there was a lone guy in soldier uniform there today observing, but he left before and renters began to arrive

[Leviathan]

I don't like jet skies but would never rent one obviously, and id never ride a moterbyke again either, I value my life to much plus the scams both from the shop owner and the potential accidents were your bike is parked and some thai rides of the road n hits you and the bike and its your fault... ridding a bike isn't safe but walking n taxi's are in general.

if Thailand doesn't get rid of beach boy rift raft soon I feel that something so fickle might actualy get more press then need'd, I mean with the high season most likely about to tank , crime on the rise and beach boys with the bib's fleeceing tourist over a jet ski ride still happening I think its almost comical at this point.

get that loud toy out of the hands of criminals(thai beach boys n bib's) and drunk tourist(farangs on holiday) around other criminals on holiday (my type) with some other drunk touriust swimming in the vicinity just trying to enjoy the day without taking a mini boat like thing harboring two chartruse overweight melanin challenged white people in its craft to ones skull-

[elgenon]

Taxis in Bangkok still refuse to use meter. One driver saw me writing down a number from the taxi and then showed me the number I should have been writing down. He was obviously very afraid.

Was surprised when I returned to Pataya and saw beach chairs and jet skis. The family that controls Pattaya is very powerful. Ahem, I like them very much.

[hawker9000]

Taxis in Bangkok still refuse to use meter. One driver saw me writing down a number from the taxi and then showed me the number I should have been writing down. He was obviously very afraid.

Was surprised when I returned to Pataya and saw beach chairs and jet skis. The family that controls Pattaya is very powerful. Ahem, I like them very much.

In over 25 years have only ever had 2 problems with taxis in Bangkok. One said he's use the meter, but then didn't and wouldn't. I told him to stop immediately and let me out, which he did (we'd only gone a few yards). I made sure to notify the hotel that had flagged him down for me with his number. The 2nd was a breakdown; the driver called another taxi for me on his cell, which arrived and got me, leaving him by the side of the highway waiting for the tow or repair guy.

But getting back OT, anyone who thinks they're going to beat a jet-ski scammer at their own game ought to try it...

Edited November 17, 2014 by hawker9000

[JoeBlowFromUSA]

This story is impossible.

All jet ski damages are covered by Thaisri insurance plc. since February 2013 and the Marine Department has been inspecting them as recently as August 2014.

Deputy Mayor- "Jet Ski operators and owners, must buy a policy by February 28th, 2013."

http://www.pattayapeople.com/Community-News/Feb.-28-Due-Date-for-Jet-Ski’s-Insurance-

Marine Department Inspects Jet Skis August 23, 2014:

http://www.pattayamail.com/localnews/marine-department-units-inspect-jet-skis-along-pattaya-beach-40702

Chonburi Gov. Khomsan Ekachai said Thaisri Insurance plc has been signed to provide insurance cover for the 452 jet skis operating in Pattaya, Jomtien Beach and Koh Larn.:

http://www.pattayamail.com/localnews/marine-department-units-inspect-jet-skis-along-pattaya-beach-40702

I suggest a journalist interview the above mentioned people.

Is it criminal to charge the customer when the vehicle has insurance?

[arunsakda]

Anybody who rents a jet ski in Thailand is , how should I have said better, hopelessly gullible, masochistic, or just not very smart. The scam has been well advertised for years. The only way it will stop is people stop renting them. Nothing would make one more happy than 452 jet-skis sitting idle on the beach forever. Along with, the callous thugs who rent them.

Edited November 17, 2014 by arunsakda

[slygeeza]

Anybody who rents a jet ski in Thailand is , how should I have said better, hopelessly gullible, masochistic, or just not very smart. The scam has been well advertised for years. The only way it will stop is people stop renting them. Nothing would make one more happy than 452 jet-skis sitting idle on the beach forever. Along with, the callous thugs who rent them.

its been well advertised to English speakers and very few use them these days, its mostly Indians at the moment, they cant read forums like this