Can someone tell me where I can watch the jet ski scam going down?

[Luxfare]

I wonder what day TVF will be reporting on the OP getting beaten half to death?

[asdecas]

Cheap Backpackers - once you have drunk your fill of the jetski scam, picked up the pieces of your Sonycam and paid your hospital bill, hobble on up to the Big Khaopad for more fun near Mah Boon Krong. Best take your wife with you and wear something loud and touristy - a Hawaiian shirt and cargo shorts will do - but do look smart.

When a nice, middle-aged Thai man with excellent English, a friendly manner and a broad smile approaches you, be sure to go with him wherever he takes you. Don't forget your credit cards.

Oh, and buy a cheaper camera this time.

[TomYumpoochai]

I remember renting skis probably 10 years ago and giving them a good thrapping...sometimes rolling them over and reboarding them (i used to race them in the 90's) much to the arm waving of the thais on the shoreline....guess i musta been lucky back then!

[gemguy]

There may be a hotel just across the street and maybe it is a bit of a high rise type hotel and you could get yourself a room up there on say the 10th floor and use a long distance camera lens and film away without any fear of reprisal.

You could do that ...if you really are serious about filming the Jet Ski scammers at work.

Cheers

[dotpoom]

I'm beginning to think that the times when people enjoyed going to the Coliseum are still with us....

[gemguy]

Jet Ski gang attacks. 3 years ago.

I think some stun guns would be fun to use on those Jet Ski scam guys when they try to get tough with a person.....zappity zap zap...lol

[frank0424]

So basically you'd love to go and watch people getting ripped off??

[marquis22]

Rent a jet ski yourself and see what happens first hand .....

[frank0424]

Ill try and get some footage for you guys.

I hope they try and scam some big russians to see a possible fight.

You sound like a little kid trying to please some older guys that you want to be liked by.

[watcharacters]

Thanks, I'll give the area near Mikes shopping mall a try. Is any time of the day better than another time? Since they seem to have the jet skis fall apart during the ride maybe it is better to get there early as they only scam one person a day and then have to prep the jet skis again?

I hear so much about this scam and watched enough youtube videos about it to want to see it going down first hand.

I question how they sometimes can get large sums of money like 2000USD, there are limits on your ATM card, I just don't get how people can get that much cash.

"I question how they sometimes can get large sums of money like 2000USD, there are limits on your ATM card, I just don't get how people can get that much cash."

The amount dispensed from an ATM in Thailand or I suppose anywhere is determined by the limit placed by ones home country bank. The amount given with each individual withdrawal is limited by the bank in Thailand or another country to say for instance 20K or 30K THB. I'd guess many posters on this board have one or more cards that allow for a 2,000 USD daily withdrawal.

The victim of the scam would likely have to make several withdrawals to come up with 20K USD.

As another poster mentioned, you'd be wise to use discretion when observing the jet ski operators. You can sit on the steps facing the ocean opposite Mike's Shopping Mall and get your fill of a scam at work.

[Suradit69]

Go and join the rest of the Cheap Charlie thrill seekers opposite Mike Garden Plaza about 3 or 4 in the afternoon.

Or just read the threads at Thai Visa where 100 of latest 10 scams are "reported" by our intrepid user-reporters every week.

[Don Aleman]

Soi 12 to South to Walking Street.

[1sickpuppy]

Dont dream it do it then you can inform us

[ggt]

My god man...you come to Thailand and want to spend your day looking for a jet ski scam in progress...what is your problem?

Why don't you instead...go down to Walking Street bars and watch foreigners getting drugged and mugged...being charged for drinks they did not order...and being threatened with bodily harm if they protest...that is where the real action is...

You might also like hanging around the outside of high rise hotels and condos and see if you can catch a farang suicide...those are almost as common as the jet ski scam...

Edited December 23, 2014 by ggt

[surangw]

use your cell phone to upload the video live on a streaming site, no chance it will be deleted. ( and have some friends waiting to back you up as you run into an alley if you are chased)

a little planning would make this a real news worthy incident

[Cheap Backpacker]

That's it for me I saw the scam, got involved with it, got more than enough thrill, that was enough for me. I'm not going to be here much longer and won't be wasting time with it.

I'm on a multi month backpacking trip through south east asia and am not in Pattaya for the girls. I'm here just to experience the city and the nightlife. I also love hearing about scams and that is why I had to see this one in action.

That being said I still put in 2 weeks in this city. I didn't expect to stay this long here but it has a lot to offer other than girls.

Anyway watching the jet ski scam is always entertaining, and I recommend people just rent a chair in front of the nautical hotel just near mikes as that is where the scam goes down. Just make sure the fat thai guy is sitting up on the boardwalk on chairs. He is the boss right now.

Edited December 23, 2014 by Cheap Backpacker

[misterphil]

Go and rent a jetski yourself from outside Mikes shopping Mall or outside the Royal Garden Plaza. You'll see for yourself the scam as it unfolds on you.

Its not for the faint hearted to watch innocent tourists get beaten up, hit with baseball bats and slashed with machetes, so hope you've got the stomach for it.

Why the <deleted> would you want to see some innocent tourist get ripped off by a Mafia?

Your sick in the head, go back to your hostel.

[Squeegee]

As I said at the beginning of the topic, this is just Tourist Scam Tourism. This behaviour isn't much different to Road Accident Tourism: go find a black spot and hope to film a gory accident for your holiday memories.

Well done Cheap Backpacker, it's not just your backpack that's cheap.

[ozyjon]

I don't understand the responses thus far. Does anyone know the best spot to watch the jet ski scammers? Or is it not a daily event?

I once went on a beach holiday with my girl to Phuket, from the airport the taxi driver asks ''where you from, where you go'' i tell my darling for him to take us where there are not many foreigners, we end up near Karon, a few days later we get into a taxi, the taxi driver asks ''where you from, where you go'' i tell my darling for him to take us to a beach where there are not many foreigners, we end up somewhere don't know the name but in front of a big hotel, had many beach chairs so we pick ours and settle in, much relaxing, swimming frolicking, having a great time, slowly i notice groups of people coming to the beach and filling the place up, i hear then chatting, niet i hear, russians me thinks, playing around in the water with my darling i hear the majestic sound of jet skies, 2 of them, that looks like fun i think but fun was wrapping her arms around me, more frolicking then lay on the warm sand to dry off, i happened to gaze to my left to the sounds of a lady arguing and waving her arms around and a thai man pointing to the jet ski, me now thinks, oh,, jet ski scammers...

[jacko45k]

Well its been a few months since the last offical report of jetski scams opposite Mikes, so I think the police have some control of this area now.

Thanks mate, appreciate a good laugh early in the AM!

[petercool]

One slur post and one flame post removed

[DaffyDuck]

Maybe someone should offer a "Tour of Thai Scams", a la Hollywood Tour of Star's Homes - taking tourists to all the main hot spots, pointing out the scammers, and describing the scam for all to hear - you know, with a megaphone, and everything.

Then, your tourists are free to take pictures of the scammers, maybe even selfies along with them.

Careful choice of words would be needed to skirt defamation laws ("these fine folks on the beach would never engage in such scams, but they are on the same location on the beach than the known scammers would otherwise be found" )

Edited December 24, 2014 by DaffyDuck

[jabis]

In it's absurdity, this was a really entertaining topic - right from the disbelief to the realisation that someones' actually seriously doing it

[Oziex1]

The more you talk about all this the more appealing it sounds. Secret lookouts?

Cant wait to get there. Ive been in angeles where they openly try to lure you away, so im well aware of danger.

Perhaps you would also be interested in being a spectator to murders (Koh Tao is good for this I believe) rapes, people smuggling, police corruption or how about a spot of multiple fatality bus crashes, the brakes fail regularly in the mountainous areas of the north.

Please post your stories in Lonely Planet or Trip Advisor.

[Cheap Backpacker]

Some of thosr you tube videos have over a million views. Other people obvious like to watch it. I dont know of any other obvious scam where it is so public and known and can Easily be watched yet still goes on like it is normal business.

[CarlTyson]

I was watching the Pattaya beach sunset and an Australian couple walked up, started to chat.

They mentioned they saw the Thai jet ski scam on television back home a week earlier and came to the beach to have a look.

Bam, just as they said it, a scuffle broke out with the jet ski gang and some unfortunate tourists.

Look look! the lady said...it's happening right there! She had been on the beach less than 5 minutes.

The jet ski scam is ranked in the top 5 Pattaya attractions I think.

[Adeeos]

It happens many places in Pattaya,,, but he usual comments about it, concern the renters across from, "Mike's Mall",,, I witnessed it myself there back in Aug of this year,,, Below is a copy/paste of what happened to me,, You CAN stand up to them,, it's broad day light for Christ's sake,,, Videoing them, or the beach, or whatever,, while standing near them,, you're ASKING for trouble,,, but done from some distance,, there's really not a LOT they can do to you,,, of course there's always the possibility, they'll accost you,, circle you,, then get into a fight with you, threaten you,,, and it's your word against 4-5 Thai's as to who started it,,, The, "beach police" will also be called in at some point to, "negotiate" the fee down, and appear as if they're, "helping" you,, I don't know for sure,, but many have mentioned that these are not REAL police, but more beach, "security",,,, so don't think that if you're NOT doing anything wrong,, there's not much they can really do to you,, again, esp in broad daylight, with many other tourists/people around,,,, The BEST would be to use Google glasses,,, 1, they're most likely not going to even know what they are,, and 2,, what can they say?,, "we think you video, take off your glasses"????,, I stood up to them, as I mentioned, I was about 20ish feet away, just looking around,, so they actually had to make a point of walking over to me,, it's not like I was right in the middle of their scam in progress,,,, If they're NOT doing anything wrong in their minds,, WHY are they, and beach police so worried about someone video recording on a beach?,,, I also noticed, there were several Asian girls there.. tourists,, within a few feet of them,, also videoing/taking pics,, but appeared to not even know what was going on,, and were simply videoing/taking pics of the beach, etc,,, So the thugs didn't bother them a bit,, I mentioned to the, "Beach Police" that accosted me,, "What? I can't take pics at the beach?",, and pointed to the girls, and said, "They take pics too",,,

I actually witnessed them in action last weekend,,, Walking along beach road, right where it pretty much starts off walking street,, I saw a young Russian guy ride one in, and beach it where the operator indicated,, IMMEADIATLLY the operator starts yelling, pointing at, "damage",, within seconds is pulling out his phone, to show pics, (of course when brand new),,, I was about 30 ft away, standing on a balcony, acted like I was taking video, only holding my phone on the railing,,, got acousted by the

scammers buddies for taping it,,, They demanded to see my phone, I refused,, they continued several times,, threatened with, "give me your phone or you have big problem",,,, So you're attempting to rob me of my phone in BROAD DAYLIGHT, with people EVERYWHERE!?,,, F off,,, THEN the "beach police" arrive,,, I then did the same,,, I was then accousted by their buddies the, "beach police" for the SAME reason,,, demanded to see what I videoed, "REALLY?,,, I'm not allowed to video tape on the beach?",,

,AGAIN,, "delete,, or you have big problem",,, "REALLY?,,,, let's call the REAL police,, you know,, the ones with GUNS AND BADGES,,, I'll show THEM my video,, You want

that?",,,, of course not,,,, "Oh you have big problem with police here now",, So you're threatening me?,,, he finally just walked off,,,

[whitemouse]

Last few weeks I been observed very unusual event outside Mike's, little further towards Royal Garden.

Last week a Russian couple, rather big guy and a girl rented a sky, payd up front, returned it after 15 min. I was sitting in beach chair, very close to them.. Guess what happened next! The couple thanked the jey sky guys, and walked away! Unreal!

And few days ago 3 Indian looking guys just walked away, after returning the jet skyes, alltho the Thai guys performed the 'taking photos before dance' I was certain what will happen after Indian men return the skies, but nothing! The 3 guys walked, no hassle.

Also, you notice the flyer guys are not waiving the flyers to every passing tourist, they never seem to want Russians.

Last winter the scene was very different, they are being much more careful now.

[ToddinChonburi]

Why is this still open ?

[StealthEnergiser]

TAT will be promoting the scam soon and thank everybody for the input .