Scam artists destroying image of Thai tourism

[webfact]

Scam artists destroying image of Thai tourism

BANGKOK, Thailand - Reports of foreign tourists being ripped off by locals are destroying the image of the Thai tourism industry, and environmental activists continue pushing the authorities to drop its plan to build a coal-fired power plant in the South is also keeping tourists away.

Since Friday, the tourism industry has been affected by at least three major scam reports, while calls on authorities to drop the coal-manufacturing plant is keeping tourists away from the South.

Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said yesterday that she acknowledged all the problems and promised to deal with the issues.

So far, only one problem has been solved.

Japanese tourists recently posted a complaint on social media saying that cabbies based in Survarnabhumi Airport demanded ridiculous amounts for taking them to the center of Bangkok.

This complaint spread quickly through social media, with tourists lamenting the bad behavior of local cabbies.

"The ministry will work with the Transport Ministry, the airport authorities and the taxi group to ease this problem," the minister said.

This problem has been solved since then, with authorities setting up automatic queue-card taxi kiosks.

Meanwhile, over the weekend, a troupe of Malaysian tourists in Chiang Mai posted a complaint on social media saying they were given a bill of Bt150,000 for a four-hour karaoke session.

"The Consumer Protection Board stepped in to help deal with the problem and brought the bill down to about Bt40,000. The ministry has been trying to protect tourists from scam artists," Kobkarn said.

On Friday, Thailand's image as a tourism destination was hit further when Business Air was forced to cancel its flight to Bangkok from Incheon, South Korea by the Department of Civil Aviation. This left hundreds of passengers stranded at Incheon airport.

Full story: http://www.eturbonews.com/54684/scam-artists-destroying-image-thai-tourism

-- eTN 2015-01-20

[thequietman]

Damn foreigners. If they didn't complain then we wouldn't have these problems. Don't they understand Thainess? It's our country and you must accept that this is the way it is here. Curse you foreigners.

[FireMedic]

[Fiddlesticks]

Did anyone notice how this article conveniently omits any mention of the police shakedowns along Sukhumvit where other scam artists (yes I do mean the RTP) have been causing Thailand's tourism to take a hit. Wonder why this was not highlighted in the article? Is it because Thailand has no solution for cops gone crazy?

[Anthony5]

Since Friday, the tourism industry has been affected by at least three major scam reports,

Since Friday? Did someone live under a rock for the past 20 years?

[ToddinChonburi]

So did I read that right, the cab fare problem has been fixed ? Maybe they need to check the dates on the complaint forms.

[daveAustin]

The ministry has been trying to protect tourists from scam artists

Good luck with that. The above is not even the tip of the iceberg.

[CelticBhoy]

At least a dozen regular scam artists near my workplace

in Bangkok every day of the week. Same faces for years.

All right under the nose of the local police station and

nothing has ever been done about it . . . and likely never

will.

[ratcatcher]

For those members who feel they have suggestions for the minister, here are contact details from the website.

I am sure they will appreciate farang suggestions, as they always do.

Office of the Minister

โทรศัพท์สายตรง : 0-2356-0703

โทรศัพท์ภายใน : 1550

E - Mail : [email protected]

[tingtongfarang]

Did anyone notice how this article conveniently omits any mention of the police shakedowns along Sukhumvit where other scam artists (yes I do mean the RTP) have been causing Thailand's tourism to take a hit. Wonder why this was not highlighted in the article? Is it because Thailand has no solution for cops gone crazy?

Yesterday i had a conversation at the myanmar emassy with a young canadian couple on their honeymoon, they asked me about the police scams and explained they had planed to stay at a hotel in thonglor ,

After reading all the reports of rtp scams they had decided it was a no go area, they were eager for info about other areas of bkk for such dangers, by their character i doubt they do drugs or even drink but had a healthy fear that any kind of contact with the rtp could ruin their holiday.

[WhizBang]

So did I read that right, the cab fare problem has been fixed ? Maybe they need to check the dates on the complaint forms.

Not fixed, 'eased'. Whatever that means.

[Lobo4819]

....and the problems in the South are simply an environmental issue????

[WhizBang]

Thainess, and Thai greed, is what is killing tourism. The scams are but one aspect of the problems that have been allowed to fester and grow for years and years.

Until the RTP and the entire judicial system are fixed (reformed), nothing will change. That is also why this coup and the junta's reforms will amount to nothing. They are putting emphasis on the wrong things, all the while ignoring the real problems. They will never fix the root causes because of too many vested interests.

[HeijoshinCool]

Today's special: karaoke lessons only $1200 per hour. Learn how to wail like a dog hit by a tuk-tuk. Sing like a cat caught under Grandma's rocking chair!

But wait - there's more!

Sign up now, and bring the Consumer Protection Board with you, and we'll lower the price to $350 an hour!

That's right! Only 350 bucks for an hour of howling Chiang Mai fun.

And we promise not to gang up on you and kick you to death!

Sign up NOW!

[jaltsc]

"Reports of foreign tourists being ripped off by locals are destroying the image of the Thai tourism industry..."

What?!!! How did this happen after so many years of the LOS and honest tourist services? A few tourists get murdered and thousands get ripped off by unscrupulous Jet Ski operators and taxi drivers. Those savage westerners have not progressed to Mai Pen Rai and actually won't settle for being ripped off. Picky, Picky, Picky.

Edited January 20, 2015 by jaltsc

[harada]

At least a dozen regular scam artists near my workplace

in Bangkok every day of the week. Same faces for years.

All right under the nose of the local police station and

nothing has ever been done about it . . . and likely never

will.

Thainess ???

[Tatsujin]

Aaawww ... poor babies don't like the truth getting out about the real "Thainess" ... with the explosion in recent years of social media and people publicly (in reviews, blogs, forums, facebook etc) being able to vent their frustrations, the Thai's are somewhat lacking when it comes to accepting and actually dealing with the criticism and complaints and the fact that they are far from perfect and perhaps they actually need to fix things properly instead of just saying they will do something.

One day they'll realize that "foreigners" aren't stupid (on the whole) and "we" don't (generally) just take it up the < profanity removed > and say nothing about it. And the effects of this are being seen here more and more, day by day. Yes, people will "always" come here, but those numbers are dropping off a lot, and those that do come here and encounter these many scams, problems and issues WILL say something about it, won't come back, and neither will their friends, families or anyone else who reads about the numerous negative things about Thailand.

The day they realize this however is a long, long way away.

[SoFarAndNear]

The ministry has been trying to protect tourists from scam artists

Good luck with that. The above is not even the tip of the iceberg.

It is not even the tip...it is the tip of the tip of the iceberg.... I am in Thailand for about 5 years and many friends from europe came over here for holiday. Many came again and again and most of them startet to realise after the second or third time that many things are not as nice as it used to be if you are blinded by the beauty of this country as it was when you are a first timer.

Edited January 20, 2015 by SoFarAndNear

[salavan]

the best way to stop this is to if possoble ban the social media

[paddyjenkins]

Did anyone notice how this article conveniently omits any mention of the police shakedowns along Sukhumvit where other scam artists (yes I do mean the RTP) have been causing Thailand's tourism to take a hit. Wonder why this was not highlighted in the article? Is it because Thailand has no solution for cops gone crazy?

It omitted the violence, the murders, the hostility, the police shakedowns, the stupid visa system. the open racism....but at least it mentioned the scams...don't know what the coal thing was about....are they claiming that lower tourist numbers in the south is do to with coal, and not the low level war between Thailand and Islamic separatists?

[worgeordie]

I always thought Thainess was scamming tourists,

crackdowns have been going on for years but it

all just stays the same.

regards Worgeordie

[NE1]

"The Consumer Protection Board stepped in to help deal with the problem and brought the bill down to about Bt40,000. The ministry has been trying to protect tourists from scam artists," Kobkarn said.

The bill was still 40,000 Baht , what the &lt;deleted&gt; were they drinking and how long were they in there.

[ChrisY1]

the best way to stop this is to if possoble ban the social media

I'm sure if there was a way that this administration could ban social media...without starting a civil war....they would.....and correct....no problems!

[Tatsujin]

the best way to stop this is to if possoble ban the social media

The new Computer Crimes Act (CCA) has this very point in mind.

[SoFarAndNear]

"The Consumer Protection Board stepped in to help deal with the problem and brought the bill down to about Bt40,000. The ministry has been trying to protect tourists from scam artists," Kobkarn said.

The bill was still 40,000 Baht , what the <deleted> were they drinking and how long were they in there.

Probably they didnt know that the group of thai ladies around them where not sitting with them for free and every drink for them did cost 3x times more then theirs..

Edited January 20, 2015 by SoFarAndNear

[toybits]

"Reports of foreign tourists being ripped off by locals are destroying the image of the Thai tourism industry,"

Those who make these reports should be sent to the re-education camps! IMMEDIATELY!!!

[smedly]

The ministry has been trying to protect tourists from scam artists

Good luck with that. The above is not even the tip of the iceberg.

The basic problem in this country is that those tasked to "protect Tourists" are up to their necks in the scams

and I will elaborate no further as we all know exactly what I am talking about

crime is allowed to perpetuate as long as someone is getting a cut

it is so deeply embedded that in my opinion is impossible to eradicate without extreme measures

[Chupup]

Just more talk and bluster, strikes me the Thais don't give a fk and never will, the only thing that counts is how much they can hit you for, the JET SKI SCAM has been going on for years, they have been going to stop it forever and it is STILL going on, another Classic is the Thai Lottery, actual price 80 bht the PM said they could sell for 90 bht but the vendors sell for 110 bht if that aint sticking two fingers up to the government & the PM, WHAT IS,,,,,,THAILAND the hub of SCAMS

[scorecard]

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So did I read that right, the cab fare problem has been fixed ? Maybe they need to check the dates on the complaint forms.

1. It's been reported that the driver concerned has been banned from all airports. I guess that's what she mean it's been fixed.

2. This problem has been solved since then, with authorities setting up automatic queue-card taxi kiosks.

Seems to be a lack of thinking more broadly / thinking into the future. Par for the course.

Bottom line - until there is some serious and biting punishment taxi problems will continue unabated.

A few days ago I got into a taxi in Bkk, the cab was in fact quite old, half of the meters and gauges on the dashboard have gone just empty holes, speedometer not working, seat upholstery worn out and the floor is bare metal.

I quickly realized the meter was ticking over more quickly than before.

I asked the driver why this was so. He replied proudly his taxi is passed for the new charges and pointed to his new sticker.

Another fake sticker opportunity?

[Bakseeda]

For Gods sake, half of those scam artists are posters here on TV....... Oh No ... seems the posters are the complainers..