Land of Smiles (LOS) or (LOS) Land of Scams

[Pik]

What would you say?

[Tonto21]

'Pik'......Its like this, it take a minimum of two people to get scammed.... One to cast the bait and one to take a bite.

Try looking at it this way, maybe its LOS....Land of suckers.

[Squeegee]

I would say you are a cheap Thai basher.

[Beetlejuice]

It`s like this.

I can understand naive tourists and gullible newbies falling for scams from lack of experience, but there are no excuses for those who have lived here or travelled here frequently over a number of years.

The older guys who believe that women young enough to be their daughters or granddaughters will find them desirable for their looks, personalities and charm, those that become involved in dodgy business ventures or can`t be bothered to learn even the most basics of Thai language that need their wives or girlfriends to do all the negotiating while they stand there like a spare one at a wedding not having a clue what`s going on, the one`s that invest or part with vast amounts of money purely on trust, the fools that consider their bargirl lover is different from all the rest and the long and suffering who will ply resources into a relationship even though their partners treat them like crap but refuse to see the reality.

Thailand is no different from our home countries or anywhere else, no matter where we live there is always going to be someone, people or companies scheming to part us from our money because money is the only thing we have that everyone wants.

Being scammed depends on how gullible you are or trying to live the dream denying the reality.

So the answer to the OP is; Thailand is the land of smiles for some and a fools paradise for others.

[Cypress Hill]

Clichéd topic deserves clichéd response - "If it bothers you that much,<deleted>home"

Edited March 1, 2015 by CharlieH

[berybert]

Clichéd topic deserves clichéd response - "If it bothers you that much, <deleted>home"

Do you know he isn't at home ?

[Xircal]

When people arrive in Thailand, they dump their common sense at immigration.

[NeverSure]

Troll topic.

[Mossfinn]

There are fools in every county, there are misguided individuals in every country, there are those who can be tricked in any society, I have found Thailand to be short on all those specified earlier, but then that could be just down to those I frequent, just like my home country.

You can't fool someone who isn't an idiot, an idiot in Thailand is still an idiot in his home country, don't blame the tool, blame the idiot.

[benalibina]

There are fools in every county, there are misguided individuals in every country, there are those who can be tricked in any society, I have found Thailand to be short on all those specified earlier, but then that could be just down to those I frequent, just like my home country.

You can't fool someone who isn't an idiot, an idiot in Thailand is still an idiot in his home country, don't blame the tool, blame the idiot.

Well...following your immoral logic....a woman raped....she must have asked for it then ?

[sipi]

Smiles.

[Pik]

'Pik'......Its like this, it take a minimum of two people to get scammed.... One to cast the bait and one to take a bite.

Try looking at it this way, maybe its LOS....Land of suckers.

good one

any one that knows thaivisa.com will never be a sucker

therefore only

Land of Smiles (LOS) or (LOS) Land of Scams

apples to my post

[Aussieroaming]

To be a land of scams it also needs to be a land of suckers

[Gordy Gambino]

So I got stood up and flew to Thailand instead and made a beeline to ........................this is good enough for its own thread folks

[Suradit69]

'Pik'......Its like this, it take a minimum of two people to get scammed.... One to cast the bait and one to take a bite.

Try looking at it this way, maybe its LOS....Land of suckers.

You took the words out of my mouth.

I would be embarrassed to admit to being "scammed" in Thailand( or at least the alleged scams reported on TV), and have thus far managed to survive without anything to report.

Most of those reporting "scams" seem to be incredibly naive or negligent or possibly they're walking around with a "Please Kick Me" sign on their backs.

[Suradit69]

There are fools in every county, there are misguided individuals in every country, there are those who can be tricked in any society, I have found Thailand to be short on all those specified earlier, but then that could be just down to those I frequent, just like my home country.

You can't fool someone who isn't an idiot, an idiot in Thailand is still an idiot in his home country, don't blame the tool, blame the idiot.

Well...following your immoral logic....a woman raped....she must have asked for it then ?

You can't seriously compare a criminal assault/rape with a scam.

If someone tells you he can sell you a Rolex for Baht 100 and you jump at the opportunity, he's playing off your greed and stupidity. Hardly on a par with rape or any other form of physical assault.

Confidence tricks [aka "scams"] exploit characteristics of the human psyche such as dishonesty, honesty, vanity, compassion, credulity, irresponsibility,naïveté and greed.

Edited March 1, 2015 by Suradit69

[duanebigsby]

There are fools in every county, there are misguided individuals in every country, there are those who can be tricked in any society, I have found Thailand to be short on all those specified earlier, but then that could be just down to those I frequent, just like my home country.

You can't fool someone who isn't an idiot, an idiot in Thailand is still an idiot in his home country, don't blame the tool, blame the idiot.

I think even many non-idiots can be fooled if the scam is good enough.

Reminds me, I should watch Newman and Redford in "The Sting" again.

[Kees5555]

Just 'reporting' a small 'scam':

Yesterday night having dinner in a certain restaurant & XXXX Bar (the one with Pattaya bay view, on top of the water... to avoid defaming I can't mention the name 5555).

When serving the food, the waitress accidentally hit the (still 100% full) glass of orange juice (70 baht) of my teerak... all the content spilled over the table.
The waitress cleaned the table, brought a new glass of juice... + ADDED another 70 baht to the bill !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I called the manager: she and 3 other waitresses started debating, then they changed the bill to the correct amount... without saying any excuse.

Well, the waitress just tried (maybe the 70 baht was going to be withheld from her salary ???)

[Keesters]

Both, like a lot of countries around the globe. Smiles and scams are everywhere not just Thailand. Just as you will find bitching farang alongside the content ones in every corner of the globe.

[Tchooptip]

'Pik'......Its like this, it take a minimum of two people to get scammed.... One to cast the bait and one to take a bite.

Try looking at it this way, maybe its LOS....Land of suckers.

You took the words out of my mouth.

I would be embarrassed to admit to being "scammed" in Thailand( or at least the alleged scams reported on TV), and have thus far managed to survive without anything to report.

Most of those reporting "scams" seem to be incredibly naive or negligent or possibly they're walking around with a "Please Kick Me" sign on their backs.

This "Please Kick Me" sign is not even necessary for those who spend most of their time among prostitutes and pimps

[garrya]

Both. When they scam, they always smile.

[uptheos]

Land of Smiling Scams?

[ExPratt]

Scams in every country but the scammers obviously descend on places that are full of tourists with their pockets full of money, Ive read of lots of different nationals getting nicked in Pattaya and Phuket for instance not just Thais

[avander]

There are many genuine Thai but I feel many times here the smiles are not until you show them the colour of your money.

From my observations they scam each other as much as anyone else.

When tourism is such a big part of the economy for so long I guess we should be expecting a lot of the values and attitudes.

[uptheos]

There are many genuine Thai but I feel many times here the smiles are not until you show them the colour of your money.

From my observations they scam each other as much as anyone else.

When tourism is such a big part of the economy for so long I guess we should be expecting a lot of the values and attitudes.

You are spot on.

[elgordo38]

Hmm you really brought em out of the woodwork on this topic. This type of topic only stirs up a hornets nest of keyboard warriors just itching to cut you down to size. Take their advice they are all experts who have no doubt been done the dirty at one time or another. Its a right of passage here.

[smotherb]

I would say you are a cheap Thai basher.

I don't believe he meant the Thais were the suckers.

[BlackJack]

in Australia and many western countries is called tax

in the USA its called the FED and show me a straight cant be bought Senator?

think about it?

Thailand is like a dream

[Tonto21]

There are fools in every county, there are misguided individuals in every country, there are those who can be tricked in any society, I have found Thailand to be short on all those specified earlier, but then that could be just down to those I frequent, just like my home country.

You can't fool someone who isn't an idiot, an idiot in Thailand is still an idiot in his home country, don't blame the tool, blame the idiot.

I think even many non-idiots can be fooled if the scam is good enough.

Reminds me, I should watch Newman and Redford in "The Sting" again.

I'd agree with that 'duanebigsby'.... I really don't think anyone can say they have not been the victim of a scam in Thailand. OK, to what degree is arguable..... But scammed you have been! Paid a higher price for something, taken to a silk or pressures gem store, having said too the nice tuk tuk driver.."airport plaza please" and bought a drink for a nice lady.....who turns out to be a bloke...... OK, maybe just false advertising that one.

As pointed out in this thread, we are all susceptible to being ripped off, we are human and carry hopes, needs, wants and desires, all a conman has to do is work out which button to press.......We are All susceptible to being conned. I think it is one of the reasons some, not all take pleasure in hearing of some farang getting 'stitched right up'...... Why? In some way, a feeling of it 'wasn't them' maybe?

I like to think I will not get burned when it comes to scams, (ones that really hurt) I have lived and still travel all over the World and I'm no sprog. I also understand the sayings; "There but for the grace of God go I"...."If it's too good to be true", you know the rest, right and "Hello, I am an African Princes"

As what LOS means to me, I try to see it as Land Of Smiles...... I've just come back from Nan Province, Most defiantly the most smiley and friendly province in Thailand.

[Jungle Jim]

You are correct. Have yet to see a Thai holding a gun to any ones head. Guess most foreigners are unable to speak the word NO.

'Pik'......Its like this, it take a minimum of two people to get scammed.... One to cast the bait and one to take a bite.

Try looking at it this way, maybe its LOS....Land of suckers.