Canadian reports being cheated by Pattaya Travel Agency

[webfact]

Canadian reports being cheated by Pattaya Travel Agency



PATTAYA: -- On Tuesday Morning a 64 year old Canadian reported being allegedly cheated out of 37,500 Baht by a Travel Agency based in Central Pattaya which has now shut down.

Mr. Hans Bruder told Police that on 4th June he purchased a return air ticket to Canada with the Travel Plus Pattaya Company based on the Central Pattaya Road and was due to fly out on 14th June.

When Mr. Bruder arrived at the airport in Bangkok he was told that his ticket did not exist and he was not able to fly.

Full story: http://pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/200410/canadian-reports-being-cheated-by-pattaya-travel-agency/


-- Pattaya One 2015-06-17

[realenglish1]

Why would anyone trust a local travel agent here in Thailand with an air ticket. I buy my tickets all the time from trusted global websites and have never had a problem. Also always use a credit card

since you have recourse if something does go wrong

[SOTIRIOS]

....well the laws protect the locals....so what is one to do but trust...no choice....

...blame the victim again.....???

Edited June 17, 2015 by SOTIRIOS

[optad]

Why would anyone trust a local travel agent here in Thailand with an air ticket. I buy my tickets all the time from trusted global websites and have never had a problem. Also always use a credit card

since you have recourse if something does go wrong

A bit rough. Bloke goes to a shop that is there to sell tickets and told when and where it departs and its his fault. That is what travel agents built their business plans on and the generation that wholly use them has not completely passed on.

This should be the easiest theft to trace and prosecute.

[Asiantravel]

Why would anyone trust a local travel agent here in Thailand with an air ticket. I buy my tickets all the time from trusted global websites and have never had a problem. Also always use a credit card

since you have recourse if something does go wrong

" Also always use a credit card "

I recommend this even when dealing direct with the airlines themselves

[i claudius]

Airlines will not accept a debit card here ,and do you know the hoops you have to jump through as a foreigner to get a credit card ,i do ,it took me ages and phone calls to the banks ho , one of the things i do not understand is why they do not want anyone over 65 especially as you have to have an account with the money in beforehand ,i mean if you die ,they already have the cash , amazing Thailand ,(deleted)

Edited June 17, 2015 by petercool
slur comment edited

[Woody1]

Airlines will not accept a debit card here ,and do you know the hoops you have to jump through as a foreigner to get a credit card ,i do ,it took me ages and phone calls to the banks ho , one of the things i do not understand is why they do not want anyone over 65 especially as you have to have an account with the money in beforehand ,i mean if you die ,they already have the cash , amazing Thailand ,(deleted)

Yes they will, I booked flights with one yesterday.

[Pattaya46]

Also always use a credit card

since you have recourse if something does go wrong

It may depends of your cards, bank and country,

but I doubt my CC to be of any help in such case... ??

....well the laws protect the locals....

So false! Just Google it. Many cases where a Farang won in Court against Thais

Airlines will not accept a debit card here, //

What do you mean? I paid my last AirAsia fly with my Kasikorn debit card.

[Colabamumbai]

The ticket price is too cheap unless he had a layover in India, with an Indian airlines.

Normal prices to Toronto return to Swampy 40-50,000 Baht. Korean airlines usually the cheapest with a 2 hour layover on the way out and 3 hours on the way back.

7 hours to Seoul and another 12 to Toronto via the Polar Route.

I would have been suspicious from the get go.

[onemorechang]

Airlines will not accept a debit card here ,and do you know the hoops you have to jump through as a foreigner to get a credit card ,i do ,it took me ages and phone calls to the banks ho , one of the things i do not understand is why they do not want anyone over 65 especially as you have to have an account with the money in beforehand ,i mean if you die ,they already have the cash , amazing Thailand ,(deleted)

Good point

Never thought of that one !!!!!! they only have 100,000 fom me,

but still hard for someone to get back, i bet !!!!!!!!!

Edited June 17, 2015 by onemorechang

[Friendly Stranger]

Also always use a credit card

since you have recourse if something does go wrong

It may depends of your cards, bank and country,

but I doubt my CC to be of any help in such case... ??

....well the laws protect the locals....

So false! Just Google it. Many cases where a Farang won in Court against Thais

Airlines will not accept a debit card here, //

What do you mean? I paid my last AirAsia fly with my Kasikorn debit card.

About CC, if you made a purchase by this mode of payment and the services were not rendered then you definitely have recourse for a refund. Obviously you need to show proof of the paper trail. It is beneficial to contact your card co to confirm this. Edited June 17, 2015 by Friendly Stranger

[Rorynorway]

1) Most foreigners have a Thai bank account. You may purchase your tickets online using the vitual online credit number that number that is provided. As such, you have recourse in the case of fraud or any billing errors.

2) The agency likely quote an irrresistable fare (similar to the jet ski scam) to reel in the client.

3) This reminds me of a local gym that went bankrupt and closed soon after selling lifetime memberships for a low price.

[Monkeyrobot]

Common occurrence over here travel company's taking you money and doing a runner.

[Geordie59]

Airlines will not accept a debit card here ,and do you know the hoops you have to jump through as a foreigner to get a credit card ,i do ,it took me ages and phone calls to the banks ho , one of the things i do not understand is why they do not want anyone over 65 especially as you have to have an account with the money in beforehand ,i mean if you die ,they already have the cash , amazing Thailand ,(deleted)

I've used credit cards, issued both locally and overseas, to buy direct from many airlines loads of times.

[Sviss Geez]

Why would anyone trust a local travel agent here in Thailand with an air ticket. I buy my tickets all the time from trusted global websites and have never had a problem. Also always use a credit card

since you have recourse if something does go wrong

because the vast majority of them are legit, that's why.

[CNXBKKMAN]

Loads of good travel agents in Thailand. Before you spend your cash though you need find out who they are then ignore all the others. Do a search on TV, ask around with some long stay expats. There must be at least a couple of decent travel agents in Pattaya? I am Chiang Mai so I can't help with that.

[matman]

The only time I purchased an air ticket through a local travel agent in Pattaya was for my then GF who was visiting me in the UK. The travel agent printed out the E ticket there and then, in just the same way as when I book on line to get a flight to Thailand. The E ticket comes into my in box instantly. You have to be some kind of fool to pay a large some for a flight without leaving with some form of official confirmation printed out from the airline concerned

[alocacoc]

I use also a local travel agent to buy my tickets. The reason, i need tickets which are re-bookable.

[KhunBENQ]

Common occurrence over here travel company's taking you money and doing a runner.

Indeed, just that not every case makes it in the news.

Happened to an old fellow some two years ago with a place on south Pattaya road.

And he was a typical example for one who is not internet savvy, no idea how to do online booking etc.

"Credit card":

for domestic flights I repeatedly used a so called "virtual credit card" (basically only a data set) from Kasikorn which goes directly to my account like a debit card.

[Rimmer]

A racist post has been removed

[tigermonkey]

The ticket price is too cheap unless he had a layover in India, with an Indian airlines.

Normal prices to Toronto return to Swampy 40-50,000 Baht. Korean airlines usually the cheapest with a 2 hour layover on the way out and 3 hours on the way back.

7 hours to Seoul and another 12 to Toronto via the Polar Route.

I would have been suspicious from the get go.

You must be from Toronto. It's always amazing to those from Toronto that other places actually exist in Canada, such as Vancouver. It might surprise you that Korean Airlines also flies to Vancouver. My last return ticket cost 38.100 Baht.

[tigermonkey]

The only time I purchased an air ticket through a local travel agent in Pattaya was for my then GF who was visiting me in the UK. The travel agent printed out the E ticket there and then, in just the same way as when I book on line to get a flight to Thailand. The E ticket comes into my in box instantly. You have to be some kind of fool to pay a large some for a flight without leaving with some form of official confirmation printed out from the airline concerned

Yes, you would really be a fool after paying a large some (sic), to not have a very real-looking eTicket in your hand. The agent could even send it to your email box. However, you have no way of knowing if the eTicket is valid. or a fake. There are lots of fake Etickets being issued these days, even by online agencies.

[KhunBENQ]

You must be from Toronto. It's always amazing to those from Toronto that other places actually exist in Canada, such as Vancouver. It might surprise you that Korean Airlines also flies to Vancouver. My last return ticket cost 38.100 Baht.

What a big country (I am from Switzerland)

Bangkok to Vancouver about 11800 km, shortest indeed via east Asia (Korea e.g.). Connecting flights total about 18h.

To Toronto about 13000 km, best route would be over the pool. But of course no nonstop. Connecting flights, total about 24h.

I guess this will make a price difference?

[KittenKong]

Why would anyone trust a local travel agent here in Thailand with an air ticket.

Why would anyone trust any person or company here? It's madness. I only pay when I see what I'm getting, or after I've got it.

[lostinisaan]

Loads of good travel agents in Thailand. Before you spend your cash though you need find out who they are then ignore all the others. Do a search on TV, ask around with some long stay expats. There must be at least a couple of decent travel agents in Pattaya? I am Chiang Mai so I can't help with that.

Thanks Chang Mai. A search on TV, ask around with long stay expats to buy a plane ticket? Respect.

I'm certain you get the best deals online, because all those agencies book their flights online as well. Makes sense, does it?

[lostinisaan]

Why would anyone trust a local travel agent here in Thailand with an air ticket.

Why would anyone trust any person or company here? It's madness. I only pay when I see what I'm getting, or after I've got it.

Short, or long time "events"?

Edited June 24, 2015 by lostinisaan

[CNXBKKMAN]

Loads of good travel agents in Thailand. Before you spend your cash though you need find out who they are then ignore all the others. Do a search on TV, ask around with some long stay expats. There must be at least a couple of decent travel agents in Pattaya? I am Chiang Mai so I can't help with that.

Thanks Chang Mai. A search on TV, ask around with long stay expats to buy a plane ticket? Respect.

I'm certain you get the best deals online, because all those agencies book their flights online as well. Makes sense, does it?

The best deals are found online and via a travel agent. Nothing stays the same. One day the airlines own website may the best price, another day it may be another online booking site, another day the agent may be better. Best to check online and at a decent agent.

The travel agents will probably book very little online as its too slow and you very little control over what they are trying to create. They have there own direct access to nearly all airlines seats. They can select flight, add a connecting domestic sector on, take it off, put it back on at an earlier time, put a stopover in, choose the flights operated by an A380, add meal request, assign a seat, request a wheelchair, change the dates abandon it all and redo it with another airline within a couple of minutes whilst quoting all the different prices to you as they do it. That kind of chopping and changing may take well over 30 minutes or an hour on a website. They would get nothing done.

Best thing do a search online see what you come up with and go to a recommended agent in Pattaya or wherever and see what they suggest. Tell them how flexible you are with dates and exactly what you are trying to achieve, what you found online etc.

[Pattaya28]

The Canadian that was scammed of his money has himself to blame.

In this day and age, so many advantages of booking online.

And security is 100%.

I book BKK ----> London ----> BKK online with ebookers using a credit card. Simple, secure and competitive.

Paying with cash is always risky.

UK issued credit cards offer total security, unless misused.

And I would reckon U.S Canadian Australian and many Western European countries offer credit cards with secure guarantees too.

[dananderson]

That price was way too low. He's flying that route in the month of June(or July) only 10 days from his departure date. I flew from LAX to PNH last month, last week of May for $638, no return(or one way.) I bought it from an internet wholesaler 4 weeks in advance. On June 5 the same flight jumped up to roughly $1100. I checked Expedia yesterday for BKK-TOR. The return price was $1980 or about 65K baht with 10 day advance, mid-week(July 8.) If I had to buy that ticket from an agency, it would be from one of those that advertise on the weekend in BKK. Then to read some of the comments below his picture in the referenced news article....... Talk about having a bad day, wow!

Edited June 29, 2015 by dananderson

[tropo]

Airlines will not accept a debit card here ,and do you know the hoops you have to jump through as a foreigner to get a credit card ,i do ,it took me ages and phone calls to the banks ho , one of the things i do not understand is why they do not want anyone over 65 especially as you have to have an account with the money in beforehand ,i mean if you die ,they already have the cash , amazing Thailand ,(deleted)

...because credit card providers usually prefer people who have regular income i.e. a job.