Pattaya: In reversal, foreign tourists accused of running scam

[webfact]

In Reversal, Tourists Accused of Running Scam
By Teeranai Charuvastra
Staff Reporter


Pattaya beach in a December 2014 file photo.

PATTAYA — Two men from China were enjoying a seaside holiday near Pattaya last week when a local vendor selling leather bags approached them. The man made them a simple offer: buy his bags or get punched, so fearing for their lives – as they would later tell police – they paid 12,000 baht to buy the bags.

It’s a scam familiar to those who know Pattaya. But in this case, police said it could be the Chinese tourists who played the scam.

According to the vendor, he never forced the tourists – 43-year-old Chen Lei and 45-year-old Xu Guangming – to buy his goods as the pair alleged. Police now believe the tourists made a false complaint to file an insurance claim – another practice that police say has become widespread in Pattaya.

“We believe it’s a case of a false complaint,” said Sukthat Pumpanmuang, commander of Pattaya City Police Station.

If true, it would be another type of racket to become somewhat common in a place with a reputation for scams. But instead of the usual complaints involving tourists getting shafted over jet skis, gems or taxi rides, it’s the tourists running the scam.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1453028575&typecate=06&section=


-- Khaosod English 2016-01-18

[onetime]

It's a little over 300 dollars. Hardly worth the effort or risk to anyone who can afford a vacation.

[ezzra]

It's a little over 300 dollars. Hardly worth the effort or risk to anyone who can afford a vacation.

For a Chinese " tourists " $300 is a lot of money, and beside, a scam is a scam,

some people enjoy running a scam just for the hell of it....

[SoiBiker]

So they're claiming it was a kind of robbery, which involved them being given a handbag as a memento of the experience?

[alfalfa19]

so, the vendor claims he didn't coerce the chinese into buying his crap. thus, it is a false complaint by the chinese, of course.

[oneday]

Maybe, maybe not. How the heck do the police know who is lying.

We all know how easy it is for locals to lie. It's a national art form.

[riverhigh]

Re: But in this case, police said it could be the Chinese tourists who played the scam.

The problem here is that the Thai vendor is not denying that he received the 12,000 baht. There is also the problem that we don't know how much the crocodile bags are worth on the open market. So lets assume the Chinese tourists paid the 12,000 baht and put in a claim for 12,000 baht (robbery) as per police report. Where is the profit? Do they get to keep the crocodile bags which they can subsequently sell. Lot of unanswered questions. IMHO the Thai police comment that "it could be" a scam is just another tactic for .... (you fill in the blanks).

[Monkeyrobot]

Of course the vendor is going to say he didn't scam them , why admit his guilt? For the amount of money 12,000b divided by two 600B each not hardly worth it and I doubt the insurance would pay anyway. Looks like another saving face exercise to assure the punters everything is fine in LOS

[BrainLife]

Why can't the news tell the beast by it's name.

When Chinese, say Chinese.

When English say English

When Russian ..., well you get the idea

Even if the Chinese did ran this scam, it only happened, because the Thais run scams on the tourists

Which has been allowed for 30-40 years and whom have been the victims?\

Sorry, I forgot with all these bad tourists.

[SOTIRIOS]

...welcome to Thailand...

[sabaii69]

Having been in LOS for 25 years I've seen all kinds of Thai scams. A new one every day is launched. Right now the scam is deliberately short changing you on your purchases-everywhere. Note: before you check out any where mentally calculate how much you should pay. Beware of buying 'marked down' stuff as they will ring it up full price.

[madmitch]

I know the insurance business pretty well and I have never come across a policy that would cover pecuniary loss due to extortion or threat of violence. Also, as the article isn't clear, if they had then been robbed of the bags, with no proof of purchase no insurance company would pay a claim.

It is also a fact that insurance fraud is prevalent throughout the world; it's not just limited to a few foreigners on holiday in Thailand. Nothing out of the ordinary at all in any of those cases quoted and with the general lax attitude of the police here, I would wager that several false robberies and losses are reported each year in Thailand without the police batting an eyelid.

The title of this article is a complete misnomer as the only people getting scammed are the insurance companies and from what I gather from most TV posters, they are fair game anyway!

[o2eZy]

so next time the vendor does this to a tourist the tourist should take up the offer of the punch ...then there would be a complaint about the vendor

[arrowsdawdle]

It's a little over 300 dollars. Hardly worth the effort or risk to anyone who can afford a vacation.

For a Chinese " tourists " $300 is a lot of money, and beside, a scam is a scam,

some people enjoy running a scam just for the hell of it....

You may a bit out of touch regarding China's economy.

[zoza]

what scam artist goes looking for someone selling fake handbags gives them 12 k baht and then

goes to the police ?sorry anyone who believes this b s needs help. amazing Thailand .may be a b s hub.

[micmichd]

I forgot one favorite scam:

5. While walking down the street in Bkk somewhere you are approached by a Boy scout (or rather a person dressed as one) who shows you pictures of their scout activities and they ask for a contribution for the next jamboree....

This also happens in the West every day, so it's not Thai-specific at all.

[razer]

Uhhh ... I don't think you can make an insurance claim for a stupid purchase or for being over charged.

[spidermike007]

When you have locals running scams for decades, that are perpetrated upon foreigners, it is only a matter of time until you see various permutations of those scams, reactions from people who have been, and continue to be fleeced, and creative solutions and ideas. The Thai guy did not get hurt, the Chinese guys are simply being creative, and the only party who suffers a loss is a large insurance company. Very, very few have sympathy for the entity. That is what is known the world over as a win-win deal.

In my opinion, anytime money can be stolen from an large insurance company, or a bank, that is a service to mankind.

[Emster23]

scam artist is a "protected occupation" in Thailand.

[Rimmer]

Off topic posts removed

[ggt]

Chinese seldom pass up a chance to beat someone out of their hard earned money...experts in shady commerce for thousands of years...

[cream]

Insurance claim, Yeah right. Only 12,000baht.

Did the Police know if they even had travel insurance ?

Insurance companies are not stupid. you will need a police report, receipts, evidence, photos etc

They will not cover failure to use commonsense.

Why is the vendor allowed to sell counterfeit goods ???

Who is scamming Who ???

[duckmandon]

The tourists were scammed & now the RTP has been scammed. We good vendor, never scam anyone, Chinese lying not me, I am Thai, always good person. As reported yesterday the Chinese have already left & can no longer defend themselves against these allegations.

[steven100]

To all who are surprised ! this is not something new or unique to Thailand, it happens all over the world everyday to tourists.

Brazil, you will be scammed in a similar fashion on your first day there, Africa .. say no more, Nigeria is the scam capital of Africa.

China, tour operators are the largest scammers in China. Spain, Italy and even Egypt, which is tourist scammers paradise ... they will approach you on the street, take you to their shop, offer you a cup of tea ... drug you, rob you ... and you wake up in the alley next door.

I have been around ...

[Henryford]

All sounds a bit fishy. Firstly who carries 12,000 baht with them on the beach. Secondly unless the vendor was Mike Tyson you would tell him to get lost and dare him to start a fight, in public!!

[steve73]

Plenty of insurance scams according to the BBC series "big trouble in Thailand" - search on u-tube.

[Mr Money Bags]

"...the tourists did not seek help until 10pm that night, 10 hours after they said the incident took place."

What "victim" waits 10 hours to report a "crime"?

I live surrounded by literally millions of Chinese people every day. Most of them are lovely people.

But anyone who thinks the Thais are the scam kings is seriously mistaken......

You're Welcome!!

Edited January 18, 2016 by Mr Money Bags

[whaleboneman]

When you have locals running scams for decades, that are perpetrated upon foreigners, it is only a matter of time until you see various permutations of those scams, reactions from people who have been, and continue to be fleeced, and creative solutions and ideas. The Thai guy did not get hurt, the Chinese guys are simply being creative, and the only party who suffers a loss is a large insurance company. Very, very few have sympathy for the entity. That is what is known the world over as a win-win deal.

In my opinion, anytime money can be stolen from an large insurance company, or a bank, that is a service to mankind.

Not really. Banks and insurance companies just pass the losses on to all the other customers. So people who cheat them, cheat all of us.

[KittenKong]

It's a little over 300 dollars. Hardly worth the effort or risk to anyone who can afford a vacation.

For a Chinese " tourists " $300 is a lot of money,

It's probably more than they paid for the entire vacation here; Pattaya is not a luxury destination, even for the Chinese.

But would such tourists even have travel insurance? I doubt it.

[kiwikeith]

Maybe, maybe not. How the heck do the police know who is lying.

We all know how easy it is for locals to lie. It's a national art form.

If the chinese are not lying and the Thais shared their booty then it is a scam 100% Next.