Happy Days Here Again?

[rak sa_ngop]

The tourists must be coming back!

Nice sunny morning on Silom road today and there was one of the local spivs, you know the ones; very respectable middle aged, nicely dressed, well groomed, gold watch, gold rings and maybe a Budha image or two dangling round his neck- lending a helping hand to some nice looking, unsuspecting, falang girls. A few minutes later the tuk- tuk suddenly appears and the girls go off on their '30 baht' visit to that (gem?) shop that the nice Thai man recommended.

Well blow me, an hour later as I am heading home from my morning cofee and there he is again with another pair of nice looking, unsuspecting, falang girls, and of course the tuk-tuk is skulking 10 metres away firing up its engine for another '30 baht' ride.

The normal sex touts on Silom road may be despicable but at least you can easily work out what's going on. But with these helpful 'Thai businessman' types its hard for polite new visitors to Thailand not be taken in. What a way to treat your guests!

[backflip]

I only paid 10THB.

[john b good]

I only paid 10THB.

If indeed this is a fact you were lucky. Or maybe you were taken to a shop selling fake gems.

[Ritz]

LOL! Did they also try to coax you by saying that even if you bought nothing, they will get their petrol refilled for free?

[zaz]

LOL they did that with us when we got taken for a ride a couple of years ago when I was an amateur Bangkoker!! I think we paid 50 THB for the tuk tuk but got a tour to a few temples etc Apparently the Royal Palace was closed for the day because of some ceremony the monks were doing or something bit we went to a gem shop instead!!!! LOL he got his free petrol voucher, great, but he did actually say we didn't have to buy anythiung from there as long as we went in and had a look around he would get his petrol voucher he didn't care! Yes the jewellery was lovely and beautiful but was I interested in buying any? err no. The only way they could have tempted me to part with my hard earned money was if they gave it away for free!!! Mind you we had no idea whatsoever that this all was a scam until I came across the whole story on an internet site which relayed step by step exactly what had happened to us....i.e. meeting a very genuine, professional guy at one of the temples telling us of a brilliant tax free promotion at this jewellery shop blah blah!! The things people do to rip people off it's daylight bloody robbery! PAH!

Edited October 19, 2006 by zaz

[bulmercke]

Yes....it's not just BKK.....but Pattaya.....and probably elsewhere.......got accosted a couple of times in Pattaya at the weekend......very persistent individuals approached me on both occasions outside Mike's shopping plaza and that other mall adjacent to it.

Must look like an 'easy hit'!

[greenfuji]

Umm, so this is a scam? I got a 30 baht ride around a couple of Wat's, the Thai Factory, a gem shop and finally the Palace. It took a few hours, the driver mentioned a few things about some of the temples, the jeweler was nice and yes I bought some things from there which were great value and I thought the ride was cheap.

If the tuk tuk took me to an alley and booted me off, that I consider a scam. How can what I describe be considered a scam?

[Donz]

What a nice tuk tuk driver, I wish i could of gone on that 30 baht ride.

Having a holiday in Thailand wouldnt be the same without getting scammed somewhere.

[t.s]

What a nice tuk tuk driver, I wish i could of gone on that 30 baht ride.

Having a holiday in Thailand wouldnt be the same without getting scammed somewhere.

have the gems checked to ascertain their value. usually gems are low grade or paste. you could have gotten your moneys worth though.

The scam is that the 30 baht tuk tuk is being paid by the gemshop to bring you in.

ts

http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/Scams/Sapphire.shtml

Edited October 25, 2006 by t.s

[adammike]

years ago one of the tuktuk drivers who was based outside an hotel i was staying at

asked me for a favor .....oh yea what, "well if you let me take you to a couple of shops

they will give me money even if you don't buy anything" ok so he took me to a couple of

silk shops I got to see some of bangkok from a tuktuk he got money or vouchers cos he was skint.

we were both happy and i learned a valuable lesson.

[sungod]

Didn't know you could get a tuk tuk ride in Bangkok anymore for 30 baht! Guess I'll just have to buy some jems next time.

[Donz]

Next time i will go i will take one of these ride. Sounds like a nice little cheap trip

[bulmercke]

Umm, so this is a scam? I got a 30 baht ride around a couple of Wat's, the Thai Factory, a gem shop and finally the Palace. It took a few hours, the driver mentioned a few things about some of the temples, the jeweler was nice and yes I bought some things from there which were great value and I thought the ride was cheap.

If the tuk tuk took me to an alley and booted me off, that I consider a scam. How can what I describe be considered a scam?

Nice spin on an event that too often entails in a visit to the tourist police headquarters for unsuspecting tourists here - in this great country - that weren't as fortunate as you!

Edited October 25, 2006 by bulmercke

[bulmercke]

years ago one of the tuktuk drivers who was based outside an hotel i was staying at

asked me for a favor .....oh yea what, "well if you let me take you to a couple of shops

they will give me money even if you don't buy anything" ok so he took me to a couple of

silk shops I got to see some of bangkok from a tuktuk he got money or vouchers cos he was skint.

we were both happy and i learned a valuable lesson.

...."cos he was skint".......if he was that skint.....how come he was hanging around your hotel and not doing what most other tuk-tuk drivers do...... driving around looking for punters on the streets of BKK?

[bkkmadness]

Because he could find customers outside a hotel.

[nostrel]

theres a few card game scammers hanging around too.

'i have brother who works at casino and he can arrange for you to win games, then we share winnings 50-50' .

these guys hang around near the ATM machines so they are sure you have a big wedge on you.

[bri1guy]

If a Tuk Tuk takes you or stops somewhere you didn't want to stop then just walk away and tell him , hes not recieving any money at all. It is a scam if its not a destination you aggree on ist. I wish they would allow tuk tuks in Pattaya !!!

[cwilliam]

LOL! Did they also try to coax you by saying that even if you bought nothing, they will get their petrol refilled for free?

I was walking one Sunday and a tuk tuk driver I always refused to go with said"let's go for free I will get free gas" I jumped in and had a lot of fun acting like a customer.A Falang and a Thai ripping off the rip off artists.

[chechoie]

I was going to say something about this but I forgot what it was.

I think I'll go to sleep now.

Good night.