Fewer Tourists, Tougher Scams?

+ BRITISH COUPLE FIGHTS BANGKOK AIRPORT EXTORTIONISTS +

Two tourists were held by an airport gang until they paid up £8,000

Nothing out of the ordinary? Or does the political and social downturn affect the attitude of Thais? Or still not enough blows to the tourism industry? Nicest part being: They weren’t held at a police station, but a “lurid pink motel” …:

By Michael Sheridan, The Sunday Times

Read the whole story here.

(Assuming they’re innocent: At Suvarnabhumi airport, when picking up family or a friend, I keep on being surprised about the amount of loitering scum fishing for unsuspecting arrivals.

As a longtime resident it’s easy to spot and fend off those bastards. But as a first-time tourist, screwed right at the arrival, combined with Thailand’s declining political image, I cannot help but feel pity for those first-timers being smilingly led away by obvious crooks. What can you do. Call the police? Idiot.)

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Comments

35 Responses to “Fewer Tourists, Tougher Scams?”

antipadshist on June 28th, 2009 7.24 pm

Exactly my thoughts!

“Smiles” turn into “snarls” in “Amazing Thailand” when things get tough.

I won’t be surprised that pretty soon Thai MSM will cook up some some sort of denial story, same as they already did with that Aussie mom (aka alleged “Phuket bar thief”) and launch the smearing campaign of this Brit couple.
Club Siam on June 28th, 2009 8.24 pm

Many of the scams are run by Thai police, BMA officials and the AOT.

Tuk tuks and taxis parked near hotels are all scammers.

Every scam in Bangkok is listed in here:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=676476

Thai police are running the gem scam.

They have scammers posted all over town, intercepting lost tourists.

The tourist mafia gang can be seen at the Erawan Shrine, Grand Palace … everywhere a tourist will go.

Last week, I saw one of the Erawan scammers riding a police motorbike.

Photos of Thai police tourist mafia scamming tourists at Erawan Shrine:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21533131@N06/sets/72157616786296908/detail/

Tourist mafia at Central World:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21533131@N06/sets/72157616786255092/

Tourist mafia at Grand Palace, Silom, etc.:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29324583@N05/sets/
phobo on June 28th, 2009 10.19 pm

There’s even a special website for that:

http://www.bangkokscams.com
Jaded on June 29th, 2009 1.20 am

I am going though the airport again tomorrow so many thanks for the head’s up … This will be my fourth time through in as many weeks and there is a new twist every time. My recent incursions into this combat zone have featured quarantine insanity, dodgy characters hanging around pretending to be customs in the baggage hall, purchasing fake Johnnie Walker Blue Label in King Power Duty Free and, my favorite, the Thai Airways flight attendant who insisted on giving me her number in a well practiced manner that would not have disgraced a Las Vegas cardsharp …

Suvarnabhumi is a perfect reflection of the city it serves …
A tourist on June 29th, 2009 6.27 am

I read this earlier (am in Blighty) and apart from the obvious nastiness it must indicate that there is a huge hole in airport security if these things can go down once past immigration and what should be a properly policed and secure area – it would only take one rich terrorist to bribe these kinda people to wreck the place once and for all, and the government needs to get rid of all the people involved.

As an aside, I was almost done over when exiting Manila – one security guard made me take my boots off away from the x-ray machine and when I looked over saw another bonzo trying to get in my carry-on bag – fortunately padlocked and he was almost spitting blood when he gave it back to me. So god knows what he was going to put in it!
Bangkok Resident on June 29th, 2009 8.22 am

Police volunteer admitted that 160 tourists were scammed at the airport in April, including six Britons.

The story’s here:

http://www.andrew-drummond.com/tag/stephen-ingram/
E. Spitzer on June 29th, 2009 10.15 am

Had dinner with a first time visitor last night, he got hit with the “Grand Palace is closed” scam. Where they try and take you somewhere else.

Coming back from Jomtien, the taxi driver tried the “hand off” scam, where after negotiating the price they transfer you to another taxi+driver, who starts renegotiating once you are on the road.

It’s noticeable that there are more scams, more touts and a lot more desperation.
Manao Black on June 29th, 2009 12.41 pm

A tourist: “… it must indicate that there is a huge hole in airport security …”

You’re missing the bigger picture. Every airport scam INVOLVES airport security! Pick a scam, any scam, and the Thai police are operating it directly or taking a cut.

Law enforcement in Thailand is strictly a for-profit activity and the Royal Thai Police are a mafia.
JW on June 29th, 2009 1.51 pm

Wow.

By reading these comments and the ones at the actual Times Online site you’d think Bangkok was an apocalyptic hellhole teeming with con artists. Funny thing is, I live here, and travel extensively. Probably fly in and out of BKK three to four times a month. I’ve never been scammed. I think Thais are pretty damn gracious hosts, but then again I actually speak a little Thai, eat their food and make an attempt to communicate with them on a personal level. Go figure.

I find the hyperbole of Bangkok crime rather ridiculous (have y’all been to China, India, Indonesia, Cambodia or Vietnam?)

One of the small injustices of Thailand is that the people here that disparage this place most (sex tourists, and sex residents) are the ones that foment all the great injustices that they so dearly need to complain about. You think Thais are disingenuous? Well, if you’re a 68-year-old man walking down the street with a 19-year-old girl, they probably are. You think Thailand is crawling with scam artists? Well, if you spend most of your time in brothels, dive bars and saunas, you’re probably right.

Thailand is many things to many people. You get out of it what you put in.

This couple clearly didn’t deserve what they got and it is a shame; but I also think the Thai people don’t deserve the drumming they’re getting because of this incident.
BangkokDan on June 29th, 2009 3.16 pm

… but then again I actually speak a little Thai, eat their food and make an attempt to communicate with them on a personal level. Go figure.

What makes the main difference, agreed JW, you’re privileged, so maybe you’re not aware of the constant hassles many tourists here face.

Take my parents, they love Thailand, have been here well over a dozen of times, speak some basic Thai. By now they instantly realize when someone tries to fool them, be it in a fresh market with a double price for veggies or a taxi driver charging them god knows how much …

They just smile and try to avoid those people in the future. They actually made up their mind now to buy an own car for the few weeks a year they spend in Thailand to avoid the hassles quite often involved dealing with tricky taxi drivers and such (in Hua Hin that is).

Rather dismissible compared to this topic’s scam. Still, most Thais are ashamed of every cheating behavior. No question as well that most tourists are helpless and an easy prey.

Not you! The crooks easily spot you as a resident and leave you alone.

Chances are though that you become a much easier victim of some injustice here than elsewhere.

One last word: Implicitly you’re saying, JW, that a scammed tourist is a sex tourist.

BangkokDan
JW on June 29th, 2009 3.38 pm

I have traveled to and lived in other places in Asia, and never have I seen a place as misrepresented and misunderstood as Bangkok. There are many reasons for this, and much of it does have to do with corruption and poor government. But I’d say sensationalism leads the way.

As I said, Thailand is many things to many people; the problem is that only one sort of Bangkok story sells newspapers and crappy sex-pat lit, or gets page views on websites. And those are the sensationalist ones.

It’s tiring. The sky isn’t falling in Thailand, and there are plenty of us that live here and enjoy peaceful, relatively hassle-free lives.

And as for tourists, I know plenty of people that travel to Thailand for the relative ease and kindness and generosity of the people here. Of course, that’s not all that exciting …
chang dek on June 29th, 2009 8.23 pm

Thanks JW, BKK Dan, for reminding us why we came here.
Jaded on June 29th, 2009 9.10 pm

They were still running the scam today. When you leave the passport area you have to run a gauntlett of King Power employees who hand out coupons for free gifts. The type of gift is dependent on the amount of money you spend in King Power. The boss of this little gang of attractive touts saw me taking a photo and engaged me in conversation. When I asked him would the police arrest me of I was given a “gift” he laughed, gave me a nasty look and said “yes.” He then picked up a phone and I decided I would spend the rest of the time before my flight downstairs in the business lounge.

Amazing Thailand
bosunj on June 30th, 2009 3.16 am

I second JW’s sentiments.

The only places on the planet where I’ve been scammed in an airport are America and Barcelona.

In America I get scammed by the TSA with their silly crap that they call ’security’. Fortunately I don’t have to go there anymore.

In Barcelona I had a brief case stolen. My fault for placing it between my feet while trying to pay for excess baggage.

Only two incidents in more than 45 years of international travel.
laura on June 30th, 2009 6.53 am

There’s probably not a single tourist who hasn’t been cheated or scammed in one way or another. Not a unique Thai thing, but I agree that tourists are looked at as a milkable commodity. Here and there and everywhere. In Thailand the cheats and scams are the more astonishing because you wouldn’t think that such lovely people can mean harm.
Mariyah on June 30th, 2009 9.11 am

So when I arrive into Bangkok, how do I avoid being scammed/overcharged by one of these unscrupulous taxi drivers?
E. Spitzer on June 30th, 2009 12.32 pm

I should add that people have also tried the same scams in Vietnam (taking me to a different hotel) and Bali (I won a prize), as they tried in Thailand. So no, its not a Thailand thing. But it does exist here, and its getting worse.
And for such a large scam to operate inside the airport is a real black eye for Thailand.
The Police Minder on June 30th, 2009 1.11 pm

[...] below about institutionalized Thai tourism scams is unsurprisingly divisive. If you wish more insider background on the inner workings of the Royal [...]
crocodilexp on June 30th, 2009 2.39 pm

Unlike most friendly Thai scams (which can generally be dismissed as “you’re in a foreign land, so beware … and hold your greed in check”), this one is deeply disturbing. If they pick you it’s impossible to avoid and it involves threats of violence by the police – doesn’t get much worse.

I do hope this gets publicized widely, and relevant poo yai’s (or rather, poo rai’s) seat gets so hot that he has to put an end to it.

@JW: I fail to see what sex tourists have with this, and other scams. What exactly you think should be done with the 68-year guy old and a 19-year-old girl walking together? Should they be arrested on the spot? For what? What if they’re both Thai and in a Thai entertainment venue (where most commercial sex occurs anyway, and where virtually all of the truly disturbing, semi or non consensual stuff happens)? You have surely adopted the typical Thai trait of rallying against the minor visible irritation instead of the deep but less visible problem.

@Mariyah: When you arrive, look for the official taxi counter *immediately outside* of the airport building. You tell *them* (not the driver) where to go. When you get to your destination, you need to pay 50 baht + highway fares + meter.

They they record the name of the driver and you get a slip of paper with numbers to call if you have a complaint.
Mariyah on June 30th, 2009 5.04 pm

Thanks kindly, crocodilexp.

I am considering hiring a car instead of having to rely on taxis. Plus I am meeting some friends over there, who have been to Thailand a few times. Fingers crossed I don’t get scammed whilst there …
crocodilexp on July 2nd, 2009 3.18 am

@Mariyah – taxis are generally fine, except in a few trouble spots (Grand Palace, Patpong etc.). I think BKK cabbies to be *on average* better than in many other places (e.g. New York, London, Athens), not to mention incredibly cheap. If you hire a car, I’m not sure driving would be a relaxing experience.
Mariyah on July 2nd, 2009 11.44 am

Hmm, thanks for the advice crocodilexp. I definitely will have to rethink the car hire option then. I definitely want a cruisey, relaxing vacation, not stressed out in mad traffic jams.

I guess there is no real way of knowing if one is getting ripped off in a taxi ride?
BangkokDan on July 2nd, 2009 11.51 am

No worries Mariyah, with very few exceptions taxis in Bangkok are safe and honest.

More problematic are un-metered taxis in tourist hotspots such as Phuket, Pattaya, Hua Hin and so on.

And never been to Bangkok but want to drive yourself? Better think that over. Less worries in the provinces, but still, Thai roads are full of surprises.

BangkokDan
Mariyah on July 2nd, 2009 11.56 am

Thanks Dan!

I was actually rethinking the whole trip, after reading some of the articles on Thai scams, frauds, physical intimidations for money, etc etc. It would be a shame for me to leave Asia and never get to see Thailand!
BangkokDan on July 10th, 2009 1.21 pm

Now King Power made a move and published this one – don’t miss to read the letter after you’ve seen the vid:

http://www.kingpower.com/2009/popup/pop_case2.html

You can’t really tell, but what to believe now?

BangkokDan
Jaded on July 10th, 2009 9.26 pm

http://www.andrew-drummond.com/2009/07/05/irish-scientist-escapes-thai-airport-shoplifting-charge-in-flight-to-freedom/

If she’s a shoplifter then I am Osama Bin Laden.
Bangkok Resident on July 11th, 2009 3.49 am

There will always be shoplifters.

The question is, was this handled properly or are the police playing games and terrorizing people for fun and profit.

A threat of a year in jail?

A Sri Lankan intermediary posing as a lawyer from an embassy?

Kept in a short time room at a sleazy hotel?

Is that a proper sentence or a special just for tourists?

What happens to Thai person that takes something?

Were talking an international airport here.
Bangkok Resident on July 20th, 2009 9.01 am

BBC NEWS and Thai Airport Scams:

This is bad, very bad news.

BBC is doing follow ups on the airport extortion story.

This will cost million and millions to the Thai tourism industry:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8154497.stm
Nandan on July 20th, 2009 11.40 am

Several email warnings have been making the rounds about this scam and one points to an Indian who found that the salesgirl in a duty-free shop at this airport had tried to slip an extra bottle of perfume (or whatever) into the carry-bag after this customer had paid for her purchases.

I hadn’t taken note of it back then because one couldn’t know if it’s true ought to be just another hoax.

Now, with this BBC report, we know. Sad kingdom. It’s people were once respected.
Tidbits: CIA, King Power, Shots on July 22nd, 2009 10.20 am

[...] country’s duty-free monopolist. Newspapers, travel blogs and embassies (!) are deploring the Bangkok airport scam, yet that scam goes on unchecked – and King Power is concerned over damage to its [...]
Lord Stanley on July 27th, 2009 12.13 pm

Mariyah

Avoid Thailand like the plague.

You appear, from your posts, to be just the sort of fresh-off-the-boat, innocent, gullible person who would be ripe for the plucking for these scum – sorry, scam – merchants in Thailand.

Anyone who has to ask how to avoid taxi scams is a cherry ripe for picking. I could tell you to take an airport bus but you probably wouldn’t be able to handle that simple task.

What would you do if the salesgirl in King Power at BKK airport, for example, slipped an extra item in your Duty Free plastic bag, without your knowledge, only for you to be arrested outside by security?

This actually happened to me – only that I saw her slipping the item into my bag whilst I was still in the shop (carton of cigarettes).

When I confronted her, still in the shop, she replied “free gift.” I asked for some written proof of this, whereupon the carton was taken back from me and the girl refused to speak to me any more, claiming “no English.”

I left with what was in my bag actually tallying with my receipt.

Boy, were those security guards outside the shop pi**ed off – a nice little earner for them and the cops up the swaneee …

No … if it’s not too late take my advice and avoid Thailand. Pity, but there it is.
Mariyah on July 27th, 2009 8.42 pm

Hi Lord Stanley,

Okay.

I see your point for sure.

But I still really want to go.

I am hoping it can’t be as bad as you paint it.

I have traveled to India, and not once did I get scammed by scum. Mind you, I traveled with an Australian group over there, so maybe that’s what I need to do this time.

I live here in Singapre, and get cabs everywhere. Not once, and I mean not once, have I ever been scammed out here. Not even in a restaurant.

Come to think of it Singapore is not a bad place to live. If you can get over the expense of the place, there are no tsunamis out this way, no earthquakes (touch wood) and no terror*st attacks either. Unlike Indonesia and other parts of Asia.

I will heed what you say, but I am still going. Just will have to try and be less, as you put it, innocent and gullible, and less of a “cherry.”

Oh another thing.

I am not Caucasian.

So I think I will fit right in there. And probably be less likely to be scammed, because the thais will think I am a local. Although I don’t speak the language at all.
Lord Stanley on July 28th, 2009 9.54 am

Am I missing the point here, or what?

OK, so your’re not Caucasian, so you’re hoping that some of the Thai scammers will not target you because they will think that you are a local?

That might work – in fact, it will work, in some cases.

But once others work out that you are NOT a local, e.g. when they see you looking lost at the airport not knowing how to handle the taxis, AND discover that you don’t speak one word of the language, (which they will), you will become just one more duped statistic.

Like I said – you are too naive for Thailand. They will chew you up and spit you out. Stick to much safer parts of Asia. There are some.
Mariyah on July 28th, 2009 5.08 pm

You’re missing the point.

I have several friends who have traveled to Thailand without any problems. Just because you have had bad experiences, doesn’t mean everyone will.

But thanks for the advice anyway.
MongerSEA on July 28th, 2009 6.14 pm

Another tasty fact for your consideration. If you leave from the “wrong” international airport, Thai Immigration will know your details via the APIS/APPS system before you even touch down on Thai soil. It’s simple enough to target an inbound traveler simply based on his nationality if he’s known to have a weak embassy here.

(Or perhaps you thought it an accident that “rich” Westerners on itineraries taking them through duty-fee paradises in the Middle East were disproportionally singled out for bag inspections at customs?)

And do yourself a favor and avoid completing the back of the arrival card where it asks about income. By the letter of the law it is optional. But if an Immigration official insists, choose one of the lower income brackets.

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