I hate being suckered.... Who got you?

[bucknaway]

When you were in Thailand what was one of the tricks used on you to sucker you out of your money?

One was at A-bomb. I Love that gogo bar and will enjoy the bar again when I return in October. Now I can't say for sure if this is a standard practice but here it is...

I was there with a friend and we were going to off a guy for him. We offed the guy and they brung a drink for the gogo boy that we had to pay for. No Problem... we liked him and was more than happy to let him reap the rewards of his cut from the charge we pay for the drink.

The next time I went there with a married couple looking for a guy to off. I helped them find a guy and again they pushed the drink... So I began to wonder if it were possible to off a guy and not have them add a drink charge to the final bill.

I went back alone and offed a known dancer. It was very fast. Immediately after I entered the bar, I spotted the guy I was going to off on stage. He nodded to me, I nodded to him and motioned for him to come off the stage, the host ask me if I like him and I told him that he will come with me. Then things began to happen fast. I refused a drink myself, the gogo boy I offed appeared in his street clothes and then here comes the drink being pushed into his hands, he has only enough time to take a sip and then.... My bill... With the gogo guys drink added to the total.... angry9: They GOT Me!

I paid it... Said nothing and kept smiling.....

I would have refused payment of the drink. They would have probably then said such a drink was required. Ba bye.
I hate being ripped off too.

or lived in Thailand a hundred years ( liked Edith even though she's only 70) to avoid getting conned..don't worry about it..go with the flow..you can't fight it'..it's a community effort..a giant conspiracy...

[bucknaway]

Hey you two.. I sure would loved to have read about how you were tricked out of some money... I have a few more things that came to mind of how I was parted from my money but I was hoping others would contribute a story of their own and I could then share more.....

So come on... share a little :)

[Dodger]

I hired a tuk tuk once in Bangkok and got a real winner as a driver. I told him to take me to Thompson's Silk Shop and handed him written directions, he immediately launched into that routine hustle where he wanted to take me to a different silk shop..."too much money at Thompson's, this other store #1, blah, blah, blah. I told him firmly that I only wanted to go to Thompson's. This guy just wouldn't quit. He must have repeated this crap to me 20 times, and each time I refused his offer.

After about 10 minutes of driving, I realized that we weren't going to Thompson's. We were in fact going to his friends silk shop. I said nothing. When we pulled up to this different shop I told him I wasn't going in. He actually got out of the tuk tuk and grabbed me by the arm trying to coach me into this place. I said, I'm sorry but your services are no longer needed, and I started walking to the corner to flag down another tuk tuk. The idiot then became belligerent and starting yelling at me..."you must pay me money for driving you." I told him he didn't drive me where I wanted to go. He started yelling at me again, and this time my response was even shorter. and frankly. not the way that I usually like talk to people, but I just told him to go get fucked.

He jumped into the tuk tuk and followed me to a busy corner, where, ironically, a boy in brown was sitting perched on his motocy. The idiot started blabbering to the cop who then walked over to me and asked for my story. I calmly and politely responded by telling him exactly what transpired. The cop turned towards the idiot in a somewhat aggressive manner, and with one fast hand wave, motioned for him to get lost, which he did. I thanked the officer and went on my way to Thompson's.

I went to ICK in Bangkok for a party and one of the many personal booze attendants kept downing my drink when it was only half way, and then bringing me another, they get commission. As he was a good looking and kept getting more and more amorous and tipsy I never complained, his efforts at concealing his naughty habit getting more and more ridiculous and humorous, the last he was "secretly" swigging between my legs under a table about the size of a tea tray.
Those alco-pops are disgusting anyway, I was quite happy with the soda left over from the whiskey.

The ICK disco by the way gets six stars for everything but especialy for fun factor. I was the only westerner and no one minded in the slightest and just everyone was happy happy happy.

I once was a bit tired and forgot to check if the meter was on or negotiate a price from Silom back to Malaysia. It was only around 11pm

When we arrived the driver said 400 baht! I looked and saw the meter was off and thought - ok i will pay but let him know i wasn`t happy.

I shouted at the top of my voice that he was Thai and should take care of his country and the people who visit or nobody would come anymore - he should be ashamed of himself etc etc etc

A few thais came from inside the coffee shop to stare and then they joined in berating him and i went inside for a calming drink. After 5 mins approx the driver came in and handed me back the 400 baht.

I told him to keep 100 and have a good think about what he`s done.

You were lucky. Screaming at a Thai male is not recommended.

deleted

[bucknaway]

IN Pattaya again... I was at the Royal Garden Mall. I was on the bottom floor near the KFC. There is a or was a watch stand at the middle of the floor near the door. I purchased a few watches from the girl there and began my walk back to boyztown. I stopped from time to time to look at more watches. One older lady insisted I buy a watch from her. She had only one watch I liked but I told her I already purchased watches. She asked to see them and I let her see them. Right away she pointed out the defects on one of the watches I purchased.

I went back to the first watch lady and she would not look at me or talk to me once I told her I wanted a refund on the watch. So I began my unhappy walk back to boyztown. The older lady called to me and asked me again to buy a watch. I smiled at her and offered her a deal that if she can get me a refund on my bad watch I will buy the watch I looked at earlier. I guess she agreed.. She spoke to a old guy there. He looked at the watch asked me where I got it. I told him and they spoke in Thai again and he sat down at the watches. She came around and off we went to the mall.

We got inside the mall and I indicated where I purchased the watch and she began to talk to the girl I purchased the watch from. she handed the girl the watch and the girl began to count out cash, gave it to the lady and wai'd us both. I don't know what was said or how she did it but she got the refund and I purchased the watch from her.

Then I went to a watch store in Pattaya. They have a big sign on the store that says 100B watch. I went inside and began to pick-out watches... Well the watches are not 100B..... So I put back the for I picked and had to bargain for 1. But the one I got I love it and still wear it to this day.

[Dboy]

Who got me was the Khaosan Rd. tuk-tuk driver. Luckily all he got from me was wasted time, not money. Got the usual "temple closed today, we go gem store", etc. He even tried to convince me to visit the "National Museum of Thailand" (hehe) which was of course, another gem store. Driver mentioned the gas coupons to me as well. Any truth to that? I figure the driver probably only gets a cut from the actual sale.

Dboy

Oh, there has been so many times. I prefer to forget most of them, but one I will never forget:

http://www.thaiwaysmagazine.com/thailand/image/500_baht_note_11.JPG

My first trip to Thailand at the Tawan bar. I hate that place by the way, not into those muscled straight men, yuck.
Anyway, lets just say it was dark, I was drunk, and I was not yet familiar with the Thai money so well.
I tipped a guy 50 baht basically to leave me alone, well I thought it was 50 baht, but it was really 500 baht. I discovered this quickly by his reaction and asked for it back immediately as it was a mistake, but the goofball just jumped on the stage and started jumping up and down, waving the 500 baht note, and mocking me.
Needless to say, I have NEVER been back to the Tawan bar.
Top that one.

[allieb]

A mobile phone store in MBK. I was looking for a mobile phone which had a simple double ring. I hate the irritating tunes most mobile phones play. The guy assured me that the one I chose had a double ring. After agreeing to pay 200 baht extra to use my credit card The guy asked to see it. I gave it to him while a lady assistant showed me the phone and demonstrated the rings.

The phone didn't have the ring so I said thanks but no thanks. The guy had already phoned for an authorization and swiped my card in the old manual machine. (the electronic one wasn't working that day) I refused to sign the slip and the guy refused to return my credit card till I did.

A stand off position with him digging in. I told him that I would call the police and invited me to do so. I stated shouting and crowd gathered. He called me a bad old man and I called him various names and shouted thief at the top of my voice. The crowd got bigger and the people from the shop next door came in. A very nice Thai woman from the shop next door asked what happened and I told her. She started shouting at him in Thai and he handed the card back immediately along with the unsigned slips.

I went with the woman to her shop and looked at her phones. After choosing one which had the ring I wanted I paid by card and signed the slip. I handed her a 500 baht note and said that's for you. She tried to refuse but I insisted.

You were lucky. Screaming at a Thai male is not recommended.

I once was angry in a bowling in Phuket thinking screaming will help, but it was contra productive ! Stay calm, smile and talk about are a lot more productive . :geek:

I saw a real nice material that I like very much. The taylor took my measures and the next day I had a beautiful shirt made to measure delivered to my hotel. 1200 bath, but I have a good quality shirt that fits me like a glove.

1200 Baht for a made to measure shirt? Your gotta be joking !! You were robbed. Even with the best quality silk you should not be paying more than 800 Baht for a tailor-made shirt.

[GWMinUS]

My most forgetable experience was at the Montri Hotel in Chiang Mai.

It was on my second visit to Thailand and I had invited my Thai friend from Bangkok to accompany me.
While checking out, the housekeeping lady came rushing to the front desk, waving a can of nuts and saying something in thai. She then said in English,you eat nuts and not pay. Pay 300B. Well, that was US$7.50 and I knew we had not opened the can. I asked my Thai friend and he also said no. But she insisted, showing me the canwas open, but not much was eaten.

Well, I lost it. Started shouting at the desk clerk about being ripped off and saying I would put this on the internet for all farang to read. He was embarassed but the maid kept insisting that I pay. So I did.
On the way to the airport, my Thai friend said, "You farang really get upset. Do you not know it is just a way for the maid to make some extra money???" I smiled but was still pissed!!!

Lesson learned...

[bucknaway]

I hate the Taxi's in Thailand.
My first time in a cab alone... Well.. Not my first time but the second time but it was my first learning experience.... Anyway.... I did not know where I was or how far I was from my hotel. I had went to Aquarius sauna but it was closed so I walked around and found a main road under what I later came to know as the sky train.

The sidewalk was lined with vendors with all the usual fare. But I did not shop or look. I was trying to make sense of it all and see what I could find in the hope that some magic may happen for me. after 2 or 3 hours of aimlessly walking about I decided it was time to go back to my hotel.

I had to catch a cab but I was reluctant to even try to stop a taxi. I read the guide book and it told me how crafty some could be and I did not want to be tricked. I looked around and seen a red and blue taxi with a meter sign on the top. I walked past him 2 times and then he asked me where I go. I told him Pinnacle Hotel. The look on his face told me either he did not understand me or he did not know the Hotel. Then I remembered that Mr. Jimmy told me to mention the Malaysia Hotel. I Mentioned that hotel and he gave a smile and off we went.

I looked at his dash and did not see a meter. I asked him to turn on his meter. He simply said... "Sorry Sir, no have meter, 600 bath ok for you? You USA, little money for you sir." I gave a little laugh and said no. we neared my hotel and I think I ended-up paying him 300 or 400 bath.... Yes I know... He got me!

And you know who else got me? The taxi guy at the Pinnacle with the beat-up taxi that charges you 450 baht to go to the airport in his crappy cab! He got me once but never again. After that first time... On my return trip I had to pull my bags out of his car and move them to the Taxi I got for myself.

It is so common for Bangkok taxis to accept you as a fare and have NO IDEA where you are going. They just make a best guess (assuming they are even that honest) and then when you eventually leave the cab in frustration, you still have to pay whats on the fare, and then get another cab!

My favorite story was when I was with a farang friend and we wanted to go to the snake farm. After two cabs and maybe two hours (stuck in traffic alot) and probably 300 baht we finally got there. We had a look at the map later. Turned out we were only about 5 blocks away from the place at the start.

My experience has given me the cabdar to know when the driver doesn't have a clue, so I can usually abort this adventure before it starts. But it isn't easy.

My experience has given me the cabdar to know when the driver doesn't have a clue, so I can usually abort this adventure before it starts. But it isn't easy.

I`ve learnt this art too - after twice asking for Malaysia hotel and ending up in the Asia hotel lol

I also ask how far is "not far" and wont get in till they tell me!

I have made a few mistakes on my early trips so hopefully I am now a lot wiser even if I can still fall for a smile on a cute boy.

On my very first trip I was picked up by a tout who having ascertained I was looking for a boy bar took me to Joe's (is it Lapel?). I was taken into the bar, and as a newbie and green invited him to join me for a drink. I took a fancy to one of the boys and offed him. Can't remember what the total bill was but the off fee was Bt1, 000, and this was 1992 or 3. The boy was nice and I think a bit embarrassed about the whole thing. His English was good and he put me wise to the go go scene. He supplied me with boys for the next few days at no tip to himself although I did give him something. Looking back he probably got a cut from the boys. Maybe he saw me as a nice guy and had a conscience. I have been very careful re touts since then.

Again on my first trip I wanted to go to a silk shop and had the shop's card which I produced to the tuk tuk driver who nodded and off we went. The first stop was to a straight massage parlour, and the second, and the third at which point I produced the address card pointed to it and said "no go no money". Strange, but the next stop was the shop I wanted.

Taxies. I once asked a meter taxi to take me from near Suriwong hotel to St Louis on Sathorn. He didn't want to put on the meter and quoted me Bt600. I got out and as I was leaving he said "what you do"? I said "walk" to which he laughed. What I did was take the next cab, used the metre and the cost was Bt60. If a taxi won't put the meter on I get out.

The worst and most dangerous moment was in Pat Pong during an afternoon trip sightseeing. This would have been on my second or third time to LOS and I was more confident. It was hot and a boy at the bottom of a flight of stairs invited me to go up to the bar. He held a card which stated that a beer was only Bt50. I went up the stairs and shown to a table. I was the only customer. Suddenly half a dozen naked girls appeared and a show was started. Two chubby naked girls sat one each side of me and pressed against me. I was held in a lock. I don't think I could have moved under or over the table either. As each girl finished her act she appeared in front of my table and toasted me with a drink. In less than five minutes I asked to leave and the bill was produced. I nearly fainted, it was for thousands. I said I wouldn't pay as I had had only one beer and was told downstairs that it would be Bt50. I was informed I had to pay for the show and the girlsтАЩ drinks and I don't know what else. The whole scene turned nasty. The two girls pushed up tighter against me, two Tawan type guys appeared at the doorway blocking my exit, and the barman, and I think the mamasan or boss appeared in front of me saying I must pay. At this point I produced my wallet, showed I had only about Bt3000 in it and said that was all I had and was leaving Thailand that night. I luckily didn't carry a credit card, and having had my pocket picked on my previous trip had adopted a practice I still use today of putting a 'daily allowance' in the wallet. I turned out my pockets to show they were empty. I then did something rather silly but was so mad at having got caught I took back Bt1000 and said I needed this for the taxi to take me to the airport. There was a stunned silence and then the boss man shrugged his shoulders said something in Thai, took the Bt2000 and the two chubby girls moved and let me out. I have often broken out in a sweat thinking of this incident and how violent it could have turned out. Why it didn't I don't know. Since that day I never go up the stairs to a bar regardless what I'm told by the boys in the street. The exception is the bars in Soi Twilight which are ok.

I'm sure if I continue to visit Thailand, and as I travel alone, I'll get caught a few more times. It just gets that little bit harder for them to succeed.

As a working member of the taxi drivers union I do like a story where the taxi driver gets himself a little extra "tip" and as for the guy in the tuk tuk who was pished as a fart and got his dick out.....I'd have punched your lights out and took your money as well so you got off light.

[Dodger]

Hmmmm...

Interesting trend.

90% of the rip off experiences being shared on this thread have to do with taxi's (or tuk tuks) in Bangkok. Could it be that 90% of the taxis (and tuk tuks) in Bangkok are rip off's? I think the answer is YES.

I guess that's why I like the song teaws in Pattaya. Hand the guy a 20 baht coin...smile and give a quick sawatdee krub...and walk away.

[bucknaway]

Oh.. The touts... I did have one bad experience with a Tout in the Silom area. It was my 2nd trip back to Thailand and my first night off the plane. I kinda knew I came back too soon after my first trip to Thailand but I wanted to relive the magic of it all.

I had checked into the Pinnacle and was off to Silom. I gave a very short visit to Telephone pub and decided I would see what was happening in the straight gogo bars. So off I go.. I decided I would go where all the touts are and all the women who yell for me to come to their bar.

A tout urged me to enter his bar... I nodded and followed him up some stairs. Once inside I noticed only a few customers and a few nude women dancing and one woman with a decent size cock... She had to be Pre-op... Well I sat down and a woman came to me and asked me my drink choice. I ordered a Singah and she charge was 160 bath I think.. I gave her a 500 baht note and when the change came back, It was on a tray and all in coins!

I forgot to mention that before my drink came a guy came to ask me for money for the tout, I gave and I forget how much, then a woman came to me to ask for money for the show, I gave but I was not feeling happy about all this....

My change for the beer came and as I said, it was all in coins! The waitress gave the impression she was going to leave with my money. So as she turned I began to pick up the coins on the tray and so did she after she gave a startled gasp! So we were both in a race to get MY MONEY of the tray. Now she left and a guy came to me and asked me for money again and I said no.... Now another guy came to me holding a basket to me and asked for money in a strong voice and I matched his tone, tried to flex my muscles to make my body look big, my thai friends told me I look like an army soldier and I hoped to use that to my favor so I put on a stern face to make them think I was ready to fight... I stood-up, he backed away and I made my way out as they spoke in Thai about me and the "Situation"

When I got down stairs, the Tout said nothing to me and also moved out of my way... And that was the event that set the tone for the remainder of my trip in Thailand...

How much did they get me for? I don't know but it is pissing me off again just thinking about it.

Shame on you!
Another defective ATM!
Thailand doesn't need scum like you! No more 30 day stamps for you until you fully cooperate. Got it?

[Smiles]

Hmmmm... Interesting trend. 90% of the rip off experiences being shared on this thread have to do with taxi's (or tuk tuks) in Bangkok. Could it be that 90% of the taxis (and tuk tuks) in Bangkok are rip off's? I think the answer is YES.... "
... far from being yes, in fact (in my experience) your easily-bandied-about 90% figure is almost undoubtedly wrong.

In 7 years of using dozens of taxis (and sometimes tuktuks) I can count but 2 negative experiences.

The first picked me up (way-back-when ... I was a BKK newbie) and dropped me where I wished to go. We were "on meter" so no problem there ... but I knew not a word of Thai and I was mildly inebriated and I tried my best to make my destination clear. We finally arrived, but by a circuitous route and the driver was rather agitated/frustrated. He started yelling at me " ... TIP, TIP ... " (which I had intended to pay anyway). That was rather disconcerting and uncomfortable, but no advantage was taken of: I arrived finally, and he got his tip. But he was quite rude.

The second incident was a taxi ride from Don Muang by a old and grizzled Thai man who turned out to be a psycho-driver par excellence. The speed at which he drove, and the chances taken were far out of proportion to any other ride I'd ever taken in Bangkok (and they all have the potential of being quite hairy) and I had to hold his shoulders in my hands and say quite loudly " ... CHA CHA ... ". He received no tip at the destination ( the Pinnacle ) and I made no bones about denying it. Suphot agreed wholeheartedly.

The Shitty Taxi/tuktuk Experience in Thailand is probably in the same proportion as in other mundane life anomolies . . . that is to say, it follows the 85/15 Pareto Principle: 85% good stuff ... 15% not so good. (IMHO of course).

If one staggers out of a bar at 1AM in the morning with young man (or youg lady) in tow on Silom or Surawong Rds you are fair game for taxi drivers who will (1) not use meters, and (2) charge you an exorbinant amount in the hope that you are an inexperienced visitor and will 'pay anything'. Sometimes they win, sometimes they lose.
All you have to do is walk a few blocks down to Rama 4 Rd and flag a meter taxi. You'll get one no problem. Simple.

Cheers

In 7 years of using dozens of taxis (and sometimes tuktuks) I can count but 2 negative experiencesI can count only one (and maybe it wasn't even a negative). After chatting to the taxi driver for a while in Thai, he decided he would practice his English. His opening gambit was "You - big fat pig"

I feel that I should add that the majority of taxis I have used have been ok with me, but a few ground rules need to be adhered to. And I am grateful they tried to con me on my first few visits. It made me wiser.

To start with I always take an official pre paid taxi from the airport ignoring all the taxi touts.

Always make sure the meter is switched on before you start the journey.

If when the bars close and you need a taxi to take you home always ask how much before getting in. Or do what I do, ignore the stationary taxis and flag down a moving one as they tend to use the meter.

It helps if you have an idea of the distance you are travelling and how much it should cost. Take note of my previous post where I was quoted Bt600 for a journey that eventually cost Bt60. I knew where I wanted to go and the distance from where I was starting. A few Bt up shouldnтАЩt make much difference; after all there is Bt70 to the pound. If I feel he has just passed the Bt70 extra, thatтАЩs his tip, but Bt540 is pushing it.

In Pattaya never get in until you find out the charge. A Bt10 daytime charge can be BT100 at night. Negotiate before as after the journey the Thai will always win especially if the police get involved.

Or, best of all, stay in a hotel that is walking distance from the bar.