Joanna James
Flying down to Bangkok? Make sure you haven't forgotten to bring important things along with you like your toothbrush, your money, and of course your handy knowledge on how not to get scammed!
Photo via Pixabay , CC0 Public Domain
This one's fairly simple. Make sure you find a trishaw or tuk-tuk, and that they don't find you
The ones conveniently parked and waiting to pick up people for hire outside of prominent Bangkok tourist attractions, shopping malls, restaurants and other entertainments centres, are those who are likely to charge you the most.
They usually charge exorbitant fees that head through the roof compared to their more hardworking and honest counterparts who can be found working hard driving around the streets of Bangkok, and who have to be flagged down by you for a ride.
So the next time you think of hopping into a tuk-tuk that is parked a stone's throw away from your hotel's front door, just don't! 🚍
Photo via Pixabay , CC0 Public Domain
This scam takes place near major tourist attractions, such as the Wat Pho, Wat Pra Kaew and similar others. 🏤
A nice local guy will likely come up to you as you are walking up to whatever sightseeing destination has your attention at the time, and regrettably inform you that is, in fact, closed for the time being.
He will then offer to show you around town so that you can have a good day anyway, despite your disappointment at being able to see the attraction that you had planned to visit.
Along the way, this impromptu and seemingly lifesaver of a tour guide will take you to shops like gem stores which seem to offer unbelievably attractive, limited time deals on items.
These vendors should not be trusted as the items are usually not genuine or can usually be bought at better prices elsewhere in the capital.
If the nice local tour guide offers to drive you around, you are likely to get ripped off in this aspect, as your transport costs will soon rack up quicker than if you had gone around town on your own.
By Ilya Plekhanov (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 or GFDL ], via Wikimedia Commons
Similar to the stunts that tuk-tuk drivers try to pull are the antics played by the taxi drivers.
The ones that are parked and waiting by your hotel door for example or next to the airport, are waiting to capitalise on unsuspecting tourists.
If you are in a hurry and do end up taking one of these, insist firmly that they show you that the meter is on before you let them whisk you away, or you'll be dearly sorry.
Many unwary holiday-goers have ended up paying through the nose when they arrive at their destination only to find that they have to pay whatever ridiculous charge the driver quotes simply because the meter was conveniently failed to have been turned on due to an 'oversight'.
Think you'll be able to argue your way out of paying the rip-off fare? Think again. Some of these cabbies aren't very nice at all, and have been known to turn violent.
So if you do ever end up in a pickle like this, just count your losses and settle the bill. At least you'll leave unharmed. 🚖
Photo by Sven Scheuermeier via Good Free Photos
The lesson to learn? There is a glaringly simple theme that runs through all these scam stories.
The scammers look for gullible trusting tourists to prey on; and they do this near tourist hotspots such as hotels and sightseeing spots, which, if you check online travel magazines and blogs such as Travel Bangkok Now and others, you'll know that Thailand is brimming with.
So don't be naïve and harden your heart, at least while on holiday. Be wary of trusting strangers, and warier still of friendly, altruistic ones who just seem to have your best interests at heart; because it's just not worth risking the chance that they aren't all that they profess to be.
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