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Thai Con Artists ruin holidays


clubsiam
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"It is impossible even for a qualified gemologist to tell the difference between genuine and fake gems without the proper equipment. If you buy gems without getting them tested independently, you are buying solely on the word of the salesman or store."

 

"What's more, the value of gem stones can vary tremendously, according to cut, clarity or origin - and unlike gold, the prices are not standardised across the world."

 

The above is exactly why I can't get too worked up about this issue. As has been stated before, it is basically the greed of the buyer that gets them into trouble. If one rushes into buying something they know nothing about without doing due diligence, then, frankly, som nam na.

 

Regards,

SD

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"It is impossible even for a qualified gemologist to tell the difference between genuine and fake gems without the proper equipment. If you buy gems without getting them tested independently, you are buying solely on the word of the salesman or store."

 

"What's more, the value of gem stones can vary tremendously, according to cut, clarity or origin - and unlike gold, the prices are not standardised across the world."

 

The above is exactly why I can't get too worked up about this issue. As has been stated before, it is basically the greed of the buyer that gets them into trouble. If one rushes into buying something they know nothing about without doing due diligence, then, frankly, som nam na.

 

Regards,

SD

 

SD,

The other variation on the gem scam is you are shown high quality gems. Then when you make the purchase inferior gems are substituted.

 

 

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Heh, that reminds me of a similar scam. You go to one of those nice pick out your own live seafood in the tanks restaurants, then head to your table while they cook them up. That's when they throw your selections back in the tanks and substitute them with some lower grade dead stuff or skim your quantity. Som nom na?

 

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Well, good to see the BKK Post pick up on this and do the article. Maybe it will help a few tourists to not be taken in. But only in the papers one day. It does need to be told in a more wide-spread manner, but how? The TAT doesn't seem to care (and they are pushing tourists to 'buy gems'). The cops don't care. The security guards at these tourist traps don't care, and may even be somehow in on it. And the government does not care really or they would place warning signs at many of these areas and in the airport as well.

 

Cent

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All the government would need to do is place signs at the usual tourist traps in English saying, "Beware of strangers offering gem deals and other 'too good to be true' deals. If it is too good to be true it probably is a scam."

Probably??? No it IS! Didn't their mommy & daddy teach them that when they were 15 or so? I mean really, if they *need* babysitters, then they should stay home. Oh, well, that won't work either...

 

Regards,

SD

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Probably??? No it IS! Didn't their mommy & daddy teach them that when they were 15 or so? I mean really, if they *need* babysitters, then they should stay home.

Regards,

SD

 

Did your mommy really tell you that? What is really your point? We should not try to prevent scamming because a) People get scammed because they are greedy B) They should stay home anyway as they need babysitters

 

I am sure most people buy gems not with profit in mind, but get tempted into buying something they know nothing about because the deal sounds very good. Who in the world is not a sucker for a good deal? That they should have known better is no reason to gloat, which seems to be exactly what you are doing.

 

Paillote

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