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Scam City Bangkok (On Natgeo Tv)


Wallenda

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Did anyone catch this tv show that was on National Geographic channel last night here in Southeast Asia?

 

It wasn't bad. It covered a few of the typical Bangkok ripoffs, namely:

 

* the tuk tuk drivers who loiter at Wat Po, disinform tourists that it's closed in order to lure them to the "Thai Export Center" where they'll be sold vastly overpriced jade, sapphire, gold, etc.--this one was particularly interesting because they eventually interviewed one of the guys who basically said it was the owner of the export center who was the boss of the scam, then a tuk tuk driver said he could get killed for talking about them (this guy didn't seem like the sharpest tool in the shed)

 

* working girls who maintain multiple boyfriends they extract bank transfers from (the one they interviewed confessed to earning $3000 a month this way)

 

* the classic Patpong scam where tourists get lured into an upstairs bar only to be presented with a bill far in excess of what they ordered (in this case, a checkbill of 4000 baht for 2 beers)

 

Knowing what I do know about Bangkok scams, to me it seemed like this guy hosting the show was a bit over-confident in his ability to avoid danger. I could see how one of these situations could quickly turn very ugly. For example, he went into a Patpong bar with a hidden camera, then was arguging with the manager over the bill (tho he was accompanied by an expat who spoke Thai). He went into that export center twice with hidden camera, got caught the 2nd time, had to flee. He confronts these people on the spot sometimes.

 

http://natgeotv.com.au/videos/Highlights/scam-city-F170D894.aspx

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Knowing what I do know about Bangkok scams, to me it seemed like this guy hosting the show was a bit over-confident in his ability to avoid danger. I could see how one of these situations could quickly turn very ugly. For example, he went into a Patpong bar with a hidden camera, then was arguging with the manager over the bill (tho he was accompanied by an expat who spoke Thai). He went into that export center twice with hidden camera, got caught the 2nd time, had to flee. He confronts these people on the spot sometimes.

he might have a team in the background, who can intervene if things get out of hand or a hotline to the boys in brown!

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A hotline, come on, the BIB is in on the deals!

 

In regard to the Jetski Scam in Patty/Phuket, it's well documented on Youtube that BIB not only get their share (which will be almost impossible to prove by Farangs), but that policemen play an active role in the scam.

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he might have a team in the background, who can intervene if things get out of hand or a hotline to the boys in brown!

 

In one confrontation at the export centre, there's a woman yelling at them pointing at the camera (they figured it out) and demanding that the police come and get involved. As our team drive (run) away the host says that in this instance the police would probably not be on their side. The tuk tuk driver also says in an interview that the police are on the payroll.

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