Tuk Tuk drivers = Criminals

[clubsiam]

OK. here is why I am pursuing this.

I have owned a tourist related business in Thailand.

Everyday, I heard my customers tales of the scam artists they had to wade thru all over town.

I've had friends, relatives, clients get scammed by this group.

There is an army of scammers out there, placed all over town, trying to divert them into a scam situation. It has become relentless.

These are not random scammers but an organized gang, intent on defrauding every tourist they meet.

Try carrying a big camera or tourist map and you will be approached by these people. They are everywhere.

 

I've been sending these pictures to the TAT, TAC, Tourist Police since June 2007.

 

Since the Tourist Police are in on it, I don't expect it to get any better.

 

My aim is to persuade the TAT to give a proper warning to every person arriving for holiday.

 

 

 

[tartempion]

I also fell once for the tuk-tuk scam.

From wat Po to GP: got the GP closed bullshit, for 30 baht bring you to wat Saket then to shop who will give me cheque for petrol, even if you don't buy anything.

 

Well I didn't buy anything at that tourist trap luxury shop, but many customers were spendig a fortune on silk and jewelry, good luck to them.

 

My tuk-tuk driver was deeply pissed off I didn't buy anything. Waived him away and took bus 8 to my suk hotel.

 

Visited GP next day and happy to have discovered wat Saket. Each time in BKK I go up there, my only contact with the spirits in the sky.

 

Got a nicely dressed guy talking to me at a bus stop one day. Gave me the "where you from" crap.

Paris? Oh, I worked for Air France blablabla, and the man did now his way around Paris. Offered to bring me to jewelry shop with taxi, you know "today special day for king" and such bullshit.

got rid of him, wasted his time.

 

Was stuck in BKK one day on Chinese New Year. Had this man talk to me on Silom, was a cop he said, exceptionally big for a Thai. Also gave the jewelry bullshit talk. Got rid of him also.

Saw the same man a few times aroud Silom and Patpong.

 

I loathe these assholes and spit at them :evil:

[kamui]

I predict a significant rise in crime against foreigners too.

 

GRAND PALACE TOURIST MAFIA PHOTOS:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29324583@N05/

 

ERAWAN SHRINE TOURIST MAFIA PHOTOS:

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

 

SILOM RD TOURIST MAFIA:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29324583@N05/2914066779/

 

 

I would recommend not to write all captions in capital letters on your flikr sites...

 

 

[sayjann]

my first ever Day in BKK i visited the GP and was stopped by some guy and told the GP was closed.

i asked why people were still walking through the entrance and was told people who wanted to pray were welcome.

i just told him i needed to pray and brushed past him and entered.

i had been in Thailand for around 8 Hours and had no idea of this sort of thing happening.

 

but the important question is are there ACTUAL Days when the GP IS CLOSED for various reasons?.

[kamui]

I think most people realize when they might be getting scammed. My question is why do they always pick you out for a scam and how many years have they been scamming you?

 

I am not sure if this is correct, but I presume that the members of Thai360 are less likely to fall for these scams, since discussions about money are an essential part of the preparation of a punter's first trip to LOS.

 

Also, the expats here on the board usually dominate discussions about almost everything LOS, but in this case some seem to lack understanding, because these scams are so far away from their lives.

 

The palace/tuk tuk/gem/ tailor scam is for absolute first timers in LOS, preferably for those who have no experience in foreign culture and for it is unthinkable that scams could be so audacious (US Americans with a new passport, Japanese, Germans, e.g.) - especially when people in official looking informs are involved.

[samak]

i agree Kamui

i also had guests here in LOS. when i left them alone, some of them fell for a scam even i had warned them...

if you speak thai to the people, those scammers do not even try...

[waerth]

if you speak thai to the people, those scammers do not even try...

 

Well they tried anyway when my brother was here on his first holiday a couple of months ago! He and his GF were here for 3 weeks. Luckily he has been around the globe same like me so he was quite good with getting rid of scammers.

 

One day though I went with him to go to the grand palace and Wat Pho. At the Grand Palace no-one approached us. But at Wat Pho they tried. As I was heading in first they approached me and I retorted in Thai. They then approached my brother and told him that I was a fake tourist guide and that they should not follow me as I would scam them. We had the biggest laugh after that and walked on. The nerve some of these assholes have.

 

 

 

[samak]

LOL, that's a good one!

[Stickman]

Fake tourist guide?! You gotta laugh. What will be next? "Oh, he not falang...he man Myanmar no good!"

[khun_khon_neua]

I have little sympathy for the people that get ripped off. They are acting out of pure greed. Anyone that thinks they can meet someone on the street in a third world and end with a 130% profit is just flat out being greedy, they are also being very stupid, but they donâ??t know that then. No one forces them to to fork out a couple thousand USD.

Classic case of people not taking responsibility for their won actions.

Itâ??s the "crimminal" Tuk-tuk drivers faultâ?¦

Yeah right.