Old Hippie Posted July 1, 2009 Report Share Posted July 1, 2009 "...Just be smart. IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?..." Hell yes! As for stones, etc...aren't these more less a commodity with a set price more less world wide? Like gold, silver etc...? Hence you could not buy say an ounce of gold in BKK for $50 and sell it in New York for $400...wouldn't the same be true with stones? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.. Posted July 1, 2009 Report Share Posted July 1, 2009 "...Just be smart. IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?..." Hell yes! As for stones, etc...aren't these more less a commodity with a set price more less world wide? Like gold, silver etc...? Hence you could not buy say an ounce of gold in BKK for $50 and sell it in New York for $400...wouldn't the same be true with stones? Yes, of course. But that's obviously too much to ask for the majority of the boardmembers here... Cheers, SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangkoktraveler Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 "...Just be smart. IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?..." Hell yes! As for stones, etc...aren't these more less a commodity with a set price more less world wide? Like gold, silver etc...? Hence you could not buy say an ounce of gold in BKK for $50 and sell it in New York for $400...wouldn't the same be true with stones? Not that simple. An ounce of gold generally is 99.9% pure. A gem could be real or it could be synthetic. The 'gem' could also be a cheap stone that is waxed and colored. The 'gem' could be cubic zirconium. Most of the amber I have seen in Bangkok is not real but people buy it thinking it is. As for the markup on gems, there is a fairly large markup that can be had on items sold in the West. But then, I have seen some items sell for more in Bangkok then in the West. Figure it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tartempion Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 1) No not at all. Is the punter who avoids the official taxi que and goes up to the departures level and takes a taxi a scammer? SD The huge AOT signs are to convince the unaware tourist that there is no official taxi stand besides the AOT ones, which is a blatant lie and a scam. Your average tourist is on his own to try to locate any "official" taxi stand. Those who go up two floors to save 50 Baht damn well know the AOT is a scam AND that it is illegal to catch a taxi at departures, who do you try to kid with your so called smart ass remarks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaiHome Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 What you describe is indeed a scam as people are buying something that is a fake. To my knowledge the “Grand Palace†gem scam involves real gemstones that people buy at inflated prices after being led through a carefully scripted sales pitch. It is only when they get home and are told the gems are indeed real but the market price in not anywhere near what they were told do they complain. Sort of like going to buy a used car that the salesman says the “bluebook†price is $12k but I will sell it to you for $8K and then after buying it you actually decide to go do the research and look at the bluebook price and find out it is only $4k. Is that a scam? Or is it just a salesmen taking advantage of your ignorance of used car prices and your lack of business sense to do the research first? TH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bust Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 "...Just be smart. IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?..." Hell yes! As for stones, etc...aren't these more less a commodity with a set price more less world wide? Like gold, silver etc...? Hence you could not buy say an ounce of gold in BKK for $50 and sell it in New York for $400...wouldn't the same be true with stones? Stones are completely different especially when it comes to rubies which is the most common stone traded in LOS when it comes to gem sales to tourists. Rubies can sell higher per karat than the diamonds. Sadly many people buy garnets or very low quality ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MooNoi Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 Rubies can sell higher per carrot than the diamonds. Sadly many people buy garnets or very low quality ones. Fuck me!! If I can get rubies for carrots then count me in!! Maybe you meant karat, Busty?? Just teasing.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bust Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 Thanks mate....caught me in a state of distraction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unit731 Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 I see some that get into the dictionary definition of 'scam' wilst others get into the colloquial definition of 'scam'. There is a fixed or 'spot' price for gold. Melted down, it has a market value. Stones, on the other hand, have to do with the quality of the stone and the 'cutting'. That has a value but harder to determine unless it is appraised. Some purchase these items for an investment and as a gift. If the purchase is for an investment then due diligence should be incorporated into the transaction. A gift is just that. I have been to these places with smart sober friends. The friends have been warned about the value of such items in clear language. Yet, they still purchased something here. One has to assume that this purchase was a gift and not an investment. And the salesperson did make all sorts of claims about the value and content of such items. If you allow some tuk-tuk or taxi driver to hustle you to one of these shops - then you are an idiot (or a newbie tourist). In a general sense, I think that shopping at these establishments by this method is a scam. Maybe not a scam in the dictionary sense. Just ripping off dumb tourists - therefore a scam. So is ripping off any tourist at any place a scam? Well, yes, in my book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Hippie Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 My question was actually more along the lines of...is a legit ruby, say 2 kt..that is worth say $1500 in New york also worth that in Paris, L.A. Milan. BKK etc...? assuming we are talking retail here, not whole sale. Does the market/geographical location factor in? or is it the same as gold, worth more less the same the world over? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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