Yes it really happend as part of one of the famous tourist traps in Thailand. But there are more ways to scam a tourist.
The friendly helpful guy on the street.
I am walking near the Grand Palace and a smoothly dressed Thai guy walks up to me and says “Going Grand Palace? Sorry Grand Palace closed” and while I keep on walking “But my friend can bring you with Tuk Tuk to other temple” and while I still keep on walking I point out a government sign “Grand Palace is daily open from … “ and just smile back at the guy. Just like once I was just watching this game being played at Charoen Krung Road near my hotel. To help the tourist I told them not to believe the Thai guys (whatever they had told). Once the tourists were gone I suddenly was surrounded by 4 Thai guys that were not so happy “Why you that?” and I told them that they are pulling a scam. Then “We just try to make money”. So I asked them to do it in a better and honest way without lying & cheating. Luckily at that moment my driver was passing and I walked with him to my hotel.
The Tuk Tuk driver and Gems Stone
Once I agreed to a Tuk Tuk driver to drive me around to bring me to shops where he would get money for gasoline even if I would not buy anything. One of the stops was a gem-stone shop. It was a rare opportunity, today was the 1 day of the year that the government tried to promote the gem-stones and I did not have to pay tax. Hahaha yes right, in that way you can not claim tax-refund also. And in that way you never find out you paid to much. I was shown the way of trade of the gem-stones and how they are cut and how to see the difference between real and fake or between good and bad stones. Then of course I was taken to an upstairs room where I was offered to buy stones ranging from 500us$ to 6.000u$. Hahaha do they think I have that much money with me? Needless to say my Tuk Tuk driver was gone when I left the shop.Changing money
Changing money on the street, can be a nice trick also. I once changed 100us$ and was given my bundle of money. While I started to count the money the guy realized I would be missing some money and suddenly he came up with an extra bundle of money.The Tuk Tuk driver and your hotel
I arrived at the bus station and asked a Tuk Tuk driver to bring me to my hotel. “Sorry closed”. Really? “But I know another good hotel” …. While driving to his hotel I knew we would be passing my hotel also. So halfway I said “Please stop” what he did while realizing that I would go to my hotel. Suddenly he wanted more money. “Why? Because you not get your commission now? Sorry your problem”The Songtheauw driver in Pattaya
Songtheauw driver are also a special breed. I needed to go to a shop at the end of the 2 km long street so I took the Songtheauw just leaving the bus-station (full with tourists) and at my destination I did ring the bell and jumped off to pay. “That’s 40 thb” …What? You mean 10 thb? ….. “No 40 thb” …. I am not going to pay that. Then he pushed me angry back in his Songtheauw “Then I bring you back” … OK I have time and I knew we would be passing the office of the Tourist Police. So when passing it I did ring the bell again and he did stop 100m away. I again jumped out and asked him to follow me to the police where I would pay him 10 thb. He starts to yell and call me dirty names and drives of. Welcome to Thailand!
