Bangkok: How to get scammed and other stories

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After Tom arrived late on Friday evening to lively Bangkok we enjoyed a nice street meal, sampled some of the street food Bangkok had to offer such as coconut ice cream and spring rolls and took in the bizarre craziness of Koh Sanh Road where we were staying!

We decided to get a good nights sleep and decide what to do on Saturday morning.... Mistake number one... Never leave without a plan!

Tom and Rach's guide to getting scammed:

Step one: Step out of your hotel and immediately agree to go and see wherever the tuk tuk driver you've just met suggests.

Step two: Fall for the lies of the tuk tuk driver ... Of course he's from Chang Mai and can get you 30% discount.

Step three: Instantly grow a liking for the tuk tuk driver simply because he offers you prime position in the drivers seat for a photograph.



Step four: When he suggests going to the main tourist office ... Which in reality is clearly his friends business... Gladly accept and thank him for being very helpful!

Step five: Fall for the over helpfulness of the tourist advisor as she sits and plans your whole trip day by day.

Step six: Fall at the first hurdle and panic at the classic line of "the train is fully booked for the next week".

Step seven: Ask the question they've been waiting for... "What would you suggest?" And hang off every word, as your brain becomes attuned to their way of thinking... Suddenly pre booking the next 9 days of your trip becomes very appealing.

Step eight: Don't notice the lack of computers or any firm confirmation that this is not just a fabrication of their imagination! Who needs a leaflet detailing information of your elephant trek when you have a plastic board with some photos of strangers!

Step nine: Don't bother to go away and research any of the hostels you have just agreed to stay in, or cross check price quotations. Instead trudge off in the direction of the ATM happily waving at your tuk tuk driver on the way past to extract the money for your new trip!

Step ten: Never at any point ask for a price break down! Instead jump at the first reduced price she says and take her word that it's "good discount".

Step eleven: Pay the amount in full and accept written forms of receipts as the only confirmation that your trip is actually valid, having no idea who to give them to or even if they are real.

Step twelve: Exit the 'tourist information shop' ... Take a quick photograph of evidence of your purchase, failing to realise that there is neither a phone number or email address of the company on the exterior...Or even a real company name.


Step thirteen: Still not click when your tuk tuk driver is no longer there that something fishy might be going on! Instead accept 100 baht from the manager and sincere apologies that he must have broken down refuelling!

Step fourteen: After losing your original tuk tuk driver try to find a replacement that is "just as good" and "friendly".

Step fifteen: Walk off oblivious thinking how lucky you are to have organised such a great trip!

As the afternoon wore on we began to realise that the events of the morning may not have been as great as we first thought as we soon began to realise everyone in Bangkok...
- wanted to know how long you had been in Bangkok
- if you had organised the next part of your trip and if they could take you to a tourist information centre to help.
- whether you wanted to go shopping to the tailors or gem shop as part of your trip so they could get gas coupons
- knew someone who could give you a good deal
-told you places were closed if they didn't want to take you there, and that it was much better to go somewhere where one of their friends could get you a good deal!

One taxi driver we asked said he would take us to the temples we wanted to see but only if we went to three of his friends shops first.

Another man who claimed to be a teacher on his way to teach a class, and very helpfully waiting on a street corner directed us towards a boat trip and even stopped a tuk tuk for us. We didn't take the boat trip, and walked back past the same guy in exactly the same place helping some other tourists.

By the evening of the first day, we were sick of the scams and how everyone seemed to have a hidden agenda. We tried to get a taxi to china town, and he took us to completely the wrong place claiming there are no restaurants in china town even though the woman in the actual Bangkok tourist office (pretty much the only reliable person we had met all day) had said we might be able to find plenty of authentic Thai food there. The taxi driver then complained when we didn't pay him the full amount the meter read.... Such and infuriating and frustrating place to try and do anything!

The rest of our time in Bangkok was pretty good after the shaky start! We went to the sky bar where the hangover 2 was filmed for a very expensive cocktail and then the following day did a tour of the grand palace which is well worth a see!



One interesting thing that I noticed in the first few days being in Thailand is how respectful everyone is towards the king and the monks. When I first arrived at the train station the national anthem started to play and all the Thai people stood where they were until the anthem was finished!This happens daily at 6pm!

On to Chiang Mai...

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Comments

[A.[fav] Ruthie]

The perfectly ironed shirt !
Well despite the drama am pleased to see at least Thomas you had a v.nicely ironed shirt on in the Sky bar ! Shows they can't grind you down ! xxx