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Published: March 10th 2007
I think I have the face of a sucker. All of the guide books warn you of the scams that some of the more unscrupulous locals try and pull on recently arrived farang. They tell you all about them. I thought to myself, "What kind of chump gets suckered like that? Especially after being warned." I have answered my own question. Yes, your hero, has been caught twice (well, maybe 3 times). Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times and I begin to think maybe I should ride the short bus.
Scam one. I went to use a tuk-tuk for the first time, and had no idea of what a fair fare was, and seeing as how you bargain before hand to pre-determine how much the trip will be, I thought that once we came to a mutually agreeable price that would be it and I would be on my way. Well, thats what happened. Sort of. We agreed on a price and I jumped in and headed towards Chinatown. I feel good. I have just negotiated my first deal in Thailand. And we are even headed the right way. Before I know it though we are headed down some of the shady (and I am not talking about foliage based shade) side streets in Chinatown. When suddenly we stop. Now, I am pretty sure that this isnt where I wanted to go. Because I distinctly remember NOT asking to go to a gem shop. Yet here I am. I have been stitched up in the 'tuk-tuk gem shop/tailor/card game' scam. Damn! I politely tell my driver that isn't where I wanted to go, to which he replies "But you here now! Maybe you like some earrings for your lady in USA.' I contemplate telling him that I am in fact Canadian, but figure it is best just to extricate myself from the situation. So I leg it back to the main road and start walking against the flow of traffic so he can't catch up with me. Then I walk the rest of the way. I can feel some blisters coming on. Score: Thailand 1, Carl 0.
Scam two. Picture this if you will.....a mid 30 degree daywith humidity that can give white folks afros that the Jackson 5 would be proud to call their own. I had just spent the last 3 hrs walking around Bangkok, pretty much just wandering. My feet were starting to hurt and blister so I thought I would flag a taxi, as the Lonely Planet guidebook says they are really under-utilized and all have A/C. I then explain to the driver that I want to be taken to Siam Square where I can catch the Skytrain back to my guesthouse. "Sure, sure" he says, "No problem. Siam Square and MBK, yes?" So we proceed to do a U-turn and are on our way. I shut my eyes for about 5 minutes and when I open them I see that we are about to cross the river. Now, I am pretty good with directions and I begin to think that something may be a-miss. So I mention it to the driver, and oddly enough he seems to have lost his previous understanding of english. Hmmmm, most convenient. Anyways I pull out my tourist map and figure out where we are and point it out to him, but he makes like he doesnt get what I am saying, so I just give up and begin to plot my revenge. Well, we eventually get to Siam Square and the cost of the ride is 150 Baht. That is all of a whopping $5. But on principle it has pissed me off, so I peel off the largest Thai Baht bill I have and tell him to make change or I don't pay. This poses a problem for him since he only has about enough to make my change, but then he will be stuck with no change for his next fares. So he begs and pleads with me in near perfect english (oh hello, he must have had momentary english amnesia earlier) but eventually realizes it is that or he has just wasted the last 30 mins of his shift. Score: Thailand 2, Carl 0.
Scam 3. Walking around the downtown again a well dressed man begins talking to me as I sit down to enjoy a cup of coffee in an A/C Starbucks. In a side note, I am drinking coffee because I read somewhere that hot drinks help cool you down. I may have to call B.S. on that though. What cools me down, you ask? Why coolness of course, which is why this takes place in an A/C Starbucks as mentioned. Anyways, I have been burned twice now, and I remember this scam from the guidebooks and true to form after finding out where I was from the man mentioned that he has a sister who is moving to Ottawa (quelle surprise) and would I like to come with him and meet her. To which I reply as I pick up my coffee and walk away, "No thank you, sir. I really dont have time, I have to find a gem shop, tailor and card game this afternoon and I dont have time to socialize." Score: Thailand 2, Carl 1.
The bottom line is this. I guess it is all part of the experience, and all that was wasted was my time and small amount of money. So no harm, no foul. I will say this though, in the last day or so I have hardly even been approached by a scam-man. Perhaps it is the tan that makes me look like less of a new arrival, or maybe I have sub-consciously adopted a hardened look that keeps them away. I hope it is the tan.
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Stuart
non-member comment
Scams
I must say it makes for interesting reading. If I was in Thialand I would probably try and scam you though. I mean I would probably look around myself and think who's the 6foot+ goon that has come from one of the richest countries in the world, who looks like he has $70 trainers on which is more than I earn in a month. And why is he wearing a money belt? Don't eat any dog while your there!