Tourists are often easy targets for scammers. Travelers have shared a warning about a common brazen tour scam in Thailand. The details were shared by one of the victims on the Reddit forum.
According to him, seemingly friendly people approach tourists and give advice. “People will tell you that, for example, the Grand Palace or something you’re going to visit is closed, and then they’ll offer to take you somewhere else. It’s usually a friendly person on the street, then they put you in a tuk-tuk (an Asian mode of transport) that takes you to an open attraction. On the way, they make a stop, which may be a tailor’s or an artisan’s shop. They will sell you the suit at a discount. When you pick up the suit, they will exchange it for a cheaper version, in which the fabric will be the most terrible, and the suit itself will fall apart at the first cleaning,” he told about the tricks of fraudsters.
However, tourists can avoid this scam by checking online to see if the attraction is open. They can also ask their hotel staff for more information, as the staff has the right to recommend special tours if tourists want to explore the city by tuk-tuk.
Here’s what else a traveler who encountered a scam in Thailand had to say: “It’s the same with jewelry: they show you nice things, but when you pay for the product, they give you something completely different. Also if you bring a “jeweler” to fix it, rest assured that they will replace the stones with colored glass and good fakes.”
This is also a fairly common scam, not only in a tropical country but worldwide, so tourists can easily fall for them. To buy a real jewelry product, experts advise focusing on reviews on the Internet and looking for a store that has been on the market for more than a year.
Taxi drivers also often fool visitors. “Drivers don’t use the meter, and even if they do, it seems to break halfway, or they have to stop to refuel, or charge you for the fare in advance, even if you have agreed on certain conditions before boarding. Fraudulent taxi drivers are interested in taking the maximum possible amount from the traveler,” forum users said.
How to avoid cheating in this case? Use programs for booking transport, as the price will already be agreed upon. Travelers can also ask their landlord to call a taxi for them, as it will be a driver they trust. Tourists can also use a GPS app to track their route to ensure their driver doesn’t take unnecessary detours.
Another popular deception is replacing expensive alcohol with cheaper ones. In this regard, experts urged “not to pay for expensive alcohol, if you are not in an elite establishment with a good reputation.” What to do if you want to taste elite alcohol, but not to be cheated? For example, checking whether the bottle from which the drink will be poured is sealed – in fact, this should mean that it has not been opened and diluted. In addition, you can study the reviews of the selected bar/restaurant.