Tourist Traps

In line with the increasing number of tourists in recent years, a rise in criminality was unfortunately recorded as well. Clever tricks of male and female swindlers were especially found in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Pattaya. Thais usually are very friendly and nice people. But be aware, if somebody acts too friendly and offers dubious services – this is only for one reason: your money!
However, these black sheep should not spoil your trip. Be always aware and sharpen your senses, then you are well prepared and you can quickly distinguish between good and bad. You can inform fellow travelers about the mentioned cheating and tricks. Naivety and blind carelessness often provoke these mishaps.

In places where there are many tourists there are also pickpockets and thieves. Famous and notorious are the gathoeys (ladyboys) from Bangkok, the transsexual and transvestites. They look like women and mostly in the evening they speak to male tourists in the area of Patpong Road. They try to convince them to have an amoureuse tete-a-tete with them in order to steal their money and jewelery. Gathoeys work either on the street or from a car. They are recognized by the Adam's apple (if it isn't operated) and the slightly deeper voice. Other significant features which make the difference in sex usually are modified.

When you are in Bangkok, for example in Sukhumvit Road or in the area of Sanam Luang, Wat Phra Keo, Grand Palace and Wat Pho and a stranger comes to you starting a conversation (»... hello my friend, do you remember me from the Airport... Immigration...«). Then he wants to show you the city, bring you to Thai Dancing performances or wants to invite you for a meal – do not react and let him alone with his bad intentions.

Reports of crime cases using anesthetics are reported as well, predominantly in air-con buses and trains. A young Thai or sometimes several guys start a conversation with a tourist (»Hello, I am a student and I want to talk to you!«). Then, while talking, they offer very casually drinks, biscuits or sweets, which are prepared with a sleeping drug or with so-called knock out drops. Five or ten minutes later the tourist is unconscious and only wakes up hours later without any valuables. These crimes decreased rapidly since the Thai people installed video cameras in overnight air-con buses, for instance from Phuket to Bangkok, filming all passengers in order to identify the thieves. However we advise you to be careful.

The most popular and even most successful fraud is the fraud with gems. It even led to the implementation of a special tourist police force. It usually happens in the following manner:
A nice female or male Thai starts a small talk with a tourist on the street; it's usually a conversation about his/her home country (latest version: a western foreigner lures the tourist). Then he skillfully changes the topic of the conversation and he speaks about a special occasion to buy gems such as sapphires and rubies at very low prices (»...today is the last day of a sales promotion...today is a public holiday and you can buy gems tax-free...today is the Queen's birthday...I know a gem store owned by the government...«).
In order to convince the tourist to buy gems they usually indicate that the foreigners can make a lot of profit with these low priced goods when selling them to jewelry shops in their home country.
Our advice: Never buy gems under pressure of time and never buy from dubious vendors. See also: »Shopping«: Jewelry and Gems in this chapter.

In order to convince the tourist to buy gems they usually indicate that the foreigners can make a lot of profit with these low priced goods when selling them to jewelry shops in their home country.
Our advice: Never buy gems under pressure of time and never buy from dubious vendors. See also: »Shopping«: Jewelry and Gems in this chapter.

Do not play cards with Thai people even when all the other players confirm that there is no risk at all and the chances to win are very good! At the end there will be only one looser...

It is recommended to show healthy skepticism to certain weird personalities from western countries. They cannot or they do not want to return to their country, so they have plenty of “promising” ideas and they have the “best” connections and they always look for a generous sponsor. Small amounts of money are welcomed as well.

It is suspicious if a foreigner uses a pretext to get to know the name and place of your home bank. And it even smells danger if the person asks you then or before that for the favor to deposit something together with your valuables. After that the other person has also access to your “common” deposit. He or she can find out your personal data and even your bank account number. With these details it is possible to order money in your name.
All this has already happened – and there is a variety of similar tricks.

We especially warn you when strangers or holiday acquaintances ask you just shortly before your departure to bring letters or parcels back to your home country and then deliver the item to a post office. They will justify their request saying that the transport is much “cheaper, faster and more reliable” and that the Thai postal service is not trustworthy.
But be aware: by this courtesy some nice and helpful foreigners have been staying involuntarily in Thailand for a longer period – behind bars!
And for the reason that all the drug couriers never had any knowledge about what goods they transported, the Thai police might hardly waste time to listen to anybody's story – never mind if true or not.