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 Bangkok: cheating tuk-tuk
driver by vtveen
After arriving by taxi at the Grand Palace some ‘helpful’ Thai told us to use another entrance to buy the tickets. On our way to that entrance another ‘helpful’ Thai told us the palace was closed between for 12.00 and 1.30 pm and it was better to visit some other sights during that time. It was best to take a tuk-tuk (for just 20 baht) for transportation. After a crazy and dangerous ride through the city we came at the first sight (Wat Indraviharn). After our first visit of a Thai temple the tuk-tuk driver took us to a jewellery and a duty free gift shop, but we felt something was wrong and after another stop at a Travel Agency we refused to go further in his tuk-tuk and went back with a taxi to the Grand Palace, which was of course open for visitors.
Vimanmek Palace
On our last day in Thailand we went to the Vimamnek Palace, especially to watch the Thai dancing performances. But at the entrance of the car park of the complex a guard told us we were not allowed to enter the palace in our clothes. We went back with the same taxi to our hotel to change clothes and went back to the palace. In the meantime the meter in the taxi was turned off !!
After paying our tickets we were told the Thai dancing did not take place any longer. And last but not least we saw other visitors during the guided tour through the palace with borrowed clothes from the palace !!
Lessons
- ignore all these ‘friendly’ Thai people on the streets and near touristy sights;
- just say “no thank you”, walk away and find out yourself what you want to know or do;
- never tell it is your first visit to Thailand. Leave a Comment
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We did not have as big an issue with this as in China but, did encounter a couple of "situations". Carry toilet paper with you!
Often the toilets are "Squat Toilets" and no paper is provided.
Women specially, carry paper in your back pack. We took 4 rolls from home with us and it was plenty... Leave a Comment
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Although cute, monkeys in certain parts of Thailand have become a nuisance. They can be dangerous and obnoxious as they will try to steal anything shiny and not properly stored.
Refrain from trying to feed them as this only encourages them.
I experienced being rushed by a troop of monkeys and lost my $280.00 pair of glasses, rendering me blind. Luckily I had the good judgement of packing an extra old pair at the last minute before leaving on the trip.
Although readily available, prescription glasses take time to make.
Monkeys are capable of inflicting disfiguring wounds if you're bitten on the face and every year tourists suffer bites.
Evidence of other people's misfortune litter the temples with broken cameras, glasses, hats, even jewelry.
Be smart, do not approach monkeys. When entering an area frequented by monkeys, make sure and store any shiny or expensive item securely in a back pack or pocket. Leave a Comment
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 Before Leeches in Khao Yai
Jungle by AlbuqRayLeave a Comment
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 Paradise by nigelw6443Leave a Comment
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 Bee Hive by herzog63Leave a Comment
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 Scorpion by herzog63Leave a Comment
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 pigeons by ExoticGal
Come to think of it: make sure to bring your jacket/cardigans with you in case you're wearing sleeveless blouse... I did bring, but no point, 'cuz it WAS closed. Leave a Comment
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Almost 2 months after returning from Thailand, and I am still trying to sort out the mess some kind fraudster got me into. I'd read all the guide books and knew what to avoid - not letting the card out of my sight in shops and restaurants, etc. I even went one better than that, I thought. I avoided using my cards, preferring to pay cash everywhere I went. All except for one occasion, changing a flight routing, where I had to use it.
So, I'd left Thailand and while in Singapore was checking my bank accounts on-line. There was a charge for 20,000 baht on my Visa card from one Lanna Antiques in Chiang Mai. I hadn't bought anything with the card, hadn't been to Chiang Mai and had left Thailand before the transaction took place. Great.
I called my bank who said they'd investigate. They requested paperwork from the shop and apparently whatever came through wasn't legible so they credited my account. I thought that was the last of it. But no. A few weeks later my bank called me up to tell me another voucher had arrived, this time with an imprint of my card. Impossible!
It was a case then of me having to photocopy pages of my passport to show I wasn't in the country at that time. I could have been though in other circumstances.
So, how did it happen? The short answer is, I don't know. If someone really did get a hold of my card it could only have been when I had left it in hotel and guest house safe boxes - people I thought I could trust.
The moral of the story is just be very careful with your plastic as there are a lot of devious people out there and sorting out the ensuing mess can be a real headache. If you can't prove your innocence, it might even end up costing you money. Leave a Comment
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As sited on wikitravel.org
Beware of all offers of gems and (supposedly) precious stones. These sophisticated & highly professional "special discount" scams, often involving promises of high resale value back home at a supposedly huge profit, sometimes even employ foreigners to act as satisfied customers.
Beware of tuk-tuk drivers offering all-day tours for prices as low as 10 baht. You may be taken on a full-day tour but you will only end up visiting one gem & souvenir shop after another. The driver gets a commission if you buy something and gas coupons even if you don't.
Insist on the meter for taxis, and agree on a price in advance for tuk-tuks. If they refuse, or quote silly prices, just walk out and get a different one, they're rarely in short supply.
Be highly skeptical of anyone telling you that your intended destination is currently closed (including skytrain and subway stations), or offering discount admissions. Temples are almost always free (the main exceptions are Wat Phra Kaew and Wat Pho) & open just about every day of the year. Anyone telling you otherwise is most likely out to scam you.
There is no such thing as a Lucky Buddha or Lucky Buddha day! Touts are out to trick you into getting a tuk-tuk to visit several souvenir shops or a gem scam shop.
At popular tourist sites, if an English-speaking Thai approaches you out of the blue and strikes up a conversation, be wary, they are almost certainly selling something. If they ask you if it's your first time in Thailand, it's probably best to answer 'no' and walk away.
Beware of private bus companies offering direct trips from Bangkok to other cities with VIP buses. There are a lot of scams performed by some private bus companies. The so-called direct VIP trips may end up changing three or four uncomfortable minibuses to the destination, the 10-11 hours trip may be 17-18 hours. Try to book public BKS buses from the main bus terminals.
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