Thailand, especially Bangkok, is one of the most popular travel destinations for its cost and ease of travel. Tourists from all walks of life, backpackers to families, will at one point find their way traveling through famous Bangkok, or the very least, have plans to visit one day in the future.

The truth is though, what most see of Bangkok, is merely the tip of the iceberg. The gorgeously chaotic Southeast Asian metropolis does have a seedy underbelly that, fortunately, most will never be exposed to but definitely does exist. Don’t get me wrong, the biggest city in the Land of Smiles is an amazing place. Whether you’re being sized up as prey by voracious lady boys or facing intimidating bouncers at local sex clubs, Bangkok is a never-ending adventure. However, Bangkok tourist scams can make a good time go south quickly. Generally speaking, most Bangkok tourist scams are just variants of some form of theft ranging from pickpockets to the ingenious long con (think Grand Palace Scam).

As a continuation to our previous 4 Thailand Scams to Avoid, here are 4 more Bangkok tourist scams to be aware of:

Related post:  4 Bangkok Tourist Scams

The $1000 dollar Beer

In a previous article I introduced Bangkok’s Red Light Districts. Walking through, or perhaps getting a quick Singha while watching the lady boys working a pole, is often a fun, and uniquely Thai experience, but the Red Light Districts can be rife with shadiness.  In a setting similar to the Mos Eisley Cantina in Return of the Jedi, Bangkok’s Red Light Districts can be a dizzying ordeal: You got the villains, the shakedowns, and the odd absence of police officers.

One of the most grievous of the Bangkok tourist scams, is the shake downs that occur while partaking in the many theatrical offerings, like a Ping Pong show.  And as wild as that show can be, it’s what potentially can happen afterwards that will leave its indelible mark.

More than one curious tourist has been fleeced upon leaving a bar or strip club by being hit with a 1000 Baht tab from just a couple of Singhas. To top it off, the Bouncers and sometimes even the Manager, will surely accost you until you pay up; and many terrified tourists do, in fact, pay up.

Ladyboy Pickpockets

Pickpockets are rampant everywhere, not just Bangkok. But in Bangkok, it’s sometimes the desperate lady boy prostitutes who will work in tandem to relieve the unsuspecting of their wallets.  One will ply all the tricks of their trade to captivate your attention while the other works your pockets. Be wary when approached by more than one individual as one of them, not so surprisingly, will attempt to move out of eyesight.

The Grand Palace – Khlong Scam

This is actually a combination of two well-known scams. An incredibly creative and prolific long con, the Grand Palace Scam or Khlong Scam, as it’s now known, involves multiple players over a large distance. Often starting near Khao San road, you’ll first be intercepted by a “friendly” local who’ll recommend The Grand Palace as a great place to visit in order to set you off in the right direction.  Along the way, a few more “friendly” locals will approach you (depending how far off track you’ve wandered) who will claim to be either security, or some type of official, and will regrettably inform you that the Grand Place is closed.  Noticing your obvious disappointment, the helpful local, will invariably suggest a great deal on a floating market tour, one that’s even better than the famous Damnoen Saduak – and all you would have to do is drop his name. To gain further trust, he’ll even negotiate a great Tuk Tuk rate on your behalf, going so far as to having a “heated” exchange with a seemingly “random” Tuk Tuk driver. If you take them up on this offer, prepare to lose a quite a few bahts on an unimaginative boat tour of Bangkok’s canals.

Forged Certifications

Asia is renowned for their counterfeiting skills. However, the ingenious buggers have evolved their skills beyond just copying the Louis Vuttons and Pradas. On a recent trip through Thailand I saw fake licenses being offered on Khao San Road for PADI certifications, teacher certifications, and even licenses for airline employees. Give these guys a wide berth. If you plan to go diving in Koh Toh with a “Khao San Road certified” dive instructor you may want to brace yourself for a few shattered eardrums.

Bangkok is a fun, entertaining city to visit. Most of the time you won’t have an issue, but just by being aware of some of the seedier elements, you’ll be that much more prepared in the event something does happen. Be a smart, safe and informed traveler and always listen to your gut.

If you do happen to be caught in the web, don’t fret; just consider it the cost of a story you can tell over and over. Without some of the craziness, Bangkok would be pretty bland and lifeless, and who’d like that?

BONUS:

Not really a scam, but interesting nonetheless.

The Ducks Are Hungry

Call it seedy or outright shocking but Bangkok seems to have an inordinate number of eunuchs created at the hands of jilted lovers.  In Thailand, saving face is key. If you’re a Thai woman dealing with a cheating husband for months or years of infidelity, eventually it may be too much to take. Reading local papers over the course of a year reveals way too many of these horror stories.

If a wife has caught her husband cheating she may note this in the face saving way of speaking a Thai phrase, which means: “The ducks are hungry.”  In rural areas of Northern Thailand ducks are plentiful and from past horrors, ducks seem to be fond of male genitalia tossed out of the window.  Either she follows up on the threat or the husband gets the hint.

What Bangkok tourist scams have you seen and can add to the list?

The post 4 MORE Bangkok Tourist Scams, Plus a Hungry Duck appeared first on Blaze Your Adventure.

I couldn’t believe my eyes. “Ping pong show, you go to ping pong show,” the Thai hawker screamed at both the parents and their 2 small children. An innocent-looking, and somewhat confused Farang (foreigner) family was being offered a trip to the ping pong shows in the infamous Bangkok Red Light District!

Related Post: 4 Notorious Thailand Scams to Avoid

Just in case you’re not aware,  this isn’t an homage to the wildly popular game of ping pong in neighboring Malaysia. This show involves women showing off their skills by delicately – or not so delicately – manipulating ping pong balls, to perform seemingly impossible feats. I will let you connect the dots.

Only in Bangkok baby, only in Bangkok. Anything goes there…really!

Bangkok has 3 distinct Red Light Districts: Patpong, Nana and Soi Cowboy. Both prostitute seekers and curious passersby frequent the Bangkok Red Light Districts for various reasons: companionship, a night of fun or maybe, a shock and awe session.

Whatever your motivations, I promise you’ll never look at a ping pong the same way after a visit to Bangkok’s seedier and more salacious side.

The Bangkok Red Light District to Visit:

Soi Cowboy

This little strip is quite popular with locals and tourists alike. When most ex-pats think “Red Light” they are likely thinking “Soi Cowboy.” There are of course the customary strip joints, along with bars to get a Singha while taking in the entertaining sights. Take a few minutes to stroll the full strip for a more colorful taste of BKK.

Nana Entertainment Plaza

This district centers on a multi-story building in Bangkok. Look out for endless hawkers pawing at you to check out the “prettiest ladies in Bangkok.” Note; ladies, also means, “lady boys”, a lady who was once a boy, or man, in case you were wondering. Some farangs actually prefer the lady boys to ladies. A little more on the risqué side than Soi Cowboy, Nana Entertainment Plaza is a fun onslaught of Bangkok nightlife.

Patpong

By day, this area is more of a commercial district. By night, things get a little juicier. Patpong has more of a dual purpose where you can pick up silly souvenirs or a cold beer from the many night market or bar stands in the district, while also picking up a partner for the evening.

Bangkok Scam Alert: Patpong bars are notorious for boosting your drink bills. The three, 50 Baht Singhas you purchased can become a 1,000 Baht final tab when it comes time to settle. Since saving face is critical in Thailand simply politely decline to pay the bill with a smile. Stand your ground. Or, if you feel things going south since the Thai bouncer you’re dealing with is so big that he can blot out the sun, suck it up and pay the Baht.

Colorful Characters of the Red Light Districts

Lady boy prostitutes may stalk you until you’re forced to sprint from them to save life and limb, or perhaps you’ll be hounded by aggressive touts who will, inappropriately, bug you and your family to visit the all too “family friendly” ping pong shows. Whether you’re entertained by a bar girl cat fight, with each woman slapping each other to win over a Farang husband, or you’re simply entertained by the endless flow of super portly, bloated Westerners who are coming to town to score, you’ll never run out of intriguing, horrifying or flat out hilarious things to see in the famous (or infamous) Bangkok Red Light District.

Also if you want to enjoy a gripping, thrilling read, which does a fabulous job re-creating what the Red Light Districts are really like, pick up Private Dancer by Stephen Leather. It’s fiction, but it’s not really fiction as Leather has a handle on how things work in this part of town.

Have you ever been to any of the Bangkok Red Light Districts?

What stories do you have to share?

The post The Crazy (& Fun) Bangkok Red Light District! appeared first on Blaze Your Adventure.

Who knew you could lose your passport and Baht roll over a can of coke?

Unfortunately, the Land of Smiles may sometimes double as the land of scams. From the infamous “drugging bus robbery scam” to the less creative tour operator shuffle you’re apt to fall prey to a scam or 2 in Thailand.  I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve been caught unaware a few times.  And when this does happen, you can do 2 things; whine endlessly about how unfair life is or you can laugh about your “Siam Scam” experience and share your Thailand tale with friends and fellow travelers to help them avoid the same fate.

Thailand Scams to Avoid and be Aware of:

Bus Robbery Scam

One of the most notorious and common scams in Thailand involves buses, little people, drugs and narcolepsy. OK, that’s a bit of a reach. But not too far off.   Tourists are herded onto a bus and served drugged cans of coke. As the tourists fall into a deep sleep, passports and wallets are then snatched from the sleeping Farang. One variation of this scam even has kids hiding out in the bowels of the bus, rifling through the luggage to snatch the valuables of unsuspecting tourists in the cabin above.

The Lesson: pay the extra 10 or 15 USD to travel with a reputable, trusted bus company. Secure your passport and wallet under a few layers of clothing on your body and hide your money in hidden compartments. Thai buses are known to be Arctic-like environments, with endless air conditioning blasting for the entire trip, so you’ll have plenty of layers of clothing to stash your valuables.

False Bus Claims Scam

Tourist scams in Thailand come in many shapes and sizes. This one is less colorful but oh so annoying. Some tourist operators tout a premium experience by traveling on a pimped out, fully furnished bus. The agency guy or gal points to a picture of a gleaming, dreamy bus on the wall and you happily pay the extra 400 Baht for the ticket. Then, the truth slaps you in the face! When it’s time to check in for your road trip the bus is an absolute piece of shit, probably seeing its heyday when King Bhumibol first took the throne (For those not in the know, the King is in his 80’s).

Anyway, not all Thailand scams are particularly creative but they can still be all the more annoying when you’re stuck on an old, disgusting bus with no air conditioning, ratty, dirty carpet seats and a bathroom so horrifying that you’d rather eat off of the floor of the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City versus using the bus porta potty.

The Lesson: this is a tough one to avoid at times. Just never go back to the agency of course and share this story with all of your travel buddies. The agency where this particular scam transpired is located on Chang Klan Road in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Buy your bus tickets at the Arcade Bus Station if you’re in Chiang Mai. Most of the buses rolling through there are newer, with tour operators in the hub almost always on the up and up.

Lively Meters or Lying Taxi Drivers

Note: many taxi drivers in places like Bangkok or Phuket are honest. The feared Tuk Tuk Mafia was wiped out in Phuket after the military coup of 2014. But unfortunately, some crafty, shady drivers still play games.

Before you step into a cab demand that the driver uses a meter. If you don’t, you’re at their mercy. Stories of drivers in Phuket charging 500 Baht – about 15 USD – for a 4-minute tax ride are not uncommon. Nor are ridiculously ballsy drivers who ask for 1000 Baht for a normally 300 Baht or so ride from the airport.

Lively meters? Some cars are rigged so when drivers tap on brakes, the meter amount soars. This practice is less common these days due to astute tourists. Still, be vigilant.

The Lesson: Rent a motorbike. It’s cheap and easy to drive if you need to get around town for a few days or weeks. Or, demand metered taxis. Keep an eagle eye on the meter. If you’re in the Khao San Road area of Bangkok, schedule a 120 Baht shuttle pick up service for rides to the airport, as these operators are generally reputable and reliable.

Phuket Jet Ski Scam

This one’s native to Patong, especially. Rent a jet ski and after you return it the jet ski operator notes signs of damage – which you missed before taking the bad boy out to sea – and watch said operator charge you 3000 Baht or more to cover the “damages”. You refuse to pay it and the local corrupt police show up, forcing you to pay the fine, of which they get a cut.

The Lesson: Don’t rent a jet ski in Patong! I’ve heard of this scam being pulled so many times, it’s just not worth it.

Do you have any Thailand scams to share?

Note: The Thai people are beyond awesome, and incredibly friendly. Like most places in the world, there will always be a few desperate, unhappy individuals who are going to do anything they can to scam, squeeze and steal money off tourists. Common scams can be avoided. Be cautious, exercise travel safety techniques, and practice situational awareness. And if all else fails, at least you’ll have a great story to tell!

The post 4 Notorious Thailand Scams to Avoid appeared first on Blaze Your Adventure.