I show you good time mister
Trip Start
May 24, 2004
1
3
70
Trip End
Jun 2005
Bangkok, Thailand
Saturday, May 29, 2004
But I have had every con job tried on me in the book. I mean, literally, it's like they are reading Lonely Planet for ideas. It's kind of disappointing - there is no innovation in it. I took the stories in the guide books to be examples, but no, they are actually what you get. Which makes them a bit laughable I guess.
But they do it very convincingly. I have heard about the gem scam. My brother almost got taken for it. But I nearly fell for it too. Three guys. Presumably working together. One guy I have a nice chat with and he mentions reselling Thai gems overseas - his students are paying for their studies with it. I'm sceptical but take his advice on a wat (yes, there are a hell of a lot of them here. 400 in Bangkok apparently) which was really worthwhile visiting. He fixes me up a cheap tuk-tuk. When I get there a guy explains to me about how I should wait for the monks to finish praying before I go in and then he strikes up a conversation with me. I'm from NZ? What a small world. HE is just about to go there!! He has just tripled his money selling gems in Singapore. He shows me his card - he is with the trade ministry. He shows me the card of who he sold them to in Singapore. Now I fall for it. Figure the wat advice was good. Go in the tuk-tuk, figuring even if I can't sell them in Singapore, surely they're at least good value for a present for somebody. Luckily, by the time we get there I reconsider. It's gotta be a con. In retrospect, I can't imagine how I fell for such a line. It's just so weird - it's so well orchestrated considering the lack of inventiveness.
At the moment I'm going on the rule-of-thumb that if you get a cheap tuk-tuk (5 - 10 baht) then it is probably a scam. So if you're not in on it, you're the target. I've had all the others too. The first tour I did they took me to every shop under the sun. I had to point out tourist sites on my map to get them to take me there. And I bought that ticket from tourist info at the airport. But I think she was a bit of a druggie - she kept on snorting something during the tour. I get the "oh, sorry that wat/palace/event just closed, but I take you somewhere better". I think someone tried to set me up to be a sugar-daddy or rolled today (amazing how many people have been or are going to NZ). I've had birdseed literally thrown at me and then they demand money as they gave it to me to feed the birds. I'm not sure what happens when the tuk-tuk drivers offer the ping-pong girls (and they do this a lot). Presumably they get a cut from the show, but their natural inclination must be to con you as well. Perhaps they actually take you to a tourist spot.
Its a pity, as Thais are meant to be very friendly. So I'm sure at least some of the people I ignore are just trying to help a tourist. A couple I bumped into day had had at least one genuine experience.
