Bangkok a city with 20 million tourists who visit First of all, do not get us wrong, Bangkok it is an amazing city to visit . However, Bangkok is a city with 20 million tourists who visit here every year and you better be sure that there will be people out here to scam you if you’re traveling here.
So, we’re going to tell you how to be safe in this amazing city . We’re just wish to tell you how to keep your hard-earned money to yourself and not to the scammers so here we go.
Bangkok Tourist Scam No. 1: Royal Palace is closed today
There are scammers who act like tour guide or Tuk-Tuk Driver (Local Taxi) or local who “trying to be helpful” that approach you and telling you that the Royal Palace is closed today as there’s a special event. They even show you the newspaper cuttings or news in his or her smart phone.
You can’t go in and chances are they’ve got a special temple that they’ll take you to that’s even better than the royal palace. Well, don’t listen to those people standing in front of the Royal Palace to tell you it’s closed . The chances are it’s not. There might be like a 1% chance the palace is closed for the year. Also, you can go in and check on ticket counter or palace guard or police in duty.
Another possible scammers trying to stop you on your way heading to the Royal Palace, they will tell you that your need to wear a pants or long sleeves or your attire cannot into place, please do not stop by. You can ask the guards or ticket counter , they just have a little bit of a different interpretation.
Bangkok Tourist Scam No. 2: Fixed Price Taxi Scam
The second big tourist scam in Bangkok is the fixed-price taxi scam. This is one that always happened to tourists that on their way from the airport but it’s essentially the taxis don’t want to use the meter and they want to quote you a fixed-price. For your information taxis by law in Bangkok have to use the meter and so if they’re telling you that it’s a certain price you should basically just ignore them and say they need to start the meter when you get in the car. Also, make sure you can see the meter and make sure they start the meter and if the meters not started just get out right away .
Here is what actually happened to us in last trip to Bangkok, it was from the airport coming into town the taxi driver had his hat over the meter so we couldn’t see it when we got to our destination the taxi driver said the price is 800 baht.I said hey what’s the meter say the meter said it was 250 baht so he was charging more than twice the price of actual fare.
Please make sure you don’t get caught with the meter scam also you’ll see tuk-tuk a lot in Bangkok. For your information tuk-tuk do charge a fixed price and they’ll be probably three to five times the price of a taxi. Beware of a scam where tuk-tuk driver will tell you it’s cheaper if he takes you to just a few destinations before where you want to go because chances are those will be places they’ll get a kickback like a medicine shop or restaurant you might not be able to leave until you buy something.
Bangkok Tourist Scam No. 3: Taxi Driver & Tuk-Tuk
The third big tourist scam in Bangkok to avoid this is also about taxis. So, there’s a lot of taxi tourists scam because everybody’s taking taxis in Bangkok. This the scam is the taxis driver that will take you to a place that sounds the same as where you want to go but isn’t the same. Because of there’s so many shop or venue poe temple in Bangkok that sound the same. They might be taking you one not quite as famous but also gives them a little bit of a kickback. In general ,I would say it’s important to know in Thailand what the location looks like what is the venue it looks like in your guidebook. Its also best if you have like cellphone service that has Google Maps or Waze to follow where you’re going so you know that they’re actually taking it to the place you want to go to.
If you have it on a map and they think you know where it is chances are they will take you to where you actually want to go. By the way I think it’s generally good advice to also avoid taxis when it’s somebody standing up on the side of the street just saying “taxi…. taxi” or saying ” where do you want to go..” . Where you’ll see that in particular is on your arrival in Bangkok in the airport there will be tons of people standing around the arrivals hall asking you where you want to go or if you want to taxi.
I strongly advice you that when you get here at the airport you also want to take one of the official taxis in that taxi stand which is on kind of the ground level but that doesn’t mean that they won’t put a hat over their meter . Of course, no every taxi driver or Tuk-tuk driver is bad, or scammer, just be little careful when dealing them and avoid miscommunication.
You can also use the the famous car hailing app such as Grab. This will save you lots of hassle and tons of communication issues.
Bangkok Tourist Scam No. 4: Massage Shop Scam
Bangkok tourist scam number four this one’s called the massage shop scam. So what this happens is in touristy areas there will be a lot of people advertising for massage shops. Some legit some not. These massage shop facing main road they’re probably okay but if you see in the saw shop manager who says “Hey mate, I got a great deal half the price of what those people charging my shop look at just down the alley let me take you to there.”
It is already show you a very bad sign. They take you where the shop is and then they ask you to pay cash up front to him before go in. Thus, you pay cash and this manager of the massage shop. Then he might say he’s got someplace else to go or he is going to get more customers but just go inside my staff will take care of you, so you go inside you get your massage . Then the staff will ask you for money and tell that the so-called manager doesn’t work here.
The moral of the lesson is only pay right inside or right after the service is done at the actual place of massage. In Bangkok is kind of big rule of thumb that you never pay somebody on the street for anything that’s a service other than like a hard product that you’re actually getting.
Bangkok Tourist Scam No. 5: Bird Feeding Scam
It is often happens out in front of the Royal Palace it’s not only people telling you the Royal House is closed but also people who are feeding birds. They will feeding birds out in front of the Royal Palace , if you go near them trying to take some photos or merely see them feeding birds and they will be “friendly’ and ask you if you interested to feed the birds? They will kind enought offer you some of their bird food you feed the bird and then they tell you that bird food was 300 Baht. So, don’t fall for it if someone’s feeding the birds just let them feed it.
Bangkok Tourist Scam No. 6: Wrong Change Scam & Fake Currency Scam
Bangkok tourist scam number six this one’s the wrong change scam tourists who come to Bangkok usually don’t know what Thai Baht (Thail money) looks like. This might often happen in convenience stores like 7-eleven, Family Mart , where the change you get back isn’t what you expected. So, please do count your money before you leave the counter.
There’s also a version of the scam that’s the fake currency scam where if you give them a high value bill they’ll take it to the back of counter or office to make some change but they will come back with a different bill and tell you that it’s counterfeit.
The moral of story is that if you’re giving them a high value bill one of the tips is look at this serial number before you give it to them. Try to remember that and see if the bill they brought you back is actually the right one, particularly if they’re taking your money away and getting changed with it.
Bangkok Tourist Scam No. 7: ATM (Well…almost a scam)
Please also note that if you use an ATM in Thailand. If you use foreign cards in Thailand ATMs , it’ll often ask you do you want to use the dynamic currency conversion to withdraw money in your own currency? PLEASE DO NOT choose that option that’ll be about a 10% hit! Just take the money out in local baht and you’ll pay a fee with your bank but it will be less than you pay if you take that currency conversion with the ATM.
However, it doesn’t happen on all ATMs in Thailand , it also doesn’t happen on all cards. But if there are messages will come up and it’ll be in English and they’ll show “Do want to accept the currency converted rate and hey’ll use those phrase dynamic currency conversion , PLEASE DO NOT choose and save some money.
Bangkok Tourist Scam No. 8: Pickpocket and Snatch Thieves
This is common tourist scam in Bangkok is pickpockets. Well there’s pickpockets all around the world but in particular that happens in Bangkok is people coming by on scooters if you’ve got your bag on the side of the road they’ll actually come and snatch your bag. If you’re going by it’s really hard for you to get it and really hard to catch them. So, if you have a sling bag or an arm bag make sure you keep that on the side away from the road so that it’s not easily snatchable .
By the way, you know any place there are tourists this isn’t a scam because it’s theft but people might pick your pocket so I really like those anti-thief bags.
Bangkok Tourist Scam No. 9: Bus and Train Ticket Scam
The 9th common tourist scam and Bangkok Thailand in our list is – Ticket Scam. Someone comes up to you you’re at a bus station or train station where you trying to book tickets. They tell you the tickets are sold out you can’t get there or there’s no more seats available but they’ve got a great deal for you because there’s this new tour run by the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
For your information, Authority of the country of Thailand, they don’t run tours though. Scanners just using their name to make themselves look legitimate get you off the train or bus that probably have seats and get you on there probably run down ramshackle bus that might have a couple wheels fall off as you’re trying to get where you’re going.
Bangkok Tourist Scam No. 10: Friendly Stranger(s)
The 10th comment or scam in Bangkok Thailand to avoid is to beware of the friendly stranger. Well, I know the Thai people are famous for being very friendly. They are they’re friendly they smile a lot but in normal settings like they’ll be friendly in your hotel or they’ll be friendly in the other restaurant.
However, if the person who comes up to you as you’re walking down the street and is super friendly adding you up asking where you’re from where you’re going how long you’re in town they’re probably trying to sell you into some tour some or showing cheap gem or jewelry deal. So, please beware of people that are way too friendly on the street I mean this applies to almost anywhere you are in the world.
Bangkok Tourist Scam No. 11: Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
Tourist scam number 11 is the Damnoen Saduak floating market this market is number six on CNN’s list of the world’s worst tourist traps. If what you’re looking for is the authentic Thai tourist trap experience than visiting this market is a must it used to be a legitimate place for locals to enjoy some boat noodles or shop for produce and knickknacks but today thanks to every tour company in the world pushing it on tourists it’s overcrowded and experience that not many people enjoy. So, if you’re looking for a floating market there’s tons of other ones around Bangkok and visit those and not this one.
Well , now thats our list of top 11 Bangkok Tourist Scam, I hope this can come handy and be safe, not get scammed out of your hard-earned money .
If you encountered any scam that no listed above, we welcome you to share with us so that other can be benefit from the information too. Kindly comment or write to us if you have any unpleasant experiences during your travel.