'Temple closed sir' and the Bangkok tuk-tuk scam
(Karasev Viktor / Shutterstock.com)
"Temple closed, sir," says the tuk-tuk driver with a straight face when I mention the Wat Pho. If I ask why? Is the answer. Buddhist Day. But he does know something else. For only twenty baht. A bargain right? I smile and thank you kindly. The next one will get me where I want to be. These and other scams mean that you should always be on your guard when you get into such a rattling tricycle. Especially in Bangkok.
They are funny vehicles to see and they populate the big cities like cockroaches. You see them navigating through traffic at dizzying speeds of a kilometer over seventy and you wonder how many accidents they cause. So far I've come off unscathed. It's an easy means of transportation to get somewhere quickly if it's not too far away, but unfortunately there's a lot of chaff among the wheat. As if scamming is a national sport, many an unsuspecting tourist is lured into a tuk-tuk for a completely different tour than he had in mind.
Wat Pho
One of the tricks is the following: At the major tourist attractions such as the Grand Palace, the famous Wat Pho or a national park, an official-looking guide or so-called employee is waiting for you. He tells you that the attraction is unfortunately closed due to, usually, a 'Buddhist Day', or some other plausible sounding reason such as nuisance from malaria mosquitoes. But then there is always a tuk-tuk nearby that wants to take you somewhere else. A nice tour for little money.
More expensive or fake
When you are tired from the heat, sometimes you cannot escape the power of persuasion that completely overwhelms you. And before you know it you tear past souvenir shops, jewelery shops and clothing stores, where you are almost forced to buy something. And you are always overpriced. Because the driver, the helpful guide and the shopkeeper have to earn money from it. My tip: Ignore it, walk to the entrance and see for yourself whether it is open and buy your ticket there. Because the tickets that are offered outside are either more expensive or fake.
Commission
And not only if you want to go to something touristy can things go wrong. For example, if you want to get from the station to your hotel, they will perform to pass somewhere else for their commission. Just sit there and demand that he take you to the specified destination for the same agreed amount. The tricycle is actually unsuitable for longer distances. As a passenger you have no view except asphalt, car wheels and the back of the driver and you breathe exhaust fumes. Because there is no meter you have to negotiate the price again and again. As a result, the rate is higher than with the taxi, which is faster, more comfortable and, above all, safer.
Indeed tried several times with us. They then go to jewelers, clothing, etc.
Usually the alternative ride that they offer very cheaply, goes to a jeweler, tailor, or other seller, where these Tuk Tuk drivers get their percentages or other benefits.
Although you see and hardly hear about tourism scams all over the world, I often get the impression that sometimes tourists behave so stupidly that they almost ask for it themselves.
Years ago I experienced an organized tour where people told the tour guide that they had difficulties ordering their flight tickets from Phuket to Bangkok.
Although you have travel agencies at the airport and everywhere in Phuket, the Tour Guide who smelled money immediately offered his help.
Because these tourists had already said in the conversation with this friendly Tour Guide that they had difficulties ordering these airline tickets, a strongly increased price was of course already programmed.555
I sat in the front of the bus, and because I already understood enough Thai, I heard the Guide calling a travel agency, who would bring him the Tickets of 900 Baht each (Kao roy) in the evening.
Because I saw the couple who ordered these Tickets late at night somewhere in a bar in Patong, I was very curious what they had finally paid?
The Tour Guide, who of course told them that he had had a lot of trouble and luck, could still have delivered 2 tickets for 3.500 Baht for them. So count your winnings.555
The couple was so happy about this delivery that they also tipped him a few hundred Baht.
Because I didn't want to embarrass the Tour Guide and these tourists, I of course kept silent, and let both of them be happy.
You could say it's not a scam but a trade, but given this price, where is the line between trading and a scam?
These guides are severely underpaid and exploited by the travel organizations. So if a few, in his opinion, rich tourists act so dependently, behave foolishly, are not even able to buy a ticket independently and they say yes and amen to everything, then it does not surprise me that he sees a trade in it . So 1700 bath earned. Just a fair commission. It's not even 50 euros by the way. But a lot of money for the average Thai.
It can also be done differently.
About 40 years ago we made our first trip to Thailand
While walking somewhere a limousine stopped, a very muscular thai got out and said “you get into the car”
That was not what “you” intended, but yes, we would never win this.
So we got in and in the limo was a little Thai who asked if we wanted a sightseeing tour.
He had just been appointed to the government and wanted to improve his English.
So he picked up tourists and showed him his city provided we spoke English and corrected him when he made mistakes.
Never had such a fantastic city sightseeing,
I can also talk about this…. The first time I experienced the scam in Pattaya. That was about thirty years ago… I was walking on the road along the beach there and a man came up to me and asked where I was from. I said the Netherlands and he immediately told enthusiastically that he had been there before and he had many friends in the Netherlands.
Immediately afterwards he said, do you know how I paid for the trip to the Netherlands? No, I did not know that. He bought jewels cheaply and sold them in the Netherlands! And coincidentally there was now a big sale and he knew an address where I was guaranteed not to be cheated.
Let's see I replied and he took me on foot to a shop across the street. Inside, I was given an accelerated lesson in looking at jewelry and distinguishing the real from the fake. And then the question came: how much was I planning to buy, the more, the bigger the discount. “Shy” I stuttered that I found everything exciting, but I had no money. Oh well credit card was no problem. When I suggested that I should discuss this with my wife first, they thought it was ridiculous that as a man I needed to do that.
To get out without losing face on both sides, I explained that I was a flight attendant and came to Thailand almost every month. I would then come back the following month. Satisfied with that answer, I left.
A few years later: I was traveling in Bangkok with a colleague who was visiting Thailand for the first time. We drove to the Royal Palace…. when we arrived it turned out that it was closed to the public. We walked over the sidewalk and soon a Tuk-tuk came to take us to a beautiful temple for little money…. i was coming to bangkok for years so i said to my colleague watch what will happen.
We got in and he took us to a small temple, where hardly a human was to be seen. We got out and walked around the building and less than ten minutes later we were back at the Tuk-Tuk. When the driver saw us, he got up and “had to go pee”.
We were in the Tuk-Tuk when another man approached us and asked how we knew about this temple…. and too bad, we had just missed his niece's wedding that took place here. He also asked where we came from…. and coincidentally, the niece went on honeymoon to the Netherlands. And how did she pay for the trip?
I filled in the man: probably with the purchase of jewelery and the proceeds from it in the Netherlands and coincidentally there was a big sale today…. to which he stammered how I knew….
I said to him, listen, if you want to cheat people, don't come up with that trite story. It can be read in every travel guide and we already know it by now. Look up some news. Surprise us so we get something for the money we lose.
Then he replied that he did this because Thailand had been exploited by the west for years and he wanted some kind of payback.
A little later his friend the Tuk-Tuk driver came to take us further. The scam did not take place and everyone wanted to leave without too much loss of face.
When we stopped somewhere at a red light intersection, I said to my colleague: and now as the match from this Tuk-Tuk. I don't know where he wants to take us all, but I suspect no good.
A few minutes later another Tuk-Tuk took us to a destination for a normal price and we left our “adventure”. My colleague impressed with his ten years older colleague who knew so much about Bangkok and its practices, hahaha….
Is all what is written correct .. but you are in Bangkok for the first time (so a layman) and suddenly someone says "Solly but Temple closed, but you lucky today because Buddah day, flee tuk tuk ..." even more, that man wears a badge that says "Tourist Police" .. then you trust that man or not?
No, don't!!!! and yes, walked into it many years ago and believe me it puts together well.
And yes again … if you don't buy any jewelry (mainly gemstones) or clothes, they will drive you to a ridiculous Buddha statue or tiny temple in the middle of nowhere and then they will disappear … make your plan!
Three weeks ago taxi from hotel to nearby restaurant, asking “how much ?” … “60 bath” says the man, say ok and finally we give him 100 thb. Well eaten and drunk and at the exit there is a tuk tuk … asking “how much” … “200 thb sir” …. (sometimes they can pronounce the r correctly 555).
Of course you must have driven around with a tuk tuk, but taxi is much cheaper and safer.
Calling a cat a cat, in every big city there is something like that…
My message is "don't trust people with a badge with Tourist Police on it" ... otherwise Thailand incl. Bangkok is and remains a frighteningly safe country / city, much safer than Antwerp where I live.
And then the noise that tuk tuks make… But what annoys me most is to be approached on the street if I want transport. Occurs to a lesser extent also with taxis… Why? Because I'm a foreigner who uses his legs for what they were made for. Walk… walk. Thais don't. They find that strange. Are you tired of…
You should indeed pay attention to that, last year I received a fine of 500THB for excessive walking. I will gladly take a tuk-tuk from now on.
500 bath fine for excessive walking? Explain?
Penalty for excessive walking?
Never heard of it in 42 years.
I'm very curious where and how you managed to do this.
Perhaps a lady was talking while walking and the 500 baht was a relief for her lost income.
Were you running too fast, breaking the speed limit?
@Rebel4ever,
I don't think it's a matter of getting tired but just convenience. Why choose the difficult path while you can go to another location without sweating and also allow someone else to earn something from it? Win win situation.
The tuk tuk will soon only be used at most for tourists and at markets, because who is going to pay more than a taxi with air conditioning? The electric versions are already available, but that is different from the sound and smell of the tuk tuk and that is called progress. The memory will of course remain with those stunt drivers 🙂
First holiday to TH, organized at the end of the 80s. 90 back on your own and of course you sometimes have a day when you don't really feel like doing anything. Kennis had already warned us about the tuktuk cam and gave us a tip to spend a “hanging day” differently. Take a tuk-tuk and let him take you wherever he wants. First agree on an amount, something like 20 0f 30 Thb and see where you end up. Jeweller, clothing, gold store, etc. Stay indoors long enough otherwise the tuk-tuk driver will not receive any petrol/gas receipts. And in those years you were still offered a coke or something soft everywhere. This way you see something from BKK and it costs you nothing.
I used to do that sometimes… also in India… the driver then got pens and other things for his children. It did me good to "help" someone like that.
Of course you also have people who like to move and like to buy a little sweat for this.
When I'm in Chiang Rai I try to stay as physically mobile as possible, and you don't get this if you take a Songtaew, Tuk tuk or taxi for every mile.
Admittedly, many of the latter drivers do not understand this movement, and keep honking to take someone along, because they are used to most Thais that they take either a motorbike or songtaew for every 2 to 300 m.
The advantage of my exaggerated movement in their eyes is that at 75 I am fitter in terms of movement than most Thais in our family, who are 30 to 40 years younger.
Most of them sit on their buns under the house in the shade when the weather permits, and only move on their motorbike to the village market or the 7 Eleven to get some food.
We are going to Thailand for the first time with our family next summer, I am now reading about the Tuc Tuc scam. Can the taxi drivers be trusted? Or do they also have their tricks?
Danny, install the Grab and/or
Bolt app on your phone and you are 100% sure that you will not be cheated. If you meet a driver you like, you can make one appointment with him for a day of sightseeing.
Have a nice holiday and enjoy it. 99% of Thais are honest.
Hello Danny,
Some taxis also participate in this, recently experienced this at Central World taxi stand, because of my hernia I decided to take a taxi to my house in Bangkok, normally with the BTS, the first taxi asks for 500 thb, asked for the meter, no. not him, taxi number 3 no problem, paid 170 Thb at the end of the ride, excl. Highway, so always ask to turn on the meter, no meter then walk away and take another taxi
We just got back, the latest scam is not buddhaday but; big protest overthere, don't go there, let me bring you opposite. Many beautiful things to see….
And when they get the answer that we will go around, you see them looking stupid.
This happened to us twice in three days near khaosan road, old town. It is unlikely that they will riot on Khaosan while it is full of tourists, but the week before I did experience a small protest at the government building, just keep looking around and if there is a crowd of people somewhere, walk or turn around. We regularly take the bus in Bangkok, fun to do and you see something.