15 Scams in Thailand and How to Avoid Them

Updated: April 16, 2024

These are the most common scams in Thailand, I explain all the details and some ways to avoid them.

Before I moved to Thailand, one of the things I was warned about was scams.

They told me to be careful because there are many scammers in Southeast Asia and they want to overcharge you everywhere.

Arriving, I felt like everyone was overcharging me, but I was so wrong.

In the end, I realized that they were the normal prices of the places because Thailand is not as cheap as other countries in the region and in recent years things have become more expensive. Be careful, it is still very cheap compared to Europe.

In conclusion, my vision of Thailand after living there for 3 years is that the The vast majority of Thais are hard-working people who earn an honest living. with your business.

The government has also encouraged people to be legal, because Scams give a bad image to the country and then people don't want to come back.

But there are some things that you should be careful or avoid, even if they are not necessarily scams, I will tell you about them in detail here.

1. Vehicle rental (motorcycles and cars)

Apparently, a fairly common practice is to charge exorbitant sums for any scratches or dents on the car or motorcycle when it is returned.

I personally have never had problems, when I have needed to rent, the people have always been very legal.

How to avoid it?

There is a very simple way to avoid this scam in Thailand.

When you go to rent, Completely check the motorcycle or car you are taking and take photos of any damage. that you see.

Therefore, take it easy and check everything very well.

This way, if at the time of return they tell you that there is something that was not there, you can corroborate it with the photos.

It happened to me that I arrived to return a motorcycle and the woman showed me a scratch that she said she didn't remember it being there.

I looked through the photos and couldn't find it, but she had also taken photos and luckily the scratch was in one of her photos.

Even though everything went well, I started to take the photos more seriously.

Don't trust them to take the photos because sometimes they are serving other clients or for whatever reason they don't take them.

Another thing that will help you a lot before renting a place for the first time is that look at the rating and comments on Google Maps that have.

👍 Friend's tip: to rent a car in Thailand use this car finder, you will avoid problems and it has the cheapest prices. I have gotten cars for less than 20 euros / 22 USD.

Is it really a scam?

From my point of view it is not any type of scam, That doesn't mean that some smartass wants to take advantage of distracted tourists.

But if you do any harm It is normal that they charge you, as would happen in any country, even yours.

Furthermore, in Thailand many tourists rent motorcycles without ever having ridden one before and it is normal for them to have a small accident and cause damage to the motorcycles.

⭐ In this guide about Rent and Drive a motorcycle in Thailand I will tell you in detail what to do if you get a scratch or dent on the motorcycle while driving.

2. Jet skis

With jet skis it is similar that with the cars and motorcycles from the previous point they can try to charge you for a damage that was already there, but this Is a fraud in every rule.

This scam happens the most in Patong in Phuket and Pattaya, to the point that The authorities recommend not renting jet skis in those places.

If you are in one of those places and want to rent a jet ski, ask someone for a recommendation, such as at the reception of your hotel.

In this case the photos are not enough, because they are a mafia and they can threaten you.

They will try to go with you to an ATM until you give them the money they demand from you. It can be several hundred dollars.

Here the only solution you will have is Call the tourist police at 1155.

👍 Friend's tip: If you want to try water adventure sports, I recommend these from the link on Coral Island near Bangkok, which have jet skis, paragliding and other activities.

3. Taxis and tuk tuk

Taxi drivers are usually the ones who take advantage of travelers the most in almost any country you go to and Thailand is no exception in this regard.

My tip is avoid taxis as much as possible, sometimes you will have no other option if there is no public transportation and you are not going to drive.

Likewise, you will find many taxi drivers who make an honest living and charge what they get.

When it comes to tuk tuks, I They seem worse to me than taxi drivers, because they only work with tourists and unlike taxis they don't have as many trips and the few they do try to get the most out of it.

In addition, tuk tuks have a very large repertoire to get money from you, they are very creative. 😅

How to avoid being scammed?

As I have told you before, avoid taxis and tuk tuks.

In cities like Bangkok in taxis you must ask them to put the meter on, this way you avoid being overcharged.

In case you like going by tuk tuk or have no choice but to take a taxi in other places outside the cities, Negotiate in advance the price you are going to pay.

It is very important that the price is very clear before you get on, that is to say:

• open the mobile calculator and write the price;
• don't forget trade down, the prices for foreigners are never as good as what a Thai would receive;
• let it be clear if the price is for the trip or is it round trip;
• If you go with more people, although it may seem strange, make sure the price is for the trip or per person;
• never accept a free ride from a tuk tuk, nothing is free in this life (I'll tell you more in the next point).

What happens if when I arrive he wants to charge me more than what we agreed?

I am very sorry in advance for what I am going to tell you, but if they want to charge you more with the excuse of the language barrier or because the price was not clear.

The best you can do is assume you have lost and pay, to leave the incident behind and enjoy the rest of your vacation.

Likewise in these cases the scams are not usually of crazy amounts, just expensive for Thai prices.

Maybe for an amount that should have been about 3 or 4 euros, he charges you double, or at most 10 euros.

How do you know how much you should pay?

In cities like Bangkok or Chiang Mai you can use Grab app to order cars, an excellent alternative to taxis.

The app also gives you serves as a reference to know what a fair price is if you are going to go by taxi.

On the other hand, tuk tuks charge more and a reasonable price is up to double what Grab gives you.

4. Temple or attraction closed

This is a common scam from tuk tuk drivers, you tell them you want to go to a certain temple, market or whatever and they tell you it's closed so they can take you somewhere else.

Maybe a place far away to charge you more or stores they are associated with to bring tourists to them, such as clothing stores, jewelry stores, restaurants or tailors.

Please note that in Thailand most places are always open, except government offices that close on weekends and some markets that may have hours only in the afternoon or only on weekends.

Then there are also places that can close on official holidays.

In one of the places where this scam happens the most is with the Grand Palace, which may close 2 or 3 times a year when the king goes to change the clothes of the Emerald Buddha.

How to avoid this scam in Thailand?

If a tuk tuk driver tells you that the place you want to go is closed, be suspicious and Never accept their advice to visit alternative places.

Furthermore, nowadays with mobile phones it is very easy to corroborate information on the Internet.

If you are going to hire the service of a tuk tuk Let it be as a means of transportation and not to take a tour.

Keep in mind that local people only use the tuk tuk for short trips, not to explore the city, for that you have public transport or taxis.

Also Be wary if the tuk tuk offers you a ride for free or for too low a price, like 50 baht (1.31 euros / 1.43 USD) or even less.

Another alternative so that this does not happen to you in Bangkok is to make a temple tour and the Grand Palace with a guide in Spanish that is done by tuk tuk. Thus You give yourself the pleasure of getting on a tuk tuk without the risk of being scammed.

5. Boats

In Bangkok and in many places, boat trips are one of the most attractive things you can do.

But you may come across some smartass who wants to take advantage and charge you much more than the service costs.

How to avoid scam in Bangkok city?

In cities like Bangkok you have to buy tickets for most of the boats. buy at the office or counter next to the dock (photo below), prices are fixed depending on the stops and cost a few bahts.

I have never paid more than 15 baht (0.39 euros / 0.43 USD) for short trips.

Then there are the cruises that have more services, such as this one from the link which is a dinner cruiseIn addition to dinner they have a show and you can buy it online.

In Bangkok, the only boatmen I paid directly were to cross to the little island Bang Kachao (photo below).

Here you do the same thing that I explained to you with taxis and tuk tuk, that is, you have to ask the price before getting in.

Here, there wasn't much negotiation because the price was only 10 baht each way to cross the river, a normal price for such a boat in Bangkok.

How can I avoid being overcharged in other areas of Thailand?

On the islands in the south of Thailand, other places such as Phang Nga Bay and the floating markets near Bangkok, you can easily find boatmen with very high prices if you negotiate directly.

In these cases my alternative has always been buy from ferry companies the trips I want to take on my own.

If not, in many cases taking excursions can be cheaper.

This happened to me in Phang Nga Bay, I found out on my own with the boatman and instead I asked for 10 euros more than the excursion and there was no way I could lower the price.

In the end I did this excursion What was he doing double the stops, saved me from driving from Phuket 154 km round trip to the pier and had lunch included.

⭐ Check out this article for further insights on What to see in Bangkok, where I include the visit to Bang Kachao Island and in this other one about the Phang Nga Bay and James Bond Island.

6. Taxis and Boats to the Floating Market

Another common scam is the floating markets near Bangkok.

Some travelers prefer to take a taxi to the market.

The problem is that many taxi drivers are in cahoots with the boatmen and they leave you far from the market with the excuse that it is the closest they can go and that you must continue by boat.

It is not true, you can get to the market and once in the market you may or may not get on a small boat to tour it, a boat that is cheaper.

Unfortunately, You can't stop the taxi driver from taking you to this place.

If you want to go on your own, the best alternative is to take public transportation.

Although for this market I think the best option is to join an excursion like This is the link that includes the train track market and they go with a guide in Spanish.

⭐ Here you can read more about the visit to the Train Market and Floating Market, what there is to see and transportation alternatives.

7. Shopping near tourist attractions

In Bangkok especially, there are many vendors outside the main tourist attractions, such as Wat Pho and the Grand Palace.

In general prices are highly inflated and I recommend not buying unless you know what things are worth in the city.

The things they sell there probably You can buy them up to 5 times cheaper in some market or in the city.

I don't think this is a scam, but rather they take advantage of newly arrived tourists who haven't had time to find out the real prices.

8. Counterfeits

In Thailand imitations are famous of sportswear, basketball jerseys, Rolex watches, haute couture bags and other similar items.

You will find these types of products in markets, street stalls and in the MBK shopping center Bangkok.

Many of the imitations are of good quality and They can look authentic, especially for those of us who are inexperienced.

That's why I recommend being careful when prices seem too good. If it is very cheap, it is surely an imitation.

If you are going to buy a fake in Thailand, it is your decision, but it is good to know what you are buying.

In case you want buy the authentic product, it is better that you go to the official stores.

⭐ You may also be interested in this other article about What to see in Bangkok: 21 must-sees where I talk about MBK shopping center and other places to shop in Bangkok.

9. Fake jewelry (gold, gems and pearls)

In Thailand, gold shops that mainly sell jewelry are very popular. Be careful if you don't have experience recognizing real gold from fake.

In some cities you will find Chinese stores that are painted red and gold on the outside, before these stores were completely legal and I would have told you to buy there without problems.

But a few years ago an owner was discovered who had several stores and sold fake gold.

Another of the fake jewels are gems., that is, precious stones. Avoid buying if you don't recognize authentic gems and even more so if a tuk tuk has taken you to that store.

If nothing else, another way to recognize jewelry stores with authentic gems is to look for the seal of Jewel Fest Club (like the one above), a Thai organization that certifies the seriousness of the stores.

Finally, another common scam is in the sale of pearlsI don't know if this happens in all of Thailand, I came across it when I went hiking in Phang Nga Bay.

The guide warned us in Koh Panyee, the floating fishing village, that in some stalls the pearls could be fake.

Remember that things that are too cheap are usually fake And if you don't have experience, it's better not to buy without getting good advice.

⭐ You may be interested in this article about What to buy in Thailand, with advice on where to buy.

10. Fake border posts with Cambodia

Another common scam is on the border between Thailand and Cambodia, specifically in the Poipet border.

In this case they are taxi drivers who are associated with an agency that processes visas.

So, the taxi driver, instead of taking you to the border, takes you to this agency saying that this is the border post.

This agency processes the visa, but with a price of more than double what it would cost you at the border.

11. Bars and Nightclubs

In Thailand prices are usually well marked everywhere, markets, restaurants and shops.

But when it comes to bars and clubs it's a whole world, be careful with places that:

• prices are not clearly shown;
• tea they offer free drinks;
• If you are a man, be careful with the very nice ladiesHere you will pay for your drink and that of the lady who orders the most expensive thing on the menu, plus the prices will be very inflated.

How to avoid scams?

The best way to avoid this scam in Thailand is that you look at the prices before ordering the drinks, this way you will avoid surprises.

If they do not have a menu with prices clearly indicated, it is better to look for another bar.

12. Ping Pong Show

This is one of the most common scams in red light districts, especially in Patpong in Bangkok, in Pattaya and in Patong in Phuket.

It is a show where the girls have special skills with their feminine parts.

When you are walking down the street someone from these places with erotic shows and It will show you a menu with drinks that usually have quite normal prices between about 100 and 150 bahts (2.61 and 3.92 euros / 2.87 and 4.30 USD).

Furthermore, it will tell you that the show is free. Nothing further from reality, nothing is free.

The problem is that when you go to pay, the price can be up to 20 times more expensive. If you ask for the menu to see the price, they will show you another menu with the price they are charging you.

Of course They won't let you leave until you pay, Otherwise things can get ugly.

As you can imagine, as a woman I have never entered these places, but I know people who he had to pay between 1000 and 2000 baht (26.13 and 52.40 euros / 28.65 and 57.31 USD) for a beer and let them leave.

Oh, I've also been told that in the show you don't see much and it lasts very little.

The way to avoid this scam is to avoid these sites.

13. I pay to go to the beach

The beaches in Thailand are all public, this is by law.

However, on some islands they will charge you to go to the beach, here you may encounter several situations:

1.-Access through private property

There are many beaches that to get to from the road you will have to pass through private property, such as a hotel or resort.

So in this case It is normal that they are charging you, But in general they tend to give you additional services that are well worth it for what they charge, because they cannot charge for the beach itself.

Some of the things they can give you are Wifi, sun loungers and umbrellas, showers and access to the toilet.

In addition, they are in charge of cleaning the beach.

On these beaches you don't have much alternative, if you want to visit you have to pay or find an alternative to get there without passing through their property.

2. Transportation service

In other places what they offer is the transportation service with a 4×4 or van to take you to the beach.

In general, you save a good walk in the sun and the transportation is worth it.

But if you prefer to walk, in some places they won't let you, They will ask you to pay anyway, although technically they do not have the right to do so.

Unfortunately, you have no way to win because in many of these places they are gangsters and they can threaten you.

In these cases, if you don't want to pay, you will have no choice but to go to another beach.

😎 You may also be interested in this article about 9 Best Beaches in Thailand.

14. Dangerous access to charge parking

This is a specific case that happens in Koh Samui when visiting the Overlap Stone, that is, the rock that overlaps.

When going up the mountain, there is a place before reaching the viewpoint that the owner of a house He put up a sign saying that it is dangerous to continue going up by car or motorcycle., which is a lie.

Very conveniently he has a paid parking lot, although he charges very little for the parking lot. But I think it's bad for people who have problems walking or want to get in their vehicle simply out of preference.

In this case, if you continue nothing will happen to you, he can't do much either.

The way to avoid situations of this type is to read about the visits you are going to make, I usually warn about this type of things on the blog.

⭐ Check out this article for further insights on What to see in Koh Samui: 10 best plans, including the viewpoint at the Overlap Stone.

15. Charge for access to natural spaces

I have seen this in two places, in Koh Samui and Koh Tao, but it does not mean that there are also more places in Thailand that do it.

Be careful, what I'm telling you It has nothing to do with the natural parks that charge entry, because that is something the government charges for the maintenance of the parks.

Koh Tao access to Two View Points

On Koh Tao, one of the most popular hiking routes is to the two view points.

On a stretch of the path the lady of a house He put a metal gate as a barrier and charges for passage.

I took the route early in the morning and passed without paying, that's why I don't know how much it charges.

Keep in mind that the road and the mountain do not have an owner, nor do you pass through their property.

But if they are charging, you may have to pay to avoid problems.

🌴 In this guide you can read more about What to do in Koh Tao: 11 Epic Plans, including this hiking route to the viewpoints.

Koh Samui access to the Overlap Stone

In Koh Samui, this happens at the Ovelap Stone, next to the viewpoint there is an abandoned house and they have settled there people who charge to go to the viewpoint.

Although it is clear that they have no right to charge, what they charge is ridiculous, it is 20 baht (0.52 euros / 0.57 USD).

After what the climb cost me, I didn't want to be left without seeing the viewpoint and this fantastic rock, so I paid willingly.

When I was about to leave, a couple refused to pay and tried to pass, in the end they ended up having some cakes with the locals. 🙈

I understand that sometimes it bothers you to be charged for things that don't matter, but for less than 1 euro, getting to that point and ruining the day with a bad experience doesn't seem worth it to me.

Final Thoughts

As you see in Thailand they can be very creative with some scams, overcharging or charging for things that should be free.

If you fall for one of these scams, in most cases What you should do is pay and move on with your vacation.

I know what I just told you may sound harsh, but in Thailand you don't have the chance to win. Even if the police come they will take the side of the taxi driver or the scammer, even if you are right.

Never shout because in Thailand any form of aggression, even shouting, it is very frowned upon and you won't be able to get anything good out of it.

In case you have any dispute (avoid it at all costs) or serious scam, you can call the tourist police at 1155, they will help you by translating and mediating.

As I told you at the beginning of the article, most people in Thailand are not looking to scam tourists, they make an honest living.

Maybe they take advantage of it to make a little additional money if they can by charging foreigners higher, but that is no longer scamming, so always, negotiate hard.

Besides, Be alert for when all the signs indicate that it is a scam.

Although after reading this article you may have been unsure whether or not to travel to Thailand, I tell you that scams in Thailand are very rare and if you weigh all of them, The good things that this country offers are many more.

In case I have left any topic untouched, leave me a comment below and I will help you in any way I can. If you found the article useful, share it with other travelers. Have a good trip!

More about Thailand and Southeast Asia

• 7 Unmissable Excursions from Krabi
• 7 Best Places to Snorkel in Koh Tao
• Khao Yai Tour: The Jungle Near Bangkok
• Classic Thailand route: 15 and 21 day itinerary
• The best Retreats in Thailand: yoga and meditation
• What to do in Da Nang: 14 must-visit spots