Safety First On Your Thai Holiday

By Author: Lucy Lee
Total Articles: 20
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Crimes against tourists do occur in holiday destination such as Thailand. However, most visitors are generally safe and the worst that they might experience is a scam. This is especially true of the first time travelers who are generally unaware of the dangers. Here are the top 5 scams that you might encounter whilst on a holiday in Thailand.

1. The palace is closed
This is one of the most common scams in Thailand. It tends to cause more of an inconvenience than a danger. However it is always good to be wary of anyone telling you that some attraction or sight is closed.

2. The gem stone scam.
This is a scam that has been running for years. Known as the gemstone scam, it involves several players and one or two unsuspecting tourists. The scammers lay out a perfectly laid plan that draws the tourist into thinking he is buying valuable gemstones for next to nothing that he can sell at home for profit. The rule of thumb here is, if it sounds too good to be true... It probably is.

3. The narcotic scam
Unless you want to do a long stint in the Bangkok Hilton, it's best to steer clear of all ...
... narcotics. Thai jails are not a place that should be on any tourist's itinerary, so steer clear. However, one long time running scam, is for locals to sell you drugs, and then to report you to the police. They make money not only from the sale, but also a little kickback for their efforts, while you end up looking at a lengthy jail sentence. Not fun.

4. The jet ski / motorcycle hire damage scam
When hiring anything in Thailand make sure that you check it thoroughly before hand for damage. Be diligent, and point out any scratches, dints or general wear and tear before you hire. It is not uncommon to take back a hired car, motorbike or jet ski, and find that you are being accused of damage that you didn't do. If you do happen to damage a hired vehicle, it is generally cheaper to take it to a garage and get it fixed, than take it back to the rental shop, where they will charge you for it at massively inflated prices.

5. Beware the double pricing scam
Many shops, restaurants, even dentists in Thailand run a dual pricing scam. That means you, as the unsuspecting tourist, pays double or more than the real price. You probably won suspect that it's going on, but if you want to ask, just ask for the price list or menu in Thai, and see the difference. At my local dentist a filling is priced at 500 baht on the Thai price list, and 1500 baht on the English one.

The important thing is to have a good time, but not to let your guard down. Just because you are on holiday you are not immune from crime or scams. So be as wary and cautious, as you would be at home.
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