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Keep a lookout for this list of common scams and tourist traps in Bangkok, Thailand during your next vacation – keep your money safe from scammers!
Bangkok is a popular vacation spot for many people, and for good reason. Their majestic temples and landmarks, unique shopping spots, and divine Thai food are hard to find anywhere else! The majority Buddhist nation is also one of the friendliest around – most locals are more than happy to chat or give you directions.
However, Bangkok’s popularity with tourists also means that there are people who are willing to take advantage of a tourist’s unfamiliarity with the country. It may not be as bad as losing S$9,000 in Japan, but losing money is still losing money. Here’s a list of popular tourist traps and scams to look out for on your next Thailand holiday.
There are plenty of tourist attractions with locals milling about the entrance. In the case of The Grand Palace, one of Bangkok’s most famous landmarks, you may even be fortunate enough to find a guide in front of the palace!
However, when your newfound friend brings you to enter the palace, you’re denied entry by the guards. He tells you it appears the temple is closed. Well, this is because there are separate entrances for locals and tourists, and he deliberately brought you to the wrong one.
A real wrench in your plans right? Well lucky for you, this guy knows a secret little spot to bring you to. There’s a few places your kind “guide” might take you to and the most common is a jewellery shop. Once inside, you’ll see numerous “tourists” such as yourself buying gems from the store. Your guide and the store owners are better acquainted than you’d think – to be frank, they’re in cahoots!
This is exactly why their stories are so similar, that this is a once in a lifetime deal, and that you can make a small fortune selling these gems back home! Unfortunately, they’re not gems. In fact, they barely qualify as trinkets.