PATTAYA MISTAKES & SCAMS TO AVOID!! (2023)

Summary

This video offers tips on avoiding common scams in Pattaya, Thailand. It covers bike rental scams, ATM fees, taxi negotiations, jet ski rental traps, and hidden accommodation costs. The host emphasizes the importance of taking photos as evidence and checking contracts for hidden fees to stay safe and informed.

Takeaways

• 🛵 Beware of the motorbike rental scam where a hole may be intentionally covered and then revealed upon return to charge you extra.
• 📸 Protect yourself by taking photos and videos of the bike from all angles as evidence against potential scams.
• 🏧 Watch out for ATM fees; using overseas cards can incur charges of 220 Baht per transaction plus any bank fees.
• 💸 Save money by using TT exchanges less frequently and adapting to Thailand's cashless society.
• 🚕 Always negotiate the taxi fare before starting the trip to avoid unexpected charges and consider using fixed-rate apps like Bolt or Grab.
• 🛥 Be cautious of the jet ski scam, where damage claims can be inflated; take photos and ensure the jet ski has sufficient fuel.
• 🏨 Be aware of the 'great room scam' where additional bills like utilities may not be included in the advertised price.
• 🔍 Read contracts and terms carefully, especially the fine print, to avoid unexpected costs.
• 🚶‍♂️ Thailand is generally safe but stay vigilant against common scams to ensure a pleasant experience.
• 📈 Thailand ranks 95 on the list of most dangerous countries, indicating it's not as bad as perceived, but caution is still advised.
• 📹 The video aims to inform and educate viewers on how to avoid common scams in Thailand, making them wiser travelers.

Q & A

What is the first scam mentioned in the video about Thailand?

The first scam mentioned is related to renting motorbikes. You pay a deposit and when you return the bike, the rental shop might cover up a hole or damage with epoxy, claiming you caused it.

How can you protect yourself from the motorbike rental scam in Thailand?

You can protect yourself by taking photos and videos of the bike from all angles before renting it, so you have evidence in case of any disputes.

What is the ATM mistake that many tourists fall for in Thailand?

The mistake is using ATMs frequently, which incurs a fee of 220 Baht per transaction for overseas debit cards, plus any international fees from your bank.

What is a recommended alternative to using ATMs frequently in Thailand?

Using TT exchanges once a week is recommended, as Thailand is a cashless society and it's not necessary to carry a lot of cash at once.

What should you do before getting into a taxi in Thailand?

Always negotiate the price before getting into the taxi, and use tools like Google Maps to discuss the distance and estimated fare.

Why is it recommended to download Bolt or Grab in Thailand instead of hailing taxis on the street?

Bolt and Grab offer fixed rates and allow payment in cash, which can help avoid being overcharged by taxis that claim to use a meter but charge arbitrary rates.

What is the jet ski scam similar to the motorbike scam?

The jet ski scam involves rental shops claiming you damaged the jet ski, possibly by going over shallow rocks, and charging you for the damage.

How can you protect yourself from the jet ski scam in Thailand?

Take photos and videos of the jet ski before using it, and ensure it has enough fuel to avoid being stranded and charged extra for rescue and fuel.

What is the great room scam mentioned in the video?

The great room scam involves booking accommodations that seem too good to be true, with hidden charges for utilities like water, electricity, and Wi-Fi that are only revealed after you leave.

What should you check when booking accommodations in Thailand to avoid hidden charges?

Check the small print in the contract to see if utilities are included in the price, as some places may charge these after you leave.

How does Thailand rank in terms of safety among the most dangerous countries?

Thailand is ranked 95 on the list of most dangerous countries, indicating that while it is generally safe, there are still scammers to be aware of.

Outlines

00:00

🚴‍♂️ Spotting Bike Rental Scams in Pattaya

This paragraph discusses common scams related to bike rentals in Thailand, particularly in Pattaya. The speaker warns about paying a deposit for a bike and then being accused of damaging it upon return, with the rental shop potentially using epoxy to create false damage. To avoid this, the speaker recommends taking photos and videos of the bike from all angles as evidence. Additionally, they mention that while not all bike shops are dishonest, some do engage in such scams. The advice is to be vigilant and gather evidence to protect oneself.

🏧 Avoiding ATM Fees in Thailand

The speaker addresses the issue of high fees associated with using overseas debit cards at ATMs in Thailand. They mention a fee of 220 Baht per transaction, in addition to any international fees charged by the user's bank. To mitigate these costs, the speaker suggests using TT exchanges once a week, as Thailand is a cashless society, and advises against carrying large amounts of cash. This strategy helps in managing expenses while on holiday.

🚖 Negotiating Taxi Fares in Thailand

This paragraph focuses on the common practice of negotiating taxi fares in Thailand. The speaker advises against simply getting into a taxi without discussing the fare first, as this can lead to overcharging. They recommend using Google Maps to estimate the distance and negotiate a fair price with the driver. Additionally, the speaker suggests using Bolt or Grab, which offer fixed rates and the option to pay in cash, as a safer alternative to hailing taxis on the street.

🛥️ Beware of Jet Ski Scams

The speaker warns about jet ski rental scams that are similar to bike rental scams. They mention that rental shops might claim the jet ski was damaged, often by going over shallow rocks, and charge extra for repairs and fuel. To protect oneself, the speaker advises taking photos and videos of the jet ski, ensuring it has enough fuel, and checking the rental agreement carefully. This helps in avoiding being scammed and having to pay unnecessary fees.

🏨 Understanding Accommodation Extras in Thailand

This paragraph highlights the potential hidden costs associated with booking accommodations in Thailand. The speaker cautions that some deals may seem attractive but come with additional charges for utilities like water, electricity, and Wi-Fi, which are billed after departure. They stress the importance of reading the contract terms carefully and checking if bills are included in the advertised price. This advice helps travelers avoid unexpected expenses and manage their budget more effectively.

🌐 Staying Informed About Scams in Thailand

In the concluding paragraph, the speaker emphasizes the importance of being aware of scams in Thailand, despite the country being relatively safe. They mention that Thailand ranks 95 on the list of most dangerous countries, suggesting that while it is not particularly dangerous, scammers do exist. The speaker hopes that the video has provided valuable information and made viewers more knowledgeable and cautious when traveling to Thailand.

Keywords

💡Scam

A scam refers to a fraudulent scheme or trick used to deceive people, typically for personal gain. In the video, the theme revolves around identifying and avoiding scams in Thailand, such as the infamous bike rental scam where customers are falsely accused of damaging the bike and are charged for repairs.

💡Deposit

A deposit is a sum of money paid or pledged as a guarantee of payment or to secure an agreement. In the script, it is mentioned that paying a deposit for a bike rental can lead to a scam where the rental shop may falsely claim damage to the bike upon return.

💡Evidence

Evidence is the available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid. The video suggests taking photos and videos of the bike as evidence to protect oneself from being falsely accused of causing damage.

💡ATM Transaction Fees

ATM transaction fees are charges imposed by banks for using an ATM, especially for overseas or non-network ATMs. The video warns about the high fees associated with using overseas debit cards at Thai ATMs and recommends using currency exchange services to minimize these costs.

💡Cashless Society

A cashless society is one where financial transactions are conducted electronically rather than with cash. The script mentions that Thailand is a cashless society, implying that it's common to use electronic payments, but also advises caution with cash withdrawals to avoid high fees.

💡Negotiate

To negotiate means to discuss or arrange the terms of a deal or agreement. The video emphasizes the importance of negotiating taxi fares before starting a journey to avoid being overcharged, which is a common practice in Thailand.

💡Grab

Grab is a popular ride-hailing and food delivery platform in Southeast Asia. The script recommends using Grab or its competitor Bolt as an alternative to traditional taxis, as they offer fixed rates and can be paid in cash, providing a safer and potentially cheaper option.

💡Jet Ski Scam

A jet ski scam is similar to the bike scam, where renters are falsely accused of damaging the equipment. The video describes how this scam can occur with jet skis, with operators claiming damage to the equipment and charging customers exorbitant fees.

💡Accommodation

Accommodation refers to a place to stay, such as a hotel or rented room. The script warns about the 'great room scam' where hidden fees for utilities like water, electricity, and Wi-Fi are not included in the advertised price, leading to unexpected costs for travelers.

💡Small Print

Small print refers to the fine or hard-to-read text in a contract or document that often contains important but less obvious details. The video advises viewers to read the small print in contracts or agreements to avoid falling for scams related to additional charges.

💡Safety

Safety generally refers to the state of being protected from harm or other non-desirable outcomes. While Thailand is described as a generally safe country, the video highlights the need for awareness and caution to avoid scams, emphasizing the importance of being informed to ensure personal safety.

Highlights

Spotting and avoiding scams in Thailand, particularly in Pattaya.

Common bike rental scam involving hidden damages and deposits.

Advice on taking photos and videos as evidence to protect against bike rental scams.

The issue of police bias in Thailand when dealing with tourist disputes.

ATM fees and the recommendation to use TT exchanges for better savings.

The importance of negotiating taxi prices before starting a trip.

Using Google Maps to estimate taxi fares and distances.

Recommendation to download Bolt or Grab apps for fixed-rate taxi services.

Jet ski rental scams and the necessity of taking photos and ensuring fuel levels.

The potential for additional charges in jet ski rentals due to alleged damages.

Checking the small print in accommodation contracts for hidden charges.

The common mistake of overlooking included bills in accommodation prices.

Thailand's ranking on the list of most dangerous countries and general safety advice.

The video's aim to inform and educate viewers on avoiding common scams in Thailand.

A call to action for viewers to subscribe and enable notifications for more content.

Transcripts

today I'm having a walk down walking

Street and Beach Road Pattaya in this

video I'm going to break down how you

can spot a scam and a mistake and how

you can avoid it

okay so this first one is the infamous

scam and this scam happens all over

Thailand very common scam what happens

is you pay a deposit before you take the

bike away and when you bring the bike

back they'll cover up a hole or

something sometimes they're using epoxy

and that's not to say this happens at

every single Bike Shop in Thailand a lot

of them are genuine but sometimes these

places do like to pull these things some

of the ways you can protect yourself is

by taking photos and videos of all

around the bike every single angle just

so you've got a bit of evidence if

anything does happen and you don't want

to be in one of them sticky situations

where you start kicking off start

getting the police involved because the

police are never on your side here in

Thailand when it comes to these sort of

things

okay so the next is the ATM mistake and

a lot of people fall for this mistake

when they come to Thailand if you're

using these ATMs two or three times a

week each time you use them you've got

to pay 220 Baht per transaction if

you're using an overseas debit card

which you most likely are if you're here

on holiday and then if your bank has any

international fees you have to pay those

on top also so this can quickly add up

while you're out here what I would

recommend doing is using these TT

exchanges and just use them about once a

week Thailand is a very cashless Society

so don't worry about having loads of

cash on you one time that's just the way

things work out here

foreign

is about transport here in Thailand if

you're going out on a day trip somewhere

say if you're going to a temple or

you're going to a water park and you

need to get a taxi always negotiate the

price before you jump in that taxi don't

just get in the taxi figure out a price

on the way always pull it off on Google

Maps where you go in talk about the

distance talk about how many kilometers

try and negotiate a price for the driver

the same applies if you're getting a

tuck to a core remote bike anywhere just

always negotiate first there's no harm

in just discussing the price before you

actually get in the vehicle because what

will happen is you'll start driving the

driver could take a long route round and

he could say oh we've been driving for

20 minutes half an hour when the journey

only took five minutes what I'd actually

recommend doing is downloading the

Baltimore grab on your phone bolt is

generally a bit cheaper than grab but

both of these have fixed rate and you

can play in cash as well so download

bolt or grab if you don't have to mess

about we're getting these taxis on the

street because half of them say taxi

meter but they just charge you what you

want so yeah bear that in mind

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everybody

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now the next one jet ski scam and this

goes hand in hand with the motorbike

scam very similar only a jet ski they

can say you've damaged the bottom of the

boat you went over some shallow rocks

it's caused the crack and it can be just

as if not more expensive than the

motorbike scan and that's not to say all

these places are the same and they're

all out to get you because they're not

but they are out there so always take

pictures of the jet ski take videos do

everything you need to do and always

make sure it's got enough fuel as well

because sometimes what they'll even do

is give you the jet ski with half the

fuel in it you'll go out on the sea ride

in you'll end up being stranded out

there with no fuel they'll have to come

and save you and then they'll charge you

extra for going over the time and for

the extra fuel so always check it's got

enough fuel always take photos get the

evidence and this way you'll be

protected and you'll avoid being scammed

alone

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the next is the great room scam if

you're booking your accommodation before

you get here which you most likely are a

lot of these deals may seem too good to

be true but what you need to do is check

the small print on the contract and read

it thoroughly as you can see at some

places it does say in the small print

the bills such as water electricity

Wi-Fi are charged after you leave which

means the price you see on the website

is not the price you're actually going

to pay when you get there and when you

leave the hotel so it's good practice to

always check this out and this goes for

if you're renting a room anywhere in

Pattaya or Bangkok or anywhere in

Thailand always check if the bills are

included or not because this is a common

mistake that everybody makes and it can

cost you a lot of money especially if

you leave the aircon on Thailand is

generally a safe country but there are

scammers out there like every country

it's actually ranked 95 on the list most

dangerous countries so it actually that

bad but just be aware of these scams if

you are coming out here and I hope this

video has been formative and give you a

bit more knowledge and made you a bit

more wiser if you're planning on coming

out here 2023 if you like this sort of

content guys if you like these videos

I'm doing out here in Thailand do me a

favor and make sure you subscribe hit

the little bell for the notifications

and I'll see you in the next video peace

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