THAI TOURIST MAFIA
THAI TOURIST MAFIA - SILOM RD.
This man is positioned at the the Silom Rd, BTS-MRT junction.
WIDESPREAD SCAMS AIMED AT FIRST TIME VISITORS
Every morning at 9AM the Thai Police blanket the tourist/hotel/shopping districts with a network of plain clothes, english speaking officers and their associates.
They work in teams of 2 or 3 and are positioned near the entrance to tourist sites, hotels, shopping centers, on the BTS skywalks, MRT stations, tourist information booths, busy corners, temples, museums, and shopping centers.
They pose as helpful, friendly strangers and strike up conversations with novice tourists.
Their goal? To protect our visitors???
Of course not... They are there to lie and defraud every tourist they meet.
I call them the Thai Tourist Mafia.
They are participating in elaborate scams on tourists, including the Thai Gem Scam.
Many of the scam shops apparently are operated by influential people and have been in "business" for years defrauding tourists.
Tourists arriving at the airport, leaving their hotels or just walking around town are approached by these people all day long.
They are everywhere and apparently protected as they work in plain view of Police Boxes, Security Guards and Managers of these facilities.
A nice lady at the Tourist Authority tells me they are "cooperating with the Police....and are dangerous." Nobody can chase them away.
(Most taxis and Tuk Tuks in the tourist areas are also working with these scammers, attempting to deliver our visitors into the hands of these thugs.)
This has been going on for years and years.... they are ruining thousands and thousands of vacations.
A search on the internet will show they doing great harm to Thailand's reputation as a safe, friendly destination.
I passed this information to the Tourist Authority, Tourist Assistance Center and Tourist Police 3 years ago.
Below are photos of Thai Tourist Mafia at work:
Tourist Mafia, Wireless Road:
www.flickr.com/photos/21533131@N06/sets/72157623026003415/
This gang hangs out INSIDE the police box when not scamming visitors.
Central World Shrine:
www.flickr.com/photos/21533131@N06/sets/72157616786255092/
Grand Palace:
www.flickr.com/photos/29324583@N05/sets/72157616768273247/
Notice they operate in view of Palace security.
Erawan Shrine:
www.flickr.com/photos/21533131@N06/sets/72157616786296908/
Tourist Mafia on Police Bike.
www.flickr.com/photos/21533131@N06/3655794935/in/set-7215...
Silom Rd.:
www.flickr.com/photos/29324583@N05/sets/72157616886160455/
(Dusit Thani, MRT, BTS, Naritiwat Rd., TAT Booth)
Notice they operate in view of Dusit Thani Security, MRT/BTS Security and Rama4/Silom Police Box.
Suriwong Rd.:
www.flickr.com/photos/29324583@N05/sets/72157616973082429/
(In front of Montien Hotel and Jim Thompson Store.
Both places have a Police Box across the road. Police watch these same people every day defrauding tourists.)
Sukhumvit Soi 18:
www.flickr.com/photos/29324583@N05/sets/72157618019269526/
Siam Center:
www.flickr.com/photos/29324583@N05/sets/72157618075380996/
THAI TOURIST MAFIA - SILOM RD.
This man is positioned at the the Silom Rd, BTS-MRT junction.
WIDESPREAD SCAMS AIMED AT FIRST TIME VISITORS
Every morning at 9AM the Thai Police blanket the tourist/hotel/shopping districts with a network of plain clothes, english speaking officers and their associates.
They work in teams of 2 or 3 and are positioned near the entrance to tourist sites, hotels, shopping centers, on the BTS skywalks, MRT stations, tourist information booths, busy corners, temples, museums, and shopping centers.
They pose as helpful, friendly strangers and strike up conversations with novice tourists.
Their goal? To protect our visitors???
Of course not... They are there to lie and defraud every tourist they meet.
I call them the Thai Tourist Mafia.
They are participating in elaborate scams on tourists, including the Thai Gem Scam.
Many of the scam shops apparently are operated by influential people and have been in "business" for years defrauding tourists.
Tourists arriving at the airport, leaving their hotels or just walking around town are approached by these people all day long.
They are everywhere and apparently protected as they work in plain view of Police Boxes, Security Guards and Managers of these facilities.
A nice lady at the Tourist Authority tells me they are "cooperating with the Police....and are dangerous." Nobody can chase them away.
(Most taxis and Tuk Tuks in the tourist areas are also working with these scammers, attempting to deliver our visitors into the hands of these thugs.)
This has been going on for years and years.... they are ruining thousands and thousands of vacations.
A search on the internet will show they doing great harm to Thailand's reputation as a safe, friendly destination.
I passed this information to the Tourist Authority, Tourist Assistance Center and Tourist Police 3 years ago.
Below are photos of Thai Tourist Mafia at work:
Tourist Mafia, Wireless Road:
www.flickr.com/photos/21533131@N06/sets/72157623026003415/
This gang hangs out INSIDE the police box when not scamming visitors.
Central World Shrine:
www.flickr.com/photos/21533131@N06/sets/72157616786255092/
Grand Palace:
www.flickr.com/photos/29324583@N05/sets/72157616768273247/
Notice they operate in view of Palace security.
Erawan Shrine:
www.flickr.com/photos/21533131@N06/sets/72157616786296908/
Tourist Mafia on Police Bike.
www.flickr.com/photos/21533131@N06/3655794935/in/set-7215...
Silom Rd.:
www.flickr.com/photos/29324583@N05/sets/72157616886160455/
(Dusit Thani, MRT, BTS, Naritiwat Rd., TAT Booth)
Notice they operate in view of Dusit Thani Security, MRT/BTS Security and Rama4/Silom Police Box.
Suriwong Rd.:
www.flickr.com/photos/29324583@N05/sets/72157616973082429/
(In front of Montien Hotel and Jim Thompson Store.
Both places have a Police Box across the road. Police watch these same people every day defrauding tourists.)
Sukhumvit Soi 18:
www.flickr.com/photos/29324583@N05/sets/72157618019269526/
Siam Center:
www.flickr.com/photos/29324583@N05/sets/72157618075380996/