In Bangkok, Thailand there are infinite ways of getting ripped off. We experienced this first hand, and before you read this report, yes we know it sound really obvious, but at the time it is not, be careful.
We were innocently walking down a street in Bangkok, close to Cosan road (Spelling?), the main Backpackers area. We intended on going into a temple, but on our way in were stopped by to (smartly dressed) local men who informed us that it was praying time in this particular temple and we could not go in. We stopped to chat with them for a while (about various things football etc.) they then told us that we had been paying too much for Tuk-tuk fares (a taxi type thing that is really a motorbike with three wheels), they put is in a Tuk-tuk with the advise that the Tuk-tuk driver would take us on a tour of temples etc. For next to nothing. They also told us that it was the last day of the year to export thing out of Thailand without export duty, and that the Tuk-tuk driver would also take to a place were we could buy some jewellery to export.
We went off on a tour of a few temples. At the second temple we met a professor and his student, who both spoke impeccable English, they also informed us of the last day in free export duty, and that all his students pay for there tuition in England buy taking over jewellery to sell. We were keen!
Next we go to the jewellery store, were we buy jewellery for about 500 pounds each (stupid I know). They assure you of its quality, and it does look good. They then post the jewellery home (with free insurance).
They then took us out for a very nice meal and some drinks etc. That they pick up the bill for. I think the aim is to get you pissed and hope that you go home to bed and forget about it in the morning. Also they pay for the meal with your money anyway (durr!).
We were pissed but had the presence of mind to read the lonely planet guide when we got back, how gutted we were.
The jewellery was worth about 25% of what we paid. It was possible to use the tourist police and get our money back (first we had to intercept our package at the airport) but the police took to long to approach the store that we used and we gave up. Some Danish people who were done' in the same way by the same store managed to get their money back after about 3 weeks. But it is extremely difficult, especially trying to get the police to do anything.
I hope you are not reading this after being DONE' yourselves. The shop we were done by was Standard Gems Export' I would not buy anything from them, not even if it only cost a turd. But there are many shops operating the same scam.
Happy travelling
Dumb English Boys
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