I recently returned from a wonderful trip to Bangkok and Pattaya for 3 days and am thankful to the people and govt. Of Thailand. How ever I was an unwilling victim of the (now I realize a common scam) infamous gem scam with a new variation (Please see Bangkokscams.com if ever you are planning to visit this country). How ever the difference is that we were traveling as a group, were not interested or looking to make profits, but were persuaded to go to a huge gems factory 1 hour drive from pattaya enroute to Bangkok called VSK Jewelry and here much against our better senses and wishes were again persuaded (tricked is the right word), to use our credit cards to buy jewelry (5 of the 6 families fell for this). This place is located in a relatively isolated part of Thailand, such that if I return it would be hard for me to find it easily. There is a huge sign board VSK Jewelery, is touted as Govt. Owned and it is huge, the actual store being as big as a football field! It is very impressive and they start by showing a film show where you are told that this company actually owns the mines where these precious gems are mined (and hence they sell cheapest in the world).
Personally I thought I should buy expensive jewelry for my wife (I had not brought any for 10 years after marriage) for remembrance sake as it was unlikely we would return to Thailand. I used up money equal to atleast a month's salary (15,000 Bahts) to buy blue sapphire ear rings which on return to India I discovered by gemologists to be worth only 400 to 500 Indian rupees and I would not even get this amount if ever I tried to sell it. This has effectively ruined my holidays and impression about Thailand and after repeated calls to them (VSK Jewelry or KK Jewlery) they have asked for the return of the same with originals to refund 90%. How ever now I have lost trust completely and the very likely result would be that they would deny receiving it or worse say it has been 'damaged'. My anguish is not just the loss monetarily (which itself is huge for me) but in discovering so many people are conned every day in Bangkok scams and there seems to be no recourse to justice atleast from the various blogs I have gone thru'. It is indeed a blotch for the other wise wonderful country.in the very least the Thaitourism website (where a number of people visit before planning their trip) should warn the foreign visitors about these scams and increase there own credibility. It is all very well to show our best face but transparency in these matters will only aid to boost tourism which I am sure every Thai gives the highest importance, needless to add that this is their highest income generator.
Sumeet
Bengaluru
India
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