Oh, so you traveled all the way to Bangkok to see its famous Grand Palace? So sorry, you see, that’s closed today. But you’re in luck, I’ve got some lovely gems to show you.
It’s a timeless scam equated with visiting one of the capital’s top tourist attractions, and yesterday police said they finally did something about it.
Tourist police Cmd. Maj. Gen. Apichai Thi-amart said officers arrested 22 Thai nationals for the scam, in which they would lie to tourists in front of Wat Phra Kaew and Wat Pho, telling them the venues were closed and taking them to get shafted on overpriced souvenir and meals.
Anatomy of a scam. Photo courtesy: BangkokScams.com
Apichai said the group had tarnished Thailand’s reputation because the victims had spread the word online, according to The Nation.
It’s heartening to see the authorities discover the internet is a place where people say things that everyone here already knows. In fact there’s even a domain for it (BangkokScams.com) in the Richard Barrow Expanded Universe.
Tourist police made the busts by fielding undercover operatives in tacky shirts and shorts to pose as tourists.
Image: Original photo Dennis Jarvis, lovely gems Wikimedia Commons
