How's your Songkran going?

[InternationalTraveler 282]

Played golf on Friday with a Swedish guy who told me he was celebrating Songkran on Beach Road carrying a plastic wallet to keep his mobile phone and 3,00 baht dry. He noticed his wallet had been cut open but just lost the cash.

Today my mate told me a similar story.

He was a prime target carrying his kid in his arms, velcro pocket opened and wallet stolen with a shit load of Credit/Debit cards UK/Thai, Thai ID, and driving licences. One of the UK cards was used 5-times buying computer games in the first hour.

WTF he was carrying all that lot on him I do not know....in retrospect.

Anyway he spent an hour cold and soaked to the skin in the Police station reporting this.

Told me many farrang also in there with wallets cut open lost money and documents.

 

Just a warning that large gatherings are a prime opportunity for the thieving bastards....LOS it is not.

[jacko 8,814]

Played golf on Friday with a Swedish guy who told me he was celebrating Songkran on Beach Road carrying a plastic wallet to keep his mobile phone and 3,00 baht dry. He noticed his wallet had been cut open but just lost the cash.

Today my mate told me a similar story.

He was a prime target carrying his kid in his arms, velcro pocket opened and wallet stolen with a shit load of Credit/Debit cards UK/Thai, Thai ID, and driving licences. One of the UK cards was used 5-times buying computer games in the first hour.

WTF he was carrying all that lot on him I do not know....in retrospect.

Anyway he spent an hour cold and soaked to the skin in the Police station reporting this.

Told me many farrang also in there with wallets cut open lost money and documents.

 

Just a warning that large gatherings are a prime opportunity for the thieving bastards....LOS it is not.

Sorry to read that, but he only lost 3 baht. (Again apologies, I guess a typo and should read 3,000 baht!)

 

Yes drunken thugs and pickpockets is Songkran in Pattaya, an old misery I might be, but I stay home!

Disgusting that a CC issued from an overseas bank, in the name of say Joe Smith, can be used multiple times by an obvious Somchai!

[forcebwithu 4,853]

Played golf on Friday with a Swedish guy who told me he was celebrating Songkran on Beach Road carrying a plastic wallet to keep his mobile phone and 3,00 baht dry. He noticed his wallet had been cut open but just lost the cash.

Today my mate told me a similar story.

He was a prime target carrying his kid in his arms, velcro pocket opened and wallet stolen with a shit load of Credit/Debit cards UK/Thai, Thai ID, and driving licences. One of the UK cards was used 5-times buying computer games in the first hour.

WTF he was carrying all that lot on him I do not know....in retrospect.

Anyway he spent an hour cold and soaked to the skin in the Police station reporting this.

Told me many farrang also in there with wallets cut open lost money and documents.

 

Just a warning that large gatherings are a prime opportunity for the thieving bastards....LOS it is not.

 

Got my wallet nicked at Songkran a couple years ago. Happened while making my way through the overhead mister they set up on Beach Rd. Prime hunting ground for thiefs due to the crowds looking for relief from the heat. Learned my lesson and am now much more careful whenever I'm in a crowded situation.

[InternationalTraveler 282]

Sorry to read that, but he only lost 3 baht. (Again apologies, I guess a typo and should read 3,000 baht!)

 

Yes drunken thugs and pickpockets is Songkran in Pattaya, an old misery I might be, but I stay home!

Disgusting that a CC issued from an overseas bank, in the name of say Joe Smith, can be used multiple times by an obvious Somchai!

Yes it was 3,000 baht, apparently Somchai used the credit card online but Barclays Bank UK flagged this up and blocked the card

after around 11,000 baht of purchases.

Made me laugh that he had to raid his 2-year old kids account at the ATM as he had run out of cash.

The thieves must have been working in pairs as he was distracted with someone putting paste on his face whilst the other was

rifling his pocket. Misdirection.

[jacko 8,814]

Yes it was 3,000 baht, apparently Somchai used the credit card online but Barclays Bank UK flagged this up and blocked the card

after around 11,000 baht of purchases.

Made me laugh that he had to raid his 2-year old kids account at the ATM as he had run out of cash.

The thieves must have been working in pairs as he was distracted with someone putting paste on his face whilst the other was

rifling his pocket. Misdirection.

My UK credit card requires a verification if I use it online above a certain amount... a password.

But some small payments can go through without.

My Thai one requires a OTP sent to my phone. That seems more secure.

 

Yes someone distracting by putting white paste on the face would work well, a shame such a fun event is marred.

[iIanPPI 3]

During songkran in Pattaya, second road.... I filled up my water pistol from a large bucket on the road. A bar girl approached me and told me to pay 20 baht for the water. I asked her if she was being serious and she just stared at me not saying anything. I saw one man fill up his water gun and walk off, without paying, I pointed at him and said ''Look at him, is he paying? Is he paying 20 baht?''. The bar girl just said "No no, he Thai, you farang, you pay 20 baht". I could buy 2 liters of cold drinking water from 7/11 for 20 baht, not 1 liter of undrinkable luke warm stagnant water. And so I poured the water back into the bucket "You not want? *laughing*", I just said "Don't worry, I have many many millions of baht, thank you". I have experienced the two tier pricing for years, this for some reason really pissed me off. They have no problem ripping off the white man.

[Bullfrog 2,224]

During songkran in Pattaya, second road.... I filled up my water pistol from a large bucket on the road. A bar girl approached me and told me to pay 20 baht for the water. I asked her if she was being serious and she just stared at me not saying anything. I saw one man fill up his water gun and walk off, without paying, I pointed at him and said ''Look at him, is he paying? Is he paying 20 baht?''. The bar girl just said "No no, he Thai, you farang, you pay 20 baht". I could buy 2 liters of cold drinking water from 7/11 for 20 baht, not 1 liter of undrinkable luke warm stagnant water. And so I poured the water back into the bucket "You not want? *laughing*", I just said "Don't worry, I have many many millions of baht, thank you". I have experienced the two tier pricing for years, this for some reason really pissed me off. They have no problem ripping off the white man.

 

I see no problem with charging for the water if you are not using the bar. It was very likely filled from a metered source or from a delivery tank and you were using up her "ammunition".... Although 5 baht and "same price for all" may have been a better approach..

[iIanPPI 3]

 

I see no problem with charging for the water if you are not using the bar. It was very likely filled from a metered source or from a delivery tank and you were using up her "ammunition".... Although 5 baht and "same price for all" may have been a better approach..

 

Water in Thailand is so cheap, a liter of water is negligible. They should have a sign that says free for Thai, farang 20 baht.

[gs joe 1,776]

Water in Thailand is so cheap, a liter of water is negligible. They should have a sign that says free for Thai, farang 20 baht.

I take it the water belong to the bar , where you a customer ?

 

Joe

[Bullfrog 2,224]

 

Water in Thailand is so cheap, a liter of water is negligible. They should have a sign that says free for Thai, farang 20 baht.

 

Yep I pay 5 satang for a litre of water as delivered in the water trucks on a normal day but ......What chances are there of a delivery truck (a) Being available and (b Being able to get through the traffic...?????

Edited May 21, 2017 by Bullfrog