Phuket Scams

Phuket is a very busy tourist hotspot in Thailand and unfortunately, there are scammers out there who take advantage of unsuspecting tourists every day. The scammers are brazen and stubborn and always get their way as they have been doing the scams for years and they know that the authorities won’t do anything to try and stop them and to make matters worse, the authorities sometimes join in on the scams. The overwhelming majority of these scams take place in Patong, as Patong is Phuket’s busiest tourist  attraction.

There is plenty of info on this page to help you to not get caught up in a scam. Below are some of the most common scams in Phuket.

How to Avoid the Scams in Patong Beach Phuket

Patong Beach Jet Ski Scam:
It has been mentioned before on this site, but it can’t be stressed enough on how important it is to avoid the jet skis in Patong at all times.
It seems that no matter how many warnings people put out there on the internet, there are still thousands of people who are clueless about the jet ski scams and it is very frustrating to know that it happens
Who knows how many of these scams happen and don't get reported and end up ruining someone's trip. The majority of tourists who hire the jet ski's will have no dramas at all, but how do you know if it's going to be your turn? You don't and it's not worth risking it.



Motorbike Scam:
This is a rather new scam, where the tourist hires a bike and when they park it outside the hotel for the night, it disappears. One of the people who let you rent the bike out for the night, has a spare key and goes out to the bike while you are sleeping and takes off with it. When you report it stolen to the police, they do nothing and you have to buy the scammers a brand new motorbike - regardless of how new or old the motorbike is. If you refuse to pay, you will more than likely be threatened with violence and as anyone who knows about Thailand, knows that you can't win a fight with anyone who is Thai, so you will have to pay up, or else. Oh and don't bother going to the police, as the cops don't care about a tourist, so you can't go to them for any help, otherwise you could end up paying them as well.

Bill Padding:
Bill padding is when employees who work in the bar, put extra bills into your bill container. It happens in Phuket, so keep an eye on how much you are spending on every drink and watch each bill as it comes in. If you are by yourself and you like to drink a lot, then you are at a higher chance of this being done to you, so watch your drink bills at all times.

Lizards on Bangla Road Patong:
From time to time on Bangla Road, there are a group of guys who have huge lizards and they try to get people to stop and have a photo taken with them and it isn’t free. When not enough people stop to have a photo taken, they get desperate and try to place the lizard on your back as you walk past and these lizards have sharp claws which latch on to your clothes and this is a way that they get you to stop to have a photo taken. Most of the time they won’t tell you about the cost of the photo and wait until the photo is taken before demanding a fee.
The saddest part about this scam is, the lizards are often drugged so they are relaxed and can tolerate the tourists, because it is not in their nature to be held all night long with thousands of people walking past and photos flashing all the time.
This scam is pure animal cruelty and if you love animals you must avoid these guys and reporting them can help with the fate of the animals and if enough people complain, something might get done about the situation.

Lady Boys on Bangla Road:
The lady boys of Patong perform a similar scam to the lizard scammers. They dress up and stand out on Bangla Road right out the front of Soi Crocodile and the tourists that are new to Patong are fascinated and often volunteer to have a photo with them. It’s the same situation as the lizard guys, once you have the photo taken, a fee is demanded and if you refuse to pay it, the lady boys will get violent until they get their way.

Little Kids on Bangla Road:
Out of all of the scams which are performed every night on Banlga Road, this would have to be the most disturbing. Young kids run around all night with handmade necklaces which are made out of flowers or shells and they are persistent and are trained to use their age to take advantage of the tourists. The kids try to put a necklace on you while you are sitting down and will even climb up to put one around your neck while you have your back turned. It’s a clever trick which often works, as the kids are so young and cute and most new tourists feel sorry for them and buy a necklace for the sake of it.
Some of these kids are only about 5 years old and are running around the streets of Patong until the early hours of the morning. The kids are just let loose and are watched over to make sure they are doing their job properly. Basically the poor kids are exploited and are child slaves who hand over all of the profits at the end of the night. How is this is allowed to go on in Phuket?



Tuk Tuk Drivers Anywhere in Phuket:
Whenever possible, avoid getting a tuk tuk, as the drivers of these little taxis charge ridiculously high prices for all of their fares. Just getting a ride through Patong can cost you 300 to 400 Baht, which is half of what it costs to get a taxi all the way from the airport that is an hour away and costs 600 Baht.
The tuk tuk drivers have been known on rare occasions to try and extort more money out of tourists if the tourist is alone or drunk, so you need to be careful of this. Avoid them if you can and always try to get a proper registered taxi which is organized through your hotel if possible.