Hi Lucky,
this is a quite interesting stories after all the marriage and hanky hanky stories. It is my third day in Phuket now and after reading all those stories. I am almost afraid to go out of my apartment room. I need to add that I am travelling on my own.
These three days so far were wonderful and I was really enjoying it. But this website made me so unsure about everything in this country.
Well. Thanks for the story :)

Someone who deliberately hangs out with dodgy-looking individuals in a foreign city where he can't pick up all the nuances of the conversation is simply looking for trouble, and deserves all he gets. Lucky has justified his name in that he escaped the dangerous situation, into which he willingly placed himself, without being harmed. The fact that he continued to think "these guys are cool" evidences his naivety and foolhardiness.

anyone who hangs aeound gangs of thais wants his head reading. they didnt need to scam him he brought it to them. clown

I see the police are having a crackdown on fake goods in Patpong. Anyone know what's happening? It's a bit of a surprise.

Mike / Ladykiller _ Chill out, I'm sure you have a nice sanitised time wherever you end up, good for you. Some of us like to see the other side of the places we visit, don't get on Luckys case. Just be thankful that interesting and inquisitive people exist and write down their tales so that boring farts can vicariously enjoy!

I profoundly apologise to lucky, reading your story again it was quite interesting , it does show what is going on , and these people are armed, frightening.

For some reason, I feel this story is exaggerated.

i assure u its not exadurated there is so much more i could add.

Hard to believe these guys could intimidate Thai police in this way - no one in Thailand is better connected than the cops. What's more, they can be fearsome if provoked. That said, Patpong is a notoriously corrupt area, and one to be avoided; there are plenty other places to shop and have a good time. My bet is that the entire area will disappear in the next few years as real estate prices make a high-rise a much better financial proposition.

This story is not true,youcannot mess with the thai police because they are the thail mafia,i lived & worked in patong for many years

Jason, Patong is in Phuket and Patpong is the red light district in Bangkok. Where did you work? In the go-go bars?

You are truly "lucky" that you are their "pet" tourist. Hopefully you get out before they "tire" of you. The Asian culture is often a very "purist" culture. You are not one of "them"..... you are an interesting distraction....... look up a States - side program called "Locked up Abroad"....... then wake up and smell reality.

What else is there to say? Weeeeeell..... Is definetely one of the least intelligent things to do. Let's just walk up to some guys on the street and talk to them. After all, bad things happen only to bad people, right?

Here's a good tip i learned just recently.When you're leaving Patpong late at night you usually find that taxi's at the Silom Rd end of Patpong won't turn their meters on.This is because they pay the mafia to park there and wait for unsuspecting Farangs who will happily agree to an inflated price to get to where they're going.If you cross Silom Road and grab a taxi on the other side they'll use the meter and you'll get home for half the price.

My brother own stall in Patpong. I know mafia. They not young guys hang out and talk sh**. They also not mess police. This is disrespect. Cause problem and bad for business. If young falang want to hang out, they tell him **** off. They show gun, young falang not alive to tell the tale. I learn new word today, I want to use: chump.

Just pimps One finds this kind of people in Amsterdam too.I am not interested in them and surely wouldnt buy them drinks. Not cool. They probably beat up the ladies every once and a while.

theo is right. By hanging out with them you are condoning their actions. They are scum. So many of the posts point to one conclusion; that Thai are racist and dishonest and those are very real problems for ordinary Bangkok Thai who are bought into disrepute by lo-so Thai.

With the Thai mentality not open to criticism, or change, things will only get worse before they get better.

The best advice is to learn Thai so you have some defence, understanding and vicious comebacks for the unsophisticated, rude Thai.

You can take the Thai out of the village, but you can't take the village out of the Thai.

They are not taken out of the village, they escape poverty. In Bangkok they hardly have a fair change. They are Lao. Have an accent. Usely had poor education . They are scammed by roothless Bangkok people. Desperate, they start to scam tourists. How much does a Tuk Tuk driver make a day. Falang, what would you do in his place? How would it be you 20 years old and good looking, to be married with a big fat ugly 50 years old lady. Would you be able to love her? Would you really cry when she leaves you? Or be releaved?

I tend to believe that Lucky is relating truthfully what he saw and heard. I also tend to believe that the Thai guys were small time pimps/thugs and big time bull**** artists. Quite likely the guns were replicas.

Be gesuz, don't you have any shame, you were sucking up to them, buying them drinks!

well theo, i could love a fat 50 year old dutch man, as long as she shared mutual self respect. At least I wouldnt wake up in the mornings and find my belongings gone lol

Yes until you are getting divorced (Not a surprise if shes 50 and fat) Then they will make you pay.
A divorce here might even be more expensive then a Thai bar girlfriend.

Theo, (laughng) thats the nature of our western world, and yes also now women (western) are having to pay men as well, its karma Theo. As long as people enjoy themselves in whicheverr country they are in, and can contribute to society live and let live.
I have seen gron farangmen crying when he has been ripped of by his thai friend,who refused to carry his golf clubs any more, refused o cook and wash his cothes, who refused sx because she wasnt a machine somwhere on the plae betwen europe and Thailand they loose sense of reality, theyjust cant get this done at home for the same price haha

One can compare farang livestyle in countries like Thailand with rich people livestyle overhere. Rich people here can live like farang in Thailand. See how popmusic and moviestars live here. Even old and ugly they can get plenty of young women. A farang, even middle aged and fat, visiting Thailand can feel like a rich man for a while even if he is "working class" The illusion lasts until he goes home. Staying longer he starts to believe its not illusions he is dealing with, but that somehow being a farang he is superiour and deserves to have priveleges. He gets spoiled like a child. Sooner or later the illusion shows his ugly face, when he finds out he is scammed, his girlfriend has another boyfriend or refuses to be his slave anymore. Indeed, they loose sense of reality. Money creates a fake inflated self image. The farang forgets he isnt that special. Only his purse makes him what he is in Thailand.

Other issue. You live in Nong Khai? There is a Tuk Tuk scam indeed going to Laos. How one avoids it?
Whats the best way? Buy visa on the border? They have those little travelagencies where the Tuk Tuks will take you in order to get scammed I think. I payed to much there

Theo, you write well, and I am enjoying your posts. Yes for a large part of he year I am in Nong Khai. Sure there are scams in Nong Khai as well, why else are people coming to Nong Khai either to live or to do the visa run. Its a pretty sedate town and as a farang your quick to get known, so if you are scammed then one must laugh because it doesnt happen too often. I have never used those Travel agencies for a visa run, I always did my own Visa at the border and at the crak of dawn is probably the best time to do it before the farang are up. But!!, my Nong Khai Tuk Tuk driver taught me a new way which I enjoy very much, we catch a bus from the bus station in Nong Khai itself, this bus takes you over the bridge (it is usually full of Lao people having done their shopping at Tesco Lotus) and you arrive at the border... I then run to the windows for Visa (Farang) and fill out the form quickly and say Lao Leo (quick quick) I am on the bus, the bus waits for you, if its too long the bus conductoress will run and speak to them to be quick... This then takes you into Vietnienne.... costs a few bhart.
I have been ripped off so many times by the Lao tuk tuks (well not by Nigerian standards hahaa) hence usually taking Mr. Boon with me (a dear Nong Khai tuk tuk driver and a friend now) and we enjoy a wonderful day out buying beautiful french bread to take home, the markets are interesting for presents, I love driving around and taking in the amazing architecture. Sitting by the mekong river drinking great coffee. I find the Lao people gentle, stunningly beautiful without all the slapstick, elegant and pleasant to deal with. Lao Aviation offices have some wonderful staff, if your upto going by Lao airways to say Luang Prabang which is world heritage...one of my favurite parts of Lao. In Vietienne itself i like to frequent a lovely restaurant with a great atmosphere called the Kua Lao141 Samsenthai Road, Vientiane. Tel & Fax: (856-21) 215 777 you can look it up on the net, well worth a visit and its not a rip off, elegant dancing and music to watch whilst you dine.
For the folk wanting a three month visa at the Thai embassy, before I lived in Nong Khai I used to stay at the little guest houses oppositve the embassy but didnt really enjoy that, far better to have a place nearer the Mekong river. Have you tried Vietnam at all Theo? have a good day

I forgot to mention Theo, the train will be going from Bangkok to Laos and then you wont have to deal with Nong Khai really, but doubtless there will be another scam going, its just like back home except in another language haha

The bus goes fron Nong Khai untill Vientianne? Same bus? Thai company? Interesting, this way Tuk Tuk and taxidrivers on the Laotian side can be avoid. Seems a good tip to consider. Thanks.

Exactly Theo and how better than to travel wth the local people rather than bus loads of farang Yes same bus, I think its a Lao bus actually from Nong Kai bus station, good experience and very cheap.

This is not true for so many reasons. It just don't happen like this.

JMM, please explain why?

as i was reading this my heart kept pounding faster and faster

Lucky, why did you have to degrade yourself like that! You are an embaressment, I really hope your not WHITE? I'm so mad that you sucked up to vermin like that.

Iam white .... and Iam Australian.

iam sorry that you didnt agree but it was a experience i didnt plan to meet them or hang out just panned out that way.

@Lucky, thanks mate for the honesty, apologies if I came across a bit harsh. Reading some of the scam stories (If there true) on this site makes me so angry. Anyway, sorry again and thanks for the info!

@Lucky, good on yer mate, but I can understand why McTaffay was somewhat annoyed.

iam sorry i should have written the piece more clearer,
I just wanted to splash out everything i could remember.

well i didn't plan to meet or hang with these guys but it happened...

It was a life experience and maybe not something you come across everyday.
it was just EXTREMELY interesting to hear some stories from them and see how they live...

if you don't like my story that's your opinion.if you did thankyou for your comments.


Thinking about it now its scary and yeah iam lucky nothing bad happened to me.

very good piece it could to happen to anyone who doesn,t understand the culture,
but these things happen all over the world........
let it be a leason to anyone travelling....

"He then proceeded closer to the officer (now at this point i didn’t know what to think BKK police look pretty mean with there helmets and face covers) and yelled at him and threw the smoke at his face and walked back over to me. "


@jon, "these things happen all over the world" do they now?

Lucky, the first encounter should ha

ve been warning enough, but yet you went back for more fun and sucking up to this scum!

Also, I take exception to jon remark, "it could to happen to anyone who doesn,t understand the culture" Patpong is a seedy area, for seedy minded people!

wow i like your story.
some people should loosen up at least he shared this with us.

@jason, your missing the point, its not about the story, its about whether Lucky managed to remove his head from the Patpong's Mafia's arseho... Don't you get it?

love to here all the stories i have lived in bangkok rayong kho chang for over 10 years and have heard ever kind of story lot of these guys i think the nearest the have been to thailand is on a map and would be in the same shit at home the same rule applies here as any place in the world treat people as u would want to be treated and the thais will take care of u assholes are assholes were ever they are and if u cant see your beening scamed then wake up so pleaSE ENJOY THAILAND

@dan the invincible, I treat Thais with respect, and on several occasions been ripped off, any more advice?

every one gets overcharge now and then thats life what i mean to say is to the people that fall for scams like tickets and the like sorry if i was missleading you just have to keep ur eyes opened

I recently got befriended with a Patpong night club owner, bought him some beer to hear his story... there is nothing wrong with that, it is indeed interesting to see this side of Bangkok...He bought me some beer in return and I talked to a bargirl in his club; and almost had tears in my eyes to hear her story. She didn't ask me for anything but I gave her some bus money to get home. Scamming is in these people's blood, but there is a way of seeing their human side. I would never go back to this person though... one night was enough and I surely wouldn't spend all my money on him. It is dangerous to get to close and Lucky was fortunate, but at least he is interested to see a different reality and you shouldn't judge him for this. The real ignorant people are the ones who live behind a wall of security and don't learn a thing, buying fake goods of the Patpong market with their thick wallets, getting scammed.

Scamming is a way of life for many Thais.
No respect.

@Nic Cage, sorry mate, how do you know what the bar girl told you was true, did she provide any proof? Come on man, wake up and smell the organic coffee, and stop hanging around with people that just may get you in to trouble!

Why the hell were you hanging out with these low life bastards? they are criminals, those guys are the biggest scammers, take money for no reason, rape women and children, and the police will do nothing. They are not "cool" at all..

Nice story kid, if you think the real thai maffia speaking out loud, and insulting police officers. I could take your story before the spitting at the officer. In Thailand the word "maffia" only means criminals. Maybe you spend a couple of weeks in Thailand, please do not speak about our maffia.

there is an old saying "you reap as you sow..."

I sew farang ,Thai man and girl with Burmess young man
Hit the farang head many time at Nana 11/1 ,and all still working
With cart Saling alcohol after midnight .
Why police doesn't lock them all???

100% complete and utter horseshit Lucky!

"me Thai maffia"