What annoys me about it is that if I'd just read my Cambodia lonely planet before setting out I could have avoided the whole lot.
First of all, I paid $15 USD too much for a visa into Cambodia (which lonely planet says is a common scam), and then I got ripped off $20 USD on a currency exchange trade once I got across the Thai border (which lonely planet says is the next most common scam), so basically, I'm $43.00 NZ down in Cambodia and it's only my first day here. I'm also cursing myself for not reading the perfectly good information I pre-armed myself with.
If I hadn't had no sleep in Bangkok the night before I would have read the lonely planet on the bus and been prepared but you win some you loose some I guess.
Most common rip off phrases I have found in Bangkok so far
"Taxi meter broken" (when they don't want to turn the meter on because they can charge a higher rate if they don't)
"You must pay me to get back also!" (when I've convinced them to turn the meter on, they say I need to pay 2 x the meter rate so they can 'get back')
Q) Can you take me to XYZ destination?
A) Oh, (appears to think hard) XYZ destination very far, at least one kilometer (meanwhile there is a huge sign saying XYZ destination across the road)
When going to the temple: "Temple closed. Public Holiday. I take you somewhere else." Meanwhile, there's no public holiday and the temple is open.
The most awesome con artist I met while I was in Bangkok was a 'teacher' from 'Chaing Mai' buying 'books' for 'impoverished children'.
He spoke excellent English and initially seemed like the trustable type, so I accepted his invitation to dinner. Dinner involved a Tuktuk ride to a dingy restaurant in the back of beyond, which was never-the-less excellent and involved a lot of Thai Brandy. The man spoke at lengths about the high quality of the Thai Brandy during the meal and how it was 'special' and 'unique'. Before we left, he very elaborately handed over 4500 Baht ($176.00 NZ) and explained it was to cover the cost of the Thai Brandy and that I should pay half.
Half sozzled I told him we could keep drinking and I'd get the next round. Next round turned out to be yet another Tuktuk ride even further into the back of beyond, to a pub with 'bar girls', where a 2 minute shoulder rub apparently cost $1000 baht.
Fortunately I'd sobered up on the Tuktuk ride over, and realising I was getting fleeced with these prices that were 10 to 100 times normal, without showing any alarm I began to plan my exit. Over the next 10 minutes I went to the bathroom, 'got lost' on the way to the bathroom, and scoped all the exits.
I managed to get out alive without paying a cent but it was touch and go for a while.
For purposes of comparison the meal we had would normally cost 45 baht, a full 1 hour proper Thai massage costs between 200-300 baht, and I found identical brandy at the 7/11 for 220 baht once I had got out of there.
One thing about getting ripped off in Cambodia today is, that if I was going to get ripped off by anyone in South East Asia, I'm pleased it was the Cambodians. So far, I really like Cambodia, all the Cambodians I have met (even the scammers) have been lovely, and the Cambodians have had a rough few decades. If anyone is going to make a profit out of the recent surge in tourism to Cambodia, it should be the Cambodians.
With that in mind, I had dinner at KFC, but it was a oncer, I only went as a fellow backpacker wanted to eat there just once and it was interesting to make the NZ Cambodia KFC comparison.
With regards to haggling in Thailand, Thai's don't seem to mind haggling to the nth degree if necessary. Cambodian's don't seem to take to it so much. There is usually a better price available but negotiating any further usually just pisses them off and doesn't lead to anything.
With that in mind, I had dinner at KFC, but it was a oncer, I only went as a fellow backpacker wanted to eat there just once and it was interesting to make the NZ Cambodia KFC comparison.
With regards to haggling in Thailand, Thai's don't seem to mind haggling to the nth degree if necessary. Cambodian's don't seem to take to it so much. There is usually a better price available but negotiating any further usually just pisses them off and doesn't lead to anything.
In Thailand, I found prices for things I'd never thought about negotiating were flexible, including drinks in bars, entry charges, and street items. I was able to cut my costs by 2/3rds on some items. For example, there was a sudden downpour at a temple while I was there, and within seconds, out of nowhere materialized a horde of umbrella sellers catering to western temple visitors. I was told that an umbrella was 450 baht (almost $18 NZ) but knowing this was rubbish, we eventually settled on 150 baht ($6 NZ) and were both happy.
2 comments:
Nice! Way to escape the bar with your money. I am reading this with interest since I went to India a couple years back and had similar experiences, and I am going to Cambodia later this year.
Losing $20 here and there is okay. It does start to erode your trust in humanity though.
we also got ripped off badly in a ping pong bar but the experience was good and made us way more weary of things. bangkok is such an interesting city but you do need to know about the rip offs and the temple closed is a great one.
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