Go Go Touts on Bangla Rd

[=0) Exotic Motorcyclist]

Do we really have to explain this to him???

 

[athomasmueller]

they are already out
View attachment 56616

 

[English And Proud]

In that case you and I agree. Just for the record, the last thing I'd ever want to do is defend the practice of ripping off tourists. I think it's disgusting, but to tourists who don't come to places such as this to read up ahead of time, it's probably inevitable.

I already posted that I won't be posting any more "advice", but what all these discussions have beaten into my brain are that first of all, if someone is trying to "sell" you something, it's probably a scam, and to always ask the price ahead of time.

 

[Loving Life!]

You've got better eyes than I have. I went walking around Bangla for the past couple of nights, thinking of this discussion. Maybe all the touts hide from me? Actually, it was "easier" walking down Bangla than both of my previous trips. All the pretty costumed people selling frog-thingies that make that unique sound were missing. Also, I used to walk by so many people demonstrating those toy cars that I had to be careful not to step on one. There were far fewer of them around, maybe two or three groups in all. Previously, person after person came up with those boxes of cigarette lighters and other junk, trying to make a sale. I only saw one of them in two days. As to the go-go touts, I didn't see any more than a year ago, and not that many more than my low-season visit several months back. The ones I did see all had those signs, but nobody shoved one into anyone's face - they just held them out, and if the person moved on, they did this to the next person. As the hour got later, and the bars started closing, more and more ladies came up trying to sell me on a massage or whatever, and (most annoying) several who I assume are ladyboys grabbed hold of my arm while asking the same thing. Nothing different than any other trip I've made.

This is during the week; maybe it will be different on the weekend.

By the way, there seemed to be far fewer parents with kids in tow also. On my last trip there were lots of them. The past few days, hardly any. Maybe that's because of the time of year.

The restaurants I go to used to be busy in low season, and packed in high season. For the past two nights I've gone back to the same restaurants, and they were practically empty. Very strange.

The biggest "tourist magnet" I've seen in two days is the cowboy person doing his magic show. He drew an even larger crowd than I remember from before, mostly blocking the whole street!

 

[Kathy C]

Still plenty of them out on Bangla in their mauve Tshirts with numbers on teh back tonight.

 

[denise t]

The top 10 scam warning posters already exist! (eg always ask the price of your drink before ordering, don't rent uninsured jetskis etc etc). These laminated A4 signs have been present in Bangla road for months.

But if I put these signs up on Beach road, or hoist a big banner on Beach Road that warns of these scams, then my legs will get broken

The Beach road police no doubt get a big rake-off from the jetski scams, and there is no way that these powerful mafia guys will put up with me upsetting their lucrative business.

It is (quite frankly), a bloody frustrating task trying to look after the welfare of tourists when some (not all), of my Thai police colleagues are either fcuking lazy, incompetent or as guilty of scamming as the jetski lads.



Simon

 

[Visualize whirled PEAS]

Puh, did even not notice them 5 years back,today they are the biggest irritant in Bangla.

But what can i do ? just drop this places that hire these boys me think

 

[smilebeth24]

Obviously they wouldn`t be doing it for free..

 

[Davey]

so you think touts ripping tourists off really adds value/experience/colour to the place do you Thaicam?????

FFS grow up!

 

[mlz194085]

Would be interesting to hear from RAW what is the most total "commission" paid out to one tout in one night but I guess that's classified information ;-) I can imagine in high season some of them can make 2 or 3000baht a night or even more. A couple of nights ago I saw one tout leading a group of 5 down to a gogo...that could have been a 2000baht pickup for him if it all went in his favour and they paid up!

As the punters don't pay until they leave do the touts hang around until the bill is paid to collect their money or do they come back later?

 

[john m]

Dodger, I said I'd quit posting suggestions, and I haven't posted any since then. As to the other things you just said, I don't disagree with any of them, and I don't think I've said otherwise. I'm not trying to "prove" anything, nor to post my "opinion". If I were posting my opinion, it would be to say I agree with you.

The only thing I've done recently, is posted what I saw the past two nights in several trips back and forth on Bangla Road. Maybe I'll walk down Bangla with a video camera running the whole time, then upload to youtube and post it here. It would be a good way to try out my new video camera...

 

[undercoverbabe911]

Thaicam. Douche bag. As usual you got your head up your ass and can only listen to yourself. The OP was talking about the scumbags that will follow an unsuspecting tourist into a GoGo pretending that he brought the tourists.:rules:

 

[Paul P]

Why dont we all wear mauve shirts with numbers?

 

[Blurcelve]

Tout baiting. It`s the new game, all join in. Lets say you`re heading to a bar on soi seadragon. You allow a tout to `guide` you there. Once there, plonk yourself in your favourite beer bar, and laugh at his consternation.

 

[Pompal 09.]

Thanks for doing as much as you can - I'm sure it's appreciated.

You think there's any chance of them being handed out at the airport in a year or two? That's probably the best place to make tourists aware of these things, with the hotels being a close second.

 

[Pompal 09.]

 

[dnt4get2luvme]

(The solution can't be that easy - what am I missing?)
The fact that touts can thrash up that bar for trying to be too smart.
Harass the staff. Harass the management. Block people from entering the bar.
Post up threats in red paint. Possibilities are endless.

There really isn't a simple solution to this tout situation.
So please stop offering your ideas. Thanks.

 

[Darius Alaric O]

I think it is at its' worst now that it has ever been since they are now "officially licensed" by the police so they feel they can do anything and will have police back them up.

 

[. .]

I know its an old thread but the touts are certainly annoying. Wifey finds them worse than I do, I just smile and walk on. A forced smile mind you. I noticed they get thicker than flies on a dead sheep after 8 pm.

 

[prbfc]

Hey, I know this is Thailand, and all the rules of "logic" get thrown out the window, but I can't believe you're telling me that a bar can get into trouble simply by having/posting a menu. I don't go to bars very often, but the last two bars I was at used to have a menu - so it's nothing new. I remember looking at them. This was in Soi Eric.

Regardless, if you look up above, my question was for Raw. I don't know who or where you are, let alone why you're telling me not to have posted it. If it's a topic the mods really don't want anyone commenting on, I'm sure I'll hear from one of them, or they'll shut down this discussion.

Since this forum seems to be read by a good many people about to visit Thailand, maybe it would be helpful if someone who's familiar with all this to post a suggestion for newcomers about how to avoid this problem, in addition to making them aware that it exists. Apparently just ignoring the touts isn't enough?