The Nicest Scams You’ll Ever Fall for in Bangkok
Because in Thailand, even the scams smile at you.
Bangkok is one of the friendliest cities on earth — and that’s exactly why you’ll get scammed so gently you’ll say thank you.
Every traveler has their moment: you step off the BTS, someone smiles, and twenty minutes later you’re in a gem shop buying something you can’t spell.
Here are the most polite scams you’ll meet (and probably survive).
1️⃣ The Tuk-Tuk Temple Tour
The driver says the Grand Palace is “closed for ceremony.”
Spoiler: it’s not. He offers to show you “secret temples” instead — ending at a jewelry store with air conditioning and commission.
2️⃣ The Friendly Tailor
He’ll measure you like a Michelangelo statue and vanish with your deposit. Your “custom suit” arrives later looking like a polyester nightmare.
3️⃣ The Temple Helper
A man in a uniform-ish shirt offers to “guide” you for free. Five minutes in, he’s selling boat tickets to “the real floating market.”
4️⃣ The Taxi Without a Meter
He’ll insist the meter is “broken” but his heart is honest. Your fare quadruples.
Still, Bangkok doesn’t mean malice — it’s just a city that hustles with a smile. Each scam is half performance art, half lesson in street wisdom.
🧠 Lessons for Travelers / Agencies / Remote Workers
If someone approaches you first — walk away smiling.
Download Grab App for taxis. No bargaining, no heartbreak.
For agencies: include “scam education” briefings in tours — clients love it.
Remote workers: learn to say “mai ao krap/ka” (“no thank you”) — the magic shield.
❓ FAQ
Q: Is Bangkok dangerous?
A: No — just playfully chaotic. Scams are usually cheap and harmless.
Q: How to avoid them?
A: Book official Grab rides and ignore unsolicited “help.”
Q: Do locals get scammed too?
A: Only tourists — locals are too busy laughing at us.
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I remember the nicest scam I fell for back in 2007 — corn in the hand scam.
A little lady comes up to you near Wat Pra Kaew and puts a handful of corn kernels in your hand, then takes a step back waiting for you to pay her for the corn she just gave you to feed the pigeons.
If you don’t pay, a few men try to intimidate you into paying, unless you just walk away.
But I haven’t seen that scam since then.
There’s also another nicest scam — the “you’re so tall” scam. Random people will approach you and comment on your appearance to open up the conversation.
They always begin by telling me “You’re so tall” because I’m 6’3’’. Then they try to lure me into some local shops.
I’ve been here so long I can spot them coming, so I say to them “You’re so tall” before they can say it to me. Makes them very confused but gives me a good laugh.