Tourist Scam Warnings in Chiang Mai and Thailand — Updated for 2026

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This forum has a long-running section where Thai members report scams and bad operators. Here is a summary in English for visitors, updated for 2026. Most of Thailand is genuinely safe and most people are genuinely kind — but these specific scams repeat every single year.

1. The "temple is closed today" scam

A friendly, well-dressed man near a major temple tells you it is closed for a ceremony, a holiday, or cleaning. He offers a tuk-tuk tour to "another beautiful temple" for a suspiciously low price. You end up at a gem shop or tailor where he collects commission.

Reality: Major temples are almost never closed to visitors. Walk to the entrance and check yourself.

2. Tuk-tuk and songthaew overcharging

Chiang Mai red songthaews are shared taxis. Locals pay 30-40 THB per person for a short trip inside the city. Tourists are routinely quoted 150-300 THB.

What to do: Agree the price before getting in, every time. Use Grab or Bolt to check the fair rate first. If the quote is more than double, walk away — another one arrives in two minutes.

3. Motorbike rental damage claims

The most expensive scam for tourists. You rent a scooter, return it, and the shop points to a scratch and demands 5,000-20,000 THB.

How to protect yourself:
- Film a slow full walk-around video of the bike before you ride away, with the shop visible in frame.
- Never leave your actual passport as deposit. Offer a cash deposit or a photocopy. Leaving a passport is also illegal for them to demand as security in practice, and it removes all your leverage.
- Rent from shops with recent, detailed reviews, not the cheapest one on the corner.
- Take photos of existing scratches with the date visible.

4. Jet ski damage (Phuket, Pattaya, Samui)

Same mechanism as motorbikes, larger numbers. Damage that was already there is blamed on you, and the demand can reach 50,000 THB with intimidation. Film everything before you get on, or simply do not rent jet skis in Thailand. Many long-term residents do not.

5. Gem and tailor "special government sale"

There is no government gem sale. There never was. The stones are worth a fraction of what you pay and cannot be resold.

6. Fake police / "drug check"

Someone in plain clothes claims to be police, says they need to search you for drugs, and then offers to settle on the spot for cash.

What to do: Real Thai police carry ID and wear uniforms. You are entitled to ask for identification and to insist on going to an actual police station. Never hand over your wallet.

7. ATM and card skimming

Use ATMs attached to actual bank branches during opening hours. Cover the keypad. Thai ATMs charge 220 THB per foreign withdrawal, so take out larger amounts less often. Check your statement.

8. Grab / taxi "meter is broken"

In Bangkok especially. If the meter is broken, get out and take the next one. Use the app and pay through the app.

9. Ping pong show / bar bill shock

Free entry, then a bill for 8,000 THB with menu prices nobody showed you. Applies to certain venues in Bangkok and Pattaya. If you are pushed inside by a tout, that is the warning sign. Ask for a written price list before ordering anything.

10. Rental scooter petrol scam and roadside "police fines"

Tourists on scooters without an International Driving Permit get stopped and fined. This one is not a scam — it is the law. You legally need an IDP with a motorcycle endorsement plus a helmet. Without it your travel insurance is also void if you crash. Get the IDP before you fly.

General rules that prevent most problems

- Agree every price before the service starts, out loud, and repeat it back.
- Never let anyone take your passport out of your sight.
- If a stranger approaches you first with an offer, be suspicious. Genuine businesses do not need touts.
- Emergency numbers: Tourist Police 1155 (English spoken), Ambulance 1669, Police 191.
- Travel insurance that covers motorbikes specifically. Most standard policies exclude them.

Report what you have seen

This thread is here so the next visitor does not lose money. Please add:

- Have you been scammed in Thailand? What happened and where?
- Any new scam you have seen in 2026 that is not on this list?
- Which areas or operators should visitors avoid right now?
- Anyone had a good experience with Tourist Police 1155? Did they actually help?
- Long-term expats: what do you wish you had known in your first month?

Guests can reply without registering. Naming a specific location and date helps everyone.