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Before venturing out to experience the city, visitors should remember this fact:

Bangkok is home to some of the most charming confidence tricksters in the world. They are out there in significant numbers at the main tourist sites, or in front of your hotel, waiting. They are usually well-spoken, and utterly convincing. Scores of otherwise intelligent tourists become their hapless victims every day, often 'magically' parting with large amounts of money, and wondering for the rest of their life how they could have been so gullible.

Even long experienced travellers have been cheated by these ingenious rogues, and people who read this kind of warning yet still fell for the scam, can only mumble things like "I know, I read it, understood it, but these people were so nice, seemed so genuine - I just never thought......"

The technique employs a string of 'friendly' people, the first contact often carrying fake but convincing papers introducing him as a university professor, a Thai Airways pilot, a police chief etc. In the eyes of the visitor therefore, he is a 'genuine local Thai' and theoretically, interesting to get to know. This leads to a succession of other seemingly accidental encounters, inevitably ending in a jeweller's shop to take advantage of a once-only 'special discount' on precious stones. At this visually impressive but disreputable establishment, other enthusiastic 'buyers' - often foreigners employed by the crooks - reinforce the scam, and the trap springs in the expectation of a bargain purchase, or a large profit when the (worthless) stones are resold back home.

There are many variations on the above, plus other clever scams. You will be safe if you remember the Golden Rule:

Local people are basically shy, and reserved. No honest Thai person will approach you directly in a public place to offer unsolicited help, sightseeing tips, or advice.

If this happens (and it is very likely when you visit tourist sites) politely ignore the person - or enter into a conversation at your peril. He is a con man.

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