A warning today for tourists and expats in Chiang Mai. Be very careful if you chose to go to a karaoke bar. Some people are ending up with exorbitant bills and the police may be in on it.
One man was charged 46,000 baht for spending four hours in a karaoke with a couple of friends. He refused to pay.
Police here in this video below are seen dealing with a complaint – and the foreigner still has to pay 20,000.
This is very similar to the Patpong Bar scam.
There is upstairs a bar in Patpong where customers are ushered in with the shout of ‘No cover charge’ – only to find there is a very expensive one. Violence is threatened if they do not cough up. If you resist the police will come and re-negotiate the bill down but the scam has been allowed to continue year after year and the bar makes its money from those who do not complain.
I am sorry I do not have the names of the bars as yet – because the local television channel refused to name the one in this video, and I would need statements from those scammed. This information comes from ‘Living Thai’ – who have been following this story.
The cop in this video is acting as though it’s the most natural thing in the world. Some five bars are involved in these scams.
Currently Owen Wilson and Pierce Brosnan are up in Chiang Mai and are probably the only foreigners there who can pay these sort of bar bills, At the moment their film set in Lampang appears to have burned down, so they may have some time on their hands for a sing song.
They are in town where filming has started on the ‘Coup’. Its a film about a wild west country in south east asia which is subject to a lot of coups and where foreigners often get shot too. I cannot think what country this could be in.
Quite simply they picked on the wrong guy he's lived in Thailand four years and speaks reasonably versus one Tom Boy and a Gaggle of slapper's.
The policeman was more than fair in saying accept 4,700 Baht or go to court and prove their bill, he must have struggled to keep a straight face. .
Personally I would have expected to buy the f*cking bar for 47,000 Baht!
Thank you for your translation of what the policeman said. Although I understood a fair amount of what the falang was saying, I did not pick up the part where the policeman said accept the 4,700 baht or prove it in court.
I was somewhat disgusted how the arrogant Thai lady in the red/white jacket pushed the falang in the back as he entered into the room where the policeman was sitting. The typical "your'e in my territory and I can do what I want" attitude that we see too often in Pattaya. This video to me was for show only and did not create in me any confidence that this would stop in the future. Similar to jet ski scams that continue to occur on a regular basis in Pattaya unabated.
I agree, Observer, nothing will change. Your "my territory" remark is spot on.
Listening to the video, I did not hear the officer suggest a reduction to 4700 baht. Too many people want a cut for it to be that low anyway.
Possibly a little nudge in the right direction?
Saying that these little Slappers are their owners are small fry when it comes to the Pro's in Bangkok, Pattaya, Koh Samui Phuket etc. and I have no doubt these scams will never stop.
This sort of thing happens worldwide not only in Thailand, saying that this Farang did well, he kept his cool and put his case politely, unlike some of the dross who travel here to party!