(Photo: 2Bangkok.com)

If you have been cheated and what a refund Latest News FAQ List of gem shops involved in the scam Links   Left: Tourist warning sign near MBK - January 9, 2008

The Scam
One of the most pervasive scams in Thailand is the Thai gem scam. Typically, a tourist meets a friendly Thai at a tourist attraction who eventually offers to take them to a "government" gem stone shop where the tourist is told about how they can sell Thai "blue sapphires" or other gems back home and make a 100% profit. It is all lies, of course, and the tourist ends up with a pocket full of overpriced gems. Like Thais themselves, the scam is low-key and the touts are friendly rather than pushy. A rule of thumb for Thais is that "real" Thais do not just walk up to strangers and strike up a friendly conversation. Thais typically "speak when spoken to." If you are approached at a tourist attraction by a friendly fellow who just walks up and starts speaking to you, watch out!

Too many otherwise wonderful vacations have been ruined by this scam, so watch out. 2B has followed this scam online for over a decade and make no mistake--the authorities have done little to stop it. No official ever dares mention the "protected" gold shops that actually run the scams (UPDATE: Gold stores were finally mentioned in a Tourist Police brochure circa January, 2004). One of the tuk tuk drivers who takes victims to be scammed operates in front of the Tourist Information Centre and the local Police Station on Khao Sarn Road.

The funny thing is that over the years the reports are from the same locations--only the names of the stores change. Officials claim that just changing the name of the shop prevents them from doing anything to stop the scam. See our Family Tree of Corrupt Shops. As one shop owner bragged to some cheated tourists: "I'll reopen again, just like I have for 20 years!"

How the scam works

    This is a by-the-numbers scam. Most people have the exact same experience. It goes something like this:
    1.    You are riding in a tuk-tuk
    2.    The driver tells you that wherever you are going is closed for some reason.
    3.    The driver tells you he is specially trained to be helpful to tourists.
    4.    You are told the government has launched a promotion to sell gems to tourists.
    5.    In the course of riding around with the "friendly" tuk-tuk driver, you "accidentally" meet a well-dressed young man, an older, distinguished man, or even another tourist.
    6.    The younger man claims he is a student. The older will claim he works for the government and shows you his government ID. (Thai IDs mean nothing. They are readily available for a small fee to anyone.) The tourist will tell you he fianacnes his trips to Thailand by buy gems and bringing them back home for resale.
    7.    This person you meet will "independently" confirm the story the tuk-tuk driver told.
    8.    Eventually you ask to be taken to the "government" jewelry house and are told that you can make 100-150% profit by reselling the gems back home. It seems okay since the seller writes something like "if everything is not ok we will offer a full refund" and puts an official looking stamp on it.
    9.    You've now been cheated by one of the oldest and most openly practiced scams in Thailand.