Scams and Staying Safe in Thailand: An Indian Traveller's Guide

Thailand is one of the safest places an Indian family can travel to. Violent crime against tourists is rare, women travelling in groups are generally comfortable, and the police tourist units in Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai are used to helping visitors. What you do need to guard against is a well-rehearsed set of money scams — the same handful, repeated for decades, in the same few places.

The classics, and how they work

"The Grand Palace is closed today"

A friendly, well-dressed man near a major temple tells you the site is shut for a royal ceremony or a Buddhist holiday, and offers a tuk-tuk tour instead. The temple is open. The tour ends at a gem shop, a tailor and a travel agent who each pay him a commission.

What to do: never take closure information from anyone on the street. Walk to the official ticket window and check for yourself.

The 20-baht tuk-tuk tour

An improbably cheap all-day tuk-tuk tour of Bangkok. The price is real; the itinerary is a chain of commission shops where you are expected to browse for twenty minutes each.

What to do: use Grab or the BTS/MRT. A metered taxi across central Bangkok rarely exceeds 150 baht.

Gem and jewellery shops

You are told about a government gem sale, a one-day export promotion, or a chance to buy sapphires and resell them at home for a profit. The stones are near-worthless and the paperwork is meaningless. This scam has cost tourists — including many Indian visitors, who are specifically targeted with the "you know gold, you know this is a good price" line — very large sums.

What to do: Thailand has no government gem shops. Do not buy loose stones on a holiday, ever.

Jet-ski and scooter damage claims

You rent a jet ski or scooter in Phuket, Pattaya or Koh Samui. On return, the operator points to scratches that were already there and demands tens of thousands of baht, sometimes with an intimidating group present.

What to do: film a slow walk-around video of the vehicle before you take it, with the operator visible. Never hand over your passport as a deposit — leave a photocopy or cash. Rent from your hotel where possible.

Taxi meter refusal

At Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang, and outside malls, drivers quote a flat fare instead of using the meter.

What to do: at the airport use the official public taxi queue on the ground floor (there is a small surcharge, which is legitimate) or book a Grab. In the city, if the driver will not run the meter, get out and take the next one.

ATM and card traps

Every Thai ATM charges a fixed foreign-card fee of around 220 baht per withdrawal on top of your bank's charges. Machines also offer "conversion to INR" — dynamic currency conversion — at a rate 4–7% worse than your card's.

What to do: always choose to be charged in baht, not rupees. Withdraw larger amounts less often. A forex card loaded with baht plus a small cash float is usually the cheapest combination.

Ping-pong shows and bar bills

Free entry, then a bill for several thousand baht with a bouncer at the door.

What to do: avoid touts offering shows. In any bar, ask for the price list before ordering.

The dropped-wallet and friendly-stranger routines

Someone strikes up a conversation, mentions a relative studying in your city, and steers you toward a card game, a shop or a "special" tour. Warmth is genuine in Thailand more often than not, but an unprompted plan for your day is the tell.

Things Indian travellers specifically get caught by

• Overpaying for tour packages sold in India. Island day trips, Alcazar-type shows and city tours are routinely 40–60% cheaper booked in Thailand through your hotel or Klook than as a pre-bought package.
• Currency exchange at the airport. Use SuperRich or a city exchange booth; airport counters are the worst rate in the country.
• Vape pens and e-cigarettes. These are illegal in Thailand. Possession can mean confiscation, a heavy fine, or worse. Leave them at home.
• Cannabis products. Sold openly but heavily re-regulated, and taking any of it out of Thailand is a serious drug offence in India and elsewhere.
• Durian, drones and temple dress codes. Drones need registration; shoulders and knees must be covered at temples; some hotels ban durian entirely.
• Anything disrespectful to the monarchy. Thailand's lèse-majesté laws are strictly enforced, including for social media posts. Do not joke about it, and do not step on banknotes or coins bearing the King's image.

Practical safety habits

• Keep your passport in the hotel safe and carry a photo of it plus a copy of your visa-exemption stamp.
• Use Grab or Bolt rather than street taxis at night; the fare and driver are recorded.
• Road accidents on scooters are the single biggest cause of tourist injury. If you are not an experienced rider, do not hire one — and if you do, wear a helmet and check that your insurance covers two-wheelers, as many Indian policies exclude them without a valid licence.
• Drink bottled water; ice in restaurants and cafés is factory-made and safe.
• On the islands, respect red flags on the beach. Andaman-coast rip currents in the May–October monsoon kill swimmers every year.
• Buy travel insurance with medical cover of at least USD 100,000. Private Thai hospitals are excellent but expect payment or a guarantee up front.

Numbers to save

| Service | Number | | --- | --- | | Tourist Police (English-speaking) | 1155 | | Emergency / ambulance | 1669 | | Police | 191 | | Tourism Authority of Thailand | 1672 | | Embassy of India, Bangkok | +66 2 258 0300 | | Consulate General of India, Chiang Mai | +66 53 243 066 |

The Indian Embassy in Bangkok also runs a 24-hour emergency helpline for lost passports and hospitalisation — register your trip details before you fly and save the number in your phone.

The short version

Be sceptical of anyone who approaches you first, never buy jewellery, always insist on the meter or use Grab, film your rental before you ride it, always pay in baht, and leave the vape at home. Do that and Thailand is as easy and safe a holiday as you will find anywhere in Asia.