To have a safe and happy holiday in Pattaya there are a few things you should know to keep safe. Never leave your passport as security when hiring a motorbike or for anything else. A photocopy is adequate. Do not carry big amounts of money with you as bag snatching is common. Do not carry all your money and ATM cards with you. If your wallet or bag is stolen you will be left with nothing. Do not wear expensive gold necklaces. You may not have it for long. Pickpockets are everywhere. For detailed information check out http://www.pattayanewbie.com/
Ladyboys
Pattaya is famous not only for its thai girls but also “kateoys” or ladyboys. These are the “third” sex in Thailand- men who feel they are girls and dress and behave like women.
For detailed information check out http://www.pattayanewbie.com/pattaya_ladyboys.html
Walking Street
This is famous for go-go bars where almost naked thai girls dance on stage around chrome poles to get your attention. They have numbers so you can identify the one(s) you fancy. If you wish to enjoy the company of the lovely you choose in a more personal manner, you can pay the “bar fine” for her and she is yours to negotiate with about where and for how long. The bar fine is about 700 baht.
Go Go bars and girls
For detailed information check out http://www.pattayanewbie.com/ladies.html
Theft
Snatching gold necklaces is a popular way for thieves to make extra cash for drugs and entertainment. There are 2 common ways for this to be done. Two people on a motorbike will approach and the passenger will snatch the necklace or a group of ladyboys will approach the target and start touching him and getting his attention while another ladyboy undoes the necklace and steals it without him noticing. Do not carry big amounts of money with you as bag snatching is common. Make a copy of your passport and leave your passport in a safe place. Pickpockets are everywhere. Crowded baht buses are a popular place for Thai girls and ladyboys to get up close and personal. One will distract the foreigner while the other slips his wallet out of his pocket. Mobile phones are easy to slip out of a back pocket or an open bag. Any place that has a lot of tourists attracts thieves. Don’t make it easy for them. Central Festival is a popular place for pickpockets to steal ipads and mobile phones from tourists’s bags. Do not take all your money and all your credit cards with you when you go out. Many tourists have their wallets or bags stolen and have no money or ATM card.
Jetski Hire
It is well known around the world that Pattaya has some jetski operators who scam customers by charging them for damage already done to the jetski. The unfortunate customer is accused of damaging the jetski and is told to pay 20,000-30,000 baht. If the customer refuses he is suddenly surrounded by a group of thai men with iron bars. Often a friend will be forced to stay with the operator until the money is paid. If the customer refuses to pay he is likely to be beaten severely. The Thai police do not want to be involved and will tell both sides to come to an agreement about payment. If no agreement can be reached the police will keep the passport of the customer to prevent him from leaving the country. The jetskis are not insured. If damage does occur the customer must pay for it. Usually half the amount asked for is accepted. Do not hire a jetski that is already damaged. Inspect the jetski carefully before you hire it and take photos of it from all angles including underneath. Some jetski operators are doing this to protect themselves against customers who will not admit having a collision and won’t pay for damage. Before and after photos with date and time stamps and the customer sitting on the jetski will be shown to the police as evidence of new damage done by the customer. If an agreement about payment can not be reached, the police will keep the customer’s passport to prevent him from leaving the country without paying. The matter will then go to court to be decided by a judge. The jetski operators on the beach in front of Mike’s Shopping Mall are well known for scams. Jetski hire is 600-700 baht for 30 minutes.
ATM card skimming
Be very careful when using ATMs on the street. You may find large withdrawals made from your account without your knowledge. Also foreign credit card gangs spend all day emptying accounts with fake or stolen credit cards. Cancel your cards and make a complaint at Pattaya Police Station Soi 9. Bring your passport and your bank account details for evidence.
More Scams check out http://www.pattayanewbie.com/pattaya_scams.html
Police Emergency call 191
The Royal Thai Police have a station on Beach road next to Central. The Pattaya Traffic Police are also based here. This is where you go to pay fines and to make complaints about criminal activity. If you want to make a complaint you must bring your passport. Only crimes that occurred in Pattaya can be reported- if you were robbed in Bangkok or Phuket for example you can not make a complaint at the police station in Pattaya.