The Patpong drinking scam

The longest running scam in history.



My understanding of a scam was that somebody played you, took your money and then absconded with your cash, never to be heard of again.

It seems that some scammers stick around for eternity and never have to suffer any consequences for their scamming.
The biggest and longest running scam I know of is the Patpong drinks scam, which has been running for at least twenty five years.
When I refer to Patpong in Thailand, I am not talking about some out of the way back street where only the lost solitary traveler has ventured, because Patpong is one of the most famous tourist precincts in the world.
Patpong in Bangkok is primarily a two street entertainment area in the heart of the city, frequented by tourists, seeking a wilder experience than is offered in most cities of the world.
The area offers a busy night market, an abundance of restaurants and eateries, and a multitude of bars. As is the case with Patpong’s world wide reputation, both of the area’s main streets are bounded by girlie bars, and navigating your way through puts you directly in the path of the sprukers.
This where your trouble is likely to begin.

In the tradition of the most famous red light areas, curiosity plays a vital factor and this has not escaped the attention of the experienced Patpong spruker, whose job it is to lure the customer into a particular bar.
This is how it works.
The spruker approaches you with his banner which read,” singha beer 50 baht.”

He studies your face as you nod towards your companion in agreement at this very cheap price for a beer in a bar that has dancing girls on poles.
When the spruker senses your apprehension, he gleefully offers you the spiel of there being no cover charge.
Felling relieved that this is the case, you follow him and are led upstairs to the bar. The spruker disappears back downstairs in search of another customer.
This is where the bar manager steps in. You are seated near the bar and two drinks are brought to you by the waiter. Within seconds the dancers are focused on you and begin doing their “wild thing” act in your face.
Nobody asks you if you are comfortable with this but nevertheless the attention of the dancers is concentrated on you. The acrobatics and the smiles are all for you.
You haven’t finished your first drink yet but another is placed on the table.
Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the pushiness and slightly bored too, you decide to leave.
The waitress rushes over with the bill, and you are horrified to find that the amount is not 240 baht for the four drinks as you expected but is 1040 baht.
You call the waitress and she listens to you with a blank expression on her face, and promptly calls the manager.
The manager is looking meaner by the second as she informs you that there is a 400 baht per person charge for the show.
When you tell her that you distinctly heard the spruker tell you that there was no cover charge, she explains to you that the extra 800 baht is for the private show not the cover charge.
Indignation rises in your voice as you protest, explaining that you did not request any show. The manager points to the bill and tells you to pay.
From the corners of the bar a couple of mean looking bouncers approach and listen in on the conversation.
You are now in a situation where your personal security is at stake.
What do you do? Do you pay up and put it down to experience or do you stand your ground and make a fight of it?
If you pay up, you can leave and forget about it. Is it worth fighting over?
The bouncers are waiting to see what your next move is.
What do you do?
You do what everybody else does.
You swear under your breath, pay the money and leave.

This scam is still operating in Patpong today. The police seem oblivious to it and no other Thai authority has attempted to shut it down during the twenty five year period I have been visiting Thailand.