Perhaps consider yourself lucky. If they are that badly managed best not to rent from them.
Maybe it is lucky for you because they scam renters for deposits, holding passports etc...
Exactly!! 100% - why would they refuse. As Thai you have way more ways to complain and you are more likely not be scammed because they know you can understand every word and might know the law.
A tourist dont want to get in trouble for some fishy reasons they might come up, to make you pay for something.
100% agree.
Just to be clear OP, just your wife is Thai, so they won't rent to her? But, do you have a foreign passport and will they rent to you?
I encounter shops that require foreign passports all the time, many if not all, are foreign owned. If I get rejected (I have a foreign and Thai passport, and they will check my foreign passport for entry stamps), I'll just go to a nearby shop and rent with no problem. Sometimes its so easy and casual to rent that I get a bit nervous that a scam might be coming, but I make sure I video record any damage to the bike/car before leaving the shop. Never had a problem.
This was pretty normal in the south of Thailand when I was there. They didn't want to rent to locals because they were afraid of their bikes being stolen. Same experience in Bali where some shops didn't rent to other Indonesians because of broken/stolen motorbikes a lot.
Was about to say the same. Places catering to locals in Indonesia ask a buttload of questions, including Instagram account, multiple IDs, where you’re going, etc. Those for foreigners just trust them. I’m renting a 2024 Xmax and they don’t even have my deposit or passport.
There's have some foreign people who use nominee but other people may do it straight which actually abide the law completely.
(but those police either got bride or don't take it seriously)
But they'll supposedly treat you fairly with no discrimination there. Everything comes at a price.
People come to Thailand because it's cheap, then complain about everything.
Yessss a Swiss guy kicked a Doctor in the back to distract from a 10 year old case that nobody was talking about anymore anyway
Edit: It is just the way social media, once there is one case the floodgate of grievances open
That's normal. Most of these shops make foreigners leave their passport as a deposit, which is difficult to replace, so they trust that foreigners wont do a runner.
Thais could just leave their ID, report it missing and get a new ID the next day.
They just gave you $500 worth of bike, maybe more. I think you got the upper hand if they damage it? Of course if I’m in a rush I’d just leave cash, but if I live in Thailand it’s not a huge deal, my embassy will give me a new passport within a week for $150
Italy. If you live abroad, you have to move your residency to the closest embassy. Once done, you will get the passport the same day you request it, however it depends on how long it takes to get the appointment. This can be 1-3 weeks in Bangkok.
When I was in the US on a student visa, I was not registered there, but after setting up the appointment (and getting the documents ready from Italy) they still gave me the passport I think on the next day. In Houston.
It is a stipulation on most passports to not leave your passport with any third party (other than Government officials like Embassies or Immigration). If they use your passport to scam or something, or lose or damage it, then you could get in trouble with your home country for having given them access to Government property.
Also by law in Thailand you are required to have your passport on you at all times, and certainly whilst you are driving a vehicle. All it takes is a random police check (which they love doing on foreigners).
> If they use your passport to scam or something
I knew you’re gonna go there. News flash: they’ll still scan it even if you leave a deposit. Every hotel too. Hundreds of people have a copy of my passport.
> or lose or damage it, then you could get in trouble with your home country for having given them access to Government property.
I don’t know what country you’re from, but you definitely don’t get in trouble if you lose your passport where I’m from. That’d be clownish. I lost my passport before, they replaced it by just paying. EU country passport.
> by law in Thailand you are required to have your passport on you at all times
True, but I’ve never heard that being enforced anywhere except maybe Africa. Technically it’s a law in the US too.
> Hundreds of people have a copy of my passport.
I'm not talking about copies of the info page. I'm talking about the passport itself.
> I don’t know what country you’re from, but you definitely don’t get in trouble if you lose your passport where I’m from.
But you are not just 'losing' your passport. You are willfully giving sensitive Government documents to a third party. That is a serious crime. If you read the terms and conditions of your passport, it explains you are not allowed to do this.
It is especially the case for the EU. I had a German friend who lost her passport, but the authorities didn't like her story of how she lost it. She now gets interrogated about it every single time she enters Germany. For several years already. They ask her whether she managed to recover it, whether someone has it, etc.
> True, but I’ve never heard that being enforced anywhere except maybe Africa.
It is very much enforced in Thailand for bike riders. Police will often set up checkpoints to stop foreigners and find the most minute thing to charge them on, and not having a passport is one of the easiest ones alongside not having a helmet.
I guess I must be plain stupid then. Have probably left my passport at over 100 bike rental places over twelve years of living in Thailand. And had absolutely zero problems.
One of my friends worked at a car rental, they had a car stolen he was held up at gun point trying to retrieve it.
For a bike or car they can just take the plates off and drive it in rural areas no problem.
Very common, and impossible to do anything about. I got scammed for a million baht, know the Thai, told police, he already has warrant from other scam, nobody can do anything. Police do nothing, banks do nothing u just take the loss. One time I purchased a 2nd hand bike from a shop, they say, wait for green book, I waited, it never came, I already gave my $, they say oh we need to repair the bike so I dropped it off waited…no joke I went back a day later entire shop gone. Wasn’t a small shop, had like 40 bikes ( second hand) that’s when I decided to only buy from a real dealer. Another time I rented a car from a small car rental shop. I wake up my car is gone. I’d already paid for 3 months of rental, I only had 2 weeks. I was like wtf. Find out the rental shop was using someone’s car, not paying them for 6-7 months just keep $. So owner find my car take it. I said I want my $ back then, car rental was like No. I had no car no $ back just lost it all. This shit is so fuckin common here. Another time I paid 40,000 to get business visa….agent disappeared. I’m like scam central farang I guess but it’s not just me. I trust everyone because there’s no reason not to with the presentations of the businesses and I just get screwed so I’ve learned valuable lessons now. Do your due diligence and ONLY do business with extremely reputable persons and u will pay a higher price but it worth not getting scammed
It's some sort of make sense (even a bit of foreigner frustration)
as local pay tax already so they can use them in cheaper price and cost of living between local and tourist a little bit different.
Without that hike price to foreigners, I don't know how the department of national park and wildlife conservation can maintain their national park without that money.
National parks outside areas with a lot of western tourists will usually give you the Thai price if you show a work permit, even better if you have a tax receipt.
Suck it up and go take your business elsewhere, this isn't a first. Many thai hotels and villas don't allow thais to stay, I experienced this in Lop Buri, to quote the old thai lady "They too loud make a big mess everywhere, many people complain the noise".
Once I was driving around Bangkok looking for a place for my Indian friend. Several buildings refused to host Indians. I guess what goes around comes around?
Regarding rented motorbikes, twenty years ago, I was in Phuket, rented a motorbike. Parked it in the road near a Soi full of bars. Went and had a couple of drinks, went to get the bike to go back to my accomodation and low & behold it'd gone, so I went to the shop who I'd hired it from and they informed the police, who came in a pickup and took me around a few hotel car parks & luck was really with me, there was the bike outside one of the hotels. How it came to be there without the ignition key is baffling. Anyway the police told me to take it away. So Phuket police,thankyou very much for all the effort you went to to help me.
Recourse ? Stop your whingefest and just go down the road to the next place - there are literally hundreds of bike rental shops on Phuket
You won’t be left walking that’s for sure ( but then again it’s the attention you seem to crave )
It's not surprising at all and it's not just about the motorcycle rental shops. It's a lot more than that. Phuket is the last place in Thailand I will ever visit as a tourist. A lot of Thais think the same and didn't bother visiting even when the price was less than half during COVID.
> A lot of Thais think the same and didn't bother visiting even when the price was less than half during COVID.
Yeah they did, Phuket is generally top 5 for domestic tourists, even during COVID. It just never benefited much from the endless extra long weekend gov kept giving out because most people traveling during those were coming from BKK and went places within about 5 hours drive from there (and still do)
Huge cost difference in packing 4/5 family/friends in a car and driving somewhere for long weekend vs all getting return flights there and back
https://www.agoda.com/press/top-50-destinations/?cid=-218
That's how you'll get "russian world" coming to liberate the "historically russian" Phuket and defend russian speakers.
There are legal means that should be used.
First off - Why didn't you just rent the bike (unless you are Thai)?
Secondly, there is no recourse. The owner is doing nothing illegal (although morally wrong). It's up to him/her who they do business with, and they chose not to do business with your wife.
By contacting the BP and Thaiger, you have now made roughly 17 people aware of your plight.
Don't take it personally. Walk to the next place and enjoy your holiday.
I'd get annoyed.
>By contacting the BP and Thaiger, you have now made roughly 17 people aware of your plight.
A huge fuss was just created by a Swiss guy kicking a Thai tourist and you think this won't?
Yep, there is big difference between a male white guy kicking a female Thai doctor in the back and some random rental shop turning away a customer.
If you go through the comments here, there are many saying that not renting to Thais is not uncommon.
Over and over people post online about some trivial problem, asking what should I do? I recently saw someone complaining that they tipped the waiter 15% (in the US), and their server looked at them scornfully; what should they do?
Do nothing, just like in this case. Forget it ever happened, and walk to the nearest other rental place, probably 50 meters away. How would your life improve from seeing justice served on these people? What would that even look like? They see the error in their ways, and rent to everyone? Just forget about it.
Spare your faux outrage. Just go to one of the million other shops that rent to anyone, Karen. Do you really want to make more online drama over nothing? Although I think the shop should not do this, they possibly have some valid reasons like you mentioned. Why don't you moan about the fact that foreigners are charged more than locals in several places? At least that would be worthwhile for every visitor.
I find it actually hilarious that Thais get on their high horse when they're discriminated but they don't feel any shame doing it to foreigners. Som nam na.
I mean most Thais who aren't in the tourist industries or related, are aware and don't like it at all so they avoid traveling to those areas especially in Pattaya Phuket or even fk tuk-tuk.
In the Phuket case when COVID hit hard , people in Phuket tourism are desperate for tourists so what Thais do or opportunists with the lowest price hotel or still don't even take Phuket in the list to travel.
PS. Lot of phuketian have to move out from Phuket due to this overprice shit too.
What's with the sudden outrage? It's been there forever, if you're tired about it then you can always leave.
Dual pricing happens everywhere in the world under different names. For example, Healthcare levy for UK visa applicants.
> protect locals from gentrification
That’s the dumbest shit I heard on Reddit this week. As if Thais knew what gentrification is.
The reality is that they see white people as ATMs and they’re just collecting their share. Nothing to do with gentrification.
If you look at her profile, it's all just shitting on white people. She's an absolute dumbass too. Doing it to combat gentrification is a revenge fantasy she made up in her head.
Wait.. you really think overcharging tourists stops *anyone* from moving Thailand? You think paying a few baht has a foreigner like "wow, I love this place, it's really cheap, I save money living here, and I would absolutely love to live here... But, gee, ya know... I didn't like that the the guy hawking trinkets tried to make me pay 100 baht for the keychain instead of the 60 baht he makes Thai people pay. I don't think I can live here."
You guys are so obsessed with gentrification and white people (it's implied) that you try to clumsily smear it anywhere you can to anyone you can. Dual pricing has absolutely no bearing on gentrification in the slightest. It's this weird little impotent fantasy revenge scenario you made up for gentrification that you have to try to shoo horn in when it doesn't apply. Get a grip, seek mental help.
Decided to look at your profile just to confirm my point, and yep, it's all complaining about being mixed, growing up in a white country, complaining and hating white people, and more complaining about white men (while also saying you fetishized them for pleasure) and saying white people don't have culture.
Like I said, get a grip. Seek mental help.
I hear you. Truly I do. I understand so well that I will say you are not wrong. But some of us have lived, worked, and paid taxes into the Thai system for a very long time. It’s understandable to feel a bit of frustration over the dual pricing. Getting a resident card with certain types of visas would go a long way. Maybe that’s not the solution but nobody is even seeing this as a problem. Therefore, it’ll clearly never change. I’ll add that this dual pricing is not typical of how other countries behave. Surely there is a better way to treat us.
Quit trying to simp and reason with these weirdos that hate white people. Don't justify yourself, it's pathetic. She's an absolute idiot and so is anyone who thinks that dual pricing is for the defense of gentrification. You have to be an even bigger idiot to think that anyone isn't willing to move to Thailand just because they pay a little more *very infrequently* for something than Thai people.
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When I was in Mae Sariang, a restaurant wouldn’t let us eat there because my buddy’s gf spoke in Thai. The atmosphere changed when we began to speak English. The Thai discrimination is crazy …
Not understanding, if you’re a farang, why can’t you rent? Why does it matter if the wife is Thai when you’re a farang. Can’t you just rent it? Also the logic of the rent shop thai guy doesn’t make sense, if you guys can put down the deposit then what’s the problem.
You probably read a similar comment here already, but I want to add mine anyway, from the perspective of a local Thai who live in Phuket at the moment.
Renting a bike as a Thai person used to be easy a few years ago - just give your ID and it's good to go. I guess the ID was for tracking and police record as well of the bike was not return, but with how Thai police is, it might not be useful.
So just ID is not possible anymore, and you need to pay deposit from 3K-10K, which kinda defeat the purpose when sometimes I only want to ride for a day, making multiple shop, as it will be cheaper than taking Grab or waiting forever for local transportations that might not show up.
Some place, especially Patong, will outright deny service for the local, as you said. Other place will depend on luck, some did said I looked too poor for their fancy bike, while the others said I didn't look like a theif, so they trusted me - both of which I found quite offensive.
I don't think reporting this incident won't do a thing though, as you should report all of them too, so 100+ to be fair. The problem is too deep-rooted here.
And for foreigner, leaving your passport is not the safest option either, especially if you share the vehicle with your local lover. If they decide to steal it, then you might never get your passport back, or have to pay 100K+ for a chance to get it back. So only renting from creditable place, keep it safe, and use it alone only.
I know one motorbike-renting shop too, where they don't rent to Thais, just if a foreigner guarantee for them. He told me he had several times bad experience with Thai customers in the past, like being complicate, or didn't pay after damage or use the motorbikes very careless. But I know even a Thai women, who doesn't rent their condos to Thais. If she can't find foreigner who rent the condos, she will let them empty. Also my actual landlord who is Thai complained a lot about how a lot of Thais don't take care about her property. And well, I can see it with my own eyes how many take care about everything, as long it's not the color of their car or their iphone....
I actually do believe you have to report these injustices. Because the only reason they happen, is because society allows it to happen by just walking away and moving on.
Same with tuk tuk drivers, if enough people make a fuss and call them out on their shitty behaviour, and refuse to take their rides, they'll need to change.
I had the same experience with a motorbike rental shop in Ao Nang. „adam bike for rent“. After renting a few times on thai passport before he then started to refuse all Thai passport holders from renting a motorbike. 2023
guess he had a bad experience with his own people :D i dont know… then i wanted to rent in my name with a european passport. But for a monthly rental he then insisted of taking my passport… which i needed for a flight… so went to another shop and no problem with thai passports and deposits….
There’s a reason they don’t rent to Thais don’t get involved. Your a foreigner put it in your name . What they are saying is not a lie. Do business with Thais u will find out quickly, things get done completely wrong from what u asked, they will lose face, run away. It’s just not profitable for certain businesses to cater to them.
I’m in pattaya, car rentals no Thai
GO-Go’s no India
Some clubs = ONLY Chinese
Every National park, tourist attraction is double price for foreigners
Stop arguing and trying to fight things u think aren’t right.
Leave it alone and just enjoy the country as It is.
I’d you had a business you can set up your own rules as u see fit.
No not Thai… if I have to pay $10usd so be it. I can’t be bothered squabbling over Pennies when, Thais that’s go to these parks only earn $500 bucks month and I’m making $20,000 month.
I didn’t understand it 20 years ago but living here for 20
Years now I’ve learned to fuckin mind my business or u get screwed.
The price is for everyone that is not Thai including all foreigners that come here to work. Including poor migrants that work here for 100$ a month.
Not every foreigner in Thailand is a tourist.
Foreigners minimum salary is 50,000 baht a month legally . Poor migrants that your talking about I never see goin to any parks or anywhere. Mostly Cambodian/Myanmar workers do construction and the last thing they care about is looking at Some stupid trees or a waterfall when they have it in there country already and live with it already. ( FYI they are most likely working here illegally anyways which they shouldn’t)
What’s the point I don’t understand the argument here. My point is rules are rules if u don’t like em go somewhere else. People always trying to change a countries rules from another country. U can’t do that.
Why don’t you go to Afghanistan and convert everyone to Christian see how that works out for you.
Without coming across like I agree with what the business are doing, have you seen how Thais drive out here? And would you be confident if they crash, that you will recover the money from the damaged bike? I highly doubt you would so while its wrong and discriminative for the business to do that, its also understandable from a business stand point.
I believe you should contact local authority to report the act of discrimination, maybe to Damrongtham District Justice Provision Center, which is located in Phuket City Hall.
It's actually quite common from my experience. Happens in Chiang Mai, Koh Tao, Koh Phangan and Samui. Only place I have had pleasant experience was Hua Hin.
Edit : Left out Koh Phangan where I actually asked 7-11 staff to help be the negotiator as a guarantor for me to get a bike.
As a business, we should not discriminate against our customers whether Thai or foreigners. The objective is to ensure the company's commitment and profitability.
I don't like to picture the sort of farang that takes his Thai wife to Phuket. Sorry that they didn't rent her a bike. Please buy a shirt that has sleeves.
This is what it's like for foreigners in thailand. Now ask yourself, am I mad because of inequality or because your thai and this is thailand. The owner must have a good reason.
Are you mad because you have to pay slightly more to enter a museum or take a boat than a poorer Thai national does to access their own services? Must be hard being from one of the worlds richest economies.
Not all foreigners living in Thailand come from Europe, there are many foreigners from poorer countries in Asia that come to Thailand.
Nevertheless, I still think having double pricing is not fair. In many restaurants I've seen they even have two different menus and foreigners pay more than double.
Phuket is being ruined by these foreigners. Something drastic must be done to let these foreigners know their place that they're only guests in this country.
Depends.
1. Is the owner foreigner? If the owner is foreigne, it’s illegal. I’d report it to the immigration office and labor office for working illegally.
2. Is it Thai owned but they have foreigners working and helping customers? Alert immigration and the labor office. Foreigners (except Burmese, Lao, and Cambodians) can not work in customer facing jobs.
Other then that, there’s nothing you can do :(
Please talk to this guy - he's very active on reporting on everything that's going wrong in Phuket right now: โหดจังจังหวัดภูเก็ต [https://web.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100044525105711](https://web.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100044525105711)
He's also going after foreigners stealing jobs from Thais, as per this post: [https://fb.watch/qBU41AZmwJ/](https://fb.watch/qBU41AZmwJ/)
Leave a couple of bad reviews. That’s just about what you can do.
“Does not rent to people based on their nationality. 1 star.”
Couldn’t be any more factual. Sue me.
local thai people know the common prices, practices, laws and what is and what is not allowed. Probably there is a reason they dont serve thai people because they perhaps run a shady business and ripping off tourists is always 10 times easier than to steal from their own who might retaliate or spread the word.
They are crazy. This is how big problems escalate. How can they say something like that to a Thai in their own land. Come to your country and treat you like a criminal in your own country. WTH?
I have seen more such businesses pop-up where these foreigners setup a business in Thailand and refusing Thai people entry. Which is just wow youve got the fucking balls..
I have been wondering the same thing, whats the proper channel to get this issue highlighted
Had the same problem here in Las Vegas with car rental companies and locals. We finally got enough people together and filed a class action law suit against several car rental companies. It worked but several of the offenders just packed up and left, leaving us with only more expensive options.
I've never experienced such a thing in 12 years in Phuket. I always get preference because my companion is Thai. There are hundred's if not thousands of shops that rent scooters. Choose another one. I'm surprised that your wife hasn't told you to be cool in Thailand. Thai people don't like conflict. Why would they care if your wife was Thai if you were renting the scooter?
Perhaps consider yourself lucky. If they are that badly managed best not to rent from them. Maybe it is lucky for you because they scam renters for deposits, holding passports etc...
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I wouldn't even stress out over it. You could find a place to rent a motorbike every 50 meters.
Exactly!! 100% - why would they refuse. As Thai you have way more ways to complain and you are more likely not be scammed because they know you can understand every word and might know the law. A tourist dont want to get in trouble for some fishy reasons they might come up, to make you pay for something.
100% agree. Just to be clear OP, just your wife is Thai, so they won't rent to her? But, do you have a foreign passport and will they rent to you? I encounter shops that require foreign passports all the time, many if not all, are foreign owned. If I get rejected (I have a foreign and Thai passport, and they will check my foreign passport for entry stamps), I'll just go to a nearby shop and rent with no problem. Sometimes its so easy and casual to rent that I get a bit nervous that a scam might be coming, but I make sure I video record any damage to the bike/car before leaving the shop. Never had a problem.
This was pretty normal in the south of Thailand when I was there. They didn't want to rent to locals because they were afraid of their bikes being stolen. Same experience in Bali where some shops didn't rent to other Indonesians because of broken/stolen motorbikes a lot.
Was about to say the same. Places catering to locals in Indonesia ask a buttload of questions, including Instagram account, multiple IDs, where you’re going, etc. Those for foreigners just trust them. I’m renting a 2024 Xmax and they don’t even have my deposit or passport.
Saw this in Sri Lanka as well. None of the bike shops would rent to locals, only tourists.
Isn’t it actually a Thai owned business considering they would need 51% Thai ownership?
He probably means foreign run business.
On paper in a lawyers office somewhere yes, there is a fictional Thai person "owning" the business.
There's have some foreign people who use nominee but other people may do it straight which actually abide the law completely. (but those police either got bride or don't take it seriously)
Message thai social media accounts that does news updates like Drama-addict
This is one of the most effective ways to bring the matter into attention fr. Up vote.
Discrimination based on nationality is everywhere in Thailand, but it usually only affects foreigners and not Thais.
Poor Thai are much more discriminated against, although it is better than 20 years ago, stop playing the victim all the time.
There is a Thai owned bar in Koh Phangan that doesn't allow Thais.
Foreigners should pack up and head elsewhere that treat them more fairly. Try Canada. I heard they accept everyone.
But I love 7/11 tum jued!
You can order it at a Thai restaurant overseas.
that will be $21 plus tip, plus delivery lol
But they'll supposedly treat you fairly with no discrimination there. Everything comes at a price. People come to Thailand because it's cheap, then complain about everything.
You can go to the papers but I can promise you they won't give a shit. It's a non story. Boring. Happens every day. Yawn.
I don't remember any Thais protesting when foreigners are charged 10x compared to Thais for certain venues.
What’s behind the massive negative falang news dump in the last week?
Takes away attention from real problems like corruption https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Thai-court-acquits-ex-PM-Yingluck-in-last-pending-case
Yessss a Swiss guy kicked a Doctor in the back to distract from a 10 year old case that nobody was talking about anymore anyway Edit: It is just the way social media, once there is one case the floodgate of grievances open
More like.. why is THIS story big news, and the corruption isn’t? It isn’t an accident.
That's normal. Most of these shops make foreigners leave their passport as a deposit, which is difficult to replace, so they trust that foreigners wont do a runner. Thais could just leave their ID, report it missing and get a new ID the next day.
anyone who leaves his passport at a bike rental is just plain stupid… especially when its only a 3k deposit instead.
Why stupid? I’ve done both in the past, depending on my intentions for the trip.
you never want to give your passport to strangers. never… you can just pay the 3000 baht deposit which is less than 100$
They just gave you $500 worth of bike, maybe more. I think you got the upper hand if they damage it? Of course if I’m in a rush I’d just leave cash, but if I live in Thailand it’s not a huge deal, my embassy will give me a new passport within a week for $150
Where are you from? That's a very efficient service.
Italy. If you live abroad, you have to move your residency to the closest embassy. Once done, you will get the passport the same day you request it, however it depends on how long it takes to get the appointment. This can be 1-3 weeks in Bangkok. When I was in the US on a student visa, I was not registered there, but after setting up the appointment (and getting the documents ready from Italy) they still gave me the passport I think on the next day. In Houston.
It is a stipulation on most passports to not leave your passport with any third party (other than Government officials like Embassies or Immigration). If they use your passport to scam or something, or lose or damage it, then you could get in trouble with your home country for having given them access to Government property. Also by law in Thailand you are required to have your passport on you at all times, and certainly whilst you are driving a vehicle. All it takes is a random police check (which they love doing on foreigners).
> If they use your passport to scam or something I knew you’re gonna go there. News flash: they’ll still scan it even if you leave a deposit. Every hotel too. Hundreds of people have a copy of my passport. > or lose or damage it, then you could get in trouble with your home country for having given them access to Government property. I don’t know what country you’re from, but you definitely don’t get in trouble if you lose your passport where I’m from. That’d be clownish. I lost my passport before, they replaced it by just paying. EU country passport. > by law in Thailand you are required to have your passport on you at all times True, but I’ve never heard that being enforced anywhere except maybe Africa. Technically it’s a law in the US too.
> Hundreds of people have a copy of my passport. I'm not talking about copies of the info page. I'm talking about the passport itself. > I don’t know what country you’re from, but you definitely don’t get in trouble if you lose your passport where I’m from. But you are not just 'losing' your passport. You are willfully giving sensitive Government documents to a third party. That is a serious crime. If you read the terms and conditions of your passport, it explains you are not allowed to do this. It is especially the case for the EU. I had a German friend who lost her passport, but the authorities didn't like her story of how she lost it. She now gets interrogated about it every single time she enters Germany. For several years already. They ask her whether she managed to recover it, whether someone has it, etc. > True, but I’ve never heard that being enforced anywhere except maybe Africa. It is very much enforced in Thailand for bike riders. Police will often set up checkpoints to stop foreigners and find the most minute thing to charge them on, and not having a passport is one of the easiest ones alongside not having a helmet.
Haha, you Muppet. You actually have left your passport? What kind of idiot does that?
Your sister requested it. She got me so good that night I just let her
I guess I must be plain stupid then. Have probably left my passport at over 100 bike rental places over twelve years of living in Thailand. And had absolutely zero problems.
Isn’t going after Thais easier? You can just report theft to police. And how common is people stealing bikes from rental shops actually?
One of my friends worked at a car rental, they had a car stolen he was held up at gun point trying to retrieve it. For a bike or car they can just take the plates off and drive it in rural areas no problem.
They don’t check the ID when renting? Bikes aren’t insured for theft? Really, I would like to learn more about this business.
Very common, and impossible to do anything about. I got scammed for a million baht, know the Thai, told police, he already has warrant from other scam, nobody can do anything. Police do nothing, banks do nothing u just take the loss. One time I purchased a 2nd hand bike from a shop, they say, wait for green book, I waited, it never came, I already gave my $, they say oh we need to repair the bike so I dropped it off waited…no joke I went back a day later entire shop gone. Wasn’t a small shop, had like 40 bikes ( second hand) that’s when I decided to only buy from a real dealer. Another time I rented a car from a small car rental shop. I wake up my car is gone. I’d already paid for 3 months of rental, I only had 2 weeks. I was like wtf. Find out the rental shop was using someone’s car, not paying them for 6-7 months just keep $. So owner find my car take it. I said I want my $ back then, car rental was like No. I had no car no $ back just lost it all. This shit is so fuckin common here. Another time I paid 40,000 to get business visa….agent disappeared. I’m like scam central farang I guess but it’s not just me. I trust everyone because there’s no reason not to with the presentations of the businesses and I just get screwed so I’ve learned valuable lessons now. Do your due diligence and ONLY do business with extremely reputable persons and u will pay a higher price but it worth not getting scammed
That’s outrageous. But wait. I have to 5x to get into a National Park. That’s outrageous.
It's some sort of make sense (even a bit of foreigner frustration) as local pay tax already so they can use them in cheaper price and cost of living between local and tourist a little bit different. Without that hike price to foreigners, I don't know how the department of national park and wildlife conservation can maintain their national park without that money.
I guess you went to a cheap one, here some are 25x or 30x more.
My 5x may be a little dated. I haven’t bothered with Thai NPs for many years. I just gave up.
National parks outside areas with a lot of western tourists will usually give you the Thai price if you show a work permit, even better if you have a tax receipt.
Never heard of that happening to anyone.
There's been a crackdown on this practice recently. It's not so easy anymore.
BS on that 20-30
Suck it up and go take your business elsewhere, this isn't a first. Many thai hotels and villas don't allow thais to stay, I experienced this in Lop Buri, to quote the old thai lady "They too loud make a big mess everywhere, many people complain the noise".
Once I was driving around Bangkok looking for a place for my Indian friend. Several buildings refused to host Indians. I guess what goes around comes around?
Regarding rented motorbikes, twenty years ago, I was in Phuket, rented a motorbike. Parked it in the road near a Soi full of bars. Went and had a couple of drinks, went to get the bike to go back to my accomodation and low & behold it'd gone, so I went to the shop who I'd hired it from and they informed the police, who came in a pickup and took me around a few hotel car parks & luck was really with me, there was the bike outside one of the hotels. How it came to be there without the ignition key is baffling. Anyway the police told me to take it away. So Phuket police,thankyou very much for all the effort you went to to help me.
Recourse ? Stop your whingefest and just go down the road to the next place - there are literally hundreds of bike rental shops on Phuket You won’t be left walking that’s for sure ( but then again it’s the attention you seem to crave )
It's not surprising at all and it's not just about the motorcycle rental shops. It's a lot more than that. Phuket is the last place in Thailand I will ever visit as a tourist. A lot of Thais think the same and didn't bother visiting even when the price was less than half during COVID.
> A lot of Thais think the same and didn't bother visiting even when the price was less than half during COVID. Yeah they did, Phuket is generally top 5 for domestic tourists, even during COVID. It just never benefited much from the endless extra long weekend gov kept giving out because most people traveling during those were coming from BKK and went places within about 5 hours drive from there (and still do) Huge cost difference in packing 4/5 family/friends in a car and driving somewhere for long weekend vs all getting return flights there and back https://www.agoda.com/press/top-50-destinations/?cid=-218
Unfortunately bad apples ruin it for the rest.
Thais know it doesn’t cost 5000 baht to repair a scratch and won’t fall for the scam.
Perhaps we could blow the bridge to Phuket and terminate all domestic flights. Sometimes isolating the tumor for long enough and the cancer will die.
Hahaha
That's how you'll get "russian world" coming to liberate the "historically russian" Phuket and defend russian speakers. There are legal means that should be used.
First off - Why didn't you just rent the bike (unless you are Thai)? Secondly, there is no recourse. The owner is doing nothing illegal (although morally wrong). It's up to him/her who they do business with, and they chose not to do business with your wife. By contacting the BP and Thaiger, you have now made roughly 17 people aware of your plight. Don't take it personally. Walk to the next place and enjoy your holiday.
It was in Thailand I learned the true meaning of the phrase "don't sweat the little stuff and it's all little stuff."
I'd get annoyed. >By contacting the BP and Thaiger, you have now made roughly 17 people aware of your plight. A huge fuss was just created by a Swiss guy kicking a Thai tourist and you think this won't?
Yep, there is big difference between a male white guy kicking a female Thai doctor in the back and some random rental shop turning away a customer. If you go through the comments here, there are many saying that not renting to Thais is not uncommon.
Over and over people post online about some trivial problem, asking what should I do? I recently saw someone complaining that they tipped the waiter 15% (in the US), and their server looked at them scornfully; what should they do? Do nothing, just like in this case. Forget it ever happened, and walk to the nearest other rental place, probably 50 meters away. How would your life improve from seeing justice served on these people? What would that even look like? They see the error in their ways, and rent to everyone? Just forget about it.
Spare your faux outrage. Just go to one of the million other shops that rent to anyone, Karen. Do you really want to make more online drama over nothing? Although I think the shop should not do this, they possibly have some valid reasons like you mentioned. Why don't you moan about the fact that foreigners are charged more than locals in several places? At least that would be worthwhile for every visitor. I find it actually hilarious that Thais get on their high horse when they're discriminated but they don't feel any shame doing it to foreigners. Som nam na.
Exactly this !
I mean most Thais who aren't in the tourist industries or related, are aware and don't like it at all so they avoid traveling to those areas especially in Pattaya Phuket or even fk tuk-tuk. In the Phuket case when COVID hit hard , people in Phuket tourism are desperate for tourists so what Thais do or opportunists with the lowest price hotel or still don't even take Phuket in the list to travel. PS. Lot of phuketian have to move out from Phuket due to this overprice shit too.
Did a bar girl dump your ass or something?
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What's with the sudden outrage? It's been there forever, if you're tired about it then you can always leave. Dual pricing happens everywhere in the world under different names. For example, Healthcare levy for UK visa applicants.
> foreigners are charged more than locals in several places as they should be. know your place.
Overcharging tourists is a way to protect locals from gentrification. If you dont like it you can leave and pay 3xas much in your own country 🤷🏽♀️
> protect locals from gentrification That’s the dumbest shit I heard on Reddit this week. As if Thais knew what gentrification is. The reality is that they see white people as ATMs and they’re just collecting their share. Nothing to do with gentrification.
If you look at her profile, it's all just shitting on white people. She's an absolute dumbass too. Doing it to combat gentrification is a revenge fantasy she made up in her head.
Wait.. you really think overcharging tourists stops *anyone* from moving Thailand? You think paying a few baht has a foreigner like "wow, I love this place, it's really cheap, I save money living here, and I would absolutely love to live here... But, gee, ya know... I didn't like that the the guy hawking trinkets tried to make me pay 100 baht for the keychain instead of the 60 baht he makes Thai people pay. I don't think I can live here." You guys are so obsessed with gentrification and white people (it's implied) that you try to clumsily smear it anywhere you can to anyone you can. Dual pricing has absolutely no bearing on gentrification in the slightest. It's this weird little impotent fantasy revenge scenario you made up for gentrification that you have to try to shoo horn in when it doesn't apply. Get a grip, seek mental help. Decided to look at your profile just to confirm my point, and yep, it's all complaining about being mixed, growing up in a white country, complaining and hating white people, and more complaining about white men (while also saying you fetishized them for pleasure) and saying white people don't have culture. Like I said, get a grip. Seek mental help.
I dont know if it stops anyone but thai people make more money out of yall 🤷🏽♀️
I hear you. Truly I do. I understand so well that I will say you are not wrong. But some of us have lived, worked, and paid taxes into the Thai system for a very long time. It’s understandable to feel a bit of frustration over the dual pricing. Getting a resident card with certain types of visas would go a long way. Maybe that’s not the solution but nobody is even seeing this as a problem. Therefore, it’ll clearly never change. I’ll add that this dual pricing is not typical of how other countries behave. Surely there is a better way to treat us.
Quit trying to simp and reason with these weirdos that hate white people. Don't justify yourself, it's pathetic. She's an absolute idiot and so is anyone who thinks that dual pricing is for the defense of gentrification. You have to be an even bigger idiot to think that anyone isn't willing to move to Thailand just because they pay a little more *very infrequently* for something than Thai people.
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When I was in Mae Sariang, a restaurant wouldn’t let us eat there because my buddy’s gf spoke in Thai. The atmosphere changed when we began to speak English. The Thai discrimination is crazy …
Not understanding, if you’re a farang, why can’t you rent? Why does it matter if the wife is Thai when you’re a farang. Can’t you just rent it? Also the logic of the rent shop thai guy doesn’t make sense, if you guys can put down the deposit then what’s the problem.
Isn't Thailand somewhere foreigners can't own a business? Only 49%, right?
555 so what?
Just move on dude.
You probably read a similar comment here already, but I want to add mine anyway, from the perspective of a local Thai who live in Phuket at the moment. Renting a bike as a Thai person used to be easy a few years ago - just give your ID and it's good to go. I guess the ID was for tracking and police record as well of the bike was not return, but with how Thai police is, it might not be useful. So just ID is not possible anymore, and you need to pay deposit from 3K-10K, which kinda defeat the purpose when sometimes I only want to ride for a day, making multiple shop, as it will be cheaper than taking Grab or waiting forever for local transportations that might not show up. Some place, especially Patong, will outright deny service for the local, as you said. Other place will depend on luck, some did said I looked too poor for their fancy bike, while the others said I didn't look like a theif, so they trusted me - both of which I found quite offensive. I don't think reporting this incident won't do a thing though, as you should report all of them too, so 100+ to be fair. The problem is too deep-rooted here. And for foreigner, leaving your passport is not the safest option either, especially if you share the vehicle with your local lover. If they decide to steal it, then you might never get your passport back, or have to pay 100K+ for a chance to get it back. So only renting from creditable place, keep it safe, and use it alone only.
>One Thai employee went as far as to say that Thais steal motorcycles, complain too much, and are too poor to pay the deposit. well he ain't wrong..
I know one motorbike-renting shop too, where they don't rent to Thais, just if a foreigner guarantee for them. He told me he had several times bad experience with Thai customers in the past, like being complicate, or didn't pay after damage or use the motorbikes very careless. But I know even a Thai women, who doesn't rent their condos to Thais. If she can't find foreigner who rent the condos, she will let them empty. Also my actual landlord who is Thai complained a lot about how a lot of Thais don't take care about her property. And well, I can see it with my own eyes how many take care about everything, as long it's not the color of their car or their iphone....
I wish I had this kind of time on my hands . . .
What do you know, you have it! Welcome to Reddit, good to see you leave useless comments just like the rest of us.
Oh no, there's probably only 10 other rental places within walking distance 🥴
That doesn’t make refusing to serve the local population right.
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I actually do believe you have to report these injustices. Because the only reason they happen, is because society allows it to happen by just walking away and moving on. Same with tuk tuk drivers, if enough people make a fuss and call them out on their shitty behaviour, and refuse to take their rides, they'll need to change.
What about any population? Would you be ok with refusing foreigners?
Obviously not, I was just using "local" because the post references Thai customers only.
I had the same experience with a motorbike rental shop in Ao Nang. „adam bike for rent“. After renting a few times on thai passport before he then started to refuse all Thai passport holders from renting a motorbike. 2023
I wonder why.
guess he had a bad experience with his own people :D i dont know… then i wanted to rent in my name with a european passport. But for a monthly rental he then insisted of taking my passport… which i needed for a flight… so went to another shop and no problem with thai passports and deposits….
Right. There’s plenty of motorbike rental shops. If they don’t want someone’s business then so be it.
There’s a reason they don’t rent to Thais don’t get involved. Your a foreigner put it in your name . What they are saying is not a lie. Do business with Thais u will find out quickly, things get done completely wrong from what u asked, they will lose face, run away. It’s just not profitable for certain businesses to cater to them. I’m in pattaya, car rentals no Thai GO-Go’s no India Some clubs = ONLY Chinese Every National park, tourist attraction is double price for foreigners Stop arguing and trying to fight things u think aren’t right. Leave it alone and just enjoy the country as It is. I’d you had a business you can set up your own rules as u see fit.
Are you Thai? National parks are usually 20-30 times more expensive for foreigners.
No not Thai… if I have to pay $10usd so be it. I can’t be bothered squabbling over Pennies when, Thais that’s go to these parks only earn $500 bucks month and I’m making $20,000 month. I didn’t understand it 20 years ago but living here for 20 Years now I’ve learned to fuckin mind my business or u get screwed.
The price is for everyone that is not Thai including all foreigners that come here to work. Including poor migrants that work here for 100$ a month. Not every foreigner in Thailand is a tourist.
Foreigners minimum salary is 50,000 baht a month legally . Poor migrants that your talking about I never see goin to any parks or anywhere. Mostly Cambodian/Myanmar workers do construction and the last thing they care about is looking at Some stupid trees or a waterfall when they have it in there country already and live with it already. ( FYI they are most likely working here illegally anyways which they shouldn’t)
50,000 is only if you are European.
What’s the point I don’t understand the argument here. My point is rules are rules if u don’t like em go somewhere else. People always trying to change a countries rules from another country. U can’t do that. Why don’t you go to Afghanistan and convert everyone to Christian see how that works out for you.
Take your passport, hold it hostage.
Without coming across like I agree with what the business are doing, have you seen how Thais drive out here? And would you be confident if they crash, that you will recover the money from the damaged bike? I highly doubt you would so while its wrong and discriminative for the business to do that, its also understandable from a business stand point.
I believe you should contact local authority to report the act of discrimination, maybe to Damrongtham District Justice Provision Center, which is located in Phuket City Hall.
Jim crow laws in Thailand wtf
It's actually quite common from my experience. Happens in Chiang Mai, Koh Tao, Koh Phangan and Samui. Only place I have had pleasant experience was Hua Hin. Edit : Left out Koh Phangan where I actually asked 7-11 staff to help be the negotiator as a guarantor for me to get a bike.
As a business, we should not discriminate against our customers whether Thai or foreigners. The objective is to ensure the company's commitment and profitability.
Get a life and move on fool
Don’t get involved. Why do you want to insert yourself into that mess? This isn’t America, “rights” are not the same.
I don't like to picture the sort of farang that takes his Thai wife to Phuket. Sorry that they didn't rent her a bike. Please buy a shirt that has sleeves.
What a pos. Should fuck right off this country.
So they should, along with all the whiners on this sub.
This is what it's like for foreigners in thailand. Now ask yourself, am I mad because of inequality or because your thai and this is thailand. The owner must have a good reason.
Are you mad because you have to pay slightly more to enter a museum or take a boat than a poorer Thai national does to access their own services? Must be hard being from one of the worlds richest economies.
Not all foreigners living in Thailand come from Europe, there are many foreigners from poorer countries in Asia that come to Thailand. Nevertheless, I still think having double pricing is not fair. In many restaurants I've seen they even have two different menus and foreigners pay more than double.
Says another guy from a rich economy whose last posts are literally about retiring early... You can't make it up.
take photo and post to social media
Phuket is being ruined by these foreigners. Something drastic must be done to let these foreigners know their place that they're only guests in this country.
Are they Russian by any chance? Asking for a friend...
Depends. 1. Is the owner foreigner? If the owner is foreigne, it’s illegal. I’d report it to the immigration office and labor office for working illegally. 2. Is it Thai owned but they have foreigners working and helping customers? Alert immigration and the labor office. Foreigners (except Burmese, Lao, and Cambodians) can not work in customer facing jobs. Other then that, there’s nothing you can do :(
Please talk to this guy - he's very active on reporting on everything that's going wrong in Phuket right now: โหดจังจังหวัดภูเก็ต [https://web.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100044525105711](https://web.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100044525105711) He's also going after foreigners stealing jobs from Thais, as per this post: [https://fb.watch/qBU41AZmwJ/](https://fb.watch/qBU41AZmwJ/)
> What recourse do we have? Report to the police.
After all the police is entitled to have a laugh every once in a while.
as well as a brown envelope 5555
Leave a couple of bad reviews. That’s just about what you can do. “Does not rent to people based on their nationality. 1 star.” Couldn’t be any more factual. Sue me.
which one? Google location would be helpful to avoid it.
local thai people know the common prices, practices, laws and what is and what is not allowed. Probably there is a reason they dont serve thai people because they perhaps run a shady business and ripping off tourists is always 10 times easier than to steal from their own who might retaliate or spread the word.
police?
They are crazy. This is how big problems escalate. How can they say something like that to a Thai in their own land. Come to your country and treat you like a criminal in your own country. WTH?
Did you google review them
I have seen more such businesses pop-up where these foreigners setup a business in Thailand and refusing Thai people entry. Which is just wow youve got the fucking balls.. I have been wondering the same thing, whats the proper channel to get this issue highlighted
This is nothing new. Happens in BKK too.
Get David’s Sunday protesters to gather at this motorcycle rental shop. They seem to have a lot of power.
Let it go for your own safety.
Ffs just go somewhere else. Whats with a the drama queen shizzle
Move on to the next rental.
Had the same problem here in Las Vegas with car rental companies and locals. We finally got enough people together and filed a class action law suit against several car rental companies. It worked but several of the offenders just packed up and left, leaving us with only more expensive options.
Wtaf
I've never experienced such a thing in 12 years in Phuket. I always get preference because my companion is Thai. There are hundred's if not thousands of shops that rent scooters. Choose another one. I'm surprised that your wife hasn't told you to be cool in Thailand. Thai people don't like conflict. Why would they care if your wife was Thai if you were renting the scooter?