Beware Of Scams
Let’s start by a specific warning that might save a lot of potential victims:
Scams can be found in different sectors in Thailand, such as tourism and entertainment. Tourists and foreigners need to be careful when dealing with individuals as some smart scammers may have connections with corrupt police officers or departments, enabling them to conduct their activities without any disruption for a long time.
It should be acknowledged that most police officers in Thailand are recognized for their honesty, reliability, and assistance. Nonetheless, corruption still persists, and it could affect the party and girls industry, leading some scammers to have favorable Google reviews on their profiles (but they are usually not updated/recent).
How To Recognize Scams
1. Beware of individuals or businesses that do not have a verified “Google My Business” (GMB) account. If there is no GMB account, it is definately a scam. Scammers may take your deposit and become unreachable once you arrive in Thailand. Unfortunately, there is little recourse to get your money back. Make sure they have regular, genuine and recent reviews on their Google business profile.
2. Look for reviews on the individual or business’s Facebook (FB) page before paying any deposit. If there are no reviews, be cautious and reconsider paying any money upfront.
3. Similarly, check for reviews on the individual or business’s page on TripAdvisor (TA) before paying a deposit. Lack of reviews is a red flag, and it is not worth the risk.
4. Be wary of individuals or businesses who respond instantly to all your messages. Legitimate event organizers are usually busy organizing events, and it is not possible to reply instantly to every message. Instead, prioritize their efforts on ongoing events to ensure maximum client satisfaction. A business that prioritizes taking deposits over client satisfaction is likely a scam.
5. It is advised not to trust videos sent by individuals claiming to be party organizers, as they may have been stolen and used for malicious purposes. Scammers often use these videos to gain the trust of potential clients, but it should be noted that legitimate party planners value the privacy of their customers and would not publicly share photos or videos from their events. In order to protect the privacy of clients, they would only keep such videos as souvenirs shared among trusted friends. If someone claims to have obtained these videos with the agreement of the clients, it is recommended to verify this information by requesting contact information for these clients to confirm. Scammers may have obtained these videos through unethical means, which will be further discussed in the “Scam Tips” section.
6. They do not have a legal company. Do not get it wrong, it is standard procedure for a bachelor party planner to charge clients without VAT. Meaning getting transfers on a private account in order to avoid paying additional taxes and echoing these very high rates on clients. However, this is not normal for ANYONE or ANY ORGANIZATION to operate without having set up a legal structure in Thailand. This would be a clear sign that you are dealing with a scammer. If you are still in doubt, please ask the organization you are dealing with for their ‘’company affidavit’’ or ‘’register of commerce’’, updated less than 6 months ago. If they can provide it, and you are still a victim of a scam from them, you have official info to seize justice and bring them to court (doesn’t mean they are not a scam but allows you to sue them if you have enough time and money to do so, in case of scam). Note especially their ‘’License number’’ or ‘’VAT number’’, this would help you to trace their company ID.
7. They offer too cheap rates for the required service. Quality service doesn’t come cheap. However cheap rates can be announced by scammers in order to push for a deposit to be paid. It is true that deposits must be paid early in order to book services such as girls, yachts or villas (2 weeks to 1 month in advance usually). But if it comes at an unusual low rate, you can be sure this is a scam. Let’s throw some figures for you to have an idea: a party girl / bikini babes in Bangkok @ less than 6,000thb = scam. A party friendly yacht in Pattaya or Phuket at less than 22,000thb = scam. A party friendly villa in Pattaya or Phuket for less than 22,000thb = scam. Always, please keep in mind, you get what you pay for. You pay the right price for the right service, you pay cheap for low quality service, and if you pay cheaper than cheap, it is a scam.
8. They do not have any registered office in Bangkok. Along with the scammers without a company license, if they cannot welcome you in their office when you arrive, that means that they are a scam. They will tell you that you can come to visit them and will actually provide a dummy address, this will be your role to verify that the address is indeed real and theirs.
Who Are The Main Scammers?
There are concerns about fake organizations scamming individuals by imitating legitimate party planning services in Bangkok. These scams exploit trust and the tools provided by genuine companies, often disappearing after receiving payment.
- In 2008, a British individual named Jermaine launched a scam website, “www.bangkokbachelors.com,” offering party planning services but never delivering. Legitimate services like “www.thailandbucksandhens.com” and “www.chillievents.com” faced challenges due to Jermaine’s activities. Eventually, Jermaine was deported and banned from Thailand for 14 years.
- In 2012, a scammer named Mike posed as a gogo bar owner and convinced a party bus owner to rent out his bus without payment. Mike later started his own scam company, “Buvado,” continuing to defraud people by offering fake services, through attractive fake packages.
- In 2015, two students, Nathan and Matthew, scammed a legitimate provider by creating a fake brand, stealing client information, and misusing event photos and videos. Nathan continues to operate under the website “www.mo…….ons.com.”
- In 2021, a French individual named Chris, along with his associate Thomas, operates the website “www.part….kok.com” to scam people. They offer low rates without legitimate online reviews and have focused on improving their website’s SEO to attract victims.
Who Are The Legitimate Bachelor Organizers?
- A British gentleman named David is the best contact for an epic bachelor or private party in Koh Samui and Koh Phan Gnan. Although not highly skilled in technology, he is highly reliable in providing an unforgettable experience in Samui with yacht parties, bikini models, and party-friendly accommodations. He has a long history in the industry and offers exceptional customer service, making him a trustworthy and dependable source for such events. The website Thailand Bucks And Hens is proud to promote his services and provide traffic to his site.
- If you are targeting Phuket for your bachelor party (check the paragraph about selecting your location wisely), you will be safe with Steve from Phuketstag who has been in the scene for a decade offering reliable services for a bachelor party in Phuket.
- If you are looking for a bachelor party organizer in Bangkok or Pattaya, you can trust the #1 bachelor and private sexy party organizer in Thailand: Bachelor Bangkok, opened since 2008 with the largest range of services, all providers considered.
- It is recommended to contact K. Boy from Best Party Bangkok for private parties in Bangkok, including a bachelor party and couple fun/sexy trips. K. Boy has established a reputation as a reference in the industry.
- If one is searching for a bachelor party in any location in Thailand, “K. Tanny” may be the recommended contact. This 40-year-old Thai national, who can be reached through Bachelor Party Thailand, is known to be knowledgeable about the industry and is capable of fulfilling various requests, even the most unconventional ones, no matter the preferred location. It has been reported that she collaborates regularly with others on various sexy private events.
- If you are looking for a bachelorette party or ‘’Hen Night’’ in Thailand, there is only one reliable company organizing them in the whole kingdom: Hen Nights Bangkok. Please note that they focus on Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket with the best male strippers available in the country. K. Faii will take care of your event in a exceptional way!
- If you are looking for party/event transportation/vehicles, there is not much choice as this company has owned and operated the main party vehicles in Thailand (operating from Bangkok) for more than 12 years. If you are asking another company, you will get the same vehicles but with an additional fee for the agent. K. Mint will be your dedicated contact. So if you need a party transport, you now know who to contact: Party Vehicles Bangkok.
- BKK French Touch, with multiple branches and a focus on top-notch entertainment and anti-scam services, has been a leader in private event organization and planning since 2004 in Thailand. With thousands of reliable partners and a reputation as the best service provider in the industry, they have served hundreds of international and local clients, such as Google, Facebook, Netflix, and Microsoft, and have been actively fighting against scams since 2008.