Should have taken a picture of her business and post it to viewers to avoid ever dealing with them. They will keep doing it to other tourists if they get away with it.
Thailand has very draconian defamation laws. So injuring a business online (whether true facts or not) can get him arrested on his return to Thailand, not smart for $42
Make pictures of the bike before leaving. Film the renter agreeing existing damage was there before you rented the bike. If the rented won't corporate. Leave
One thing you could do to get some sense of revenge, is show a clear image of the place from which you rented, along with the sign of the place and the woman who you were dealing with. This could keep future travelers from renting from this place.
You mean use it as to say if I pay...I tell whole world...all of Thailand..make them think twice... some people just pay....others like us.....OH HELL NO!!! NO SHE DIDN'T!!!😂😂😂😂❤
The fact they accepted 1500 baht proves they were definitely trying to rip you off. However, you did the right thing and got your passport back, a small price to pay. Thank you for all the videos. Safe journey back to USA.
Sorry to hear about your negative experience in Thailand but on the plus side it looks like you're about to click over to 600,000 subscribers!! Great work and thanks for all the videos!
It was a full on scam. They gave you an old motorbike made to look new. They place a tracker on it, and when its left alone, someone will come and scratch it. They know you will drop it off just minutes before your ferry leaves adding extra pressure for you to pay up.
nah they just use cheap paint without coating that will get scratches just by standing there 😅 it's true that some scammers are using trackers but, usually, they're doing that so they can frame that your bike was stolen... by them using the spare key😂 In most cases, especially in Thailand and Vietnam you won't be able to file a report without a valid international driving license (+ language barrier) so you'll have to pay $200-300 to "replace the bike"
I just got back from Tasmania and it was amazing! It's an incredible island Gabe! I think you should put it on your list.. you would absolutely love it!
The motorbike scam is just one of those things you encounter as a foreign traveler in countries where they know you know nor their language nor their alphabet, you know it better than most of us. I think what you paid and why was exactely the best and only thing an experienced traveler could do, and you explained it. Enjoy Macau !
Same thing with jet skis, and if the police come, guess who they are going to side with? It happens all over the world, but I have been to a few south east asian counties and found thailand to be the worst, they dont even hide that they are trying to rip you off :-)
Sorry to hear about that motorbike scam, certainly not the best way to end your Thailand trip. I think you handled it the best you could given the situation. It’s pretty cold here in the US right now. Don’t be in a hurry to get back… haha. Seriously, 8 months of non-stop traveling, I don’t know how you do it. That’s what makes you the BEST travel vlogger on UA-cam!!!! 👏👏👏👏
Thanks for the video. The same thing happened to us in Italy. They gave us a car with a broken passenger side mirror and when we returned the car sent a bill for us to pay for the damages.
Considering how long you've traveled, I think you've done well handling problems, but then again you're a Pro at traveling & you know what you're doing. Still, I agree with you. You've got to choose your battles! Well done!
Awesome as always bro and the end of another world tour .. and I look forward too a few stories you usually tell us when your back in the US ❤️ Love and Light 🩷
I so look forward to Gabriel’s videos everyday. I’m sorrry about the scamming, It sometimes can make a travel experience bad and I hope it didn’t. Im glad you enjoyed your time there minus their scam.
Gabriel thanks for all travel information you give good to know, I like travel and always like to hear the tips and details about everything,thanks a lot I love all your episodes,helooo from California
Yes, always very risky to leave your passport with motor bike hire shops. A photo copy should suffice, but, if not possible, pay a reasonable deposit like Gabriel did, but then once they have your deposit money they are likely to find a spurious reason NOT to return all of it to you ! Maybe, Gabriel's mistake was accepting the FIRST offer of a cheap motor bike hire at the pier and NOT shopping around a few hire shops beforehand.
Felt like JoseMonkey for a minute scouring the beginning of the video to figure out where you were, and saw the place name on a building in the background. :) Safe travels as always Gabe!
I would not leave my passport in a foreign country, it could be used to make counterfeit copies or given to local police with a more serious crime accusation like s*ual assault etc.
I have had rental car agencies try that, I always take photos of the car before I drive and sometimes I have had my friendly rental agent pose by the vehicle for me, so I got a time stamp of sorts. Also being a former motorcycle and automotive mechanic helps too I know what parts should look like. 🤣
Gabriel. You done the best you can at that particular time! It's tough when a person is on foreign land. Mafiosos probably. I was going to say before actually, how do you do so well steering clear of big problems. By the way the film with your buddies was very beautiful. What a great couple they are;) You goin back home to America soon. Alright Gabriel. Look forward to seeing you out soon. Thanks for showing everything you can. Good luck! Craig. UK.
She scammed you. No external plastic part costs 3000 baht. I had a 125cc 1 year old bike in Thailand. I hit a car head-on. The entire front was broken. I took it to the workshop and got it back after a week. The entire front was renewed. Paid 6000 baht. Motorbike scammers are very usual in Thailand.
As a seasoned world traveller I guessed Macao immediately, even before seeing Macao in a shop sign in the first minute of your video, and having been to Macao in 1985 as well as Brazil in 1989. Regarding your motorbike episode you did the right thing to alleviate any further problems which you had already discussed. These sorts of things happen with your kind of travelling and you are also a very well seasoned traveller. Yes Boracay is touristy but it is worth a five day visit. I was there in 2010 and I am now married to a filipina and go back to the Philippines every couple of years. I can certainly recommend El Nido and Coron in Palawan for island hopping on traditional bangkas as well as so many other places. And there are lots of things to do in Manila as well. The Spanish Intramuros fortress walls are amazing to wander around (as amazing as the spectacular fortress walls of Cartagena in Colombia). Enjoy your rest and recuperation before your next travels. Yes, constant travels can burn you out, having experienced it.
To give you comfort, you ultimately paid about 20.00 dollars a day for the rental for 4 days. Scam or not, it was still cheap as compared if you had rented a motorbike in the U.S.
One thing I like about you- you think through things and ALWAYS err on the side of prudence. I think you handled it well. After all, you honestly can acknowledge the bike was scratched.
as a matter of fact if she sees this vlog she can have him arrested? That's why I stay out of other countries....people don't understand the freedom we have...other countries you open your mouth complain you get jailed or fined.🇺🇲
@@GabrielTravelerVideos I guess it wasn't cloudy that day then. I must have confused it with a different video you filmed in Oregon when it was cloudy and drizzling.
You may please file online complaint (if it's possible) to the local police. These days/new govt - Thai police taking Tourist views better after sharp decline in Chinese visitor numbers. They can't risk losing reputation especially if a UA-camr with 600K followers gets scammed and tells the world about it.
Gabe, don't forget to try their Portuguese egg tart (a.k.a. Macao egg tart). Macao, and not Hong Kong, is famous for it for the obvious reason. It is the best in the world, many people say
The bike seems newly painted. They know there's no way you can park a bike without getting a few minor scratches that are now VERY visible due to the new paint + if the paint is cheap with no coating it gets scratched much easier. They painted it back and rented it to a new victim...
Macau on the sign at 5.05 🙂Not easy to avoid in a walk and talk video this long. Back from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Mexico trip now. It was amazing.
If it is Macao, you might want to listen to Al Stewart’s classic 70s song, The Year of the Cat, as I always assumed it was set there (the reference to “blue tiled walls by the market stalls” suggests a Portuguese influence, but the Year of the Cat/Tiger suggests China).
You never ever leave your passport. They can make a photocopy or take a photo and a deposit. Also, take photos and a video of the bike. Another also, threaten to call the tourist police.
@@anthonydowling3356 Exactly, a photo copy of your passport and a small deposit should suffice in such situations. If they really want your business they should agree to this reasonable request, especially in tourist areas of Thailand, where competition for motor-bike rental is very high.
Also that's why you should avoid those pushy guys with posters about different services right when you arrive somewhere. Do some basic research about trustable services on google maps reviews or at least look for some place that looks more respectable. Of course Gabe knows all this, still sometimes we tend to forget about these kind of things until there is again some bad experience.
Ah the old scratch scam .. They tried to pull this on me in 2008 .. Supposedly on the underside of the scooter there was a "scratch" which he even made me touch with my hand. Then I pulled out a mirror and it was just a ridge between two plastic panels .. They wanted like 100$ as well. ..
It is very common to do this in Thailand.One thing I do to avoid scams is find place with very good google reviews and they accept with deposit and not passport.
Going to guess Macau from the writing and the Chinese style music at the end. Thought you was right to stand your ground with the bike and often with these things, you have to compromise somewhere sadly.. Have you paused and zoomed in on your video to see if the scratches were there before you took the bike?
Macau, guessed it 1 minute in. Very interesting place, visited in 2011. Try the Portuguese tarts before you go and obviously checking out the casinos is a must since some of the games are different than in the West. Also, the bungee jump from the TV tower is the highest in the world.
Sorry to hear about your bad experience with the motor-bike hire. Yes, it does sound like a scam and akin to the jet ski scam often practised at tourist spots in Thailand. They probably scam many tourists in this way, especially on a VERY touristy island like Ko Phan Ghan ! Well done though for challenging them about the $90 charge and managing to negotiate down to a more reasonable $45, but still very annoying though and at 9X the daily rental rate is a way excessive penalty. Yes, calling the Police would have had little effect, as a farang they would almost certainly take the side of the motor-bike shop !! In such situations, it is usually assumed that the "farang" is the guilty party !!! And yes, your Passport situation would cause further complications and maybe problems when leaving Thailand. Good advice though, to take a video of the bike before agreeeing to hire it and take photos of any marks and scratches on the bike ! Put it all down to a learning experience and enjoy the rest of your trip ! 👍🙏
Ko phangan is notorius for theese scams.. happened To me once told them to Keep the passport... (expired one.) Left the island, came back years after No problemos. Brought my own bicycle then..
I think you did the right thing Gabriel, not given in to what they wanted but met them in the middle. Lesson learned for next time. Safe travels Gabriel 😊❤🤗
Hope with your travel plans after being at home, you're going back to South America, it's been way too long. I'd like to see you exploring Bolivia, so much to see and do, and very cheap.
I have lived and worked in Thailand for a long time (speak enough of the language) and traveled all over including Ko Phangan and many other Island tourists spots . It's commonly known you do NOT hand over your passport as a deposit -ever, period, for renting anything -including motorcycles. It's also stated on various Western countries' travel advice websites. All the time I have been in Thailand I have very rarely left a deposit and definitely NOT/NEVER my passport -except maybe a copy. It actually belongs to the Embassy of your nation) This scam in Thailand IS well known and warned about repeatedly. In Gabriel's case, I would also have called 'a friend' and it would have to be the Tourist Police -although that still can be a bit tricky. Paying them scam money doesn't help the rest of the innocent tourists.
I wouldn't want to get police involved unless absolutely necessary, because you never know how that could turn out when you don't speak the language. The local people will be spinning it to the police as if you're the bad guy, and you will have no idea what they're saying and won't be able to defend yourself. You could end up in a worse situation. In this kind of a scenario I can't be worrying about how the scam is going to be perpetuated if I pay them something. I need to get my passport and get out of there as quickly as possible. They could have friends show up at any minute, police who are part of the scam, who knows what. Do what you need to do to resolve the disagreement asap with minimal damage and leave. If they had been unwilling to drop the price and continued to demand the 3,200 baht I would have paid that. $100 is nothing compared to possibly ending up at the police station with your fate in other people's hands.
@@GabrielTravelerVideos Ok, Gabriel. Yes, it's true-the bad ones do often show up with 'friends' or back up -I have witnssed it in Phuket some years ago. Ironically, I was trying to get two Japanese tourists their passorts back from some crooks who had hired a rental car and were now demanding soem extortionate fee to hadn the passports back -and yes, it was for fake scracthes and a small dent. However, I had looked at that car the week BEFORE the tourists rented it and made it clear to the thugs it was there previously informing them they arlready knew it!. I waved down the kerb-crawling Police who said they were ''too busy''. The thugs told me if I didn't leave right now they would invlolve me in their cheating in a big way. Never forgotten it. I also wouldn't touch a Jet ski rental there either. Good luck and take care on your travels , Gabriel. I have been watching your videos for years.
Bangkok Airways has a manopoly on Koh Sami .They built the beautiful Airport .Better to take a boat from Samui to Surat Thani on the mainland and fly from there if necessary .
Easy it’s Macau. Looks interesting. Sorry about the scooter situation. I’m always paranoid about that stuff and take lots of video and pictures. I would say the fact that it was a new scooter probably increased your chances of their reaction. If you rented a beat up one it wouldn’t have been an issue I think.
I agree with your reasoning re the bike. On another note is that you do not spray a motor bike panel but order the part in the colour you want. Its always risky renting a bike/ car when abroad.
As some portuguese language on the boards, looks like you are in Macau, ex portuguese colony. Have to film or make photos from motobike if have some scratches before you rent.
I have seen people having arguments about the same issue on the same island!! The first time was just after getting of the ferry. It is a common issue on that island. On the other hand a lot of people dump their bikes going around sandy corners as many travellers have no experience on scooters. Anywhere you rent a vehicle without a contract there is some risk. Take pictures. Happy Travels
The problem is that the motorbike maybe costs almost the same in Thailand than in the USA because they dont produce their motorbikes but have to import them like other countries. Also the IPhone will cost almost the same in thailand. But they rent it for less money because noone will pay more there
I doubt they will replace the panel. They will probably continue renting it out as it is with the scratches. Nobody renting the bike cares if there are scratches. There's no reason for them to put the money back into the bike when it runs good and looks perfectly fine. This was a scam.
Thanks for the heads up. This is why I avoid tourist zones, and in particular, that part of the world. I prefer secret locations in other parts of SE Asia.
I think it just part of the motorcycle cost. They come in with a low price(?), but the really want a higher price. They do the same thing with big international car rentals. You always need pictures/video inside and outside. And if you can with collision waiver cover
It's regular scam in many countries. In nowadays Russia a car renting company offers to sign a copy with descriptions of present stretches. So you have to pay only for fresh scratches. In US small scratches are ignored. This is nice. I don't know prices for big scratches. We always buy insurance for rented car.
Definitely a big NO to leave passport anywhere. There are so many warnings about it. Once I was a bit silly and asked where you will keep my passport and they showed a wooden shelf. Not a safe or proper locker. A road side shelf? NG! Ok, then 1000 USD deposit (it was in Lao). Not a good idea as well as those used motorbikes doesn't cost that much and they might deduct for any charges they can think of. The same problem in Vietnam: have to leave passport a the front of hotel after checking in. Sorry, good bye and I look for another hotel.
They ran a similar scam on Pattaya Beach for years, except with jet skies. People would go to the police, but they never did anything. Who were they to believe, a Thai or a farang?
the minute you said, the lady was waving a sign with bike rental and deciding on this amongst all the chaos.. its a common story unfortunately…. i have never had a problem with reputable bike rental stores with good reviews as this would be bad for their business
I would have called the police. If they couldnt prove you did it then why should you pay. If you think you did it then pay the cost to repair the scratches. If they superficial they can be polished out.
But there is alot of motorbike rental places close to where you get off the boat, i suggest have a walk around next time 🙂 never had a problem with renting, but can imagine how annoying it is with people trying to rip you off
Never been there, but seeing as though BCM bank is a Macau bank, Bobs your aunty these days. Ive been to Hong Kong plenty of times, and it does look very similar to Hong Kong.
I think it's best to rent motorbikes from your guesthouse, or someone the guesthouse knows. A little more expensive maybe, but less messing around with things like this.
If this was in the US that might be a fair price, but the daily minimum wage in Thailand is around $10. So asking for almost $100 or ten days wages because of two small scratches isn't a fair assessment of the cost of repairing it, if they were to actually fix it. Chances are they won't fix it but will pocket the money and rent it out again that same day as it is. No need for them to sink money into the bike unnecessarily when backpackers arriving on Ko Phangan don't care about some scratches on a motorbike.
It's super variable, hard to say when you're talking about something very minor. They might not charge anything for that or could hit you with a big bill. Depends on the person, the company, etc.
It was a full on scam. Cost would have been $10 to $15 USD. They accepted less than what they asked so the replacement part didn't cost $90 USD anyway.
Definitely Macau..Portuguese and chinese on the roadsigns
Got to be, or maybe Chinatown in Lisbon 😂
@@TheKingOfBeans No, Macau 😂😂
Probably @4:05 Gabriel walking past the Macau Masters Hotel is a giveaway😉
@@ojosazules8828 Indeed ! 👍🤣 And the Macau car registration plates, another clue ! 🤣
That's what he wants you to think 👍
Should have taken a picture of her business and post it to viewers to avoid ever dealing with them. They will keep doing it to other tourists if they get away with it.
Thailand has very draconian defamation laws. So injuring a business online (whether true facts or not) can get him arrested on his return to Thailand, not smart for $42
Make pictures of the bike before leaving. Film the renter agreeing existing damage was there before you rented the bike. If the rented won't corporate. Leave
Nice video again Gabe thank you for the information
One thing you could do to get some sense of revenge, is show a clear image of the place from which you rented, along with the sign of the place and the woman who you were dealing with. This could keep future travelers from renting from this place.
You mean use it as to say if I pay...I tell whole world...all of Thailand..make them think twice... some people just pay....others like us.....OH HELL NO!!! NO SHE DIDN'T!!!😂😂😂😂❤
Great idea. She sees that and he gets arrested and thrown in jail next time he visits the country.
Don't think it can happen ?
It can and does
The fact they accepted 1500 baht proves they were definitely trying to rip you off.
However, you did the right thing and got your passport back, a small price to pay.
Thank you for all the videos.
Safe journey back to USA.
Bad reviews can get u arrested and fined in Thailand
@@durianwalker yeah IN THAILAND but if you don't in another country your good...but just don't go back
Sorry to hear about your negative experience in Thailand but on the plus side it looks like you're about to click over to 600,000 subscribers!! Great work and thanks for all the videos!
It was a full on scam. They gave you an old motorbike made to look new. They place a tracker on it, and when its left alone, someone will come and scratch it. They know you will drop it off just minutes before your ferry leaves adding extra pressure for you to pay up.
Scary stuff, but probably a common scam in such a tourist area of Thailand !
nah they just use cheap paint without coating that will get scratches just by standing there 😅 it's true that some scammers are using trackers but, usually, they're doing that so they can frame that your bike was stolen... by them using the spare key😂 In most cases, especially in Thailand and Vietnam you won't be able to file a report without a valid international driving license (+ language barrier) so you'll have to pay $200-300 to "replace the bike"
I just got back from Tasmania and it was amazing! It's an incredible island Gabe! I think you should put it on your list.. you would absolutely love it!
It's high on my list next time I go to Australia. ✌️
@@GabrielTravelerVideos That's great! 👍 Can't wait to see you back in Australia.
I must admit, Tasmania is pretty awesome. I'm a mainlander but iv lived in Bagdad Tasmania and it was totally different to the mainland.
Tasmania is absolutely incredible.
The motorbike scam is just one of those things you encounter as a foreign traveler in countries where they know you know nor their language nor their alphabet, you know it better than most of us. I think what you paid and why was exactely the best and only thing an experienced traveler could do, and you explained it. Enjoy Macau !
Same thing with jet skis, and if the police come, guess who they are going to side with? It happens all over the world, but I have been to a few south east asian counties and found thailand to be the worst, they dont even hide that they are trying to rip you off :-)
Yea
Sorry to hear about that motorbike scam, certainly not the best way to end your Thailand trip. I think you handled it the best you could given the situation. It’s pretty cold here in the US right now. Don’t be in a hurry to get back… haha. Seriously, 8 months of non-stop traveling, I don’t know how you do it. That’s what makes you the BEST travel vlogger on UA-cam!!!! 👏👏👏👏
Thanks for the video. The same thing happened to us in Italy. They gave us a car with a broken passenger side mirror and when we returned the car sent a bill for us to pay for the damages.
damn
Must admit I’m glad you’re going home for a while.. but I obviously look forward to your upcoming travel plans ❤
Considering how long you've traveled, I think you've done well handling problems, but then again you're a Pro at traveling & you know what you're doing. Still, I agree with you. You've got to choose your battles! Well done!
Enjoy your trip and safe travels! I won’t be watching this series but looking forward to your next country!
Awesome as always bro and the end of another world tour .. and I look forward too a few stories you usually tell us when your back in the US ❤️ Love and Light 🩷
I so look forward to Gabriel’s videos everyday. I’m sorrry about the scamming, It sometimes can make a travel experience bad and I hope it didn’t. Im glad you enjoyed your time there minus their scam.
Really good info to know, thank you!
Gabriel thanks for all travel information you give good to know, I like travel and always like to hear the tips and details about everything,thanks a lot I love all your episodes,helooo from California
Never leave your passport with these scammers. Plus they have no business flipping through all the pages either.
Yes, always very risky to leave your passport with motor bike hire shops. A photo copy should suffice, but, if not possible, pay a reasonable deposit like Gabriel did, but then once they have your deposit money they are likely to find a spurious reason NOT to return all of it to you ! Maybe, Gabriel's mistake was accepting the FIRST offer of a cheap motor bike hire at the pier and NOT shopping around a few hire shops beforehand.
Macau…you passed a shop with it written on just as you asked the question 🤭 thanks for the scam warning. Look forward to more videos soon
Felt like JoseMonkey for a minute scouring the beginning of the video to figure out where you were, and saw the place name on a building in the background. :)
Safe travels as always Gabe!
I would not leave my passport in a foreign country, it could be used to make counterfeit copies or given to local police with a more serious crime accusation like s*ual assault etc.
I have had rental car agencies try that, I always take photos of the car before I drive and sometimes I have had my friendly rental agent pose by the vehicle for me, so I got a time stamp of sorts.
Also being a former motorcycle and automotive mechanic helps too I know what parts should look like. 🤣
How much to rent car there and deposit
Thanks for the 8 months of videos Gabe, How long you staying in the states for? I look forward to your videos in 2024
Gabriel.
You done the best you can at that particular time!
It's tough when a person is on foreign land. Mafiosos probably.
I was going to say before actually, how do you do so well steering clear of big problems.
By the way the film with your buddies was very beautiful. What a great couple they are;)
You goin back home to America soon. Alright Gabriel. Look forward to seeing you out soon. Thanks for showing everything you can.
Good luck!
Craig. UK.
She scammed you. No external plastic part costs 3000 baht. I had a 125cc 1 year old bike in Thailand. I hit a car head-on. The entire front was broken. I took it to the workshop and got it back after a week. The entire front was renewed. Paid 6000 baht. Motorbike scammers are very usual in Thailand.
That's what I figured. I've seen videos of people getting their motorbikes repaired and it's always ridiculously cheap.✌️
I've had a major US rental car company try to pull the exact same scam. Gabe is right, always take a video.
Stop lying
As a seasoned world traveller I guessed Macao immediately, even before seeing Macao in a shop sign in the first minute of your video, and having been to Macao in 1985 as well as Brazil in 1989. Regarding your motorbike episode you did the right thing to alleviate any further problems which you had already discussed. These sorts of things happen with your kind of travelling and you are also a very well seasoned traveller. Yes Boracay is touristy but it is worth a five day visit. I was there in 2010 and I am now married to a filipina and go back to the Philippines every couple of years. I can certainly recommend El Nido and Coron in Palawan for island hopping on traditional bangkas as well as so many other places. And there are lots of things to do in Manila as well. The Spanish Intramuros fortress walls are amazing to wander around (as amazing as the spectacular fortress walls of Cartagena in Colombia). Enjoy your rest and recuperation before your next travels. Yes, constant travels can burn you out, having experienced it.
To give you comfort, you ultimately paid about 20.00 dollars a day for the rental for 4 days. Scam or not, it was still cheap as compared if you had rented a motorbike in the U.S.
Yep.
Is Macau expensive?
One thing I like about you- you think through things and ALWAYS err on the side of prudence. I think you handled it well. After all, you honestly can acknowledge the bike was scratched.
as a matter of fact if she sees this vlog she can have him arrested? That's why I stay out of other countries....people don't understand the freedom we have...other countries you open your mouth complain you get jailed or fined.🇺🇲
You are in Macau, been there too. It was a scam, but you handle it well.
@0:55 The first clue that this is Macau: The bilingual street sign in Portuguese and Chinese " Rua do Visconde Paço de Arcos 巴素打爾古街 "
Macau?
25:38 Was that the video in which it was rainy or cloudy when you where leaving a motel, going to Florida?
Exactly: ua-cam.com/video/g9xUCosWFvg/v-deo.html
@@GabrielTravelerVideos You have been travelling for 256 days.
@@GabrielTravelerVideos I guess it wasn't cloudy that day then.
I must have confused it with a different video you filmed in Oregon when it was cloudy and drizzling.
Cool, good to know. That's a lot of days.
@@GabrielTravelerVideos You've overshot 80 days limit for the "Around the World in 80 days" 😃
You may please file online complaint (if it's possible) to the local police. These days/new govt - Thai police taking Tourist views better after sharp decline in Chinese visitor numbers. They can't risk losing reputation especially if a UA-camr with 600K followers gets scammed and tells the world about it.
Gabe, don't forget to try their Portuguese egg tart (a.k.a. Macao egg tart). Macao, and not Hong Kong, is famous for it for the obvious reason. It is the best in the world, many people say
We will miss you, have a lovely break.
The bike seems newly painted. They know there's no way you can park a bike without getting a few minor scratches that are now VERY visible due to the new paint + if the paint is cheap with no coating it gets scratched much easier. They painted it back and rented it to a new victim...
take a picture of the fairings/underside on the first day before leaving with the bike. Also goes for a rental car
They're the most lovely people UNTIL it comes to money....
Macau on the sign at 5.05 🙂Not easy to avoid in a walk and talk video this long. Back from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Mexico trip now. It was amazing.
Haikou City, Hainan Province?
If it is Macao, you might want to listen to Al Stewart’s classic 70s song, The Year of the Cat, as I always assumed it was set there (the reference to “blue tiled walls by the market stalls” suggests a Portuguese influence, but the Year of the Cat/Tiger suggests China).
You never ever leave your passport. They can make a photocopy or take a photo and a deposit. Also, take photos and a video of the bike. Another also, threaten to call the tourist police.
Most bike rentals in SE Asia will only lend you a bike if you leave them your passport
Not true Geoffrey @@jeffb.140
@@jeffb.140 Wrong .Most bike rentals in Thailand will take a photo copy of your passport plus a small cash deposit .I used to rent out bikes myself .
Not true. I've livedin SE Asia including Thailand. Never left my passport, its also the law to carry your passport in Thailand.@@jeffb.140
@@anthonydowling3356 Exactly, a photo copy of your passport and a small deposit should suffice in such situations. If they really want your business they should agree to this reasonable request, especially in tourist areas of Thailand, where competition for motor-bike rental is very high.
Also that's why you should avoid those pushy guys with posters about different services right when you arrive somewhere. Do some basic research about trustable services on google maps reviews or at least look for some place that looks more respectable. Of course Gabe knows all this, still sometimes we tend to forget about these kind of things until there is again some bad experience.
Ah the old scratch scam .. They tried to pull this on me in 2008 .. Supposedly on the underside of the scooter there was a "scratch" which he even made me touch with my hand. Then I pulled out a mirror and it was just a ridge between two plastic panels .. They wanted like 100$ as well. ..
It is very common to do this in Thailand.One thing I do to avoid scams is find place with very good google reviews and they accept with deposit and not passport.
Going to guess Macau from the writing and the Chinese style music at the end.
Thought you was right to stand your ground with the bike and often with these things, you have to compromise somewhere sadly..
Have you paused and zoomed in on your video to see if the scratches were there before you took the bike?
Yes has to be Macau.
Looking forward to the videos.
Macau, guessed it 1 minute in. Very interesting place, visited in 2011. Try the Portuguese tarts before you go and obviously checking out the casinos is a must since some of the games are different than in the West. Also, the bungee jump from the TV tower is the highest in the world.
Question , you have a retirement planned or just going to keep on trucking the world ?
Sorry to hear about your bad experience with the motor-bike hire. Yes, it does sound like a scam and akin to the jet ski scam often practised at tourist spots in Thailand. They probably scam many tourists in this way, especially on a VERY touristy island like Ko Phan Ghan ! Well done though for challenging them about the $90 charge and managing to negotiate down to a more reasonable $45, but still very annoying though and at 9X the daily rental rate is a way excessive penalty. Yes, calling the Police would have had little effect, as a farang they would almost certainly take the side of the motor-bike shop !! In such situations, it is usually assumed that the "farang" is the guilty party !!! And yes, your Passport situation would cause further complications and maybe problems when leaving Thailand. Good advice though, to take a video of the bike before agreeeing to hire it and take photos of any marks and scratches on the bike ! Put it all down to a learning experience and enjoy the rest of your trip ! 👍🙏
Happy 600K 😎
Well since I saw portuguese writing then you are in Macau which was a Portuguese territory until 1999 and today is the Las Vegas of Asia
Ko phangan is notorius for theese scams.. happened To me once told them to Keep the passport... (expired one.)
Left the island, came back years after No problemos. Brought my own bicycle then..
I think you did the right thing Gabriel, not given in to what they wanted but met them in the middle. Lesson learned for next time. Safe travels Gabriel 😊❤🤗
Yes, you always need to take pictures of the bike before renting it.
Gabe, that blue shirt is tough! 👍
Hope with your travel plans after being at home, you're going back to South America, it's been way too long. I'd like to see you exploring Bolivia, so much to see and do, and very cheap.
I have lived and worked in Thailand for a long time (speak enough of the language) and traveled all over including Ko Phangan and many other Island tourists spots . It's commonly known you do NOT hand over your passport as a deposit -ever, period, for renting anything -including motorcycles. It's also stated on various Western countries' travel advice websites. All the time I have been in Thailand I have very rarely left a deposit and definitely NOT/NEVER my passport -except maybe a copy. It actually belongs to the Embassy of your nation) This scam in Thailand IS well known and warned about repeatedly. In Gabriel's case, I would also have called 'a friend' and it would have to be the Tourist Police -although that still can be a bit tricky. Paying them scam money doesn't help the rest of the innocent tourists.
I wouldn't want to get police involved unless absolutely necessary, because you never know how that could turn out when you don't speak the language. The local people will be spinning it to the police as if you're the bad guy, and you will have no idea what they're saying and won't be able to defend yourself. You could end up in a worse situation. In this kind of a scenario I can't be worrying about how the scam is going to be perpetuated if I pay them something. I need to get my passport and get out of there as quickly as possible. They could have friends show up at any minute, police who are part of the scam, who knows what. Do what you need to do to resolve the disagreement asap with minimal damage and leave. If they had been unwilling to drop the price and continued to demand the 3,200 baht I would have paid that. $100 is nothing compared to possibly ending up at the police station with your fate in other people's hands.
@@GabrielTravelerVideos Ok, Gabriel. Yes, it's true-the bad ones do often show up with 'friends' or back up -I have witnssed it in Phuket some years ago. Ironically, I was trying to get two Japanese tourists their passorts back from some crooks who had hired a rental car and were now demanding soem extortionate fee to hadn the passports back -and yes, it was for fake scracthes and a small dent. However, I had looked at that car the week BEFORE the tourists rented it and made it clear to the thugs it was there previously informing them they arlready knew it!. I waved down the kerb-crawling Police who said they were ''too busy''. The thugs told me if I didn't leave right now they would invlolve me in their cheating in a big way. Never forgotten it. I also wouldn't touch a Jet ski rental there either. Good luck and take care on your travels , Gabriel. I have been watching your videos for years.
Yep, chances having to pay the police more to let you go are very high
Just take the gullible tourist fee and leave
Call it education money
Heading to Thailand in two weeks and noticed travelling in between islands via plane is pretty expensive. Especially out of koh Samui.
Bangkok Airways has a manopoly on Koh Sami .They built the beautiful Airport .Better to take a boat from Samui to Surat Thani on the mainland and fly from there if necessary .
It’s says Macau Grand Hotel at like 1:50
Pause at 2:01 gives you a clearer shot
Love your videos especially in Sri Lanka good luck when go back home to USA have safe flight 8 months is long time to be away travelling
This is Macau, I,ve never been,but I saw Portuguese and Chinese street,shop and building names. Great video,!
Easy it’s Macau. Looks interesting. Sorry about the scooter situation. I’m always paranoid about that stuff and take lots of video and pictures. I would say the fact that it was a new scooter probably increased your chances of their reaction. If you rented a beat up one it wouldn’t have been an issue I think.
I agree with your reasoning re the bike.
On another note is that you do not spray a motor bike panel but order the part in the colour you want.
Its always risky renting a bike/ car when abroad.
Shame you didn't get them on camera, will remember to rent bikes from where I stay if possible
As some portuguese language on the boards, looks like you are in Macau, ex portuguese colony. Have to film or make photos from motobike if have some scratches before you rent.
I have seen people having arguments about the same issue on the same island!! The first time was just after getting of the ferry. It is a common issue on that island. On the other hand a lot of people dump their bikes going around sandy corners as many travellers have no experience on scooters. Anywhere you rent a vehicle without a contract there is some risk. Take pictures. Happy Travels
Shout out to the lady that keeps getting paid an extra $90 every time she rents that bike. What a scammer.
I always take photo’s of any rental just in case of a dispute.
Also when you put in it that perspective that 90$ scratch is a 1 day rental in the US.
They shady for sure though..
The problem is that the motorbike maybe costs almost the same in Thailand than in the USA because they dont produce their motorbikes but have to import them like other countries. Also the IPhone will cost almost the same in thailand. But they rent it for less money because noone will pay more there
They are charging to replace the panel with a new one which are expensive. This is normal practice in SE Asia.
I doubt they will replace the panel. They will probably continue renting it out as it is with the scratches. Nobody renting the bike cares if there are scratches. There's no reason for them to put the money back into the bike when it runs good and looks perfectly fine. This was a scam.
I would never leave my passport with any body! A deposit should be sufficient,
Thanks for the heads up. This is why I avoid tourist zones, and in particular, that part of the world. I prefer secret locations in other parts of SE Asia.
I think it just part of the motorcycle cost. They come in with a low price(?), but the really want a higher price. They do the same thing with big international car rentals. You always need pictures/video inside and outside. And if you can with collision waiver cover
It's regular scam in many countries. In nowadays Russia a car renting company offers to sign a copy with descriptions of present stretches. So you have to pay only for fresh scratches. In US small scratches are ignored. This is nice. I don't know prices for big scratches. We always buy insurance for rented car.
Definitely a big NO to leave passport anywhere. There are so many warnings about it. Once I was a bit silly and asked where you will keep my passport and they showed a wooden shelf. Not a safe or proper locker. A road side shelf? NG! Ok, then 1000 USD deposit (it was in Lao). Not a good idea as well as those used motorbikes doesn't cost that much and they might deduct for any charges they can think of. The same problem in Vietnam: have to leave passport a the front of hotel after checking in. Sorry, good bye and I look for another hotel.
No idea to ride on any high principles while being abroad as a tourist. Best to comply, within reason, and avoid a lot of hassle.
You did well.
They ran a similar scam on Pattaya Beach for years, except with jet skies. People would go to the police, but they never did anything. Who were they to believe, a Thai or a farang?
Have you ever been to Indonesia?
Yes, to Bali, the Gilis and Lombok: www.youtube.com/@GabrielTravelerVideos/search?query=Indonesia
I was thinking "hope he doesn't get scammed with the bike" when you agreed with the bike .... 😮😢
Looks like Macau. yup just saw the Portuguese.
the minute you said, the lady was waving a sign with bike rental and deciding on this amongst all the chaos.. its a common story unfortunately…. i have never had a problem with reputable bike rental stores with good reviews as this would be bad for their business
Chinatown London??
I would have called the police. If they couldnt prove you did it then why should you pay. If you think you did it then pay the cost to repair the scratches. If they superficial they can be polished out.
It's Macau. A storefront sign has the word 澳門
But there is alot of motorbike rental places close to where you get off the boat, i suggest have a walk around next time 🙂 never had a problem with renting, but can imagine how annoying it is with people trying to rip you off
Never been there, but seeing as though BCM bank is a Macau bank, Bobs your aunty these days.
Ive been to Hong Kong plenty of times, and it does look very similar to Hong Kong.
I think it's best to rent motorbikes from your guesthouse, or someone the guesthouse knows. A little more expensive maybe, but less messing around with things like this.
You are in Macau!
Sorry you admit the scratch happened while you were renting. $90 isnt alot considering its a new bike.
If this was in the US that might be a fair price, but the daily minimum wage in Thailand is around $10. So asking for almost $100 or ten days wages because of two small scratches isn't a fair assessment of the cost of repairing it, if they were to actually fix it. Chances are they won't fix it but will pocket the money and rent it out again that same day as it is. No need for them to sink money into the bike unnecessarily when backpackers arriving on Ko Phangan don't care about some scratches on a motorbike.
@@GabrielTravelerVideos a rental place in the US would probably bill you $500+
It's super variable, hard to say when you're talking about something very minor. They might not charge anything for that or could hit you with a big bill. Depends on the person, the company, etc.
The name of the city was on a store front early in the video. 🔎
It was a full on scam. Cost would have been $10 to $15 USD. They accepted less than what they asked so the replacement part didn't cost $90 USD anyway.
Macao?
These are actually well-known scams involving jet skis and scooters...
Easy! You are in Macao. Chinese and Portuguese on the signs is a good hint.
The lesson here is - refuse the new scooter and request they give you an older one
One that barely work so they can't ask you to buy them a new one.