If you want 100% security, stay at home. Its allways bad to fight with people so better dont. Usuarly there is a friendly way to deal with each other. If you have a bad feeling, just dont rent there. If the shop owner is cool, enjoy your trip. If the worst comes to the worst, a passport is just a paper, nothing else. Yes people in Latin America are way more friendly :-)

There is a whole TV Series called "big trouble in Thailand" on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CsOUzYQp1A

It's always an adventure...

I prefer more good times and genuine people in my travelling though..

That's why I won't bother with SE Asia again.

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

There are plenty of alternative countrys. Best Countrys for me out of 90 Countrys were Argentina and Brasil even if they dont love each other. South Africa was also great. Have you been to India? Its simular as SE Asia (beautifull landscape, Elefantes, beaches, easy to rent scooters) but less money and scam orientated: http://schoene-motorradreisen.de/?report=indien

Hi Ted
Thank you for posting the lonely Plant article, but this is just a general warning about scams throughout the world and not in line with what this thread is about.?
With over 30.000.000 people visit Thailand each year you would think the internet would be awash with complaints about Motorbikes scams in Thailand if you are correct.?

All Passports belong to the Government of each country and not you.?
And when a rental company holds your passport as security there are not stealing it?

I also love Argentina amd Brazil. I have made great friends there. Great riding too. Very friendly, hospital people. I love South America as a whole.

I also love South Africa. What an amazing country. I'd love to go back.

Ive only seen the west coast of India. An interesting place for sure. You can really feel the over-population though. Can you ever be alone in India ??

Lovely people though..

_____________________________________________
Find me on Facebook: MotoTed & MotoRevive.

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

I have rented motorbikes in Thailand dozens of times, in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son, Pai, Udon Thani, Koh Samui, Pattaya, Phuket and I have never ever been scammed. I have been late with several hours when returing (phoned the company and told them of course) I have been extending the rental period while on the road several times - I have rented all kinds of bikes, scooters, 250 dirt bikes, big bikes, shoppers - never ever had an issue with anything! I broke a indicator on a dirtbike I rented at POP in Chiang Mai and was sure they gonna rip me off but they only charged me 2-300 baht for that.

But of course - its a good idea to take many photos of the bike before leaving the rental shop and also in front of the staff there so if they have the slightest idea of scamming you they will have to think twice.
I have several times seen all kind of tourists and backpackers treating their rental bikes like shit, doing "burnouts" towards a concrete wall, wheelies with a 250 dirtbike etc - so no wonder the rental companies get a little wary at times.
Keep away from the worst backpacker crowds and the places they visit and you will be fine.

Ted: Long distance bus stations in most bigger cities in Thailand are placed outside of the city center, often by 5-10 kms. Thats not a scam, its a thing done for conveniance for both passangers and bus drivers. Who wanna spend the last 30-60 minutes in a bus in mean city traffic that hardly moves at all. And doing 5-10 km/h in average.

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In the end everything will be fine. If its not fine its not the end....

The bus drop is a scam mate. Because the operators tell you it goes to the city. And there is a bus station in the cities that they then go to to pick up the next load of hapless victims. And they drop you in empty clearings miles out with nothing else about...

Same thing happens when you get the river cruises on the Mekong into Laos. All the foreigners are kicked off 5 miles short so you have to get a mega priced taxi. Whilst all the locals are allowed all the way in.

Ironically, it makes renting a bike the safest option..

If I went back I'd rent a bike. But Id bring all my own gear...

My points were just that you have to be carful because in my experience, S.E Asia is full of scams...

I'm not saying everyone is dishonest... I just found it more likely than most places in the world.

_____________________________________________
Find me on Facebook: MotoTed & MotoRevive.

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

I agree that a certain degree of carefulness and common sense is good to have when travelling in SEAsia. But that goes for everywhere in the world one travel. There are for scams going on for sure here and there. But seek advice from long time expats or thai locals, not some random backbackers and not from a random tour operator ghat also do printings, laundry service and rent out scooters.

Ted I have read about a bus scam between Bangkok and Chiang Mai. But that is not gonna happen if you buy your tickets at the official ticket office at a bus station and not at a doubious guesthouse in Khao San rd or similar. Stay clear of the private tour operators operating from Khao San rd and other backpacker areas and you will not get scammed. I have taken long distance buses all over Thailand (earlier on before low price flights came and before I started to ride bikes in the country) and I have never experienced any scams. As I mentioned before, most long distance bus stations in bigger cities are situated a bit outside of the city centre so expect to get transport from bus stations to city center. This goes for Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Udon Thani, Phuket etc. Take the buses and the bus companies thai citizens use and you will be fine.

I have also taken the Huay Xai - Luang Prabang boatrip on the Mekong River and nobody got kicked out and no scams at all.

In my experience - and I have travelled quite a but in SEAsia you are much more likely to get scammed in Vietnam or Cambodia, omg even buying a cup of coffee they can scam you, not to mention bus and train tickets, guesthouse rooms etc.

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In the end everything will be fine. If its not fine its not the end....